1980s Archives - Desperate Living

The Amazing World Of 3D

The rise and fall of 3D cinema and TV in the 1980s, when the gimmick stumbled and failed as dramatically as it had three decades earlier.

Hurry On Sundown: An Unexpected 1980s Vampire Treat

A horror comedy western that proves to unexpectedly be more than the sum of its parts and might just be a lost classic.

Time For A Whip Round – Michael Winner Meets The Wicked Lady

The notorious director’s remake of the classic movie is a gloriously self-aware, high-camp, bad taste adventure that has been unfairly dismissed.

A New Look at Wes Craven’s Deadly Blessing

Wes Craven’s religious slasher film is generally regarded as one of his worst – but it is worthy of critical reassessment.

Michael Sembello: Automatic Maniac

Michael Sembello’s song from Flashdance is called Maniac for a reason – it began life as the story of a serial killer.

The Clothes Show’s Infamous ‘Allo ‘Allo-Themed Fashion Shoot

Putting the fash into fashion, the BBC series The Clothes Show does a shoot based on the wartime comedy that is awash with swastikas. Unsurprisingly, viewers object.

Jean Rollin And The Tragedy Of The Living Dead Girl

Jean Rollin’s lyrical, gore-drenched zombie film is one of the overlooked masterpieces of European horror cinema.

The Neurotic, Psychotic Pranksters And Outlaws Of Mondo New York

Talking to Stuart. S. Shapiro about the controversial and edgy Performance art documentary classic, freshly re-released.

There Will Be Trouble: The Messy Legacy Of Robocop

A deep dive into the sequels, reboots and rip-offs that followed Paul Verhoeven’s cult classic.

John S. Rad And The Dangerous Men

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This bizarre slice of outsider cinema is a fascinatingly unique and baffling experience.

The Pointless Stupidity Of Graham Bright

The man behind the Video Recordings Act – and the ban on ‘repetitive beat music’ – has died.

Christopher Lee, Ed Wood, Video Nasties And The Odd Tale Of The Hollywood Meat Cleaver Massacre

A long and strange story of horror royalty, Ed Wood, moral panics and the critical triumph of outsider cinema.