the 1980s

Movies/Film

Empire Strikes back

The next movie is the empire strikes back. Everyone know this film. Luke has to save the world of star wars. Go to this website for more detail paragraph http://www.starwars.com/films/star-wars-episode-v-the-empire-strikes-back. I think that people went to this movie because it had a lot of action. Also this is another movie that has something to do with space. Maybe the people in the 1980s like space movies because there were talks about aliens and other spacy things. Also it this was a sequel. I am not sure but maybe the Emperor is the american government and the rebellion is the Russians trying to get through the Empire(US government).

E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial (1982)

In this film a boy, Elliott, was living a normal life until he meets E.T. E.T got to Earth because a group of aliens left him here. Then the two start to talk to each other. While E.T learns about Earth, Elliot learns the value of a true friend. The twist is that E.T wants to get home but will Elliot let him? I think that the reason that this movie got people to watch because it was touching and had a lot of action in it. The 1980s was not really a good time because of radical and countercultural movements. This movie connects to the 1980 because the government was trying to catch Russian from coming into the country, just like E.T.

Raiders of the lost ark

Raiders of the lost ark is about a archeology professor named Indiana Jones is venturing in the jungles of South America searching for a golden statue. There are deadly traps in his way which he always escapes. Then Indiana Jones hears that there is an artifact that is called the Ark of the Covenant. Indiana Jones has to go to Nepal and Egypt, but in his way there are a group of Nazis and Rene Belloq. Who will get the treasure first? I think that people went to this film because it had a lot of adventure and action in side the film. In the 2 films we saw people running away from something (the government.) In this film we see Indiana Jones is running away from people that want the artifact that he has. Maybe Indiana Jones is the Russians running away from the Nazis (the government.)

So basically 3 people work to stop all the ghost in New York. The ghost on the picture symbolizes the russian and the circle with the cross on it means that they can't come in. The ghostbusters are trying to catch the ghost just like the government were trying to catch the russians.

So this family, Jack, Wendy and Daniel go to this hotel which is haunted. Jack becomes crazy and tries to kill Wendy and Daniel. This movie relates to the Russians and the government trying to kill all the Russians. Just like Jack trying to kill Wendy and Daniel.

The Chernobyl disaster

In 1986 was the result of a flawed reactor design. The resulting steam explosion and fires released at least 5% of the radioactive reactor core into the atmosphere and downwind. Two Chernobyl plant workers died on the night of the accident, and a further 28 people died within a few weeks as a result of acute radiation poisoning. Some Asian and European countries stop drinking milk because of the chances of it being contaminated. My mom was in England when it happened and she says that no one drank milk because they thought it was contaminated.

Space program Challenger

On January 28, 1986, the American shuttle orbiter Challenger broke up 73 seconds after liftoff. The disaster took the lives of all seven astronauts aboard, including Christa McAuliffe, a teacher from New Hampshire who had been selected to join the mission and teach lessons from space to students around the country. The shuttle had failed because cold temperatures on the morning of the launch. I have heard a lot about this from different people saying they were watching tv live and they all were so shocked, even though I never have had anything like this before I think I wouldn't be able to sleep that night.

Ronald Reagan (1911-2004)

A former actor and California governor, served as the 40th U.S. president from 1981 to 1989. Raised in small-town Illinois, he became a Hollywood actor in his 20s and later served as the Republican governor of California from 1967 to 1975. Also he cut taxes, increased defense spending, negotiated a nuclear arms reduction agreement with the Soviets and is credited with helping to bring a quicker end to the Cold War. Even though i'm liberal I think he was a smart man.

Pac Man

The videogame was created by Japanese video game designer Toru Iwatani. It was licensed for distribution in the United States, and fully released in October 1980. Soon most children with a local arcade all new about that cheese shaped character. Pac-Man is often credited with being a landmark in video game history and is among the most famous arcade games of all time. Even I still play Pac Man today. But for some reason everytime I play it, I feel like Pac Man is just living cheese.

Sandra O'Connor

On July 7, 1981, President Ronald Reagan nominated Sandra Day O'Connor to be the first woman on the U.S. Supreme Court. On September 21, the United States Senate confirmed O'Connor in a vote of 99 for and zero against. Sandra Day O'Connor was officially sworn in and took her seat on the U.S. Supreme Court on. I personally feel this was a day that proves women are just as equal as any man.

Music:

The 1980s is the breakthrough of Pop music. The songs were happy and danceable. Many artists that are known all over the world are from the 80s, like Micheal Jackson and Madonna. The 1980s had a lot of different themes in the songs, a popular theme being women's rights. Many songs were about having equality between men and women. Also, how women are taking for granted, and how they are put into stereotypes.

Girls Just Want to Have Fun by Cyndi Lauper

This song is about how women want equality. In the music video, it's Cyndi Lauper running around trying to have fun while most women are at home doing chores. She goes out and explores the world. This video connects to the american value equality because it's about how men work and all women do is sit home and do chores.

