Who knew the 80’s were so naughty?
October 5, 2007 | Everybody's got one, Jenny Recommends
Last night, SB and I went to a special, one night only showing of Poltergeist in honor of the 25th anniversary of the film’s release. He totally had to drag me. I saw the movie at a slumber party when I was far too young for such things, and apparently I blocked it out, because I had no memory of the plot.
In case you’re like me and you don’t remember/never saw it/ have no desire to see it, here is a synopsis:
“Suburbanites Steve (Craig T. Nelson) and Diane (JoBeth Williams) suddenly experience paranormal activity in their home. What starts off as minor excitement quickly turns into nasty encounters. The disappearance of their daughter Carol Anne (Heather O’Rourke) forces the Freelings to bring in parapsychologists and a professional exorcist to exorcise their home.”
Anywho, my point today is, MAN, things have changed since 1982. The movie wasn’t scary, but that isn’t my point, either. I was struck by how puritanical our society has become since then. There were several bits in the movie that totally blew my mind. I couldn’t believe a mainstream, Steven Spielberg movie included such things.
Firstly, the movie opens with shots of the happy ‘burbs where the movie takes place. There are kids on bikes and families everywhere. Soon after, the cute suburban family gets ready for bed. The pretty mom tucks the kids in, the dad helps them not to be afraid of the storm, and then the parents retire to their bedroom… WHERE THEY ROLL A BIG FAT DOOBIE AND TOKE AWAY. I was shocked! Apparently in 1982, it was totally acceptable to show this June and Ward Cleaver-like Mom and Dad rolling J’s and giggling while discussing real estate. It wasn’t even a major plot point. They weren’t shown doing drugs to illustrate anything, it wasn’t essential to the action. In fact, it isn’t discussed at all, and the scene ends with the scared son climbing in to bed with them, as the mom hastily distinguishes her joint on the bedside table. Can you believe it?
The family has a 16 year old daughter who is hardly in the movie at all, but when she is, she is highly sexualized. At 16! That kind of thing would never fly these days. The next morning, she is leaving for school on her bike and there’s a prolonged scene of these grody, 40’s-ish construction dudes that are digging their pool totally harassing her. She does an elaborate fuck off dance in reply. The mom, meanwhile, is watching all of this from the kitchen window… and SMILING! Like, “Aww… look at my girl! Sexual harrassment of a minor is so cute!” Can you imagine that happening now? The daughter would be in counseling and the dudes would be arrested, probably. In another scene, a hotel is mentioned near the highway and the daughter says something like, “Oh I know that place,” and the dad is all, “What?!” and the scene continues on to something else, just dropping the hint that this 16 YEAR OLD girl has been having sex in hotels. Again, neither of these things are plot points. They didn’t have these scenes in the movie because the daughter’s sluttiness was somehow part of the narrative.
In another scene, the dad is meeting with some parapsychologists about their ‘disturbances’ and the Doctor, an attractive older woman in one of those 80’s belted blouse dresess asks , “who lives in your home and what are their ages’. He replies, “My wife is 32, my oldest daughter is 16, my son is 8, and my youngest daughter is 5. [RECORD SCREECH] Your wife is 32 and your daughter is SIXTEEN? This was another example of something shocking by todays’s standards that was just dropped in, all casual-like. Later, back at their house, the Doctor and her team are there observing. Some serious shit’s gone down, but all’s quiet, and the son is asleep in in the mom’s arms. She and the belted blouse dress lady (not the famous ‘this house is clean’ woman) are talking about how scary this all is, when the old lady pulls out a flask and the two of them finish it off. This isn’t terribly shocking, but I just think that these days, refined, older woman, doctor-types are rarely portrayed toting flasks, unless the flask toting is meant to reflect upon their character. But again, it was all natural, like doctors pulling flasks from their bags and going to town was no big whoop.
So, if you would like to simultaneously feel old because you’re watching something that is 25 years old that you remember being released, while feeling shocked and dismayed by the current cleansing of society, I recommend watching Poltergeist. It is seasonal, after all. It’s also fun just too see all the 80’s toys and products and whatnot in the background. SB recognized some Star Wars stuff (shamelessly prevalent, throughout, Mr. Spielberg), and there was even a Speak n Spell. Good times.
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October 5th, 2007 at 5:05 pm, Edward Gibbs Says:
Aw, crap! I totally forgot about the showing. I am a bad friend to everyone. I made the baby jesus and a pirate cry.
October 8th, 2007 at 8:48 pm, Jenny Says:
Yes, I know. John wouldn’t stop talking about how pissed he was at you.
October 8th, 2007 at 11:59 pm, Edward Gibbs Says:
This is the same John that left his own party the last time we hung out? And not even for a Harry Potter book release? Hmmn.
If I don’t put an event on my calendar, it does not stay in my brain.
October 9th, 2007 at 10:50 am, Jenny Says:
The very same John.
October 15th, 2007 at 6:31 am, dar Says:
Those are some funny observations, JLu! I think there was some casual pot smoking in Close Encounters? Or ET? As well.
But the teen sex stuff is a bit shocking too. I guess if the mom had a baby at 16, having her dd ogled at the same age is just normal in her frame of reference.
“Oi darlin! Oi darlin! You and me. You and meeeeee!”
translation: “I’m a wanker!”
Who said that?
October 16th, 2007 at 7:11 pm, dar Says:
Just ignore me. That’s fine.
October 17th, 2007 at 12:53 pm, Jenny Says:
Oh dear! Excuse me!
That quote is vaguely familiar. Knowing you, I want to say it’s Eddie, but I can’t place it.
December 12th, 2007 at 8:03 am, Dar Says:
Too easy, aren’t I?
December 12th, 2007 at 10:29 am, Jenny Says:
From which DVD? Why can’t I place it?