movies from the 80s

[KristinCB]

Apparently i'm in an entertainment question type of mood today so forgive me.

Do you think there was something extra special about movies from the 80s OR is it just pure nostalgia that makes us think that way?

I just feel like movies today don't have the same impact as they did when growing up. I'm not necessarily talking about deep meanginful movies that were oscar nominated but those movies that have become cult classics

[PictureMom]

I agree and I feel that music peeked in the 90's...LOL
I still watch 80's movies all the time. The writing and plots were just so good.

[lovely1m]

Music definitely peaked in the 90s, but I prefer 90s movies too. I didn't grow up watching many movies, so I do not have the nostalgia for the movies, but my son loves to watch them now.

[jk703]

These are the movies that I can leave on and it's background noise, and I'm perfectly happy. Music, movies - but both 80's and 90's. I think it's just what we, or at least me, grew up with, so in a way it is comforting and comfortable.

[joelsgirl]

I think it's definitely nostalgia, but Max and his girlfriend have been watching romcoms from the 80/90s, and they love them. Watching movies I loved growing up makes me cringe, most of the time. Some things hold up, like The Goonies, but I tried watching Ferris Bueller on the plane recently, and I turned it off.

But, seriously, how inappropriate were the movies we watched growing up??? I had no idea until I started showing them to my kids. I was all, "Home Alone is a great family movie!" and my 5 year old was like, "I don't think I'm allowed to watch shows like this, Mommy." lol Apparently, I saw movies that were adapted for tv, and they left out a lot of stuff.

[Brendazzle]

Originally Posted by joelsgirl

But, seriously, how inappropriate were the movies we watched growing up??? I had no idea until I started showing them to my kids. I was all, "Home Alone is a great family movie!" and my 5 year old was like, "I don't think I'm allowed to watch shows like this, Mommy." lol Apparently, I saw movies that were adapted for tv, and they left out a lot of stuff.

I remember in high school, I needed to show The Breakfast Club to my TV Production class as inspiration for our 3rd quarter mini movie. There were a few scenes that I didn't remember and I'm pretty sure neither did our teacher. (She also ran film club and taught world history so she shrugged it off.)

[Cheryl Ashcraft]

I love all eras of music and movies BUT I have to say that the movies that came out in the 80s were the best. They were defining to my generation in that quotes from movies made it into daily conversations. I **still** quote from The Goonies. "Hey you guys!" "First you gotta do the truffle shuffle." "Man, you smell like phys ed!"

Here are some of the movies I've rewatched in the past couple of years. There are a lot of other movies that I love, but I just haven't watched recently.

Ferris Bueller's Day Off
The Goonies
Steel Magnolias
Amadeus
The Terminator (I watched this one with DH)
When Harry Met Sally
War Games
The 'Burbs
Overboard
Poltergeist
Top Gun
Dirty Dancing
The Breakfast Club
9 to 5
Pretty In Pink
Moonstruck
Working Girl
The Princess Bride
Adventures In Babysitting
The Witches of Eastwick
Baby Boom
Dirty Rotten Scoundrels
Big Business
Romancing The Stone
A Christmas Story (we watch it every year multiple times in December)

[jaye]

The Breakfast Club
Pretty in Pink
Heathers
Fried Green Tomatoes--I think this is my favourite movie of all time
Dirty Dancing
Steel Magnolias

some of my favourites. I think the music in the 80's was the best as well--hair bands, 'real' rock, pop.....fashion choices were interesting in some cases,lol.

I often tell my students that I had the best childhood/adolesecence as I was a teen in the early/mid-eighties.

[Cheryl Ashcraft]

Originally Posted by jaye

I often tell my students that I had the best childhood/adolescence as I was a teen in the early/mid-eighties.

It's the truth. It was a great decade!

[KristinCB]

For those who haven't watched it there is a series that was done called "red oaks" set in the 80s with Jennifer Grey playing the mom. It's a shorter series 20+ episodes or so. Set at a country club kind of like the one in Dirty Dancing but it's set around her college age son who is a tennis coach.

Darcy and I have been watching it, currently on the second season.

[aussiegirl]

I think the movies from that time seemed "cleaner" than half of the ones out today. We don't worry as much watching them with our own children. There may be some "adult humor" but at the time we watched them, they went over our heads.

Half the time now, it seems I have to do a parent guide review to see how much nud1ty or s3x will be in a movie. Also, the music was better!

[tjscraps]

I feel like so many movies now are just rehashing old movies - like there's no new ideas. And yes, I realize that's showing my age lol

[TraceyM]

I feel like 80's movies were not just a bunch of remakes like we so often see today.

This week I watched 1976's Taxi Driver. Until I watched, I hadn't even realized I never had watched. It was cool to see 12-year-old Jodie Foster in her part. A little on the shoot-out gory side at the very end. Naturally I had to read about the movie after since I had questions!

[KristinCB]

Originally Posted by TraceyM

Naturally I had to read about the movie after since I had questions!

THIS is the part of movie watching that is better now vs then. I love being able to look up actors on IMDB and read about the movie and stuff like that!! It would make me crazy as a kid trying to figure out where I knew an actor from and having no way to find out lol.

[DawnMarch]

I agree that the movies seemed more creative back then. It wasn't ALL superheroes and endless franchises. Some of my favorites from the 80s were Indiana Jones, Star Wars (first movie was 1977 but 2nd and 3rd were 80s), ET, Poltergeist, Moonstruck, A Christmas Story, The Shining, Airplane, A Fish Called Wanda, Stand By Me. I was not a fan of the teen angst movies that were so popular wtih Gen X - like Breakfast Club, Pretty in Pink or Dirty Dancing.

[Amber67!]

When it comes to music and movies, I am an 80s/early 90s kinda person. Loved The Breakfast Club and The Simple Minds are still one of my favourite bands.
But what about Back to the Future (1&2) Footloose, Rain Man, Beetlejuice and Indiana Jones, to name a few? Oh, and Good Morning Vietnam with the inimitable Robin Williams? There's too much to mention in one post cause my list would go on and on.