Pop Culture - Totally the 80's

A fighter jet banks over the ocean above sunglasses and a leather jacket on a carrier deck.

Top Gun 1986 and How Aviators Became the Coolest Kids on Screen

One F-14 Tomcat screaming over the ocean, one pair of mirrored sunglasses, one synth-heavy guitar riff from the Top Gun soundtrack. That combination gave the movie instant pop-culture impact, making…

Mr. Miyagi waxes a vintage car as Daniel watches in his karate gi.

Pop Culture Action Flicks Cult Classics Drama Movies

The Karate Kid at 40 and the Enduring Magic of “Wax On”

Some movie lines are fun for a summer. Others move into your brain, rent-free, and stay there for decades. The Karate Kid gave us one of the all-timers. It’s a…

Pop Culture Animated Saturday Morning Cartoons TV Shows

Muppet Babies Cartoon: The Nursery That Went Everywhere

A cardboard box could be a rocket ship. A blanket could become a royal cape. Miss Piggy could rule the room, while Baby Animal made every toy feel alive. And…

A vintage TV shows neon music imagery above cassette tapes and a remote.

Pop Culture 80s Music Videos 80s Pop 80s Rock Music TV Shows

How MTV Music Videos Took Over 80s Afternoons

At 4 p.m., the TV set could be a battlefield. Cartoons, sitcom reruns, local game shows, Mom's soap opera, Dad's news. Then MTV arrived as a new music channel, with…

iconic library scene for the breakfast club movie

Pop Culture Cult Classics Drama Movies Music Teen Comedies

How The Breakfast Club Defined High School Movies in 1985

Five kids walk into Saturday detention carrying labels they didn't choose. By the final bell, those labels look flimsy, painful, and a little ridiculous. As a 1985 film, The Breakfast…

dirty dancing patrick swayze dancing in front of mirror scene teaching baby

Pop Culture Cult Classics Drama Movies Music

Dirty Dancing and The Summer Movie Romance Nobody Forgot

Some movies flicker on. Dirty Dancing kicks down the door with a snare drum, a hip swivel, and a summer night that feels like it could last forever. Thirty-nine summers…

Labyrinth David Bowie movie poster with Sarah in a glass ball

Pop Culture 80s Pop 80s Rock Celebs and Icons Cult Classics Movies Music Music Icons

Labyrinth and David Bowie cast The Goblin King’s Spell

Say "Labyrinth David Bowie" to an 80s movie fan and watch what happens. Somebody will do the "Magic Dance" shoulder shuffle. Somebody else will whisper, "You have no power over…

Voltron and five colorful lion toys posed together on a shag carpet.

Pop Culture Action Figures Animated Saturday Morning Cartoons Toys and Games

Voltron Toys and The Lion Force Every 80s Kid Wanted

Five lions. One giant robot. A sword big enough to make a plastic action figure feel like the fate of the universe rested on your shag carpet. For 80s kids,…

collage image of jolt cola in cans and bottles and poured in glasses

Pop Culture Discontinued Treats Fads Food

Why Jolt Cola Became the 80s Soda With Extra Caffeine

Most soft drink brands wanted to be refreshing. Jolt wanted to keep you awake through algebra homework, a midnight movie, and one more round at the arcade. Jolt Cola hit…

Pop Culture Discontinued Treats Fads Favorite Foods Toys and Games

Squeezit Drinks and the Squeeze Bottles Kids Couldn’t Resist

Some drinks were swallowed. Squeezit drinks were performed. You didn't sip one like a little grown-up. You grabbed the bottle, twisted the cap, squeezed with both hands, and felt like…