Stranger Things Inspiring 1980s Nostalgia?: Check Out These 1980s Films with your Library Card

3 Aug

My friends and coworkers have all been talking about Stranger Things, the new Netflix series that has a decidedly retro vibe.  My husband and I had fun this weekend reminiscing about the movies from our childhood the series was inspired by.  If you too are feeling nostalgia for the 1980s, or for our younger readers who are curious to see more films with a similar feel for the first time, here are a few 80s films worth borrowing from HPL or other BCCLS libraries that feature average kids and teens in extraordinary circumstances.

E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial

e.t.
Starting out the list, I of course have to mention Steven Spielberg’s E.T., the now classic tale of a gentle alien and the young boy who befriends him and attempts to help him get home.  This family friendly sci-fi/fantasy set the tone for future movies in this genre.  The movie spawned everything from what was widely considered the worst video game ever to a Universal Studios theme park ride that allows you to recreate the classic flying bicycle scene.  In 1994, E.T. was selected for preservation in the United States National Film Registry for its cultural significance to American films.

The Goonies

goonies
My younger sister and I probably watched The Goonies, another Spielberg classic from 1985, for what seemed like at least a hundred times (the VHS tape definitely got a work out) when we were kids.  The Goonies follows the adventures of two brothers and their friends who use a treasure map to track down pirate gold in order to save their home.  Like many 80s films it features Corey Feldman, but also The Goonies marks the feature film debut of Sean Astin.

Ed. note: The Goonies is an awesome movie, but Cyndi Lauper’s track for the film, “Goonies ‘R’ Good Enough” (on Freegal and CD) is awesome too! -kw

Explorers

explorers
Explorers from 1984 stars the debuts of both Ethan Hawke and River Phoenix who along with Jason Presson star as young preteens who manages to build their own spaceship that they use to take an out of this world adventure.  The movie although not a huge success during its release, has over the years become a cult classic for science fiction fans.

The Monster Squad

monster-squad
Another film falling in to the cult classic category, is The Monster Squad from 1987.  In this film a clever group of kids must ban together to stop Count Dracula and other classic movie monsters including The Wolf Man, The Mummy, and Frankenstein’s Monster.  This was one of my husband’s favorites that he looks forward to sharing with our son.

Have other movies from the 1980s to recommend?  Leave a comment and tell us about your favorite film from the 1980s that our readers should borrow!

-Written by Aimee Harris, Head of Reference

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How to Stream Rolling Stone’s 20 Rock Albums Turning 20 in 2016 with Your Hoboken Public Library Card

27 Jul

Rolling Stone recently published an article about rock albums that are turning 20 this year. After reading it, I remembered owning and loving several of those albums back in 1996. Reading the article made me feel old, a feeling I’ve been struggling with as my eldest niece prepares for her bat mitzvah later this summer. 😦

I decided to write about some albums from the list that are memorable to me. Many of these albums (there are some exceptions) can be streamed via Hoopla Digital or Freegal, which you can access with your Hoboken Resident library card. Did you imagine, back in 1996, that streaming music online would be possible in the future? For those that prefer CDs, those are available as well.

metallica-load

Metallica / Load

When Napster reigned, circa 2000, Metallica was their biggest foe. Napster was popular when I was in college as my dorm’s Ethernet offered my first, life-changing taste of high-speed internet. I mention Metallica first here because their strong stance against illegal music downloading is now part of their legacy.

Metallica isn’t available on either Hoopla or Freegal, but the CD can be borrowed. Hoopla has Metallica-inspired albums for lullabies and yoga, and Freegal has this album featuring covers of Metallica songs.

apple-tidal

Fiona Apple / Tidal

What I remember most about this album (available on Freegal and on CD) was how in-your-face it was and how I hadn’t experienced music like that before. Apple’s defiant tone in the opening track “Sleep to Dream” is like a punch in the face. This album still sounds good after 20 years, and “Criminal” is still my favorite track.

wallflowers

Wallflowers / Bringing Down the Horse

Time to be honest: I strongly dislike this album (available on Hoopla and CD). My brother listened to it NONSTOP in 1996 and I hated hearing it through the wall between our bedrooms. In hindsight, my brother probably hated hearing me play the Les Miserables soundtrack (I’ve written here, here, and here about being a musical theater geek) on repeat while I sang along, poorly. So I guess it’s all relative.

rage-evil

Rage Against the Machine / Evil Empire

Who here tried to play “Bulls on Parade” in Guitar Hero 3 and realized that you will never do it quite as well as Tom Morello? I certainly did. You can revisit this album on Freegal and on CD.

sublime

Sublime / Sublime

What’s bittersweet about this particular album turning 20 is that it also marks 20 years since lead singer Bradley Nowell passed away. Nowell died two months before the self-titled record (on Hoopla and on CD) was released, which became a breakthrough hit. Sublime broke up after this record, but “Santeria” and “What I Got” remain on rock radio playlists today.

pinkerton

Weezer / Pinkerton

I didn’t appreciate this album (on Hoopla and on CD) until college. Weezer had a huge hit with the Blue Album (on Hoopla and on CD) in 1994. Pinkerton, their sophomore record, had a darker, at times creepy (see: “Across the Sea”), more autobiographical tone that was so different than the Blue Album and wasn’t well received. Time has been kinder to Pinkerton. “El Scorcho” is my favorite track.

Here is a list of the rest of the rock albums turning 20, with links to either Freegal or Hoopla or the BCCLS catalog (where applicable):

Beck / Odelay: Hoopla, CD

Sheryl Crow / Sheryl Crow: Hoopla, CD

Failure / Fantastic Planet: Hoopla

Fountains of Wayne / Fountains of Wayne: Hoopla, CD

Korn / Life Is Peachy: Freegal

Dave Matthews Band / Crash: Freegal, CD

Pearl Jam / No Code: Freegal, CD

R.E.M. / New Adventures in Hi-Fi: Hoopla, CD

Sleater-Kinney / Call the Doctor: Hoopla, CD

Soundgarden / Down on the Upside: Hoopla, CD

Swans / Soundtracks for the Blind: n/a

Tortoise / Millions Now Living Will Never Die: n/a

Tool / Aenima: CD

Wilco / Being There: Hoopla

Were any of these albums your favorites back in 1996? Do you now feel old after learning that these records are now 20 years old? Do you know any other albums turning 20 this year?

-Written by Kerry Weinstein, Reference Librarian

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