Best movie of the 1980's?
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jimmy_miller — 12 years ago(May 11, 2013 02:52 AM)
I'm a fan but I don't think it'd fit my top ten, there are other films of Mickey's though that I might include like I think as a film Barfly is better, a more complete piece than Angel Heart and when it comes to style and atmosphere there are few movies that (to me) depict the 80's scene more than Nine and a Half Weeks; Diner and Rumble Fish are also great pieces.
Jonathan Demme's films Something Wild and Married to the Mob are two favourites. Up very high on a list would be Jim Jarmusch's Down by Law. Risky Business with Tom Cruise is very good. The Shining and Raging Bull obviously, I personally have love and admiration for Scorsese's King of Comedy as well as The Last Temptation of the Christ.
Someone mentioned Videodrome and Dead Ringers but The Dead Zone with Christopher Walken is a favourite of mine as well.
I'm not that familiar with the foreign/art cinema works of the 80's in particular, except for Tarkovski's last two films, of which I enjoy Nostalghia better (The Sacrifice is great too but quite a downer).
The Verdict with Paul Newman I'd have up there, Once upon a Time in America, maybe Peter Weir's Witness. Prizzi's Honor, Ironweed, Reds; Nicholson had a string of wonderful films. -
bear022013-909-645034 — 11 years ago(August 28, 2014 06:33 PM)
The color purple?????Aw give me a break what a waste of tape/film/time not one actor in the entire advert for colored folks! Larry Fish,Danny Glover ACTORS??? Oh no..say it ain't so Joe! And it ain't.
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Cleon29 — 12 years ago(June 20, 2013 07:12 PM)
Here's my favorite 50 of the '80s: http://www.imdb.com/list/s3X68VrsIss/
It ranks pretty good. -
jondavid888 — 11 years ago(August 18, 2014 07:59 PM)
I'd say it was not a good film.
I didn't understand what the point of the movie was until the last 10 minutes.
The rest of the movie was just a boring chasethe main character, dressed in what looked like his dad's clothes (2 or 3 sizes too large), bumbling around from one person to another person trying to find some guy for some money.
There were also times in both the plot and the dialogue when I thought, "What? Did they just cut out 5 minutes of the movie and tape together two sections that don't go together?"
At the end, it seems that Angel realizes it's him WAY too soon.
He starts freaking out and crying before it should even occur to him that (SPOILER ALERT) Favorite is him. -
Disardor — 11 years ago(August 19, 2014 12:14 AM)
Ethan Krusemark tells him all about Favorite's ritual of slicing open and eating the soldier's heart and sealing the dog tags of the soldier in a vase. Rourke then goes to Margaret Krusemark's apartment, smashes the vase and
finds the dog tags with the named "ANGEL, HAROLD" on them. Hence, he realizes that he's Johnny Favorite.
I think his conclusion in that situation is the logical one, especially since
Lucifer pops up suddenly right after and begins taunting him. -
tenantennae — 11 years ago(August 23, 2014 05:02 PM)
The 80s were a golden age for movies in a lot of ways. If I really sat down and started ranking all the great films from that time, I don't think Angel Heart would be anywhere near the top, and I love this movie.
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rascal67 — 11 years ago(August 24, 2014 07:46 PM)
The 80's had many films that are now considered classics and favourites. Claiming something "The Best" is always subjective and it depends on what you connect with. Haven't seen 'Angel Heart' in quite some years and while visually arresting, I have never considered it to be one of my favourites from this decade. Prefer to watch '9 1\2 Weeks'-86 with Mickey Rourke and an 80's gem that I would rate higher than 'Angel Heart'.
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Edward_de_Vere — 11 years ago(October 23, 2014 07:22 AM)
Overall the 80's was, in my opinion, a lousy decade for movies. It was dominated by generic feel-good fluff, completely mindless paint-by-the-boxes action films, and teen-oriented sex comedies and slasher movies. There were some exceptions, however,
Angel Heart
being one of them. The early 80's also gave us two of my favorite sci-fi films,
The Thing
and
Blade Runner
.
Other films from the 80's that I greatly admire include
Manhunter
,
The King of Comedy
,
Full Metal Jacket
,
Fatal Attraction
, and Radford's adaptation of Orwell's
1984
. Not sure if
The Shining
,
The Long Good Friday
,
The Ninth Configuration
or
The Elephant Man
qualify, as they were released in 1980 but made in 1979.
So
Angel Heart
is certainly one of my top films from the 80's, but overall, it's a very short list compared favorites from the 1960's and 1970's. -
rascal67 — 11 years ago(October 26, 2014 05:20 AM)
Overall the 80's was, in my opinion, a lousy decade for movies. It was dominated by generic feel-good fluff, completely mindless paint-by-the-boxes action films, and teen-oriented sex comedies and slasher movies.
