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: Justin G.
By: Trixie
Ok, I admit, I am a big bratt pack and john hughes fan!
By: Kwan
  • 10. Breakin'
    Break dancing is the best!!
  • 9. Ferris Bueller's Day Off
    Why not create a movie that teaches teens to skip school?
  • 8. For Keeps?
    Once again, I love Molly Ringwald....if you're out there, come back to the big screen!!!
  • 7. Footloose
    The dance technique in this movie is unforgettable.
  • 6. Grease
    It may not be an eighties movie, but come on.... JOHN TRAVOLTA!!!
  • 5. Dirty Dancing
    A classic... that's all there is to it.
  • 4. Pretty in Pink
    Molly Ringwald is my favorite actress... what can I say?
  • 3. Sixteen Candles
    Is Anthony Michael Hall hilarious or what?
  • 2. Scarface
    No doubt the best mob movie of ALL time!!
  • 1. The Breakfast Club
    This movie perfectly dipicts what the teenage years in the eighties were like.
By: Carly
By: Murdock
  • 10. The Neverending Story
    fantasy tale.
  • 9. Evil Dead
    who needs lots of cash to make a movie?? not sam raimi
  • 8. A Nightmare On Elm Street
    Superb horror movie.. Freddy Krueger..
  • 7. Mask
    About a boy with a deformed face..
  • 6. The Elephant Man
    Another Lynch masterwork. The most touching movie ever.
  • 5. Purple Rain
    From zero to hero.. best soundtrack ever in a movie. Well Done Prince
  • 4. Predator
    Typical boys movie.
  • 3. Terminator
    Tell me one kid who didn't imitate Arnold?
  • 2. E.T
    on screens in 1982, the year i was born. beatiful movie
  • 1. Scarface
    one of the best ever. Pacino's best performance as Tony Montana
By: andrea
I also like all the other 80's movies
By: Keith Hippard
  • 10. Right Stuff, The
    Phillip Kaufman, 1983 Underated space adventure. Trur story, check it out.
  • 9. E.T. - The Extra Terrestrial
    Steven Spielberg, 1982 A classic.
  • 8. Platoon
    Oliver Stone, 1986 Next to Apocalypse Now, this is the great Vietnam war movie.
  • 7. Born on the Fourth of July
    Oliver Stone, 1989 So much raw emotion. This movie is very difficult to watch at times.
  • 6. Ran
    Akira Kurosawa, 1985 Beautiful colors. Awesome story. Great action. One of the great diretors of all time, and one of his last great movies.
  • 5. Return of the Jedi, The
    Richard Marquand, 1983 Star Wars is great. I've seen it coutless times.
  • 4. Empire Strikes Back, The
    Irvin Kershner, 1980 Star Wars is great. I've seen it coutless times.
  • 3. Do the Right Thing
    Spike Lee, 1989 Possible the most important film of the eighties. Perfect ensamble of actors. This movie attacks racism at its core.
  • 2. Brazil
    Terry Gilliam, 1985 Fantasy meets reality. This movie seems so real. Jonathan Pryce is Terrific.
  • 1. Raging Bull
    Martin Scorsese, 1980 His best movie. By far the most superior movie of the decade.
Honerable mentions in alphabetic order: After Hours, Aliens, Amadeus, Blade Runner, Blow Out, Blue Velvet, Dawn of the Dead, Drugstore Cowboy, El Norte, The King of Comedy, Raiders of the Lost Ark, Repo Man, Scarface, This is Spinal Tap. Kudos to my guilty pleasure - Better off Dead, I'll watch it anytime it's on. Most of the lists I saw were terrible, nobody has any taste in movies, although the eighties were inferior to the seventies and nineties, please give me a break, Teen Wolf is crap.
By: Jon
  • 10. 9 1/2 Weeks
    kitchen seen... enuff said
  • 9. The Princess Bride
    This movie is great. how can u go wrong with pirates, Andre the Giant, and Jenny from Forrest Gump in her first movie?
  • 8. Willow
    Midgets, trolls, swordfights, old woman turning into goats , bloody epic battles, drunk elves and did mention midgets and swordfights?
  • 7. Rain Man
    Definitely top 10. Dustin Hoffman is awesome and Tom Cruise's imapatience are equally effective, good movie.
  • 6. Raiders of the Lost Ark
    The movie was awesome as are all Indiana Jones moovies, the American James Bond, the scene in the snakepit is crazy and so is the fire scene.
