Dunno what movies, but my guess is the majority would involve high school…
-
The Breakfast Club
-
Sixteen Candles
-
Valley Girl
-
Top Gun
-
Ferris Bueller’s Day Off
-
Better Off Dead
-
St. Elmo’s Fire
-
Fast Times at Ridgemont High
-
Flashdance
-
Red Dawn
Honorable Mention:
One Crazy Summer
Revenge of the Nerds
Fame
The difference for me is that The Wedding Singer’s references were intentional, a 90s film depicting the 80s. Back to the Future was comparing the audience’s present of 1985 with that of 1955, but over the years it has become, as I said, more of a time capsule of 1985 than a trip to 1955.
Aside from the references, there’s also Michael J. Fox, one of the most recognizable stars of the 1980s in his most famous role. Not only referenced (Marty’s band’s music and the music judge), Huey Lewis and the News, at the high point of their career, provided songs for the soundtrack. It features Lea Thompson, who had the high point of her career with the films she made in the 80s. When people saw Christopher Lloyd as Doc Brown most probably thought of Reverend Jim from the 80s hit Taxi; Doc Brown and Reverend Jim remain Lloyd’s two most famous roles. It was directed by Robert Zemeckis and produced by Steven Spielberg, both of whom made some of the biggest movies of the 80s.
These elements naturally became historical and emblematic of the 1980s as the years passed, whereas the references in The Wedding Singer are made for the sake of reference.
Back to the Future was a film about the 1980s as the present, whereas The Wedding Singer was a film about the 1980s as the past. To help exemplify the fact, Back to the Future had a specific date in 1985, whereas much of what is referred to in The Wedding Singer occurs over a span of years, as the film, also supposedly in 1985, references among other things “Love Stinks” (1980) and “Do You Really Want to Hurt Me?” (1983).
By depicting its present, Back to the Future depicts a specific date in history, whereas the backward looking The Wedding Singer heaps together various elements of the early to mid 80s. Back the Future features a cast and crew with a close connection in most people’s minds with the 80s, whereas The Wedding Singer has Billy Idol with too much makeup.
To me, that’s where the difference lies when it comes to determining which of the two films captures the feel of the 80s better. The Wedding Singer is a tribute to the 80s, whereas Back to the Future is the 80s.
Wall Street and Breakin’
That is amazing. You managed to steal all of mine in your post. I was going to suggest but now I will simply have to second:
- One Crazy Summer
- Better off Dead
- Revenge of the Nerds
- Red Dawn
Risky Business. Teen movie + suburban hedonism + callow materialism. If that’s not the 80s, what is?
C’mon people, it shouldn’t be taking this long to get to THE quintessential 80s movie:
The Bonfire of the Vanities
I wanted to go see this movie, but I was sick that day.
Ahhhh, the 80’s. When “teen sex comedy” meant no teens, no sex and usually no comedy.
For the (insipid) high school culture of the 80s (which probably and sadly continues today) basically you need The Entire John Hughes Catalog. Add Wall Street, The Bonfire of the Vanities and Less Than Zero for the mindless capitalism and hedonism. For the militaristic jingoism, in this aisle try the Rambo movies, Platoon, Hamburger Hill, etc., but especially the saddest example of all…Heartbreak Ridge. A movie about the Greneda invasion. Sweet Jesus with a Klondike Bar. :rolleyes:
Bedtime for Bonzo
(I mean, considering who was President at the time, and all.)
In no particular order:
-
Top Gun
-
Driving Miss Daisy
-
Rain Man
-
When Harry Met Sally
-
Ordinary People
-
Highlander
-
Empire Strikes Back & Return of the Jedi
-
Ferris Beuller’s Day Off
-
WarGames
-
Princess Bride
Some of these may not reflect the culture of the '80’s, but they certainly did influence it. (May the force be with you)
Dude! Bill and Ted’s Excellent Adventure!.
Anything by John Houston, Fast Times…, Deal of the Century, Ghostbusters, Wall Street, and When Harry Met Sally are just a few I can name.
Most of my other picks have been named.
Maybe it depends on your age at the time, but The Big Chill was the one that came to mind first for me.
Only the last 20 minutes of the movie were about Grenada, which coincidentally was the exact length of the real-life conflict.
The Goonies
Planes, Trains and Automobiles and Uncle Buck.
I happened to watch Mystery Train over the weekend. It really had definite late-80’s vibe. Including the ironic-references-to-50’s-pop-culture thing that was going on then.
Also, I think Slacker, though it came out in '91, captures the vibe of college-town-in-the-late-80’s.
And then there’s Earth Girls Are Easy, which surely deserves a place on our list.
And what was the name of that David Bowie vampire movie. The Hunger, I think. Very 80’s.
Let’s not forget that Christopher Lloyd was also Uncle Fester in the Addams Family movies.
I always think of Heathers as the culmination of 80’s [teen] movies.
How very.