I agree that the 80's, was the start of a grand flux of popcorn\blockbuster entertainment; but there were also ground breakers and original films too, in that they weren't rehashes like today. Film technology was still developing and in inceptive phases. SFX could still be considered awesome, as each new SFX laden film that came out had something new to witness and filmmakers had some wonderful fresh faces and excellent talent, (old & new), to work with in the acting arena and gave us something differentDebra Winger, Kathleen Turner, Mickey Rourke, Kevin Bacon, Tom Hanks, Sigourney Weaver, Cher, Holly Hunter, Jodie Foster, Tom Cruise, Glenn Close etc and Streep's finest decade, IMHO. Even the teenage, John Hughes style films, had plenty of value and still do.
There was also much charm and even a sprinkling of naivety and the foreign market had plenty of excellent films on offer also. I can't agree that it was "lousy". -
Edward_de_Vere — 11 years ago(October 28, 2014 06:02 AM)
wonderful fresh faces and excellent talent, (old & new), to work with in the acting arena and gave us something differentDebra Winger, Kathleen Turner, Mickey Rourke, Kevin Bacon, Tom Hanks, Sigourney Weaver, Cher, Holly Hunter, Jodie Foster, Tom Cruise, Glenn Close etc and Streep's finest decade, IMHO
Seems to me that many of the names on your list just prove my point. If the best the new crop of actors can do is Cher and Tom Cruise, it's no wonder that the 80's was the decade of mindless popcorn flicks. -
rascal67 — 11 years ago(October 28, 2014 09:23 AM)
Seems to me that many of the names on your list just prove my pointCher and Tom Cruise
I suppose it depends on what you are looking for in a film, what you connect with and what your expectations are. Cher and Tom Cruise have their detractors; but to single them out from the other names I listed, in an attempt to prove a point, is subjective and maybe a tad pompous.
I enjoy many films from the earlier eras; but I also like to see film as representative of the era in which they were made and I don't feel you may have dug deep enough into the 80's, perhaps. The earlier part of the 80's, still had a feel of the 70's imbued into them, then like you have mentioned, popcorn entertainment started to take over in droves; but I still find they have a certain charm and magic, that is lacking in today's films. Since I was a teenager during the 80's, I may be a tad biased and see a nostalgic value in them. -
Edward_de_Vere — 11 years ago(October 28, 2014 02:23 PM)
he earlier part of the 80's, still had a feel of the 70's imbued into them, then like you have mentioned, popcorn entertainment started to take over in droves
This is true. The early 80's (if you count 1980) gave us films like
Raging Bull
,
The Shining
,
Blade Runner
,
The King of Comedy
, etc. By the mid-80's, film theaters were dominated by escapist fluff and youth market bilge. Films like
Manhunter
or
Angel Heart
must have really stuck out as exceptions when they were released (I remember seeing
Manhunter
not long after its release, I didn't discover
Angel Heart
until the early 90's). Yes, the special effects were better in the 1980's than they were a decade before, but saying that a movie has great special effects is damnation through faint praise (i.e. there's no story, no acting, but it sure is pretty).
Since I was a teenager during the 80's, I may be a tad biased and see a nostalgic value in them.
Well, I was also a teenager in the 80's, and even then, the first thing I noticed when watching movies from the 70's and 60's was how much better most of them were than the blockbusters being released currently. I also noticed that the stars of the 60's and 70's could actually ACT, as opposed to just being telegenic and "famous for being famous."
Compare your list of top actors who made their reputations in the 80's to those who made their reputations in the previous decade. You can't tell me that Tom Cruise or Tom Hanks or Sylvester Stallone are anywhere near the same caliber as Robert Duvall, Jack Nicholson, Dustin Hoffman, Gene Hackman, Robert DeNiro, or Al Pacino. Sure, all of the actors in my list have done terrible parts in some godawful movies (especially recently), but I'm comparing these guys at their best to most of the actors on your list at their best, and the quality of their work is worlds apart.
And this isn't a matter of comparing obscure arthouse movies from the 70's with popcorn blockbusters from the 80's, I'm comparing blockbuster to blockbuster. Compare the acting and writing in
Jaws
from 1975 to action-adventure blockbusters a decade later (or cringe in horror to think what
Jaws
would have been like if it were made a decade later, starring Tom Cruise, Sylvester Stallone, and Arnold Schwarzenegger instead of Richard Dreyfuss, Roy Scheider, and Robert Shaw).
I will grant you, however, that the 1980's were still a better decade than the 2010's. At least 80's junk was original junk, as opposed to remakes of junk. And at least some of the material wasn't inspired by video games or comic books. -
rascal67 — 11 years ago(October 29, 2014 03:35 AM)
.saying that a movie has great special effects is damnation through faint praise (i.e. there's no story, no acting, but it sure is pretty).
I suppose you would have to take into consideration what film you are referring to and were the effects integral to the plot and did they enhance the narrative: eg) BACK TO THE FUTURE-85. Many films from the 70's and 80's, had had their fair share of essential SFX and those that were just there for a "showcase", to show off the technology of what they could do. I am hard pushed to think of one though. Maybe TRON-82', which I found boring; but since it was a film set inside a computer game, they were still relevant. Can you think of one?
