Chessy 80's movies (1 Viewer)

[Hunter P]

Most of the good ones were already mentioned. Here are a couple that aren't on DVD AFAIK.
Gymkata --What are the odds that there is a pommel horse in the middle of town to allow Kurt to use his deadly scissor kicks?
Class of 1984--Tim Van Patton (Dick's son) as the leader of a gang of punks causing havoc in school? Perry King, star of the TV show "Riptide," is out to stop them. Roddy McDowall steals the movie with is wigged out performance. I remember him threatening his class with a gun if they missed a question on his pop quiz. The Blackboard Jungle for Gen X.
Turk 182!--This movie is so bad that none of my friends remember it. The main plot makes no sense but it had catchy phrase. Once in a while I will scream out "Who Knew?" just to see if someone will respond.
D.A.R.Y.L.--A.I. was a blatant rip-off of this movie. They even both have initials for their titles. (I believe this came out on laserdisc.)
Other Cheesy Classics from the 80's that are avail on DVD:
The Warriors--OK 1979 but I can't NOT mention it.
Xanadu--Gene Kelly didn't know when to call it quits.
Can't Stop the Music--Starring: The Village People. Need I say more?
Police Academy--Remember when this movie seemed fresh?
Red Dawn--The Commies have invaded the US and a bunch of high schoolers are leading the fight to stop them. This is a training video for separatist militia in Wyoming.
Clash of the Titans--I can't watch Harry Hamlin in LA Law without thinking of Perseus.
My Bodyguard--Damn I saw this film a million times. I thought Christopher Makepeace was the best child actor of my generation.
The Toy--Along with Brewster's Millions, the finest Pryor films ever.
Big Trouble in Little China--Bad acting, bad lines, bad plot, great kung fu.
Short Circuit--Anybody know how this movie had so many sequels?
Over The Top--Stallone recreates his "Rocky" magic in the world of arm wrestling.
Mannequin--Scene stealing performance by Meshach Taylor along the lines of Bronson Pinchot in Beverly Hills Cop.
Gotcha!--Gotta love those movie titles that end in punctuation. As if you're supposed to give the proper inflection every time you mention the title. Anyway it's a spy film involving paint ball guns. Only in the 80's.
9 to 5--Anybody else not blink during every Dolly Parton scene? I was a preteen just straining for any hint of seeing the mythical you-know-whats. What a tease.
Pump Up the Volume--Pretentious prick. That's what I thought of Christian Slater's character but it had a good soundtrack.
Iron Eagle--A high schooler knows how to fly an F-15 because his dad was a pilot and he got to play around on the simulators? Again, how did this have so many sequels?
Bloodsport--"Duke's my man!" Such a blatant rip-off of Enter the Dragon that they even had Bolo play the bad guy.
And finally the granddaddy of them all:
The Neverending Story--I think this one needs no explanation.

 

[Hunter P]

The most significant difference between movies of today and the 80's is the music.

The movies back then always had a song or soundtrack that you could identify with the film. They were a prominent part of the movie. I could name a ton of titles and a song will immediately come to mind. As noted in a previous post, how could you not think of the Pat Benatar song when someone mentions the Legend of Billie Jean?

I don't get that impression with today's films.

 

[Kevin M]

Big Trouble in Little China--Bad acting, bad lines, bad plot, great kung fu.

You forgot to mention "Completely intentional". It was a send up of everything from action films and shattering standard tough guy roles such as John Wayne & Clint Eastwood to 70's Chinese wire work...if the intention of a film is to send up cheesy film plots and cinematic stereotypes while also confessing it's love for such films I personally don't consider that film to actually be cheesy, it would be like calling Dr. Strangelove just another cold war nuclear potboiler because it had Russians and H-bombs.