The 80s Movie Podcast

Our regular spotlight on influential female filmmakers returns with one of the most important independent films of the 1980s. In this episode of The 80s Movie Podcast, host Edward Havens launches a retrospective of director Susan Seidelman by examining her groundbreaking debut feature, Smithereens (1982). Long before she found mainstream success with Desperately Seeking Susan, Seidelman captured the grit, ambition, and uncertainty of downtown Manhattan through the story of Wren, a restless young woman determined to become somebody in New York’s fading punk scene.

Along the way, we explore how Seidelman created an authentic portrait of early-1980s New York on a shoestring budget, filming on location amid the city's post-punk culture and urban decay. We also discuss the film's memorable performances, including punk icon Richard Hell, and examine why Smithereens remains such a valuable time capsule of a New York that has largely disappeared. Furthermore, we look at the film's themes of identity, self-invention, and the pursuit of fame, ideas that would later reappear throughout Seidelman's career.

At the same time, Smithereens occupies a significant place in independent film history. Not only did it help establish Seidelman as a major new voice in American cinema, but it also became the first American independent film selected to compete for the Palme d'Or at the Cannes Film Festival. Looking back, the film feels both deeply rooted in its era and surprisingly contemporary, especially in its exploration of image-making, self-promotion, and the desire to be noticed. Whether you're discovering Smithereens for the first time or revisiting a cult favorite, this episode examines the film that launched one of the most distinctive directing careers of the decade.

This week on The 80s Movie Podcast, host Edward Havens looks back at Crimewave (1986), one of the most unusual and troubled collaborations in 1980s cinema. Directed by Sam Raimi and co-written with Joel and Ethan Coen shortly after their debut Blood Simple, the film is a surreal blend of slapstick comedy, noir parody, and cartoon violence that quickly spiraled into one of the decade’s most notorious studio productions.

Originally conceived as a follow-up to The Evil Dead, Crimewave was heavily reshaped by studio interference, shifting casts, recuts, and production disputes that left both Raimi and the Coen brothers dissatisfied with the final release. Starring Bruce Campbell in a supporting role alongside Reed Birney, Louise Lasser, and Brion James, the film follows a chaotic chain of murders, mistaken identities, and absurd crime capers in a stylized urban nightmare.

Edward explores how studio control reshaped the film’s identity, why its production became so contentious, and how Crimewave ultimately became a cult curiosity in the filmographies of both Raimi and the Coens. While initially a box office failure, the movie has since gained attention as an early experiment in the styles that would define two of the most influential filmmaking careers of the era.

In this episode of The 80s Movie Podcast, we revisit Smokey and the Bandit Part 3, the unusual final chapter in the Smokey and the Bandit series, released without Burt Reynolds in a starring role and built around an entirely different concept than audiences originally expected. Instead of focusing on Bo “Bandit” Darville, the film shifts attention to Sheriff Buford T. Justice, played once again by Jackie Gleason, while Jerry Reed’s Snowman reluctantly steps into Bandit territory. The result is one of the strangest franchise pivots of the 1980s.

We explore the behind-the-scenes story that makes Smokey and the Bandit Part 3 such a fascinating Hollywood curiosity, including the original abandoned concept, Smokey Is the Bandit, in which Jackie Gleason played both Sheriff Justice and a version of the Bandit before poor test screenings led to major reshoots. We also discuss the absence of Burt Reynolds and Sally Field, the shift toward broader comedy, and why the movie struggled both critically and commercially upon release.

Over time, Smokey and the Bandit Part 3 has developed a strange kind of cult fascination among franchise fans, not necessarily because it works, but because of how unusual its production history became. Online discussions still debate the lost “Jackie Gleason cut,” the heavily reworked story, and whether the film deserves reevaluation as a chaotic relic of changing tastes in 1980s comedy and action cinema. Join us as we unpack one of the oddest sequels of the decade, and the moment a once unstoppable franchise finally ran out of road.

