The 80s Club

So, what happened to all those girls who played the adorable orphans, or Annie herself, all those years ago? Well, apparently a few of them appeared in a movie on Showtime called Life After Tomorrow.

From a LiveJournal article:

“Life After Tomorrow,” a documentary by original Annie cast member Julie Stevens — about how the musical forever changed the lives of the show’s orphans — debuts on Showtime Dec. 24. Sarah Jessica Parker, Martin Charnin and Charles Strouse appear in the film.

Stevens — who closed the original Broadway run as orphan Pepper — co-directs the film with Gil Cates, Jr. The film has run a film-festival circuit (Malibu International, Newport Beach, Palm Beach International, Phoenix) and made its New York debut at the Museum of Television and Radio Oct. 21.

Check out the whole article here.

Did any of you Annie fans out there see the movie? What did you think of it?

And, just for fun, a compilation of bits from the Annie stageshow. Enjoy. :)

Thanks, Arienanna, for the tip!

Although the first two Rocky movies were released in the 1970’s, a few in the middle there were released in our beloved 80’s.

Did I even know there was a Rocky V?

Well, the film whose working title was Rocky VI, Rocky Balboa, is now in theatres. It has an interesting high-tech angle on it, I think. Here’s the teaser from IMDB:

In Rocky Balboa, a computer simulation pits the legendary Italian Stallion (Sylvester Stallone) against the devastating current heavyweight champion Mason “The Line” Dixon (Antonio Tarver), with Rocky the predicted winner. The results rekindle the aging fighter’s spirit, and he steps back into the ring in local competition to regain some of his confidence and hope. But stepping out of retirement quickly brings bigger risks for Rocky when promoters seize on the notion of recreating the virtual fight for real.

I love the name of his opponent, Mason “The Line” Dixon. Mason “The Line” Dixon? The Mason Dixon Line? Get it? Alright, I’ll move on.

The film does bring in Milo Ventimiglia as Rocky, Jr. You’d know Milo as the moody and misunderstood Jess from Gilmore Girls, and he now stars in the NBC drama Heroes. The fact that he’s in the movie would give me reason enough to check it out, but the film trailer actually makes it look kinda interesting.

It is kinda fun to hear bits of Eye of the Tiger again, don’t you think?

So, what’s your call? Will you give Sylvester Stallone another shot as Rocky?

I loved the Facts of Life (and immediately the theme song is now playing in my head), and the friendship between Natalie and Tootie was particularly fun. The two younger girls always wanting to be cool and fun like their older roommates was something I could relate to.

Well, one of those young girls is soon to be a mommy! Kim Fields, who played the adorable Tootie so perfectly, is due to have a baby in May.

From People.com:

Fields and Morgan, 30, a Broadway actor, have been together “a couple of years” and decided this summer to have a child. “We were on the subway one day and Chris said, ‘I’m ready to start our family,’ ” Fields says. “It was beautiful and I started to weep.”

Head over to People.com for further details on names and such.

Congratulations to the couple and best wishes for a healthy pregnancy, delivery, and life for the growing family. Kim might want to check out Babylune after she delivers for post-partum advice and support!

Thanks, Jack, for the tip! :D

So, I went hunting for that Folgers commercial from the 80’s where Peter, I think is his name, comes home and surprises his mom for Christmas. Remember that one? Where he wakes up his mom with the smell of fresh Folgers brewing? Right. Well, I didn’t find it. BUT, all is not lost. Here’s an 80’s Folgers commercial featuring Scott Bakula. Who knew he was so sensitive to caffeine? Enjoy. :D

Yes, U2 (get it? you, too) looked as silly as Bono marching around the dance floor thinking U could dance. Yes, U2 looked goofy in a muscle tee. And, yes, U2 dramatically flipped your hair around trying to look cool (and no, U didn’t succeed, either).

U, however, did not become an internationally known rock star, and continue to be so 20+ years later. (Or so I’m guessing. Don’t think I have many rock stars reading here.)

