The 80s Movie Podcast

In this episode of The 80s Movie Podcast, host Edward Havens shines a spotlight on filmmaker Amos Poe, one of the most influential yet least celebrated figures in American independent cinema. As a leading force in New York's No Wave movement, Poe helped create a new model for low-budget filmmaking that inspired generations of directors. However, this episode arrives under difficult circumstances as Poe faces a serious health crisis and needs support from the film community.

Along the way, we trace Poe's career from groundbreaking works such as The Blank Generation, Unmade Beds, and The Foreigner through later films like Alphabet City and Rocket Gibraltar. In addition, we explore his connections to the punk rock scene, his role in shaping independent cinema, and the artists who collaborated with him throughout his career. His work captured a version of New York that few filmmakers ever documented.

At the same time, we examine the legacy Poe leaves behind as a filmmaker, writer, and artistic pioneer. Furthermore, we discuss why his contributions continue to matter to movie lovers and film historians today. Whether you know his work or are discovering him for the first time, this episode celebrates a filmmaker whose influence reached far beyond the size of his audience and reminds us why preserving independent voices remains so important.

(12/25/2025 Update: Amos Poe passed away, surrounded by friends and family. The GoFundMe effort was able to raise just under $200,000 for his treatment, including donations from such indie film luminaries, art world legends and musical artists as Kirk Baltz, Sara Driver, Griffin Dunne, Chris Luttrell, John McNaughton, Walter Robinson, Alexandre Rockwell, Patti Smith, Chris Stein and Debbie Harry.)

 

This week on The 80s Movie Podcast, host Edward Havens examines John Carpenter’s Prince of Darkness as a work of atmosphere, structure, and philosophical horror.

We look at how Carpenter builds tension through containment, repetition, and slow escalation. A forgotten church becomes the center of the film’s anxiety, and the sealed cylinder in its basement turns the story into a study of instability. However, the movie is not interested in simple shock value. It is interested in the way ideas infect a space, a group, and eventually the audience.

We also explore the film’s central tension between science and religion. Carpenter treats both systems with a kind of grim seriousness, then forces them into the same frame. As a result, the movie becomes less about proving one worldview correct and more about showing how fragile human certainty really is.

Meanwhile, Prince of Darkness also reveals Carpenter’s command of mise-en-scène. The film uses corridors, shadows, and closed interiors to create a sense of pressure that never fully lifts. In addition, the ensemble structure gives the movie a documentary-like logic, as if we are watching a controlled experiment collapse in real time.

Although Prince of Darkness was not initially embraced as one of Carpenter’s major works, its reputation has grown because the film keeps yielding new readings. Ultimately, it stands as one of his most intellectually ambitious horror films, and one of his most unsettling.

In this episode of The 80s Movie Podcast, host Edward Havens dives into The Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai Across the 8th Dimension (1984), one of the most original films of the decade. The story follows Buckaroo Banzai, a brain surgeon, rock star, scientist, and adventurer who battles alien invaders from another dimension. However, the film never pauses to explain itself. Instead, it throws viewers into a fully formed world packed with bizarre characters, strange technology, and nonstop imagination.

Along the way, we explore how writer Earl Mac Rauch and director W.D. Richter created a movie unlike anything Hollywood had produced before. In addition, we examine the remarkable cast, including Peter Weller, John Lithgow, Jeff Goldblum, Ellen Barkin, and Christopher Lloyd. The film mixed science fiction, action, comedy, and adventure while ignoring traditional storytelling rules. As a result, audiences struggled to embrace it during its original release.

At the same time, we look at how Buckaroo Banzai evolved from a commercial disappointment into one of the most beloved cult 80s movies. Furthermore, we discuss the rights disputes, studio confusion, and unrealized sequel plans that prevented the franchise from expanding. Fans still celebrate its quotable dialogue, eccentric universe, and unforgettable characters decades later. Whether you love it or remain baffled by it, this episode revisits a landmark of cult 80s movies and one of the decade's most unique cinematic achievements.

This week on The 80s Movie Podcast, host Edward Havens concludes his look at the films of director Alex Cox with Walker (1987), one of the most ambitious and controversial movies of the decade. The 80s Movie Podcast and Edward Havens explore how Cox transformed the real-life story of American adventurer William Walker into a bold political satire that challenged audiences, critics, and studio executives alike. As a result, this episode examines a film that remains as provocative today as it was upon its release. Along the way, Edward reveals how Cox drew connections between nineteenth-century American expansionism and contemporary foreign policy, creating a historical drama unlike anything Hollywood had produced before. The episode also explores why the film's reputation has changed dramatically since its initial release.

First, Edward traces the extraordinary life of William Walker, the American lawyer, journalist, and self-appointed military leader who briefly seized control of Nicaragua during the 1850s. Meanwhile, he examines how Alex Cox and screenwriter Rudy Wurlitzer approached this remarkable true story from a distinctly modern perspective. In addition, the episode explores Ed Harris's powerful performance as Walker and the challenges of filming on location in Nicaragua during a period of political unrest. Edward also discusses the involvement of Universal Pictures, the support of the Sandinista government, and the production's many obstacles. Furthermore, he examines Cox's deliberate use of anachronisms, including helicopters, soft drink bottles, and modern technology, to emphasize the parallels between past and present.

