TheArchive: Reviewing the Rare, Retro, and Restored

There’s a freedom that arrives with the end of the school year. The last bell rings, lockers slam shut, graduation caps fly and suddenly the world is your oyster. Summer vacation gives you a few months to escape routine, hit the road with some friends, and chase romance.  Recent graduates are entering a world that feels more uncertain than ever. The Guardian reported that students booed some 2026 commencement speeches about AI and the job market. These students feel they are stepping into a new world where a powerful technology could forever change all our lives and the workforce. ( The Guardian ) Meanwhile, AFAR is highlighting concerts, festivals, and cultural events across the country as reasons to get out, explore, and make the most of the season. ( AFAR Media ) Whether you’re fresh out of school, stuck between life stages, or simply craving a break from the mundane, summer has a way of pushing people into motion. This week on TheArchive, we’re celebrating the season with stori...

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...

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...