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Multiplex Overthruster

Javier Grillo-Marxuach |Paul Alvarado-Dykstra | Bradley Dumont

Join two-time Emmy Award winner Javier Grillo-Marxuach (writer-producer of Lost, The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance, The Witcher and creator of The Middleman) and Paul Alvarado-Dykstra (co-founder of Fantastic Fest, the leading genre film festival in the US) as they travel back in time to revisit the summer movies that shaped their generation: movie by movie, weekend by weekend, and year by year. Starting with the legendary summer of 1982, movie experts Javi and Paul - aided and abetted by the long-suffering Producer Brad - take you on an unprecedented audio adventure from Memorial Day through Labor Day weekends, spanning iconic blockbusters and obscure curiosities that some may be surprised to learn even exist. Relive the joy of seeing these amazing movies with your pals on opening night as these longtime friends rewatch their childhood favorites and discuss both what it was like to see them in their teenage years, and how their perceptions have changed over the decades. It's a time machine, it's a nostalgia trip, it's a witty and incisive glance at a world of movies and memory: it's Multiplex Overthruster!

Multiplex Overthruster is produced by Bradley Dumont, who co-created the series with co-hosts Javier Grillo-Marxuach and Paul Alvarado-Dykstra. Logo and artwork is by acclaimed Marvel and DC Comics artist Afua Richardson. Theme music is by Mike McGuill / Pond5. Additional voice work by Russell Bentley. The series is available on Apple Podcasts and most other major podcast platforms, as well as multiplexoverthruster.com and @mpotpod on social media.

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S3 · E11
Tuesday · 2 hr 2 min
The Last Starfighter - Summer of '84
The Last Starfighter is... dead? Alive? Any good as a movie? These are the questions that bedevil Paul, Javi, and the ever gung-ho Producer Brad as they discuss the endearing curio that is Nick Castle's The Last Starfighter. Not as well-directed as Return of the Jedi, not as handsomely produced as Gremlins or Poltergeist, and not nearly as well-written as ET, The Last Starfighter nevertheless works its humble charms on the Overthruster Gang, even as they cannot help but munch on such morsels as Robert Preston's insanely jolly performance, which appears to have been lifted from a 1960s Broadway musical, the inherent contradiction of naming a weapon "the Death Blossom", and VFX that were way ahead of their time back then, rapidly fell behind their time soon thereafter, and now seem to belong to no time at all. Folks, look, this was an okay movie, and you are going to have a great time listening to us liking it with a little bit of an attitude, but there really is one thing about this movie that lifts it to our love and admiration and that is how it showcases some of the great rental warehouse props of the 80s. This movie was made for about a buck fiddy, and they rented everything they possibly could to avoid building from scratch. As a result The Last Starfighter is a prop-spotter’s goldmine - and the vein leads straight to THE GREATEST GENRE PROP OF ALL TIME. So yeah, come for the feelgood saga of a trailer park kid who becomes a galactic hero - we're here for it - but stay for the props! Oh the beautiful props! SHOW NOTES: US Theatrical Release Date: July 13, 1984 Weekend Domestic Box Office Chart for July 13, 1984 1984 Top-Grossing Movies - The Numbers The Last Starfighter (1984) AFI Catalog The Last Starfighter movie review - Roger Ebert MORE WARS IN 'LAST STARFIGHTER' - The New York Times The Last Starfighter's Lance Guest explains how he got the role ... Interview With Catherine Mary Stewart - Last Movie OutpostNick Castle — Director of 'The Last Starfighter' — Talks Being a Horror Icon and a Writer/Director - Script Magazine How 'The Last Starfighter' Became a Cult Classic — and Why a Sequel May Finally Take Flight The Last Starfighter (1984) - Modern Trailer [Fan Edit] Mad Cave Comic Book Sequel to The Last Starfighter World Premiere of Last Starfighter Musical Opens Storm Theatre's Off-Bway Season Oct. 15-30 | Playbill THE LAST STARFIGHTERS concept reel Theme music by Mike McGuill Additional voicework by Russell Bentley Summer of '84 voiced by Colby Elliott Follow us! Instagram Bluesky email: Multiplexoverthruster@gmail.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
S3 · E10
September 25 · 2 hr 31 min
Gremlins - Summer of '84
