Best of the 1980's
Mar 24 '00 (Updated Mar 31 '00)
Politically I'd just as soon forget about the 80's and Reaganomics, and it wasn't the most outstanding decade we've ever had for film. On the other hand, there were a few gems out there-I did get inspired enough to purchase a number of videos that I can watch over and over whenever I feel a need for mental stimulation, for enjoyment, or for writing an epinion about. <g> So, I'm selecting movies from my personal collection.
Following are my personal favorites from the decade. I realize that I'm leaving off a number of excellent movies like Blade Runner, Full Metal Jacket, and Platoon, but if you don't like my choices … write your own list.
10. Babette's Feast (1987) - I still laugh to myself about the first time I saw this movie in a Phoenix arthouse style theater. There were only 6 people in the theater, and at the end there was a guy a couple rows ahead who exclaimed, "Well that movie sucked!" I couldn't believe it! He must have expected a foreign film with some steamy sex scenes. I was very moved by Babette's Feast - such a simple story, yet it connects the physical pleasures of French cooking with the spiritual.
9. The Empire Strikes Back (1981) - Though not as well received as the original Star Wars due to its darker nature, I feel that this is the strongest of the series. The characters are developed more here, and I still have chills when I recall Darth Vader's shocking revelation at the end of the film. It was enough make me want to see the inferior Return of the Jedi three years later.
8. Das Boot (1981) - This is my second most favorite film about WWII* even though it's told from a German point of view. That doesn't matter, as it's more about character and the absurdity of war than any of the patriotic films on the American market. * My first is set in Rick's café in North Africa.
7. The Right Stuff (1983) - Great for watching whenever you need a lift about what is right and good about the American spirit. Incredibly well written and edited film about the turning point in our history when we began to earnestly reach for the stars.
6. Cinema Paradiso (1988) - This movie was a setup for me, and for anyone who loves the movies. A film director explains how he fell in love with movies through his relationship with the film projectionist in a small Sicilian town. The kid in the movie visually demonstrates the magic of the cinema that is so hard to explain with words.
5. Blue Velvet (1986) - David Lynch's landmark film shows the seamy underside of middle America. It contains some unforgettable images and memorable lines. I can never see someone drinking a Heineken again without recalling Dennis Hopper's lines. If you don't know what I'm talking about, check this quirky film out.
4. Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981) - I realize that purist movie critics may be rolling their eyes inside their sockets at this selection, but call it one of my guilty pleasures. It's my favorite Speilberg movie. It's not meant to be taken seriously, so I can enjoy all the film school technique and roller coaster rides that Indy takes us on here. If nothing else, watch the vehicle chase scene and appreciate the choreography of the stunt men.
3. Raging Bull (1980) - I consider this the best sports movie ever filmed because it is so much more than a mere boxing movie - it is an excellent character study. Many of the fight scenes are violent, but the black and white images that emulate the 1950's are visual poetry. Scorcese seems to come up with one great masterpiece each decade, so this is his 80's gift. I haven't even mentioned the incredible performance that Robert DeNiro gives here. Talk about a method actor! Everyone knows about the diet of milk shakes he went on to put on 50 lbs. for the retired Jake LaMotta. But did you know that he trained so hard at becoming a respectable boxer that some ring people claim that DeNiro could have been ranked among the top 10 active middleweights in 1980?
2. Amadeus (1984) -- The best movie ever created about music, Amadeus introduced Mozart to many people who had little knowledge of this genius. Everything works well in this movie from Peter Shaffer's screenplay, to the costuming, to the lead acting by F. Murray Abraham and Tom Hulce. And the background music! Just the right amount of notes! So ... there it is!
1. Do the Right Thing (1989) -- I was totally mesmerized by Spike Lee's definitive work. Visually the man is an absolute genius with his creative editing, camera angles, and use of color. No one out there has been able to capture the urban black experience like Lee in this film. While I only observed a similar community for a year (inner city Detroit), I knew that this film was special the first time I saw it. The dialog and banter are so real, unlike any previous movie dealing with urban blacks.
Spike tells it like it is, gradually escalating racism issues as the film reaches its climax, and he does the right thing by leaving the ending ambiguous. How can any thinking person expect racism to be resolved within the span of a 2-hour movie? That only happens in Hollywood fantasies.
Do the Right Thing is no Hollywood film, as evidenced by the Academy largely ignoring Lee's masterpiece. On the other hand, Spike Lee's film will be studied for many years to come as one of the landmark films that helped usher in many respectable independent films in the 1990's and one that dealt in a real way with social issues.
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Epinions.com ID:
janesbit1
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Member: John Nesbit
Location: Phoenix, Az.
Reviews written: 295
Trusted by: 281 members
About Me:
Watching movies and baseball, now reviewing at oldschoolreviews.com
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