  • 5. Back to the Future
    What a great movie. There is too much for me to write about, Biff and McFly, the Doc, Marty,Jennifer, etc.
  • 4. The 'Burbs
    If you havent seen it you dunno what ur misising. The movie is so great. Tom Hanks is hilarious along with Bruce Dern and Rick Ducommen with their comments about the Clopeks.. one of the huns left the cave. Not too many are better than this one
  • 3. The Breakfast Club
    Classic, can't say much more. Emilio Estevez and Judd Nelson were hilarious and crude. Anthony Michael Hall was ideal as a nerd ( in every movie he was ever in)
  • 2. Porky's
    Maybe the funniest movie of all time. The scene in the cabin and Pee Wee running down the road naked is almost as classic as Buela pulling Tommy through the wall and the giant condom scene. Great flick!
  • 1. Return of the Jedi
    Han Solo is a major pimp in the Millenium Falcon; Yoda talks back does he and makes me laugh everytime except when he died at the age of about what....1,000?
By: Chris Bence
  • 10. Drugstore Cowboy
    Great movie....
  • 9. Ordinary People
    American beauty, though fantastic, seems like a copy of this movie in a way. But, this is better.
  • 8. Platoon
    Oliver Stone at his best.
  • 7. Full Metal Jacket
    One of Kubricks worst movies, but its still fantastic.
  • 6. Blue Velvet
    Another Lynch movie, great performances by Rossolini and Dennis Hopper. Extremely disturbing as well.
  • 5. Elephant Man
    I love David Lynch, and this is one of his best movies. Its also one of the most depressing movies Ive ever seen.
  • 4. Do The Right Thing
    Spike Lee's best
  • 3. Amadeus
    One of the few best picture choices in the academy awards that actually deserved the award.
  • 2. My Dinner With Andre
    The entire movie is two men talking at a dinner table, and it is fantastic.
  • 1. Raging Bull
    Probably De Niro's best performance, one of Scorsese's best as well.
The 80's sucked for movies compared to the 70's
By: erin
  • 10. The Little Mermaid
    where would we be without Disney? "Go on and kiss the girl!"
  • 9. Look Whos Talking
    i dont even know why
  • 8. Gremlins
    how could u not like those gremlins
  • 7. Ferris Bueller
    Another classic
  • 6. Breakfast Club
    Just one of those movies
  • 5. ET
    "ET phone home" He's just so cute!
  • 4. Footloose
    'cuz you gotta cut loose!
  • 3. Top Gun
    like i said...Tom Cruise
  • 2. Rainman
    Dustin Hoffman.....performance of a life time..Tom Cruise....enuff said
  • 1. Dirty Dancing
    come on patrick swayze is hot! "Nobody puts Baby in a corner"
By: Marc Bergamasco
  • 10. Bill and Ted Bogus Journey
    Best 3 out of 5, Coneral Mustard did it in the study with candlestick,Twister,Station.
  • 9. Coming To America
    Eddie Murphy and The Barber Shop, do I have to say more.
  • 8. Pee Wee's Big Adventure
    Peee Wee Heman, The Bike,Clowns,Fran,Danceing with the Bikers,Dressing up as a women,Oddjob,The Bum,and "One Footlong"
  • 7. The Burbs
    Like the man said " One of the Huns came out of the cave."
  • 6. Gonnies
    Chunk,Sloth,Mamma,Booby Traps
  • 5. Born On the 4th of July
    Great movie. Shows what some guys went threw
  • 4. Rocky
    Mr.T,Apollo Creed,Irin Drogo great guys
  • 3. Predator
    Great Movie Gonna have me some fun.
  • 2. The Breakfast Club
    Great Movie. Cult classic
  • 1. The Indiana Jones Series
    If you don't like them you have something wrong wit you.
By: willy be good
By: Jonathan Horner
  • 10. Falling Down
    90's I know, but great movie none the less.
  • 9. The Shining
    Possibly the best horror movie ever.
  • 8. Aliens
    Obviously...
  • 7. Iron Eagle
    Dunno what it is about the Iron Eagle movies but I like them! Better than Top Gun!
  • 6. Black Rain
    Great crime thriller starring Michael Douglas and Andy Garcia. Also has a great soundtrack by Hans Zimmer and Gregg Allman.
