Way before the Marvel Cinematic Universe showed that superheroes and kids franchises could be record-breaking box office hits. Even before “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles” showed that film adaptations of children’s toys and cartoons could work. Hell, predating Tim Burton’s world-changing “Batman,” there was “Masters of the Universe.” The 1987 box office bomb starring Dolph Lundgren was a Hollywood attempt to capitalize on a famous cartoon and toy line doomed by a low budget but filled with a ton of heart. And though it isn’t often brought up as a cult classic of the late-‘80s, The Playlist Podcast is here to say that it should. Well, kinda.
In this episode of The Playlist Podcast, we discuss 1987’s “Masters of the Universe.” The film adapted the toy line and cartoon of the same name and follows He-Man and his friends as they venture to ‘80s suburbia in hopes of recovering a magical keytar before the evil Skeletor gets his hands on it. Yes, it’s ridiculous. Sure, it is super hokey with cringeworthy writing. And no, most of the special effects don’t hold up. But back in the late-‘80s, this is what you got. And you damn well better like it!
The film recently celebrated its 35th anniversary, and that milestone brings up plenty of nostalgia for an era of film and TV where these sorts of live-action adaptations of kids’ cartoons, comic books, toys, or video games didn’t actually get made all that often. And therefore, you couldn’t help but love to see your favorite characters brought to life, even if it was in an objectively bad movie. Thinking back on that really makes you feel like an entitled ass when you sit there and critique the nuances of the latest “Doctor Strange” film, right?
You can hear the full discussion below:
The Playlist Podcast is part of The Playlist Podcast Network, which includes Bingeworthy, Be Reel, Deep Focus, The Fourth Wall, and The Discourse. We can be heard on iTunes, AnchorFM, Soundcloud, Stitcher, Spotify, and most places where podcasts are found. You can stream the podcast via the Spotify embed within the article or click on the lead image at the top page. Follow us on iTunes, and you’ll get this podcast as well as our other shows regularly. Be sure to subscribe and drop us a comment or a rating, as we greatly appreciate it. Thank you for listening.
![Pinterest](https://pinterest.com/pin/create/button/?url=https://theplaylist.net/masters-of-the-universe-the-playlist-podcast-20220815/&media=https://cdn.theplaylist.net/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/14221734/Masters-of-the-Universe.jpg&description=When there aren't many options in the '80s, suddenly an objectively bad "Masters of the Universe" can become a nostalgia-fueled cult classic.){kind=link}