TOP TEN TUESDAY: ESSENTIAL 80’S

With the release of EASY A not more than a week away, we here at WAMG thought that we would have a little fun with one of the topics in the film… 80’s movies. You know ’em, you love ’em, you’ve seen them a million times on your television set, and you know ’em by heart. These are our quintessential 80’s flicks…

HONORABLE MENTION: TEEN WOLF

Many movie fans seem to forget that Michael J. Fox had two box office hits in 1985. While BACK TO THE FUTURE is an enduring classic , we shouldn’t overlook the success of the more modestly  budgeted, TEEN WOLF. In it Michaels’ character Scott Howard has some similarities to Marty McFly. He’s an average high school student who pines for the better life( with the queen of the drama club and his lackluster basketball team). One day Scott discovers that his journey to puberty comes with a bonus: he’s a werewolf. His family curse is explained to him by his dear old dad (played by F TROOP’s James Hampton). Scott soon learns that this curse may not be such a bad thing. He becomes a hoops phenom and leads the team to a winning season while taking the lead in the school play opposite his dream girl. But all’s not roses(or in this case dog biscuits) for Scott as his aggressive wolf side starts to take over. Thanks to Michael J. Fox’s charming performance, TEEN WOLF inspired a sequel( TEEN WOLF, TOO with a furry Jason Bateman) ,a Saturday morning cartoon show, and established him as one of the 1980’s great teen movie stars.

HONORABLE MENTION: FAST TIMES AT RIDGEMONT HIGH

Oh, Sean Penn… You made Spicoli one of our favorite slackers! It has everything an essential 80’s movie needs: Drugs, the valley speaking airhead, the surfer, horrible teachers, and rock and roll. It deals with a could of heavier issues, but lightens the mood up again with some serious laughs! I wish I would have gone to Ridgemont High!

10. THE KARATE KID

The Karate Kid – starring Ralph Macchio and Pat Morita – is one of those movies that you either care nothing about or absolutely love. There’s not really anything in between and I happen to fall into the latter category. Obviously, I could start out by saying that the director was no other than John G. Avildsen (yeah, the guy that directed Rocky…) and I wouldn’t have to say much more. But there is so much more. This is a story about friendship, honor, coming of age, and beating the odds. It had us cheering for the underdog and gave us iconic pop culture catch-phrases such as “wax on, wax off” and “sweep the leg.” There were several sequels including one with future 2-time Oscar winner Hilary Swank as “the girl karate kid”, but none ever quite lived up to the original. And not for nothin’, but the remake with Jaden “I’m only in a movie because will smith is my dad” Smith was an unnecessary abomination with Jackie Chan as a ridiculous disgrace to the legacy of Mr. Miyagi. We’ll just pretend that never happened.

So, for all you Karate Kid purists like myself, here’s a little treat. Look for many of the original Cobra Kai members from the film, as well as Johnny and Daniel-son. Enjoy!

09. SIXTEEN CANDLES

“Chronologically you’re 16 today. Physically you’re still 15.” Is Samantha Baker’s (Molly Ringwald) opening line bemoaning her breast size. And that one dry observation is just the beginning of Samantha’s hellish 16th birthday in SIXTEEN CANDLES, the debut feature from that king of the teen movies John Hughes. SIXTEEN CANDLES was very special for the simple reason that John Hughes showed other filmmakers of the day what a teen movie could be all about. Instead of an orgy of sex, booze and all night partying, films starring teenagers could be about real people. Young people with problems of their own. Fears. Insecurities. And a healthy dollop of angst. SIXTEEN CANDLES took all of those qualities and made a surprisingly fun film out of it. Even at the start of his career, John Hughes made a film that was buoyant, brimming with confidence, and delightfully dotty. It was everything an 80’s teen film should be.

08. FERRIS BUELLER’S DAY OFF

“The question isn’t what are we going to do, the question is what aren’t we going to do?”

Even at the ripe old age of 100, Matthew Broderick will still be seen by fans primarily as the rebellious, iconic high school hero Ferris Bueller. John Hughes’ classic 80’s comedy opus FERRIS BUELLER’S DAY OFF is a film that captures the mind of the graduating teen, the varying degrees and fear, excitement and resignation to the inevitable post-high school life and dullness and slow death. Being the incurable optimist, Bueller takes his neurotic best friend Cameron (Alan Ruck) and his girlfriend Sloane (Mia Sara) on a wild adventure into downtown Chicago, while thwarting Principal Rooney’s efforts to bust Bueller for playing hookie by any means. FERRIS BUELLER is a timeless classic, burned deep into the psyche of every child of the 80’s and guaranteed to continue influencing teenagers for generations to come.

07. WEIRD SCIENCE

With a hip title song from Oingo Boingo …

and Robert Downey, Jr.’s hilarious turn as Ian…

…WEIRD SCIENCE is one of those John Hughes 80’s comedies that’s become a cult favorite. The film also has a young Bill Paxton as Chet… pain-in-the-ass older brother of Wyatt who constantly made to suffer at the hands of this menace. It’s only when Lisa (Kelly LeBrock), fantasy creation of two teenage goofballs – Wyatt and Gary, turns Chet into a farting, green, grotesque creature, that he must humble himself and apologize to Wyatt for years of abuse.

