LoC 66 Top 50 80s Movies

[Johnny Unusual]

Predator

Apologies for the poor quality.

<a href="http://www.youtube.com/v/XUuZ-bA_TEs" target="_blank" class="new_win">http://www.youtube.com/v/XUuZ-bA_TEs</a>

[Johnny Unusual]

Caddyshack

<a href="http://www.youtube.com/v/zbQTXFJL8lo" target="_blank" class="new_win">http://www.youtube.com/v/zbQTXFJL8lo</a>

[Nunyerbiz]

Yeah I haven't seen Platoon either, but it's been on my to do list for a while. Oliver Stone movies can be hit (Wall Street, JFK) or miss (Natural Born Killers, The Doors) for me, but I have faith in that one. Born on the Fourth of July is one that I really need to see too.

I'm with you on Stone movies... I saw Platoon again a few years back and I didn't think it aged particularly well... For lack of a better word, it gets a bit hokey by the end. It's a worthy watch, but probably won't change your opinion on Oliver Stone.

I didn't make a list for this one... started to poke around and research but I think I got distracted by photoshopping chocolate covered bananas and never recovered. Either way, I probably would have totally missed Planes, Trains and Automobiles... a great movie that I was pretty sure had been released in the early/mid 90s until seeing it here.

[Johnny Unusual]

UHF

<a href="http://movieclips.com/e/BvLc/0/93.63" target="_blank" class="new_win">http://movieclips.com/e/BvLc/0/93.63</a>

There.  Caught up.

[Darth Geek]

33c. Top Secret!

(49 points, 3 lists of 24, highest ranking: #4 Compound)
Release date: June 8 1984

Directed by: Jim Abrahams, David Zucker, Jerry Zucker

From IMDB: Parody of WWII spy movies in which an American rock and roll singer becomes involved in a Resistance plot to rescue a scientist imprisoned in East Germany.

My take:
Never send a musician to do a 007's job.

What have we learned?
 Coolness supercedes the laws of physics.
 The fourth wall is broken so much, all the king's horses and all the king's men can't put Linkara back together again.
 It's really hard to find parody videos of a movie like this.

<a href="http://www.youtube.com/v/vGAHPhe2Ulo" target="_blank" class="new_win">http://www.youtube.com/v/vGAHPhe2Ulo</a>

Remake: Anybody except Friedberg and Seltzer. If they did it, they'd probably have it star Justin Beiber.
Ok, ok. I think it should star Joseph Gordon-Levitt, directed by John Gulager (but he can't write it).

[Darth Geek]

33b. They Live

(49 points, 4 lists of 24, highest ranking: #2 gojikranz)
Release date: November 4 1988


Directed by: John Carpenter

From IMDB: A drifter discovers a pair of sunglasses that allow him to wake up to the fact that aliens have taken over the Earth.

My take:
A sharp satire of American social classes and consumerism. Now available on BluRay for $22.45!http://www.amazon.com/They-Live-Collectors-Edition-Blu-ray/dp/B008VF0Y0M

What have we learned?
 To put on the glasses.
 I'm pretty sure Roddy Piper never actually has any bubblegum, and just uses it as an excuse for random bouts of violence.
 Rich people are job creato- I mean aliens.
 Aliens are controlling us through subliminal messages

 

(Unfortuantely I couldn't find a version without shitty music added)

<a href="http://www.youtube.com/v/cWk6RgQbPVc" target="_blank" class="new_win">http://www.youtube.com/v/cWk6RgQbPVc</a>


Remake: I'd like to see John Favreau direct and star in this.

[Darth Geek]

33a. American Werewolf in London

(49 points, 3 lists of 24, highest ranking: #1 Darth Geek)
Release date: August 21 1981


Directed by: John Landis

From IMDB: Two American tourists in Britain are attacked by a werewolf that none of the locals will admit exists.

