Top 10 Horror Films of the 1980s May 7, 2007
Posted by Daniel Stephens in : Horror, Top 10s, Artfully Deranged, Genre, The Film Industry, Audience , 52 commentsWhere there is no imagination there is no horror.
Sir Arthur Conan Doyle
I vaguely remember my introduction to the horror film. My cousin was visiting, the curtains had been drawn on a sunny afternoon, and John Landis’ An American Werewolf In London had been placed in the VCR. I was seven years old. I recollect that evening, and for many nights consequently, I hardly slept. There was something under my bed, and there was even something in the closet, I knew it too well. Of course, it was easy to see since I’d cry bloody Mary if anyone tried to turn my light off. Could I keep my eyes open? It was becoming more difficult, all I could see were those green hills shrouded in the black cloak of night, and the warning: ‘Stay on the road. Keep clear of the moors,’ delivered in that Yorkshire twang. Bryan Glover’s short, controlled outburst – probably his unusual form of goodbye – ‘Beware the moon, lads.’ Then our hero David and best friend Jack are stranded. They’ve wandered off the path, there are no lights around, no one to help. They hear a sound, distant at first but growing louder. Could it be a dog, no, it sounds much bigger. Then the screams, the tearing of flesh, the quick cuts and extreme close-ups; we see a gun fire, all goes silent, and the darkness pervades.
I grew up as part of the video generation. Cinema was changing again – attendances were down and people were far happier watching videos or catching re-runs on television than they were venturing from the comfort of their own home. By the early 1990s, eighties babies were beginning to enjoy cinema beyond family movies, cartoons and the Wizard of Oz. In Britain, this audience - post-1984 Video Recordings Act - wanted to find their niche and what better place to start than the forsaken shelves of the video nasty. Bootleg, grainy copies of The Exorcist and The Texas Chainsaw Massacre tormented young minds, while the horror film cemented its place firmly in cult circles. This fervent popularity from both adults and teenagers for the horror film encouraged the industry (especially Hollywood) to produce some wonderfully surreal, engaging and stylish pieces of cinema. We saw the rampant emergence of the ‘Slasher’ movie from Wes Craven and Sean S. Cunningham, gore and special-effects from Tom Savini, the body horror of David Cronenberg, the dreams and nightmares of Clive Barker, the cross genre comedy-horror from John Landis, Tom Holland, and Dan O’Bannon. There was franchised sequels, villains-as-heroes, gothic homage, iconic theme music, lunch boxes, action figures and other cross-promotion. Indeed, the horror film was as much derided as it was loved. But the eighties produced some of the greatest examples of the genre following, and certainly inspired by, the fears and trend-setting new traditions of the new-age horror from the seventies.
The genre has failed for years to get recognition from a critical standpoint. Much of the recognition it did receive was negative – throughout the 1930s and 1940s, horror movies were thought to be harmful to society and many local authorities banned films they deemed unsuitable. During the 1950s, Hammer Studios used negative press and liberal scare tactics to promote their films, and it was as much the backlash from politicians and critics that helped cultivate underground following for the genre. However, by the late 1960s, there was a trend beginning in France that saw critics warming to the genre, and by the time Carlos Clarens and Ivan Butler’s books were released, there was a new feeling that looked at the films as serious art forms. Instead of lambasting horror movies as detrimental, even dangerous, to society, writers were beginning to look at the long literary traditions that had first inspired these films. And they also investigated the history and transformation of the genre since the first examples were seen in such German expressionism as Nosferatu and The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari. By the 1970s every critic who wanted a name for themselves had written about the horror movie, whether their point of view was positive, negative, or indifferent. Most importantly, horror had become a mainstream commodity with the obvious example being Steven Spielberg’s Jaws. It isn’t surprising that the seventies produced the best and most influential films of the genre (The Exorcist, Halloween, The Wicker Man, Dawn Of The Dead), with audiences, the art form, and the industry all benefiting from this budding type of film.