The endless flood of "interminable" superhero movies, that we get bombarded with today and the "overuse" of CGIwhich many claimis it really "overuse"? It wouldn't be "overuse", for those that enjoy, say THE AVENGERS movies and they wouldn't be the same film without the SFX, because they need them.
You can't tell me that Tom Cruise or Tom Hanks or Sylvester Stallone are anywhere near the same caliber as Robert Duvall, Jack Nicholson, Dustin Hoffman, Gene Hackman, Robert DeNiro, or Al Pacino.
I don't have an issue with any of these actors you have listed. Stallone has also proved himself to be a worthy actor in a few films. It is all subjective. This is where we differ, because I would rate Tom Cruise's performance over Dustin Hoffman in RAIN MAN-88'. I don't care for TOP GUN-86' or COCKTAIL-88' and I would classify those films as "god awful", as you rightly recognised the other high calibre actors have starred in. They have all done their share of "clunkers".
this isn't a matter of comparing obscure arthouse movies from the 70's with popcorn blockbusters from the 80's, I'm comparing blockbuster to blockbuster.
My previous comment, was in regards to the "quality" art house films of the 80's, along with "quality" blockbuster films of the 80's. I wasn't intending, to compare them to the quality art house and blockbuster films of the 70's. Quality is quality, regardless of the decade the film was released.
As for "slashers", I happen to love them and the 80'sparticularly the early partoffered some of the best.
Below, I have listed plenty of "quality" films from the 80's, (a smattering of BB's), and ones that were some of the best that the decade had on offer. While they may not appeal to all tastes, it may prove that it wasn't such a bad decade after all:
ABOUT LAST NIGHT-86
ALIENS-86
AMADEUS-84
ANGEL HEART-87'
AN OFFICER AND A GENTLEMEN-82
ATLANTIC CITY-81
AU REVOIR LES ENFANTS-87
BABETTE'S FEAST-87
BACK TO THE FUTURE-85'
BETTY BLUE-86
BLADE RUNNER-82
BLUE VELVET-86
BROADCAST NEWS-87
COALMINERS DAUGHTER-80
CINEMA PARADISO-89
COCOON-85
THE COLOR PURPLE-85
COME AND SEE-85
COTTON CLUB-84
CRIMES AND MISDEMEANORS-89
CRIMES OF THE HEART-86
CRIMES OF PASSION-84
CROCODILE DUNDEE-86
A CRY IN THE DARK-88
DANGEROUS LIASONS-88
DAS BOOT-82
DEAD POETS SOCIETY-89
THE DRESSER-83
EDUCATING RITA-83
ELEPHANT MAN-80
EMPIRE OF THE SUN-87
EMPIRE STRIKES BACK-80
ET-82
FANNY AND ALEXANDER-83
FATAL ATTRACTION-87
FRANCES-82
FERRIS BUELLER'S DAY OFF-86
A FISH CALLED WANDA-88
GANDHI-82
GLORY-89
GORILLAS IN THE MIST-88
HANNAH AND HER SISTERS-86
HEARTBURN-86
KARATE KID-84
THE KILLING FIELDS-84
LAST EMPEROR-87
MANHUNTER-86
MASK-85
MAURICE-87
MISSING-82
MOONSTRUCK-87
MY BEAUTIFUL LAUNDRETTE-85
MY LEFT FOOT-89
MY LIFE AS A DOG-87
ORDINARY PEOPLE-80'
OUT OF AFRICA-85
A PASSAGE TO INDIA-84
PLATOON-86
POLTERGEIST-82
PRICK UP YOUR EARS-87
PRIZZI'S HONOR-85
PURPLE ROSE OF CAIRO-85
RAIDERS OF THE LOST ARK-81
RAGING BULL-80
RAIN MAN-88
RADIO DAYS-87
RAN-85
REDS-81
THE RIGHT STUFF-83
THE RIVER-84
A ROOM WITH A VIEW-86
RUNNING ON EMPTY-88
SALVADOR-86
SHY PEOPLE-87
SILKWOOD-83
SOPHIE'S CHOICE-82
TERMS OF ENDEARMENT-83
TESS-80
TOOTSIE-82
THE VERDICT-82
WALL STREET-87
WITNESS-85
WORKING GIRL-88
ZELIG-83' -
reachtitan — 9 years ago(August 06, 2016 09:02 AM)
What a list rascal! Would add Once upon a time in America and Dekalog, which according to me are two of the finest pieces of cinema art since its inception, not just in 80s but of any era. I agree with you in many respects. I feel nostalgic about 80s music and films. They don't make them like they did in 80s. They just don't.
In response to the OP, I would have to say that Angel Heart is an underrated gem and as a piece of art of the highest quality, it does not belong to 80s or to any era but is timeless. I will not be surprised to see it gathering its cult status more and more fervently as the ages go by, which is true for a piece of art in any medium. The following ages come to appreciate them more than the age they are made in.
Cheers!