For a “Halloween weekend” Friday Video Pick, we bring you this seasonal piece by Jem, the unbelievably stylish ’80s cartoon series we’ve profiled all week. See Jem and the Holograms in costume, singing about making positive changes while fending off a giant cat, bat, and Frankenstein-esque monster. At the very least, the video will tempt you to consider adding hot pink and lavender as accent colors to your witch costume…
’80s Glam-Punk Picks
This week Mirror80 spotlights the style we call Glam-Punk, that striking combination of formality and rebelliousness that only the ’80s could pull off. The beauty of the look is in the way decadent fabrics were brought down to Earth by geometric accessories, jagged edges and playful motifs.
Mid-Week Match-Up: Jem’s Cartoon Bedroom Becomes an Interior Design Reality
One look at the bedroom of cartoon character Jerrica Benton (a.k.a. Jem), and you get the sense that she singlehandedly forecast the Hollywood Regency revival of today. I mean, come on… an upholstered headboard, a lattice-print rug, and a cabriole-leg chair painted white and recovered in eggplant fabric?! It doesn’t get any better than this. We think Kelly Wearstler and Jonathan Adler would agree. So Mirror80 took on the challenge of recreating Jem’s bedroom using today’s furniture and flourishes. We hope you like the result!
The World of Jem: So Glam, So Punk
Today Mirror80 profiles the world of Jem, a Hasbro/Marvel Productions/Sunbow Productions cartoon series that ran from 1985-1988. Japanese animation studio Toei Doga contributed the animation, while advertising agency Griffin-Bacall Advertising (who founded Sunbow Productions) created the series’ 65 episodes. And boy did they put their stamp on the look of the show!
Pic Fix: Jem and the Holograms
I remember the childhood Halloween I dressed up as a punk rocker. I had colorful plastic bracelets, black netted accents, and of course, purple hairspray from an aerosol can. It’s in this very spirit that Mirror80 takes a week to reflect on ’80s glam-punk. No, we’re not referring to the music genre also known as glitter punk. We’re talking about that ’80s visual/fashion-forward style that combines elements of punk style with ’80s glitz. It’s the reason why characters from the hit cartoon series Jem can wear ripped clothing and Kiss-reminiscent face paint while lounging in interior spaces that channel the set of Dynasty.
Friday Video Pick: “You Belong to the City” by Glenn Frey
When it came time to choose a song to culminate Mirror80’s week-long reflection on Neon Noir, we just couldn’t pass up a track with phrases like “You belong to the night,” “river of darkness” and “neon light.” Add a place on the Miami Vice soundtrack, and we knew we had our Friday Video Pick!
If You Like Neon Noir, Be Sure to Check Out…
This week Mirror80 spotlights the genre of Neon Noir. We kicked it all off Monday by connecting Neon Noir television and films of the ’80s with its recent revival courtesy of Nicolas Winding Refn’s Drive. Tuesday we explored elements of Neon Noir, from ’80s Deco style flourishes to repeated shots of city skylines. Yesterday we brought you Neon Noir decor, complete with the leather sofa and potted palm. Today we share with you our top picks for exploring the world on Neon Noir, from film and music to style statements:
Mid-Week Match-Up: Neon Noir Decor
For today’s Mid-Week Match-Up we continue to celebrate the world of Neon Noir, the genre that sparked films like To Live and Die in L.A. and television shows such as Miami Vice. Yesterday’s blog post explored the elements of Neon Noir. Today we put some of them to the test to create a room right out of the sleek, crime-filled world that the characters of Neon Noir features inhabit.
Elements of Neon Noir
This week Mirror80 celebrates the seedy glam world that flourishes in the genre of Neon Noir. If you’ve ever watched an episode of Miami Vice or seen ’80s action films like Body Double and To Live and Die in L.A., you know what we’re talking about. And if you’re following the hype surrounding the recent theatrical release of Nicolas Winding Refn’s Drive, then you can understand many Neon Noir enthusiasts’ excitement over the revival of this visually rich genre. Today we delve into the crime-infested streets and designer-infested settings to pinpoint some key elements of Neon Noir.
Pic Fix: Drive, Miami Vice and Neon Noir
This past weekend I saw Drive, Nicolas Winding Refn’s action thriller that has been called Neon Noir, or at the very least, noted as reminiscent of the seedy yet stylish action flicks of the ’80s. Think Michael Mann’s Thief, Brian de Palma’s Body Double or William Friedkin’s To Live and Die in L.A. On the small screen, Neon Noir emerged as Miami Vice, the hit series that ran on NBC from 1984-1989. It’s no coincidence that Michael Mann was its executive producer.
