Top Ten Lists of Eighties Movies

The concept is pretty easily, pick your ten favorite movies from the eighties. The hard part? I want JUST movies from the eighties, not movies you might have seen during the eighties. Also, try and avoid movies that came out after the eighties if possible, 1990 is pretty borderline, I won't scream too loudly if you add one that is from then...

This page currently edited by: Gwen. Past editor: Junior

By: Sarah Loflin
  • 10. Dirty Dancing
    Every girl my age wished she was "Baby".
  • 9. Cocoon
    a wonderful movie.
  • 8. The Client
    Tommy Lee Jones-'nuff Said.
  • 7. Lion King
    Disney's biggest achievement of the decade.
  • 6. Three Amigos
    Everything a western should be.
  • 5. Ghostbusters
    A movie that I know right now belongs in every home video library in the USA!!!!!!!
  • 4. Lost Boys
    A very cute cast and a cool movie. MAkes me want to be a teenager again!!
  • 3. Rainman
    Dustin Hoffman and Tom Cruise are unforgettable.
  • 2. Short Circuit
    A very cute family movie.(Cool soundtrack too.)
  • 1.
By: David Mitchell
  • 10. Rocky IV
    I have to put Rocky IV on this list, but purely for sentimental reasons. I went to this movie on a double date and ended-up with my future (and now, past) wife. I still can't figure-out how my date beat me at Mrs. Pac Man at the theater's video arcade...three times!
  • 9. Batman
    One of the last "big, fat, hyped" movies of the 80's. I ate this one up! Dark, eerie, melancholy...everything the Dark Night Detective should be! Many say Jack Nicholson stole the show, and to an extent they're right, but I still like Michael Keaton's Batman.
  • 8. Ferris Beuhler's Day Off
    For me, the last great hurrah of the signature 80's comedies, and one of the best! When, after the ending credits, Ferris says, "It's over, go home...", I'm sure he was reminding me that it's time to grow-up, now, and start getting ready to face the real world. Thanks for the laughs, Ferris.
  • 7. Ghostbusters
    One word...ROLLED! 'Nuff said!
  • 6. The Road Warrior
    Basically a futuristic Indiana Jones/Dirty Harry. One in search of artifacts, the other in search of gasoline. Max Rocketansky was my loner, anti-hero hero.
  • 5. Mad Max: Beyond Thunderdome
    A kinder, gentler Max in this one (he's mellowed with age), but still tough as nails! A bit more of a thinking man's Mad Max movie, I suppose. More epic in scale. I like the Max-as-messiah inferences.
  • 4. Return of the Jedi
    A goodbye to the movies (and characters) I grew-up with, and a nice, tight ending to a brilliant series. (The Ewoks, however, I could do without.)
  • 3. Star Trek II: The Wrath Of Khan
    A story of revenge. Pure, raw and simple as that. I remember wanting to find somone to hate as much as Khan hated Kirk so I could serve a "cold dish" of my own.
  • 2. The Empire Strikes Back
    The best of the three, IMHO. I have this urge to watch this movie in the winter when it's cold and grey outside, like Hoth. Always had trouble finding the "Han Solo In Bespin Outfit" action figure without that goofy-looking head. The "scan grid" torture scene was brutal.
  • 1. Indiana Jones And The Temple Of Doom
    Saw 20 times in the theater. I was a "Jones Head"! What is it about the number two movies in the series that somehow makes them better?
By: Melanie
By: Annette Harris
  • 10. The John Hughes Collection
    I know some of these should be at a higher number but I didn't know which one to pick ahead of the other. The Brat Pack was the best.
  • 9. Labyrinth
    I am 22 and I still love this movie.
  • 8. Girls Just Wanna Have Fun
    What a great girl movie. One of my faves.
  • 7. Adventures In Babysitting
    Hilarious. This is something that would happen to me.
  • 6. Gleaming the Cube
    Seeing Christian Slater in this movie made me go out and buy a skateboard.
  • 5. Fast Times At Ridgemont High
    Sean Penn made the movie. Jeff Spicoli is a great character.
  • 4. Ferris Bueller's Day Off
    A classic. I never get tired of watching this movie.
  • 3. The Goonies
    I grew up with this one and it to this day still amuses the younger kids who see it.
  • 2. The Burbs
    Anyone who has not seen this movie is missing out on one of the funniest Tom Hanks movies. But when I think about it, I don't know anyone who hasn't seen this movie.
  • 1. Stand By Me
    One of the best movies ever. I was sooo in love with River Phoenix after I saw this.
Some Kind of Wonderful, Legend of Billie Jean, Mannequin , Footloose and Big all deserve to be mentioned.
By: Dave
By: Crystal
  • 10. Airplane!
    Never fails to get me to laugh even on the dullest days
  • 9. Stripes
    That's the fact, Jack!
  • 8. The Princess Bride
    Hello...my name is Inigo Montoya...you killed my father...prepare to die!
  • 7. Romancing The Stone
    Dammit, the Doobie Brothers split up!
  • 6. Footloose
    God, I remember thinking that the soundtrack to this film was the best ever--great memories from age 14.
  • 5. Ferris Bueller's Day Off
    Anyone? Anyone?
  • 4. Ghostbusters
