News
An air show attended by 300,000 at Germany's Ramstein Air Base ends in disaster as three aircraft collide in the air and crash to the ground. 67 spectators and the three pilots are killed.
1988 Context: News, Entertainment, Lifestyle
News
Canadian sprinter Ben Johnson wins the 100 Meter sprint at the Summer Olympics in Seoul, South Korea, beating his own world record. Three days later he is disqualified after testing positive for performance enhancing steroids.
News
In a year of significant air disasters, an Iranian passenger plane is accidentally shot down by a U.S. surface to air missile in July 1988, killing all 290 passengers aboard. In December a Pan Am jet explodes over Lockerbie, Scotland killing all 259 passengers and 11 people on the ground. The explosion is caused by an on-board bomb attributed to Libyan terrorists.
Movies
The comedy film Coming to America starring Eddie Murphy and Arsenio Hall is the third highest grossing film in the US.
News
Compact discs, or CD's, outsell vinyl records for the first time, but cassette tapes remain the dominant format for recorded music.
Advertising
The cover of the 1988 Blockbuster Video catalog. At it's peak in 2004 there were over 9,000 Blockbuster Video stores employing over 84,000 people. Today only one remains.
Advertising
Detail from a 1988 Nintendo advertisement.
Advertising
Ads for cigarettes and beer that appeal to children are popular and later banned. Party animal Spuds MacKenzie shown in a 1988 Bud Light advertisement is one example. Camel cigarettes featured the animated character Joe Camel.
Advertising
Adidas Olympic themed advertisement from 1988.
Advertising
Denim clothing company Guess combines super models with black and white photography for their successful ad campaign throughout the 80's.
Advertising
Detail from a 1988 advertisement for Coty perfume.
Fashion
Catalog shot showing stone washed denim.
Fashion
Detail from a catalog showing women's sportswear.
Fashion
Detail from a 1988 O'Neill surf wear catalog.
Movies
The comedy film Beetlejuice starring Michael Keaton, Winona Ryder, Alec Baldwin and Geena Davis is a box office hit. Directed by Tim Burton, the film spawns an animated TV series, licensing deals and a stage production.
Movies
1988's top box office hit is the film Rain Main starring Dustin Hoffman as an autistic savant and Tom Cruise as his wheeler dealer brother. Directed by Barry Levinson, the film is nominated for eight Academy Awards, winning four including Best Picture.
Television
The television sitcom Roseanne debuts on ABC where it runs until 1997. The show stars and is co-created by comedian Roseanne Barr who plays the matriarch of the working class Conner family.
Television
The coming of age show The Wonder Years debuts on ABC where it would run for five seasons. The show stars Fred Savage as the young Kevin Arnold, a middle class kid growing up in suburban America in 1968 - 1973.
Lifestyle
College kids celebrate spring break at the beach in Galveston, Texas.
Lifestyle
High school majorettes in West Virginia.
Lifestyle
Rock music fans at a 1988 Monsters Of Rock tour date.
Lifestyle
A couple pose for the camera on their honeymoon.
Lifestyle
A group of college students in the Netherlands 1988.
Lifestyle
High school kids in an exercise class.