My take:
One of the definative werewolf movies, and THE definative werewolf transformation scenes. Seriously, it still hasn't been topped in 30 years! It says a lot about how much I love this movie that a) it is #1 on my list, and b) I like it so much better than even a Joe Dante movie!


What have we learned?
 The Slaughtered Lamb is not a tourist attraction for some reason.
 Sigourney Weaver's character in Abduction got her idea for camaflauge from this movie.
 Rick Baker is AWESOME!
 English nurses are VERY accomodating.
 Nazi werewolves. Just...Nazi werewolves.
 Talking to dead people is boring.

http://youtu.be/vVNhSepP6rg

<a href="http://www.youtube.com/v/oH3WWZT7MzE" target="_blank" class="new_win">http://www.youtube.com/v/oH3WWZT7MzE</a>


Remake: I think it would HAVE to be Edgar Wright. Anton Yelchin as David, and Jonah Hill as Jack.

[Darth Geek]

32b. Pee-wee's Big Adventure

(51 points, 4 lists of 24, highest ranking: #1 Smoky)
Release date: July 26 1985


Directed by: Tim Burton

From IMDB: Eccentric man-child Pee-Wee Herman embarks on the big adventure of his life across the US mainland, as he sets out to find his beloved bike, when it is stolen in broad daylight.

My take:
Woody Woodpecker possesses a life sized ventriloquist doll, and goes around the country scaring people.

What have we learned?
 For some reason, Hot Topic doesn't carry a lot of Pee Wee merchandise.
 Bikes before broads.
 Large Marge is apparently an alien who helped Wierd Al buy a TV station.

<a href="http://www.youtube.com/v/kHFnc_eV4Lg" target="_blank" class="new_win">http://www.youtube.com/v/kHFnc_eV4Lg</a>

Remake: Ironically, I think Tim Burton has swung around back into somewhat normalcy that he could do this again.

[D.B. Barnes]

Obligatory.

<a href="http://www.youtube.com/v/zcvgst8qQfI?version=3&amp;amp;hl=en_US" target="_blank" class="new_win">http://www.youtube.com/v/zcvgst8qQfI?version=3&amp;amp;hl=en_US</a>

Dat fist.

[Darth Geek]

32a. Heathers

(51 points, 3 lists of 24, highest ranking: #1 Sicgirl)
Release date: March 31 1989


Directed by: Michael Lehmann

From IMDB: A girl who half-heartedly tries to be part of the "in crowd" of her school meets a rebel who teaches her a more devious way to play social politics.

My take:
Before she moved and got help from the ghost with the most, Winona Ryder was really messed up. She is attracted to boys with guns and terrorist tendancies. And she has to deal with the bitchy chicks at school who all have the same name. I think it's Marklar.

What have we learned?
 There was no such thing as too many high school drama comedies in the 80s.
 Comedies were a bit different before the Columbine massacre.
 Kids are dumb enough to beleive that there were "nonfatal" bullets in WORLD WAR 2!

<a href="http://www.youtube.com/v/XIKhIl4pTQA" target="_blank" class="new_win">http://www.youtube.com/v/XIKhIl4pTQA</a>

Remake: Make it High School Musical 4, and have Jason actually blow up the whole school.

[Darth Geek]

31. Clue

(53 points, 5 lists of 24, highest ranking: #2 Sicgirl)
Release date: December 13 1985


Directed by: Jonathan Lynn

From IMDB: Six guests are invited to a strange house and must cooperate with the staff to solve a murder mystery.

My take:
Holy shit, somebody actually made an adaptation of a board game, and it's GOOD?! Not just good, but great! And funny. I don't think even the Ouija board could have predicted that.

What have we learned?
 I miss Madeline Kahn.
 Tim Curry is AWESOME!
 For some reason, the dogshit on Wadworth's shoe didn't become a plotpoint like I thought it would.
 Everyone is guilty. Best to nuke the house from orbit, only way to be sure.