Yet, the eighties was a period not far behind the previous decade in terms of quality output. Certainly, the genre was much more diverse with self-reference, parody, and hybrids such as Kathryn Bigelow’s brilliant Near Dark, showing what could be done. On top of that you had some lovely original pieces of cinema with such films as Dan O’Bannon’s special-effects homage to Romero The Return of the Living Dead, Joel Schumacher’s coming-of-age vampire flick The Lost Boys, and beyond Hollywood with the Dutch/French production The Vanishing, and stylistic Italian director Dario Argento’s Tenebre and Inferno. Indeed, the vibrancy for the genre in the 1980s came from films which embraced and celebrated horror. Prime examples would be the self-referential Fright Night, gore-fest The Evil Dead, Peter Jackson’s Bad Taste, John Carpenter’s remake of The Thing, and Brian De Palma’s Hitchcock-inspired Dressed To Kill. It has been said the eighties was, much like very early film, the cinema of attractions. It pushed the boundaries of the medium to new frontiers, backed by Reagan’s forward-thinking plans. Director’s thought visually, and nothing held their creative minds back. It was the period where dreams and nightmares were displayed on screen more realistically than had ever been seen. In effect, there appeared no better time for horror (much like science-fiction during the same period) – with its otherworldly themes – to prosper on a grand scale. In a sense you’ve got to thank George Lucas because with Star Wars he reintroduced audiences to escapism, which had somewhat been lost during the dominance of social-issue and character studies of the seventies.
The genre, which would continue to diversify into the nineties (postmodernism in A New Nightmare in 1994, which led to Scream and the revitalisation of the Slasher film; and the digital video revolution and use of new media with Daniel Myrick and Eduardo Sanchez’s masterful manipulation of the audience with The Blair Witch Project), still retained a very distinct set of conventions that primarily challenged normality and distanced the real from the unreal. Reading many different theorists views about how the horror film works makes for wide reaching, and often, very politically motivated ideologies, but it’s interesting nonetheless. There’s a school that believes American horror is dominated by the struggles created by consumerism, patriarchal social relations, and family struggle, and that the location of the horror is in the home and our way of life. Others believe the monsters prevalent in horror films represent institutional fears, like the affect the church, government, or the police can have on breaking or changing familial tradition, while some writers look at the way the audience is manipulated through the aesthetics of the films by the way they play on the insecurities that defy rational explanation. There are also people such as Stephen Neale who believe the genre satisfies a fetish for violence and terror that is inherited by the society and cultural structure we live in, while feminist theorists argue the genre is dominated by misogyny and the ‘female’ as victim.
Whether you find yourself agreeing or disagreeing, the fact remains that the horror film is, and has been, a very popular genre for audiences. Despite its early critical backlash, the genre has been important as far back as the 1930s when Universal produced Dracula and Frankenstein amongst others, which were so well received by audiences, it enabled the company to become a major Hollywood studio. In the 1940s RKO created many films including Cat People, which pioneered a style which would be imitated by filmmakers for years to come. Instead of showing the monster, filmmakers used off-screen space, sound, lighting and deep shadows, character reaction, and the ambiguity of the audience’s imagination to produce stylish and emotionally impacting movies. Independent production prospered in the 1960s with the most influential film being George A. Romero’s Night Of The Living Dead, which led to a new respectability with Roman Polanski’s mesmerising Rosemary’s Baby, and the best film the genre ever created, William Friedkin’s terrifying The Exorcist.
For me, the best decade for horror was the 1980s and that’s why I present my top 10. Below, you’ll also find my Top five favourite moments:
10. Fright Night (Tom Holland, 1985, USA)
‘’Apparently your generation doesn’t want to see vampire killers anymore, nor vampires either. All they want to see slashers running around in ski masks, hacking up young virgins.'’
Top 10, why?: Tom Holland’s superb self-referential horror-comedy is both delightfully funny and darkly sadistic, wryly telling the story of a teenager who knows a Vampire has moved in next door but no one believes him. A standout performance from Roddy McDowell is the centre point of a film that simultaneously celebrates and parodies the genre. This unique film inspired a lot of the post-modern sentiment later seen in the 1990s.
Critic quote: ‘…it’s hard to get into this movie and not have a little fun…’ (Nadd Yapp)
External review: Absolute Horror
9. Hellraiser (Clive Barker, 1987, UK)
‘’We will tear your soul apart'’
Top 10, why?: The film embodies the idea of nightmares displayed on screen as Clive Barker creates a terrifying vision of hell on earth.
Critic Quote: ‘I have seen the future of the horror genre, and his name is Clive Barker.’ (Stephen King)
External Reviews: British Horror Films, Blog of the Rotting Dead
8. The Vanishing (George Sluizer, 1988, Holland)
‘’The only way to tell you, is to make you share the exact same experience'’
Top 10, why?: Sluizer’s film is about pacing and atmosphere. He plays with audience expectation (even telling us who the killer is half way through) and concludes the film with one of the best and most devastating conclusions to any horror film ever made.
