Video Store Podcast

There are many reasons to watch movies. We watch them to learn, to laugh, to cheer, jeer, and fear. One of the most wonderful things about film is that they allow us to escape reality, if only for a couple of hours. Like many of you I have a long list of “feel good” films I put on when times are bleak and I want to escape. On this episode I am recommending four “feel good” movies maybe you haven’t seen in a while or at all.
First up is 1980’s The Private Eyes starring Don Knotts and Tim Conway as investigators from Scotland Yard sent to investigate the murders of Lord and Lady Morley after being contacted by… Lord Morley? It’s a race against time as the mansion’s staff, all of whom are suspects, are being killed faster than they can be interviewed. The Private Eyes was part of the resurgence of “darl house” movies we saw in the 1970s and 1980s that included Murder by Death, Clue, and Haunted Honeymoon.
Next is 1981’s Under the Rainbow, a film that did terribly at the box office but found a second life on cable television. When a German spy (who happens to be a little person) and a Japanese spy (disguised as a tourist) make plans to exchange secrets at a hotel, they never could have predicted that the location would be overrun by all the Munchkins from The Wizard of Oz along with an entire busload of Japanese tourists! Chevy Chase once called this film “the worst film ever made” while Carrie Fisher simply said it was “the worst film I ever made.” They can say what they want; this slapstick comedy always puts a smile on my face.
In 1989’s Loveryboy, Randy picks up a job delivering pizza while serving extra anchovies and a slice of love to a growing list of female customers. As someone who delivered pizzas in college I can tell you all of us dreamed that someday we wold get a delivery for “extra anchovies.” Loverboy was one of four films Patrick Dempsey starred in during the 1980s and 1990s before going on to become “McDreamy” later on Gray’s Anatomy. Featuring Carrie Fisher, Kirstie Alley, and lots and lots of anchovies.
Our final film this week is 1986’s Back to School. When millionaure Thornton Melon (Rodney Dangerfield) discovers his son Jason has lost interest in college, he agrees to enroll himself so that the two of them can become freshmen together. Thornton gets accepted into college after making a large donation, sends his personal secretary to classes for him to take notes, has a staff of employees doing his homework and spends most of his nights partying. Both father and son eventually learn that money can’t buy everything — not pride, respect, or love.
What are your favorite “feel good” movies? Let me know in the comments!
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This week I wanted to stick with movies that came out with soundtracks that felt current when the films were released. Not older songs brought in to set a mood, and not a random collection pulled together afterward, but albums that felt tied to the moment the studio was trying to sell.
Fast Times at Ridgemont High, from 1982, is a good example. The soundtrack album came out that July, and Jackson Browne’s “Somebody’s Baby” reached number 7 on the Billboard Hot 100, so the movie clearly had a connection to what people were hearing at the time. There was also some push and pull behind the scenes. Amy Heckerling later said some of the music choices reflected producer pressure as much as her own sense of the characters, which only makes the film feel more like a real snapshot of the early 1980s.
Purple Rain, from 1984, is an even stronger case, because the movie and soundtrack are almost impossible to separate. The album came out on June 25, 1984. “When Doves Cry” was released in May, and “Let’s Go Crazy” followed in July, so the film reached theaters with Prince already dominating the culture around it. I also like that “When Doves Cry” came out of a specific request from director Albert Magnoli. It was not just a Prince song sitting around waiting to be used. It was part of the movie as it was taking shape.
Less Than Zero, works a little differently. People do not usually talk about its soundtrack with the same reverence, but it was still very plugged into late 1987. The Bangles recorded “Hazy Shade of Winter” for the film, and it went to number 2 on the Billboard Hot 100, which gave the soundtrack real chart power. The rest of the album also feels very rooted in its time, with Rick Rubin producing and artists like LL Cool J and Public Enemy sharing space with a sharper, louder Simon and Garfunkel cover. It really feels like a late 1987 attempt to pull different parts of current music into one package.
Then there is Singles, from 1992, which may be the best example here of a soundtrack capturing a scene while it was still happening. The album came out on June 30, 1992, a few months before the movie opened, and it included Pearl Jam, Soundgarden, and Alice in Chains, along with Paul Westerberg, who also worked on the score. Cameron Crowe later called it more of an anti soundtrack, basically a souvenir of that scene instead of a tidy album built to sum up the movie. That feels right to me. It was not trying to seem current. It actually was current. Even the gap between the album release and the film helped give it that feeling.
