Purple Rain Movie: 9 Wild Facts About Prince’s 1984 Hit
The Purple Rain movie made Prince a superstar in 1984. Nine wild facts about the film, the album, Apollonia, and that famous motorcycle.
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On This Day: June 27, 1986 — Labyrinth Hits Theaters
Labyrinth (1986) premiered in U.S. theaters on June 27, 1986. Directed by Jim Henson, executive produced by George Lucas, and starring David Bowie as Jareth the Goblin King opposite a teenage Jennifer Connelly, the $25 million fantasy bombed at the box office — grossing just $12.7 million domestically — before home video turned it into…
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On This Day: June 23, 1989 — Tim Burton’s Batman Premieres
On June 23, 1989, Tim Burton’s Batman opened with a record-shattering $40.49M weekend, redefining the blockbuster and birthing the modern superhero movie.
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On This Day: June 20, 1986 — The Karate Kid Part II Premieres
The Karate Kid Part II opened wide on June 20, 1986, and ended its first weekend with $12.6 million in the bank — a franchise record at the time, more than half a million dollars above what the original earned in its 1984 debut. By Labor Day, John G. Avildsen’s sequel had outgrossed The Karate…
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On This Day: June 12, 1981 — Raiders of the Lost Ark Premieres
On June 12, 1981, Steven Spielberg’s Raiders of the Lost Ark hit 1,078 theaters, made Harrison Ford a franchise lead, and launched the action-adventure template every blockbuster since has copied.
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The Lost Boys 1987: 9 Wild Facts About This Vampire Classic
The Lost Boys 1987 turned Santa Cruz into Santa Carla and made vampires cool again. Here are 9 wild facts behind Joel Schumacher’s cult classic.
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Back to the Beach 1987: 9 Wild Facts About Frankie & Annette
The Back to the Beach movie reunited Frankie Avalon and Annette Funicello in 1987 — Pee-wee Herman, Stevie Ray Vaughan, and the Big Kahuna explained.
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Swamp Thing 1982: 5 Reasons Wes Craven’s Cult Classic Endures
Swamp Thing 1982 turned Wes Craven into a comic book director — the wild story behind the cult classic, its 1989 sequel, and the USA Network TV show.
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On This Day: June 2, 1989 — Dead Poets Society Premieres
On June 2, 1989, Dead Poets Society opened in eight theaters and became the year’s highest-grossing drama. The story behind Robin Williams, the cast, and the desk scene.
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Colors 1988 Movie: 9 Reasons This LA Gang Film Still Hits
The Colors 1988 movie grossed $46 million on a $10 million budget and dropped a hip-hop title track that Ice-T still calls the most important song of his career — but the real story is that Dennis Hopper, the man who blew up Hollywood with Easy Rider in 1969, spent nineteen years in the wilderness…
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Mr T A-Team: 7 Reasons BA Baracus Owned the 1980s
How Laurence Tureaud became Mr. T — Rocky III, The A-Team, the mohawk, the gold chains, and the cultural takeover of the 1980s.
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On This Day: May 25, 1983 — Return of the Jedi Premieres
On May 25, 1983, Return of the Jedi opened in 1,002 theaters and broke every box-office record on the books. Inside the secret production, the Ewok backlash, and how George Lucas closed the original Star Wars trilogy.