The cinema of the 1980s brought us many great showdowns: Kirk vs. Khan, Rocky Balboa vs. Clubber Lang, Tom Cody vs. Raven Shattick… and now PAUL VS. JAVI! And what brought these two to go toe to toe? None other than Joe Dante’s beloved Amblin classic Gremlins! Join us as Paul and Javi - refereed by the ever equitable Producer Brad - clash over this timeless phantasmagoria of small town Americana, par-for-the-course ’80s orientalism, and unhinged looney tunes puppet mayhem and ultra-violence. Find out what happens when Javi buys unreservedly into the insanity while Paul insists on even the slightest semblance of verisimilitude. It’s Phoebe Cates at her most lovable… right up until she spoils it for the world that THERE’S NO SANTA CLAUS! It’s Zach Gallligan and Corey Feldman as breathtakingly age-inappropriate best friends! It’s Dick Miller as the living manifestation of Reagan era malaise and xenophobia! It’s peak puppetry as a bunch of adorable fuzzy little critters turn into reptilian incarnations of rapacious late capitalism with a love of classic Disney cartoons! It’s wild, it’s crazy, it’s a grand guignol of puppet violence disguised as a Christmas movie… it’s GREMLINS! Show Notes: US Theatrical Release Date: June 8, 1984 Weekend Domestic Box Office Chart for June 8, 1984 Weekend Domestic Box Office Chart for July 6, 1984 1984 Top-Grossing Movies - The Numbers Gremlins (1984) - AFI Catalog Entry Gremlins movie review & film summary - Roger Ebert ‘Gremlins’ (1984) Review - The New York Times Joe Dante Reflects on 35 Years of GREMLINS - Nerdist How ‘The Temple of Doom’ Changed the MPAA Ratings System 'Gremlins 3' Delayed to 2028 by Warner Bros. The Gremlins Museum HIGHLIGHTS OF STRUGGLE FOR DISNEY - The New York Times Key & Peele - "Gremlins 2" Brainstorm - Uncensored Theme music by Mike McGuill Additional voicework by Russell Bentley Summer of '84 voiced by Colby Elliott Follow us! Instagram Bluesky email: Multiplexoverthruster@gmail.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
S3 · E9
August 11 · 2 hr 37 min
Conan the Destroyer - Summer of '84
All too often, nostalgia seduces us into remembering things better than they actually were. But every once in awhile, the opposite occurs, and we get to re-experience something that turns out to be far better than our memory somehow maligned. Listen as Javi, Paul, and the ever mystical Producer Brad return to the days of high adventure as their dread is transmuted into delight by the startling revelation that the Conan sequel does not actually suck, but is kind of awesome! Arnold Schwarzenegger returns as Conan (with more lines!) to embark on a perilous quest with the promise of the ultimate reward. Joining the fray alongside the returning fountain of wizarding wonder that is Mako are iconic Grace Jones, imperious Sarah Douglas, impish Tracey Walter (cosmically transported from Repo Man), impetuous Olivia D’Abo, and imposing Wilt Chamberlain. And while the absence of Milius and Stone is certainly felt, we get rollicking D&D campaign scored by Basil Poledouris (if with less robust orchestra) elevated by an unexpected feminist twist, alongside more impalements than one would ever expect for a PG rating, not to mention one of the gnarliest monster killings ever committed to celluloid (thanks to a fantastic creature design by the great Carlo Rambaldi). Glory to Crom! And bring on King Conan! Show Notes: US Theatrical Release Date: July 29, 1984 Weekend Domestic Box Office Chart for June 29, 1984 1984 Top-Grossing Movies - The Numbers AFI|Catalog - Conan the Destroyer Roger Ebert's "Conan the Destroyer" movie review FILM:SCHWARZENEGGER IN NEW 'CONAN' - The New York Times Theme music by Mike McGuill Additional voicework by Russell Bentley Summer of '84 voiced by Colby Elliott Follow us! Instagram Bluesky email: Multiplexoverthruster@gmail.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
S3 · E8
July 27 · 2 hr
Top Secret! - Summer of '84
Between the blockbuster successes of Airplane! and The Naked Gun!, Jim Abrahams and the Zucker Bros. took a more scattershot satirical turn with Top Secret!, which parodies everything from Cold War spy thrillers to Elvis rock and roll musicals to WWII espionage dramas to ’60s beach party movies to an entire flashback remake of The Blue Lagoon. Skillfully surfing these crashing waves of colliding genres is none other than an impossibly young, beautiful, and charming Val Kilmer in his film debut, deftly demonstrating he can do pretty much anything with dazzling aplomb, including a show-stopping oner shot backwards. Kilmer plays Nick Rivers, an anachronistic American rock star on a cultural exchange to East Germany who gets caught up with an inexplicably still-active French Resistance to rescue an imprisoned scientist forced to build a diabolical doomsday weapon. Join Javi, Paul, and the cunningly clandestine Producer Brad as they go skeet surfing through this tsunami of sight gags that includes a giant pooping pigeon, an underwater saloon fight, and the greatest on-screen performance