TheArchive: Reviewing the Rare, Retro, and Restored

It's hard not to admire  Michael J. Fox known for his iconic roles in "Back to the Future" and the TV series "Family Ties." Also well known for his battle with and embrace of Parkinson's, he relentlessly shines and has been quoted as saying it has been a "gift." Fox is a prominent advocate for research and awareness of the disease and continues to work in the entertainment industry making a positive impact on the lives of others through his foundation and his art. With his most recent star turn in documentary "Still," about his life, Fox is as feisty as ever saying,  “I’ve got shit going on. I’m a tough son of a bitch.”  Indeed he  hasn't lost his spark getting feisty on talk shows and commenting on career choices like passing on "Ghost," a choice that has him refer to himself as a "fucking idiot." Well, one movie he did not pass on was  High School USA  from 1983. In fact, an entertainment news magazine of some re...

This post was originally published on (2/15/21) and updated on (2/21/22) . On the eve of some unpredictable tensions across the world, this President’s day TheArchive honors the Presidents who have led our country through conflict. Some have guided us past it while others caused it.   Either way, it’s challenging at the top, especially as we see President Biden navigate some very provocative leadership moments this week.  These stories of leadership have carved their way into our zeitgeist as they help to inform how our future can and may be shaped. In Ronald Reagan, The Hollywood Years, and Ronald Reagan, the Presidential Years , we track Reagan’s rise to power and his brush with the kind of conflict he could rise above. From that iconic moment on stage with Goldwater in 1964, to his governorship shortly thereafter, to his presidency, Reagan is celebrated as one of the most popular presidents of our time. But we also learn that the Iran-Contra affair certainly led to some ...

Fresh off binging last year’s Peacock reboot of “Saved by the Bell,” we decided to jump into TheArchive and see what old gems with the original cast we could find. And we did one better. We found Zack Morris from Saved by the Bell trying to revive Punky Brewster in a coma! This is not a Peacock marketing stunt gone wrong, but we’ll get back to that in a moment. If you thought the only time Mark-Paul Gosselaar and Soleil Moon Frye (honestly, typing those names is a nightmare) appeared in the same rarified air was in the revered episode of  Saved by the Bell , “Screech’s Spaghetti Sauce” circa 1992, guess again. Don’t mind if we do. Mark-Paul appeared  before  that in  Punky Brewster  as Punky’s tutor for whom she had a mad crush! Well the “chemistry,” was undeniable so they came together once more and we’ve got that only reunion on cel luloid, 1994’s  The St. Tammany Miracle . Directed by Joy Newton Houck Jr., best known for directing  Creature from t...

Imagine Putin test-driving a Tesla gifted by the American people, with Trump riding shotgun!   What does an American President do when he knows his days are numbered?   One President indeed stepped down due to overwhelming pressure, the infamous Richard Milhouse Nixon, after some ridiculous stunts and justifications. One of the best made movies on Nixon is ‘ The Final Days ’ (1989) which premiered on ABC, with over 2.5 hours of live action mixed with archival footage, it captures all the details of Woodward and Bernstein’s best-selling book on the Watergate scandal.   Featuring a riveting performance from Lane Smith as Nixon, alongside legendary actors Richard Kiley, David Ogden Stiers, and Gary Sinise, we see the how Nixon and his staff navigate the intense scrutiny of his administration and the risky moves they made to extend his Presidency.   Under Nixon’s direction to ‘preserve the integrity of the Presidency’ and to ‘ensure national security,...

Actor, author, and activist Michael J. Fox spent the 1980s playing a teen protagonist in massive TV series and movies, but he had a string of early roles that helped shape his future, including the role of Jay-Jay in the movie High School USA (1983).   This zany NBC pilot turned back-door M-O-W, is now on TheArchive , and features a who’s-who of TV stars like Todd Bridges, Dana Plato, Tony Dow, Ken Osmond, Bob Denver, and Dawn Wells, who unfortunately just passed away from Covid, to name a few; let’s just say the creators loved Gilligan’s Island, Diff’rent Strokes and Leave it to Beaver.  Other well-known actors rounded off this cast, including an uncredited Brad Pitt as a bumbling library nerd, but the highlights of this lovable American school title are the scenes with Crispin Glover, Nancy Mckeon and Anthony Edwards, with Edwards flexing his nerd-to-cool acting range just before starring in Revenge of the Nerds, Gotcha!, Top Gun and many other huge films and series li...