TOP TEN 80'S MOVIES I GREW UP WITH
There's something about 1980's cinema unlike any other. Nostalgia for these films holds a big place in my heart. The first seven years of my life were in the 1980's and as such were my initial movie experiences. And even into the 90's as I rounded out my childhood, through the 2000's and 2010's working my way towards adulthood (I'm still working towards it) I am still discovering more 80's films that I love.
READY PLAYER ONE comes to theaters this month, a movie packed to the gills with nostalgia, not just for the 1980's but the 70's and 90's as well (but most especially the 80's). In anticipation for this movie (and this being as good as an excuse as any) I've decided to list the 80's films that I came to love while living through that era.
Originally I was going to do a list of Top Ten 80's Comedies, but the list quickly grew out of hand with over 30 titles I wanted to include. That and there were certain genre-meld films like Back To The Future, The Goonies, and others which fit comedy but also maybe fit better in another genre. So I thought I'd remove them and place them on a different 80's list. And then I thought I needed to separate the sports comedies into their own list as well as the Christmas comedies and action comedies and horror comedies and so on. I found myself with a dozen different lists and that this little task I'd set myself to had ballooned enormously.
DISCLAIMER:
In order to funnel everything back down to a manageable list I've limited the parameters of this list to only the 80's films I grew up loving while actually living in the 1980's. Now, I have discovered and have come to love many 80's films well after the 1980's. Some of my absolute favorite 80's films aren't necessarily on here. There is also a massive lack of 80's horror on this list because, well, I hadn't really embraced horror at this point. Monsters, yes. The genesis for my love of horror was seeded in 1980's but pure scary Horror? That didn't come until later. Again, that will have to wait for another list.
Anyway, this list is for those films I watched as a little kid and loved, all of which I still love today. There are many 80's movies I didn't discover until well after the 80's though. So there may be many films you'd think would be on here but they aren't. That doesn't mean that I don't love them, only that I came to know them later. But there are a few that I didn't really connect with and still don't... like E.T.
I know, I know, I'm a terrible person for not liking E.T. I did watch it as a kid and I did enjoy it but seeing E.T. seemingly dead in a creek and the freaky government quarantine stuff near the end scared my little kid-self too much to want to watch it over and over again. It was too real for me at that age.
Anyway, E.T. is just one example. There are others that I didn't quite latch to.
So, without further jabbering on... HERE'S THE LIST
As always there a bonuses... too many in fact. Sorry...
THE BONUSES
#17
PEE-WEE'S BIG ADVENTURE
Year: 1985 Directed By: Tim Burton
So being a kid in the 1980's meant one of the shows you watched was Pee-Wee's Playhouse. Kids shows can be some of the flattest, boring programming you've ever seen or they can be the weirdest, wildest, acid trips you've ever taken. Pee-Wee's Playhouse was definitely among the latter and who better to bring all the esthetics of Pee-Wee Herman to life on the big screen than Tim Burton?
To this day I still love this movie and there are so very few films like it. As a kid I remember being scared at moments like the clown statue that laughs at him after his bike is stolen, the "Large Marge" sequence, and the dream sequence when his bike is destroyed by yet more evil clowns. But there are so many other moments I loved like the Hollywood chase sequence (where they end up on the set of a Godzilla film at one point), the opening sequence with his massive breakfast making machinery (which I think is mirrored later in Edward Scissorhands), the bull riding, the biker bar dance scene, and James Brolin and Morgan Fairchild's fight scene against ninjas!
Okay, as I've been listing off these scenes I just have to wonder who signed off on this movie and what were they on? And thank the lord for it!
#16
SHORT CIRCUIT (I & II)
Years: 1986 & 1988 Directed By: John Badham & Kenneth Johnson
After the T-800 and Skynet scared everybody in 1984 Skynet decided that it needed to change its image. So it changed it's name to NOVA Laboratories and began the robot uprising with it's S.A.I.N.T. unit Number 5, making us love the A.I. death-machine with the speech impediment, you know, for an easier robot uprising. I remember being a kid and being totally in awe of Johnny 5, the cold machine with a warm heart. As a kid it was Johnny 5 who brought me to the movie. As an adult I realized just how ridiculous the movie actually is and how funny (and likely nowadays offensive) Fisher Stevens is! There are so many adult jokes that went WAY over my head as a kid.