ever by a cow wearing boots. Show Notes: US Theatrical Release Date: June 22, 1984 Weekend Domestic Box Office Chart for June 22, 1984 1984 Top-Grossing Movies (Inflation-Adjusted) - The Numbers AFI|Catalog - Top Secret! Roger Ebert's Top Secret! movie review & film summary FILM: 'TOP SECRET!', PARODY OF SPY MOVIES - The New York Times 1984 Sears Christmas Wish Book (with Fred Savage modeling) The First Giant Restaurant Chain: Howard Johnson's: Rise and Fall The Most Unsung Leading Man of His Generation: Val Kilmer (1959-2025) Pinto Madness – Mother Jones Theme music by Mike McGuill Additional voicework by Russell Bentley Summer of '84 voiced by Colby Elliott Follow us! Instagram Bluesky email: Multiplexoverthruster@gmail.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
S3 · E7
July 17 · 2 hr 32 min
Star Trek III - Summer of '84
They say the third time’s the charm, and if you’re Star Trek, the third time is all about the charm. The studio may have cut the budget and schedule to cash in on the success of "Star Trek II,", but when you have a cast that has worked together for decades - and a director who is part of that cast - the characters can’t help but come through, especially when they are all on a mission of friendship. Spock may have died in "Star Trek II," but the gods of retconning were having none of it, and so the crew of the Enterprise had to suit up in their civvies, steal their old ship in a sequence that stands among the best of the franchise, and go on a search… for Spock! Of course, with Christopher Lloyd and John Larroquette as Klingons, they might as well have called it “the search for sitcom actors on hiatus”… and yet, weirdly, it works. There’s this accepted wisdom that the odd numbered treks are the worst, but revisiting this movie after many years, Paul, Javi, and the always-logical Producer Brad found it to be an absolute delight, a feast of wonderful character moments, awesome new ships (lookin’ good, Excelsior, and how you doin’ you sexy Bird of Prey?) and long-awaited franchise payoffs wrapped in a TV-movie like execution that strains to match the humor and emotion on display. Star Trek III may be known to many as the movie where Paramount’s cost-cutting led to the recasting of Kirstie Alley, but to the Multiplex Overthruster gang, it is a warm and comforting bowl of Fal-tor-pan, served up with a hefty dose of humor and the indefatigable camaraderie of a cast so tight that, together, they can overcome any obstacle… even when that obstacle is the search for more profit! Show Notes: US Theatrical release date: June 1, 1984 US Weekend Box Office June 1, 1984 US Weekend Box Office June 15, 1984 US 1984 Top Grossing Movies AFI Catalog Entry for "Star Trek III" Roger Ebert's "Star Trek III" review NYT "Star Trek III" review Vonda N. McIntyre Alan Dean Foster Theme music by Mike McGuill Additional voicework by Russell Bentley Summer of '84 voiced by Colby Elliott Follow us! Instagram Bluesky email: Multiplexoverthruster@gmail.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
S3 · E6
July 11 · 3 hr 3 min
Ghostbusters: Summer of '84
To this day - twenty-two years later - you can still walk into a room anywhere in the civilized world and shout “Who ya gonna call?” and get an emphatic hollaback of “GHOSTBUSTERS!” Is there more that needs to be said? Yes, there is. About three hours worth if you’re Paul, Javi, and the preternatural Producer Brad! For a franchise that has been rehashed, rebooted, re-animated, and spun-off so many times, the original still holds the power to provoke laughter, surprise, wonder, and, occasionally, a low grumble of “dude, that Venkman’s kind of a lech." It was the eighties, and if you were an alum of SNL, times were good, especially for Dan Aykroyd, who, along with Harold Ramis and Ivan Reitman turned his longtime obsession with the the paranormal into a humongously budgeted comedic spectacle on the scale of the epic blockbusters of Lucas and Spielberg. Anchored by a master class in snark presented by Bill Murray, with Ramis, Aykroyd, and everyman extraordinaire Ernie Hudson rounding out the titular team, the supernaturally amazing cast includes Sigourney “The Most Exhalted Queen of the Universe” Weaver, Annie “the unsung MVP of the Ghostbusters” Potts, and the ever lovable Rick Moranis as the world’s most indefatigable accountant. Let’s face it folks, there’s two epochs in history, before “he slimed me” and after “he slimed me," and the Multiplex Overthruster crew has seen them both. So dust off your Tobin’s Spirit Guide, power up your PK meter, and bust out the neutrona wands, because many Zuuls and Shubs are about to find out what it’s like to be roasted on the depths of the Sloar, and there’s only one call to make - GHOSTBUSTERS! Show Notes: US Theatrical release date: June 8, 1984 US Weekend Box Office June 8, 1984 US 1984 Top Grossing Movies AFI Catalog Entry for Ghostbusters Roger Ebert's Ghostbusters Review NYT/Janet Maslin Ghostbuster Review A look at Dan Akroyd’s original script for ‘Ghostbusters’ Dan Aykroyd Explains Spooky Way He Came Up With Original 'Ghostbusters' Idea Teenage Sigourney Weaver Seen Enjoying Beatles’ Hollywood Bowl Concert in ‘Eight Days a Week’ Doc Casper's creators aren't so friendly - UPI Archives Patrick Nagel Theme music by Mike McGuill Additional voicework by Russell Bentley Summer of '84 voiced by Colby Elliott Follow us! Instagram Bluesky email: Multiplexoverthruster@gmail.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
