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.
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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.
Friday Video Pick: “Dracula’s Tango” by Toto Coelo
With Halloween rapidly approaching, there was no other choice for today’s Friday Video Pick. This hauntingly likable tune from British New Wave pop group Toto Coelo was not as popular as their first release, “I Eat Cannibals,” but it’s perfect for this time of the year!
Friday Video Pick: “Talk Talk” by Talk Talk
Yes, the title of this week’s video pick and of the band itself are the same… I remember seeing the name of this song in print and being struck by the repetition of the juxtaposed band and track. And soon I was equally struck by the song. Like Missing Persons’ “Give,” this Talk Talk video features metallic accents, strategic lighting, and a dynamic song with pumping energy from start to finish.
Mid-Week Match-Up: Radballs!
If you were waiting for the perfect ’80s-inspired gameplay for your iPad, iPhone or iPod touch, you’re in luck. Introducing Radballs, an app by Glow Play that awesomely combines the style of the past with the technology of the present. Radballs cleverly builds on the puzzle-rific tradition set by gaming favorites like Tetris and Bejeweled, then cranks it up another level by adding cheeky graphics in ’80s motifs and a synth-based soundtrack featuring acts like OK Go and Com Truise. Enjoy our match-ups featuring Radballs promotional screen shots and ’80s textile design.
Friday Video Picks: “Sister Christian” and “When You Close Your Eyes” by Night Ranger
I won’t deny that it was the Old Navy back-to-school commercial to the tune of “Sister Christian” that reminded me it was time to revisit the music videos of Night Ranger. But it doesn’t matter how I got here… Let Night Ranger usher in your back-to-school season with these two classic videos!
Mirror80’s Top Fashion Posts
One of the most exciting aspects of ’80s style was the fashion! While the style world was quick to dismiss ’80s fads in the years immediately following the decade, trends that many thought would never see the light of day slowly but surely reappeared. Rompers, stretch belts, and tribal patterns are just a few of the many ’80s re-dos that have graced clothing racks and the pages of magazines in recent years. Mirror80 enjoys spotlighting the style of our favorite decade. Here are five fashion-fabulous posts from the past year:
Captains of the Ship: Yacht Rocker Fashion
For our last official “summer post” this season, Mirror80 celebrates the yacht rock phenomenon. Sailing into our lives in 2005, the term “yacht rock” coincided with the broadcast of an online video series of the same name. Yacht Rock featured humorous, fictionalized accounts of the overlapping songwriting adventures of music legends like Michael McDonald, Kenny Loggins and Toto. The term caught on, as it perfectly characterized the smooth music emerging from Southern California during the late ’70s and early ’80s.
Mirror80’s Top Video Picks
As we look back at Mirror80’s first year in the blogosphere, we’re revisiting some of our favorite posts. Today the focus is Friday Video Picks, those ’80s music videos that have captured our attention. We’ve blogged about many of them over the past year. Here are our five all-time favorites.