100 or 101 Best Movies of the 1980s Survey

[merlinjones]

Raiders of the Lost Ark
Blade Runner
Risky Business
Amadeus
The Little Mermaid
This is Spinal Tap
The Meaning of Life
Back to the Future
The King of Comedy
Excalibur
Flash Gordon
Star Trek The Wrath of Khan
The Empire Strikes Back
Somewhere in Time
Superman II
Victor/Victoria
Splash!
Aliens
Ordinary People
Stand By Me
Hairspray
Pee Wee's Big Adventure
A Christmas Story
Ferris Beuller's Day Off
TRON
Poltergeist
Return to Oz
Xanadu
Back to the Beach
Top Gun
Clash of the Titans
9 to 5
ET

[thedaydreamer]

1. Come and See
2. The Breakfast Club
3. Raging Bull
4. Back to the Future
5. Scarface
6. Full Metal Jacket
7. The Empire Strikes Back
8. Back to the Future II
9. The Shining
10. The Karate Kid
11. My Neighbor Totoro
12. Die Hard
13. E.T.
14. Blade Runner
15. Runaway Train
16. My Life as a Dog
17. Rain Man
18. Good Morning, Vietnam
19. The Terminator
20. Stand by Me
21. An American Werewolf in London
22. A Nightmare on Elm Street
23. Ordinary People
24. Poltergeist
25. Field of Dreams

[AKORIS]

01-Aliens
02-The Thing
03-Robocop
04-The Untouchables
05-Planes, Trains, & Automobiles
06-The Shining
07-Fright Night
08-To Live And Die in LA
09-Body Heat
10-Thief
11-Trading Places
12-E.T.
13-Psycho II
14-48 Hrs.
15-Die Hard
16-The Verdict
17-Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade
18-Fast Times At Ridgemont High
19-The Empire Strikes Back
20-The Fog
21-Sudden Impact
22-For Your Eyes Only
23-An American Werewolf In London
24-Streets Of Fire
25-The Blues Brothers

[Member-1008445]

1.) Aliens (1986)
2.) Kagemusha (1980)
3.) Big Trouble in Little China (1986)
4.) Tron (1982)
5.) Back to the Future (1985)
6.) Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981)
7.) Star Wars Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back (1980)
8.) Blade Runner (1982)
9.) Thief (1981)
10.) The Road Warrior (1981)
11.) Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan (1982)
12.) Clash of the Titans (1981)
13.) Salvador (1986)
14.) Raging Bull (1980)
15.) Once Upon a Time in America (1984)
16.) Predator (1987)
17.) Lethal Weapon (1987)
18.) Wall Street (1987)
19.) Good Morning, Vietnam (1987)
20.) Highlander (1986)
21.) Greystoke, the Legend of Tarzan (1984)
22.) Radio Days (1987)
23.) History of the World, Part I (1981)
24.) Conan the Barbarian (1982)
25.) Stripes (1981)

[Damon1281]

1. Amadeus
2. Predator
3. The Terminator
4. They Live
5. The Thing
6. Top Secret!
7. Full Metal Jacket
8. Stand by Me
9. The Blues Brothers
10. This is Spinal Tap
11. Blade Runner
12. Pee-wee's Big Adventure
13. The Dead Zone
14. Body Heat
15. Pale Rider
16. Lethal Weapon
17. The Naked Gun
18. Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan
19. Airplane!
20. Raiders of the Lost Ark
21. Somewhere in Time
22. CaddyShack
23. Fright Night
24. The Princess Bride
25. The Lost Boys
26. Near Dark
27. The Fly
28. Jagged Edge
29. Clash of the Titans
30. Ordinary People

[Grethiwha]

1. Vampire's Kiss
2. Ran
3. Paris, Texas
4. Fanny and Alexander
5. Grave of the Fireflies
6. Star Wars: Episode VI - Return of the Jedi
7. Star Wars: Episode V - The Empire Strikes Back
8. Koyaanisqatsi
9. Blade Runner
10. Wings of Desire
11. Possession
12. The Shining
13. Kagemusha
14. Videodrome
15. Mishima: A Life in Four Chapters
16. The Crazy Family
17. Sailor Suit and Machine Gun
18. The Purple Rose of Cairo
19. The Fly
20. Crimes and Misdemeanors
21. Dead Ringers
22. Tetsuo: The Iron Man
23. The Boxer’s Omen
24. Virus
25. Das Boot

[Henrich]

Aliens 1986
Amadeus 1984
Au Revoir les Enfants 1987
Chariots of Fire 1981
Das Boot 1981
Dune 1984
Escape from New York 1981
First Blood 1982
Full Metal Jacket 1987
Hoosiers 1986
Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom 1984
Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade 1989
The Killer 1989
Legend 1985
Missing 1982
Ordinary People 1980
Platoon 1986
The Right Stuff 1983
The Road Warrior 1981
Robocop 1987
Star Trek The Wrath of Khan 1982
Star Trek The Voyage Home 1986
The Terminator 1984
To Live and Die in LA 1985
Wargames 1983

