The 80s were a great time for movies. As a country, we were in the midst of the Cold War, most people were rocking some pretty questionable hairstyles and clothing and the New York City subway system was covered in graffiti and chewing gum. Put together, these ingredients formed the perfect recipe for iconic movies that reflected the uncertainty of the times and a nation of people open to ideas and expression in ways that perhaps they may not be today. Filmmakers at the time were open to forging into uncharted territory and taking risks with their films, producing incredible 80s movies like “The Shining” and “Beetlejuice.” Here we review the 10 most iconic 80s movies, films that reflect a decade that perhaps could best be described as quirky.
FAQ
Top 10 lists frequently analyze films by the elements that hold them together, weaving the films into a cohesive unit. This makes sense when analyzing a genre of films or films with a particular theme. When it comes to 80s films, this strategy becomes almost an exercise in futility as this period is remarkable for the lack of cohesion of the works the period produced. In fact, some of the standard tropes of movies took their shape in the 80s, especially in the genres of romantic comedy and horror. But they were new at the time, allowing this period to be notable for a freshness and cynicism that is arguably entirely absent from the films of today.
1. What Was So Iconic about the 80s Movies?
2. What Makes 80s Movies So Special?
3. Are 80s Movies Overrated?
4. Where Can You Buy 80s Movies?
5. Will We Ever Be Able to Go Back to 80s-Style Filmmaking?
How We Reviewed The 10 Most Iconic 80s Movies
The films on this list were reviewed in terms of plot, popularity, originality and other factors. The idea was to get a sense of what made these films unique representations of this period in American cinema.
COMPARISON TABLE
[amazon box=”B00RJXKUVA,B000GG4Y4Q,B000IDEORY,B000GOUMPI,B000VEPL2M,B001BR7CVG,B001EC2ISA,B00351ZUHY,B00BP4ZNFM,B00K0CC7PE” template=”table”]
Overall Price Range of This Product (and Similar Products)
Most of these films are available from online retailers for about $20.
What We Reviewed
- The Breakfast Club
- Ferris Bueller’s Day Off
- Dirty Dancing
- The Shining
- The Princess Bride
- Sixteen Candles
- Beetlejuice
- Footloose
- E.T.: The Extra-Terrestrial
- Say Anything
[amazon link=”B00RJXKUVA” title=”The Breakfast Club”/]
[amazon box=”B00RJXKUVA”]
Plot
The Breakfast Club appears on many lists of the best 80s movies. Why? Well, the Breakfast Club represented what this period accomplished cinematically that other periods did not. It explored youth culture and teen angst not only as a way to sell a movie but as a representation of where society was headed. This film is about students in detention and established many tropes in the teen film genre.
Price
Available for about $15.
Pros
Cons
[amazon link=”B000GG4Y4Q” title=”Ferris Bueller’s Day Off”/]
[amazon box=”B00RJXKUVA”]
Plot
Matthew Broderick stars as Ferris Bueller in this film. He skips school. This film is also about teenage angst and rebellion. This is one of the standout 80s movies and one that really helped cement the teen film as a viable genre. From a cultural standpoint, this film also represents the Reagan period in history.
Price
Available for about $15.
Pros
Cons
[amazon link=”B000IDEORY” title=”Dirty Dancing”/]
[amazon box=”B000IDEORY”]
Plot
This film is about a young woman who falls in love with a suave dance instructor played by Patrick Swayze. This is one of the standout films of the 80s in the romantic genre. This film featured great music, great dancing and strong performances.
Price
Available for about $15.
Pros
Cons
[amazon link=”B000GOUMPI” title=”The Shining”/]
[amazon box=”B000GOUMPI”]
Plot
Stephen King adaptations can be hit or miss, but “The Shining” is arguably the most successful adaptation of a Stephen King book ever made. This film manages to rise above the confines of a book translated to film to become simply a great film. This film created a number of iconic images and phrases that represent not just the 80s but American filmmaking as a whole. This film stars Jack Nicholson as a writer spending the winter at a hotel with his family.
