The ’80′s were the most awesome decade in the whole history of man. The clothes were better. The hair was rad. The music rocked and the movies were wicked. Unfortunately, most of the young punks I hang out with only know flicks like Back to the Future and The Karate Kid. Both of these are gnarley films but there are other others that are also worth your time that have unfortunately been long forgotten by all but those who remember Chess King stores. Here are 8 of my favorites:
Tequila Sunrise: In the “Just Say No” era, it was hard to sell a movie that cast a former drug dealer (Mel Gibson) as the good guy in a love triangle with Michelle Pfiefer and his long time best friend and cop Kurt Russell. A strong script from Robert Towne and an awesome theme song.
Real Genius: Remember when Val Kilmer didn’t look like a salesman for Men’s Warehouse? Well, even before he was the Ice Man, he was a smart alleck genius trying to balance partying with developing a super powerful laser. My wife even loves this one.
Fright Night: Forget the flat remake with Colin Farrell, this one is one of the most under rated horror flicks of all-time.
The River’s Edge: No one can pull off dumb loser like Keanu Reeves. Here he a plays a metal head, stoner who hangs out with a lot of losers who listen to awesome music. The first thrash metal soundtrack and a great supporting performance from Dennis Hopper.
April Fool’s Day: Speaking of great horror movies, this one was clever and boasts the best ending of any splatter flick from the ’80′s. Ignore the awful remake.
Midnight Run: One of my favorite DeNiro movies (and that’s saying a lot). Here he is a bounty hunter trying to avoid the feds and the mob on a cross-country trek as he attempts to deliver fugitive Charles Grodin to L.A. A lot of fun.
Running Scared: One of the funniest movies of the ’80′s that doesn’t get the spins on TNT and AMC like it should. Billy Crystal and Gregory Hines are cops at war with a mafia kingpin played by Jimmy Smits. A ton of great one liners.
The Hitcher: Rutger Hauer is creepy and he was never creepier than he was in this mid-80′s horror movie (partially funded by George W. Bush). Again, avoid the terrible remake.
I need to caution that some of these films contain offensive scenes, so many should just catch the edited versions on cable.
Those are the ’80′s flicks I think are most under rated, what are yours?
Great selection. River’s Edge is really quite creepy. Hauer’s hitchhiker is the greatest nightmare villain of all time, Running Scared featured Michael McDonald’s Sweet Freedom, a fine waking-up-in-the-morning song. Your taste is impeccable.
Thank you, my friend.
Loved Fright Night, The Hitcher and Tequila Sunrise. Great choices.
Rutger Hauer, man what a character. Longshoreman to actor to poet. I think I read somewhere that his famous monologue at the end of Bladerunner was supposed to be close to ten minutes, but Hauer just improvised on the first take and history was made.
I couldn’t believe the truck scene in The Hitcher – freaked everyone in the room out.