It’s so off-the-wall, goofy that WEIRD SCIENCE is a definite addition to any movie geeks essential 80’s collection!

06. THE BREAKFAST CLUB

Five kids, all with differing hang-ups, all from differing back grounds, are sentenced to Saturday morning detention at Shermer High School in THE BREAKFAST CLUB. Of all the teen films of the 80’s, few can match THE BREAKFAST CLUB for vibrancy and simplicity of worth. Written by John Hughes in just a couple of weeks, the film has five young actors in one locale, that is driven by dialogue, and for better or worse, managed to tap into the zeitgeist of a whole generation of teenagers. There is something totally engaging watching the nerd, the weirdo, the princess, the jock and the rebel poke fun at each other to only then pick apart their respective defenses. THE BREAKFAST CLUB also contains a fine ensemble cast that infuses a sense of reality in the script. Molly Ringwald, Judd Nelson and Anthony Michael Hall are particularly memorable, while only Emilio Estevez embarrasses himself with his excruciating dance sequence. Iconic for many, and resonating to even more, who would have thought such a simple picture could have such lasting appeal?

05. THE GOONIES

Quite essentially one of the staples of the Amblin Entertainment films – Yeah, I know E.T. is the logo, but keep with me.  Amblin Entertainment was founded by Steven Spielberg, Kathleen Kennedy and Frank Marshall and in the early to mid 80’s was recognized as bringing high quality family entertainment.  What is interesting is prior to THE GOONIES, Amblin Entertainment released GREMLINS.  As it has been said before, if both THE GOONIES and GREMLINS were made today, they would have been rated PG-13 because of the subject matter. Luckily, THE GOONIES wasn’t PG-13 because the rating was so new and probably squeezed past it because Spielberg actually semi-created the PG-13 rating.

THE GOONIES is a fun family cinematic treasure hunt as a group of childhood misfits seek the hidden loot of Chester Copperpot.  If you haven’t seen this, it must be purchased for your movie geek soul to be redeemed.

04. THE LOST BOYS

Filmgoers in 1987 might’ve thought they were going to see another fantasy adventure involving Peter Pan’s pals. However these lost boys do not stay forever young by living in Neverland :they are vampires. The films begins with the arrival of newly single mom, Lucy Emerson(Dianne Wiest) and her sons Michael(Jason Patric) and Sam(Corey Haim) to her fathers home in Santa Carla, CA(the murder capitol of the world). The boys soon encounter a group of leather clad toughs lead by David(played memorably by a spike haired Kiefer Sutherland). While Michael pursues his attraction to the lady of the gang, Star(Jami Gertz), Sam goes to the local comic book shop and meets the Frog brothers(Jamison Newlander and Corey Feldman) who explain to Sam why David and his gang only prowl at night. Soon Michael is deceived by David and falls victim to the vampire curse. Can he be saved by Sam and the Frog brothers? Will Star be rescued from David and his crew. And what about Lucy’s new romance with her boss, Max? Joel Schumacher’s film offers many unexpected twists and injects a lot of fresh young blood into the big screen Vampire genre. Plus, it’s one of the first pairings of the two Coreys! That alone qualifies LOST BOYS as an 80’s movie classic!

03. SAY ANYTHING

“She’s gone. She gave me a pen. I gave her my heart, she gave me a pen.”

SAY ANYTHING certainly isn’t John Cusack’s first film, having built his foundation on 80’s classics such as 16 CANDLES, BETTER OFF DEAD and ONE CRAZY SUMMER, but it is the film that made him a star. Likewise, it’s the film that first propelled writer/director Cameron Crowe into Hollywood’s good graces. Lloyd Dobler (Cusack) is a hopeless romantic, an underachieving kickboxing recent graduate who is determined to date the beautiful, intelligent Diane Court, played by Ione Skye. Despite her father’s strong objections, Lloyd will do anything to win her heart before she leaves on a scholarship to England.

02. STAND BY ME

STAND BY ME is a favorite film of mine from the 80’s. What could be better than spending time with Gordo, Chris, Teddy and Vern as they have their last weekend of summer, of grade school? The film brought back vivid memories of friends and events from my own summer of being 12. Who doesn’t remember going off to Junior High School? Would my friends stay the same? Would I? STAND BY ME is a great movie because it evokes those memories of being 12, especially how innocent we all were and how perfect the world seemed. How you could sit around with best friends and discuss matters of the world, at least from a 12 year old perspective? The last line of the movie says it so well,” I never had any friends later on, like the ones I had when I was twelve…Jesus… does anyone?” I love this movie because it brings my twelve year self back to mind. It is always good to remember.

01. BACK TO THE FUTURE

BACK TO THE FUTURE is one of the most iconic films of the 80’s and the majority of it takes place prior to the decade.  How did the film become such a staple of the decade?  Because it was that damn good.  It was entertaining.  Produced by Steven Spielberg – sort of a big deal, read THE GOONIES description – working from a script from St. Louis’ own Bob Gale and Robert Zemeckis with the latter directing, BACK TO THE FUTURE is a film that embellishes on the dream of change.  It answers the what if’s while fusing itself into pop references and music history.  BACK TO THE FUTURE is a timeless tale that still stands up – 80’s clothing style aside – today.  Parents, to quote Marty McFly – “…but your kids are going to love it.”