S3 · E5
June 1 · 1 hr 53 min
Streets of Fire: Summer of '84
In this gritty, neon-soaked, leather-wearin’, motor oil-stinkin’, rockabilly-singin’, pole-dancin’, pickaxe-swingin’ installment, Paul, Javi, and the tough-talkin’ Producer Brad travel to another place, another time to bear witness to a “rock’n’roll fable”. It’s Streets of Fire, one of the oddest mainstream summer movies of the eighties; a feature-length music video that is equal parts western, Road Warrior dystopia, Blade Runner quasi future noir, and Berlin sex club fashion show! It’s Diane Lane, Michael Paré, Rick Moranis, and Willem Dafoe at his palest and most consumptive in Walter Hill’s confounding valentine to toxic masculinity! So rev your engines, fire up your neon, and crank up that eighties soundtrack - because these streets are not gonna burn themselves! Show Notes: **This episode has been updated to correct for missing audio. Please redownload if your version has dead air in the first 5 minutes. Thanks!** US Theatrical Release Date: June 1, 1984 Streets of Fire AFI Catalog Entry Walter Hill Treated Screenplays Like Literature and Inspired a Generation of Filmmakers How Did This Get Made: A Conversation With 'Streets Of Fire' Co-Writer Larry Gross - SlashFilm 40th Anniversary Interview with Michael Pare Roger Ebert's Streets of Fire review New York Times' Streets of Fire review Theme music by Mike McGuill Additional voicework by Russell Bentley Summer of '84 voiced by Colby Elliott Follow us! Instagram Bluesky email: Multiplexoverthruster@gmail.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
S3 · E4
May 22 · 2 hr 36 min
Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom - Summer of '84
It’s Memorial Day weekend and the Multiplex Overthruster crew roars back to the movies for the Summer of ’84 with their old pal Indiana Jones! On his second outing, Indy stares down the many perils of the Temple of Doom… only it’s more like the “Temple of Holy Crap This Movie is Terrifying!” Look, over the years, Javi has followed Paul and the archaeological Producer Brad on many adventures, but into the Great Unknown Mystery… oh the hell with it, the Great Unknown Mystery here is how did all of the goodness of “Raiders of the Lost Ark” metastasize into this haltingly entertaining but mostly really weird and uncharacteristically dark story of child torture, monkey brains, a lava pit of wildly varying temperature, bloodless but nevertheless childhood-scarring heart ripping, and eyeball soup. It’s Indiana Jones as you have never seen him before… in an immaculate white dinner jacket, then strikingly shirtless and, uh, hypnotized into slapping his nine-year-old sidekick? Could Paul be right in his theory that the true hero of this film is Short Round and that we were robbed of an entire saga of Short Round Adventures? (Spoilers, he is right.) So dim your glowing stones, chill your monkey brains, and take a nice warm seat near the lava pit, because the Summer of ’84 is about to begin - in the bowels of The Temple of Doom! Show Notes: US Theatrical Release Date: May 23, 1984 Weekend Domestic Box Office May 25, 1984 Indian Jones and the Temple of Doom Box Office AFI Catalog Entry 'INDIANA JONES' STIRS RATINGS DEBATE - The New York Times How ‘The Temple of Doom’ Changed the MPAA Ratings System Corliss, RIchard. (1984, May 21). Keeping the Customer Satisfied. Time Theme music by Mike McGuill Additional voicework by Russell Bentley Summer of '84 voiced by Colby Elliott Follow us! Instagram Bluesky email: Multiplexoverthruster@gmail.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
S3 · E3
May 15 · 1 hr 56 min
Romancing the Stone: '84 Spring Special #3
