Hey there! I’m John Green, and welcome to my salon. Today, we’re diving into some cool stuff that turned 21 in 2015. Can you believe it? Let’s take a trip back to 1994 and see what was happening back then!
First up, did you know that Forrest Gump hit theaters in the U.S. on July 6, 1994? It’s now a classic, but back then, critics had mixed feelings. Roger Ebert loved it, giving it four stars, while Entertainment Weekly wasn’t as impressed, giving it a C. But hey, it’s still a beloved movie today!
Another big hit from 1994 was Pulp Fiction. After the success of Reservoir Dogs, Quentin Tarantino got the chance to make this iconic film. He even went to Amsterdam to write it, filling up several notebooks with his ideas.
And who could forget The Santa Clause with Tim Allen? In November 1994, Allen was on top of the world, starring in the number one movie, the hit TV show Home Improvement, and having a bestselling book.
Of course, we can’t leave out The Lion King. Fun fact: Nathan Lane and Ernie Sabella originally auditioned for the hyenas, but the directors loved them so much that they became Timon and Pumbaa instead!
1994 was a big year for TV too. ER premiered, featuring George Clooney, whose charm helped him land the role. And then there was Friends, which also debuted that year. The cast started off earning $22,000 per episode, but by the last season, they were making a whopping $1,000,000 each!
Sadly, we had to say goodbye to Clarissa Explains It All in 1994. The show’s creator even tried to pitch a spin-off, but it didn’t work out.
Some famous faces were born in 1994, like Justin Bieber, who got his first record deal at just 13. My friend Nat Wolff also made his mark early, starring in The Naked Brothers Band movie when he was only nine.
1994 was also a year of loss. We said farewell to Jackie Kennedy Onassis, John Candy, and Kurt Cobain, whose passing still sparks conversations today.
In Japan, the PlayStation was released on December 3, 1994. It didn’t reach North America or Europe until the next year, but it was a big deal with only eight games available at launch.
Crayola introduced magic-scented crayons in 1994, with scents like coconut and chocolate. However, parents worried kids might eat them, so the scents were changed.
Some awesome albums came out in 1994, like Weezer’s debut album and Oasis’s Definitely Maybe. And who doesn’t know Mariah Carey’s “All I Want for Christmas Is You”? It became her best-selling song, even though she was hesitant to make a Christmas album at first.
The term “Lovett” was made popular by the Beastie Boys in their song “Mullet Head,” and the game “Six Degrees of Kevin Bacon” was invented by students at Albright College.
Michael Jackson and Lisa Marie Presley had a secret wedding in 1994 that lasted just 15 minutes, shorter than their marriage itself!
Pizza Hut launched PizzaNet, an early attempt at online pizza ordering, but it didn’t quite take off due to the internet’s complexities at the time.
Edvard Munch’s famous painting The Scream was stolen from the National Gallery in Oslo in 1994.
One of the biggest news stories was the O.J. Simpson police chase and murder trial, which had everyone glued to their TVs and ordering lots of pizza!
Thanks for joining me on this trip down memory lane. Remember, don’t forget to be awesome!
Imagine you’re living in 1994. Create a time capsule that includes items representing the movies, TV shows, music, and events from that year. Write a short description for each item explaining its significance. Share your time capsule with the class and discuss why these items were important in 1994.
Choose one of the movies mentioned in the article, such as Forrest Gump or Pulp Fiction. Write a short movie review from the perspective of a 1994 critic. Include what you liked or disliked about the movie and how you think it will be remembered in the future. Present your review to the class.
Work in groups to create a pitch for a new TV show that could have aired in 1994. Consider the popular themes and styles of the time. Develop a brief storyline, character descriptions, and a catchy title. Present your pitch to the class and vote on which show would have been the most successful.
Pick a song from 1994, such as Mariah Carey’s “All I Want for Christmas Is You” or a track from Weezer’s debut album. Analyze the lyrics and discuss the themes and emotions conveyed in the song. Share your analysis with the class and explain why you think the song was popular in 1994.
Choose a significant event from 1994, like the O.J. Simpson trial or the release of the PlayStation. Create a news report that covers the event, including key facts and public reactions. Record your report as a video or perform it live for the class, simulating a 1994 news broadcast.
Sure! Here’s a sanitized version of the transcript:
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Hi, I’m John Green. Welcome to my salon. This is a Mental Floss video. Did you know that *Forrest Gump* was released in the U.S. on July 6, 1994? It’s now considered a classic, but critics at the time had mixed feelings. Roger Ebert loved it and gave it four stars, while *Entertainment Weekly* gave it a C, stating that the movie “reduces the tumult of the last few decades to a virtual reality theme park.” Not to brag, but I’ve never received less than a B from *Entertainment Weekly*.
Anyway, *Forrest Gump* is just one of many things that turned 21 in 2015. Happy birthday! You can drink now!
Let’s continue with a few more movies released in 1994, like *Pulp Fiction*, which came out that October. After the success of *Reservoir Dogs*, Quentin Tarantino got a deal with Miramax to make *Pulp Fiction*. He went to Amsterdam to write it and bought a notebook, declaring it the notebook in which he would write *Pulp Fiction*, which he did, along with a few more notebooks. It was a lengthy screenplay.