So that is the set this week. Four movies, four different kinds of soundtrack success, and four reminders that music can tie a film to its moment just as much as clothes, locations, or dialogue can. One caught the early 1980s world of radio and mall record stores. One became a hit album right alongside the movie. One used a major single to help define its identity. One caught a local scene before it had even settled into history. Those are the kinds of rentals I always like talking about, movies that bring back not just the film, but the moment when it first showed up.
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Welcome to the Video Store Podcast.
It’s March, the snow is slowly melting, and the world is turning green. Everywhere you look, stores are pushing the same movies about leprechauns and four-leaf clovers.
I’m here to give you a break from the lucky charms and offer up four different movies for the green spring season.
Soylent Green (1973)
Set in a crowded, overheated dystopian future, Soylent Green follows New York City detective Robert Thorn as he investigates the murder of a wealthy businessman. By 2022, the world has been pushed to the edge by overpopulation, pollution, and food shortages. Most people survive on processed food rations distributed by the powerful Soylent Corporation: Soylent Yellow, Soylent Red, and their new product, Soylent Green.
As the investigation unfolds, Thorn uncovers a conspiracy that reveals the shocking truth behind Soylent Green and reaches the highest levels of the Soylent Corporation.
If you like classic 1970s science fiction with a darker edge and big ideas about the future, this one is for you.
The Emerald Forest (1985)
The Emerald Forest tells the story of a young boy, Tommy, who disappears while his father is working on a massive dam project in the Amazon rainforest. Bill Markham spends the next decade searching for his son, traveling deeper into the jungle and encountering the indigenous tribes who call the forest home.
It’s a story of love, loss, and hope set against the lush green backdrop of the Amazon rainforest.
If you’re in the mood for an adventure that feels different from the usual Hollywood formula, this one is worth pulling off the shelf.
Romancing the Stone (1984)
Romancing the Stone is often labeled an “Indiana Jones clone,” even though the script was written two years before Raiders of the Lost Ark.
Romance novelist Joan Wilder is suddenly pulled into a real adventure when her sister is kidnapped in Colombia. To save her, Joan must deliver a mysterious treasure map deep into the jungle. What follows is a fast-moving adventure filled with treasure hunters, narrow escapes, and an unlikely partnership with a rugged fortune hunter.
Much of the film takes place in the thick green jungles of South America, where the landscape becomes just as important as the story. The lush setting adds a sense of danger and excitement as the characters try to stay one step ahead of the people chasing the same treasure, a priceless emerald
Romancing the Stone is pure 80s adventure fun. If you like action, humor, and a little romance, this is an easy choice for movie night.
The Green Mile (1999)
The Green Mile takes place inside a prison during the Great Depression and follows a group of guards who oversee death row. The story centers on John Coffey, a kind, imposing inmate who arrives with a mysterious presence and an unexpected gentleness.
The “green mile” is the nickname given to the stretch of green linoleum floor that prisoners walk on their way to the execution chamber. Over time, the guards realize the man walking the Green Mile possesses something extraordinary, turning a routine prison job into a powerful story about compassion, redemption, and humanity.
Settle in for this epic. It’s a powerful, character-driven story that blends drama, mystery, and a touch of the supernatural.

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Welcome back to the Video Store Podcast. It’s Women’s History Month, so today, we’re honoring the life of Jane Baer, a trailblazer for women in animation. We lost Jane on February 16, 2026, and though you may not have known her name, you have seen her work. Her work has been so influential that we’ve already talked about a few of her films here on the Video Store Podcast. We’ve selected 4 films for the staff picks wall this week, highlighting her work.
The Rescuers (1977)
First up is the underrated Disney classic, The Rescuers from 1977. Bianca and Bernard are sent from the Rescue Aid Society to save Penny, an orphan girl held captive by the evil Madam Medusa, who is hunting for the Devil’s Eye, an enormous diamond in a small cave that’s only big enough for a small girl to get into. Can they save her? You’ll have to watch The Rescuers to find out.
Pete’s Dragon (1977)
Combining live-action with animated sequences, Pete’s Dragon from 1977 made 5-year-old me believe that I could become friends with my favorite cartoon characters. Jane’s work on this film carries over to another film that her own animation company helped produce in 1988, Who Framed Roger Rabbit.