Critic Quote: Sounds like an overworked premise for Alfred Hitchcock (The Lady Vanishes), Roman Polanski (Frantic), or Jonathan Mostow (Breakdown), but The Vanishing quickly veers into new and intriguing territories. (Matthew Kennedy)
External reviews: Bright Lights Film Journal, Combustible Celluloid
7. The Return Of The Living Dead (Dan O’Bannon, 1985, USA)
‘’Did you see that movie, “Night of the Living Dead”?'’
Top 10, why?: Dan O’Bannon’s homage to Romero is fun, pacy and full of great production design and prosthetic effects. The film was essentially fighting against Sam Raimi’s excellent sequel to The Evil Dead, but I decided to go with O’Bannon’s effort because it’s a more polished affair with several good performances.
Critic Quote: ‘It’s kind of a sensation-machine, made out of the usual ingredients, and the real question is whether it’s done with style. It is.’ (Roger Ebert)
External Reviews: Dr. Gore, Apollo Movie Guide, Club IGN
6. The Fly (David Cronenberg, 1986, USA)
‘’What am I working on? Uhh… I’m working on something that will change the world, and human life as we know it.'’
Top 10, why?: Anchored by a brilliant performance from Jeff Goldblum, director David Cronenberg continues his investigation into the renowned body-horror, as Goldbum’s Seth Brundle attempts metamorphosis but it all goes wrong when a house fly gets caught up in the machine. As Brundle struggles to find a cure to his problem, he falls deeper in love with Geena Davis’ concerned Veronica. When he learns that his body structure is becoming that of a fly, the fruits of his new powers soon challenge his own sanity, and his own survival. The Fly is one of several great horror films made in the eighties by Cronenberg but it stands out because it his most accessible, and probably most accomplished piece of work.
Critic Quote: ‘It’s hard to watch; not only because it takes a strong stomach to cope with the necessarily gruesome special effects but because the emotions depicted are so honest and direct that they eventually becomes overwhelming.’ (Mike Sutton)
External Reviews: Reel.com
5. Near Dark (Kathryn Bigelow, 1987, USA)
‘’We keep odd hours…'’
Top 10, why?: Near Dark has always fascinated me because it’s a horror film that only really works within the constraints of the genre based on the audiences expectation and understanding of the gothic, and of past vampire films. It’s almost a western love story, with the premise setting the scene for two star-crossed lovers from distinct families that cannot mix. It’s the Romeo and Juliet of the vampire world. The film features half the main cast from James Cameron’s Aliens, with Lance Henrikson, Bill Paxton, and Jenette Goldstein all working together again, and Paxton and Henrikson are superb in their roles as rogue bloodsuckers. This small-budget film was a given an awful marketing campaign that saw it fail at the box office, and also saw Joel Schumacher’s The Lost Boys become the remembered vampire film of 1987. However, Bigelow’s beautifully paced tale is a fantastic film because it was the most unique horror movie of the 1980s, and looked at the gothic story from a completely different point of view than had been seen before.
Critic Quote: ‘Near Dark is the best vampire movie you’ve never heard of…’ (Rod Armstrong)
External Reviews: My full review, Horror Movies.com, Alex Jackson, My New Plaid Pants (for an interesting take on the film), Grave Robber
4. A Nightmare On Elm Street (Wes Craven, 1984, USA)
‘’Whatever you do, don’t fall asleep.'’
Top 10, why?: It says a lot that this is the only teen slasher film to make the top ten. Wes Craven’s excellent film, much like Clive Barker’s Hellraiser, embodies the idea of a nightmare on screen. It’s also backed by a brilliant premise that has a killer who can only hurt you while you sleep. Fantastic!
