the eighties

Mikey D

Mikey D

A recent discussion on indie film and and an article posted from the NY times made me realize that my awareness of film in the 80's is sorely lacking. I was but a wee lad in that decade so my exposure has been limited. If I were to do a survey of 80's film what would you all recommend I see? What are the best, most influencial films to come out of that decade?

Thanks
Mike
 
After Hours (Martin Scorsese), Electric Dreams (Steve Barron), CHUD, Anything John Hughs has made, Say Anything, Once Bitten, all of the Raiders of the lost ark (series), Brazil. Colors and If I can think of anything else I will let you know.
 
I'll list some of the obvious: The Raiders of the lost arc trilogy (oops, sorry King already mentioned those) Aliens and The Terminator (Cameron), Raging Bull (Scorcese), Blood Simple (Coen Brothers), Hairspray (John Waters), Die Hard (John McTiernan), Fast Times at Ridemont High (Amy Heckerling), ET (Spielberg) *tear in the eye*...
 
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bird said:
I'll list some of the obvious: The Raiders of the lost arc trilogy, Aliens and The Terminator (Cameron), Raging Bull (Scorcese), Blood Simple (Coen Brothers), Hairspray (John Waters), Die Hard (John McTiernan), Fast Times at Ridemont High (Amy Heckerling), ET (Spielberg) *tear in the eye*...
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Dont forget:

Back to the future (Zemekis) and Who Framed Roger Rabbit (Zemekis)


-Walt
 
Hello, Mikey D. I think everyone that replied above hit the nail on the head. You must watch all of these films before you do anything else with your life (kidding). I just want to add a few classics from the mainstream horror category: A Nightmare on Elm Street (Wes Craven) and Hellraiser (Clive Barker). Enjoy!
 
Some popular movies from the eighties were: Risky Business, Goonies, Ghostbusters, Romancing the Stone, Crocodile Dun Dee (but don't watch the sequels that came later.) Dirty Dancing, Three Men and a Baby, Rain Man, Big, Twins, Batman.

Masters of the Universe with Dolf Lundgren, Frank Langella, Meg Foster, and a young Cortney Cox falls into the ultimate cheese factor movie of the eighties for me, but it's fun. Superman II also came out in the eighties and is probably easier to find.

On the horror end, don't forget Poltergiest and Alien

On a More serious note: The Dark Crystal (puppets aren't just for kids) and there's a DVD out with a great documentary on the making of. Moonstruck, (one of the best movies Cher ever did) Good Morning Veitnam, Hope and Glory, The Last Emporor, Platoon, The Mission, The Color Purple, Witness, Cocoon, Amadas, The Natural, The Karate Kid, Flashdance, Gahndi, Tootsie, Das Boot, An Officer and a Gentleman, Chariots of Fire, Coal Miner's Daughter, Elephant man, Raging Bull.
 
88? Gee.. thanks for making me feel old. :) Of course the screaming pain shooting throughout my lower back and legs from shoveling snow all morning doesn't help either.

Poke, what about Bikini Carwash II ?
 
This is an interesting thread, and brings back some interesting memories of a pretty worry-free decade compared to where the world is now. Some interesting pop music came out of that era, too, when Michael Jackson was dancing like a kid instead of being accused of abusing them. Ah, innocent days.

Bird, the snow is falling heavily here in the northeast, and as much as I love the old-fashioned, Currier and Ives scenes of simple winter wonderlands - and I do - it's getting alamingly deep, now. Current estimates are running at between twelve and twenty inches in an area of the world better equipped for two or three. Still, one can make one HELL of a snow dragon in weather like this! :)
 
Dr, take it from someone who's been stuck, in the past, surrounded by 4' of snow and 15' drifts....generator, bobcat, and uh..flushing water from the 'crek'.
 
Man out here were not even good enough for snow, just ice, lots of ice.

