Just a small town girl and a city boy.. No this isn’t a story about Journey’s 1981 hit. It is however the new talk of Hollywood and we know why. Since we’d LOVE for you to watch the film for yourself and not ruin the plot we’ll stick to the inspiration behind the film and the flamboyant era it is set in.

First and foremost let us introduce the incredibly talented cast: 

Diego Boneta as Drew Boley
The barback who wants to make it BIG.

 

Julianne Hughe as Sherrie Christian
The small-town girl with dreams
of moving to the big city. 

 

Tom Cruise as Stacee Jaxx
The lonely, love-longing rock star.

 

Malin Akerman as Constance Sack
The pretty reporter. 

 

 

 

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TRAINING TO BE A ROCK STAR

Axl Rose                                                                          Tom Cruise 

“His character has elements of Axl Rose, Keith Richards, and Bret Michaels,” says director Adam Shankman. Not only did Cruise rehearse non-stop to get every lyric and choreographed dance perfected, he also researched what issues would have been on the mind of a 1980’s rock star.

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What were the iconic trends in a 1980’s Glam Rocker’s era?

GLAM ROCK ROOTS AND FAN-LIFE
The glam metal scene traces its roots to mid-1960s groups such as Black Sabbath, Led Zeppelin, Jimi Hendrix and Deep Purple. Compared to other subgenres of rock music, heavy metal is darker and lower while the singing is usually higher and operatic. The lyrics focus on hedonism, religion, death and sexuality (themes designed to get under the skin of teenagers’ parents).

 Metal fans were known by their fashion uniform: long hair, band T-shirts, leather clothing, air guitar riffs and the “devil horns” hand symbol.Extreme rebellion is what glam metal fans lived and breathed.They looked up to ‘Rock Gods’ like  Vince Neil and Billy Idol who could make any girl faint and destroy hotel rooms like no one else.

 

 

 

 

  Vince Neil 
Billy Idol

 

VIDEO KILLED THE RADIO STAR

On August 1st, 1981 a serial killer was born. MTV, originally an initialism for ‘Music Television’ was launched from the headquarters in New York City. Initially, the station’s purpose was to air music videos and have hosts known as “VJ’s” introduce them. MTV’s influence on its audience, including issues related to censorship and social activism, has been a subject of debate for years.
The first music video shown on MTV was The Buggles’ “Video Killed the Radio Star”, and the second music video shown was Pat Benatar’s “You Better Run”. In 1983, Rolling Stone’s Steven Levy wrote, “MTV’s greatest achievement has been to coax rock & roll into the video arena where you can’t distinguish between entertainment and the sales pitch.”
THE ICONIC FILMS
each displaying teen rebellious attitudes and soundtracks that included glam rock top hits. 




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______________________________________________________________________________________________________THE MAKEUP

The women’s makeup was.. well let’s just say it’s what makeup artists refer to in ‘what-not-to-do’ situations. Blush brushed all the way into the hair-line, smudged dramatic blue and purple eyeshadows beyond the eyebrow, heavy eyeliner… Basically how women now would look after a crazy night out, in the rain.
As for the men.. yes men. The beginning of guy-liner.. Yes the 1980’s was the decade where men sometimes wore more makeup than the women. It was cool to have dark, demon-looking eyes and bright
cheeks brushed like war-paint.



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                  David Bowie 

 

HAIR

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This was an era that believed the bigger was always better! Iconic women’s hairstyles were thick, feathered and for the most part.. stiff as concrete. Thanks to Farrah Fawcett, the hair grew in width and courtesy of glam queen Madonna, mane’s grew in height. We can’t forget to who we owe these uniquely enormous styles to.. The ever-popular ‘Aqua Net’ hairspray.

 

FASHION-TRENDS

 

 

…and yes, Boy George.