Critic Quote: ‘A Nightmare on Elm Street is tailor made for those who like their gore leavened with thought-provoking ideas - something that is a rarity in this genre.’ (James Berardinelli)
External Reviews: Alex Jackson
3. An American Werewolf In London (John Landis, 1981, USA)
‘’A naked American man stole my balloons'’
Top 10, why?: John Landis’ 1981 classic was an easy choice for a top ten spot because it’s one of my all time favourite films. It’s also a horror film that Roger Ebert absolutely hates, which means it has to be one of the best films ever made. Not that I’m trying to have a dig at the renowned critic (I’ve used one of his quotes for Return Of The Living Dead), but I do believe he simply doesn’t get Landis’ film. He seems to believe horror and comedy have lived seamlessly for years, but not like this they haven’t. An American Werewolf In London is equally funny and frightening, and Landis is one of only a few directors to actually make it work. Ebert, while celebrating special-effects maestro Rick Baker’s work on the film, merely disassociates that quality for his overall appreciation of the film. Baker’s werewolf transformation was not only one of the most realistic special-effects ever to be put to celluloid at the time, but it was underpinned by Landis’ superb use of music (the brilliant irony of classic Blue Moon). It works so perfectly because it flirts between a line that doesn’t tell the audience to laugh or cry, and by breaking convention, the audience is left not knowing what might happen next. The sequence makes for the best werewolf transformation ever put on screen, and is one of the primary reasons the film has such a cult following and is regarded by horror fans as one of the best examples of the genre ever made.
Critic Quote: ‘…in the summer of 1981 came John Landis’ An American Werewolf in London, which has, in many ways, set the standard for the modern werewolf movie.’ (James Birardinelli)
External Reviews: DVD Times, Jeffrey Wachs, Chrissy Deberyshire, Darth Jamyz
2. The Thing (John Carpenter, 1982, USA)
‘’I dunno what the hell’s in there, but it’s weird and pissed off, whatever it is.'’
Top 10, why?: Much like The Fly, I’d have to question whether to put this in the horror or science-fiction category but essentially they are both horror movies at the most primitive level. The Thing was John Carpenter’s sixth major feature production, and for me, it’s a work that he has never surpassed before or since. He made many excellent movies within the genre through the eighties, but the sense of paranoia amongst his ensemble cast in The Thing makes for wonderful, suspenseful viewing. The blood test sequence in the middle of the film is one of the best scene’s in horror cinema ever put to celluloid.
Critic Quote: ‘John Carpenter may be better known for Halloween or Escape from New York, but The Thing is easily the famed horror director’s best film.’ (Evan Pulgino)
External Reviews: James Berardinelli
1. The Shining (Stanley Kubrick, 1980, USA)
‘’Here’s Johnny…!'’
Top 10, why?: This was an easy choice for number one. It’s Kubrick’s best film and one of the greatest films ever made, no matter what genre. What I love about the movie is that it gets better with every viewing, and I know the next time I watch it I’ll enjoy it more than the last.
Critic quote: ‘Stanley Kubrick doesn’t anything by halves. What this die-hard perfectionist has created, during the years of post-production work that went on while tucked away in a British film studio, are exemplary pieces of artistic refinement: 2001, A Space Odyssey was a masterpiece in science-fiction, Barry Lyndon set a new standard for historical epics and The Shining redefined the meaning of horror altogether.’ (Der Spiegel)
External Reviews: Alex Jackson, Chris Justice, Robert Castle
Round up
There’s obviously many great films that didn’t make my top ten, notably the Evil Dead’s, Dressed To Kill, The Lost Boys, Innocent Blood, The Howling, The Fog, Christine, Prince Of Darkness, a whole heap of teen slasher movies, Dead and Buried, Manhunter, Tenebre and other European independent films, Bad Taste, Cannibal Holocaust and a lot of exploitative filth, Critters, Gremlins (but I always enjoyed the sequel more), The Hitcher, Scanners, Re-animator, The Serpent and the Rainbow, Silver Bullet, Child’s Play, the list goes on.
I probably realised this before making my top ten, but it confirms that I don’t like sadistic horror films that set out to repulse the audience. You may notice that I’ve chosen mainly mainstream horror films. It’s all well and good making social comments like Wes Craven’s The Last House On The Left, but when a film becomes the director’s perverted wet dream, it isn’t fun anymore. For all that the horror genre does to its audience it should always be fun and entertaining, leaving the viewer with a feeling of adrenaline, not sickness. For that reason, I think the eighties produced some of the best films from the genre (and don’t get me wrong, it also produced some of the worst). They were and still are entertaining movies. The improvement of special-effects may date the films now but the nostalgic feeling of watching them again makes up for that.