Price
Available for about $15.
Pros
Cons
[amazon link=”B000VEPL2M” title=”The Princess Bride”/]
[amazon box=”B000VEPL2M”]
Plot
Many people consider the Princess Bride to be one of their favorite movies. This iconic film, about a girl named Buttercup who falls in love with a handsome swashbuckler played by Cary Elwes, straddles the line between original and movie studio formula. The Princess Bride checks all of the boxes that moviegoers want in a film: romance, interesting characters and an atypical story although it strays away from being truly out there. The Princess Bride is at its base a film for kids, young women and families yet manages to appeal to people of all ages.
Price
Available for about $15.
Pros
Cons
[amazon link=”B001BR7CVG” title=”Sixteen Candles”/]
[amazon box=”B001BR7CVG”]
Plot
No list of 80s movies would be complete without a Molly Ringwald film. Sixteen Candles is one of the most popular films for fans of the decade, and it represents the teenage angst genre, which we may take for granted today because so many current films are based on a similar subject. This film about a girl with a crush spawned a host of film imitators that do not quite compare to the original.
Price
Available for about $15.
Pros
Cons
[amazon link=”B001EC2ISA” title=”Beetlejuice”/]
[amazon box=”B001EC2ISA”]
Plot
“Beetlejuice” arguably represents the fulfilled potential of the 80s more than any other film. This film established director Tim Burton as a visionary who was able to create a unique iconic film while still drawing in audiences. This film had all the weirdness and originality that made the period so great, even if it was designed for a family audience. Beetlejuice featured a high school girl played by Winona Ryder and a character who could be summoned by saying his name three times. Beetlejuice, Beetlejuice, Beetlejuice! This filmed spawned lots of memorabilia and even a Saturday morning cartoon.
Price
Available for about $15.
Pros
Cons
[amazon link=”B00351ZUHY” title=”Footloose”/]
[amazon box=”B00351ZUHY”]
Plot
“Footloose” is another iconic movie from the 80s. This film stars Kevin Bacon as a young man who lives in a town where dancing has been banned. As implausible as the story may seem, it is actually based on the real town of Elmore, Oklahoma. This film established Kevin Bacon as one of the faces of the 80s and is a favorite for film viewers looking to recreate the nostalgic originality of the 80s. A recent remake left filmgoers underwhelmed, highlighting the significance of the original.
Price
Available for about $15.
Pros
Cons
[amazon link=”B00BP4ZNFM” title=”E.T.: The Extra-Terrestrial”/]
[amazon box=”B00BP4ZNFM”]
Plot
E.T. is a Steven Spielberg film that iconically represents the 80s. In fact, the film is so unique that filmmakers have strayed away from replicating it, leaving the subject matter alone. This film is about a boy who make friends with an alien.
Price
Available for about $10.
Pros
Cons
[amazon link=”B00K0CC7PE” title=”Say Anything”/]
[amazon box=”B00K0CC7PE”]
Plot
John Cusack and Ione Skye play characters who fall in love at their high school graduation ceremony. This film is considered one of the best romantic films in American cinema that takes place in a high school setting, and it features an iconic scene with John Cusack carrying that very 80s instrument, the boombox.
Price
Available for about $12.
Pros
Cons
The Verdict
The 80s teemed with a number of memorable films which makes choosing the single best film anything but a simple task. The period was able to establish the teen film as a viable film type and many of the films on this list are of that type. With that said, the 80s was notable as a time in which the human experience could be described in a truly unique way as directors and writers seemed more open to take risks, well, with the impending nuclear war and all. With this in mind, we narrowed down our top 10 list of 80s movies to two truly unique films, “Beetlejuice” and “The Shining.” As remarkable as “Beetlejuice” was—for Tim Burton’s creation of a truly jarring image, “The Shining,” as a film, is difficult to trump for its acting and its themes. Congratulations, “The Shining.” You top the list as the most iconic film of the 80s.