Be kind, and please rewind. Perhaps it has been a while since you’ve heard that phrase. Here at Mechanics’, we’d like to invite you to take a step back into the golden age of the VHS rental, with a display of 1980s favorites on DVD. Not only do you not have to worry about rewinding the tape this time around, our late fees at Mechanics’ are not as steep as the video rental palaces of yesteryear. So, swing by the 2nd Floor and rewind to the 80s. Below are a few staff picks from the display.
Taryn recommends:
The Blue Lagoon - Described by Siskel and Ebert as 1980's "dog of the year" this near soft porn film will keep you giggling, albeit breathlessly.
The French Lieutenant's Woman - Though the book was described as "unfilmable" because of its complex plot devices, this effort is more than admirable.
Craig recommends Tootsie - a 1982 drama/comedy, starring Dustin Hoffman and Jessica Lange. The film tells the story of a talented but volatile actor whose reputation for being difficult forces him to adopt a new identity as a woman in order to land a job. In desperation, he dresses as a woman, auditions as 'Dorothy Michaels', gets the part, and becomes a television sensation.
Rhonda says “I'm an 80's baby for sure so I remember just about everyone wearing acid-washed jackets and jeans! I had a black and gray Guess jacket, not to mention my feathered hairdo! One of my many fav 80's movies was Valley Girl the soundtrack was
everything! Not to mention Nicolas Cage's beach scene! Of course, you can't mention that movie without mentioning Fast Times at Ridgemont High. But, in all seriousness, I have to say Diner is still one of my all time favorite films.”
Joel recommends After Hours – An underrated black comedy about a yuppie named Paul trying to make his way home from his office job in Manhattan. His night becomes increasingly bizarre as he encounters a range of strange situations and individuals: angry cabbies, crazy ice cream dealers, burglars, mobsters, punks trying to shave his head, etc. It's a funny, strange, and unsettling movie that is very 1980s New York.
Lia recommends:
Ghostbusters – I loved the new Ghostbusters, but the original still holds the top spot in my heart. It never fails to make me laugh, and I've probably seen it dozens of times. I crack up every time they're spying on the ghost in the library and Ray says, "Listen! You smell something?" Best watched while *not* eating eggs.
My other pick is Die Hard – the best Christmas movie out there! Bruce Willis and Alan Rickman both give fantastic performances, and I just can't help but sympathize with poor John McClane, who's just got a bad headache.
Myles recommends:
Koyaanisqatsi - a beautiful art film by Godfrey Reggio with music from Philip Glass that contrasts the human impact on Earth with scenes of nature. “Koyaanisqatsi” is a Hopi word for unbalanced life. This experimental film has no dialog or plot, so if you’re in the mood for a high-brow 80s moment, check out Koyaanisqatsi.
Ghostbusters II - I love how this sequel opened. The heroes from the first film are no longer fighting ghosts. Their fifteen minutes of fame are up, and they’ve resorted to D-list work. Dan Aykroyd and Ernie Hudson are now children’s birthday party entertainers, performing to a group of “ungrateful little yuppie larvae.” I remember watching this in the theater and finding the group’s fall from grace both hilarious and relatable.
