We all know the great American 80's stuff, but for me at least the British stuff I am not too sure of. Stuff like Benny Hill, Carry on Screaming and Spitting image I know well. Gregory's girl, with Altered images babe Claire Grogan is the only British movie that I know has some new wave relation. I think Rude Boy had the Clas in it. Can anyone recommend anything similar that I might have overlooked?
Posted by StevenHW (Member # 509) on :
There's a lot of good British films from the 80's out there. Some are difficult to find, but here are some titles that I can think of right away:
[in no particular order]
Any James Bond movie Any Merchant-Ivory movie Monty Python's The Meaning of Life The Long Good Friday Highlander Local Hero The Missionary Excalibur Breaking Glass Gandhi Mona Lisa Educating Rita Hope And Glory Buster (w/ Phil Collins & Tracey Ullman) The Dresser The Human Factor Prick Up Your Ears My Beautiful Laundrette Britannia Hospital Shirley Valentine Chariots Of Fire 1984 The Ploughman's Lunch Sid & Nancy The Elephant Man Absolute Beginners Gregory's Girl Sammy & Rosie Get Laid Time Bandits Pink Floyd: The Wall Give My Regards To Broad Street (w/ Paul McCartney)
Hope this helps!
Posted by I used to fancy Molly Ringwald (Member # 1884) on :
As a british guy I got to admit that the 80s were pretty poor for 80s movies. I never liked the likes of the Carry On Movies. I would say The Comic Strip and Monty Python were good. I love Withnail and I but I think that is early 90s??
Posted by thebazman (Member # 1741) on :
Highlander wasnt a British movie,
Baz
Posted by Devolution (Member # 1731) on :
Devolution here,
Ehhhh, I don't know, about this, but those are some pretty bad movies, except The wall, time bandits, and Sid and Nancy
We are DEVO
Posted by thebazman (Member # 1741) on :
well theres a few good ones,
Buster Shirley Valentine Chariots Of Fire 1984 Gregory's Girl
this came up before and like i said then i wouldnt really pick anything about the British film industry that was that good in the 80's, that decade belonged the US, instead at home we made damn good dramas, sitcoms, comedies etc
Baz
Posted by The Wizard (Member # 533) on :
Few more for the list:
Lifeforce (1985) The Lair of the White Worm (1988) Paperhouse (1988) Brazil (1985) Erik the Viking (1989) Krull (1983) Legend (1985) Morons from Outer Space (1985)
What about Aussie films?
Malcolm (1986) Rikky and Pete (1988) Frog Dreaming (1986) aka The Go-Kids aka The Quest Young Einstein (1988) BMX Bandits (1983) The 13th Floor (1988) The Quiet Earth (1985) (New Zealand actually) Bad Taste (1987) (also New Zealand)
Posted by Devolution (Member # 1731) on :
Devolution here,
Ok Krull rocks.
We are DEVO
Posted by Riptide (Member # 457) on :
Just what I feared, even with a really great early 80's music scene, there doesn't seem to be many movies that reflect this, is there? I remember seeing Chariots of Fire in the early 80's, has to be one of the most boring films of all time.
Posted by Jones4Rio (Member # 1848) on :
I would like to add "Wish You Were Here" (1987) with Emily Lloyd to the list. It is one of my favorite films of all time. In fact, I'm staring at the British Quad poster right now (it's on the wall in my home office).
It's absolutely wonderful and I have all the lines memorized. Posted by Nick (Member # 404) on :
"Supergrass" by The Comic Strip is another to add. Quite a bit of relevant pop music in it too (Frankie goes to Hollywood etc)
It's out on DVD (R2) now too but the transfer is not great...
Posted by TKO (Member # 1471) on :
quote:Originally posted by The Wizard: What about Aussie films?
Another Aussie I just remember: Razorback (1983)
Posted by The Wizard (Member # 533) on :
Remembered two more British comedy films I kinda like:
Whoops Apocalypse (1986) Foreign Body (1986)
Posted by muzzled ox (Member # 1841) on :
too many to mention. however "The Gods must Be Crazy" is one. How a/b "No Sex Please were British" the bond flicks too.
Posted by Banshee (Member # 1829) on :
What about 'The Rachel Papers' (1989). Recently came out on DVD, I believe.
Posted by StevenHW (Member # 509) on :
Muzzled Ox wrote, in part:
quote: Too many to mention. However, "The Gods must Be Crazy" is one...[snip]
"The Gods Must Be Crazy" is from South Africa.
