80s

Morrissey is a divisive figure but, love him or loathe him, there’s no denying the creative blast of work he and Johnny Marr were responsible for with The Smiths. The importance of the group's workhorse effort can be outlined simply.…

There is no denying the 1980s was the decade where the genre of horror movies ruled. Gone were the figures of Dracula, Frankenstein and at times even the Devil himself was not enough to terrify us. It gave rise to new inventions to haunt…

“Although what you are about to see is a work of fiction, it should nevertheless be played at maximum volume.” So opens Todd Haynes’s Velvet Goldmine (1998), and it sets the tone for two key elements of the glam rock movie: it’s not about…

In the first act of Rambo 3, Rambo (Sylvester Stallone) shoots down a Soviet attack helicopter with a mounted machine gun. In the second act of Rambo 3, Rambo shoots down a Soviet attack helicopter with an explosive arrow. In the final act…

Released 35 years ago, Flashdance is a film that prioritises style over substance. Yet, it also had a huge influence on pop culture in the 1980s and beyond. Why has Flashdance endured? By day, 18-year-old Alex (Jennifer Beals) is a…

Retrospect is a series which takes a look at some of the most important albums of all time. This week, Barra Ó Súilleabháin examines the influence of Guns N' Roses' Appetite For Destruction. A rented house in L.A on the same estate that…

John Carney reignites the harmonious sound of the 80's in his latest drama-musical, Sing Street. Set in the heart of Dublin City, this coming-of-age drama recounts the tale of Conor Lalor, an introverted teenager who tackles his issues of…

Le Galaxie Le Club You know the whole, 'If you could travel back in time and kill Hitler when he was a baby, would you?' conversational gambit that people occasionally break out? One imagines that if Le Galaxie were afforded the powers…