Material Girl by Madonna

The song Material Girl is about how women are taken for granted. Material girl means materialistic women. In the music video she is surrounded with riches and several men are giving her jewelry just to have her love. She is also taking all of the items they are giving her. She is wearing an expensive dress and diamonds. This music video shows a stereotype that women just love you for your wealth.

Like a Virgin by Madonna

This song is about how women get exploited and taken advantage of. In the music video, Madonna is with a man, but also a lion. The lion is a metaphor, representing a man. It shows that men are animals, and they stalk their prey. The music video shows how men can act like gentlemen, but also vicious animals. This video connects to a problem we still have today and was popular in the 80s; women are just for a man's desire and are touched and thrown away.

I'm Coming Out by Diana Ross

This song talks about a woman's independence and gay pride. This song is about showing who you are. This song is about the artist, and how Ross wants people to know her real authentic self. In the video she isn't really doing anything, but there are a lot of bright lights that fit into the 80s disco music. This song relates to the american value of independence and to not be discriminated by who you really are.

Love is a Battlefield by Pat Benatar

This song has a lot about women in it. Not only does the song talk about how love isn't easy, especially for women, but it also tells a message to girls around the world. In this song, love doesn't only mean to a significant other but family members too. In the music video, at first she is running from home. Her father is shooing her out and doesn't want to see her daughter again because she is a "disappointment". After she runs away she is in a bar, she dances with a man, and the man wants more than just a dance. After countless times of him trying to grab her, she finally stands her ground. She and many other ladies do a dance, symbolizing men to stop harassing them. This song connects to the idea of equality and feminism. Important stuff, in my opinion.

Television

Family Ties

Family Ties is an 80's American sitcom about a middle class, suburban family with very different views. The parents, Steven and Elyse Keaton, are liberals while their two eldest children, Alex and Mallory, are described as "ambitious, young republicans." Because at the time President Reagan was in power, the show was fairly based on politics. This introduces the point that the 80's were based around several minorities, one of them including liberals.

Golden Girls

Another 80's sitcom is Golden Girls, a show that is unique because of its characters. Never before had TV seen older women as main characters, and because of that this show is important. Golden Girls is a show about 4 older women, Dorothy, Rose, Blanche, and Sophia, Dorothy's mom. A lot of shows in the 80's have important themes, including this one. In class, we learnt that Blanche's brother was gay. Blanche had a hard time dealing with this, but eventually accepted him. So including older women, Golden Girls also spoke about homosexuals and most likely spoke about other important issues or groups.

Dynasty

Dynasty is different from the last two shows, mostly because instead of a sitcom, it's a soap opera. This show is also different because it kind of makes fun of the upper/dominant class. The family (Blake Carrington, Krystle Carrington, Alexis Carrington, Fallon Carrington, etc.), in Dynasty is chaotic, petty, and all around crazy. Unlike Family Ties and/or Golden Girls, Dynasty shows how the upper class is not problem-free, and actually can be just as dysfunctional as the rest of us.

Murder, She Wrote

Like Golden Girls, Murder, She Wrote is a show which shows a not seen before type of character, older women. This show is about Jessica Fletcher, a mystery writer and an inexperienced detective. She uncovers criminals and killers throughout the series, which was nominated for many golden globes.

Married... With Children

Like the first two shows, Married... With Children is a sitcom about Al Bundy, an unlucky man who sells women's shoes for a living and is unsatisfied with his family. This show, in a way, makes fun of poor people and their misfortune. In the series, Al constantly regrets marrying his now wife (Peggy Bundy) in the first place. She has very expensive taste, which is why the family is poor in the first place.

Overall...

The 80's TV shows were about groups who were not seen on TV very often. In all these shows a common theme is equality, an important american value. I say this because before, not all people were as represented on TV before. Now that they are, it seems that all people were treated as somewhat equal.

This ad is important because people of color are the ones being targeted in this ad. Black people are known to have very tight curls in their afros, so it's only natural that the product would be targeted toward them. In the 70's, there were few black people in ads, though they were present. But in the 80's, black people are seen in way more ads. This adds to the point that the main american value was equality.

Apple Lisa - Katie

The apple Lisa computer was released in 1983. Apple made the first personal computer. This was a huge landmark in history, because it was one of the best desktop of its time. The commercial has a white man in a office. Most commercials that were about technology had only men. Usually white men. This ad connects to the american value by only having white men in the ad instead of women or a different race.

Fashion was bizarre. Turtles where fast. And video games where forming. This clearly means that the ninja turtles must be a thing. The popular slik reptiles were kids favorite thing to talk about. All named after italian artists (Donatello, Leonardo, Michelangelo, and Raphael they kept crime off the streets using the art of ninjutsu taught by their rat sensei. (splinter) The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles first appeared in an American comic book published by Mirage Studios in 1984 in Dover, New Hampshire.

Poochie (Morgan)

This ad proves the point that the 80's most prominent american value was equality. This ad points out that in the past, little girls couldn't speak their minds. But this ad dispels this notion. The company who made this believed that girls should be heard, or maybe they just thought it would be good for marketing. Either way, it influenced the world for the better.

Report abuse