[stlcards]

1. The Empire Strikes Back
2. Return Of The Jedi
3. Batman
4. Die Hard
5. Lethal Weapon
6. Field Of Dreams
7. Indiana Jones And The Last Crusade
8. Raiders Of The Lost Ark
9. For Your Eyes Only
10. Back To The Future
11. Airplane!
12. Ghostbusters
13. National Lampoon's Vacation
14. Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home
15. Star Trek II: The Wrath Of Khan
16. Rocky IV
17. Top Gun
18. First Blood
19. Scarface
20. Robocop
21. Who Framed Roger Rabbit
22. Beverly Hills Cop
23. The Abyss
24. Wall Street
25. Ferris Bueller's Day Off

Honorable Mention:
Aliens
Back To The Future: Part II
The Untouchables
Never Say Never Again
National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation
The Naked Gun
Major League
The Karate Kid
Crocodile Dundee
Predator

[benbess]

reserved

[Whipsnade]

1. The Thing
2. First Blood
3. The Terminator
4. Mad Max 2
5. Tucker: The Man and His Dream
6. Broadcast News
7. Talk Radio
8. Runaway Train
9. The Dream Team
10. To Live and Die in L.A.
11. F/X
12. Stakeout
13. The Untouchables
14. Barfly
15. Die Hard
16. Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade
17. Coming to America
18. Blow Out
19. Cocktail
20. No Way Out
21. Licence to Kill
22. Raiders of the Lost Ark
23. Blade Runner
24. Road House
25. Stir Crazy

[SelwynMcGinty]

Originally Posted by Whipsnade

5. Tucker: The Man and His Dream

7. Talk Radio

10. To Live and Die in L.A.

14. Barfly

20. No Way Out

24. Road House

Cool choices!

[duggie walker]

1. BLADE RUNNER - the feeling of loneliness in sound and image
2. THE SHINING - funniest depiction of being a writer ever
3. RAIDERS OF THE LOST ARK - the bar for all Hollywood blockbusters
4. RAGING BULL - toxic masculinity, the movie
5. COME AND SEE - the most impactful war movie I've ever seen
6. BLUE VELVET - changed not just film but how we see the world
7. THE THING - how can such a horrific movie feel so comforting?
8. BACK TO THE FUTURE - synonymous with Summer, a "perfect" film
9. PLANES, TRAINS AND AUTOMOBILES - cruelty and heart, my xmas go-to
10. THE KING OF COMEDY - "is that cork?"

11. EXCALIBUR - F**k you, William Goldman
12. WITHNAIL AND I - poignancy smuggled under cover of hilarity
13. JEAN DE FLORETTE - needs Manon but Depardieu gives this the edge
14. VIOLENT COP - best slow car-chase ever
14. FLASH GORDON - rumour has it he's alive
15. THE TERMINATOR - a precision-tooled machine
16. SALVADOR - political cinema done right
17. ONCE UPON A TIME IN AMERICA - greatest last film ever made?
18. THE FLY - Cronenberg's best movie. Fight me.
19. INDIANA JONES AND THE TEMPLE OF DOOM - a hill I'll die on
20. BLOW OUT - the blackest of jokes
21. SUPERMAN II - Lester cut ftw
22. MAD MAX II: THE ROAD WARRIOR - the best of them
23. ALTERED STATES - goofy as hell but I love it so
24. THE ELEPHANT MAN - 'cos aren't we all Elephant Men?
25. ESCAPE FROM NEW YORK - because I'll watch this more than Amadeus

And very Honorable Mentions to:

AMADEUS - the pain of mediocrity
ANGST - more people need to see this, if only for the camerawork
EVIL DEAD - this was actually scary in its day
BETTY BLUE - my perfect girlfriend, pre-therapy
DAY OF THE DEAD - if only he'd stopped here
THE UNTOUCHABLES - another near-perfect narrative engine
SOUTHERN COMFORT - even the rednecks are scared of Cajun folk
DANGEROUS LIAISONS - damaged people damage people
DRESSED TO KILL - the work of a pervert (and I mean that in a good way)
AN AMERICAN WEREWOLF IN LONDON - such a unique blend
RETURN OF THE LIVING DEAD - funniest horror/comedy ever
FITZCARRALDO - they pulled a Ship. Over a Mountain.
HENRY PORTRAIT OF A SERIAL KILLER - still the most accurate
PARENTS - ever get the feeling your parents are weirdos?
THE HIT - a film about death and flamenco
POPEYE - that malformed kitten you nonetheless treasure
HOUSE OF GAMES - Mamet's best film
THE VANISHING - an ending so good you'll never watch it again]
THE STUNT MAN - all you need is one Great movie
NEAR DARK - quietly modernised the vampire genre
HOWARD'S END - not the chocolate box it looks like
HANNAH AND HER SISTERS - Starring Michael Caine as Woody Allen

[SelwynMcGinty]

Originally Posted by duggie walker

11. EXCALIBUR - F**k you, William Goldman

HANNAH AND HER SISTERS - Starring Michael Caine as Woody Allen
[/I]

Once again, absolutely enthralled with the pithy capsule reviews you've provided. Not with you on Temple of Doom, but I admire the moxie.

