KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Across the country, grown men and women are digging up and dusting off their Optimus Prime figures.

They are wistfully recalling their not-so-distant childhoods, drawn by the hype of the big-budget "Transformers" movie.

"Transformers" is just the latest — never mind the biggest — piece of niche nostalgia from the '80s that's been rapidly recycled into mainstream culture in recent years.

And don't think Gen Xers haven't noticed.

"I feel like ever since the PT Cruiser came out, companies have seen what a gold mine 'nostalgia' products are," said Phil Shafer, a Kansas City, Kan., Gen Xer. "So they are just pushing the 'back in the days' or 'way back when' fashions or styles up by 10 years or so to capture the new buying power of people in their 30s."

The film's producers took a reportedly $150 million gamble on a movie that targets a generation characterized as cynical and unsentimental — a departure from their baby boomer parents, who love to reminiscence.

"Gen X tends to see mainstream media as superficial," said Rocky Longworth, vice president of strategy and business development at Bernstein-Rein Advertising in Kansas City, Mo. "They were the latchkey kids — independent and self-reliant. So if you come at them with something superficial, you're going to miss the mark totally."

Thus advertisers have to be careful with how they use nostalgia when marketing to Gen Xers, who will inherit the boomer's buying power.

"A lot of the '80s stuff that's coming back simply shouldn't," said Rich Lester, a 37-year-old Gen Xer from Kansas City, Kan. "Of course, I get kind of nostalgic but upset at the same time because I view it as an opportunistic kind of thing. People cashing in on other people's nostalgia — it's kind of lazy marketing."

Spoken like a true Gen Xer.

But vintage is hot. Even though the '80s is hardly a distant memory, there have been many throwbacks to the days when the dancing was dirty and the Lites were Brite.

Care Bears, My Little Pony and some heroes in half-shells are back in toy stores.

Popular '80s TV shows "Dukes of Hazzard" and "Miami Vice" were made into mildly successful movies with way better special effects.

Nick at Nite, once a retirement community for the likes of "Mary Tyler Moore" and "Dick Van Dyke," now plays "Full House," "Roseanne" and "The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air."

And of course some '80s fashion trends have been revived this year: upturned collars, oversized blouses and bubble skirts.

The resurgence means Generation Xers can introduce their offspring to the icons and images that meant so much to them growing up.

And despite the cynicism, some are hungry like the wolf to revisit their childhoods. Just ask Kevin Stecko, owner of www.80stees.com, a business he said has been thriving since 2000. Among his hottest T-shirts have images from "The Karate Kid," "Top Gun" and "Sixteen Candles."

"Ninety percent of it is nostalgia-driven," said Stecko. "What you watched when you were younger plays a part in who you are now."

And the cycle shall continue for the next age bracket to inherit the worth. If you think it's too soon for a '90s retro movement, you'd better talk to the hand.

Remember Tickle Me Elmo? He reappeared last fall as TMX (Tickle Me Extreme). How about the Spice Girls? Posh, Scary, Baby, Sporty and Ginger kick off their reunion tour later this year.

Whatever.