Top Five Moments from 1980s Horror
1. An American Werewolf In London – The Transformation
David Kessler tries to keep himself occupied in Nurse Alex’s house when she leaves him to go to work. As night falls, and the full moon comes out, he feels a terrible pain in his chest. His skin begins to burn, and his bones begin to crack, as his body changes into that of a werewolf. The great thing director John Landis does here is to make the whole scene painful to watch and clearly painful for David. This isn’t the easy transformation that had been seen in cinema before. This was bones, and flesh, moulding and changing; it hurt. The scene is very realistic, and the prosthetic make-up effects look better than any CGI would today. Landis beautifully underpins the scene with the blues classic Blue Moon which is sadistically ironic.
2. The Thing – Blood Test
Working out that alien and human blood react to each other, the surviving group conduct a blood test to work out which, if any of them, are alien. Carpenter infuses the scene with paranoia, creating a level of suspense he hangs on to for several minutes as the scene plays out.
3. Evil Dead II – Ash battles his own hand
When Ash’s hand gets possessed, he’s forced to cut it off. However, after the gruelling dismemberment, the severed hand (clearly pissed off at such an action), comes after him in one of the great comedic horror moments.
4. The Vanishing – The final twist and devastating conclusion
The film leaves both the viewer and main character Rex in completely darkness over the fate of his girlfriend. Although, we meet the man who abducted her, we are still unsure whether she is dead or alive. When Rex agrees to take a sleeping pill in order to find out what really happened, he awakens to have all his questions answered. This is one of the best endings to any horror film from the eighties. It’s both devastatingly affecting and cruelly ironic.
5. The Hitcher – They thought it was all over…it wasn’t.
The audience, and the characters, are left thinking the terror might be all over…but it isn’t. Jim leaves his hotel room to find Nash (the girl he had fallen for over the course of the film) tied between a truck and its trailer. If the police shoot the driver, his foot will leave the clutch and the truck will roll forward, ripping Nash in half. In order to save her, Jim gets into the truck with the driver to talk him out of it. He doesn’t succeed.
FURTHER READING:
Inside Out: Body Horror, Films of the 1980s
Final Girls and Terrible Youth: Transgression in 1980s Slasher Horror
Everything I need to know, I learned from 1980s Horror Films
Top 10 Coming of Age films from the 1980s February 3, 2007
Posted by Daniel Stephens in : Top 10s , 11 commentsThe ‘coming of age’ movie is a bit ambiguous. There’s a tendency to link the sub-genre to films about kids, so Dustin Hoffman in The Graduate, and Jeff Daniels in Jonathan Demme’s Something Wild, and Mark Hamill as Luke Skywalker in Star Wars seemingly came of age too late in life. It appears there’s a timeframe on the coming of age movie that sits somewhere between childhood and adulthood before, as protagonists grow into their twenties, the film fuses itself with other sub-genres like the yuppie-in-peril or social problem movie or even fairytale science-fiction. In effect, the coming of age movie is an offshoot of the teen film, a group of films that began by defining a generation back in the 1950s as youth culture found its niche at drive-in movie theatres and fast food outlets. But, like those films, the coming of age movie has no problem relaying its limited conventions on to any number of genres, which is probably where the ambiguity comes from in the first place.
So, it’s time to introduce my top 10 coming of age films from the 1980s. I decided to concentrate on this decade because I’ve seen most of what the genre has to offer during the period, and it was a particularly good few years for iconic and memorable coming of age movies.
Thinking of convention for a second, the most obvious would be the teenage protagonist or protagonists. A ‘rites of passage’ narrative usually fuels the film where the goal of the main character is to prove himself/herself (although, certainly within the 1980s, the main character was usually male) and in many cases get the girl (for example, the kids in Stand By Me and The Goonies are forced to prove their bravery, while the likes of The Sure Thing, Better Off Dead, and Weird Science concern themselves with getting the girl).
Authority figures play a major role in that they are usually looked upon with disdain – whether that be teachers (in Ferris Bueller’s Day Off, Ferris and his headmaster continuously battle for supremacy; and in The Breakfast Club the students in detention enjoy playing practical jokes on the teacher), parents (in Say Anything Lloyd Dobler has to overcome the strict father of the girl he loves), older siblings (in Stand By Me, the four young kids are forced to deal with the bullying nature of their older brothers and their older friends; in The Goonies, the younger kids tie up Mikey’s older brother so that they can go exploring) etc.