Another classic film from 1994 is *The Santa Clause*, starring Tim Allen as Santa. In November of that year, Allen was starring in the number one film in the country, in addition to the top-rated TV show *Home Improvement*, and he had the number one New York Times bestseller, *Don’t Stand Too Close to a Naked Man*.
Another notable movie from that year is *The Lion King*. Fun fact: Nathan Lane and Ernie Sabella auditioned together for the roles of the hyenas, and the directors liked them so much that they decided they would be perfect as Timon and Pumbaa.
Moving on to TV shows, *ER* premiered in 1994, starring George Clooney. According to writer-producer John Wells, Clooney’s charm played a significant role in his casting. Wells mentioned that Clooney was smart about getting to know the assistants on the lot, often bringing them flowers and candy.
*Friends* also premiered that year. At the time, the six main cast members earned $22,000 per episode, a huge difference from the $1,000,000 per episode they earned in the last season.
1994 was also a tragic year, as we had to say goodbye to *Clarissa Explains It All*, starring Melissa Joan Hart. A year later, the show’s creator pitched a spin-off to CBS, but they lost interest.
A couple of heartthrobs were born in 1994, including Justin Bieber and my friend Nat Wolff. Bieber got his first record deal at just 13, while Nat had his big break at nine when filming started on the Nickelodeon movie *The Naked Brothers Band*, which later became a TV show.
Sadly, we lost some greats in 1994, including Jackie Kennedy Onassis and John Candy. It was also the year Kurt Cobain passed away, and his death remains a significant topic of conversation even years later.
In Japan, the PlayStation was released on December 3, 1994, but it didn’t reach North America or Europe until the following year. I remember feeling jealous at the time, as there were only eight games available, including a couple of versions of mahjong and a train simulator.
Crayola introduced a set of magic-scented crayons in 1994, which included scents like coconut, chocolate, and peach. However, parents were concerned that kids might eat the non-toxic crayons, leading to changes in the scents.
In music, several famous albums were released in 1994, such as Weezer’s debut album, which has since sold over three million copies in the U.S. Another popular album from that year was *Definitely Maybe* by Oasis, which helped them gain fame in the U.S. and worldwide.
The song you are most familiar with from 1994 is likely “All I Want for Christmas Is You” by Mariah Carey. This song has become her best-selling song, even though she was initially resistant to making a Christmas album.
Another interesting fact from 1994 is that the term “Lovett” was popularized by the Beastie Boys in their song “Mullet Head.”
The game “Six Degrees of Kevin Bacon” was also invented in 1994 by a group of students at Albright College, who later wrote a book about it.
Michael Jackson and Lisa Marie Presley’s wedding took place 21 years ago in a secret ceremony that lasted only 15 minutes, which was shorter than their marriage itself.
Pizza Hut launched PizzaNet in 1994, allowing customers to order pizza online, but it didn’t quite work out as intended due to the complexities of the internet at the time.
In 1994, Edvard Munch’s famous painting *The Scream* was stolen from the National Gallery in Oslo.
Finally, one of the biggest news stories of 1994 was the O.J. Simpson police chase and later murder trial. Many people were at home watching the chase, leading to record sales for Domino’s Pizza.
Thanks for watching Mental Floss video, made with the help of all these lovely people. Happy New Year! And as we say in my hometown, don’t forget to be awesome. We’ll see you in 2016 when the year I graduated from high school turns 21!
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Let me know if you need any further modifications!
Literature – Written works, especially those considered of superior or lasting artistic merit. – In our English class, we studied the literature of Shakespeare, which included plays like “Romeo and Juliet.”
Movies – Motion pictures; films considered as an art form or entertainment. – The film club at school hosts a weekly screening of classic movies to discuss their themes and cinematography.
Theater – A building or outdoor area where plays and other dramatic performances are given. – Our school theater is hosting a production of “The Crucible” this semester.
Music – The art or science of combining vocal or instrumental sounds to produce beauty of form, harmony, and expression of emotion. – The music in the play added an emotional depth to the performance that captivated the audience.
Culture – The arts and other manifestations of human intellectual achievement regarded collectively. – Studying different cultures through their literature helps us understand diverse perspectives and traditions.
Performance – An act of staging or presenting a play, concert, or other form of entertainment. – The performance of the lead actor in the school play was so convincing that it received a standing ovation.
Storytelling – The activity of telling or writing stories. – Storytelling is a powerful tool in literature, allowing authors to convey complex ideas through engaging narratives.
Characters – The persons or beings that take part in the action of a literary work. – The characters in the novel were so well-developed that readers felt as if they knew them personally.
Creativity – The use of imagination or original ideas to create something; inventiveness. – The director’s creativity was evident in the unique set design and innovative use of lighting in the play.
Drama – A composition in prose or verse presenting in dialogue or pantomime a story involving conflict or contrast of character. – The drama club’s latest production explored themes of friendship and betrayal, leaving the audience deep in thought.
