First off, as a proud backer of previous CreatorVC productions, including 'In Search of Darkness' (its 80s horror doc series), I had no doubts this film would be another absolute labour of love - and there was no disappointment here. David A. Weiner, and Robin Block and team are dedicated to the fans of these beloved movies; and this is a vital distinction from lesser 80s movies docs (like the awful Netflix ones). There is no sneering narration, or fun-poking presenter; CreatorCV *know* how much these movies mean to us. The viewer is immediately enveloped in the love and lore; amongst friends, back in our bedrooms and living rooms with a stack of VHS movies, some snacks, and a Genesis or NES console to hand.
All of the talking heads are so generous with their time, their anecdotes, and their passion - from production, FX and VX, to directors, actors and critics, themselves growing up on these movies.
Also - crucially - there is another fantastic score from musicians and producers working in the synthwave genre (I immediately spotted a Droid Bishop track as the credits rolled). This is meaningful too, as these again are "kids" who grew up steeped in the culture of the 80s, their tracks lend an authenticitic nostalgia to the film.
Finally, it was insightful to get the geopolitical context in which pretty much all these movies were made; the Cold War (from missiles in Weird Science, to apocalyptic scenarios in Mad Max, to nuclear annihilation in Miracle Mile, and a sidestep into plutonium-fuelled terrorism in Back to The Future). I mean... here we are again, folks....
The *only* thing which makes it a 9 not a 10 for me (and I am asking the implausible here) is if they could have scored a Spielberg, or a Hamill, or a Schwarzenegger... but then in retrospect that may have detracted from the rich cast we have on display.
Because of a bout of Covid, I actually watched all five hours twice in 48 hours - and I could watch it all again right now! Huge applause and plaudits to CreatorVC once again. Thank you so much for making it.
