The thread about Predator reminded me what a golden age the 1980s was for bad-ass, over-the-top action cinema. So what action flicks from the 1980s do you think are capable of giving straight men boners?
Here’s my top 10:
The Terminator
Robocop
Scarface
Aliens
Predator
Raiders of the Lost Ark
Commando
Rocky IV
Die Hard
Delta Force (truly the high point of Chuck Norris’ career)
Bloodsport, I love that movie for exactly what it is, an action film.
ETA: Aliens is the best action film of the lot.
I agree with most of your list, but I’d take out Scarface and put in First Blood.
I also think The Road Warrior is better than Delta Force. Just because Delta Force was the high point of Chuck Norris’ career doesn’t mean it was that good.
Agreed.
Sharky’s Machine, the last truly great Burt Reynolds action flick. Featuring Rachel Ward at the peak of her babe-a-liciousness!
God damn it, you’ve just made me want to watch something that will almost assuredly suck.
Die Hard.
I don’t think it’s every been topped. It remains the bar for that perfect mix of dry cool wit, and action sequences believably strung together under a great premise.
In addition to those mentioned in the OP, I’d add:
Clint Eastwood
Heartbreak Ridge
Pale Rider
Any Which Way You Can - bad, but fun
Mel Gibson
The Road Warrior - definitely
Lethal Weapon 1 and 2
Schwarzenegger
Conan The Barbarian
The Running Man - not as good as the other Arnold movies mentioned, but not bad.
Kurt Russell
Escape From New York
Big Trouble In Little China
Harrison Ford
The Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi
The Temple of Doom and The Last Crusade
Others:
Batman
Clash of the Titans - I’m hoping the upcoming remake will spur a blu-ray release of the original.
They Live - “I have come here to kick ass and chew bubblegum. And I’m all out of bubblegum.”
Remo Williams: The Adventure Begins
Willis
Die Hard
Segall
Above the Law
Van Damme
Bloodsport
Kickboxer
Swayze
Road House
Red Dawn
Next of Kin
Schwarzenegger
Commando
Predator
The Terminator
The Running Man
Conan
Stalone
First Blood
Rocky IV
Bronson
Death Wish 4: The Crackdown
Russell
The Thing
Big Trouble in Little China
Escape from New York
Norris
Invasion USA
The Octagon
The Delta Force
Misc
Young Guns
They Live
Enter the Ninja
Revenge of the Ninja
Ninja III: The Domination
Iron Eagles
There are actually a shitload of films from the 90s too.
If I may hijack the thread for a moment. Apparently there is what I have to assume is an action film coming out next year called “The Expendables”.The cast is currently listed as:
Sylvester Stallone,
Jet Li,
Jason Statham,
Dolph Lundgren,
Eric Roberts,
Mickey Rourke,
Steve Austin,
Randy Couture,
Arnold Schwarzenegger,
Bruce Willis
It really is a tie between Aliens and Die Hard.
Add Tango and Cash with Stallone and Russell.
On the other hand, I wouldn’t list Terminator nor The Thing as action movies. They’re more horror/suspense films, I’d say.
It’s being remade for a 2012 release; Mark Wahlberg is attached to it!
I’ll never forger the DC theater I saw it in. Some black guys up front were talking to the screen: “He loves you, Victor!” “Yeah. he loves you so much he’s gonna kill you!” Good times!
Die Hard is still in my mind the greatest action movie and Christmas movie ever.
Death Wish 4, had it’s moments, but for a pure, unrestrained, “shoot every bad guy in sight” romp, I’d go with Death Wish 3.
It’s a little known movie that might be more “sports” than “action”, but I recommend 1989’s The Blood of Heroes for an honourable mention.
Of the OP’s list, Aliens wins, though the battle is hard fought.
Maybe its just me, but I am a little bit surprised that neither “48 Hours” or “Beverly Hills Cop” has been mentioned yet.
I am no longer much of an Eddie Murphy fan anymore, but these were two pretty solid (not to mention popular/profitable) movies that really launched his career into superstardom…
I can genuinely say one of my favorite moments in a movie theater in the 1980s was during Commando. The scene where Matrix is holding Sully over the cliff:
Matrix: Remember, Sully, when I promised to kill you last?
Sully: That’s right, Matrix! You did!
Matrix: I lied.
There’s actually a lot of over-the-top moments in Commando. For example when Matrix lifts a telephone booth with a man inside of it over his head and throws it.
The existential Runaway Train (1985), with Jon Voight, Eric Roberts, and Rebecca De Mornay. Based on a screenplay by Akira Kurosawa.
Actually you’re right. If it’s the one where he sets the booby trap that knocks the guys teeth out and then mows down the gang with an old Browning machinegun, I was thinking of DW3.