"Ferris Bueller 2: Another Day Off"

Ferris Bueller fans, here's some amazing news: There is a finished script being shopped in Hollywood for a sequel to the 1986 teen classic.

Titled "Ferris Bueller 2: Another Day Off," the movie places Ferris on the eve of his 40th birthday. The script was written by Rick Rapier, a screenwriter based in Arizona. Is it good? The movie fast-forwards Ferris' life about 20 years. In the years since high school, Ferris has turned his carefree "Life Moves Pretty Fast" motto into a motivational self-help career -- think Tony Robbins, only with a beret and sweater vest. His best friend Cameron is still at his side, managing his massive business.

But despite his phenomenal success, Ferris is a bit distracted on his 40th birthday (which, considering his massive fame, is being watched on pay-per-view TV by millions of devoted fans). He decides to take the day off, sending Cameron, his business associates and family into a frenzy.

Rapier says he hopes John Hughes would direct the movie and all the actors would return to reprise their original roles, including Matthew Broderick ("Ferris), Alan Ruck ("Cameron") and Jeffrey Jones ("Ed Rooney"). And what are the characters all up to now?

• Ferris' sister Jeannie (Jennifer Grey) is married to the boy she met in the police station (Charlie Sheen).
• No longer a school administrator, Rooney is still stalking Ferris for revenge.
• The economics teacher played by Ben Stein now is an airline gate representative.
• Ferris' girlfriend Sloane Peterson (Mia Sara) is a Hollywood star going through a rough marriage.

Can the movie be made? Right now, that's completely up to Hollywood. Rapier says several players in the movie business have read the script, with various reactions. One executive who passed on the script said he didn't like the idea that Ferris was profiting from his persona, Rapier said.

The big questions are whether Hughes can be talked into returning the director's chair and whether a studio will take a chance on a script from a relatively unknown writer. Personally, I think the Ferris legacy is too tempting to resist.

Come on, Hollywood. Take the chance. After all, as our hero says, "Life goes by pretty fast. If you don't stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it."

Olivia Newton-John's echoes of long ago

I have a theory about Olivia Newton-John, and here it is: If she hadn't insisted on sticking to movies in the early 80s and concentrated on her music career instead, we'd have erected statues in her honor by now and she'd be filling huge arenas for concerts (instead of that hag Madonna.)

Sadly, in the year 1980, there was a cosmic shift in the space-time continuum: She made the movie Xanadu and our world was never the same. Don't get me wrong -- Xanadu has possibly one of the best soundtracks of any movie in the late 70s or 80s. Seriously. "Suddenly," "I'm Alive," "Magic," and the title song.

The rest of the actual movie? Too painful to contemplate. It was so unintentionally campy, it makes the Village People's "Can't Stop the Music" (also from 1980) look like "The Deer Hunter."

Olivia Newton-John turns 59 years old today, and here's a suitable present: A pair of tickets to the new Broadway production of "Xanadu," playing at the Helen Hayes Theatre in New York. Just visiting the production's official website is a trip through time. And ELO's Jeff Lynne returns to handles the music and lyrics. What more can an 80s fan ask for?

Reading the reviews, it seems like the stage show has found the niche it should have aimed for back in the less humorous year of 1980. The New York Times called it an "outlandishly enjoyable stage spoof of the outrageously bad movie."

After other odd choices for 80s movies-turned-to-Broadway (Color Purple, Footloose), it seems like we're finally on to something worth celebrating.