Often the main character is looking for individuality and direction against powers that continually stifle him/her (in Better Off Dead it’s Lane’s ex-girlfriend and his own jealousy that he must overcome). These are exampled by the genre’s well-rooted themes such as alienation and peer pressure, rebellion, conflicts with parents, and finding love. Also, the films themselves are dominated by stereotypes such as the intelligent, hard-working student, more commonly known as the ‘geek’, and other such character definitions straight out of high school common rooms, fabulously example in John Hughes’ The Breakfast Club where he placed a jock, a princess, a geek, a goth/loner, and a bully/criminal in detention together.
Of course, when compiling the list, I came across a few problems – for example, Back To The Future (a film certainly worthy of a place) doesn’t make it on the list even though another science-fiction-based film (Weird Science) does, is because I felt Robert Zemeckis’ time-travelling teen movie already has been covered with praise and perhaps defines itself more appropriately elsewhere (indeed, is the film about teenager Marty, aging scientist Doc Brown, or Marty’s parents?). So we end up having, amongst others, a swashbuckling adventure coming of age movie, a Frankenstein-inspired sci-fi/comedy coming of age movie, and an amusing ensemble.
Top 10 Coming of Age Movies:
1) Stand By Me (1986, Rob Reiner) – Based on Stephen King’s story The Body, Rob Reiner’s fantastic tale of four kids who just have to see a dead body with their own two eyes, is a brilliant example of childhood whimsy and undying friendship.
Memorable Moment: Gordie, Vern, Chris and Teddy take a dip in a leech infested swamp.
Memorable Quote: ‘…while you guys are dragging your candy asses across the state and back, I’ll be waiting for you on the other side relaxing with my thoughts.’
Memorable Song Ben E. King – ‘Stand By Me’
Further Reading: (My DVD Times review) (IMDB)
2) The Breakfast Club (1986, John Hughes) – The quintessential teen movie of the 1980s and John Hughes’ best film.
Memorable Moment: The group get chased round the school by Principle Vernon.
Memorable Quote: ‘We’re all pretty bizarre. Some of us are just better at hiding it, that’s all.’
Memorable Song Simple Minds – ‘Don’t You (Forget About Me)
Further Reading: (Entertainment Weekly’s No. 1 High School movie) (DVD Times Brat Pack review) (IMDB)
3) The Goonies (1985, Richard Donner) – Adventure, comedy, pirates, battleships, buried treasure, bad guys, a monster, and Corey Feldman – what more needs to be said.
Memorable Moment: There are so many but Mikey’s homemade gate-opening device stands out, if only because he makes chubby character Chunk do the infamous Truffle Shuffle.
Memorable Quote: ‘…more amazing than the time Michael Jackson come over to your house to use the bathroom?’
Memorable Song: Cyndi Lauper – ‘Good Enough’
Further Reading: (My DVD Times review) (IMDB)
4) Say Anything (1989, Cameron Crowe) – Cameron Crowe went one better than Fast Times by writing and directing Say Anything. He gets a strong performance out of John Cusack, as the film just beats The Sure Thing for the best boy-meets-girl coming of age movie.
Memorable Moment: Lloyd stands outside Diana Court’s house with his Boombox playing her ‘In Your Eyes’ by Peter Gabriel.
Memorable Quote: ‘I don’t want to sell anything, buy anything, or process anything as a career. I don’t want to sell anything bought or processed, or buy anything sold or processed, or process anything sold, bought, or processed, or repair anything sold, bought, or processed. You know, as a career, I don’t want to do that.’
Memorable Song Peter Gabriel – ‘In Your Eyes’
Further Reading: (DVD Times review) (IMDB)
5) Better Off Dead (1985, Savage Steve Holland) – Holland brings his own brand of humour to the most original film on the list.
Memorable Moment: After Beth breaks up with Lane, he decides to commit suicide but changes his mind when he realises he’s never been to New York. As he tries to untie the rope around his neck, his mother, who is vacuuming the floor, opens the door behind him, knocking Lane off the ledge that supports him. He hangs there desperately trying to find his next breath as his mother, totally unknowingly, continues to vacuum the hallway.
Memorable Quote: ‘My little brother got his arm stuck in the microwave. So my mom had to take him to the hospital. My grandma dropped acid this morning, and she freaked out. She hijacked a busload of penguins. So it’s sort of a family crisis.’
Memorable Song Neil Sedaka – ‘Breakin’ Up Is Hard To Do’
Further Reading: (IMDB)
6) The Sure Thing (1985, Rob Reiner) – Director Rob Reiner has a keen eye for the art of character arcs, exampled in the fact he has two films on this list and by his great body of work. For instance, there aren’t many directors to rival Woody Allen’s shrewd human observation but Reiner accomplished it with When Harry Met Sally and again here.
