Cartoons of 1980

One piece of pop culture the 1980’s are fondly remembered for is its original action adventure cartoons. Such original content did not, however, come immediately.  In 1980, many animated shows were merely reruns of previous entries such as Hanna Barbera’s “Godzilla.” Filmation ran its second year of the Flash Gordon series, and continued their “Tarzan/Lone Ranger Adventure Hour” with reruns of Tarzan but new Lone Ranger episodes. Ivan Naranjo, a Native American voice actor provided the voice of Tonto, who was given more dialogue and was portrayed as more educated than he was in the old black and white TV show. Long time actor William Conrad voiced the Lone Ranger, credited as J Darnoc. Lone Ranger episodes were tagged with shorts with historical figures such as Mark Twain and Annie Oakley. Also noteworthy is one episode about the first transcontinental railroad had a plot similar to the 1999 film Wild Wild West.

The long running Superfriends series, by Hannah-Barbera, had a season in 1980. Packaged as an hour long show, it began with a half hour re-run, followed by three new seven minute shorts. 

Ruby Spears, founded by two former Hannah-Barbera sound editors, would be the studio to add something new. In an interview on Thundarr.com, Joe Ruby recalls reading in a magazine that a Conan movie was coming soon. Often a movie would come out first, then, if successful, would spawn animated series and other merchandise. Star Wars of course changed all this, and Joe bet on the idea that a barbarian like fantasy series would succeed. 

Two initial ideas for a new cartoon were pitched to ABC’s Marilyn Olin and Judy Price. One was a post-nuclear war show, and the other was a natural disaster from outer space. Given this was to be a children’s show, the then current Cold War era nuclear scenario was scrapped.

Debuting on October 4th and running until Halloween day of the next year, Thundarr the Barbarian was a post-apocalyptic warrior who fought wizards and mutants on a ruined Earth. The story went that in 1994 a runaway planet sped between the Earth and the Moon, causing natural disasters and societal collapse. A thousand years later, Thundarr, with his lightsaber like Sunsword, fought evil alongside New Earth princess Ariel, and Ookla the Mok, a Chewbacca like character. Together, they would travel across the lands fighting evil in a world that was a mix of sorcery and science, with nomadic tribes wandering through lost technological ruins. 

Legendary comic book artist Jack Kirby provided production designs. Alex Toth, another revered artist, designed the main characters, though Gemini, one of the shows villains, strongly resembled Kirby’s DC comics villain Darkseid. 

A mix on Conan, Kirby Comics, and Star Wars, Thundarr the Barbarian was the first original action adventure property of the 1980s.

Science Fiction Films of 1980

This is the first of a new series I am planning about the movies, comics, toys, etc of the 1980s. In this entry I will briefly cover four genre films of 1980, Mad Max, Empire Strikes Back, Superman II, and Flash Gordon.

American science fiction started off bleak in the new decade with the release of the dystopian film Mad Max. Origionally released in Australia in 1979, Mad Max first played in American theaters on February 15th of the following year.

Written and directed by George Miller, a young Mel Gibson plays “Mad” Max Rockatansky, who drives a supercharged V8 powered Black Pursuit special through a dystopian Australia. He is a highway patrol cop who comes into conflict with a motorcycle gang (played by real bikers) led by a character named Nightrider.

Miller was inspired by his time working as a Dr. in Sydney where he saw many patients from car accidents, as well as witnessing car wrecks as a child. (1) The film was also inspired by the 1973 oil crisis which effected car owners both in Australia and around the world. His film would inspire (to date) three sequels, and made over $100 million world wide.

The dark trend would continue with what would be the highest grossing film of the year, The Empire Strikes Back. Released on May 17th. Empire was the sequel to the 1977 surprise smash hit Star Wars, which launched the first modern multi-media franchise that inspired everything in it’s wake.

Based on a story by Star Wars creator George Lucas, Empire was directed by Irvin Kershner with a screenplay by Leigh Brackett and Lawrence Kasdan. Set three years after Star Wars, this film has the heroic rebels on the run from the evil Empire. Famous for ending with the villains on top, Han Solo gets captured, and in one of the great twists in film history, Darth Vader reveals that he is Luke Skywalker’s father. (When filming that famous scene, actor David Prowse, who played Vader, read the fake line “Obi-Wan killed your father.”)

As first film, Empire had an extensive action figure line that ran until 1982 (In 1983 the toyline shifted to that year’s Return of the Jedi film.) It is noteworthy that toy company Kenner also tried a new minature die cast toy line in 1982 called the Micro collection, which included vehicles and playsets. While the traditional action figures were succesful, Kenner lost money on the Micro collection.

Initially having mixed reviews, Empire is now considered the best Star Wars film. During it’s initial run it grossed $547 million worldwide.

Another film that was a part II would be released just about a month later in Superman II. Based on the DC comcis character, its predecessor was released in two years prior, but the studio actually filmed both movies back to back. Richard Donner directed the first film, and was fired from II with around 75% of the film completed. Richard Lester would finish it, his work included a new beginning set in Paris and a new ending.

Banished to the Phantom Zone in the beginning of the first film by Superman’s father Jor-El, Superman II has General Zod, Ursa, and Non accidentally freed to wreak havoc on Earth. Unlike the first film, where he fought Lex Luthor, Superman now faces villains his physical equal, all the while wishing to become an ordinary man and settle down with Lois Lane.

Lex Luthor appears in this film as well, assisting the Kryptonian villains in their conquet of the planet, on the condition that Luthor would rule Australia.

Superman II premiered in America on June 19th, though it was previously released overseas. It would make $190 million at the box office.

Also of note is that over 25 years later, in 2006, Superman II: The Richard Donner Cut was released on DVD. This version has a new beginning which cuts the Paris scene, a different ending where Superman reverses time again (as he did in the first film) and footage of Marlon Brando returning as Superman’s Kryptonian father Jor-El.

The last science fiction film of 1980 was an old character that inspired a lot of science fiction, but their own film was not nearly as succesful. Flash Gordon was origionally a character created for newspaper comic strips and debuted on January 7th, 1934. Drawn by Alex Raymond, it was created partly to compete with the already popular Buck Rogers strip. Buck Rogers, coincidentally, was in its second season of his own three year run on American television in 1980.

Flash Gordon features the titular character, a quarterback for the New York Jets, unwittingly sent into outspace along with travel agent Dale Arden and scientist Dr. Hans Zarkov. In space they encounter Ming the Merciless, played by Max Von Sydow, who plans to destroy Earth, apparantly out of bordeom.

Interstingly enough, George Lucas himself attempted to do a Flash Gordon movie in the late 70s, but was unable to acquire the rights. Failing this, Lucas would go on to create Star Wars. Flash is one of the myriad influences Lucas had in making his franchise, specifically regarding Empire, an ice planet and a floating city.

Mike Hodges would go on to direct Flash, which was co-written by Michael Allin and Lorenzo Semple Jr. Semple helped develop the 1966 Batman TV show, which was known for its campy style, a similar style would be used for this movie.

Flash made $27 million in its North American release. While it is now a cult classic and fondly remembered for its soundtrack by Queen, it is the only movie of the four sci-fi movies of 1980 to not get a sequel. Flash would go onto appear in a handful of cartoons and TV shows, but this film would be the last high profile moment of this science fiction icon.

1: Scott Murray and Peter Beilby, “George Miller: Director”, Cinema Papers, May-June 1979 p369-371