While “When did Michael Douglas Get So Young” may not have been the sole burning question of our rewatch of Romancing The Stone, it certainly was among the many prompted by Paul, Javi, and the always Trustworthy Producer Brad’s journey into the wilds of this 1980’s gem. Though Paul may - occasionally, pointedly - disagree, Javi brilliantly lays out the many arguments for why this film remains an underrated hidden classic. Whether they are settling their differences or finding common ground, Paul and Javi - and yes, Kathleen Turner and Michael Douglas, we guess - have one of their most spirited debates as they ponder the veritable mudslide of latino stereotypes on display and many other topics of interest while marveling, as if anew, by the explosive chemistry between Michael Douglas and Kathleen Turner… and Danny Devito and Zack Norman and some crocodiles… and Alfonso Arau and “Pepe”… and Holland Taylor and pretty much anything with a pulse. It’s a union of Hollywood Titans - Zemeckis, Douglas, Turner, Devito, and Thomas - yes, Thomas - as they rock to some of the most eighties saxophone riffs ever: it’s Romancing the Stone! Show Notes: Romancing the Stone US Theatrical Release Date: March 30, 1984 Weekend Domestic Box Office March 30, 1984 Romancing the Stone Box Office AFI Catalog Entry: Romancing the Stone Roger Ebert's Review New York Times' Review Theme music by Mike McGuill Additional voicework by Russell Bentley Summer of '84 voiced by Colby Elliott Follow us! Instagram Bluesky email: Multiplexoverthruster@gmail.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
S3 · E2
May 7 · 2 hr 7 min
Repo Man: '84 Spring Special #2
Imagine a dystopian America where authority is malignant, the profit motive rules all, everyone is on the grift, all goods and services have been devalued to the least of their utility and value, and the infrastructure has crumbled into a depressing echo of its former self… this morning’s New York Times? No! It’s Alex Cox’s punk rock masterpiece Repo Man! Made in that special time before John Hughes and the Brat Pack got their hooks in him, Emilio Estevez embodies youth in revolt as he teams up with Harry Dean Stanton at his scuzziest, most viciously nicotine-stained best to get into some tense situations. Step into the 1980s Ronnie Reagan did NOT want you to know about: where aliens are real, televangelists occasionally moonlight as government agents, television holds a hypnotic sway over your parents, and, most importantly, the threat of the Rodriguez Brothers looms around every corner! Politically biting, socially trenchant, and as fucking hilarious as a can of generic beer and poke to the eye with a lit cigarette, Repo Man may just be the angriest and most prophetic mainstream film of its time - and even more surprisingly, it’s one of Paul’s formative favorites! So join Javi and the ever-so-rebellious Producer Brad as they wonder just what Paul’s youth was really Show Notes: Theatrical Release Date: March 2, 1984 Weekend Box Office for March 2-4, 1984 AFI Catalog Entry Roger Ebert's Review NYT Review Theme music by Mike McGuill Additional voicework by Russell Bentley Summer of '84 voiced by Colby Elliott Follow us! Instagram Bluesky email: Multiplexoverthruster@gmail.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
S3 · E1
April 30 · 1 hr 46 min
Timerider: '84 Spring Special #1
What happens when a hard-ridin’, gravel scratchin’, manly-man motocross champ accidentally finds himself in the middle of a time travel experiment run by a private corporation unaware that they set up their equipment too close to a public rally race? What if our hero finds himself stranded in the old west with no way home? What if our protagonist never realizes he has traveled through time for most of his own story? Join them varmints Paul and Javi, guided through time and space by the Doc Brown-like Producer Brad, as they witness the occasionally incredible, but mostly credible, and - if the film’s title is to be believed - sole adventure of Lyle Swann! Thrill as our hero - played with clueless gusto by the always-delightful Fred Ward as he faces down a cast of hey-it’s-that-guy” character actors, as well as the most formidable adversary a 1980s action hero could possibly face… an intelligent, empowered female character (played by the intelligent and empowered Belinda Bauer!). It’s Timerider: THE adventure of Lyle Swann, and an episode of Multiplex Overthruster that will take you on an unforgettable journey through a forgotten film! Show Notes: US Theatrical Release Date: January 21, 1983 US Home Video Release Date: May, 1983 AFI Catalog Entry NYT Review Fred Ward obituary Richard Masur interview Theme music by Mike McGuill Additional voicework by Russell Bentley Summer of '84 voiced by Colby Elliott Follow us! Instagram Bluesky email: Multiplexoverthruster@gmail.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
S2 · E19
March 13 · 2 hr 45 min
Never Say Never Again: Summer of '84 Holiday Special