  • 5. Enter The Dragon
    Possibly the best martial arts movie of all time, starring the one and only Bruce Lee.
  • 4. Snatch
    Hilerious British gangster movie. Directed by Guy Ritchie. Sorry it's after the 80's but it's a classic!
  • 3. The Hitcher
    Great horror movie starring one of the most underrated actors of all time - Rutger Hauer.
  • 2. Shogun Assassin
    Great violent if a little over the top Samurai movie. Starring the infamous Ogami Itto (Lone Wolf and son (Diagoro) travelling along the road to hell to kill the Shogun leader, while slicing up hapless ninja on the way.
  • 1. Highlander
    Great concept, deserves more popularity than it gets. Great fantasy movie. Very underrated.
Apart from Highlander, the rest of my list are technically in no order, I just entered them as they came into my head.
By: Mandy
  • 10. Ruthless People
    SO SO Funny!!! Bette Midler and Danny Devito are so halarious but my favorie character in that one is the Bill Pullman character. He was just so stupid :)
  • 9. Re-Animator
    This is my all time favorite horror/comedy movie ever made! I used to watch this one once a week along with The Evil Dead and just laugh my a** off. The part with the head gets me everytime......
  • 8. 9 To 5
    Who can forget the ladies sitting around smoking a J, fantasising about what they'd like to do to their "no good, egotistical, lying, hypicritical bigot" of a boss :)
  • 7. ET
    I still cry everytime I see this movie. But it's such a great movie it's worth the tears :)
  • 6. A Christmas Story
    Favorite Holiday movie that's for sure. I love Ralphie and when Flick get's his tongue stuck is just classic....
  • 5. Aliens
    One of the best monster type movies ever made. Better than Alien, and had me on the edge of my seat the first time I saw it. Loved the famous line...."Get away from her you B%*ch"!
  • 4. The Breakfast Club
    This is my favorite of all the John Huges movies of the 80's. I just love the John Bender character so much and if I need a good laugh I pop that in and laugh away.....
  • 3. The Terminator
    One of my favorites of all time along with T2! Arnold is great and so convincing as a machine. Can't wait till T3! "I'll be back" will be in our minds forever
  • 2. Poltergiest
    This is just a great movie! Not too scary but has alot of creepy moments.....The tree, the clown and guy peeling his face off, etc..... and we'll never forget those words....."They're Here"
  • 1. Airplane!
    This definatley my favorite movie of the 80's! To this day I can still watch it whenever it comes on and laugh through the whole movie....
It was hard to narrow it down to 10 so here's a few more I wish I could put up there......The Money Pit, Major League, Splash, Caddyshack, The Shining, Vacation, Monty Pyton and the Holy Grail, Days of Thunder, Rain Man, Mr Mom, Beetleguise, Fast Times at RH, Stand by me, Better off Dead, Nitghtmare on Elm St and the list goes on :)
By: allison
By: Allister Mills
  • 10. The Empire Strikes Back
    'Luke, I am your father' arguablly the best film film of all time.............excellant
  • 9. Apocolypse Now
    superb
  • 8. Bill And Ted's Bogus Journey
    'we are 'wild stalions' sweeeeeeeeeet
  • 7. Aliens
    'Whoppi f**king do'!! one of the best films ever
  • 6. Return Of The Jedi
    Obi wan: 'That boy was our last hope' Master Yoda 'no, there is another'
  • 5. The Predator
    'I aint got time to bleed' stunning film, great concept.
  • 4. Ghostbusters
    'Don't look at the trap, Ray' funny as F**k.
  • 3. Platoon
    masterpiece
  • 2. The 'burbs
    'satan is good satan is my pal' by far tom hank's best film.
  • 1. Goonies
    'Hey you guys' great film
there are better films than the ones i mentioned but my mind is less than it should be................best film ever= 12 angry men (the original)
By: Justin Bondi
  • 10. License To Drive And Dream A Little Dream
    sorry i had to put both in the two correys pretty much summed it up for me in the 80's
  • 9. Big Trouble In Little China
    Kurt Russel battling the forces of evil. John Carpenter
  • 8. Say Anything
    again John Cusak is remarkable, the plot is original
  • 7. Blue Velvet
    David lynch at his best need I say more
  • 6. Back To The Future 1&2 Not 3
    The first installment showed me how exciting it was to be a small child and enjoy movies from a whole diffrent perspective. probally watched it 100 times in the 80's alone, and to have to wait 6 years for a sequel is quite a wait.