Memorable Moment: When Daphne hitchhikes a ride with a dirty old man, Gib secretly follows. When the old man makes an inappropriate gesture to Daphne, Gib jumps out and pretends to be a escaped mental patient, saving the day.
Memorable Quote: ‘I’m not going to bed with you, I’m going to bed in a bed you happen to be in also.’
Memorable Song Rod Stewart – ‘Infatuation’
Further Reading: (IMDB)
7) Ferris Bueller’s Day Off (1986, John Hughes) – Matthew Broderick provides an iconic performance as renegade teen Ferris Bueller.
Memorable Moment: When Alan Ruck’s character Cameron, who lent Ferris his father’s prized Ferrari, sees the car accidentally drive out of the garage and into a thirty foot drop, smashing it to pieces.
Memorable Quote: ‘Life moves pretty fast. If you don’t stop and look around once in awhile, you could miss it.’
Memorable Song Wayne Newton – ‘Danke Shoen’
Further Reading: (DVD Times review) (IMDB)
8) Weird Science (1985, John Hughes) – One of John Hughes most enjoyable films, where two losers who can’t get the girls of their dreams, concoct an ingenious plan.
Memorable Moment: Kelly LeBrock’s entrance from the smoky bathroom.
Memorable Quote: ‘We’ll throw a huge party. I mean huge party! Everybody’s invited. Women everywhere. All these girls, they’re all there. Naked bodies everywhere. They all know my name.’
Memorable Song Oingo Bongo – ‘Weird Science’
Further Reading (IMDB)
9) Fast Times At Ridgemont High (1982, Amy Heckerling) – Memorable for Sean Penn’s stoner surf dude (clearly the inspiration for the characters in Bill and Ted’s Excellent Adventure, and Wayne’s World), Fast Times is an authentic look (thanks largely to Cameron Crowe’s script) at high school teenagers as they explore relationships, love, sex, and the mall.
Memorable Moment: Judge Reinhold’s Brad looks out his window and sees Phoebe Cates’ Linda sitting by the swimming pool with nothing but a bathing suit on. Five minutes later, she walks into bathroom only to find him masturbating over her.
Memorable Quote: ‘We can’t even get cable TV here, Stacy, and you want romance.’
Memorable Song Jackson Browne – ‘Somebody’s Baby’
Further Reading (DVD Times review) (IMDB)
10) Class (1983, Lewis John Carlino) – The film has an interesting take on the ‘first love’ angle as the protagonist falls for his best friend’s mother.
Memorable Moment: The students think there might be a drugs raid on the campus so frantically do anything and everything to get rid of their weed.
Memorable Quote: ‘Jonathan, until you get laid none of us are safe!’
Memorable Song Toymuzic – ‘Overnite’
Further Reading (My DVD Times review) (IMDB)
1980’s Coming of Age genre facts:
Key Directors: John Hughes, Amy Heckerling, Rob Reiner, Cameron Crowe, Savage Steve Holland, Howard Deutch, Joel Schumacher.
Key Actors: Anthony Micheal Hall, Molly Ringwald, John Cusack, Andrew McCarthy, Matthew Broderick, Alan Ruck, Emilio Estevez, Rob Lowe, Demi Moore, Judd Nelson, Ally Sheedy.
Key terms: ‘Brat Pack’ – the name generally associated with the group of young actors that played parts in many of the teen films during the decade.
Other films worth seeing: Sixteen Candles (1984, John Hughes), Pretty In Pink (1985, Howard Deutch), St. Elmo’s Fire (1985, Joel Schumacher), Some Kind Of Wonderful (1987, Howard Deutch), The Lost Boys (1987, Joel Schumacher), Hot Pursuit (1987, Steven Lisberger), One Crazy Summer (1986, Savage Steve Holland), 18 Again (1988, Paul Flaherty), Adventures in Babysitting (1987, Chris Columbus), Heathers (1989, Michael Lehmann), The Last American Virgin (1982, Boaz Davidson), License To Drive (1988, Greg Beeman), Real Genius (1985, Martha Coolidge), Revenge Of The Nerds (1984, Jeff Kanew), Three O’Clock High (1987, Phil Joanou), Welcome To 18 (1986, Terry Carr).