Podcast Archive: Creativity and Patrick Swayze

Episode 60 - Creativity

The Irony meter's little red needle was twitching healthily this week. Bereft of a topic idea we duly broke the glass on the "Emergency Podcast Filler" and out topped 9 minutes of audio cut from Episode 44 along with a note from us in the past saying: "These spoken words have been cut for time and relevance from it's show of origin but that discussion was lively and if at any time in the future we should be at a lose end we should 'PLAY IT' and discuss."

Much to the Irony meter's excitement the offered subject gifted to us to cover our lack of ideas was 'Creativity'. Leo is a writer, we know this from his never ending ambition nay compulsion to perform this task over and over again and his drive to be better at it. Justin is an Artist, a real one who actually illustrates for a living and has done so for companies you've actual heard of. Also Ian who ... erm ... Well ... he can use a word document and doodles on the back of what he prints out.

Regardless we do in fact have a small pool of genuinely creative people who love talking about themselves. So come join us as me muse on being all creative and how it might, maybe, one day, if you're both good and lucky ... turn a small profit.
Incidental music by Kevin Macleod of incompetech.com



Direct Link: https://archive.org/download/060Creativity/060%20-%20Creativity.mp3

Episode 61 - The Ultimate Patrick Swayze Retrospective

In some ways it might seem like Patrick Swayze couldn't get a break. He was a versatile actor with a varied CV who never seemed to impinge upon the public consciousness beyond his turns in Dirty Dancing and Ghost. Although, when prompted many people also remember him for Red Dawn, Road House, Point Break and his seemingly idiosyncratic moment in Donnie Darko. But there was so much more to Mr. Swayze than this and the 80s kids are here to tell you all about those Swayze gems you may have missed.

As it happens they have missed many of them too. Justin, at one point, admits to having been puzzled that we should wish to take this extended look at the career of one of Hollywood's B-List actors. Well, much apart from the fact that "the Swayz" was an 80s icon, and we are the 80s Kids the career of the only man who could lend much in the way of credibility to a mullet is a far more textured and interesting thing than many of his contemporaries.

Maybe you weren't a member of the fan club before but by the end of this show we'll guarantee that you won't ever want to leave Patrick in the corner again.

Incidental music by Kevin Macleod of incompetech.com



Direct Link: https://archive.org/download/061TheUltimatePatrickSwayzeRetrospective/061-The-Ultimate-Patrick-Swayze-Retrospective.mp3

Archived Podcasts Galore!

Episode 47 - A Trip down the Playstation Memory Card Solid

20 years ago the Playstation was a new thing and the 80's Kids suddenly found themselves to be console owners and felt very pleased with themselves about being at the forefront of contemporary popular gaming. The PSX (for this was what it was called back then) was a wonderful unassuming grey box that dispensed 3D polygon entertainment and also played your CDs.

It's dizzying host of games came in charming square boxes that went 'clack' when you thumbed your way through the second hand bin at "Electronic Boutique". The controller was an iconic friendly grey colour and third party peripheries where everywhere. Who didn't own a play station back in the day other than really bitter people who clung on to the Saga Saturns or N64s?

It was a revolution in popular gaming and everyone, everywhere seemed to be having fun and SONY was a magical, wonderful company. This week Leo and Ian look back on those times and games through their rose tinted glasses and gush over the games that sucked time away from doing something productive with themselves in the 90s.

Incidental Music "Basement Floor" is composed by Kevin Macleod of incompetech.com "Codec sounds" and "MGS Game over theme" Copywrite Konami and used under fair use.



Direct Link: https://archive.org/download/047ATripDownThePlaystationMemoryCardSolid/047-a-trip-down-the-playstation-memory-card-solid.mp3

Episode 48 - Raiders of the Lost Fridge

With Justin freshly rescued from his Tomb the 80's Kids reckon this is fine time time to discuss that most prolific of grave robbers and his exploits on the silver screen. That's right, Indiana Jones! So shake the dust off your hat, throw on your brown leather jackets and act like you really do know how to use a bull whip. This week is like an out of control Mine cart and it stops for no one.

