Totally Awesome Awful 80's Movies!!!

[Oberon]

I had to watch that for Film Appreciation in college...and I was like lolwut? but I suppose it demonstrates the Hollywood formula in the Sci-Fi genre

Oh no girl you did NOT just dis BLADE RUNNER!!!

You probably couldn't even pass a Voight-Kampff test yourself!

 

[Thalassa]

Or how bad you are at Film Appreciation

Actually my grade was so high in that class that the prof excused me from the final exam with an A. :hi:

But I digress...I'm just not a Sci-Fi person, that's all...I'm a horror person.

 

[Moiety]

Actually my grade was so high in that class that the prof excused me from the exam with an A. :hi:

Pfftt... education = Si. Big news.

But I digress...I'm just not a Sci-Fi person, that's all...I'm a horror person.

I personally hate horror. Funny how I tend to find them formulaic myself. It's not that though, they either don't scare me and I wonder "what's the point?" or they do and why I wonder "what's the point?".

 

[Thalassa]

Pfftt... education = Si. Big news.

Calling me an SJ now? That's okay I can handle it.

Also my ex is a film collector who trades in the underground and makes his own short films, so I had a private tutor for five years, along with my own life-long interest in film.

I personally hate horror. Funny how I tend to find them formulaic myself. It's not that though, they either don't scare me and I wonder "what's the point?" or they do and why I wonder "what's the point?".

Yeah I think people feel that way about any genre they don't get into...horror and mystery are my favorites (at least in terms of genre...I don't watch all "genre" films)...and I tend to be bored to death by Sci-Fi and action...if you watch most genre films closely, they all have The Formula, and Blade Runner is actually a good example which is why the prof used it in a beginning film class.

 

[Moiety]

Calling me an SJ now? That's okay I can handle it.

Just hinting at a fact that you had a class for Film Appreciation. Anything thought in a class is aiming at people of all backgrounds and is anything thought in a class about such a subjective subject as art is ....subjective. Si = tradition, history.

Yeah I think people feel that way about any genre they don't get into...horror and mystery are my favorites (at least in terms of genre...I don't watch all "genre" films)...and I tend to be bored to death by Sci-Fi and action...if you watch most genre films closely, they all have The Formula, and Blade Runner is actually a good example which is why the prof used it in a beginning film class.

Formula will be formulas though. Like with anything worth labelling, originality is seen in the differences not the similarities. It's not the most original movie in the whole world, but I wouldn't classify it as average or samey compared to most mainstream movies out there either.

As for horror, I don't quite agree. Well sure, there is some truth to what you are saying but I mean...it's a bad panicky feeling. I can experience sadness as a "bad" feeling, but fear activates more primal animalistic instincts in our body. I don't find it very smart and thus not very entertaining.

 

[Thalassa]

Just hinting at a fact that you had a class for Film Appreciation. Anything thought in a class is aiming at people of all backgrounds and is anything thought in a class about such a subjective subject as art is ....subjective. Si = tradition, history.

Well Hollywood films are designed to sell, and tradition and history shows that The Formula sells movies, cross genres.

This is why some really spectacular indie films get ignored by many people, or even blackballed by critics...The Formula works, even on "smart people" and intuitives.

You start with the formula and branch out to other types of film as you progress in studying film, of course. You get taught the formula as a base theory behind movies that are popular and timeless.

Formula will be formulas though. Like with anything worth labelling, originality is seen in the differences not the similarities. It's not the most original movie in the whole world, but I wouldn't classify it as average or samey compared to most mainstream movies out there either.

Well of course...that's what seperates a good film from a bad film...it doesn't change the fact that the formula works quite well at manipulating human beings psychologically.

As for horror, I don't quite agree. Well sure, there is some truth to what you are saying but I mean...it's a bad panicky feeling. I can experience sadness as a "bad" feeling, but fear activates more primal animalistic instincts in our body. I don't find it very smart and thus not very entertaining.

You don't think it's "smart"? A lot of horror is actually psychological or religious or atmospheric/aesthetic in nature, which is what seperates it from crap horror and torture porn.

There's also a proven connection between fear and sexual arousal, hence people taking their dates to see horror flicks...just because you don't personally like horror doesn't make it "dumb."

