Tag Archives: Tom Holland

Episode 118. Friends till the End. Child’s Play (1988)

In this episode we look at the origins of the original “Good Guy.” From his place in the history of toys to his ties to masculinity to the anxiety around 1980s family structures, we go deep with Chucky to find out what makes him kill. 
 
 

REQUIRED READING

Child’s Play. Dir. Tom Holland, 1988. 
 

EXTRA CREDIT

The History of Creepy Dolls. An examination of how dolls became part of our nightmares.
 
Technology’s Covert Socialization of Children: High-Tech Toys. How “high-tech” toys create a false sense of safety. 
 
Hasbro’s My Buddy Doll. A history of the doll that inspired Chucky.
 
“Midnight Scenes and Orgies”: Public Narratives of Voodoo in New Orleans and Nineteenth-Century Discourses of White Supremacy. 
 
The Child and Adult Trauma in American Horror of the 1980s. Freud’s uncanny child in the era of consumerism.
 
The Place of Play: Toys and Digital Cultures. A look at toys as “generation-shapers.” 
 
Hasbro Brazil’s ad for Baby Alive, encouraging parents to examine their gender biases.
 

LISTEN

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Episode 40. ReVamp: Fright Night (1985) and The Lost Boys (1987)

ReVamp

In the 1980s, vampires left their castles and European hideaways for American suburbs and small towns. In this episode, Andrea and Alex examine what happens when the monster you fear is part of your community and discuss what is to be done when they want to borrow more than just sugar….

REQUIRED READING

Fright Night. Dir. Tom Holland, 1985.
The Lost Boys. Dir. Joel Schumacher, 1987.

EXTRA CREDIT

The Growth of the Suburbs. An overview of the suburban expansion following WWII.

 

The Films of the Eighties: A Social History by William J. Palmer – A look at sequels and nostalgia in the 1980s.

 

Check out Alex and Andrea‘s guest spots on The People’s History of Film for some more of our favorite nostalgic movies over at GoodTrash Media.

COURSE NOTES

 Intro song: Nail Ballet from Nightmare Picture Theatre, courtesy of James Zirco Fisher.
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