Author: news22

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“‘Speed’ vs. ‘True Lies’: The Human-Sized Superhero”: In his inaugural blog on the new site, This Movie Should Be Played Loud, Aaron Aradillas writes a splendidly insightful analysis of “action figure heroics.”

“By the time actor-turned-politician Ronald Reagan was elected president in 1980, doubt and pain gave way to optimism and righteousness. The clear-cut morality of earlier action movies came roaring back with a vengeance. Old guard action stars like Eastwood and Charles Bronson continued to dole out their brand of vigilante justice, while guys like Chuck Norris, Ken Wahl, and Michael Dudikoff became next generation action stars. But the two leading lights of action movies during the ‘80s were Sylvester Stallone and Arnold Schwarzenegger. With their bulbous muscles that made even Popeye’s look puny, a gift for self-promotion, and the ability to tap into a pop patriotism that became the key component of crowd-pleasing movies in the 1980s, they set a new standard in what we looked for in action movie heroics. It was a combination of Reagan-era optimism and ‘Jane Fonda’s Workout’ as they became pumped-up, glistening specimen of masculine perfection and strength. The most erotic scene in ‘80s action movies …read more