Great list so far, however I am thinking that I am looking for the more abscure stuff. Stuff that I wouldn't have been exposed to as a kid. "brazil" is something that I have been meaning to see. I can't say enough good stuff about the Dark Crystal. I have recently been watching some of the old Muppet show episodes and all I can say is Brilliant. That man was taken from us way to soon. I've recently rewatched "die hard" after I had read an article about how the action film has changed in the past 20 years. What a contrast. There was actually a story in "die hard." I'll definatly be looking into some of these other suggestions thanks.

This list has jarred some of the cobwebs from the ol noggin so I would like to add two movies myself. "heathers" and "pump up the volume"

oh yeah and I can't believe that "porky's" hasn't been mentioned :lol:
 
Guided by Voices said:
the second doesnt make too much sense (its basically the same storyline from the first film with different people)..I still dont know why Ash would go back to that cabin after the first movie
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GBV--yeah, this confused a lot of people. The story goes like this...They wanted to include a few clips of the first movie at the beginning of the second one to recap the first story and explain how they got to the cabin in the woods (with everyone killed but Ash). However, Raimi & co. could not get the rights to use clips from their own movie (isn't that strange), so they had to reshoot all the stuff that happened in the first movie. Rather than get all of the original cast back and re-shoot the scenes exactly as they were, they opted to just use the story of Ash and his girlfriend. So, the first 6 - 7 minutes of part 2 is a recap of the first, only it doesn't seem like it because the scenes, actors, and story is different. No wonder people were confused.

And say what you will...I've always liked Bill and Ted's Excellent Adventure.
 
Just a few more:

Sex, Lies and Videotape, Kiss of the Spider Woman, Bird (With Forrest Whitaker), Wings of Desire (Wim Wenders), Paris Texas (Wim Wenders), Fitzcaraldo (Herzog), Kagamusha (Kurosawa), The Name of the Rose, The Elephant Man, Manhattan, On Golden Pond, Driving Miss Daisy, My Left Foot ... etc, etc

These are all great films but I think Paris Texas, Manhattan and Wings of Desire really stand out as very, very special films. I think as film maker these are the films that I'd call my influences, that and certain English screenwriters.
 
I rekon anything made in the 80's with bill murray had to be an instant classic.... so u had scrooged, Ghostbusters, Little shop of horrors, Stripes, Caddyshack....

-walt
 
I rekon anything made in the 80's with bill murray had to be an instant classic.... so u had scrooged, Ghostbusters, Little shop of horrors, Stripes, Caddyshack....
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Yeah, given the choice between Wings of Desire and Caddyshack it's easy to see how Caddyshack would become the classic :lol:

Actually there is a Hollywood film that I really rate from this period "Leap of Faith". It's the Steve Martin film that time forgot and the film I watch when I need a pick me up emotionally. I don't know what it is about the film, but Steve Martin gives a superbly grown up performance in it. I've always figured that Hollywood still hasn't given him the roles he deserves. There is much more to him than just zany laughs.
 
clive said:
Just a few more:


These are all great films but I think Paris Texas, Manhattan and Wings of Desire really stand out as very, very special films. I think as film maker these are the films that I'd call my influences, that and certain English screenwriters.
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Mahnhattan for sure, may be my favorite film of any decade. May as well say Hannah and Her Sisters as well.

The only film I can think of that hasn't been mentioned is The King of Comedy. Very before it's time in a Warholian sort of way. Oh, and Repo Man.
 
clive said:
Yeah, given the choice between Wings of Desire and Caddyshack it's easy to see how Caddyshack would become the classic :lol:

Actually there is a Hollywood film that I really rate from this period "Leap of Faith". It's the Steve Martin film that time forgot and the film I watch when I need a pick me up emotionally. I don't know what it is about the film, but Steve Martin gives a superbly grown up performance in it. I've always figured that Hollywood still hasn't given him the roles he deserves. There is much more to him than just zany laughs.
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ah and now we hve mentioned steve martin we can now add "La Story" "The lonely guy" "The jerk" and many more...
 
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