Every once in a while, a loophole in time, space, and copyright law opens and spits out an object straight out of bizarro world. The summer of ’83 gave us an “official” James Bond film starring the well past-his-prime Roger Moore, and the fall of ’83 answered with NEVER SAY NEVER AGAIN - an apostate remake of THUNDERBALL directed by the man who gave us THE EMPIRE STRIKES BACK and starring none other than Roger Moore’s also well past-his-prime predecessor Sean Connery! What could possibly go wrong? Uh… a lot. Thrill to spine-tingling scenes of an aging superspy taking herbal treatments at a health spa! Marvel at the cringy romantic subplot with a way-too-youthful Kim Basinger! Gasp at the gravity defying athleticism of Sean Connery’s toupee! Of course, it’s not all bad news… turns out our old man Bond still has plenty of fuel left in the tank, and he is joined by the amazingly unhinged femme fatale Fatima Blush as played by the scenery-devouring Barbara Carrera, the Swedish sensation Max Von Sydow as the kitty-stroking supervillain Ernst Stavro Blofeld, and Bernie Casey as the Felix Leiter we all wish had gotten his own spinoff! It’s James Bond as you have never seen him before! Actually, it’s pretty much exactly as you have seen him before - but Paul, Javi, and their spymaster, Producer Brad love this franchise for all of its flaws, so dim the lights and chill the Geritol, because the Multiplex Overthruster crew will never… ever… say never again! Show Notes: Theatrical release date: October 7, 1983 Janet Maslin NYT review Roger Ebert's review Theme music by Mike McGuill Additional voicework by Russell Bentley Summer of '84 voiced by Colby Elliott Follow us! Instagram Bluesky email: Multiplexoverthruster@gmail.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
S2 · E18
February 13 · 1 hr 23 min
The Multi Awards: Summer of '83
The envelope, please! That’s right, it’s time, once again for the MULTI AWARDS. Join Paul, Javi, and the august Producer Brad as they render final judgment on the summer of ‘83! Was “Flashdance” a better film than “Yor: The Hunter from the Future?” Was “Octopussy” the most misogynistic movie title of all time, or just of the James Bond series? Are Eddie Murphy and Dan Aykroyd one actor or two? Is being ground zero for the “Nicolas Cage freakout” enough to enshrine a movie in the hall of classics? Can Paul limit himself to only three adjectives per sentence? Will Javi stop evoking The Frank Factor already? Can Producer Brad keep the running time under five hours? It’s Multiplex Overthruster’s finest hour… well, if you listen to this podcast you know it’s going to be more than an hour, but… uh, metaphorically speaking! Whether you can’t get enough of awards season or are sick of the same old awards shows, this episode is for you - an awards show like none other! Theme music by Mike McGuill Additional voicework by Russell Bentley Summer of '84 voiced by Colby Elliott Follow us! Instagram Bluesky email: Multiplexoverthruster@gmail.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
S2 · E17
Nov 14, 2025 · 2 hr
Deathstalker: Summer of '83
The Summer of ’83 concussively concludes with a gloriously metal swords and sorcery adventure helmed by the 1st AD of The Beastmaster, and penned by the writer of Vampire Hookers and Rainbow Brite. Deathstalker, our morally messed up but oddly philosophical anti-hero, is sent on a quest by weird witch Toralva to unite the sword of justice, amulet of life, and chalice of magic in order to “become the power” before the evil Lord Munkar does. Join Javi, Paul and, intrepidly, Producer Brad on this wild ride into wanton violence and chaos that features a creepy meat puppet, a chatty cave ogre, random mud wrestling, a cannibalistic pig man, a gladiator tournament, some very problematic shape-shifting, John Wick’s worst nightmare cuisine, a truly epic score, and an unexpectedly bold (and timely) anti-autocracy political statement — all of which somehow spawned three sequels and a very fun 2025 remake executive produced by none other than Slash. (Really.) Show Notes: 1983 Box Office September 2, 1983 Weekend Box Office Deathstalker box office Hollywood Reporter interview with Slash discussing 2025 Deathstalker reboot. Kickstarter campaign to fund the 2025 Deathstalker reboot. Screen Rant article on Deathstalker comic book from Vault Comics and Slash. Boris Vallejo movie posters here and here. Theme music by Mike McGuill Additional voicework by Russell Bentley Summer of '84 voiced by Colby Elliott Follow us! Instagram Bluesky email: Multiplexoverthruster@gmail.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
S2 · E16
Sep 8, 2025 · 1 hr 29 min
Mr. Mom: Summer of '83
