The heart warming story of when swell folks go punk and how their family learns a valuable lesson in understanding and bla bla bla fake but funny! Look for familiar seventies and eighties stars Jay Underwood (Uncle Buck,Fantastic Four), Bernie Kopell (The Love Boat) and James Noble (Benson) in this corny After School Special. Some of the 80s values expressed here include the value of conformity, selling out for cash and big hair.

YouTube deleted the full video but here is a clip of the Punk make-over scene:

Don’t worry, no one was falling for that family friendly slop except naive parents – real punk rock thrived in the 80s and there was no love for the phony suburban posers that became punk overnight in appearance but not attitude. Here are some punks that weren’t faking it – The Dead Kennedys with their hit Holiday in Cambodia performed live!

I am posting today in the sad wake of Michael Jackson’s passing, an event sending emotional and cultural shock waves around the world as people react to the loss of this influential figure who has touched so many lives. Will you always remember where you were when hearing of his death? Feel free to share in the comments.

In memory of The King of Pop the Eighties Blog brings you The Jacksons: An American Dream. Originally broadcast as a two part mini-series in 1992, this five hour biography of the Jackson 5 follows Michael Jackson, his parents and siblings from their beginnings in Gary, Indiana to their rise to fame and how it affected them individually and as a family. The mini-series was very popular with fans and critics garnering high ratings and taking home an Emmy Award for the choreography and many other accolades.

The movie will play continuously and is divided in to 25 parts so you can always continue watching later.

The miniseries starred Lawrence Hilton-Jacobs as the Jacksons’ father Joseph Jackson, Angela Bassett as the mother Katherine Jackson, Jason Weaver and Wylie Draper played Michael Jackson in different eras, while Bumper Robinson and Terrence Howard played Jackie Jackson in different eras, Angel Vargas played Tito Jackson, Margaret Avery as Katherine’s mother Martha Scruse, Holly Robinson-Peete as Diana Ross, Billy Dee Williams as Berry Gordy and Vanessa L. Williams as Suzanne de Passe. Bumper Robinson won a Young Artist Award for Best Young Actor in a Television Movie, and Alex Burrall and Jason Weaver both won a special award for Outstanding Young Performers Starring in a Mini-Series.

Watch V the Series 1984 – 1985 on StageVu

After losing his job as a hot shot stock trader Jack Casey (Keven Bacon) joins the colorful crowd of couriers at the Quicksilver bicycle messenger service. Jack’s confidence grows as he races Larry Fishburn down the steep San Francisco streets, tangles with a Gypsy drug dealer and falls for the tough talking female messenger Terri played by an 80s favorite Jami Gertz (Lost Boys, Less then Zero). If you didn’t get enough bicycle ballet in the movie Rad then you are sure to enjoy the gratuitous 80s bike dancing in Quicksilver. This movie is entertaining eighties fare with a predictable happy ending. Will Jack regain his confidence and return to the trading floor? Will Jack dump his superficial materialistic girlfriend for the spunky streetwise Terri? Will that no good Gypsy drug dealer get away with murder?

Watch Quicksilver Online at StageVu.

The Movie of the Week from 1987 is The Muppets Family Christmas

Not just any Christmas special, the Muppets Family Christmas goes all out with appearances from all the Muppet franchises – The Muppet Show, Sesame Street, Fraggle Rock and the Muppet Babies.

Watch for a cameo appearance by Jim Henson in the kitchen while the Muppets are singing Christmas carols at the end.

(Parts 1-7)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UU-Wi3tXUEM

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p3KYue-hmLc

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zH2QO_wimdE

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kutmlu2j7vw

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q94PZJvLLho

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XsLc5lx-oKA

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=asAJ85x7z5g