Podcast: How the U.S. Capitol insurrection can be traced back to RED DAWN

A man and woman sitting on top of rocks.

“Wolverines!” The call creates a Pavlovian swell of patriotic pride in ’80s teens. John Milius’ Red Dawn is one of the few teen action films of the ’80s — and definitely the most influential. It showed that teens were responsible, skilled, and capable enough to save their town and, possibly, the United States. It’s a blow ’em up, shoot ’em up,…

Read More

Podcast: RISKY BUSINESS Declared Women are Products and Money is all that Matters.

A woman in pink shirt and shorts kicking on the ground.

When you’re looking to explain the 1980s, look to Risky Business. Teens were attracted to the Paul Brickman comedy by the music video featuring Tom Cruise dancing in his underpants. Running constantly on MTV, teens watched and rewatched the “Old Time Rock n’ Roll” music video and its resonant clips of a line of beautiful prostitutes walking into Joel’s house,…

Read More