Then there's the sequel (okay okay! Either I'm cheating here by giving both films the same slot or doing them a disservice by lumping them together) which is one of the most spastic plots ever conceived for a movie. As a kid you don't notice how ridiculous a plot is, you just follow the awesome Johnny 5 wherever he goes, be it a gangland turf, a bank vault, or an awesome chase sequence set to Bonnie Tyler's "I Need A Hero"! As an adult these movies still get me, if anything because there isn't anything else quite like them. So stupid. So amazing!
#15
RED SONJA
Year: 1985 Directed By: Richard Fleischer
Before I came to know CONAN I was first introduced to the savage female fury RED SONJA. This movie was likely my introduction to the "Swords & Sorcery" genre and to an icon named Arnold Schwarzenegger. Yeah, the brutal reality of the opening sequence was totally lost on me as a kid, but as an adult I can't believe my parents let me watch that! What captured my young imagination was definitely the locations (a kaiju skeleton as a bridge, the pyramid, the giant bull statue, the final castle, and more!) and the lead characters. I do remember thinking that Red Sonja and Kalidor were awesome... not so much Ernie Reyes Jr.'s character (although I would enjoy his acting later in TMNT2, Surf Ninjas, and still later as a super awesome martial artist!).
Yeah, yeah, so it was directed by the same guy who killed Conan. Yeah, maybe it doesn't hold up so well today compared to modern action films. And yeah, Red Sonja's code of never yielding to a man unless they can beat her in a fair fight is kinda twisted. Even so, I still enjoy this movie a lot if only for nostalgia. Compared to other Swords & Sorcery movies of the same era it is leaps and bounds ahead of the majority but way behind on others such as the original Conan. Anyway, I like Brigitte Nielsen in the role of Sonja and her showdown with Sandahl Bergman at the end is still pretty epic. I would, however, love to see a modern Red Sonja movie one day.
#14
THE FLIGHT OF DRAGONS
Year: 1982
Directed By: Arthur Rankin Jr. & Jules Bass
Arthur Rankin Jr. and Jules Bass are the authors of many of my beloved shows from childhood. Most notably to me they're responsible for the classic claymation film Rudolf the Red-Nosed Reindeer, the animated The Hobbit & Return of the King, King Kong Escapes, and more. None are more beloved by me than the animated feature length film, THE FLIGHT OF DRAGONS. My parents recorded this movie off television and it was one of the tapes I watched endlessly on repeat, complete with classic 80's commercials and all. It's one of the oldest VHS tapes in my family's possession. I still have that ancient VHS tape and now possess an official Warner Brothers VHS release as well as DVD. Needless to say I still love this movie and go back to it annually.
Featuring the voice talents of none other than James Earl Jones, John Ritter, and Harry Morgan, the story centers on the tenth century and four wizard brothers. James Earl Jones plays the evil red wizard at war with his brothers. The other wizards summon a 20th century man with one foot in the realm of science and the other foot in the realm of magic, one of the descendants of Great Peter, the Dragon Master. Anyway, in Tolkien style, a group of heroes set off on a quest to capture the evil wizard's red crown. They encounter elves, monsters, ogres, giant worms, and dragons! So many dragons! This movie might be single-handedly responsible for my love of dragons, monsters, and fantasy.
#13
DRAGONSLAYER
Year: 1981 Directed By: Matthew Robbins
One of the reasons why I think the 80's was the greatest era in cinema is because of movies like this one. Genre films are why I watch movies. Dramas and academy award winning movies are great and all but they don't hold a candle to my love for genre films. DRAGONSLAYER terrified my as a child. I was afraid to watch it at times but yet I would dare to make it through. It was on an old VHS tape of ours along with King Kong Vs Godzilla, Ghidorah the Three-Headed Monster, and Red Sonja (all taped off television. What an epic VHS tape, right?). I remember thinking I was seeing a real dragon on screen.
