We rounded up a small group of ’80s movies fans Sunday night for a bout of theme trivia – we wound up finishing in second place, and were one of only two teams getting the final question correct! Our score was not quite as “perfect” as that of our competitors – kudos to whatever team it was for remembering the name of an obscure Drew Barrymore holiday film released in 1986, knowing the names of both films released between Indiana Jones and Temple of Doom and Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade directed by Steven Spielberg and most importantly – knowing Ah-nold’s nickname in Predator.  What? You didn’t know his nickname in that movie? Well, we didn’t, either!

Is this the one where he says “Hasta la vista, baby?” My mom had kind of a crush on him! 🙂

Despite our score not being as perfect as a 1985 film where Jamie Lee Curtis plays a fitness instructor wearing one of those “20 Minute Workout” getups (the movie is actually called Perfect, but if you’re a die hard ’80s movies aficionado, you already knew I was referencing that movie when I mentioned the words “Jamie Lee Curtis” and “fitness instructor,” didn’t you?)

An ’80s movies trivia game in 2018 quizzed players about this movie! Got Nair? 🙂

Players with our team included a couple of ‘Pods, a former ‘Pod Sam and his wife Angela checking in from Virginia and my brother/sister in-law Mike and Mel checking in from Houghton, MI. We all teamed up pretty well! Read on to find out what questions we actually got correct!

1. Subtitles – Released in 1986, what is the subtitle of the fourth film in the Star Trek series?

2. Con Men – What two actors played rival con men in the 1988 comedy Dirty Rotten Scoundrels?

3. The Princess Bride – What is the name of Billy Crystal’s character in the 1987 film The Princess Bride? Mike was all over this one instantly…(thank goodness)!

4. FBI Films – What 1988 film stars Gene Hackman and Willem Dafoe as FBI agents investigating the disappearance of three civil rights workers? When I was in high school, one of my history teachers wanted to show this movie in class. We had to get permission slips signed because of the film’s violent content.

5. Movie Quotes – What professional wrestler played a character named John Nada in the 1988 film They Live, in which he delivered the line, “I have come here to chew bubble gum and kick ass…and I’m all out of bubble gum?” It took a couple of clicks, but Sam knew this one…

6. Authors – What author wrote the screenplay for and appeared in the 1982 horror film Creepshow? None of us had seen this, but we made the right guess.

7. Directors – Name either of the two films directed by Steven Spielberg that were released BETWEEN Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom and Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade. The actual text of the question did not say that this was a nerd point question for knowing both – nor was that information put into the chat (otherwise I might have tried a little harder to come up with that second movie). We got one movie but not both.

8. Dance – In what film does the main character apply and audition for the Pittsburgh Conservatory of Dance and Repertory?

9. Movie Settings – What 1989 film was primarily shot at Milwaukee County Stadium although the MLB team featured in the film is actually based elsewhere?

10. Nicknames – What is the nickname of Arnold Schwarzenegger’s character in the 1987 film Predator? Both Mike (my brother) and Sam say they saw this movie each about a dozen times or so, yet neither could come up with the correct name. Our only miss of this round so far (besides that invisible nerd point which wasn’t publicized).

Mystery – 1980s Holiday Movies

Given the year and one of the performers, name the holiday-related film that came out in the 1980s.

M1 – 1983 – Peter Billingsley

M2 – 1985 – Dudley Moore

M3 – 1986 – Drew Barrymore

M4 – 1988 – Bruce Willis

Missed #3.

We were in third with 59 points going into the final behind a couple of other teams, including one with a perfect score of 64 points.

Final  Category – Animated Films

Of the 58 Walt Disney Animation Studios films, five came out in theaters during the 1980s. Name three of those films.

Got it, so did the #1 team…finished in second. What would Charlie Brown have to say about that?

OK, I wasn’t THAT upset about coming in second, but I do have to wonder if the team that bested us had any lifelines from Mr. Google (sorry but perfect scores in a game where it’s all too easy to cheat raises one’s eyebrows). Ahem!

Don’t know when we’re playing a trivia name next…as always, Go Pods and stay classic, André The Giant!