What do you get when you mix the manic comic genius of Michael Keaton, the inimitable dramatic and comedic chops of the great Teri Garr, the legendary deadpan wit of Martin Mull, the wacky unpredictability of Christopher Lloyd, and the ever-reliable smarm of Jeffrey Tambor? Franlky, we wish you got more than Mr. Mom, a movie regarded by many as a modern classic but which left the already very domesticated Paul, Javi, and the always paternal Producer Brad scratching their heads wondering if men in the 80s were simply too brain damaged to drive a grocery store cart. There’s a few bright spots, of course, the not-so-hidden connection to Rocky III, the cute kids, and, of course, woobies. But is it enough? Honestly, we decided to watch this instead of Deathstalker because we thought we owed it to you - our listeners - to get out of the sword and sorcery space and talk about a mainstream movie… and in this episode, you get to hear your three hosts realize the depth of their error with hilarious consequences! CURSE YOU LORD MUNKAR! Yeah, come back next week, we’re watching Deathstalker. Show Notes: 1983 Box Office September 2 1983 Weekend Box Office July 22, 1983 Weekend Box Office Mr. Mom Box Office Results Mr. Mom AFI Catalog Entry Cole Haddon 2023 interview with producer Lauren Shuler Donner. Theme music by Mike McGuill Additional voicework by Russell Bentley Summer of '84 voiced by Colby Elliott Follow us! Instagram Bluesky email: Multiplexoverthruster@gmail.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
S2 · E15
Aug 22, 2025 · 1 hr 58 min
Strange Brew: Summer of '83
Okay you hosers, so welcome to our podcast. So today we’re gonna chug a couple cold ones, put on our tuques and watch as comedy titans Rick Moranis and Dave Thomas take their beloved characters from television and comedy albums to the big screen in The Adventures of Bob and Doug McKenzie: Strange Brew! While it would have been perfectly acceptable for them to do their small screen schtick on the big screen and call it a movie, this ambitious duo instead decided to cast themselves as Rosenkrantz and Guildenstern in a brewski-themed remake of… Hamlet? Join Paul, Javier, and the ever sober Producer Brad as they brave the dark corridors of the haunted Elsinore Brewery, where the cyber-ghost of a murdered patriarch cries out for justice from a haunted coin-op video game console as the evil Brewmeister Smith - played by Ingmar Bergman regular Max Von Sydow in prosthetic buck teeth - plots to take over the world using mind-control beer and hockey-playing stormtroopers! Can our hapless duo stop this evil plot? All we can say is that any movie that features a climactic duel between Ming The Merciless and Gold Leader from Star Wars is a beauty way to go, eh! Show Notes: 1983 Box Office August 26, 1983 Weekend Box Office Strange Brew Movie Box Office Results Strange Brew AFI Catalog Entry Rick Moranis' Second City Bio Dave Thomas' Second City Bio CBC Oral History of Kids in the Hall's "Headcrusher" Globe and Mail "Best Canadian Comedies" Theme music by Mike McGuill Additional voicework by Russell Bentley Summer of '84 voiced by Colby Elliott Follow us! Instagram Bluesky email: Multiplexoverthruster@gmail.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
S2 · E14
Aug 16, 2025 · 2 hr 13 min
Yor, The Hunter from the Future: Summer of '83
Cavemen. Dinosaurs. Lasers. Robots. A mysterious medallion. A talking box. Choice meats! And oh that theme song. This barely begins to dip into the brain-bending fountain of wonders that is YOR, THE HUNTER FROM THE FUTURE. Javi, Paul and - intrepidly - Producer Brad have ventured to Yor’s World and returned forever changed by this Italian adaptation of an Argentinian graphic novel that was distilled from a four-hour television mini-series, and is criminally unavailable on any streaming service or for digital rental or purchase. But they would not be denied (thank you Internet Archive), even though it required Javi to heed the film’s counsel (“We will need a lot more hemp before we’re through.”), while Paul Plot was sent into a fugue state. Because while we’re all well-versed in spaghetti Westerns, this is a spaghetti fantasy that takes a stunning turn into spaghetti sci-fi, and somehow blurs the lines between bad and great, and stupid and genius — rendering this week’s episode an absolute fever dream. There is simply no way you can prepare yourself… for YOR!!! Show Notes: Yor, the Hunter from the Future (1983) [Internet Archive] Yor's World (Theme Song) on iTunes and Apple Music 1983 Box Office - The Numbers 1983 Box Office - Box Office Mojo August 19, 1983 Weekend Box Office Yor Movie Box Office Results NYT/Janet Maslin Yor review Archived Antonio Margheriti bio Archived interview with Edoardo Margheriti, Antonio's son. Fanbasepress article speculating on Antonio Margheriti connection to 2001: A Space Odyssey Theme music by Mike McGuill Additional voicework by Russell Bentley Summer of '84 voiced by Colby Elliott Follow us! Instagram Bluesky email: Multiplexoverthruster@gmail.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
S2 · E13
