When you look back and remember all the great 80's movies it's hard not to think about the big blockbusters of the decade: Jaws, Indiana Jones, Star Wars and E.T. just to name a few. But what about those not so classic, yet inspiring examples of great movie making that can only be remembered by the most quirky and eclectic movie buff. You know the type, the person who knows what song was playing when Jake Ryan kissed Samantha in the last scene of Sixteen Candles. Well, this list below was made just for you ...Top 10 - 80's movies that you never saw or barely remember:
10. Blame it on Rio - 1984 - Starring Demi Moore and Michael Caine - Okay, don't expect to see Demi Moore naked in her debut, but this movie has some sexy scenes all filmed in Rio De Janerio. Michael Caine having a midlife crisis and sleeping with his best friend's teenage daughter (she was 18) still makes this movie a bit creepy, but fairly funny at times.
9. Losin It - 1983 - Starring Tom Cruise and Shelley Long - You probably won't hear Tom Cruise mentioning this movie when talking about his 25 years in film. Made after "Taps" and before the "Outsiders", this was Cruise's second film which tells the story of 4 teenagers on a trip to Tijuana, Mexico - you will have to watch this movie to see how Shelley Long gets into the mix. Did she ever make another movie? I guess she was too busy making "Cheers" afterwards.
8. Fright Night - 1985 - Starring William Ragsdale and Roddy McDowall - A great horror-comedy film that tells the whole Dracula story with a very clever and well written script. The special effects were very good for the time and Roddy McDowall is fabulous in his role. If you like Vampire movies - you really can't miss this semi classic.
7. Fraternity Vacation - 1985 - Starring Tim Robbins and Stephen Geoffreys - Okay I have to admit, I have this thing for spring break movies, but any male who grew up in the 80's will most likely agree with me. Filmed in Palm Springs, California this comedy about three fraternity brothers competing for the love of a hot blond. In this case, the "nerd" does win the girl.
6. Night of the Comet - 1985 -Starring Catherine Mary Stewart and Kelli Maroney - A comet passes by earth only to make everyone turn into zombies, except for a select few who are left behind to save mankind. In this case, it's a couple of valley girl sisters from southern California.
5. Angel - 1984 - Starring Donna Wilkes - Molly is the best student in her class, but at night she becomes "Angel" - a prostitute on Sunset Boulevard to make extra money. Her two world's collide when a serial killer starts making the rounds and she's next on his list. They actually made a sequel to this B-movie "hooker" classic.
4. Bad Boys -1983 - Starring Sean Penn and Esai Morales - A very young looking Sean Penn gets into a bit of trouble after his best friend gets killed in a robbery attempt and Penn accidentally kills a young boy. Too bad for him that the little boy's brother is a very angry Esai Morales who winds up raping Penn's girlfriend, played by Alley Sheedy. The two teenagers face each other in the Rainford Juvenile Correctional Facility - with a very dramatic final scene.
3. The Last American Virgin - 1982 -Starring Lawrence Monoson - Before "American Pie" and "Super Bad" there was this classic 80's teenage coming-of-age movie with arguably the best music soundtrack of the decade. The story has a gut wrenching ending that you won't forget.
2. Mischeif - 1985 - Starring Kelly Preston and Doug Mckeon - A clumsy and not particularly popular boy attending high school in the 50's has one overriding wish in life--to "make it" with the hottest girl in school. With the help of his slick new friend, his dream just might come true. This movie has a great soundtrack and by the way - you can see Kelly Preston naked!
1. Midnight Madness - 1980 - Starring Michael J. Fox - This very funny and now classic B-movie has everything you would want in any 80's movie. Leon, a genius, summons five college students to his apartment and challenges them to participate in his latest game creation: The Great All-Nighter. He tells them about his game and instructs them to form teams. At first, the leaders refuse to play. However, rivalries between them lead all five to change their minds by the game's start time. Michael J. Fox makes his film debut in this 80's B-movie classic!
Honorable Mentions:
Hysterical - 1983 - Very rare cult comedy about a haunted Lighthouse
Real Genius - 1985 - Val Kilmer in this comedy about nerdy kids who invent a super laser
Gotcha! - 1985 - Anthony Edwards in this international spy game, that's very real this time
Beat Street - 1984 - First ever mainstream movie about break dancing and rap music
Heaven Help Us - 1985 - All-boys Catholic High School in 1965 - pre-American Pie type comedy
Body Double - 1984 - Brian De Palma horror/suspense classic - still gives me the chills
** "If you were here" by the Thompson Twins was playing at the end of "Sixteen Candles" **
3 comments:
Hi, Jake. What prompted this? I never took you for the type that would like to write. I guess I was wrong. Good luck with the blog!
"If You Leave" is not by the Thompson Twins. That song is by the band OMD which stands for Orchestral Manoeuvres In The Dark.
Just thought I would clarify that last random statement you made.
Greetings from Top 10 Mania, we never listed "If you Leave" by OMD, we were mentioning "If You Were Here" by the Thompson Twins. Two very different songs!
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