The 1980s. Not quite the golden age of Hollywood, but it was stilla decade that brought audiences some of the greatest pieces of media in existence. In some respects, it was the decade that codified the modern movie franchise model, with blockbusters such asBack to the Future,Raiders of the Lost Ark, andA Nightmare on Elm Streetdominating the box office andlaunching new cinematic worlds. But while this decade is remembered for its flashy, stylistic approach to art, that does not mean that some of the best movies ever made did not come out of it.
Several movies released in the 1980s have become renowned for redefining cinema. Some films, such asBlade Runner,Raging Bull,The Thing, andThe Empire Strikes Back, were so ahead of their time that they were initially panned but have rightfully been re-evaluated as masterpieces. In many respects, the 1980s was a decade that defined what a Hollywood classic could and should be.
10‘The Breakfast Club’ (1985)
Directed by John Hughes
John Hughespractically made a name for himself as the director who brought the 80s teenage experience to the big screen, andThe Breakfast Clubis no different. Set over one Saturday detention, five high school students – awkward nerd Brian (Anthony Michael Hall), bad boy Bender (Judd Nelson), basket case Allison (Ally Sheedy), pretty & popular Claire (Molly Ringwald), and good-looking athlete Andy (Emilio Estevez) – have to spend the day together andwrite an essay explaining who they think they are.
What follows is that these students, all seemingly defined by the cliques they have been placed in, begin to realize that they all have things in common – namely the struggles to live up to the expectations of the adults in their lives. Despite being a film set more or less in one location with a cast made up predominantly of five teenagers,The Breakfast Clubis one of the most engaging teen films ever made.
The Breakfast Club
9‘Back to the Future’ (1985)
Directed by Robert Zemeckis
In 1985, Marty McFly (Michael J. Fox) leads an ordinary life, wanting to become a musician but is stuck in a small town with a small-minded family.But his best friend, eccentric, partially mad, scientist Doc Brown(Christopher Lloyd), invents a time machine out of a DeLorean, Marty is accidentally sent back in time to 1955. After accidentally interfering with the moment his parents met, Marty needs to figure out how to get them to fall in love to ensure his family’s existence, but also get Doc’s help to get sent back to his time.
Kicking off one of the greatest trilogies in film history,Back to the Futureisa perfect movie in terms of casting, production design, and tone. The script is built like a Swiss watch, with every note and character beat crafted to purposeful perfection. The score, direction, special effects, and performances evoke a classic, grand Hollywood feel that elevates a romantic comedy on the surface into something truly epic.
Back to the Future
8‘E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial’ (1982)
Directed by Steven Spielberg
The second timeSteven Spielbergmade the highest-grossing film of all time,E.T. The Extra-Terrestrialmight just be his masterpiece. A group of alien botanists arrive in a Californian forest, harvesting a selection of plants. But when they take off, one of their own is left behind by mistake. The creature evades the authorities and winds up in the backyard of Elliot Taylor (Henry Thomas). Hiding the alien from everyone but his siblings, Elliot names the creature E.T., developing a close bond as they try to make contact with his species before the government finds him.
E.T. is a deceptively simple film, but a powerfully effective one nonetheless. The film’s atmosphere changes with the character’s relationship with the alien, with an initial fear of an unknown, alien force that becomes overtaken with childlike whimsy, joy, and love.Some of the film’s effects have visibly aged, but that only adds to the charm and wonder that still emanates from the screen.
E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial
Directed by George Miller
Set in a post-apocalyptic Australia sometime after ex-cop Max Rockatansky (Mel Gibson) lost his family, Max has been on the road with nothing but a dog, a car and just enough gas to head down the desert road and survive another day. But when he comes across a band of marauders terrorizing a group of survivors, Max finds he has no choice but to offer them a deal – get them out of their territory with a giant fuel tanker, and he gets as much gas as he can carry.
The second film in theMad Maxsaga,The Road Warrioris considered by many to be the first film in the series to truly establish its tone and visual aesthetic. Max himself becomes less of a revenge-seeking, disillusioned cop and more ofa mysterious cowboy in an unforgiving wilderness. Modern installments in the franchise may have bigger budgets and newer special effects to contend with, butThe Road Warriorstill makes for an engaging watch withintense stunts, a handmade feel, and a fable-like story.
Mad Max 2: The Road Warrior
6‘Raging Bull’ (1980)
Directed by Martin Scorsese
In an age of biopics that glamorize celebrity life and the success that comes with it,Raging Bulltakes a radically different path. Based on the life of boxerJake LaMotta,Raging Bulltells the life story of the infamous middleweight champion. The film shows his rise and fall from the ranks, his turbulent relationship with the woman he loves, and the impact of his violent temper and increasing paranoia on his personal life.
Most conventional biopics try to sanitize the lead subject to make them more heroic figures, butRaging Bullrefuses to make any compromises by depicting the lead character with all his complexities. LaMotta is something of a tragic figure, buthis downfall is one of his own making thanks to his temper, insecurities, and ego. Put that approach in with a brutal, commanding performance fromRobert De Niroand a rather stylistic depiction of the film’s boxing sequences, andRaging Bullproves itself a strong contender as one of Scorsese’s best.