Good video. Brings back lots of memories (didn’t say they were all good! Oh, the fashion embarrassments of the 80’s.).

And if you’d like to see Bono today, check him out at Project (RED) as he promotes World AIDS day. It’s worth it just to hear him say “little pills” with his accent. And, if U2 feel so inclined, support the cause.

Check out his biography page, too. Very endearing.

Genesis is reuniting and going on tour. Titled “Turn It On Again,” the tour will begin in Helsinki in June of 2007. From their website:

Tony Banks, Phil Collins and Mike Rutherford of the iconic band Genesis unveiled the dates for their first tour in 15 years. Turn It On Again - the tour, will see the band play a series of stadium concerts in Europe in the summer of 2007. Kicking off in the Olympic Stadium, Helsinki on 11 June, the tour will hit twelve different European countries, ending in Rome on 14 July.

Though the only dates I’ve found to be released so far are those of the European tour, the word is that the U.S. dates will be released soon. Tickets are already selling out quickly for the European dates. I imagine they’ll get the same results from their U.S. fans!

Monday, Monday (bah da, bah da da da), can’t trust that day…It’s Monday again, and that means 80’s Movies Monday, Best of the Worst of the 80’s movies. Today’s pick is another from Bald Man…ahem, sorry…Cory.

UHF was released in 1989 and stars “Weird Al” Yankovic, Michael Richards, and Victoria Jackson. Cory discovered UHF in college, and he and his roommate would recite it almost nonstop. I’ve heard “red snapper” about 20 too many times.

Cory’s favorite bit is the mop scene played by Michael Richards before he was Kramer and before that other incident. Here, for your viewing pleasure, is the mop scene. (Cory was reciting along with it while we watched it.) Enjoy!

I was introduced to The Far Side by a friend when I was in junior high. I remember getting The Far Side Observer for Christmas from her while at school. I sat through the first hour of school just reading page after page. In my head, I can still see the cartoon that had me laughing so hard that I couldn’t stop. That’s happened so many times since that first introduction.

For years after that first Christmas, I regularly asked for the Off-the-Wall Calendar, at least until 2002, the last year that they produced it. However, Gary Larson has been presented with a reason to bring the well-loved calendar back into production.

From USAToday:

All his earnings from the 3 million calendars printed, about $2 million according to publisher Andrews McMeel, will go to Conservation International for the organization’s work to help end the illegal trade in Asian elephants, Indochinese tigers, Asiatic black bears, pangolins, freshwater turtles, and Siamese crocodiles in Cambodia. The profits will also fund an awareness campaign in China aimed at reducing acquisition of of threatened species for exotic dishes, traditional medicine and for pets. There are also projects in Indonesia and other southeast Asian countries as well.

The calendar will continue to be a “best of” type of compilation, no new cartoons. I could just pull up all my old calendars and make one myself (yes, I think I still have all the past years’ individual sheets somewhere in the attic), but then I wouldn’t be able to help Gary Larson assist an organization that he wants to support. Guess the calendar can return to its spot on my Christmas wish list. Everyone writing that down? ;)

Apparently, Jon Bon Jovi is to blame for the hole in the ozone layer.

From Sound Generator:

It’s because I feel guilty about the huge hole in the ozone layer my haircuts created. It’s my responsibility to right the wrongs of the Eighties.

That’s okay, Jon, it was worth it for all of us to have been a witness to that beautiful mane of yours. Plus, I think Europe had something to contribute there as well.

Check out this article to find out ways Jon’s helping the planet and its residents.

Wolfgang Van Halen, son of Eddie Van Halen and Valerie Bertinelli, will become the new bassist for Van Halen, at the ripe old age of 15.

From TMZ.com:

Wolfgang replaces longtime bassist Michael Anthony, who left the band earlier this year. Eddie Van Halen’s spokesperson Janie Liszewski tells TMZ that Wolfgang, known as “Wolfie,” has already joined his dad and uncle for rehearsals in the studio for a 2007 summer tour.

Geez, and I thought being first chair in the high school band was cool when I was 15. (No, you’re right, I didn’t really.)