The Great Mouse Detective (1986)
A vastly underrated and unsung Disney classic from 1986, The Great Mouse Detective is an adaptation of the book series of the same name. Basil of Baker Street must stop the nefarious Professor Rattigan from taking out the Queen and becoming the royal consort of all mousedom. This film is notable for its gorgeous styling and performance from Vincent Price as Professor Rattigan.
The Prince and the Pauper (1990)
Finally, we look at a lesser-known Disney short, The Prince and the Pauper, based on the Mark Twain story of the same name. This short features Mickey as both the titular Prince and Pauper, and was produced with the aid of Jane’s production company, Baer Animation.
For these films, as well as many more, we lift our glasses and bowls of popcorn in honor of Jane Baer’s life and work.
Happy Women’s History Month, and thanks for joining us here at the Video Store Podcast.
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Greek mythology has a way of cycling back. Every generation seems to take a turn with these stories, reshaping them to fit the tools and tastes of the moment. With a new version of The Odyssey directed by Christopher Nolan on the horizon, it feels like a good time to revisit a few earlier attempts. Not the definitive versions. Just four films that each capture a different moment in how the myths were staged.
Jason and the Argonauts (1963)
Directed by Don Chaffey and brought to life by the stop motion work of Ray Harryhausen, this remains the standard for mythological adventure on film.
The skeleton fight is still the showcase. Harryhausen animated seven sword fighting skeletons by hand, frame by frame, matching choreography that had already been filmed with live actors. It took months to complete just a few minutes of screen time. The patience shows. The movement has weight and timing that still feels precise.
There is also Talos, the bronze giant, who creaks to life in a way that feels mechanical and ancient at the same time. No digital polish. Just careful craft. The film was not a major hit in 1963, but it built its reputation through television airings and revival screenings. Filmmakers like Steven Spielberg and Peter Jackson have pointed to it as an influence.
Clash of the Titans (1981)
Nearly twenty years later, Harryhausen returned for what would be his final feature. Released in 1981, the same summer as Raiders of the Lost Ark, it feels like a bridge between eras.
Medusa is the standout. Instead of legs she has a serpentine body, and the sequence plays almost like a horror film, full of shadow and flickering light. Harryhausen again handled the creature effects himself, at a time when optical and early digital techniques were starting to change the industry.
The cast gives the film a formal tone. Laurence Olivier plays Zeus and Maggie Smith appears as Thetis. There is also Bubo, the small mechanical owl added after the success of Star Wars. Even at the time some viewers were unsure about that addition. It says a lot about where fantasy films were headed in the early 1980s.
Hercules (1983)
Directed by Luigi Cozzi and starring Lou Ferrigno, this version of Hercules leans into spectacle in a way that is sometimes baffling and sometimes charming.
Ferrigno had already been known for playing the Hulk on television, so casting him as Hercules made sense on a physical level. The film itself mixes Greek myth with science fiction imagery, including cosmic visuals and creatures that feel closer to Italian fantasy cinema than to Homer.
It was part of a cycle of sword and sandal films in the early 1980s, many of them international co productions designed for global markets. The effects are uneven, but there is sincerity here. It commits to its vision without irony.
The Odyssey (1997)
Directed by Andrei Konchalovsky and starring Armand Assante, this two part television adaptation aired in 1997 as an event production.
The format allows it to cover more of the journey than most feature films attempt. The Cyclops sequence and the Sirens episode stand out, helped by visual effects that were ambitious for network television at the time. The production won an Emmy for visual effects and reflects a brief period when large scale myth adaptations were being mounted for prime time audiences.
Watching it now, you can see both its limits and its effort. It wants to treat the source material seriously, without reducing it to spectacle alone.
Taken together, these films show how the same source material can shift with the era. Stop motion craft in the 1960s. Transitional fantasy in the early 1980s. International genre filmmaking. Large scale television in the 1990s.
When Nolan releases his Odyssey, it will enter a long line of attempts to translate these myths into something contemporary. Revisiting these earlier versions is a way to see how each generation solved the same problem with different tools.
They are worth tracking down. Not because they are perfect, but because each one reflects a moment when someone decided these ancient stories were still worth staging carefully.
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This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.videostorepodcast.com