The 80s Game With Martha Quinn Now Available

Funkitron Releases The 80’s Game With Martha Quinn for the PC
MTV’s all time favorite VJ makes her PC game debut in new online trivia title
BOXFORD, MASSACHUSETTS – August 14, 2007 – Funkitron, a widely respected developer and publisher of casual games, today announced the release of a new PC trivia title called The 80’s Game With Martha Quinn. Featuring 1980’s pop culture content, as well as in-game images and voice-overs by original MTV VJ Martha Quinn, the game offers fans of the 1980’s a new way to relive that “totally awesome” decade. The 80’s Game With Martha Quinn is available as a 60-minute free trial or may be downloaded for $19.95 from the following site: http://www.the80sgamewithmarthaquinn.com/.
The 80’s Game With Martha Quinn spans several different genres including movies, television, sports, politics, music, and celebrities. The game features four game modes: Free Play, Challenges, Episodes - which includes 80 special “Episode” games with themed questions – and Versus, which allows for head-to-head play for two players. Martha guides you through the game as you test your wits to become the ultimate 80’s trivia expert. More than 3,000 questions from the 80’s are packed into this new title, which also offers high-score postings, bonus rounds, and an accompanying 80’s music track.
“The 80’s Game With Martha Quinn has been an absolute pleasure to work on the entire way through,” said Dave Walls, President of Funkitron, Inc. “If fans of trivia games have as much fun playing the game as we did developing and designing it, they are in for a real treat.”
“I absolutely love my Funkitron 80’s game,” said Martha Quinn. “I’m an 80’s trivia fanatic and even I get stumped! Quick - what soap was Rick Springfield on? General Hospital, right? But do you remember the name of his #1 single (Jessie’s Girl)?”
The 80’s Game is licensed from Intellinitiative Game Company, which produces the best-selling trivia board game, The 80’s Game®.
About Funkitron, Inc.
Funkitron, Inc. was one of the first game publishers to focus on the downloadable casual game market and was founded by game industry veteran Dave Walls in 2001. For the past 5 years, Funkitron has been known for creating high-quality, super fun games that appeal to a broad audience and can be distributed digitally via online networks. The company has had much success with hits such as "SCRABBLE(R) Deluxe", "SCRABBLE(R) Blast", "Slingo(R) Deluxe", "Boggle(R) Supreme" and "Poker Superstars II (TM)". Funkitron’s recently released Slingo Quest, the sequel to Slingo Deluxe, won the Zeebie award as the Best Card, Board and Mahjong game of 2006. For more information about Funkitron, please visit www.funkitron.com
About Intellinitiative Game Co. Intellinitiative Game Co., based in Boston, Massachusetts, creates, manufactures and markets entertaining products that inspire fun, interactive group play. What began as a start-up game business, founded by three sibling entrepreneurs in 2001, has grown into one of the industry’s leading independent game companies. Today, Intellinitiative’s product line features both original and licensed titles such as The 80’s Game®, The 90’s Game® and Merriam-Webster’s Word Sweep!™ that are sold online and internationally in more than 3,000 retail stores. Intellinitiative’s games invite everyone to interact and have fun while creating lasting memories with friends and family. For more information, visit www.the80sgame.com

Bad boys: 'No other Val dude can touch me'

 

When it comes to villainous boyfriends, it's hard to top 80s movies for rich material. In fact, just take about any John Hughes movie and find the boy with the strangest names (Steff? Blaine? Hardy?). Or any character played by Rob Lowe (although he really hit his stride in the '90s). Voila! Instant boyfriend/villain.

Sometimes the true evil of a boyfriend is hidden behind the big, toothy grins ("Maverick," "Danny Noonan") or a beach-friendly mop of boyishly blond hair ("Tommy" and "Rick" -- talkin' about you here.)

So stick with me as I lay out...

THE TERRIBLE TEN: Worst movie boyfriends from the 80s Heathers' "Jason Dean" (Christian Slater): Usually  when your boyfriend starts offing your friends and plots to blow up the school, it's time to take a step back. "Our love is God, let's go get a Slushie."

About Last Night's "Danny Martin" (Rob Lowe): Who breaks up with Demi Moore on New Year's Eve to go back to dating married women with children? Apparently just Rob Lobe. "He is a better human being than that bitch on wheels you've got for a friend!"

