Explaining Hollywood’s ’80s Obsession

Hollywood is currently in a nostalgic mood for the 1980s (with the 1990s creeping up not far behind). It’s the decade where consumers first experienced music videos, rented VHS tapes, and blockbusters became a summer staple. But, what’s driving this obsession in Hollywood for the neon-lit era?

READ MORE: Video Essay Examines Trauma In Stephen King’s ‘It’ [Watch]

In a new video essay, Now You See It dives into the nostalgia for the ’80s. Over the past year, audiences were treated to 1980s inspired shows and films like “It,” “Stranger Things 2,” and Emmy Award-winning “Black Mirror” episode, “San Junipero.” But this feeling of constant ’80s throwback is not new. In the video essay, Now You See It points to a vintage conversation between George Lucas and Steven Spielberg about their goals for”Raiders Of The Lost Ark.” The pair are constantly comparing the character of Indiana Jones to iconic film characters of previous decades. In short, filmmakers of the ’80s wanted to give audiences an experience similar to what they had growing up and going to the movies. So it goes with the current generation of filmmakers.

This period of ’80s craze goes beyond obsession or yearning for “days of old”; it’s a moment in an ongoing cycle, where filmmakers look upon the past, to create something new in the present.