MovieChat Forums > Americathon (1979) Discussion > Opening Credits/Relevant to 2008

Opening Credits/Relevant to 2008

posted 17 years ago by Banquo13
6 replies | jump to latest

Saw this movie a while ago on TV and remember, more than anything, the opening credits with some Beach Boys song and EVERYbody going down the freeways on BIKES! All differnt kinds to represent different personalities, vehicles,etc. a school bus, et al.

How ironic that in 2008, with gas prices over $4, bike sales are going through the roof. How long will it be before we're coasting down the freeways...on bikes. No road rage because everyone will be too damned tired to fight! LOL

[–] Baroque 17 years ago

Yes! And what about all those goofy predictions?

* The People's Republic of China embracing capitalism and becoming a global economic superpower.
* Cliques of Native Americans becoming wealthy (although in reality much of their wealth would come from the gaming industry, mostly from tribal casinos).
* Nike becoming a huge multinational conglomerate (In 1979, their "Tailwind" running shoe was just starting to gain popularity).
* Vietnam becoming a major tourist attraction among Asia's wealthy and powerful.
* The continued existence and popularity of The Beach Boys in 1998.
* The creation of a "Western White House" (however it would serve as a vacation home).
* The collapse of the USSR.
* The depletion of US crude oil production.
* Jogging suits becoming fashionable as casual wear.

Doesn't seem so goofy now, does it?

[–] harlowfan 16 years ago

I think jogging suits as casual wear was already popular by 1981 or so, hahaha! People would strut around in those polyester short-shorts with the two lone white stripes down each side..... socks up to their knees with the two horizontal stripes across the top.... headbands.... sounds like someone straight out of Olivia Newton-John's "Physical" video.

[–] nhpbob 14 years ago

And..............the final shot of the film. A doofus is elected President! (Gee, who would that be....)

[–] hallowedgrnd 16 years ago

Since the storyline was set 20 years into the future, several satirical forecasts were made. Surprisingly, several of them came true:

The People's Republic of China embracing capitalism and becoming a global economic superpower.
Cliques of Native Americans becoming wealthy (although in reality much of their wealth would come from the gaming industry, mostly from tribal casinos).
Nike becoming a huge multinational conglomerate (In 1979, their "Tailwind" running shoe was just starting to gain popularity).
Vietnam becoming a major tourist attraction among Asia's wealthy and powerful.
The continued existence and popularity of The Beach Boys in 1998.
The creation of a "Western White House" (however it would serve as a vacation home).
The collapse of the USSR.
The depletion of US crude oil production.
Jogging suits becoming fashionable as casual wear.
A panhandler asks for "$25 for a cup of coffee" -- predicting expensive specialty coffee.
The televised boxing match between a mother and son predicts reality television
The President of the United States is a relative of a prior President

[–] thecalhouns 14 years ago

it's sad that THIS is the movie that best predicts the future, why not a movie like 2001 instead?

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[–] bearbloke 14 years ago

The opening scene of rush-hour on bikes was revelatory to me - I still wish for bikeways added to freeways somehow, or maybe a special bike-race event on a temp-closed freeway...

If those guys in Critical Mass were really hardcore, they'd take over the slow lane once in a while...