DENVER, August 24, 2011—Movie goers have a message for Hollywood - enough with the '80s, already.
Conservatives may pine for Reagan 2.0, and heavy metal hair bands wouldn't mind a trip back to the Me Decade, but film audiences have had enough of rebooting those 10 years.
The latest proof came with the just-released remakes of '80s faves "Conan the Barbarian" and "Fright Night."
Both movies tanked at the box office over the weekend, unable to beat warmed-over fare like "Rise of the Planet of the Apes," "The Help" and, in the case of "Fright Night," "The Smurfs."
These '80s misfires aren't isolated. Earlier this year, the faux '80s comedy "Take Me Home Tonight" bombed big time, and last year's '80s-inspired "Hot Tub Time Machine" couldn't draw a crowd despite the presence of the actor best associated with the decade, John Cusack.
Last summer's can't miss blockbuster "The A-Team," based on the silly action series that ran 1983-87, also underwhelmed.
And "The Wedding Singer," the smash comedy starring a mulletted Adam Sandler warbling '80s hits, is - gasp - 13 years old.
The '80s remain an easy decade to mock or pay homage to, but audiences are tired of all the time traveling.
So, what comes next? Can film studios tap '90s nostalgia? Is it too soon, and can that decade be captured on screen? Its fashions aren't as gaudy as those from the '60s, '70s and '80s. Sure, you can crank up some Jesus Jones on the soundtrack, but in what ways would a movie have that '90s vibe?
The '80s are over, but from a nostalgia point of view there's no easy answer as to what decade will replace it at the cineplex.
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