Afraid I don't know about the William Goldman reference and Excalibur, and I don't have time to investigate - was there some sort of problem with him and John Boorman & the film that I don't know about?

(btw, Excalibur is still a banger, in my book)

[duggie walker]

Originally Posted by SelwynMcGinty

Once again, absolutely enthralled with the pithy capsule reviews you've provided. Not with you on Temple of Doom, but I admire the moxie.

Afraid I don't know about the William Goldman reference and Excalibur, and I don't have time to investigate - was there some sort of problem with him and John Boorman & the film that I don't know about?

(btw, Excalibur is still a banger, in my book)

Goldman used it as an example of bad screenwriting in one of his books.

EDIT: I should have given LAST CRUSADE an honorable mention because I have come to really love it, but TOD is a bolder swing, imo. Still an almost perfect trilogy. If only they'd left it there...

[REPULSION-65]

1. Blade Runner (1982)
2. The Shining (1980)
3. Aliens (1986)
4. Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981)
5. The Fly (1986)
6. The Blues Brothers (1980)
7. Thief (1981)
8. The Vanishing (1988)
9. Videodrome (1983)
10. Raising Arizona (1987)

11. The Thing (1982)
12. The Terminator (1984)
13. Fortress (1985)
14. Paris, Texas (1984)
15. Body Heat (1981)
16. Blow Out (1981)
17. An American Werewolf in London (1981)
18. Scarface (1983)
19. Amadeus (1984)
20. Once Upon a Time in America (1984)

21. Raging Bull (1980)
22. Rain Man (1988)
23. The Hitcher (1986)
24. Hannah and Her Sisters (1986)
25. The Long Good Friday (1980)

[qb2333]

1. The Empire Strikes Back
2. The Shining
3. Amadeus
4. Raiders of the Lost Ark
5. The Road Warrior
6. Planes, Trains, And Automobiles
7. Raging Bull
8. Do the Right Thing
9. Back To The Future
10. Scarface
11. The Right Stuff
12. Raising Arizona
13. A Nightmare on Elm Street
14. Ran
15. First Blood
16. The Terminator
17. Wall Street
18. Das Boot
19. Ghostbusters
20. Die Hard
21. Time Bandits
22. Lethal Weapon
23. Blade Runner
24. The Fly
25. Beetlejuice

HM: Batman, Fast Times at Ridgemont High, Crimes and Misdemeanors, Lost in America, Hannah and Her Sisters, Who Framed Roger Rabbit, Midnight Run, The Untouchables, The Princess Bride, National Lampoon's Vacation, Full Metal Jacket, Gremlins, Blues Brothers, The Elephant Man, Aliens, This Is Spinal Tap, Blue Velvet, The Thing, Predator, Brazil, Evil Dead II: Dead By Dawn, Platoon, Robocop, They Live, Trading Places, Paris Texas, Diner, Thief, The King of Comedy, The Breakfast Club, E.T. the Extra Terrestrial, Akira, A Fish Called Wanda, Moonstruck, Little Shop of Horrors.

[principehomura]

01) The Purple Rose of Cairo (W. Allen, 1985)
02) The New World (E. Scola, 1980)
03) Zeilg (W. Allen, 1983)
04) Kagemusha (A. Kurosawa, 1980)
05) Ran (A. Kurosawa, 1985)
06) Heaven's Gate (M. Cimino, 1980)
07) Mickey's Christmas Carol (B. Mattinson, 1983)
08) Back to the Future (R. Zemeckis, 1985)
09) La Famiglia (E. Scola, 1987)
10) Running on Empty (S. Lumet, 1988)
11) The Little Mermaid (R. Clemens, J. Musker, 1989)
12) The Color of Money (M. Scorsese, 1986)
13) The Adventures of Baron Munchausen (T. Gilliam, 1988)
14) Blade Runner (R. Scott, 1982)
15) Amadeus (M. Forman, 1984)
16) Brazil (T. Gilliam, 1985)
17) Speriamo che sia Femmina (M. Monicelli, 1986)
18) Stardust Memories (W. Allen, 1980)
19) The Verdict (S. Lumet, 1982)
20) Crimes and Misdemeanors (W. Allen, 1988)
21) On Silver Globe ( A. Zulwaski, 1988)
22) Time Bandits (T. Gilliam, 1981)
23) Hannah and Her Sisters (W. Allen, 1986)
24) Prince of the City (S. Lumet, 1981)
25) Castle in the Sky (H. Miyazaki, 1986)