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Jenny (1970) Alan Alda and Marlo Thomas star in this very dated, but awesome, portrait of young love in New York.

Published October 5, 2009November 13, 2021by Stunt Rock in 70s Existential Bullshit, Unrealistic People Falling In Love

Where Are The Children (1986) An adaptation of a Mary Higgins Clark novel designed to cash-in on 80s kidnapping hysteria.

Published September 28, 2009November 13, 2021by Stunt Rock in Insinuated Thrills - Allged Action, Lifetime Movie Network

Silent Scream (1980) Perky Scotty is late for college sign-up and desperately needs a place to live.

Published September 21, 2009November 13, 2021by Stunt Rock in Instructional Films For Killing Teens, Unrealistic Teen Fantasy

Scream For Help (1984) Caught somewhere between after-school girls-detective special and sleazy exploitation murder caper with lots of sex.

Published September 14, 2009November 13, 2021by Stunt Rock in Dangerous Kids, Insinuated Thrills - Allged Action

Alone In The Dark (1982) A bunch of crazies escape an asylum during a blackout and seek revenge on a doctor and his family.

Published September 7, 2009November 13, 2021by Stunt Rock in Barely Justified Revenge, Instructional Films For Killing Teens

The First Turn-On! (1983) Some kids and a counselor trapped in a cave telling stories about their "first time."

Published August 31, 2009November 13, 2021by Stunt Rock in 70s Boob Showcase, Slapstick Fallout

Wild Riders (1971) Relatively unknown biker trash-sploitation.

Published September 19, 2008November 13, 2021by Stunt Rock in Early-Buddy Erotica, Insinuated Thrills - Allged Action

Wild Rides (1982) A young Matt Dillon stammers his way through introducing us to several roller coasters of the 80s.

Published September 19, 2008November 13, 2021by Stunt Rock in Extremely Dated Musical Entertainment, Standard-Lowering Children's Entertainment

It’s Alive (1973) Larry Cohen wrote and directed this classic drive-in horror trash.

Published September 11, 2008November 13, 2021by Stunt Rock in Dangerous Kids

It Lives Again (1979) Sequel to It's Alive has much more of the same.

Published September 11, 2008November 13, 2021by Stunt Rock in Dangerous Kids

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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.