Posted by NottoocoolJulie (Member # 1580) on :
I LOVED Breaking Glass..I still have the soundtrack on vinyl.
(hmm..should really check to see if that's on DVD yet)
Aussie films: I don't remember the name, some coming of age tale set on a beach with surf girls, pot smoking, etc..
Posted by Riptide (Member # 457) on :
Can someone recommend this?
Posted by noikz (Member # 1000) on :
How about John Cleese in Clockwise that was a good funny Brit movie Posted by The Wizard (Member # 533) on :
I'd rather watch a 1.5 hour film of someone continually scraping their nails down a blackboard in full 5.1 audio than watch Clockwise again!!
Posted by thebazman (Member # 1741) on :
so you liked it then?? lol
Baz
Posted by noikz (Member # 1000) on :
How dare you slate a Cleese movie
Posted by Banshee (Member # 1829) on :
Has anybody mentioned 'Hawk the Slayer'? Superb! Posted by sara (Member # 1697) on :
i have only seen this movie once but its your basic angty teen movie but its british. it was called the rachel papers . it was a pretty good movie but i dont know any of the people in it . Posted by The Wizard (Member # 533) on :
quote:Originally posted by Riptide: I think I found a Winner, Party Party (1983)
I picked up this film on Betamax last Sunday, I daren't watch it till I've got my brain fully ready for what it's about to intake Posted by The Wizard (Member # 533) on :
Just finished watching "Party Party" and ohmigod how British is this? it's a cringeworthy road accident, you can't help but sit there and gawp at it! about halfway though I realised I've seen it before, the bit with Caroline Quentin trying miserably to drown herself in the bath but keeps coming back up for air (I'm starting to think the list of films I haven't seen is smaller than the list of films I have seen), I did enjoy it though and can reccomend it to anyone wanting to watch something that screams 'early 80s teenage new years party in England'
As for my comment about Clockwise I was dragged off to see it in the cinema because the father of one of the kids in my brother's class who we knew was the motorcyclist that gave a lift to someone in the film. I sat there for almost the entire length of the film squirming because I just can't stand that particular style of comedy, if I could have I would have walked out halfway through but would have had to wait outside to get a lift back home (I was 13 and the cinema is 8 miles from home)
Posted by sara (Member # 1697) on :
ok i just remembered one person who was in the movie " the rachel papers" it had james spader in it , but i guess that dosent make it a british movie , but they were in england. Posted by Banshee (Member # 1829) on :
quote:ok i just remembered one person who was in the movie " the rachel papers" it had james spader in it
Only one? What about Jonathan Pryce, Ione Skye (yes that Ione Skye) and Dexter 'Press Gang' Fletcher. Posted by sara (Member # 1697) on :
well , i have only seen it once and that was a while ago the only one i could remember is james spader. but i guess i am just forgetfull. it was still a pretty good movie. how does it end , i cant remember exactly? Posted by Riptide (Member # 457) on :
I know this is Aussie, but anyone seen this one? Around the World in 80 Ways.
It has some enthusiastic views, just wanted to know others 2 cents worth.
Posted by HipsterMom27 (Member # 2161) on :
Pre-becoming a mom in '87, I was so into the current independent film scene, so thanks for jogging my memory of all those good Brit Films -- Local Hero, Dance With a Stranger, etc. -- from back in the day.
Posted by aTomiK (Member # 6575) on :
"An American oil company sends a man to Scotland to buy up an entire village where they want to build a refinery. But things don't go as expected." (IMDb)
Watched this wonderful film called Local Hero (1983) today. The movie was written and directed by Bill Forsyth who also did the Rewind classic Gregory´s Girl. GG star John Gordon Sinclair has a small role in Local Hero. The cast is great and i liked the low tempo especially after the ultra fast paced Outrageous Fortune Few totally magical scenes, great characters and a nice soundtrack composed by Mark Knopfler. I highly recommend this british classic! PS, i was so happy to hear the fact that they named an asteroid after actor Burt Lancaster's Happer character in this movie who is keen on astronomy.
Posted by the young warrior (Member # 9554) on :
I've not seen local hero in god knows how many years,another one I need to check out again,I've never seen Forsythe's comfort and joy whatsoever.
I've seen dance with a stranger though and have the Rachel papers on DVD which I like a lot,especially Ione skye,she was a hottie back in the day!
I like restless natives a lot,that was a lot of fun,can't remember much from clockwise which has also been mentioned here .
I need to check some of these 80s Brit flicks out again.
Posted by J2ME (Member # 5728) on :
I love this!