 

[thirtiesgirl]

Terms of Indearment

Terms of Endearment... gah. That movie can still make me cry like no other. It's absolutely stupid, but it never fails. Probably because I can completely identify with the mother-daughter issues. YouTube - Terms of Endearment - Movie Trailer

 

[Oberon]

There's also a proven connection between fear and sexual arousal, hence people taking their dates to see horror flicks...

Oh, that reminds me!

CUJO.

 

[Moiety]

Well Hollywood films are designed to sell, and tradition and history shows that The Formula sells movies, cross genres.

This is why some really spectacular indie films get ignored by many people, or even blackballed by critics...The Formula works, even on "smart people" and intuitives.

You start with the formula and branch out to other types of film as you progress in studying film, of course. You get taught the formula as a base theory behind movies that are popular and timeless.

My point being that just because it fits what "studied" people defined as formula (I can define you a new kind of formula in which 99999% if not all films will fit too, it's not that hard) doesn't mean it's predictable as the word might imply. Why I know was not what you said per se, but I just wanted to clarify my position on that.

Well of course...that's what seperates a good film from a bad film...it doesn't change the fact that the formula works quite well at manipulating human beings psychologically.

Sure. There's more than one way to fry a fish though.

You don't think it's "smart"? A lot of horror is actually psychological or religious or atmospheric/aesthetic in nature, which is what seperates it from crap horror and torture porn.

Not in the sense that the story is actually smart. I get really disappointed at the character depth in horror movies for example. I get disappointed at the fact what moves the movie forward is often not the goal of telling a good story, but the goal of scaring the living jeebus out of you without having a crappy story.

There's also a proven connection between fear and sexual arousal, hence people taking their dates to see horror flicks...just because you don't personally like horror doesn't make it "dumb."

It makes it for me. Because I labelled as not smart in my opinion of course. It's dumb for me, because I consider myself relatively smart and the thrills it provokes IN IT'S ESSENCE (i'm talking about the essence of horror, the concept of horror itself, not movies that have horror in it) provokes a reaction in my more primal side of the brain, and not the more brain part.

Btw, just because I label something smart it doesn't make it smarter either.

 

[Thalassa]

My point being that just because it fits what "studied" people defined as formula (I can define you a new kind of formula in which 99999% if not all films will fit too, it's not that hard) doesn't mean it's predictable as the word might imply. Why I know was not what you said per se, but I just wanted to clarify my position on that.

Um, not really. It's like the fact that there are common archetypes and symbols in literature. There are patterns in the human mind, and it's pretty bizarre for an Ne dom to deny that. People are pretty predictable. I mean, it's why MBTI works.

Not in the sense that the story is actually smart. I get really disappointed at the character depth in horror movies for example. I get disappointed at the fact what moves the movie forward is often not the goal of telling a good story, but the goal of scaring the living jeebus out of you without having a crappy story.

It makes it for me. Because I labelled as not smart in my opinion of course. It's dumb for me, because I consider myself relatively smart and the thrills it provokes IN IT'S ESSENCE (i'm talking about the essence of horror, the concept of horror itself, not movies that have horror in it) provokes a reaction in my more primal side of the brain, and not the more brain part.

Btw, just because I label something smart it doesn't make it smarter either.

I was a literature major in college, I understand character development on a very detailed level, and what you're saying is an overgeneralization of horror. Stephen King and Edgar Allan Poe are actually considered both masters of horror and story-telling. The actual novels upon which The Exorcist and Legion are based are great works. It actually appears that you don't have a broad study of horror, which is not surprising for someone who hates it as much as you do.

 

[slowriot]

I amazed no one mentioned Space Balls and Leslie Nielsens Smoking Gun films.

And about Bladerunner, oh oh you didnt!!

 

[Unkindloving]

Krull
The Running Man
Twins
Teen Witch
The Gate
Ghoulies
Masters of the Universe
Puppetmaster

..this could go on for ages
I have some good ones for the 90's too, but those are the 90's.

