5.9 Films of the 80s

The 80s were truly the best, or so we're told. The fashion, the music and the films. Although I might not be as qualified to judge the fashion and music I can almost certainly agree that the 80s created a generational span of truly legendary and unforgettable cinema. Wether that's from Stand by Me or E.T. this post will detail it all!

Stand by Me

Directed by Rob Reiner and based upon Stephen King's 1982 novella The Body, Stand by Me chronicles and sees Gordon "Gordie" Lachance become overcome by a wave of nostalgia from his childhood. As he begins to narrate the story of when him and three other of his twelve year friends hiked to find a dead body of a missing boy and how they eventually would feel and act upon seeing their first dead human body. As set in the fictional town of Castle Rock, Oregon in 1959, Stand by Me stars Wil Wheaton, River Phoenix, Corey Feldman, and Jerry O'Connell. With Reiner exploring the intriguingly unique relationship between friends and how special and sentimental that bond can become. While since going onto earn and receive overwhelmingly positive plaudits at the time, including nominations for an Academy Award and Golden Globes. Stand by Me since it's release in August of 1986 has gone onto garner and be considered by many as one of the greatest and most influential films of the 1980s and possibly of all time. Justifying therefore it's place upon this list.

The Breakfast Club

While also similar to Stand by Me, another independent, teen coming-of-age comedy-drama for which has also become now widely considered and affiliated to the 80s, is John Hughes' 1985 film The Breakfast Club. As also written and produced by Hughes, The Breakfast Club stars Emilio Estevez, Paul Gleason, Anthony Michael Hall, Judd Nelson, Molly Ringwald, and Ally Sheedy. With this once estranged and unknown group of school students from different cliques serving a Saturday detention, overseen by their authoritarian vice-principal. As their distant and hostile reception to one another soon blossoms into an unlikely, heartfelt and sincere bond. As The Breakfast Club today has gone onto be considered on of Hughes's most memorable and recognisable piece's of work, as the film in 2016 was selected for preservation into the United States National Film Registry by the Library of Congress. With Hughes' understanding of the themes of struggle, that so many American teenagers experience and can relate to making and ascertaining why the picture has had such a profound longevity. As Hughes explored the pressures placed and put upon teenagers throughout their years in high school as their confronted with trying to fit into their own realms of high school, social constructs. With Hughes' filmography of work featuring a few times throughout this post, as he's gone onto become on the most influential directors and filmmakers of the 1980s.

Indiana Jones Raiders of the Lost Ark

Another popular film for which has become synonymous with the 80s, is Steven Spielbergs Raiders of the lost Ark or sometimes often abbreviated as Raiders. With the 1981 action-adventure written by Lawrence Kasdan and further based upon a story by George Lucas and Philip Kaufman, would soon spark into a franchise and further four instalments. The latest and departing instalment releasing later this month. As set in 1936, Raiders of the Lost Ark sees globetrotting archaeologist Indiana Jones, Harrison Ford attempt to recover the long-lost Ark of the Covenant, for which is said to make an army invincible. All the while battling and vying against Nazi German forces, as he teams up with his tough, former romantic interest Marion Ravenwood to win the race against rival archaeologist Dr. René Belloq, for whom is guiding the Nazis to the Ark and its power. As starring Harrison Ford, Karen Allen, Paul Freeman, Ronald Lacey, John Rhys-Davies and Denholm Elliott, Raiders of the Lost Ark was firstly conceived by Lucas as he seeked to modernize the serial films of the early 20th century. As Raiders would eventually back against initial polling indicating little audience interest, as it went to become the highest-grossing film of 1981. As the two sequels Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom and Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade would soon follow releasing in 1984 and 1989 respectively, as the Indiana Jones Franchise would go onto originate from and become synonymous with the 80s.

Airplane!

The possibly first comedy to appear on this list and a film that is really like no other, 1980s parody film Airplane written and directed by brothers David and Jerry Zucker, and Jim Abrahams in their directorial debuts has proven to become a statement of 80s cinema. As starring Robert Hays and Julie Hagerty and featuring Leslie Nielsen, Robert Stack, Lloyd Bridges, Peter Graves, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, and Lorna Patterson. Airplane was a parody of the disaster film genre, in particular the 1957 film Zero Hour!, from which it mostly borrows its plot, central characters, and some dialogue. Whilst it also drew elements from Airport 1975 and as well as other films in the Airport series. As the 1980s picture would go onto become known and well remembered for it's use of surreal humor and fast-paced, slapstick comedy. Including especially it's bout and abundance of visual and verbal puns, gags, running jokes and dark humor. Proving, cementing and ensuring that the film was truly like no other, as since it's release over forty-two years ago the film's popularity has gone onto grow substantially and therefore rightly and justifiably earn it's place on this list.

Uncle Buck

While the second John Hughes film to earn it's place upon this list is the 1989 comedy Uncle Buck, as starring John Candy, Amy Madigan and Macaulay Culkin it has been the collaboration between Hughes and Candy that has seen them get the very best out of the pair. As Uncle Buck with rather a bachelor type persona is thrown into babysitting for his brother's rebellious teenage daughter and her two younger siblings while there parents are away. With the film earning it's place upon this list due to my own personal admiration, something for which I've already citied and detailed in post 2.2. As with a little bit of luck and a whole lot of love and laughter Uncle Buck soon manages to turn the tide and surprise everyone in this heartwarming family comedy.