Now I just need to get round to watching the movie..
Posted by Crash (Member # 7484) on :
Comfort and Joy is my favorite Bill Forsythe film. It's a quaint little film which is very funny, and, I think, ultimately very moving. I think that it's even better than Local Hero, which most consider to be his masterpiece.
Posted by Johnny Roarke is reckless (Member # 9826) on :
Gregory's Girl .. Gregory's Girl .. Gregory's Girl .. I love Gregory's Girl !
Did i already mention Gregory's Girl ? Posted by the young warrior (Member # 9554) on :
Forsyth's comfort and joy does sound like a lot of fun and no one could ever accuse the plot of not being very original as there's not many films out there about ice cream wars in Glasgow in the middle of December.
Posted by the young warrior (Member # 9554) on :
I've never seen it but I can always remember this 1985 Brit comedy - car trouble starring Julie Walters,ian charleson and hazel O'Connor getting a real kicking from critics on release.
I can also remember this being on quite a few worse of lists from that year.
anyone seen car trouble,is it really that bad?
[ 24. March 2015, 16:11: Message edited by: the young warrior ]
Posted by aTomiK (Member # 6575) on :
I have a feeling that i may have Car Trouble vhs tape somewhere, i need to investigate Posted by Helen_S (Member # 5804) on :
quote:Originally posted by Johnny Roarke is reckless: Gregory's Girl .. Gregory's Girl .. Gregory's Girl .. I love Gregory's Girl !
Did i already mention Gregory's Girl ?
Just don't watch Gregory's Two Girls, just horrible.
Posted by the young warrior (Member # 9554) on :
quote:Originally posted by aTomiK: I have a feeling that i may have Car Trouble vhs tape somewhere, i need to investigate
If you do atomik and get the chance at some point to check it out let us know what you think of it,I'm curious as to what it's like.
I'd also like to say Gregory's girl is great,not seen it for such a long time though but I can still remember it pretty well!
Posted by aTomiK (Member # 6575) on :
I found the Car Trouble tape so i´ll definitely watch the film during this week. I´m also going to check out Gregory´s Girl again soon so there´s some kind of british invasion going on here right now Posted by Crash (Member # 7484) on :
I like Gregory's Girl too! Posted by the young warrior (Member # 9554) on :
Anybody seen this merchant ivory spoof from 1998 - stiff upper lips?
"In the throes of a midlife crisis, a man buys a new Jaguar, and it immediately becomes his new love. What he doesn't know is that his wife is as attracted to the Jaguar salesman as he is to the car." (IMDb)
Watched Car Trouble (1986) last night and while i think that it was a pretty decent film, part of me found it a bit irritating. All the main characters are so annoying that i didn´t know if i should laugh or cry. These people definitely deserve each other Meat Loaf performed the theme tune Hearts of Fire (Car Trouble). See Julie Walters in solarium, chain smoking More cigarettes, trashing the Jaguar and cheating her husband with a carsalesman. All in a days work Posted by the young warrior (Member # 9554) on :
cheers for reviewing car trouble atomik,i thought i heard somewhere that meatloaf was on the soundtrack!
I'll probably still give it a go though I'm not expecting much from it!
[ 18. June 2016, 13:40: Message edited by: the young warrior ]
Posted by the young warrior (Member # 9554) on :
I never really took to this John Cleese comedy when I first watched it as a 13 year old back in 1986 but watching it again recently it's actually pretty enjoyable stuff!
Cleese i thought was great as usual and I found it to be fairly funny in parts plus there's a definite 80s feel to the proceedings,also the location shooting i thought really showed off some of the beautiful English Countryside!
It's no Brit classic but it's fun and I'm pleased I revisited it!
[ 18. June 2016, 14:08: Message edited by: the young warrior ]
Posted by TerdNthePoolGGB (Member # 9818) on :
Havent heard of Clockwise Warrior. I love Cleese though and will keep an eye out for it. Thanx for the headsup.
Posted by Crash (Member # 7484) on :
Clockwise is a lot of fun. It's not Cleese's best, but he has the slow-burn of when his world starts to unravel down to perfection.
Posted by Logan 5 (Member # 1467) on :
I have mixed feelings about this film. On the one hand I like it and always found it enjoyable (if not exceptional). I remember it coming out like it was yesterday (you know how some things happen and they seem to stick with you? Some films that came out well after this seem like a lifetime ago, but this one - like some others - seems like yesterday.) As a result of that, I always feel bittersweet when I think about it, because it takes me back to that time, and it also shows just how much Britain has changed since then.
