By Martin Unsworth
A title like this is certainly going to open up a massive debate with fans. Everyone has a particular year that’s a sweet spot in their memories when it comes to film and TV. But this documentary – originally a four-part TV project (which explains the four chapter headings), now compiled together to make an almost three-hour extravaganza – makes a good case that 1982 could be in the running.
Obvious films are covered, from Steve Spielberg’s E.T: The Extra-Terrestrial to John Carpenter’s The Thing, Ridley Scott’s Blade Runner to the likes of Tron and 48 Hrs. A remarkable array of talking heads wax lyrical about what they loved about the releases that year and make an impressive argument to the doc’s raison d’etre. There are the usual type of people you expect on this kind of thing, from the likes of Mick Garris and Roger Corman, but there are also luminaries such as Ron Howard and William Shatner.
Director Roger Lay Jr does a good job of keeping everything on-topic and flowing well. Despite the length, it’s never less than engaging and will have you wanting to go back and check some of the films out again. However, if you weren’t born in 1982, it’s a great insight into how fabulous we had it back then.
1982: The Greatest Geek Year Ever! had its UK premiere at Pigeon Shrine FrightFest on August 26th.
