Wrestling in the ‘90s: Conversation with Bob Calhoun
Retrophilia: The '90s in Music, Film & Culture
Pro-wrestling really had a chokehold on our imaginations in the ‘90s. Whether our brains were being bodyslammed by WWF (WWE) or beat down by WCW, we loved every choreographed minute of the glammy, absurd high drama. Perhaps the most ‘90s of all wrestling shows of that time was the punk rock DIY version, Incredibly Strange Wrestling, which got its start in San Francisco in 1995 and then toured the world. Imagine an even more unhinged take on pro-wrestling mixed with the spirit (and sometimes masks) of Luche Libre and in-your-face Jackass-style antics. Add a few punk bands and a lot of...
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'90s Noir
Retrophilia: The '90s in Music, Film & Culture
Audra and Raymond are back from an unintentional sabbatical to discuss Neo Noir films from the 1990s. Not to be confused with “Erotic Thrillers,” Neo Noirs echo the first wave of Film Noir in both content and style. Certain American crime thrillers of the ‘40s and ‘50s were dubbed Film Noir by French critics for their similarities: dark subject matter (usually crime mixed with fateful romance), anti-heroes with confused morals, and stylistic use of shadows and low-key lighting. These were often B-movies and almost certainly featured a Femme Fatale to lure the hero down a dark moral...
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Malls in the '90s
Retrophilia: The '90s in Music, Film & Culture
Calling all Mall Rats, Mall Goths, Mall Punks, and Mallternatives! Malls fulfilled our dreams and socials scenes for generations, but they are quickly turning from a safe haven for teenagers to abandoned monuments to late stage capitalism. Born of the suburbs, malls had their last great era in the 1990s. Audra and Raymond talk mall movies, mall history, and read some very provocative listener mail on the topic. Join Retrophilia on and , and share your memories too.
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Suburban Landscapes and Rites of Passage: The Story of Church Youth Groups
Retrophilia: The '90s in Music, Film & Culture
Were the ‘90s the Suburbs Decade? Raymond and Audra discuss the explosion of the suburbs and its hand in creating the Church Youth Group, Youth Pastors, and even Christian Rock. Raymond’s personal experiences (and listener input), help flesh out this very ‘90s phenomenon. Audra finally gets to ask the burning question, “What’s up with the whole Christian haunted house thing?!” PS: King of the Hill episode “Reborn to be Wild” (S8.E2) is heavily referenced. Join Retrophilia on and , and share your memories too.
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End Times: Horror and the Millennium
Retrophilia: The '90s in Music, Film & Culture
It's end times fun times here at Retrophilia as we discuss how anxieties for Y2K expressed themselves in 90's cinema via apocalypse-themed movies. It was a decade full of 'em, but we'll focus on two movies that share several themes in common: IN THE MOUTH OF MADNESS (1994) and THE NINTH GATE (1999).
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'90s Cable TV
Retrophilia: The '90s in Music, Film & Culture
If television was your babysitter, this episode is for you! Audra & Raymond discuss sweet sweet cable TV, why it was invented and how we spent our childhoods (and beyond) parked in front of it. From Nickelodeon to MTV to Skinemax, Retrophilia unscrambles shows like "The Adventures of Pete & Pete," VH1's "Behind the Music," "USA Up All Night," and many more. Plus, listener memories! Join Retrophilia on and , and share your memories too.
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1994: The Year Alternative Became Mainstream
Retrophilia: The '90s in Music, Film & Culture
Retrophilia is back, baby! Audra and Raymond are thrilled to return to the ‘90s after a year-long sabbatical living in the present day. They dive right back in with the year the music changed. 1994 was the peak year of crossover madness. Find out how Alternative, Modern, and College Rock went blazing into the mainstream, and how Green Day, NIN, Pearl Jam, Beck, and Ween (?!) became household names (and how flannels ended up in your Sears catalog). Join Retrophilia on and .
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90's Alt. Comedy
Retrophilia: The '90s in Music, Film & Culture
Just like music and film, comedy went through a transformation in the 1990s. Perhaps in reaction to the glut of mediocre and shallow comedians of the '80s, comedy shows like MR. SHOW, KIDS IN THE HALL, and SPACE GHOST COAST TO COAST upended expectations with their alternative brand of social commentary and changed the way we think about comedy today.
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Video Store Auteurs
Retrophilia: The '90s in Music, Film & Culture
The advent of the video rental store made a wide variety of films available for study and this changed the landscape of cinema. Video stores birthed a new breed of filmmaker in the '90s, including Quentin Tarantino and Kevin Smith. Were these auteurs the culture-bearers of film history or self-indulgent dude bros? Or both? Audra and Raymond take a look at RESERVOIR DOGS and CLERKS, and discuss their relevance then and now.
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The Rebel
Retrophilia: The '90s in Music, Film & Culture
What was there to rebel against in the '90s? Whaddaya you got? Raymond and Audra examine the '90s Rebel archetype through the lens of two film classics of teen rebellion: PUMP UP THE VOLUME and GHOST WORLD. Talk hard!
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