'Raiders' might belong in a museum but that doesn't stop Justin and Ian stealing it and gushing over it with nostalgia saturated love . Then Leo breaks up the party by informing them he doesn't quite "get it" causing many heads to explode. The powers of Spielberg and Ford are mused on as well as 'Raiders' rolling bolder like impact on the films and culture that came afterwards. Then comes 'Temple of Doom' and it's many traps made from political correctness gone mad. While Ian might have found it a bit grim its eat your heart out time for Justin. Then it's off to rescue Dad in 'Last Crusade' where deep and meaningful questions are asked like ... should Nazis be funny? You know, with the holocaust and everything. Whatever you might think we all agree it was a fine end to the series.

Only it wasn't ... yes ... we talk about that other film too.

Once again Lucas proves there is no part of your childhood you can possess, that he cannot take away. "Labeouf, I hate that guy."



Direct Link: https://archive.org/download/048RaidersOfTheLostFridge/048-raiders-of-the-lost-fridge.mp3

Episode 49 - 1992 Reservoir Kids

There can be no clearer symptom of 90s rot that to examine the sad turn the Alien franchise took this year with it's bleak, nihilistic descent into death. A further example of a beloved 80s film series going off the boil would be "Batman Returns" although a more appropriate title might have been "Penguin Arrives".

Fortunately the 80s kids are here and more than ready to mete out some well deserved revenge. Lurching out blinking into the moonlight comes "Bram Stoker's Dracula", presumably named such to avoid confusion with all the other Dracula films based on the same book. Despite fleeting moments of brilliance the Prince of Darkness staggers disappointingly back to it's crypt once again, allowing younger, fresher vampires a stab at the jugular. They sadly ran headlong into "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" and much like how Buffy deals with Vampires this film is badly executed.

All the same, this is the year of "Reservoir Dogs", the film that put Quentin Tarantino on our map. Sadly the passing years have not been kind to his once loyal 80s kids fanboys who do little but stand and watch while Sue and Leo give our once loved writer director a real ear full. And not in the Mr Blonde way.

The dark connection between Steven Seagal and Wesley Snipes its mused on but really everyone was far too distracted by Sharon Stone crossing her legs in "Basic Instinct". Then things go a little surreal as David Lynch proves beyond any doubt that Twin Peaks fans have in fact been wasting their time all along. And thus the "Candy Man" was summoned to dispense his usual hook/bee based justice upon the transgressing films of 1992!

Incidental Music "Cool Vibes" by Kevin Macleod of incompetech.com



Direct Link: https://archive.org/download/0491992ReservoirKids/049-1992-reservoir-kids.mp3

Episode 50 - The Aniversary Behemoth!

Yee Gawds! Has it been a year since the 80's Kids began this odyssey? Apparently it has. Oh well any excuse for a party. And the theme of this one is marvellous, wonderful favourite things. And in this weeks double length bumper podcast we tackle THREE each. So let the speculation begin! What are our Number one choices?

Sue's first choice involves a prolonged tea break, Justin will gush over the joy of nepotism, Ian's will either kill your or dive you insane and Leo's first favourite thing involves many happy memories reading the Shakespearean obituaries.

Our second batch of much loved things ups the game. Sue's choice is very heavy, Justin is delighted about his gateway drug that left him spoiled for choice, Ian speaks at length about his love for convoluted time travel plots NOT involving Dr Who but rather something else with more bite and Leo proudly unleashes his wheel of fate powered by cogs.

And the Third? Well... Sue likes playing god with the lives of ordinary people, Justin has famous last words to the puzzlement of many, Ian decides to end it in a bloody shoot out in which all our heroes die and Leo's final choice sends the surviving 80's kids to sleep. Really. What more could you ask for?

Incidental music composed or available from Kevin Macleod's invaluable website incompetech.com



Direct Link: https://archive.org/download/050TheAnniversaryBehemoth/050-the-anniversary-behemoth.mp3

Podcast - The Beginning of the End (of the 80s)

NOTE: I'm back on podcast posting duties this week after Ian was doing the last few. To ensure you don't miss any make sure that you check out our podomatic page eightieskids.podomatic.com

It all starts off a bit masculine in this week's episode, how could it otherwise in a year that brought us Predator, The Running Man and Robocop? Before long though the discussion takes a distinct turn for the feminine as it behooves the present 80s Kids (Leo, Ian and Sue) to consider the wealth of female-oriented entertainment 1987 spewed out in bulk.

