Retrophilia: The '90s in Music, Film & Culture

How the 90s Ended: What You Leave Behind Feb 19, 2025

How did you know when the '90s were over? (Apart from the date on the calendar!) Was it 9/11? The cancellation of "Beverly Hills, 90210"? When the cell phone started to eat your brain? Audra and Raymond close out Season 2 with this examination of era-ending events and trends. Thank you to the dear Retrophilia listeners for helping the research efforts.

This is our 27th episode and we've had a great time wading in and out of the sea of nostalgia. We will be back with...something! In the meantime, please join Retrophilia on Instagram and Facebook, and continue to share your memories too.

Wrestling in the ‘90s: Conversation with Bob Calhoun Oct 24, 2024

Pro-wrestling really had a chokehold on our imaginations in the ‘90s. Whether our brains were being bodyslammed by WWF (WWE) or beat down by WCW, we loved every choreographed minute of the glammy, absurd high drama. Perhaps the most ‘90s of all wrestling shows of that time was the punk rock DIY version, Incredibly Strange Wrestling, which got its start in San Francisco in 1995 and then toured the world. Imagine an even more unhinged take on pro-wrestling mixed with the spirit (and sometimes masks) of Luche Libre and in-your-face Jackass-style antics. Add a few punk bands and a lot of tortillas flying around the audience, and you have some incredibly strange wrestling. Joining Audra and Raymond is the author, podcast host, and former Incredibly Strange wrestler, Bob Calhoun, who worked under the moniker Count Dante. Bob regales us with tales of the phenomenon, plus discusses some of the best moments of ‘90s wrestling in general. We even read some listener mail on the topic.

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And check out Bob’s podcast, Old Movies For Young Stoners!

'90s Noir Oct 09, 2024

Audra and Raymond are back from an unintentional sabbatical to discuss Neo Noir films from the 1990s. Not to be confused with “Erotic Thrillers,” Neo Noirs echo the first wave of Film Noir in both content and style. Certain American crime thrillers of the ‘40s and ‘50s were dubbed Film Noir by French critics for their similarities: dark subject matter (usually crime mixed with fateful romance), anti-heroes with confused morals, and stylistic use of shadows and low-key lighting. These were often B-movies and almost certainly featured a Femme Fatale to lure the hero down a dark moral alley. Her appeal and danger stemmed from her empowerment.

Neo Noir films are intentionally made in this model, dating 1960s to nowsville. In the period of 1989 to early 2001, Neo Noirs surged, paying homage to the classics yet everything was more extreme: explicit sex and violence, and new moral dilemmas with a heightened focus on urban decay and consumerism. Join us as we discuss Michael Man’s HEAT (1995), the Wachowskis’ BOUND (1996), and Curtis Hanson’s L.A. CONFIDENTIAL (1997).

Note: we recorded this a couple of months ago. Since then, Audra’s wrist has healed and she’s had time to fall down the James Ellroy rabbit hole.

Malls in the '90s Feb 29, 2024

Calling all Mall Rats, Mall Goths, Mall Punks, and Mallternatives! Malls fulfilled our dreams and socials scenes for generations, but they are quickly turning from a safe haven for teenagers to abandoned monuments to late stage capitalism. Born of the suburbs, malls had their last great era in the 1990s. Audra and Raymond talk mall movies, mall history, and read some very provocative listener mail on the topic.

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Suburban Landscapes and Rites of Passage: The Story of Church Youth Groups Nov 30, 2023

Were the ‘90s the Suburbs Decade? Raymond and Audra discuss the explosion of the suburbs and its hand in creating the Church Youth Group, Youth Pastors, and even Christian Rock. Raymond’s personal experiences (and listener input), help flesh out this very ‘90s phenomenon. Audra finally gets to ask the burning question, “What’s up with the whole Christian haunted house thing?!”

PS: King of the Hill episode “Reborn to be Wild” (S8.E2) is heavily referenced.

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End Times: Horror and the Millennium Oct 30, 2023

It's end times fun times here at Retrophilia as we discuss how anxieties for Y2K expressed themselves in 90's cinema via apocalypse-themed movies. It was a decade full of 'em, but we'll focus on two movies that share several themes in common: IN THE MOUTH OF MADNESS (1994) and THE NINTH GATE (1999).

'90s Cable TV Sep 05, 2023

If television was your babysitter, this episode is for you! Audra & Raymond discuss sweet sweet cable TV, why it was invented and how we spent our childhoods (and beyond) parked in front of it. From Nickelodeon to MTV to Skinemax, Retrophilia unscrambles shows like "The Adventures of Pete & Pete," VH1's "Behind the Music," "USA Up All Night," and many more. Plus, listener memories!

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1994: The Year Alternative Became Mainstream Jul 31, 2023

Retrophilia is back, baby! Audra and Raymond are thrilled to return to the ‘90s after a year-long sabbatical living in the present day. They dive right back in with the year the music changed. 1994 was the peak year of crossover madness. Find out how Alternative, Modern, and College Rock went blazing into the mainstream, and how Green Day, NIN, Pearl Jam, Beck, and Ween (?!) became household names (and how flannels ended up in your Sears catalog).

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90's Alt. Comedy Jul 21, 2022

Just like music and film, comedy went through a transformation in the 1990s. Perhaps in reaction to the glut of mediocre and shallow comedians of the '80s, comedy shows like MR. SHOW, KIDS IN THE HALL, and SPACE GHOST COAST TO COAST upended expectations with their alternative brand of social commentary and changed the way we think about comedy today.