Caddyshack's "Danny Noonan" (Michael O'Keefe):  Looks helpless enough, but then ditches Maggie for Lacey Underall. OK, so maybe he's not that bad.

St. Elmo's Fire's "Alec Newbary" (Judd Nelson): Has sex with "nameless, faceless many" -- and says so to his girlfriend Leslie in front of an entire party. (And yet, somehow, former podcast co-host Cathy Wos thinks Rob Lowe is the most evil person in the movie.)

Some Kind of Wonderful's "Hardy Jenns" (Craig Sheffer): You can say that "Steff" from "Pretty in Pink"  is the ultimate John Hughes villain, but I thought he was a semi-respectful boyfriend. Not so with Hardy. At least we're left to ponder if Duncan really does scramble his face. "Look, I'm perfectly willing to forget this. Okay? I see no reason in carrying this on any longer."

Top Gun's "Maverick" (Tom Cruise): Tries to seduce Kelly McGillis in a bathroom, shows up late for dinner -- unshowered -- after "boys day at the beach" and then leaves suddenly without clearing the dishes. I guess we know why Nicole Kidman isn't losing any sleep. "That's right! Ice... man. I am dangerous."

Arthur's "Arthur Bach" (Dudley Moore): Still one  of the classic performances of any 80s comedies. Just set aside the fact that he's stewed when proposing to Susan and sleeps with hookers every night. "You're a hooker? Jesus, I forgot! I just thought I was doing GREAT with you!"

Footloose's "Chuck Cranston" (Jim Youngs): He can't decide who he like beating up more -- Kevin Bacon or Lori Singer. Then again, Kevin was dressing up like David Bowie. "I thought only pansies wore neckties."

Last American Virgin's "Rick" (Steve Antin): Gets  Karen pregnant, dumps her long enough for Gary to pay for an abortion and then gets back together with her. If there's a poster-boy for this list, it's either Rick or it's...

Valley Girl's "Tommy" (Michael Bowen): Sorta the Al Pacino of movie badboys in the 80s. Why? Because after Julie dumps him, he has the infamous line: "Who else is there? No other Val dude can touch me. She must really be freaking out."

Ann Wilson shows her Heart

   Ann Wilson's voice is so unique and powerful, I'd spend money to listen to her sing the "Dollar Value Menu" at McDonalds.

Lucky for me and the rest of her fans that she released her first-ever solo CD this week -- "Hope & Glory." The album is full of new renditions of rock classics and guest appearances from legendary artists, including Elton John, Alison Krauss and Rufus Wainwright.  Even Ann's sister, Nancy Wilson from Heart, joins in on a few tunes.

"Hope & Glory" is definitely a trip through the music that inspired Ann and Heart. "Where To Now St. Peter" (by Elton John) and "Immigrant Song" (Led Zeppelin) prosper from her reinvention. Bob Dylan's "A Hard Rain's a-Gonna Fall" benefits from as a duet dipped in patches of blue grass.

"Each of these songs holds a special place in my soul," Ann writes on her Myspace page. "At one time or another every one of them has kept me up at night to the point of exasperation and will not be banished, as I lay sleepless on my pillow. Such songs as these carry me through my life, and they are a standard to which all new music I hear and write must compare."

The only original Ann Wilson tune is "Little Problems, Little Lies," which retells a chapter from her childhood, being brought up as the daughter of a Marine who disagreed with the Vietnam War. Ann's voice reaches Heart-like peaks here, bringing fans hope that they'll hear it again live on the next tour.

Overall, "Hope & Glory" is a must-have CD for Heart fans and for those who just want to explore the music the inspired Ann Wilson

Annie Lennox touring ... would I lie to you?

  Annie Lennox is heading out on tour in support of her new CD, "Songs of Mass Destruction."

It's only a small, 15-city tour for now, according to Pollstar.com, but more dates could be added. Tickets go on sale today. Check her official website for dates and cities.

