THE '80S

Steve Martin and John Candy in ’Planes, Trains and Automobiles’ (1987).

15 Moving Facts About ’Planes, Trains and Automobiles’

John Hughes’s own hellish trip from New York City to Chicago inspired ‘Planes, Trains and Automobiles,’ the 1987 Thanksgiving classic starring Steve Martin and John Candy.

9 Fun Facts About ‘Once Bitten‘

The vampire comedy was actor Jim Carrey’s first starring film role.

Don’t worry, these commercials are more silly than scary.

10 Classic Halloween-Themed Commercials

From loving tributes to the genuinely bizarre, here are some of our favorite Halloween commercials from decades past.

People found the devil in some very unlikely places.

The Devil Made Them Do It: 8 Examples of Satanic Panic in the ‘80s

In the 1980s, media hysteria saw demonic undertones in everything from ‘Mister Ed’ to Pampers diapers.

(Although technically speaking, he's really more of a poltergeist.)

15 Fascinating Facts You Might Not Know about ‘Beetlejuice’

Everyone’s favorite “bio-exorcist” is coming back to theaters on September 6, but while you wait for ‘Beetlejuice Beetlejuice,’ you can brush up on these facts about the original.

11 Discontinued Ice Creams

Not all the classic frozen treats you remember from the ’80s and ’90s are still available today

1/72 Testors F19 Secret Stealth Fighter unboxing and review LIVE!

The ’80s Toy That Was Considered a Threat to National Security

The F-19 became the bestselling model plane of all time. Some feared it leaked some highly classified military secrets.

‘Double Love,’ the first book in the Sweet Valley High series.

13 Things You Might Not Know About the Sweet Valley High Books

Long before Harry Potter turned young adult literature into a publishing phenomenon, there was ‘Sweet Valley High.’

13 Facts About Richard Simmons

An anonymous note left on Richard Simmons’s car window changed the soon-to-be-superstar’s life forever.

MC Skat Kat and Paula Abdul on tour in 2017.

The Nine Lives of MC Skat Kat, Paula Abdul’s Co-Star in “Opposites Attract”

The animated rapping cat helped propel “Opposite’s Attract” to No. 1 on the Billboard charts in 1990—and he still occasionally pops up in some surprising places.

Pay phones were everywhere in the 1980s. And they were often full of money.

King of Quarters: The ‘Pay Phone Bandit’ Who Baffled the FBI in the ’80s

Pay phones were thought to have an unpickable lock. Then James Clark came along.

The Maniac Next Door: The Surprisingly Bizarre Origins of Michael Sembello’s Pop Hit From ‘Flashdance’

Michael Sembello’s synth-driven hit song from ‘Flashdance’ is rumored to have been inspired by William Lustig's 1980 slasher classic, ‘Maniac.’ But as it turns out, the true story is even weirder.

Jeff Cohen, Sean Astin, Corey Feldman, and Ke Huy Quan in "The Goonies" (1985).

20 Fun Facts About ‘The Goonies’

As the ultimate ’80s adventure comedy for kids, Richard Donner’s 1985 hit scored with audiences and critics alike, but there are probably a few facts about “The Goonies” you didn't know, like that the treasure map was speckled with real blood.

Ghostbusters' Stay Puft Marshmallow Man - Art of the Scene

See How The ‘Ghostbusters’ Stay Puft Marshmallow Man Was Made

Unlike the CGI-heavy movies of today, Mr. Stay Puft is all practical effects.

Cult of Musicality: How Living Colour Defied Expectations and Defined Hard Rock in the ‘80s

How Living Colour fought their way to the top of the charts—and is still going strong.

Lucinda Dickey and Adolfo Quinones in 'Breakin' 2' (1984).

40 Years Ago: When Breakdancing Crashed the Box Office of 1984

In 1984, a succession of breakdancing-themed movies did battle at the box office.

Transformers G1 Optimus Prime and Megatron Commercial

11 of the Most Valuable Transformers Toys From the ‘80s

Loved collecting Transformers as a kid? From Optimus Prime to a Megatron figure that changed into a gun, discover which of these G1 toys from the 1980s is the most valuable today.

The 15 Best Gen X Movies of All Time

From blockbuster comedies to queer rom-coms, the best Gen X movies reflected the society of their time.

Norwegian moviegoers had no idea what they were in for with 'Airplane!' (1980).

Help! The Bizarre Way Norway Translated Foreign Movie Titles

If you wanted to market a comedy in Norway in the 1970s and 1980s, you needed the Hjelp formula.

Retro TV Commercials from the 80's Part 1

Watch 80 Minutes of Old Commercials From the ‘80s and ‘90s

These old commercials from the 1980s and '90s will have you "Sweatin' to the Oldies" with Richard Simmons and hanging out with Doublemint Twins.

The Surprising Name Origins of 20 Famous 1980s Bands

The decade of shoulder pads, leg warmers, and piano-keyboard neckties brought with it some ridiculously awesome band names.

Erne Hudson at the 'Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire' premiere.

When Ernie Hudson Lost a Role in ‘The Real Ghostbusters’ Cartoon for Not Sounding Enough Like Ernie Hudson

Ernie Hudson failed to convince producers of 'The Real Ghostbusters' that he could sound like Ernie Hudson.

Zelda Rubinstein during a scene from "Poltergeist" (1982).

The ‘Poltergeist’ Curse: Uncovering the Haunting Mysteries Behind the Classic Horror Franchise

The tragic deaths and mysterious events surrounding this classic horror franchise have given rise to the urban legend that a real-life “Poltergeist” curse exists.

8 Things You Might Not Know About Fabio

The '90s hunk had his own 900 number, line of romance novels, and a heavyset counterpart known as 'Flabio.'