Okay this was prompted by Earth Angel's analysis to Savannah's 80s presentation post. Of all of the themes that were explored during the 80s which would you have to say was your favorite.
Some examples would obviously be the teen flicks that dealt with kids dealing with life from different sides of the tracks. Teen love, drama, and romance. Best picks for this category would have to be Sixteen Candles, The Breakfast Club, St. Elmo's Fire (okay thats college), Pretty in Pink, For Keeps, Secret Admirerer, Porky's 1-3, .... there are plenty more.
What about all of the action flicks that originated during the 80s? Die Hard series, Arnold Schwarzenegger's flicks, Stallone, Eastwood. What was so unique about this kind genre during the 80s. My guess would have to be that the visual and special effects looked real. They are so far off that it isn't even believeable in today's films.
What about some hardcore drama. Terms of Endearment, Sophie's Choice, Out of Africa, The Color Purple, .... once again just to name a few. What was so unique about them. Is the acting better then than it is today. What makes the dramas of the 80s stand out so much.
Lastly, let's look at the comedy. This could also pertain to a lot of the teen flicks that we think of like Sixteen Candles. But what about the comedies of Chevy Chase, Bill Murray, John Candy, Martin Short, or Eddie Murphy? These comic genius's saw their brightest time of their careers during this decade. Okay--maybe not all true about Bill Murray, he was awesome in the 90s as well.
This is just something that I thought was interesting to bring up, any input that you all give would be greatly appreciated.
Posted by TheHornedKing (Member # 2691) on :
"Kids going on adventures" is the coolest theme, for me.
Goonies, E.T., The Lost Boys, Stand By Me, The Black Cauldron, IT, The Neverending Story, Gremlins, Beetlejuice. . .
Whenever I see one of these, it takes me back, and I can remember the friends & family who watched it with me.
Posted by jlp937 (Member # 1877) on :
Oh yes that is a whole nother topic!!! Good one Horned King!
Posted by Bionic Bigfoot (Member # 2490) on :
Action & Sci-Fi were my bag in the '80s. Still are!
Posted by Earth Angel (Member # 3301) on :
All the kids adventure films eg goonies, flight of the navigator back to the future and even karate kid (not really adventure but...come on, you all know you went around after pretending that you could do karate) etc....make me feel like a kid again, coz I can remember being able to imagine that I could have adventures like that.......but obviously all the teen angst movies that I was too young to relate to in the 80's have since become favourites...for being an insight in to an era, that I was part of but too young to enjoy this aspect of.
Posted by Ronnie (Member # 465) on :
my pick would be romantic comedies. even though i love horror films and regular comedy, the romantic stuff "spoke" to me more. movies like valley girl (the romeo & juliet plot), private school, fire with fire, some kind of wonderful... all those movies where you wanna see the boy and girl together in the end, plus all the laughs.
Posted by Jessie the Sunflower Goddess (Member # 1877) on :
What do you think about the Sci-Fiction of today versus sci-fi of the 80s?? Do you think that the stories were more real during the 80s and things are clouded to much in todays films with all of the advanced technology in them?
Posted by Brode (Member # 3732) on :
Stories in Scifi nowadays are no more brilliant and no more stupid than it was in the 80s. For every Close Encounters, there is a Spacecamp. Today, for every Matrix, there is a Day After Tomorrow.
As for why 80s action was so popular, it has to do with politics. Most 80s action movies follow closely with Reagan's philosophies, there are a few rules you will find in most every 80s action movie: Foreigners are not to be trusted, gun control doesn't work, law enforcement doesn't work (think of all the "YOU'RE A LOOSE CANNON!" sequences there were in the 80s).
I'd talk more, but I just broke my keyboard by spilling Alphabits on it.
Posted by kat27 (Member # 3979) on :
This is a really hard question! All of them? Probably movies about people triumphing over events or life or whatever. Sometimes this was really basic (working girl, 9 to 5, secret of my success) and sometimes this was way more complex (Out of Africa - I LOVE THIS MOVIE BY THE WAY, Less than Zero, even 1984). I was also a massive sucker for the girl/guy from the wrong side of the tracks movie (GJWHF, Outsiders, Pretty in Pink, Breakfast Club, Licence to Drive, etc.) Wow, Jessie, cool but tough question! Love it!
Posted by kat27 (Member # 3979) on :
Also, Brode, totally agree with your take on the Reagan era. But I have to confess that I did love spacecamp when I was kid - yeah I know it was bad but it was kind of fun!
Posted by Valley (Member # 1322) on :
I tried to respond to this post, but my love of 80's movies is so wide spread...I can't just fit my favorites into one genre. I was leaning toward romantic comedies like Valley Girl & Can't Buy Me Love, but then dance movies like Breakin' & Footloose or movies like Goonies, April Fool's Day, Terminator, Night of The Comet popped in my head. No other way to say it, I enjoy all movies and it depends on my mood which kind I'm watching tonight. Posted by CT..thesonofscarface (Member # 2903) on :
HELLO......Everybody!!!
Good Question/Topic JESSIE. It would have to be..."Teen-Comedy"
Films like-- Fast Times At Ridgemont High[/B] [B]Ferris Bueller's Day OffThe Heavenly KidJust One Of The GuysThe Last American VirginSecret AdmirerSixteen Candles etc.
These films kinda reminds me of my "Wild & Crazy" Times in High School....Smoking in the bathroom,Cutting Class to hang out in the CITY like Ferris,SEX!,Party's,Friends useing DRUGS. All the Teen Angst that went on in these films i can relate too!!!
Posted by The Horned King (Member # 2691) on :
Evil ventriloquist dummies and puppets movies ! ! ! Bwa ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha h aha h ah ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha haha ah aha h aha ha ! ! !
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