Wednesday, July 09, 2008

Madonna @ the Beach

Madonna in Hawaii in 1985.


She turned 27 that summer --the same day she married Sean Penn (August 16th). This photo (adorning wee Nathaniel's wall, poster-sized, much to his mother's dismay) was taken by legendary celebrity photographer Herb Ritts (1952-2002) and was one of the earliest of many iconic images he would take of his friend. They'd later return to sand and water (Malibu the next time) for the immortal Cherish video in 1989.

time capsule: Madonna's career had just gone supernova the previous year with the release of Like A Virgin in November. In 1985, Madonna was headlining the first of several classic concert tours "The Virgin Tour" and had just enjoyed her first starring role in a legit movie, Desperately Seeking Susan for which she won many good notices in the spring. That early Desperate film success was not an indicator of things to come. Movie critics were rarely kind again though she'd keep trying for another 17 years, finally throwing in the towel after Guy Ritchie's Swept Away (2002).

Other celebs making film debuts in '85:
Oprah Winfrey and Whoopi Goldberg in The Color Purple (both ended up Oscar nominated), River Phoenix and Ethan Hawke as the young stars of Explorers, Josh Brolin in The Goonies and Viggo Mortensen (just two months younger than Madge) as a young gentle Amish men in Peter Weir's Witness. Good year.

Were you alive in the summer of 1985? If so, movie memories please...
*

21 comments:

Anonymous said...

The only movie I remember seeing in 1985 was Back to the Future.
I was very impressed, though, and thought Michael J Fox was the coolest person in the world.

1985 was also the year Keira Knightley was born, which makes me feel very old.

Anonymous said...

Daniel Day-Lewis's one-two punch of A Room With a View & My Beautiful Laundrette (one of the best movies of the 80's, IMHO)

Purple Rose of Cairo, back when Woody was both funny & insightful

Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome, also one of the best movies of the 80's

Pee Wee's Big Adventure

Unknown said...

1985 was a good one if only for two more polar opposite films - REAL GENIUS and TO LIVE AND DIE IN LA.

RG continued Val Kilmer's run as adorable goofball after TOP SECRET! and is still one of the best teen comedies not directed or written by John Hughes.

TO LIVE & DIE is a great bit of gritty filmmaking as only William Friedkin could do (altho, not any more) and features an insane car chase that is as good if not better than what he did in THE FRENCH CONNECTION. Between this, and 1986's MANHUNTER, William Petersen was off to a great start. Wow.

Anonymous said...

i was 9 in 85 and only remember frankie by sister sledge as having any impact!!!!

Deborah said...

My late fiance and I would go to the 10 plex and just buy tickets. One night we got there and we'd seen everything, so we took a few weeks off. I loved THE BREAKFAST CLUB (and still do), which was one of the last movies we saw before he died in June of 1985.

Janice said...

The one time in her career she was actually overdressed for the occasion.

Anonymous said...

Actually, A Room With A View was not released until 1986. Regardless, it is a wonderful movie!

NATHANIEL R said...

Ack! you're so right. this i knew. I must be on guard when I'm dealing with IMDB. They're always tricking me with their false dates ;)

Anonymous said...

I wasn't born in 1985, but out of that year's movie releases, my runaway favorite would have to be the Russian "Come and See". Definitely ne of the most powerful/artistically accomplished WWII films ever.

Anonymous said...

Arrgh...had to peek at the 1985 list - I was still in the Navy and couldn't sort through which movies came out which years (I thought I saw "Terminator" that year, but it is listed as 1984).

I liked "Ladyhawke" quite a bit, and I have liked all of its performers in just about everything they have done in their careers. I also have a warm spot saved for "Cocoon" and that wonderful (and, remarkably, un-nominated) James Horner score.

lawyer tony fernando said...

I was 2 years old by that time, so Iwas dancing to INTO THE GROOVE in my diapers (it´s true there´s a picture of me doing this!)

I probably watched a TRAPALHÕES movie, but later I wathed every 1985 movie you mentioned NAT.

NATHANIEL R said...

into the groove in diapers? I love it.

it's so weird to me that that wasn't a single in the US because it sure was a famous radio hit at the time.

Anonymous said...

1985? THE GOONIES!!! I must have seen that movie at least 3 times in the cinema!

lawyer tony fernando said...

my cousin said that INTO THE GROOVE PEAKED Nº1 in our local station for 5 weeks, than it was replaced by ANGEL and then by DRESS YOU UP,then brazilian WB released OVER AND OVER, and guess what: It replaced DRESS YOU UP, they still mention that in here!

P.S How can I be still straight? I have to admit, James McVoy makes me bi-curious, he´s wanted in my bed too!

SHAMELESS!

NATHANIEL R said...

hee. it's okay. movie stars are actually supposed to be polysexual in their appeal --all the best ones are!

Anonymous said...

I was born in the summer of '85. Good year.

Vertigo's Psycho said...

The Goonies were "good enough for me- Ay Yi Yi Yi Yi!!"
(I wonder, did Cyndi Lauper watch a bunch of old Carmen Miranda flicks before recording this hit theme song?).

c.p. iñor said...

I didn't born until the spring of 86... but I do love PURPLE ROSE OF CAIRE wich I saw when I was like 10 and since then I love Woody...

Anonymous said...

'Back to the Future' and 'Breakfast Club' all the way, but I also count 'Girls Just Want to Have Fun' as well as 'Just One of the Guys' and even 'Weird Science as undeniable guilty-pleasures.

NATHANIEL R said...

i saw the BREAKFAST CLUB more times in the theater than anything ever before or since. it's true. I think it was 8 or 9 times before it left the movie houses.

Anonymous said...

Another question for sometime down the road...what movie or movies did you see in theaters (pay for the movie ticket and popcorn) the most times, and how often?

In my case, "The Empire Strikes Back", and north of 20 (it was in theaters forever, re-released more than once, and I had more money than sense).