Ep949: BAD BOYS of THE BAD CLASS - An Interview with Author Ben Beard
Listen up, delinquents! Ian welcomes back author Ben Beard to discuss his new book: The Bad Class--as well as the 1983 Sean Penn vehicle, Bad Boys!
When most people think of 1980s movies, John Hughes and Steven Spielberg often spring to mind. In his latest work, Beard explores the seedy flip-side of flashy, Reagan-era youth culture in cinema, focusing on Bad Boys, Class of 1984, Repo Man, and The Outsiders--interspersed with bizarre tales of growing up in a politically connected family; navigating the alternating dangers and malaise of Pensacola, and a wrecked friendship that has echoed through the decades.
In this wide-ranging interview, the guys talk about the inspiration for the book, how 80s movies affected both Ian and Ben, and how utterly criminal it is that Bad Boys isn't more widely heralded as one of that decade's very best films!
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Show Links
Watch the Bad Boys (1983) trailer.
Order Ben's latest book, The Bad Class.
Order the tome that started it all: Ben's 2020 book, The South Never Plays Itself.
Watch Ian and Ben on a recent Horror 101 w/ Dr. AC panel discussion Talk to Me!
