By: Dave Bowman
We are in the midst of a noteworthy anniversary, the likes of which has never been seen! Well, not really, but it is a fun anniversary nonetheless. October 21, 2015, was the date heralded in the classic 1989 movie Back To The Future Part II, the date on which Marty McFly and Doctor Emmett Brown arrive in the future to correct a flaw in the mythical timeline. The movie makes note of events and fads that would occur in 2015.
Some of the predictions as depicted in the story have come to fruition. In 2015 we now enjoy the luxury of flat screen television, videoconferencing, 3D movie experiences, holographic discs, and drones. Nike is currently working on a self lacing athletic shoe, a hoverboard is being developed, and Pepsi is even getting in on the historic moment with a limited issue of “Pepsi Perfect.” And even though the blockbuster Jaws 19 has not graced our movie screens, the Marvel Comic movies are currently at 42 and counting. However, some things predicted for 2015 are a little off the mark, such as pay telephone booths, which have gone the way of the “Princess Phone,” a fax machine in every home, and Marty McFly’s two-tie style business attire.
With that in mind, here is a list of things that certainly would have been placed in a 1980s Time Capsule for posterity:
- “New Coke” – what was Coca-Cola thinking?
- Videocassettes of classic 1980s television shows such as Charles in Charge, Freebie and the Bean, and Gilligan’s Planet; music videos by Wham, Milli Vanilli and big hair metal bands; ABC’s Peter Jennings interrupting General Hospital to announce the return of “Coke Classic” – the fans of Luke and Laura I am sure loved that one!
- Parachute pants, long sleeve velour shirts, leg warmers, and clothes of all the neon colors imaginable.
- Cans of aerosol hair spray for the “Farrah Fawcett look.”
- 3-¾ inch G.I Joe Action Figures – Joe, what did they do to you? You cannot even accessorize these things with uniforms, frogmen outfits, and special ops gear. Give me the 12 inch tall, jointed, iconic G.I. Joe anytime!
- “Preppy” clothing – dock shoes, ribbon belts, polo shirts with the prerequisite Alligator crest insignia, sweaters required to be tied around the neck, and any and all labels with the name “Skippy” or “Muffy.”
- “Valley Girl” Slang Book: “No Duh” – “Gnarly” – “Radical” – “Righteous” – “I’m Sure/So Sure.”
And when future generations open the capsule, one can only imagine the first reaction to this peek into our late 20th century culture – “Great Scott!”