The movie is rated PG but don't let that fool you. There's full on nudity, blood and gore, and some very scary moments (probably a prime case for the MPAA instituting the PG-13 rating later). Peter MacNicol delivers an amazing lead performance (a completely serious role) and Ian McDairmid makes an appearance (pre-Return of the Jedi). Featuring amazing effects from the men behind STAR WARS, Phil Tippett and Dennis Muren, Dragonslayer remains one of, if not, the best Dragon films ever made (in my opinion) and one of the films that made me fall in love with cinema.
To me, Dragonslayer represents one of the best of Fantasy Adventure films.
#12
ROMANCING THE STONE
Year: 1984 Directed By: Robert Zemeckis
All the films on this list are "comfort food" for me. Romancing the Stone is one of those films that just puts me in a good mood every time I watch it. It's like an adult version of THE GOONIES in certain respects. And there's something about being a kid and seeing a group of characters following a map to hidden treasure, excitement and peril at every turn, that just sweeps you up. Adventure films, when done right, are some of the most captivating stories. Robert Zemeckis nailed this one and I go back to it often. Again, it was one of those movies my parents recorded on VHS and I would watch it over and over.
Michael Douglas and Kathleen Turner are absolutely delightful in this movie and Danny DeVito makes the movie all the better for his presence. And then there's Alan Silvestri providing a fun and memorable score (showcasing another reason why he's one of my favorite film composers). And my favorite Director of Photography, Dean Cundey (frequent John Carpenter collaborator) supplies brilliant cinematography. This film is a wonderful genre meld of comedy, action, and adventure that is pure entertainment and a ton of fun.
#11
BEVERLY HILLS COP (I & II)
Years: 1984 & 1987 Directed By: Martin Brest & Tony Scott
The 1980's was the era of VHS and no digital cable. Whatever was broadcast on television you could record onto a VHS tape and watch over and over again. This was also the era of "Edited for Television" which meant that when a rated R film was shown it was either censored or recut. This was how I watched Beverly Hills Cop I and II for many years (I had no idea they were rated R!). Eddie Murphy won me over instantly along with Judge Reinhold and John Ashton. Again, like many films on this list, Beverly Hills Cop is a genre blend of comedy and action which makes for an incredibly entertaining time.
I'm doing it again here but I had no choice. I love Beverly Hills Cop I & II to the point where I didn't want to choose between them. So I didn't. Our VHS tape actually had the first film followed by the second. As such I would just binge both as a kid. And I really enjoy Tony Scott's take on the sequel. Jurgen Prochnow and Brigitte Nielsen make for great villains, especially Nielsen as she looks a foot taller than every many in the movie! But one of the aspects that makes these films so much fun are the wonderful soundtracks! Both films open with catchy songs (not by Kenny Loggins for a change) and then we hear Harold Faltermeyer's film score with the now instantly identifiable "Axel F" theme.
Both films for me are on the same level and I love them both.
THE TOP TEN
#10
BEETLEJUICE
Year: 1988 Directed By: Tim Burton
The imagination of Tim Burton is a world unto itself. Beetlejuice was our first opportunity to fully step into that world. As a kid I had a fascination with monsters, ghosts, and all manner of strange things. Beetlejuice channeled so much of what I was interested in in ways that a child could enjoy. When you look at the subject matter it is very morbid and quite dark, yet the film somehow makes it accessible to a wide audience through quirky humor and exaggerated characters. Then there's Danny Elfman's wonderful score and wonderful stop motion special effects. Wow, I am getting way too serious with this little commentary. Let's get real here...
Michael Keaton is what makes this movie. Beetlejuice the character is unlike any character that came before him. He's funny, scary, devilish, crude, with hints of a good man underneath... with no qualms about killing people. I love the striped suit, the green hair, and the cadaverous white skin. And the idea of saying a spirit's name repeatedly will invoke them plays on some primal level, like the Bloody Mary urban legends as well as the far more serious CANDYMAN. The other characters in the film are quite enjoyable as well but nowhere near Michael Keaton who, to me, is unforgettable. Both Michael Keaton and Tim Burton are why I love this movie as much as I do.
There is nothing quite like Beetlejuice.