 

[EffEmDoubleyou]

I can't think of any movies that I consciously know are bad but still like. I don't enjoy watching bad movies for camp value. I kinda wish I did since people have such fun with them. That said, here are some of my favorite 80s films that are very much of the 80s:

Sixteen Candles
Adventures In Babysitting
The Naked Gun (and 2)
Airplane!
Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure
Ferris Bueller's Day Off
Gremlins
Pee-Wee's Big Adventure
Back To The Future

 

[KDude]

Guy from a landlocked place moves to Hawaii and starts surfing, gets in trouble with a hawaiian surfer gang, falls in love with one of their sisters and learns how to surf good and then wins a competition.

Or something.

Edit: I found the name, it's called North Shore.

I remember it..

All EXTREME movies like that were cool: RAD, Gleaming the Cube

 

[Z Buck McFate]

Not yet mentioned:

Bad Influence (James Spader, Rob Lowe- *think* that was 80s)
Night of the Comet

 

[KDude]

there was a funny patrick dempsey movie i liked called lover boy ("extra anchovies")

who's harry crumb?

airplane still cracks me up

and vampire's kiss.. actually one of the most depressing movies i've ever seen. yet funny

 

[Moiety]

Um, not really. It's like the fact that there are common archetypes and symbols in literature. There are patterns in the human mind, and it's pretty bizarre for an Ne dom to deny that. People are pretty predictable. I mean, it's why MBTI works.

I wasn't saying there are no patterns. You're not getting my point.

I was a literature major in college, I understand character development on a very detailed level, and what you're saying is an overgeneralization of horror. Stephen King and Edgar Allan Poe are actually considered both masters of horror and story-telling. The actual novels upon which The Exorcist and Legion are based are great works. It actually appears that you don't have a broad study of horror, which is not surprising for someone who hates it as much as you do.

I don't care which novel they were based on. News flash, a lot of shitty movies out there are poor renditions of good books. I don't have a broad study of horror no. All I know is that I didnd't watch the Exorcist for the way the characters interacted. I think the very concept of horror, the fact you must be focused on creating fear is going to take your mind away from the character. Even the range of the characters is severly limited. I mean, they are facing extreme conditions, so they are often wearing their superficial "survival" faces most of the time.


I wouldn't consider most movies based on Stepehn King, horror per se, more like thrillers. But fair enough, if you consider a movie like The Thing a horror movie, then I can say I can like horror movies too.

 

[Totenkindly]

there was a funny patrick dempsey movie i liked called lover boy ("extra anchovies")

Oh, missed that one... but I liked "Can't Buy Me Love"!

And National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation.

I amazed no one mentioned Space Balls and Leslie Nielsens Smoking Gun films.

Spaceballs sucked.
(except for Rick Moranis playing with his action figures)

But Smoking Gun was awesome.

Remember Jeff Goldblum and Geena Davis in The Fly?

I didn't mention that movie only because it was a horror movie, not a comedy/drama.
For what it is, it's pretty good, actually. Creepy as hell, Goldblum played the part well as as the INT manic, transforming doc. I never forgot him breaking the guy's arm in the bar, or him falling to pieces in the bathroom.

Even The Fly II had its redeeming qualities, although the tone was much different and I thought it a bit cheesier. Still, Eric Stoltz was sympathetic as a protagonist.

 

[Oberon]

I didn't mention that movie only because it was a horror movie, not a comedy/drama.
For what it is, it's pretty good, actually. Creepy as hell, Goldblum played the part well as as the INT manic, transforming doc. I never forgot him breaking the guy's arm in the bar, or him falling to pieces in the bathroom.

Having just re-watched it last week on my computer (Thank you, NetFlix!), I was amazed at the economy of the film. Apart from a handful of scenes, the entire film takes place in Seth Brundle's warehouse laboratory/apartment. The mockup of the computer console, telepods, and cabling was probably the single major expense in the sets, and that could be knocked together today for under $10,000... peanuts by filmmaking standards. The animatronic Brundle-Fly in its last two stages probably was the other major expense of the film, but still... I think if you had a talented make-up guy, you could shoot that script today for under ten million.

That was Jeff Goldblum's debut movie in a starring role, and it was considered a masterful performance.

 

[Spamtar]

Film highlight: Dan Aykroyd's character's nose looks like a d*ck. In otherwords less awesome and more awfull.