Synyster Graves

Rabit’s Top 7 Films of the 80’s

by on Feb.25, 2011, under The Top 7 of Everything

Looking back at the 1980’s as a decade of great cinema, these are my top 7 films from 1980 through to 1989. In a decade with so many great titles it was very hard to pick a top 7 so feel free to chip in at the bottom with your thoughts of what should be where!

7. The Shining (1980)

The ShiningThis movie is an undisputed all-time great. A spooky and sinister (or should I say… synyster) isolated hotel is the perfect setting for this horror film which has been made homage to in countless other series, films, adverts, and shorts. If you haven’t seen ‘The Shining’, you’ve certainly seen references to it in something else you’ve watched, from ‘Family Guy’ through to Lenny Henry’s ‘Travel Lodge’ adverts. A film so entwined in motion picture culture can’t make for anything other than a fantastic watch. With such a great film coming in at number 7, I hope you’ll enjoy reminiscing about the following six:

6. Full Metal Jacket (1987)

Full Metal JacketWar films have been done and done again, but not many are as good as ‘Full Metal Jacket’. In this bizarre story about a Marine’s journey through basic training and onto the Vietnam War we are taken on a journey we never saw coming. From an over-zealous drill Sergeant, to suicides, to ‘I love you long time’. There’s something about the character development the whole way through this film that makes it seem like you really have followed the cast through every trial and tribulation of a young Marine’s life, and you can’t help but become attached to every decision and repercussion.

5. Scarface (1983)

ScarfaceAl Pacino. Need I say more? He’s one of the all-time greatest actors in my view, and he pretty much singlehandedly makes this movie one of the top movies of the whole decade, and it’s still a great watch over 28 years later. That’s not to say the supporting cast don’t perform well, everyone in this film puts in a great effort, but this is Al Pacino’s pièce de résistance. This sick interpretation of a Cuban immigrants rise to power in a drug riddled Miami is not just a great story, but the acting is as good if not better, so together they make for a great watch and if you haven’t seen this film, I can’t recommend it highly enough!

4. Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade (1989)

Indiana Jones and the Last CrusadeIndiana Jones definitely rates highly in the ‘best movie franchises of all time’ tug-o-war. Harrison Ford is simply brilliant, and we even get to watch Sean Connery play a fantastic role in this episode as Henry Jones Snr. There’s something about the Indiana Jones movies that makes you laugh all the way through without losing any respect for the movie as a great action adventure, and that’s a priceless quality in a movie. A lot of it is tongue in cheek and the jokes, action and great story pull together so well you just want to watch it over and over again, and of them all, this episode is my favourite of the lot.

3. Star Wars: Episode VI – Return of the Jedi (1983)

Star Wars Episode VIStar Wars is arguably the best movie franchise of all time and possibly the most lucrative, but Episode VI has only made it to number 3 on my list. Don’t let this fool you into thinking this isn’t one of the best movies out there, because it certainly is. There is something about the universe that George Lucas has created which sucks you in and urges you to understand more, sympathise with the characters, and really care when something bad happens. Simply put, this is one of the best films of the century, and I don’t think many people would disagree with that statement.

2. Die Hard (1988)

Die HardThis film has been one of my all-time favourites since I saw it for the first time back in the mid 90’s. The storyline is fantastic and still somewhat believable, the character development really pulls you into the story, and the one-liners give it a splice of humour that really brings the whole film to life. This is yet another film which was so successful that is spawned 3 sequels. Not many franchises manage that, and with Bruce Willis at the helm you can’t really go wrong? Well, unless you wrote Die Hard IV, but that’s another decade. The original ‘Die Hard’ is a must for any movie lovers’ collection.

1. The Terminator (1984)

The TerminatorThere’s not too much to say about this film that you don’t already know, and if you’ve not seen it then where have you been for the last 27 years? Go rent a copy now! The Terminator series, in my opinion, is the best movie franchise of all time. ‘The Terminator’ brought an amazing (and horrifying) futuristic world based on real life to our screens and was the stepping stone for three more fantastic films and even a series spin off. An epic and gripping storyline spanning from 1984 to 2029, state of the art graphics (at the time), and some very solid acting make this my number one film of the 80’s.

Notable exceptions.
As I mentioned at the top of this post, there were so many good films to choose from, it was so hard to pick just 7. I thought it only fair to add a little list here to mention a few of the films that made me think so hard about this list, but in the end didn’t get into my top 7. I hope this will also add to the debate for any readers to pitch in and let me know which films would have made it into their top 7. Here are my close runners up, in no particular order:

  • Star Wars: Episode V – The Empire Strikes Back (1980)
  • Back to the Future (1985)
  • The Untouchables (1987)
  • Aliens (1986)
  • Indiana Jones and the Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981)
  • Platoon (1986)
  • Robocop (1987)
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7 Comments for this entry

  • Synyster Graves

    Great list Rabit! I personally wouldn’t have such a broad criteria like the 1980s for example because there is no way I would wittle it down to only 7! I am SO GLAD that there was no E.T. in this list because that film does my head in!

    I would have definitely had Robocop in there no question but for me there was also:

    Ghostbusters (1984)
    Transformers: The Movie (1986)
    Running Man (1987)
    The Breakfast Club (1985)
    The Goonies (1986)
    Labyrinth (1986)

    And I think from my list here, I’m way more of a dork than you!

  • The Bear

    Preadator would also be worthy of a place. As would Raging Bull, When Harry Met Sally, This is Spinal Tap.

  • The Bear

    Basically, the 80s was one great decade for cool movies and probably the last full decade before they started ruining it with CGI.

  • Whyte Rabit

    Yep, there were so many good films that came out in the 80’s I couldn’t mention all of them, would have been a huge list! And it was REALLY hard to pick just 7 (hence I had to add a notable exceptions list heh). As for your comment Graves, I thought of doing it by genre to make it easier, but that would have taken too long lol.

    I like the suggestions of ‘Ghostbusters’, ‘The Breakfast Club’ and ‘Predator’, they were a few more of the best. Sadly I’ve not seen ‘Raging Bull’, but it’s on my must watch list. ‘Labyrinth’ and ‘Running Man’, although awesome films, I don’t think they’re quite up to the standard of some of the others that have been mentioned 🙁

    ‘Hey Lightbulb… Hey Christmas Tree’! lol

    I don’t rate E.T. as one of the best films of any time either, and especially after they CGI fiddled it.

  • Synyster Graves

    I really wanted E.T. to die. That’s how much that film annoyed me. I wanted to watch that kid cry unconsolably.

  • Whyte Rabit

    ‘Star Wars Episode VI’ was on ITV today, what a great film! Also, ‘Uncle Buck’ (1989) is on ITV 2 today too, maybe not the best film of the 80’s but it’s definitely a great film!!

  • Synyster Graves

    I think would would have been easier would have been to do Top 7 Arnie Films. Any takers?

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