<a href="http://www.youtube.com/v/4FNf2OICHqE" target="_blank" class="new_win">http://www.youtube.com/v/4FNf2OICHqE</a>

Remake: Have Jay Chandrasekhar (of Broken Lizard) direct. Have it star a few of the Broken Lizard people, and a few of Adam McKay's group.

[Darth Geek]

30. The Terminator

(54 points, 4 lists of 24, highest ranking: #4 Tyrant)
Release date: October 26 1984


Directed by: James Cameron

From IMDB: A cyborg is sent back in time, by the sinister computer network Skynet, to murder a woman who will one day give birth to the leader of the militia destined to end the coming robo-apocalypse.

My take:
Even before they invited us to bite their shiny metal ass, robots were cool. And none more cool that the coldhearted killer of box-office, James Cameron. Until he went underwater and his circuits shorted out.
A time travel breeding experiment, possibly suggested by Doc Brown.

What have we learned?
 We haven't learned why people cry, yet.
 A killing machine designed for infiltration will be made to look like a giant Austrian moviestar. You know, that guy from Jingle All The Way.
 A killing machine will not be designed with guns as part of it's endoskeleton.
 The time machine was invented by a pervert.

<a href="http://www.youtube.com/v/Qnq7N6X4x84" target="_blank" class="new_win">http://www.youtube.com/v/Qnq7N6X4x84</a>


Remake: I would have Patrick Lussier (Drive Angry) direct. Starring Tom Hardy as the Terminator, and Jennifer Garner as Sarah Conner.

[Darth Geek]

29. E.T.

(55 points, 4 lists of 24, highest ranking: #5 Mrs. Dick Courier, Johnny Unusual)
Release date: June 11 1982


Directed by: Steven Spielberg

From IMDB: A meek and alienated little boy finds a stranded extraterrestrial. He has to find the courage to defy the authorities to help the alien return to its home planet.

My take:
The most heartwarming tale of a young boy and his hideous wrinkled old friend that gets him drunk, high, fingers him, takes him out into the woods at all hours of the night, and nearly kills him.

What have we learned?
 In the 80s you could like both football AND Star Wars.
 In the 80s, you could be a skinny kids with hillbilly teeth and still be on the football team.
 The FBI uses astronaut spacesuits to enter homes on earth.
 How to fake being sick to get out of school. Thanks Speilberg!
 Drunkenness is funny, even by a ten year old.
 Alcoholism is transmissable through telepathy.
 Advanced alien civilization will have evolved to have their vital organs light up when predators are around.

Hey, it's been riffed! By Cinester Theater:
http://www.rifftrax.com/iriffs/cinester-theater/cinester-theater-presents-et-extraterrestrial


<a href="http://www.youtube.com/v/Pj5uD8nFguU" target="_blank" class="new_win">http://www.youtube.com/v/Pj5uD8nFguU</a>


Remake: Make it a TV show. Have him living with the family, it'll be hilarious. Maybe give it a bit of an edge, make him like to eat cats or something.

[Darth Geek]

28b. The Breakfast Club

(58 points, 5 lists of 24, highest ranking: #7 Zombie Monty)
Release date: February 7 1985


Directed by: John Hughes

From IMDB: Five high school students, all different stereotypes, meet in detention, where they pour their hearts out to each other, and discover how they have a lot more in common than they thought.

My take:
This is what happens when a bunch of cliche teenagers are put together and there is no booze or psycho maniac to kill them in cool creative ways. Yawn.

What have we learned?
 Teenagers are all the same. They just don't know it.
 Despite there being a character named Bender, this is not funny animated sci-fi. I am pretty sure Molly Ringwald is a robot, though.
 Despite the one room setup, this is not based on a play.

http://youtu.be/pGCbF0YvOlY

Remake: Make it a horror movie, set in a cabin, with Jason Vorhees.
And then get Hor-Riff-ic Productions to riff it.

[ScottotD]

Aw man, I missed Pee-wee's Big Adventure, They Live, Heathers and Top Secret! too! *grumble grumble*

Nice work everyone!