Stranger Things (Netflix, 2016)
The Netflix TV Show, Stranger Things set the precedent for the summer of all things nostalgia—reminding us that “throwback” and reminiscing of a pastime is an integral part of the human experience. Stranger Things excited older and newer generations of viewers by explicitly drawing from our favorite Sci-Fi movies, TV shows, and 80’s ephemera.
On the same topic of nostalgia and it’s universal potential to reach both the old and new generations, Kanye West released his music video for Fade tonight at the 2016 VMA’s and “throwback” was written all over it. For those who have not watched Fade yet, the video features Teyana Taylor, nearly naked, dancing in a gym, sweaty and wet, to a strikingly familiar dance sequence from the 1983 film Flashdance.
Fade (Kanye West, 2016)
While still performing within a more modern context, Taylor channels Jennifer Beals in a deliberately candid fashion. All over the Internet, people and publications are talking about Fade, as a video paying homage to Flashdance but I wonder if West will recognize his blatant "rip off" as “high art” or nostalgia driven imagery inspired by an iconic film? West is not known for his humble nature.