This week on The 80s Movie Podcast, host Edward Havens looks back at Threads (1984), the harrowing BBC television film directed by Mick Jackson that depicts the devastating consequences of nuclear war on the city of Sheffield, England. Originally broadcast during the height of Cold War tensions, the film follows two ordinary families as escalating geopolitical conflict between the United States and the Soviet Union leads to a full-scale nuclear exchange and the collapse of modern society.

Unlike conventional disaster films, Threads presents an unflinching, documentary-style portrayal of the long-term effects of nuclear fallout, including societal breakdown, economic collapse, and generational trauma. The film was produced on a modest budget for the BBC but became one of the most talked-about and feared television broadcasts of its era due to its realism and bleak outlook.

Edward explores the production background, the film’s impact on audiences in the 1980s, and why Threads continues to be cited today as one of the most disturbing and realistic depictions of nuclear catastrophe ever filmed. He also places it in context alongside other Cold War-era works such as The Day After, highlighting how television and cinema reflected global anxieties about nuclear conflict.

This week on The 80s Movie Podcast, host Edward Havens looks back at Who Framed Roger Rabbit (1988), the groundbreaking live-action/animation hybrid that changed Hollywood forever. Directed by Robert Zemeckis and produced by Steven Spielberg, the film blended classic cartoon chaos with hard-boiled film noir, following private detective Eddie Valiant (Bob Hoskins) as he investigates a murder mystery involving Roger Rabbit, Jessica Rabbit, and the strange world of Toontown. Inspired loosely by the novel Who Censored Roger Rabbit?, the movie became a landmark achievement in visual effects and animation.

Edward dives into the fascinating production history behind Who Framed Roger Rabbit, from Disney’s unlikely collaboration with Amblin Entertainment and the challenge of licensing rival cartoon characters to the technical breakthroughs that made animated characters feel physically real decades before CGI took over Hollywood. Plus: why Christopher Lloyd’s Judge Doom terrified an entire generation, how the movie revived interest in theatrical animation, and why many fans still consider it one of the greatest and most ambitious movies of the 1980s.

This week on The 80s Movie Podcast, host Edward Havens takes a look at one of the most difficult and overlooked films of the early 1980s: Deep in the Heart (released in the UK as Handgun), a 1983 vigilante drama directed by British filmmaker Tony Garnett. Set in Texas, the film follows Kathleen Sullivan, a teacher who relocates from Boston and is violently assaulted by a local lawyer, leading her to confront both the failures of the justice system and her own transformation through firearms training and self-defense.

The film stands out in early 80s cinema for its unflinching approach to gun culture in America, blending social commentary with the structure of a revenge thriller in a way that sparked controversy and limited distribution. Despite strong critical discussion of its themes, Handgun quickly faded from mainstream awareness and became a rarely-seen title for decades.

Edward explores the film’s production history, its British-American perspective on American gun ownership, and how Tony Garnett used the revenge genre to critique (not glorify) violence, setting it apart from more exploitative entries in the same era of cinema.

Part of our Produced and Abandoned series.

 

This week on The 80s Movie Podcast, host Edward Havens takes a look back at one of the strangest ensemble comedies of the 1980s: Chattanooga Choo Choo (1984), a film loosely inspired by the famous Glenn Miller song and built around an over-the-top premise involving a cross-country train race for a multimillion-dollar inheritance.

Starring George Kennedy as a football team owner attempting to secure his fortune by restoring and racing a historic train from New York to Chattanooga in under 24 hours, the film quickly spirals into a chaotic onboard road trip comedy featuring Barbara Eden, Joe Namath, Melissa Sue Anderson, Christopher McDonald, and Clu Gulager. What begins as a simple inheritance challenge turns into a packed locomotive of rivalries, romance, football antics, and escalating delays.

Edward explores how Chattanooga Choo Choo tried to capitalize on the success of big ensemble comedies of the era, why its crowded cast and tonal chaos left it overlooked on release, and how it has since become a footnote in 80s comedy history, remembered more for its premise than its execution.

