The 80s was a fascinating decade for movies, as it was the first full decade of the summer blockbuster. But this also meant that many movies have become criminally overshadowed. Three Men And A Baby is unquestionably 80s down to the core, but just like many other movies that are now older than 30 years old, and despite its impending reboot starring Zac Efron in 2022, the original film is dangerously close to vanishing into the ether.
If anything, the 1980s were a mostly fun decade for film, with a dusting of social and political commentary. Between David Bowie starring in fantasy movies, vampiric comedies, and teen renegade war movies, there are a lot of quality movies that have been buried under the exciting Steven Spielberg adventures and George Lucas sci-fi odysseys.
Three Men And A Baby (1987)
Based on the French movie Three Men And A Cradle, Three Men And A Baby is one of the American movies fans might not have known was based on a foreign film, and yet it’s very much an American movie, as New York is almost a character in itself.
Starring Ted Danson and Tom Selleck, the movie is classically 80s, from the soundtrack to the characters’ get-ups, and though not all of the jokes still hold up, the movie is a hilarious time capsule.
Short Circuit (1987)
As one of the robotic movie characters that could use an upgrade, Short Circuit follows a funny and endearing robot that comes to life after being struck by lightning. Though some people might think the movie is too cute for its own good, it’s a fantastic heartfelt comedy with some great practical effects.
With the movie being all but forgotten, few people over the age of 30 know about the existence of this film and Short Circuit is dangerously close to becoming a lost gem.
Labyrinth (1986)
As the movie is one of the biggest box office bombs that was actually a great movie, between Labyrinth and Twin Peaks: Fire Walk With Me, David Bowie didn’t have a great track record at the box office. However, the fantasy movie, in all its camp glory, still holds up.
Not to be mistaken for the similarly fantastical but much darker and more depressing Pan’s Labyrinth, Labyrinth comes from the mind of Jim Henson and it’s full of many of the most impressive puppets of his career.
The King Of Comedy (1982)
With Martin Scorsese being one of the most celebrated directors of all time, and without a doubt the very best director of gangster movies, it comes as a surprise that he’s actually had a fair few flops too.
King of Comedy is one of those flops, and it doesn’t get the credit it deserves, as it follows Robert De Niro as Rupert, who is deluded in thinking he can be a talk show host, and it’s one of the movies that inspired Joker.
Heathers (1989)
As one of the most popular genres of the 80s were coming of age teen movies, high schoolers were treated to loads of John Hughes classics, including Ferries Bueller’s Day Off and The Breakfast Club, but he wasn’t the only guy making teen movies.
Heathers is unlike any of the coming-of-age movies that were released in the 80s, as it’s much darker in both tone and theme. The reason it’s great is the very reason it’s slightly forgotten, as every kids’ life in the movie isn’t neatly wrapped up, but it’s still one of the best 80s teen movies.
Red Dawn (1984)
Starring Charlie Sheen and Patrick Swayze, Red Dawn is one of the reasons why 1984 was the greatest year in film. It follows a group of high school students who form a resistance when the U.S. is attacked by the Soviet Union.
It’s an incredibly thought-provoking movie and one that could only have ever been made in the 1980s. Not even the 2012 remake, which many critics felt completely misunderstood the meaning of the original movie, can damage its reputation.
Raising Arizona (1987)
The Coen Brothers are two of cinema’s greatest auteurs, as they have many movies in the National Film Registry and have helmed tons of inventive thrillers, but Raising Arizona is somewhat of an outlier and often forgotten even by the biggest of Coen fans.
Raising Arizona is unlike most Coen Brothers movies, as the characters are actually likable and it has an almost uplifting narrative, while also housing one of Nicolas Cage’s best performances.
Fitzcarraldo (1982)
Fitzcarraldo is the ultimate Werner Herzog movie, and it caused so many problems that it’s one of the behind the scenes stories that deserves its own movie. It follows the character of Brian, who is trying to complete an ambitious project by building an opera house in the middle of the jungle.
It’s one of the most beautiful looking movies ever made, and the role of Brian is superbly acted by Klaus Kinski, even if the movie did result in his friendship with Herzog coming to an end.
Blow Out (1981)
Brian De Palma made Blow Out, a remake of Blow Up. The original is about a photographer who believes he captured a murder in the background of one of his photoshoots, and the remake follows a sound technician who believes he inadvertently picked up the audio of a murder.
The movie is extremely faithful to the original, only it adds more layers to the narrative, and expertly and interestingly uses a different medium.
The Lost Boys (1987)
The Lost Boys follows a family who moves to a new town, only the town, unbeknownst to them until they accidentally invite one of them into their home, is riddled with vampires.
It’s a hilarious movie and it features a take on vampires that had never been seen before or since, while it features an incredibly schlocky performance from Keifer Sutherland. On top of that, it has one of the greatest last lines of dialogue of a movie ever.
