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Home Alone: A Kid’s Guide… (1987) Malcom-Jamal Warner led children's safety film.

Published November 5, 2007November 12, 2021by Stunt Rock in Awkward 80s Instructional Tapes, Standard-Lowering Children's Entertainment

For Safety’s Sake (1986) Gary Coleman helmed safety tape.

Published November 5, 2007November 12, 2021by Stunt Rock in Awkward 80s Instructional Tapes, Standard-Lowering Children's Entertainment

Strong Kids, Safe Kids (1984) Henry Winkler, John Ritter and a dozen other random people convince kids "they're never to blame, even if it felt good."

Published October 30, 2007November 12, 2021by Stunt Rock in Awkward 80s Instructional Tapes, Standard-Lowering Children's Entertainment

Stand Alone (1985) Charles Durning stars as a well liked old man who decides to take on drug dealers in his neighborhood.

Published October 15, 2007November 12, 2021by Stunt Rock in Barely Justified Revenge, Blue-Collar Heroics

Eye of The Tiger (1986) Falls victim to many 80s revenge flick clichés, but still manages to be a bit enjoyable.

Published October 15, 2007November 12, 2021by Stunt Rock in 'Nam Vet Toughness, Barely Justified Revenge

Terrific Sex: The Dr. Ruth Video (1985) Dr. Ruth presents a lovely instructional sex tape.

Published October 8, 2007November 12, 2021by Stunt Rock in Awkward 80s Instructional Tapes, Unrealistic People Falling In Love

Humongous (1982) A bunch of teens wind up marooned on an island because one of them is a giant asshole.

Published October 8, 2007November 12, 2021by Stunt Rock in Instructional Films For Killing Teens

The Campus Corpse (1977) Guy pledges to fraternity and mysterious stuff happens.

Published October 1, 2007November 12, 2021by Stunt Rock in Dangerous Kids, Unrealistic Teen Fantasy

Incoming Freshman (1979) Troma-esque sex movie with even less of a budget.

Published October 1, 2007November 12, 2021by Stunt Rock in 70s Boob Showcase, Slapstick Fallout

Massive Retaliation (1984) Mid-80s post-apocalyptic nuclear scare film.

Published September 24, 2007November 12, 2021by Stunt Rock in If They Push That Button

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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.

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. Foolin' Around (1980) For the most part, Foolin’ Around is a meandering love story filled with wacky PG-level hijinx. It feels more like a 70s-era live-action Disney movie than the post-Animal House frat comedy it was marketed as.

The World Sucks Now.