The focus of this issue of Story Talk is a 40-year look back to the entertainment world in 1981. The highlight is revisiting the movie, Chariots of Fire, which I re-watched in connection with this edition. Turning back the clock to 1981 was a lot of fun, and re-watching and re-living some of the great stories from back then brought back many memories (good and bad)

 

Although numbers only scratch the surface of the tremendous changes that have occurred in the entertainment world, they are quite telling.

 

Domestic US movie box office for the top 5 movies?

            1981:   $   620,451,845

            2019:   $2,693,023,572

            Over a four-fold increase (not adjusted for inflation)

 

Number of movies released of all types?

            1981:     3,371

            2019:   11,856

 

Number of TV series debuting during the year (by my best count)?

            1981      44

            2019    483

          Wow, what a proliferation we’ve seen with all the new channels and streaming platforms

 

Looking Ahead

 

For the upcoming October issue, I am going to zoom in on the greatest Halloween movie of all time . . . Halloween. What is its legacy? Reappraising it. . . how good was it really? Plus, trivia and bloopers.

 

K.D. Van Brunt