Ultimately, this episode reveals why Walker stands as one of the most misunderstood films of the 1980s. Critics at the time rejected many of Cox's creative choices, and audiences largely stayed away from theaters. However, the film has undergone significant critical reappraisal over the decades. Therefore, Edward revisits its troubled release, political themes, and growing cult following to determine whether Walker deserves recognition as one of Alex Cox's greatest achievements. By the end of the episode, listeners will gain a deeper appreciation for a daring film that challenged convention and continues to spark discussion nearly forty years later.

This week on The 80s Movie Podcast, host Edward Havens rides into one of the boldest and most unpredictable cult films of the 1980s.

Some movies become classics because they follow the rules. Straight to Hell earned its reputation by ignoring them. We revisit Alex Cox's offbeat Western and the remarkable story behind its creation. Released in 1987, the film blended satire, violence, music, and dark comedy into a genre experiment unlike anything Hollywood was making. As a result, audiences struggled to classify it. Even so, its fearless style attracted devoted fans who appreciated its originality. Today, Straight to Hell remains one of the decade's most fascinating cult discoveries.

Edward follows Alex Cox after the success of Repo Man and Sid & Nancy. Along the way, we explore how he assembled an unforgettable cast that included Joe Strummer, Dick Rude, Sy Richardson, Grace Jones, Dennis Hopper, Elvis Costello, and members of The Pogues. We also examine the film's spaghetti Western influences and its unmistakable punk rock attitude. Meanwhile, the production embraced spontaneity instead of convention. That creative freedom shaped every frame of the finished film. It also gave Straight to Hell a personality unlike any other Western of its era.

Cult movies often find their audience long after they leave theaters. Straight to Hell followed that path. We revisit its lasting reputation and explore why film fans continue to rediscover it decades later. Edward explains how the movie reflects Alex Cox's fearless filmmaking style and independent spirit. Whether you first found it on VHS or discovered it years later, this episode celebrates a film that continues to surprise audiences willing to embrace the unexpected.

 

Why This Film Matters

Straight to Hell never became a mainstream hit, yet it developed a passionate following among fans of independent cinema, punk music, and revisionist Westerns. In this episode, Edward Havens explores how Alex Cox transformed an unconventional production into one of the most distinctive cult films of the 1980s. By examining the movie's creative origins, remarkable cast, and growing legacy, the episode places Straight to Hell within the broader story of independent filmmaking during one of Hollywood's most adventurous decades.

This week on The 80s Movie Podcast, host Edward Havens revisits Sid and Nancy (1986), director Alex Cox’s raw and uncompromising portrait of Sex Pistols bassist Sid Vicious and his turbulent relationship with Nancy Spungen. Featuring a career-defining performance by Gary Oldman alongside Chloe Webb, the film captures the chaos, romance, and tragedy surrounding one of punk rock’s most infamous couples.

In this episode, Edward explores what makes Sid and Nancy more than just another music biopic, examining its emotional intensity, gritty filmmaking style, and the unforgettable performances at its center. He also looks at how the film portrays addiction, fame, self-destruction, and the collapse of the punk movement through a deeply human lens.

Nearly four decades after its release, Sid and Nancy remains one of the most haunting and emotionally devastating films of the 1980s. Whether you are a fan of punk rock history, cult cinema, Gary Oldman’s early work, or overlooked 1980s dramas, this episode offers a fresh look at a film that still sparks conversation today.

On this episode, we reflect on the recent unfortunate late summer release of an Easter-themed movie by looking back to the 1987 unfortunate late spring release of a Christmas-themed horror movie, Silent Night, Deadly Night: Part 2.

This week on The 80s Movie Podcast, host Edward Havens revisits the Los Angeles movie theater that forever changed the way we experience going to the movies.

Most movie fans remember the films they watched during the 1980s. Few remember the theaters where those memories began. We explore the remarkable story of the Cineplex Beverly Center and its lasting impact on exhibition history. When it opened in 1982, the theater challenged long-held ideas about what a multiplex could become. Audiences found more screens, greater comfort, and an entirely new moviegoing experience. Before long, theater owners across North America started paying attention.

Edward traces the origins of the Cineplex Beverly Center and the people who brought it to life. Along the way, we examine the innovations that helped set it apart from competing theaters. We also follow Cineplex as it grew into an industry leader. Meanwhile, the exhibition business entered a period of dramatic change. Home video expanded rapidly, but movie theaters fought back by improving the theatrical experience. Film historian Ross Melnick joins the discussion and explains why the Beverly Center became a turning point for the industry. Edward also shares personal memories from his years working there.

Today, the building is gone, but its influence remains easy to find. Modern multiplexes reflect many ideas that first gained momentum during this era. Likewise, audiences still expect the comfort, variety, and convenience that theaters like the Beverly Center helped popularize. We revisit its remarkable legacy and celebrate the people behind its success. Whether you visited the theater or only know its reputation, this episode reveals why one ambitious cinema changed moviegoing for generations.

On this episode, we speak with film historian, author and UCSB professor Ross Melnick about his new book, his 80s cinema class, and five films from the decade he thinks you should watch again.

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From distributors barely remembered and films long forgotten, to the biggest actors and filmmakers of the decade, The 80s Movies Podcast is your ticket to the movies.