Raging Bull
5‘Full Metal Jacket’ (1987)
Directed by Stanley Kubrick
Helmed by cinematic maestroStanley Kubrick,Full Metal Jacketis a Vietnam War film primarily focused on J.T. ‘Joker’ Davis (Matthew Modine). Split into two parts, the first half focuses on Joker’s boot camp training, and his bonding with other marines as they go through hell under the watch of their abusive instructor. The second half shows Joker deployed in Vietnam, working as a correspondent and eventually finding himself in the Battle of Huế. As the full story plays out, Joker bears witness to thedehumanizing effects of both militarization and war firsthand through his fellow soldiers.
Through both parts ofFull Metal Jacket, Kubrick brings a mixture of extremely dark humor alongside his characteristically cold atmosphere.It’s a very bleak watch, but it’s very much by design. Not only does it show how damaging war is to its fellow soldiers, but how even something as basic as the training to get there can drive some people crazy.
Full Metal Jacket
4‘Star Wars Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back’ (1980)
Directed by Irvin Kershner
When it comes to franchise sequels, few have reached the highs ofThe Empire Strikes Back. The empire has continued its relentless pursuit of the Rebel Alliance, especially heroic members Luke Skywalker (Mark Hamill), Han Solo (Harrison Ford), and Princess Leia (Carrie Fisher). After their main base on the ice planet Hoff is attacked, Han, Leia, Chewbacca (Peter Mayhew), and the droids travel to a potential haven in Cloud City, while Luke seeks out a fabled Jedi master.
But both sides find themselves in danger when Darth Vader (David Prowse/James Earl Jones) finalizes a master plan to strike them down mentally and physically.The Empire Strikes Backtakes everything the first film did and introduces a more nuanced take on the force, higher stakes and tension, anda final act that changes one of the fundamental facts of the series. The original Star Wars film changed the face of modern science fiction overnight, butThe Empire Strikes Backset the standard for perfect sequels.
Star Wars: Episode V - The Empire Strikes Back
3‘Do the Right Thing’ (1989)
Directed by Spike Lee
The third directorial effort from renowned filmmakerSpike Lee,Do the Right Thingis still regarded by many as one of Lee’s best movies. On Brooklyn’s hottest day of the summer, African-American Buggin’ Out (Giancarlo Esposito) notices that his friend Mookie’s (Spike Lee) Italian-American boss Sal (Danny Aiello) has not put any black celebrities on his pizza joint’s hall of fame. What starts as a minor disagreement leads to a breaking point in tension for the neighborhood’s residents,leading to a full-scale riot full of death and destruction.
Lee’s renowned, uncompromising views on racism and community tension are on full display inDo the Right Thing.The script and the cinematography portray a tense and almost oppressive atmosphere, leading to an explosive climax. It concludes on a note that shows no easy answers, as even something as simple as doing the right thing becomes muddy when nobody can agree on what the right thing even is.
Do the Right Thing
2‘Blade Runner’ (1982)
Directed by Ridley Scott
AfterRidley Scottgave sci-fi a slasher movie twist withAlien, it figured his next sci-fi,Blade Runner, would infuse a more noir-inspired take on the genre. The time is 2019 as imagined in 1982. The place is Los Angeles. Former cop and current Blade Runner Rick Deckard (Harrison Ford) is brought back into the game to hunt down a group of robots called replicants. As he tracks them down one by one, both the human Blade Runner and the replicantsgo on journeys that shake their conception of humanity to their core.
Despite an initially chilly reception upon its release,Blade Runnerhas become one of the most respected science fiction movies in recent memory. The decidedly neon-infused production design has gone on to influence punk-inspired science fiction, video games, and even real-life architecture. Using the backdrop of a classic noir story,it goes beyond a simple man vs. machine premise to question what it means to be human to begin with.
Blade Runner
1‘Who Framed Roger Rabbit’ (1988)
WhenSteven Spielberg,Robert Zemeckis, and the greatest cartoon characters of all time come together, it’spure cinematic magic. In an alternate 1947 populated by both live-action humans and cartoon characters, Roger Rabbit (Charles Fleischer) is a hapless toon actor who’s been framed for the murder. Seeking the aid of toon-hating private eye Eddie Valiant (Bob Hoskins), this mismatched duo uncovers a sinister plot to destroy toons once and for all.
Who Framed Roger Rabbittakes the childish fantasy of wishing cartoon characters were real and takes that premise seriously while never forgetting to have a sense of humor. The main mystery is well-planned, the villain is terrifyingly diabolical, and the lead performances are engaging and fun. But on top of it all, seeing characters like Mickey Mouse, Bugs Bunny, Donald & Daffy Duck, Betty Boop, and Woody Woodpecker all together on the same screen isa beautiful love letter for any fan of classic animation.
