“The good guys always win, even in the eighties.”
That’s right, Megaforce was released in theaters this week in 1982.
This movie gives us a sense of what a live action G.I. Joe movie might have looked like in ‘82… and the fact that it was co-produced as a way of launching a toy franchise helps that overall vibe.
When I first saw the tv ads that summer, I was mesmerized. I expected a huge extravaganza of hardware and Lucasfilm-level special effects, explosions, toy tie-ins… to an 8 year old, those 30 seconds (which included a scene of a freaking flying motorcycle!) seemed like the coolest thing to ever hit cinemas.
When I finally got to see it on home video, It was everything I wanted and more. Of course being that age and seeing it through the forgiving soft focus of a couple hundred lines of resolution on a 20 inch Toshiba, my over-active imagination filled in a lot of details.
It wasn’t long before I moved on to other things, but I still remember the feeling of being blown away by this movie. Everytime I watch it, I’m still that kid who thought every hero should wear a headband, and that beige paramilitary vehicles with lightening bolt motifs on the side were the epitome of style. -Pop