Throwback Thursday: The Pirate Movie

Ahoy, GenXers! This week we’re revisiting one of the cheesiest, campiest, and most gloriously over-the-top cult classics of the ’80s — The Pirate Movie! Originally released on August 6, 1982, this wild ride mashes up The Pirates of Penzance with slapstick humor, ridiculous musical numbers, and more innuendos than we realized as kids.

Del Roehling and I (Paul Stroessner) first covered this back on January 21, 2022, and it quickly became one of the most popular Return to the ’80s episodes. With Kristy McNichol and Christopher Atkins leading the charge, The Pirate Movie is part musical, part parody, and pure early-’80s cheese. Does it hold up today? Honestly… we seriously doubt it 😂. But that’s half the fun!

⚠️ Spoiler Alert: We go deep into the details of the movie, so there are definitely spoilers ahead. The good news? You can watch the full film for free on YouTube — link below!

Why This Movie Matters

Sometimes the best discoveries come from life’s little detours. For me, The Pirate Movie was the consolation prize when E.T. was sold out at the theater back in 1982. What could’ve been a disappointment turned into an unexpected treasure — and all these years later, it’s still sparking conversations, laughter, and nostalgia. That’s the heart of GenX Journeys: rediscovering the oddities, the quirks, and the memories that shaped who we are today.

What you’ll hear in this episode:

• Paul’s story of seeing The Pirate Movie in theaters after missing out on E.T.

• How this quirky flop built a surprising cult following

• The humor that flew over our heads as kids (and makes us laugh for all the wrong reasons now)

• Musical highlights — including the unforgettable “Pumping and Blowing” 🎶🐟

• Why multiple viewings reveal new gags — even if they’re ridiculous

• Final verdict: a cheesy time capsule that’s fun… but definitely not timeless

👉 Watch the full movie on YouTube (while it’s still up): [The Pirate Movie (1982)]

 

🎙️ Del Roehling (Host of 80s at 8 on 91.1 WEDM FM)

🔹 Tune in to 80s at 8 for all your favorite throwback tunes
🔹 Get your daily dose of ‘80s news on the 80s at 8 Facebook page

 

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