Posted by aTomiK (Member # 6575) on :
Never seen Clockwise but i remember my brother once said that it´s fun stuff but watching it makes you feel uneasy I´m finally going to pick it up and check it out, the dvd goes dirt cheap here.
Posted by Chloe (Member # 37365) on :
Gandhi is a brilliant movie! Then again, so is Monty Python's The Meaning of Life.
Posted by Crash (Member # 7484) on :
I'm a big Anglophile when it comes to British movies, many of which are fantastic.
Posted by gordongecko (Member # 4685) on :
Ok everyone, help me out. I'm newly a fan of British movies. I should have figured this out sooner, but I love subtle humor and British shows/movies seem to do that well. I also love 80's movies. But I have not really seen any British 80's movies. What would you suggest for movies for me to initially watch (the best of the best)? I tend to like light hearted comedies or laugh out loud comedies. I'm open to anything, so if there are some other must sees, please let me know! Thanks!
Posted by Crash (Member # 7484) on :
My Top Ten favorite 80s British comedies, no particular order:
Anything by director Bill Forsyth: Gregory's Girl, Local Hero, and my favorite of his stuff, Comfort and Joy. When he was at the top of his game, this Scottish director made some of the best UK films.
Monty Python's Meaning of Life, while not their best film, is still pretty hilarious.
A Fish Called Wanda--John Cleese and Michael Palin from Python, along with Jamie Lee Curtis and an Oscar-winning performance from Kevin Kline. Very, very funny, though not always in the best of taste.
A Private Function and The Missionary--two droll, very low-keyed Michael Palin period pieces with a lot of chuckles.
Educating Rita, probably the best rom-com from the UK during that era with great performances from Michael Caine and Julie Walters.
Withnail and I, the cult classic.
And finally, my guilty pleasure, Morons from Outer Space. Stupid, but funny.
[ 30. June 2016, 18:44: Message edited by: Crash ]
Posted by Logan 5 (Member # 1467) on :
That's a good list! The British film industry had more or less died by the 80's with only a few independent producers making the occasional movie (George Harrison's Handmade Films was one of them).
I'll add 'Wilt' to the list... and maybe 'Restless Natives'.
Posted by Pyro (Member # 7658) on :
Good list of comedies provided there by Crash. Any or all of those are certainly worth a gander.
[ 30. June 2016, 19:34: Message edited by: Pyro ]
Posted by Johnny Roarke is reckless (Member # 9826) on :
Not comedy, but The Long Good Friday (1980) and Mona Lisa (1986), both starring the late Bob Hoskins, are superb !
Lots of cool cult flicks came out of the UK in the late 60s / early 70s such as Herostratus (1967), Privilege (1967), Here We Go Round The Mulberry Bush (1968), Permissive (1970), and Deep End (1970).. and if that still isn't "cult-ish" enough, the cinema of Jane Arden and Jack Bond was really pushing the boundaries !
But like Crash already mentioned, you just can't go wrong with Gregory's Girl (1981) and Withnail And I (1987). Posted by gordongecko (Member # 4685) on :
Thanks! I'm looking forward to trying to dive in to a few of these. I have seen a few Monty Python movies and I've seen a few parts of A Fish Called Wanda. Have always wanted to actually watch it someday. If there are more on peoples "must see" list, let me know.
Posted by the young warrior (Member # 9554) on :
Ignore Guest House Paradiso as that is not 1980s (saying that neither is Life Of Brian) though there both good fun all the same,but here's a few random picks of my shelf!
From these I especially love The Life Of Brian,The Company Of Wolves and Restless Natives but also find the Monster Club and The Rachel Papers to be very enjoyable and might I add slightly underatted!
Some really great mentions here with a fair few I've yet to see,i would love to watch Comfort And Joy and A Private Function,also The Missionary and Withnail And I and I've always been curious of Morons From Outer Space as it got ripped apart by the critics upon it's original release but has built up a much better reputation over the following years!
Also a couple of honourable mentions
Water (1985) - another that got slated but I quite enjoy.
Rita Sue And Bob Too (1987).
[ 01. July 2016, 14:06: Message edited by: the young warrior ]
![[Smile]](smile.gif)
![[Eek!]](eek.gif)
![[Wink]](wink.gif)
![[Cool]](cool.gif)
![[Big Grin]](biggrin.gif)
![[Razz]](tongue.gif)
![[Roll Eyes]](rolleyes.gif)
![[Confused]](confused.gif)