Back to the Future

While another film for which has arguably become a popular statement and reminder of 1980s cinema for many is the 1985 science fiction epic Back to the Future. As written by Robert Zemeckis and Bob Gale and directed by Zemeckis, Back to the Future stars Michael J. Fox, Christopher Lloyd, Lea Thompson, Crispin Glover, and Thomas F. Wilson as Marty McFly accidentally is sent back to 1955 by Emmett "Doc" Brown in a time-travelling Delorean. As Marty soon inadvertently prevents his future parents from falling in love, threatening his own existence. With him soon tasked with forcing them to reconcile and somehow get back to the future. With the 1985 science fiction epic initially being rejected by more than forty times by various studios, even if eventually it would go onto receive both critical and commercial success, becoming the highest-grossing film of 1985. As even today, over 35 years since it's release, the film is still held in the most highest of regards and considered by both critics and audiences alike to be one of the greatest science-fiction and films period to ever be made.

Full Metal Jacket

Directed and produced by Stanley Kubrick, the 1987 war drama film Full Metal Jacket for which was based upon Gustav Hasford 's 1979 novel The Short-Timers stars Matthew Modine, Lee Ermey, Vincent D'Onofrio and Adam Baldwin. As we follow a platoon of U.S. Marines through their boot camp training and eventually into battle during the Vietnam War. With Full Metal Jacket subsequently being the last film to be released during Kubrick's lifetime, as the film went onto garner widespread, critical acclaim for it's writing, performances and exploration into themes of war and military brainwashing. Foreshadowing how the film has not only become renowned and a statement of 80s cinema but rather of the war genre in general.

Dead Poets Society

Now for what I consider to be one of the most sincere and heartfelt pictures ever made, the 1989 drama Dead Poets Society. As directed by Peter Weir and written by Tom Schulman, Dead Poets Society stars Robin Williams for whom as an English professor soon inspires his students through his teaching of poetry. As set in 1959, at the fictional elite boarding school of Welton Academy, John Keating's unconventional teacher methods breathe a new, invigorating life into a curriculum steeped in tradition. Although as Keating soon unearths, he becomes opposed and draws the wrath of disapproving faculty when an unexpected tragedy strikes the school. With the film going onto be met with critically acclaimed success as both critics and audiences praised the film for it's writing, direction and performances, especially from Williams. As the film went onto receive numerous accolades, including Academy Award nominations for Best Picture, Best Director, Best Original Screenplay and Best Actor for Williams. With Williams portrayal alongside Weir's intimate direction and Schulman's enigmatic writing, would go onto garner a uniquely cultural impact and influence that became only stronger since it's release over 30 years ago. With Dead Poets Society rightly earning and cementing it's place not only on this list but across 80s cinema in general.

E.T. the Extra Terrestrial

Throwing not only Steven Spielberg into the hegemony of Hollywood but rather also disrupting it. The 1982 science fiction film E.T. the Extra Terrestrial produced and directed by Spielberg and written by Melissa Mathison, follows and tells the story of Elliot a young boy who upon finding a lost extraterrestrial who is left behind on earth, soon befriends and helps him find his way back home. As starring Dee Wallace, Henry Thomas, Peter Coyote, Robert MacNaughton and Drew Barrymore, the film went onto become an instant and immediate blockbuster following it's release over 40 years ago. As the film surpassed Star Wars to become the highest-grossing film of all time, a record it held for eleven years until Spielberg's own Jurassic Park surpassed and broke it in 1993. With it earning widespread acclaim, as many considered it to be one the greatest films of our time, as it received nine nominations at the 55th Academy Awards, winning Best Original Score, Best Visual Effects, Best Sound, and Best Sound Editing. As similar to many other films upon the list, the film also went onto become indicted into the United States National Film Registry. While the films legacy and lasting impact would span further than just the cinema and culturally as it's went onto further stamp it's influence on the home media, VHS market. As E.T. the Extra Terrestrial surpasses not only being one the best films of the 80s but rather of all time, as it inaugurated a monumental shift across and within the industry.

The Goonies

Directed by Richard Donner from a screenplay by Chris Columbus, based upon a Steven Spielberg story. The 1985 adventure comedy The Goonies stars Sean Astin, Josh Brolin, Jeff Cohen, Corey Feldman, Kerri Green, Martha Plimpton, and Ke Huy Quan as a group of kids who live in the "Goon Docks" neighbourhood of Astoria, Oregon, attempt to save their homes from foreclosure and, in doing so, discover an old treasure map that takes them on an adventure to unearth the long-lost fortune of One-Eyed Willy, a legendary 17th-century pirate. As during this adventure the kids must face all types of perils and fears, all the while being chased by a family of criminals who want the treasure for themselves. With The Goonies becoming a potent reminder of 80s cinema and many audiences childhoods, justifying it's place upon this list.

Other Honourable Mentions

While although it was tough to whittle down such a long list of iconic films, some other important reminders and staple pieces of 80s cinema include Stanley Kubrick's 1980 horror thriller The Shining. As George Lucas also concluded the original trilogy of Star Wars with The Empire Strikes Back in 1980 and Return of the Jedi three years later. Whilst the adventures of University research scientists Peter Venkman, Ray Stantz and Egon Spengler in the 1984 fantasy comedy Ghostbusters would also be hard not to ignore, let alone leave out. With Tom Cruise's 1986 action film Top Gun also being a noteworthy addition alongside the Al Pacino starring Scarface and the 1983 Sci-fi, action epic Blade Runner. As these honourable, noteworthy mentions conclude my list of some of the best films of the 80s, even although there are so many I had to leave out.