  • 5. Lost Boys
    corey feldman was my idol growing up and keifer sutherland is a great actor and highly underrated
  • 4. Nightmare On Elm St Saga
    not a huge wes craven fan but what he started with freddy kruger will live on forever.
  • 3. One Crazy Summer
    John Cusak is a godsent, early Demi just an all around great movie. Saw it at the theater 3 times as a small child
  • 2. Breakfast Club
    An extremly moving picture, that doesnt get the respect it deserves, and the soundtrack!!!!!!!!!!
  • 1. Goonies
    this movie is by far a clasic, excellent story, great acting by some great 80's talent
By: Richard
  • 10. Breakfast Club
    This was a tough one. Other comedies such as Adventures in Babysitting and Risky Business were great but none scream 80's as much as this one.
  • 9. Crocodile Dundee
    Who can forget the man from a land downunder? A sleeper hit.
  • 8. Back to the Future
    Actually, I really liked BTTF 2 as well (in some ways even more), but this is the one that started it all and while it didn't thrill me the first time out it is a classic in its own right.
  • 7. Blade Runner
    Atmosphere and mood in spades. A surprise classic given its dark, downbeat mood and lack of conversation.
  • 6. Die Hard
    This movie was a ground breaker and set the style and standard for dozens of action-thrillers that followed. Who can ever forget the vent-lighter scene: come on out to the coast, we'll have a few laughs... rrrrright! Twinkies and teddy bears never had it so good and the humour was dry, satirical and damn funny... chief cop about the fall victim: I sure hope that wasn't a hostage.
  • 5. Can't Buy Me Love
    Finally on dvd this gem of a comedy has a warm heart underneath the teen angst we can all identify with only too well. A classic that is well remembered and deservedly so.
  • 4. Beverly Hills Cop
    One of my favourite comedies of all-time. Eddie Murphy has never been so good and the music and mood dance along our tv screen.
  • 3. Aliens
    What a sequel! Takes us into the darkest region of space and puts us face-to-face with the mother of all Aliens (literally)
  • 2. Raiders of the Lost Ark
    One of the best action adventure movies of all-time. The Indy horse chase scene is unbelievable because it looks so believable and would only be spoiled if filmed today because they would probably do it with only digital effects which look nice at first glance but are flat and aritificial.
  • 1. The Empire Strikes Back
    Best of the 80's! A fantastic movie with grand music, super acting, amazing special effects an ice-planet battle sequence that goes at a FRENETIC pace for over 30 minutes and most importantly a SUPERB story.
By: jon
  • 10. Flight of the Navigator (1986)
    A fun movie about a kid who travels in a self-conscious spacecraft. Perfect for all ages.
  • 9. Beetlejuice (1988)
    Full of uproarious humor and craziness. Michael Keaton is amazing in his role as the over-the-top ghost Beetlejuice.
  • 8. Clash of the Titans (1981)
    This movie was made the year before I was born. Later in the decade I watched it on the Disney Channel and it encouraged my interest in fantasy. I think it was one of the best fantasy movies of the '80s.
  • 7. E.T. (1982)
    This one came out the year I was born and it is a total film classic. Very touching, endearing, and fun.
  • 6. Ferris Bueller's Day Off (1986)
    Extremely funny. I can never get enough of this movie.
  • 5. The Goonies (1985)
    This was a very well-thought out movie. The story was terrific and the characters were great. A very good movie about kids. Kids have been loving this film ever since it came out.
  • 4. The Princess Bride (1987)
    Another wonderful fantasy flick, and touched with good humor. Definitely an '80s classic.
  • 3. The Return of the Jedi (1983)
    The third movie of the Star Wars trilogy. What can be said about it? It was absolutely terrific. It showed epic sagas of the Star Wars storyline and had very impressive special effects. A great story and a great film.
  • 2. Back to the Future (1985)
    One of the foremost films that defined the '80s. My friends and I all love this movie. A very entertaining film about teens and adults with science fiction added in. Wonderfully done.
  • 1. Ghostbusters (1984)
    This movie absolutely rocked. A movie involving action, fantasy, science fiction, horror, and endless humor. Great acting and great writing. This film had something for everybody and it delivered the goods big time.
By: Carrie Noworolnik

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