The ‘80s. From vintage music to bright fashion, this decade has been immortalized in its contribution to pop culture. One of the biggest contributions of the '80s in modern-day media is its iconic movies. Comedy, science fiction, and teen dramas are a few of the many genres provided by the vast selection of ‘80s movies. In celebration of decades past, here is a guide to the classic movies of the ‘80s.
The Teen Dramas
Arguably the most iconic of all genres of the ’80s movies, teen dramas center around teenagers and their adventurous attempts to understand concepts such as love, freedom, and individuality. Of course, The Breakfast Club, the coming-of-age classic about the high school athlete, brain, princess, and basket case enduring a criminal meeting in detention and realizing new and startling things about life and each other, falls into this category. Pretty in Pink, a rom-com about a love triangle between a financially struggling girl, her unpopular best friend, and a handsome “rich” boy, and The Karate Kid, the feel-good story of the underdog Daniel LaRusso as he learns karate, as well as Sixteen Candles, Footloose, and Dead Poets Society, are some other teen dramas.
You’ll be interested if... you particularly enjoy watching shows about teenagers’ experiences in high school and can handle a few dull moments, as long as every other part is exciting and the ending leaves you satisfied.
The Adventures
The most well-known of the adventure films of the ’80s are usually science fiction movies. The most notable of these include Back to the Future, perhaps the most iconic time-traveling film in cinematic history, and E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial, the still-famous Steven Spielberg classic about a little boy and the strange alien he befriends. Some others include the adventure-comedy The Goonies, the fantasy The NeverEnding Story, and the action Die Hard.
You’ll be interested if… you don’t mind graphics and animations inferior to those we have today. You just need a thrilling adventure that will send excited shivers down your spine.
The Horrors
While not quite as terrifying as those of the 21st century, the horror movies of the ’80s are still remembered and referenced until today. Perhaps the most prominent of these is The Shining, a psychological horror based on a Stephen King novel, which tells the story of a recovering alcoholic with anger management issues, his timid wife, and their young son, who has the ability to see into the past and the future, and their horrifying experience in the Overlook Hotel. Other famous horrors include Gremlins, Christine, Cujo, and Children of the Corn.
You’ll be interested if… you’re a hardened horror veteran interested in a new, refreshing side of all things scary. If you can’t bring yourself to watch horrors but would like to try it, you can try watching something a bit lighter, like Gremlins.
The Comedies
The ’80s saw the rise of teen comedies such as Ferris Bueller’s Day Off and Bill and Ted’s Excellent Adventure. Slapstick comedies, such as Airplane! and The Naked Gun, also were quite popular during this time. And of course, there are the classics: the supernatural comedy Ghostbusters and the black comedy Weekend at Bernie’s.
You’ll be interested if… you enjoy the feeling of happiness or exhilaration from all the laughs (but don’t worry; there’s nothing wrong with not liking a particular type of comedy).
The Celebrations of Nerdiness
Nerds, especially in the United States, aren’t exactly the most popular school clique. But these groundbreaking movies accept and even praise the main characters’ nerdiness. These include the science fiction comedies Weird Science, which is about two geeky best friends who create a perfect woman with infinite powers who tries to help them attain popularity, and Real Genius, which is about brilliant physics college students who are unwittingly helping a corrupt government agency by designing a laser that is intended to be used as a deadly illegal weapon. WarGames, a science fiction techno-thriller about a talented high school hacker who stumbles upon a complicated game-based system for thermonuclear war developed by the defense organization NORAD, is also a well-remembered nerd celebration.
You’ll be interested if… you enjoy the frenetic, intelligent, uptight, and geeky nature of nerds and/or are a nerd yourself (There’s absolutely no shame in admitting it).
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