In this episode of The 80s Movie Podcast, host Edward Havens explores UFOria (1985), a quirky cult 80s movie that blends comedy, romance, road movie chaos, and extraterrestrial obsession. Harry Dean Stanton stars as a dreamer convinced that a UFO will solve his problems and carry him away from ordinary life. However, his search for answers creates a series of unpredictable encounters that push him further from reality and closer to trouble.

Along the way, we examine the film's unusual mix of deadpan humor, offbeat characters, and Southwestern atmosphere. In addition, we discuss performances from Cindy Williams, Fred Ward, and Stanton, whose unique screen presence anchors the story. The film never found a wide audience, yet it earned a loyal following among fans of cult 80s movies who appreciate its strange charm and refusal to follow convention.

At the same time, we look at why UFOria remains one of the decade's most overlooked cinematic oddities. Furthermore, we consider how its blend of comedy, fantasy, and UFO mythology sets it apart from more traditional 1980s fare. Whether you're a longtime fan or a first-time viewer, this episode revisits a hidden gem that continues to fascinate movie lovers, collectors, and film historians.

In this episode of The 80s Movie Podcast, host Edward Havens returns to the ongoing Orphans series. This time, he examines three films released by distributors that never handled another theatrical release. The spotlight falls on Heartbreaker (1983), Hells Angels Forever (1983), and Mother Lode (1982). Together, they reveal a forgotten corner of 1980s movie history.

Along the way, we explore how these companies entered the film business and quickly disappeared. In addition, we look at the unique challenges each film faced in reaching audiences. From street-level romance to documentary filmmaking and adventure storytelling, these releases showcase the variety found among overlooked 1980s productions. Each film tells its own story, while also highlighting the risks of independent distribution.

At the same time, we consider why these forgotten distributors still matter today. Furthermore, we examine how their brief existence reflects the opportunities and pitfalls of the decade's changing film marketplace. Whether you enjoy cult discoveries, industry history, or obscure cinema, this episode uncovers three fascinating examples of movies that survived long after the companies behind them vanished.

The 80s Movie Podcast returns to The Orphans series, which spotlights films whose distributors released exactly one theatrical feature before closing their doors. In Part 5, host Edward Havens examines three films with almost nothing in common except that shared fate. The Last Fight (1983) stars Fred Williamson as his signature character Jesse Crowder, alongside Ruben Blades and Darlanne Fluegel, distributed by Best Film and Video, a company that ceased operations immediately after the film's release. The Howling III (1987) took the werewolf franchise to Australia under director Philippe Mora, picked up by Square Pictures, a distributor so obscure it left behind no business filings and no further releases. However, the episode's most surprising entry is Sullivan's Pavilion (1987), a personal documentary by upstate New York filmmaker Fred G. Sullivan that won a Special Jury Prize at Sundance and still almost nobody saw.

Each of these films tells a different story about what it meant to make and release movies outside the Hollywood studio system in the 1980s. Along the way, Edward traces Best Film and Video's brief and troubled attempt to build a distribution business on the back of a Fred Williamson action picture, the mysterious origins of Square Pictures, and Mora's decision to self-finance The Howling III as a kind of apology to fans of the original. Furthermore, the episode follows Sullivan's remarkable persistence in self-distributing his film city by city, eventually retitling it The Beer Drinker's Guide to Fitness and Filmmaking and finding genuine audiences in Burlington, Vermont and at the Bleecker Street Cinemas in New York. Consequently, Sullivan's story stands apart from the others as something closer to a quiet triumph than a cautionary tale.

In addition to the individual release histories, this episode builds a portrait of independent cinema infrastructure that was simultaneously ambitious and deeply fragile. At the same time, it recovers three filmmakers who operated entirely on their own terms, with wildly different results. The Beer Drinker's Guide to Fitness and Filmmaking is available to watch free on Vimeo, and this episode makes a strong case for why it deserves to be found.

 

The Orphans series is an ongoing exploration of one-off distribution company films as part of The 80s Movie Podcast.