Aug 9, 2025 · 1 hr 53 min
Valley Girl: Summer of '83
Behold the birth of the cinematic icon that is Nicolas Cage. Bask in the glory of his historic first on-screen freak-out. Witness his wondrous weirdness expertly unleashed by director Martha Coolidge, who made the most of a tiny budget, tight schedule, and tepid script to deliver a (sub-)cultural landmark by way of the Sherman Oaks Galleria. This week, Javi, Paul - and for sure, like totally, Producer Brad - pop their pastel polo collars as they venture valiantly into the strange suburban vortex of vapidity that is VALLEY GIRL. Demure Julie (Deborah Foreman) falls for pseudo-punk Randy (Cage) from the scary side of the Hollywood Hills, but when her high school social circle disdainly disapproves, she’s torn between lofty love and crushing conformity. Will peer pressure prune her passion? Or will she stop the world and melt with Randy a million miles away on Electric Avenue? Whether you’re in the mood for the valley or not, our hosts have got the vibe, even if their brains are bad news from that creepy clown doll. Have a nice flight! Show Notes: 1983 Box Office Valley Girl Weekend Box Office, April 29, 1993 Valley Girl Box Office, August 12, 1983 Valley Girl Box Office Results AFI Catalog entry for Valley Girl Roger Ebert review of Valley Girl AFI Movie Club segment on Valley Girl with DP Frederick Elmes NYT 2020 article on Valley Girl quoting Martha Coolidge exploiting nudity requirement loopholes. Indie Wire article with quotes from Nicholas Cage praising Martha Coolidge. Theme music by Mike McGuill Additional voicework by Russell Bentley Summer of '84 voiced by Colby Elliott Follow us! Instagram Bluesky email: Multiplexoverthruster@gmail.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
S2 · E12
Aug 2, 2025 · 2 hr 10 min
Risky Business: Summer of '83
Put on your Ray-Bans, rev up the Porsche, and crank up the Tangerine Dream! It’s time for the movie that made Tom Cruise a star, which somehow Javi and Paul had never seen! Listen as they, with the help of ever-patient Producer Brad, get past their preconceived notions and are rewarded with a teen sex comedy that has more in common with Blue Velvet than Porky’s. Suburban high school senior Joel (Cruise), afflicted with anxiety about getting into Princeton and left home alone by his materialistic parents, is prodded by devil-on-his-shoulder pal Miles (Curtis Armstrong) down the path to some Risky Business in the form of call girl Lana (Rebecca De Mornay), who turns Joel’s home into a brothel. Is it a swooning love letter to capitalism, or subversive indictment of it, or both? Javi and Paul marvel and muse at this unexpectedly layered, nuanced, and finely crafted film rife with symbolism, sex positivity, delightful dream sequences, awesome needle drops, surprisingly positive trans representation, a crystal egg, and a young Joe Pantoliano as Guido the Killer Pimp. There is no substitute! Show Notes: 1983 Box Office August 5-7, 1983, Weekend Box Office Risky Business Box Office Results Hollywood Reporter excerpts from Curtis Armstrong's 2017 memoir, Revenge of the Nerd. Top 100 Stars in Leading roles at the Domestic Box Office Theme music by Mike McGuill Additional voicework by Russell Bentley Summer of '84 voiced by Colby Elliott Follow us! Instagram Bluesky email: Multiplexoverthruster@gmail.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
S2 · E11
Jul 24, 2025 · 1 hr 34 min
Krull: Summer of '83
What is Krull? Who is Krull? Where is Krull? Why is Krull? These are all time-honored questions asked by no one - except those of us who have experienced the fantasy sci-fi would-be saga that is Krull. Join Paul, Javi, and the stalwart Producer Brad as they journey through space (they think) and time (maybe?) to experience the (it thinks) epic battle between a princess, her prince, and their rag-tag misfit army of actors who would go on to do far better work (Liam Neeson? What are you doing here?) against an intergalactic dictator (we guess) and his army of poorly-armed, partially-ambulatory stormtroopers (kinda). Thrill to the modest swordplay, marvel at the adequate production design, and let your spirit rise to the strains of one of James Horner’s minor soundtracks! It’s a deep (ish) dive into one of the lost (not really) classics (now we’re being generous) of the summer of ’83, so buckle your swash and get ready, because once you go Krull, you come back… uh, null? Show Notes: 1983 Box Office July 29,1983 Weekend Box Office Krull Box Office Results Theme music by Mike McGuill Additional voicework by Russell Bentley Summer of '84 voiced by Colby Elliott Follow us! Instagram Bluesky email: Multiplexoverthruster@gmail.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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