1980s Best Movies

The History of The World, Part I (1981)

Human history is traced through a series of vignettes, beginning with cavemen awestruck by their own magnificence. Then Moses (Mel Brooks) receives the tablets containing the “15” commandments, and Emperor Nero (Dom DeLuise) presides over a madcap Rome with his wife, Nympho (Madeline Kahn). Jumping ahead, the Spanish Inquisition softens repression with song and dance, and a few centuries later Madame Defarge (Cloris Leachman) is fomenting revolution in France.

The Long Good Friday (1980)

In the late 1970s, Cockney crime boss Harold Shand (Bob Hoskins), a gangster trying to become a legitimate property mogul, has big plans to get the American Mafia to bankroll his transformation of a derelict area of London into the possible venue for a future Olympic Games. However, a series of bombings targets his empire on the very weekend the Americans are in town. Shand is convinced there is a traitor in his organization, and sets out to eliminate the rat in typically ruthless fashion.

Hellraiser (1987)

“Hellraiser” spawned an 11-film franchise that neither Dick Ebert nor Gene Lyons had ever seen because they were too afraid of Pinhead. This week, commissioner Jason B. changed all that. Join the Shat Crew as we discuss dysfunctional ’80s couples, sexual deviance and Clive Barker’s thrifty but amateurish abilities as...

No Way Out (1987)

If you enjoy spy movies with no spying, romantic comedies with no laughs and Sean Young movies with no sex appeal, you’ll love 1987’s “No Way Out.” This Kevin Costner thriller spends 45 minutes developing a love affair that goes nowhere, features a computer that can do anything, implicates ’80s...

Bad Boys (1983)

Teen delinquent Mick O’Brien (Sean Penn) is sent to juvenile hall after unintentionally killing the younger sibling of a rival gang leader, Paco Moreno (Esai Morales), in a drug-deal con gone wrong. Prison life proves even more brutal than the streets when Mick is forced to face off against reigning prison toughs Viking (Clancy Brown) and Tweety (Robert Lee Rush). Worse yet, on the outside, Paco is threatening to take revenge on those close to Mick — including his girlfriend (Ally Sheedy).

Police Academy (1984)

When the mayor of a crime-ridden city loosens the restrictions on entering the police academy in order to get more cops on the street, all manner of oddball characters enlist to join the force. Among the cadets are suave Carey Mahoney (Steve Guttenberg), hulking Moses Hightower (Bubba Smith), beautiful Karen Thompson (Kim Cattrall) and sound effects-generating Larvell Jones (Michael Winslow), who all have to show initiative and courage when they are faced with tough situations out on patrol.

Allan Quatermain and The Lost City of Gold (1986)

Richard Chamberlain stars as Allan Quatermain, and Sharon Stone portrays Jesse Huston. Together, they lead an expedition with James Earl Jones as Swarma and Henry Silva as Umslopogaas to find Quatermain’s missing brother. Along the journey, they encounter treacherous terrain, hostile tribes, and face betrayal by Robert Donner’s character, Dr. Otto. In the Lost City, they defend its secrets against Otto’s greed. Their thrilling adventures forge unbreakable bonds and leave a lasting impact on their lives.

King Solomon’s Mines (1985)

Richard Chamberlain stars as Allan Quatermain, leading an expedition with Sharon Stone as Jesse Huston, seeking her missing father. They face wildlife, hostile tribes, and the enigmatic warrior Umbopa (John Rhys-Davies). Amidst betrayals by Herbert Lom and Ken Gampu’s treasure hunters, they uncover the secret of King Solomon’s Mines. Battling peril and greed, they reach the treasure, protecting it from falling into wrong hands. This action-packed adventure portrays Quatermain and Huston’s bravery in a thrilling quest through Africa’s untamed wilderness.