Around the World in 80s Movies

Mar 09 2025 212 ep. 23 mins

Around the World in 80s Movies Podcast artwork

Join film writer Vince Leo as he journeys back through his favorite decade for films, the 1980s!

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The Karate Kid (1984) | John Avildsen

Mar 09 2025 49 mins

Daniel LaRusso (Ralph Macchio) and his mother (Randee Heller) move from New Jersey to Reseda, CA , to start a new life. It seems promising at first, but soon Daniel hates his new environs, thanks to a few run-ins at school with a group of karate-trained bullies. He does manage to irk the leader of the bullies, Johnny (William Zabka), when he starts seeing his ex-girlfriend, Ali (El

Rocky IV (1985) | Sylvester Stallone

Feb 01 2025 46 mins

Ivan Drago (Dolph Lundgren) is the latest Russian creation -- a tall, strong, crushing bruiser that packs more strength in one of his punches than any three regular boxers combined. Although his handlers insist that Drago is the product of extensive genetics testing and advanced training techniques, they do deny the use of strength-enhancing steroids even though their fighter boast

Rocky III (1982) | Sylvester Stallone

Dec 20 2024 43 mins

With Rocky III, director-screenwriter-star Stallone takes the film series into a new direction, although the underdog formula still stays intact. Stallone realizes that it's hard to be the underdog when you're the champion, so to knock Rocky down a few notches, he creates the most terrifying challenger he never faced, the bruising #1 contender, Clubber Lang (Mr. T). Lang has been s

Rocky II (1979) | Sylvester Stallone

Jul 13 2024 39 mins

After a replay of the climax of Rocky, Rocky II picks up exactly where the first film leaves off, with Rocky Balboa (Sylvester Stallone) and Apollo Creed (Carl Weathers) taken to a nearby hospital after suffering serious injuries caused by the pummeling each fighter took in their 15-round contest. Creed won the bout by a split decision, but the victory isn't so sweet, as many fans

Rocky (1976) | John Avildsen

May 27 2024 72 mins

The film tells the tale of Rocky Balboa (Sylverster Stallone), a washed-up Philadelphia boxer who just barely scrapes by, fighting in small clubs for meager pay, while supplementing his income as a thuggish debt collector for a local loan shark. He doesn't have many ambitions; his only real goal is to get to go out with the shy, mousy pet store clerk named Adrian (Talia Shire), sis

Tango & Cash (1989) | Andrei Konchalovsky

Jan 05 2024 37 mins

Sylvester Stallone plays Ray Tango, a flashy narco cop in the LAPD who is all business and efficient. Kurt Russell plays Gabriel Cash, more of a devil-may-care type who just so happens to get the big bust whenever he needs it. Drug kingpin Yves Perret (Jack Palance) wants the two biggest obstacles out of his way, and hatches a plan that will do it: have Tango and Cash brought up on

The Running Man (1987)

Dec 12 2023 44 mins

Set in the post-world financial demise of the year 2019, The Running Man stars Arnold Schwarzenegger as law enforcement officer and helicopter pilot Ben Richards, who ends up getting framed for instigating the murder of a crowd of innocent civilians engaging in a protest for food in Bakersfield. Richards and a couple of benevolent jail mates spring out of prison and go on the run,

Action Jackson (1988) | Craig R. Baxley

Oct 20 2023 41 mins

Carl Weathers stars as Detroit cop Jericho "Action" Jackson, who earned his nickname due to putting his body on the line time and again in the line of duty in roughhousing and apprehending perps. Unfortunately for Jackson, the police captain (Duke) demotes him to the role of desk-jockey due to his dangerous reputation that has given the force a black eye by going too far in trying

Beverly Hills Cop II (1987) | Tony Scott

Sep 29 2023 34 mins

This follow-up to the mega-smash Beverly Hills Cop sees the Beverly Hills police department stymied by the so-called Alphabet Robberies, whereby stores with monographed goods are hit by a gang of highly skilled thieves. One of these armed thieves is a statuesque blonde named Karla Fry (Brigitte Nielsen), who becomes a prime suspect when she attempts to murder Capt. Bogomil (Ronny C

Beverly Hills Cop (1984) | Martin Brest

Sep 04 2023 42 mins

Eddie Murphy's superstar-making role has him playing crafty Detroit cop Axel Foley, who travels to Beverly Hills in order to try to uncover the reasons behind the professional hit placed on an old friend (James Russo). His investigative tactics immediately draw the attention of the local law enforcement there, who put a tail on Foley to make sure that his story of being on vacation