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Toy Soldiers (1984) Teen comedy that also somehow mixes elements of First Blood, Animal House and Death Wish into one big awkward pile.

Published March 6, 2012November 13, 2021by Stunt Rock in Dangerous Kids

Hollywood High (1976) Yes, another boob-obsessed sex comedy from the late 70s.

Published February 28, 2012November 13, 2021by Stunt Rock in 70s Boob Showcase

Ransom (1977) Oliver Reed heads up this Indiansploitation cash-grab.

Published February 21, 2012November 13, 2021by Stunt Rock in Insinuated Thrills - Allged Action, Movies for Paranoid Liberals

Torchlight (1985) Cautionary anti-drug tale focused almost exclusively on the dangers of freebasing cocaine.

Published February 14, 2012November 13, 2021by Stunt Rock in Drugs, My Favorite Films

Split Image (1982) Largely forgotten anti-cult movie from the early 80s.

Published February 6, 2012June 18, 2024by Stunt Rock in Dangerous Kids, Movies for Paranoid Liberals

Pepper aka Checkmate (1973) Softcore Amero Brothers (Bacchanale, Blonde Ambition) spy-sex comedy.

Published January 29, 2012November 13, 2021by Stunt Rock in 70s Boob Showcase

Heroes (1977) Probably the first semi-lighthearted love story to focus on the after-effects of The 'Nam.

Published January 22, 2012November 13, 2021by Stunt Rock in 70s Existential Bullshit, Lifetime Movie Network

Spiker (1984) A fairly by-the-numbers but well done 80s sports themed movie.

Published January 16, 2012June 18, 2024by Stunt Rock in Early-Buddy Erotica, My Favorite Films, Unrealistic Teen Fantasy

Black Oak Conspiracy (1977)

Published January 2, 2012November 13, 2021by Stunt Rock in Barely Justified Revenge, Blue-Collar Heroics

HIGH ICE (1980) A 90+ minute movie about the attempts to rescue three people stuck on a mountain.

Published December 28, 2011November 13, 2021by Stunt Rock in Insinuated Thrills - Allged Action

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About

The Betamax Rundown was started by failed musician and artist Stunt Rock in October of 2006, with the intent being to review and analyze a personal library of over 2100 Betamax tapes.

When not watching movies, he enjoys making artistic horseshit no one cares about.

Steve Bullyhuff is the ever-loyal proofreader and fact-checker. When not fixing drunken typos, he enjoys playing rock music.

The Betamax Rundown is updated sporadically.

Marathon (1980) This movie is written by men, from the perspective of men, and for consumption by men. Longing for extramarital affairs, fixation on younger women, unhappiness with a spouse, disappointment with kids - it’s all here. Independence Day (1983) Trigger warning if your grandfather ever made you high like a tree. Independence Day (1983) Beret-clad photographer Mary Ann (Kathleen Quinlan) has lived in the same town her entire life yet still finds the energy to run around snapping photos of townspeople as she awaits an acceptance letter from a San Franciso art school, while also helping her cancer-stricken mother convalesce. We’re supposed to ignore that she’s clearly 30 and still trying to get into art school. Enormous Changes at the Last Minute (1983) Extra Ellen Barkin appreciation post. Her performance in the first segment was described as "bruised, tough and sexy" by Janet Maslin in the NYT. Accurate. Enormous Changes at the Last Minute (1983) Kevin Bacon, playing a young cabbie looking for love in the third story of this anthology film, sings a song, but it sound like it might be overdubbed. Enormous Changes at the Last Minute (1983) Uneven New York anthology full of progressive themes and likable performances. Mid-Knight Rider aka Hard Knocks (1979) Some select clips: Mid-Knight Rider aka Hard Knocks (1979) HARD RECOMMEND! This movie is insane. Somewhere there has to be a proper cut where it all works perfectly, but this seventy-seven-minute cut released on home video is wild. It’s Midnight Cowboy but quickly turns into homesteading Western before dropping into First Blood territory. Foolin' Around (1980) A young Bill Macy in his first screen role! Foolin' Around was filmed in 1978 so I'm comfortable saying this even though it was released after Somewhere In Time (1980) which is technically the first appearance of W. H. Macy.

The World Sucks Now.