And so goes the story of yet another proud 80s year. There is a twist in the tale, however, for 1987 is where we first begin to detect the insidious presence of the 90s. 1987's failures were echoes of the cinematic wasteland to come. In addition we see the fading of such standards as the kiddie cast genre action movie in the sub-par Monster Squad (which is still a lot of fun but nowhere near the high point of the genre).

Films such as Robocop and Wall Street told us our love affair with corporate excess and the free market was approaching its end and if Robocop signalled anything it was that the divorce would be messy. On the other side of the coin the indie film-makers were sniffing around and the first signs of the massive indie explosion of the 90s were felt in titles like Hellraiser and Bad Taste.

The winds of change had started to blow, but the 80s party is still far from over. Cling onto your neon lit, synthesizer scored rite-of-passage party, midnight is coming...


Direct Link: http://eightieskids.podomatic.com/entry/2013-12-13T11_50_44-08_00

Podcast - The M Word

While Justin's away enjoying fame and fortune Ian & Leo are joined by Sue to talk about the recent hot topic of misogyny at the movies.

It's been a summer when the 'm' word has been bandied about in connection with various movies, notably Star Trek Into Darkness and Riddick. So we decided it was time to invite the wrath of the internet and blather our opinions (others of equal value are available) on the topic while there was a woman in the room.

Somebody is about to be wrong on the internet.



Direct Link: https://archive.org/download/022TheMWord/022-The-M-Word.mp3

Podcast - Pity The Fool Who Messes With Our Imports

Fire up your robot car, get out your welding irons and affix some sheet metal to a 4x4, turn into whatever animal you want as long as it's an eagle or a tiger, it's time to look at some of the 80s viewing aimed at younger audiences from across the Atlantic.

Of course, there were anomalous programmes such as the A-Team which didn't start out for kids, things that straddled the gap like Knight Rider and stuff aimed squarely at the younger viewer such as Benji, Zaxx and the Alien Prince.

Basically, if it had a real person in it and it came from the USA in the 80s the 80s kids are getting into it this week. (The cartoons, well, they merit a whole show to themselves He-Man and Transformers fans!)

SPECIAL BONUS CONTENT: Response to feedback, listen on after the end theme to enjoy this response to a detailed fan comment from our Pod-O-Matic page.



Direct Link: https://archive.org/download/018PityTheFoolWhoMessesWithOurImports/018-Pity-The-Fool-Who-Messes-With-Our-Imports.mp3

Podcast - 1981: Genre-Movie-A-Go-Go

1981 dawns bright and fresh in our memory this week, a year so crammed full of cinematic goodness an hour barely seems like an adequate amount of time to cover it all off.

The legacy of Star Wars and Halloween is felt in '81, perhaps, more heavily than it was felt previously. The amount of SF and fantasy released in '81 was truly staggering.

The traditional horror fodder of the 70s was being left behind in a deluge of slasher movies, gross out horror and more fantastic fare featuring exploding heads, babylonian zombies and flesh-warping werewolves.

The eighties were most definitely here but still finding their feet, so let's look at the triumphs and tragedies of one of the most imaginitive years in cinematic history.



Direct Link: https://archive.org/download/0151981GenreMovieAGoGo/015-1981-Genre-Movie-A-Go-Go.mp3

Podcast - Sue's Top 5 of the 80s

Right before we surge forth into the 80s we take a moment to connect with Sue and her top 5 of the 80s. The reason being that our own Top 5s of the 70s were a good intro to those shows but the 80s presents a trickier problem for the 80s kids.

Sue, though, has found her own choosing process easier and so we take a first bite of the sweet fruit of the 1980s in this special episode. Enjoy!



Direct Link: https://archive.org/download/012Sues80sTop5/012-Sues_80s_Top_5.mp3