    I think I wore out my soundtrack LP to this one. And what a team--Murray, Ackroyd and Ramis, with Sigourney Weaver and Rick Moranis as the best accountant nerd ever.
  • 3. Back To The Future
    Michael J. Fox was so cute!
  • 2. Return Of The Jedi
    So awesome, even with the Ewoks. The Emperor was soooo EEEEEEVIL.
  • 1. Top Gun
    The ULTIMATE Reagan-era movie, great music and Tom Cruise!!
Too many good 80's films to list here!
By: Tracie
By: Scott
I am right.
By: Rachel
  • 10. Hot Gun
  • 9. Rat Race
    oh my gosh this is soo funny
  • 8. Lion King
  • 7. Mulan
  • 6. A Walk To Remember
  • 5.
  • 4.
  • 3. Beauty and the Beast
    Disney but a classic
  • 2. Much Ado About Nothing
    The best Shakespere movie of all time!!!
  • 1. The Very Thought of You
    This is one of the best movies!!! Joeseph Finnes and Monica Potter are great!!!
By: Jessica
Runners up include... Labyrinth, St. Elmo's Fire, Say Anything, Risky Buisness, Licence to Drive and of course Back to the Future.
By: Heather
Parenthood, DieHard, Commando, Rainman just to name afew more...
By: Nichole Moore
They're all equally great!
By: joseph
By: JeN
  • 10. Flashdance, Purple Rain & Hollywood Shuffle
    FLASHDANCE--What s Feeling!!...It was a total inspiration to believe in your dreams...PURPLE RAIN--Loved Prince in the film and all his songs are HOT!!...and HOLLYWOOD SHUFFLE--just cracked me up so much!!
  • 9. Poltergeist and A Nightmare on Elm Street
    I couldn't get "They're he--eere" and "One, two, Freddie's coming for you..." off my head when I was a kid!...Both are my favorite thriller films...such classics!!
  • 8. Fast Times At Ridgemont HIgh
    Totally awesome!! Sean Penn is always good and he was good here.
  • 7. Footloose
    Made me dance and kick of my shoes!! Very cool soundtrack.
  • 6. Sixteen Candles
    Long duck dong!!...Such a cool romantic movie!
  • 5. Dirty Dancing
    "I'm only doing this just to save your @$s!..." The movie is close to perfection, it makes you wanna dance, and it has one of the best soundtracks.
  • 4. Ferris Beuler's Day Off
    Soo funny!...He did what he wanted and didn't get caught!!
  • 3. The Goonies
    Yeah I wanted to be a Goonie too!!...Love the whole adventure!!
  • 2. The Lost Boys
    Corey Haim was my 80's crush...Corey Feldman was downright hilarious like in all his films!...the vamps were cool!!
  • 1. The Breakfast Club
    "Don't You (Forget About Me)" makes me reminisce the 80's & this film a whole lot more! Perfect acting and one of the funniest lines!! Coolest BRAT PACK movie!! THE BASKETCASE: "You wanna know what I did to get in here?...Nothing...I didn't have anything better to do." "...each one of us is a BRAIN, an ATHLETE, a BASKETCASE, a PRINCESS, and a CRIMINAL..."
By: antonis
By: Alix
  • 10. Can't Buy Me Love
    I can't believe the cult following after this movie its like really rare now, I love Patrick Dempsy!!!
  • 9. Cutting Class
    Brad Pitt!!!! OHHH so hot, and so cute when he is trying on his girlfriends dad's clothes, watch for it. Actually an okay horror film too!!
  • 8. The Goonies
    Corey Feldman!! "Goonies never say die" You have to love this movie it is a classic.
  • 7. Ferris Buellers Day Off
    Save Ferris!!! I love this movie, watch for Kristy Swanson as Simone and the duckette in Pretty in Pink.
  • 6. Nightmare On Elm Street Series
    Freddy is the ultimate horror King he rules, especially in parts 1,3,4, and Wes Cravens New Nightmare, the rest are alright, no dissing Freddy.
  • 5. Bill And Teds Excellent Adventure
    "Strange things are afoot at the circle K" I love watching Bill S Preston Esquire and Ted Theodore Logan!!!
  • 4. Pretty In Pink
    Awwwuhhh I love Duckie why doesn't Andie just go out with him, okay maybe hes a bit clingy, but I gotta love him anyway.
  • 3. Heathers
    One word "eskimo"
  • 2. Labyrinth
    I have always loved this movie David Bowie rocks!! It is a true classic movie.
  • 1. The Lost Boys
    I love the Corey's!! Corey Haim is so hot and Michael ain't that bad either!!! oohhh and Alex Winter.
By: Splash Marshall
  • 10. Fast Times At Ridgemont High
    This film was so much fun.
  • 9. Bad Boys
    Sean Penn was brilliant in this film. I didn't want to ever go to a place remotely like that...
  • 8. Class Of 1984
    Wicked flick with nasty nasty people. So much fun to be had....
  • 7. Nightmare On Elm St.
    Freddy Krueger was one if not the greatest horror movie character in history.
  • 6. Friday The 13th
    A classic that started an entire genre.
  • 5. Ghost Story
    The only movie to ever give me nightmares.
  • 4. An American Werewolf In London
    Scary as hell and the effects were awsome.
  • 3. Crossroads
    I love the music and the theme of this film. Machio is dork but the movie was cool.
  • 2. Rocky III
    Mister T was one tough customer!
  • 1. La Bamba
    I saw this film 14 times while it was in the theatre and prolly another 10 or so after it was released on video.
Runners Up: Back To The Future, Stripes, Police Academy, Caddyshack, The Big Red One, Gremlins and ofcourse Return Of The Jedi.
By: Lauren
By: Magnus Lindblad

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