Moedred said:Depeche Mode in a Spielberg trailer!
QUOTE from a 12/17 USA Today Article Quoting Spielberg on Ready Player One]The '80s “had a refreshing lack of cynicism, and in our story, that’s what people are trying to return to,” Spielberg says.
QUOTE from a 12/17 USA Today Article Quoting Spielberg] “In their real lives, they’re living in a debris field of the first half of the 21st century.”
QUOTE from a 12/17 USA Today Article Quoting Spielberg on Ready Player One]The '80s “had a refreshing lack of cynicism, and in our story, that’s what people are trying to return to,” Spielberg says.
roundshort said:You ave never seen Ferris or fast times.... oh god. I am animal mother.
Joe Brody said:I've seen scenes from each but have never had a desire to see them all the way through.
But enough of that -- what reaction to my actual rant? Were the '80's cynical or not?
Pale Horse said:Were the 80's viewed as cynical during the 80's, or is it just hindsight and wisdom that reveals this to us??
Barf me out.
Gag me with a spoon.
**** me gently with a chainsaw.
Those teenagers still felt enthusiasm for what truly deserved it ? and not just *****in' camaros, bodacious bods, and totally tubular tunes. Letting your guard down and sharing your life with friends, and belonging to an active social scene, were still earnest and sincere pursuits. This distinguishes the zeitgeist from one of "kill yr idols."
The tone of youth culture in the '80s, then, was fundamentally one of stabilization ? letting the air out of the over-inflated, while showing appreciation for what we have taken for granted.
Joe Brody said:No, from my perspective, it was truly cynical during the '80's -- especially among teens (I was in sixth grade in 1980). Roundshort nailed it. The movies he mentioned were huge and there were hugely influential 1970's films as well, like Pink Floyd's 'The Wall' and Monty Python's Life of Brian & Holy Grail -- all mainly watched on VHS. Notably, I'd even argue that the 'Greed is Good' mantra dates back even earlier than Wall Street. I trace the concept (not the slogan itself) back to 1983's Risky Business.
Politically, from the start of the decade, Conservatives were cynical about 'dovish' & 'soft,' 'big government' liberals, and Liberals were suspicious and cynical about hawkish Conservatives. I vividly remember suspicions around the 'October Surprise' and folks wondering why the Iranians were releasing the hostages as a gesture to a more hawkish incumbent. These skeptics were derided early on but they only had to wait a few short years to be proven right over the Gipper's hypocrisy when Iran Contra broke. Folks, Bush II was an idiot for starting the war with Iraq but it doesn't get more cynical and hypocritical than Iran Contra -- the signature scandal of the 1980's.
When I scanned your post, I thought at first there may be an east-west coast thing was going on here (Roundshort and I grew up in Pittsburgh as the steel industry was going through its final death throes) but the more I thought about it, it isn't that simple. Youth targeted media during the 1980's was hugely cynical. Watch old Kurt Loder on MTV (and my God just look at the subversion in the MTV logo itself) -- but not everyone watched MTV (and I don't think a lot of people even get the subversion in the logo). I also remember reading and being influenced by things like Doonesbury -- which was/is nationally syndicated and hugely self aware-ly cynical -- but I admit the escapist Calvin and Hobbes came out in that decade as well. If you didn't stay up to watch the coolly cynical David Letterman, you were a loser. Pittsburgh's own Dennis Miller (quote: "I'm actually equal parts cynicism and apathy") manned the Saturday Night Live news desk for the back half of the '80's - but not everyone got Denis Miller (which is why I guess he didn't make it on Monday Night Football). But cynisim in media has its limits. I recognize the Cosby Show came out in the '80's too -- and I admit to never having seen an episode (I guess because I was too busy hanging out with friends and watching The Wall/Monty Python/Repo Man and going to see Rocky Horror)
. . . so to use Roundshort's term for it, 'yes' I'm feeling strongly victimized by the whole thing. Joy Division means something to me, and it kills me seeing that t-shirt in this film.
roundshort said:I just watched the preview, this looks horrible. Dear lord no way am I going to see this cgi s storm. I didn’t see a joy division shirt though
roundshort said:The funny thing is you should be angry about any Joy Divison t shirts as the band (and new order) were totally against any merchandise and most t shirts were fakes. They only sold t shirts when they all went bankrupt because of a club they could not manage. Remember that shirt and image did not exist while Ian was alive..... very sloppy to use that shirt. They should have used a Born I. The USA jean ass t shirt to get the mod correct (or incorrect if you get my reference, cause the gipper didn’t)
Joe Brody said:As always I defer to your expertise in this area but I think you may want to check your facts on this one. I think the Unknown Pleasures album was out by the time of Ian Curtis's death. As for JD/NO aversion to merchandise, I don't know anything about that either but I know it didn't apply to tour shirts.
Pale Horse said:I was in line for the Tea Cup's at Disneyland this weekend and saw a late teen age girl wearing this same shirt, and I couldn't help but think of you two and the Irony herein.