Video Store Auteurs Jun 30, 2022

The advent of the video rental store made a wide variety of films available for study and this changed the landscape of cinema. Video stores birthed a new breed of filmmaker in the '90s, including Quentin Tarantino and Kevin Smith. Were these auteurs the culture-bearers of film history or self-indulgent dude bros? Or both? Audra and Raymond take a look at RESERVOIR DOGS and CLERKS, and discuss their relevance then and now.

The Rebel May 20, 2022

What was there to rebel against in the '90s? Whaddaya you got? Raymond and Audra examine the '90s Rebel archetype through the lens of two film classics of teen rebellion: PUMP UP THE VOLUME and GHOST WORLD. Talk hard!

MTV Animation May 06, 2022

At the dawn of the '90s, a magical thing happened when MTV began diversifying their programming - they launched a cutting-edge animation show called LIQUID TELEVISION, which changed animation forever. AEON FLUX and BEAVIS AND BUTT-HEAD sprung from this fertile anthology show, bringing the avant-guard and the hilariously puerile into homes across the world. The success of these shows lead to hits like DARIA, THE HEAD, THE MAXX, and more!

New Age '90s Apr 26, 2022

Occult, Self-Help, Personal Development...call it what thou wilt. Raymond and Audra delve into the New Age movement of the '90s from music to bookstores to community. Somewhere between PURE MOODS and THE CRAFT, lies the secret to the universe. Sail away, mutha fakkas!

Woodstock '94 vs. Woodstock '99 Apr 17, 2022

A revival and a revival of a revival, Woodstock '94 and Woodstock '99 were fitting bookends to a culturally tumultuous decade. Boomer nostalgia and a new kind of voracious consumerism simultaneously meshed and clashed at these two benchmark events. The results ranged from sublime to tragic. Join Audra and Raymond as they sift through the dynamics of this muddy situation. Sometimes third time is not a charm, but rather a traumatic disaster.

Pam & Tommy & Celebrity Tapes Mar 30, 2022

Too hot to handle or too sad to celebrate? Audra & Raymond discuss the explosion of celebrity tapes in the ‘90s and review the Hulu limited series, PAM & TOMMY.

Against the '70s: Classic Rock in the 1990s Feb 18, 2022

The 1990s saw a gigantic resurgence of "Classic Rock" from the late '60s and early '70s, as it was discovered by children of Boomers. Was this classic status deserved or was it a distraction from the music and culture of our own generation? Look what it did to Mike Watt!

When Conspiracies Were Fun Feb 05, 2022

Raymond & Audra discuss conspiracy culture of the '90s, from "Slacker" to "X-Files" to the "Fox Alien Autopsy," and some of the literary history behind it all. Hail Eris!

Lost Children of Suburbia Jan 28, 2022

Bored teens, absent parents, and nowhere to go but the Christian rock show. This episode takes a look at "The Lost Children of Rockdale County," a documentary about an STD epidemic among suburban teenagers in 1996.

The Death of Cool Jan 13, 2022

Audra and Raymond discuss coolness circa 1999 and revisit the groundbreaking documentary "The Merchants of Cool." We're live from the Redneck Riviera this week on Retrophilia!

The Future Ain't What It Used To Be Jan 06, 2022

Science fiction often looks forward to the future, but always contains elements of the era in which it was written. The 1990's were no different. By examining the sci-fi of the era, we step into the strange world of the 90's Future.

90's Erotic Thrillers Dec 30, 2021

Titillating transgressive film genre or a dark window into the women-fearing anxieties of men? Audra & Raymond investigate the phenomenon, looking into its roots in film noir and the sexist media circus of the early 1990s. Up for debate are Paul Verhoeven’s BASIC INSTINCT and Barry Levinson’s DISCLOSURE. It's a Michael Douglas film festival this week on Retrophilia!

Teen Dramas at Halloween Dec 23, 2021

Raymond and Audra examine three prime time teen drama Halloween specials of the ‘90s – BEVERLY HILLS 90210, MY SO-CALLED LIFE, and FREAKS AND GEEKS. In all three, Halloween provides a crucible for the “teen mid-life crises,” or the struggle between childhood and teenhood.

The Experiment: Part 2 Dec 16, 2021

The thrilling conclusion to Raymond's experiment in which he attempted to live in the 1990s for a week. How long can a Millennial survive without a smart phone, streaming movies, and Coke Zero? Tune in to find out. Errata: During the segment on radio, Raymond was actually referring to WSRV, not WKLS.

The Experiment: Part 1 Dec 10, 2021

Attempting to live like it's the 1990s for a week, Raymond will put his sanity and digital addiction on the line in the name of armchair anthropology. In this episode, Audra and Raymond lay out the ground rules for the experiment in an attempt to strip away anything and everything to do with the 21st century!

The Edgelord Trilogy Dec 02, 2021

The '90s were an edgy time. Revisit THE MATRIX, FIGHT CLUB, and AMERICAN BEAUTY, and answer the burning question... how is an Edgelord made?

Goth Kids Dec 02, 2021

Audra and Raymond compare and contrast being a goth kid in 1991 vs 1999. Audra survived a golden age of being a goth kid. Raymond was too young and got Hot Topic leftovers. Can they find common ground? Peter Murphy doubts it.

1991: The Year It All Began Dec 02, 2021

From the fall of the Soviet Union to the world-shattering release of Nirvana's "Nevermind," 1991 set the stage for the alternative music and culture that defined a generation.

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