The new CD is set for release Oct. 1. It's her first CD since "Bare" in 2003. The tour, only her third since going solo in 1992, will play to smaller venues. She last hit the the road in 2004 for the "Sacred Love Tour" with Sting.

Of course 80s fans know Lennox best for her years with Dave Stewart and The Eurythmics. Though the band never formally broke up, they haven't recorded a new studio album since 1999. Stewart and Lennox still occasionally appear together and perform as The Eurythmics, most recently in 2005 to promote a greatest hits collection, "Ultimate Collection," which had two new songs.

Top 5 Eurythmics tunes from the 80s:

5. Sexcrime (Nineteen Eighty-Four): "How I wish I'd been unborn."

4. Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This): "Everybody's looking for something."

3. Missionary Man: "I was borne from original sin."

2. Would I Lie to You?: "You're the biggest fake. That much is true."

1. Here Comes the Rain Again: "I want to talk like lovers do"

The Two Coreys

Well, for all of you out there that long for the days when not one, not two, but three Coreys were huge in pop culture, a new show on A&E has been announced to scratch that itch. "The Two Coreys" brings Corey Haim and Corey Feldman back together. For those more interested in the third Corey, Corey Hart, you'll have to try elsewhere.
Anyway, back to the two Coreys of interest here. I saw a "where are they now" show on them several years ago, and I gotta tell you - it was bleak. I guess when you peak at 15 and combine that with a pretty serious drug habit, there isn't much of anywhere to go but down, down, down. And down they went. But, they are back and together again, living under the same roof in a reality TV show on A&E.

I just did a podcast on "The Two Corey's" you can find it on Remember The 80s or look it up on iTunes. 09 - Remember The 80's - The Two Coreys

Best music-in-movie moments

 

 

Take one look at poor Lloyd Dobler from Say Anything. What's running through your head? "In Your Eyes" by Peter Gabriel, right?

That's because it's easily one of the greatest music-movie moments of the 80s. Hell, any decade really.

(Trivia note: Director Cameron Crowe hadn't picked a song for that scene by the time it was filmed. So it's actually a Fishbone song playing on the boom box. Not quite as romantic, is it?)

So where would "In Your Eyes" rank on one of our infamous lists?

Tell us: What are your favorite music-in-movie moments of the 1980s? Leave us a comment with your picks and I'll compile them into a Top 20 list.

Here are some of my favorites:

"Melt With You" (Modern English) in "Valley Girl": The perfect tune for the dating montage scene between Randy and Julie.

"Just Once" (James Ingram) in "Last American Virgin": Poor Gary can't catch a break with Karen. And he'll burst into tears every time he hears this song.

"Are You Ready For The Sex Girls" (Gleaming Spires) in "Revenge of the Nerds": Perfectly inappropriate for the Tri-Lamba/Omega Mu mixer.

"Moving in Stereo" (The Cars) in "Fast Times at Ridgemont High": Oddly enough, even though it's the most famous scene in the movie, the song was not included in the original soundtrack.

"Oh Yeah" (Yello) in "Secret of My Success": Not a great movie, and certainly not the movie you normally associate with this song. (Sorry, Ferris fans.) But thanks to some powerful mechanized innuendo on Michael J. Fox's limo (windshield washer fluid, a retractable antennae), I remember this scene more.

"What a Wonderful World" (Louis Armstrong) in "Good Morning Vietnam": The only song that stuck with me after seeing this movie (and the only reason I bought the soundtrack).

Also:

• "Fight the Power" (Public Enemy) in "Do The Right Thing."
• "Old Time Rock N' Roll" (Bob Seger) in "Risky Business."
• "Maniac" (Michael Sembello) in "Flashdance."
• "You Can't Always Get What You Want" (Rolling Stones) in "The Big Chill."
• "Don't Get Me Wrong" (The Pretenders) in "Gung Ho."

Add your favorites!