Category: 1980s

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Back to the Future (1985) – Rewatch

Trying to escape Libyan terrorists, Michael J. Fox accidentally triggers a time machine which sends him to the days of his parents’ youth where he must make sure they still hook up or risk erasing himself from existence all while trying to get himself back to 1985. This is possibly the ultimate classic in the time travel genre for good reason. The camaraderie between Fox and Christopher Lloyd as his eccentric scientist best friend, the duel roles of Crispin Glover, Lea Thompson, and Thomas F. Wilson playing themselves at two different ages, and writing that manages its multiple timelines while being endlessly quotable and keeping a steady tone throughout are all perfection. It’s not surprising that I’ve seen it approximately thirty times in my lifetime.  SciFi  Action  Comedy

Oscar Win: Best Effects, Sound Effects Editing

Oscar Nominations: Best Writing, Screenplay Written Directly for the Screen; Best Sound; Best Music, Original Song

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Born in Flames (1983)

In an alternate socialist-democracy United States, two feminist organizations use guerilla tactics to bring to light women’s issues still rampant in the new America. I must admit that a great deal of the politics of the film went over my head. This wasn’t helped by the very low-budget, documentary-like style of the film, but there’s still the prevailing feeling that the more things change the more they stay the same. While there’s definitely a similar feel to Lizzie Borden’s later film Working Girls , I have to say that the other film speaks more to me both in its narrative and style.

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Marlene (1984)

While agreeing to participate in a documentary on her life, reclusive Marlene Dietrich refused to be photographed, forcing director Maximilian Schell to combine his audio interviews with her with earlier video from her film and career along with contemporary footage of him and his staff struggling with the production. At most times Marlene proves to be cantankerous and guarded, but Schell still manages to get her to talk about her films, the movie industry, and her feelings on life in general. What was certainly a frustrating experience resulted in a unique and fascinating art work.

Oscar Nomination: Best Documentary, Features

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Heavy Metal (1981)

The embodiment of evil known as the Loc-Nar hitches a ride to Earth with an astronaut. After murdering the astronaut, the being regales the astronaut’s terrified daughter with an anthology of tales where he defeated the forces of good. While there are some interesting bits in the various stories, the majority of the film fits firmly into a horny teenaged boy’s fever dream. There are a ridiculous amount of naked breasts and women willing to drop trou for anyone with a penis. The soundtrack is incredibly kick-ass featuring the likes of Black Sabbath, Journey, and Cheap Trick.  SciFi  Musical

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For All Mankind (1989)

This documentary chronicles the Apollo space program through footage taken during the actual missions, the only sound provided by interviews with thirteen of the actual astronauts. For anyone into NASA and space flight, I’m sure this is incredible footage to watch. I am not one of those people and must admit to getting lulled into zoning out during too much of the film. There are bits I find interesting especially just knowing how much footage the astronauts managed to capture on each voyage, but one of the overlying feelings is how much litter we’re willing to leave on other landmasses as if we haven’t ruined our own planet enough.

Oscar Nomination: Best Documentary, Features

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Pet Sematary (1989)

Dale Midkiff moves with his family to the country home of their dreams. Unfortunately it is located near a very busy highway and a cursed burial ground. These two features together bring the potential for disaster. The acting by Midkiff and wife Denise Crosby is a somewhat stilted, the effects can be a bit dated and silly, and a side story involving Crosby’s childhood is ineffectual and campy. Luckily the undeniable presence of Fred Gwynne as a knowing neighbor and the chilling strength of Stephen King’s story still make it work somehow.   Horror  Animals  supernatural

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Tequila Sunrise (1988)

Mel Gibson is a drug dealer trying to go straight; Kurt Russell is his childhood friend, now a Los Angeles detective, trying to bring down a Mexican drug kingpin who has connections to Gibson. The attraction both of them feel for restauranteur Michelle Pfeiffer adds extra tension. For some reason, the way the story is told is so convoluted and long that it quickly becomes tedious. I’m sure there’s a good tale in there, but it would probably have found a female lead who had better chemistry with the male leads than they have with each other even with an unnecessarily over-extended sex scene. That film would still include Raul Julia though.

Oscar Nomination: Best Cinematography

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Silverado (1985)

Four cowboys, Danny Glover, Kevin Kline and brothers Scott Glenn and Kevin Costner, become acquainted by happenstance on their way to Silverado and join forces to rid the town of a corrupt sheriff and his compadres. There’s a few too many side stories and the group doesn’t even reach the city until well into the film, but it’s entertaining enough for what it is. I kept thinking Sam Elliott should be in this film, but instead there’s John Cleese, Linda Hunt, and Jeff Goldblum. All weird choices for a western, but each really makes the best of their roles and are actually the only parts that pull the film from being a completely forgettable trope parade.   Western

Oscar Nominations: Best Sound; Best Music, Original Score

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Midnight Crossing (1988)

For his wedding anniversary with his sight impaired wife Faye Dunaway, Daniel J. Travanti hires his secretary Kim Cattrall’s husband John Laughlin to take the four of them on a pleasure cruise in the Caribbean. In actuality, he’s wanting to search for treasure left many years earlier on an island near Cuba. This is the type of story I really wish would be remade. There’s plenty of alliance switching, unknown connections, and hidden information that gradually gets revealed as the movie progresses. Though it remains an entertaining bit of fluff, everything else about the production sadly fails the potential of the compelling plot.

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Guyana Tragedy: The Story of Jim Jones (1980)

The life of cult leader Jim Jones, founder of the Peoples Temple and orchestrater of the Jonestown mass murder-suicide, is expertly portrayed here by Powers Boothe. Jones somehow started off as a champion of civil rights, pushing for integration in his Indianapolis church and housing equality in San Francisco, only to lead those same people he championed to their certain deaths in Guyana. The miniseries is pretty comprehensive in its view, even including actual dialogue from the Jamestown death tape. There are great performances throughout the cast from a James Earl Jones cameo to Brad Dourif as a drug addict turned follower, but it’s really the charisma of Boothe portraying Jones’s downward spiral toward megalomania and paranoia that stands out.

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