#9
CROCODILE DUNDEE (I & II)
Years: 1986 & 1988 Directed By: Peter Faiman & John Cornell
Let's not beat around the "Bush" here. Paul Hogan is the man. If a better modern cowboy archetype there exists I'd like to see it. Crocodile Dundee is your classic fish out of water story or better yet a modern adaptation of Aldous Huxley's BRAVE NEW WORLD. But what sets this above the rest for me is Paul Hogan or Michael J. "Crocodile" Dundee. This is a guy I wanted to be friends with. He wasn't necessarily cocky but he was confident. He was a guy's guy but not overly obnoxious about it. A man of action yet down to earth. His soft spoken nature and quaint facade often leads others to underestimate him. In short, Crocodile Dundee is badass and cool, exaggerated but sort of real life too. With his "Bushman's Tricks" I'd bet on him to win every time.
In short, I love the character. The first movie really showcases the character well, the world he comes from, and his place in the greater scheme. It's a great romantic comedy without feeling girly. I love it. And the crocodile! But to be honest, I love the second movie even more. Where the first movie sets up the characters and settings expertly, the second film really takes the opportunity to play with those characters and settings. The action and excitement is elevated without sacrificing the humor or what made the characters so endearing in the first film. For me I have to have both films, I can't take one without the other because I feel they work so well together. Like the characters and movies listed above and below, to me, Crocodile Dundee is unforgettable.
#8
THE GOONIES
Year: 1985 Directed By: Richard Donner
80's movies don't get much 80'sier than this. I remember when my mom rented this movie for us. I had no idea what it was or what I was going to be seeing. Maybe it was the whirlwind adventure the characters go on. Maybe it was the skeletons and pirate ship. Or maybe it was the great cast of child actors that I wanted to be a part of. I don't know what makes this movie work for me but it does (I think it's a little of everything). It's fun and perilous and ridiculous, all things I love. And it has a fun cast in Sean Astin, Josh Brolin, Corey Feldman, Martha Plimpton, Ke Huy Quan, Jeff Cohan, Kerri Green, and John Matuszak (Sloth!).
If anything is evident from this list it's that genre melds of the 80's definitely made lasting impressions with me. The soundtrack too is one that I can instantly identify, the film score by Dave Grusin as well as Cyndi Lauper's songs. Maybe this is the magic that results when names like Richard Donner, Steven Spielberg, and Chris Columbus come together. Regardless of my attempts to quantify the goodness of this film, what it comes down to ultimate is how much fun I had while watching it and the fun I still have watching it today. I just really like this movie.
#7
ADVENTURES IN BABYSITTING
Year: 1987 Directed By: Chris Columbus
"Nobody leaves this place without singin' the blues"
Adventures In Babysitting is like The Goonies but better (in my opinion). There are a host of fun quirky characters, perilous situations, a great soundtrack, and THOR: GOD OF THUNDER before he became Kingpin. Without the need of spelunking into dark and mysterious caverns or boarding pirate ships the filmmakers turn downtown Chicago into a weird, fantastic, wonderland full of unique characters and exciting locales. We roller-coaster from laughs to thrills to cheers and all over again. This movie never stops moving and always shows us something new and different.
I say this about all of the movies on this list but I could watch this movie over and over and have done so many times. There's something so relatable about the characters and the journey they go on. But yet the adventure is larger than life. Elizabeth Shue, Anthony Rapp, Keith Coogan, Maia Brewton, and Penelope Ann Miller along with a great supporting cast make this one of my go to movies from when I was a kid to even now.
#6
ROCKY (I-V)
Years: 1976, 1979, 1982, 1985, & 1990 Directed By: John G. Avildsen & Sylvester Stallone
Okay, I am WAY cheating here, I know. When I was introduced to Rocky it was with the television broadcast premiere of ROCKY IV. From the opening of the two boxing gloves smashing together set to Survivor's Eye of the Tiger I was instantly a fan. Next from there it was Rocky III and later the first two followed at last by Rocky V. Rocky IV and III were my favorites for a long time, not a coincidence that they were the heaviest in the series for action, loaded with pop songs, training montages, and Sylvester Stallone kicking serious ass. To me the battles between Clubber Lang and Ivan Drago are among the most epic in cinema.
