Documentary- The 80s: The decade that made us.

National Geographic documentary series

• Change started in the 80s 
• Decade that turned the world upside down
• Ronald Reagan wants to know how far American can go 
• Sells his idea of America
• Conservative revolution 
• Promises economical and moral change 
• 1984 Olympic games in LA- celebration of upsurge 
•  Wins more votes than any other in American history 
• Believed 1960s ruined America
• Believed need to look at past for future
• Back to the Future- nostalgic view of attitudes in 80s 
• Look back at idealistic 50s- flashback 
• 11 weeks at top of US box office 
• 80s- pop culture and politics start to blur together in order for success 
• Mentioned film in speech 
• Repairing past to have a better future 
• Cosby show- revolutionary for civil black acts in America in 80s 
• Broke barriers on TV as broke stereotypes 
• 1984 pilot presentation 
• Different dynamic as previously seen
• Success not anticipated 
• Throwback to 50s sitcoms yet new 
• Not legitimised in society til seen on TVC
• Paved way in black pop culture- could have changed views on Obama today if not seen then
• Decade where greed is good 
• But also where giving becomes global 
• Humanitarian crisis 
• BandAid- donation and phenomenon 
• Strong & clever move 
• Scale of charity 
• USE for Africa 
• Celebrity activism 
• Ruthless killer starts to take over- AIDs 
• Untreatable and terminal 
• Causes war and polarised attitudes to disease and homosexuality 
• Stereotyped disease 
• Ignorance to how disease could be spread 
• Worry and freight about catching the disease 
• Public fear eventually changes to sympathy 
• Not until 1987 Reagan recognises AIDs in speech
• 1986 public awareness that America is taking part in cold war 
• Opens up scandal 
• Against the Soviet Union 
• Russia still a closed and isolated place 
• 1987 Berlin Wall breakdown 
• 'tear down this wall' 
• Historical turning point of American 80s