The underdog story is universally endearing and Rocky's character, that of a genuinely good man, is so aspiring. Always has been for me. Even when I was a kid I remember being inspired to exercise and better myself every time I watched any of the Rocky movies. That's why I've included I-V because all of them have that effect on me and I love the characters even when they're down on their luck (I have a defense for Rocky V). I got to know these films in the 80's (1990 is basically still the 80's) and they are among the 80's films that made me. I can't exclude any of the first five films because to me they are part of the same great story, bringing the characters full circle.
#5
STAR WARS TRILOGY
Years: 1977, 1980, & 1983 Directed By: George Lucas, Irvin Kershner, & Richard Marquand
Need I say more? It's freaking Star Wars! We had a VHS tape that had both Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi back to back, recorded off HBO (back when they used to do free weekend promotions). Funny thing was we had them flipped. Return was first on the tape. Anyway, like just about everybody on the planet I watched these two over and over. I saw A New Hope later (still in the 80's), liked it, but not as much as the other two. Still, these three movies were an essential part of my youth and 80's experience.
Again, I broke the rules but including three movies in one slot and also including a 70's movie. But c'mon, you can't break these movies up! It's freaking Star Wars! Nuff said.
#4
INDIANA JONES TRILOGY
Years: 1981, 1984, & 1989 Directed By: Steven Spielberg
Like Star Wars, does anything really need to be said about these films? Probably not, but what the hell, right? All three are amazing to me, but of those three I probably watched THE LAST CRUSADE the most. As sequels go TLC is probably one of the best franchise sequels ever made, in my opinion. The Indiana Jones film I watched the least as a kid was the first one, although I do feel it is one of the best films ever made. I think maybe I watched it the least because our VHS tape of it was in rough shape (lots of tracking issues). As I've grown older though I've come to appreciate TEMPLE OF DOOM very much, to the point where I think it is as good as the other two (save for Kate Capshaw).
Anyway, I watched them all as a kid growing up and, like the other franchises above, I couldn't possibly choose between them or dare to separate them.
#3
BATMAN
Year: 1989 Directed By: Tim Burton
So, I remember staying the night at my grandparents place (who had HBO) and watching the HBO premiere of BATMAN. The feeling of being a kid and seeing something so totally enthralling and mind blowing doesn't happen too often anymore, but back in late fall of 1989 I had that feeling. I had never seen a movie like Batman before and it was one of those memories and feelings that I will never forget.
Not much needs to be said about this movie save that I love it and for a very long time this film set the bar for me among the greatest.
#2
GHOSTBUSTERS (I & II)
Year: 1984 & 1989 Directed By: Ivan Reitman
Of course these films are on here! Again, for the fifth time, not much needs be said about how great Ghostbusters is because you all know it already. I can't say anything about the first film that hasn't already been said save for it containing a wonderful and frightening horde of ghosts and monsters, something for which I seriously enjoy in general.
I know some people like to dog on Ghostbusters II. I am NOT one of those people. Is it as good as the original? Probably not, but I for one love it just the same. As a kid GB1 scared me at moments to the point where I had trouble sleeping. GB2 was a little less scary for me, because I was a little older when I saw it and, well, it is less scary. So I found myself going back to GB2 more than GB1 when I was younger. Also one of my earliest memories of seeing a movie in a theater was going with my family to see Ghostbusters 2. There was nothing else like seeing the Statue of Liberty come to life on the big screen as a kid. I also love Jackie Wilson's "Higher and Higher" because of this movie.
So, for me, I share equal love for both films.
#1
BACK TO THE FUTURE TRILOGY
Years: 1985, 1989, & 1990 Directed By: Robert Zemeckis
Michael J. Fox and Christopher Lloyd. The Delorean. Huey Lewis and the News. And Alan Silvestri's AMAZING score. Of all the movies on this list I think I watched these three films more than the rest. I love the saga, I love the characters, I love the music.
I could say more about these movies, but why? You all know how great they are. Just know that I think the world of the Back To The Future trilogy and my childhood would be lesser without them.
And there you have it! The Top Ten 80's movies that made up my childhood!
Of course I came to know and love a great many other 80's movies in the years that followed, too many for one list. But we'll tackle those at a later date.
What are your childhood favorite 80's movies!
Drop some comments and let's discuss!
And for even more Top Ten lists of mine, check out these other posts below
