80's Sleepers.
I find it interesting that some of the younger generation today asks us not to include films from "before 1990" when they're asking for recommendations. The 80's in film may have been the best decade since the 30's(though many of these flicks probably aren't the first one's used to support that argument, but they're all interesting and fun in their own right). Young Adults today should take more chances on 80's films they haven't seen as opposed to some geek-squad drivel found at today's theaters. If you're a fan of 80's film - you've probably seen most of these.
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- DirectorFred DekkerStarsJason LivelyTom AtkinsSteve MarshallAlien brain parasites, entering humans through the mouth, turn their host into a killing zombie. Some teenagers start to fight against them.Night of the Creeps will forever be a cult-classic. From its' dabbling in sci-fi, to its' comedy("the good news ladies is your dates are here - the bad news is... They're Dead!"), to the overall 'style' of the film with it's black and white opening segment and the fonts of the opening credits... Night of the Creeps is a blast!
"it's like freeze-dried coffee, you know, a corpsicle"... - DirectorRobert ButlerStarsTim MathesonJennifer RunyonStephen FurstBob McGraw is in his 12th year of college, goofing his way through life, until he has to win a river rafting race with three college buddies.For us 80's junkies, we have to buy the VHS. They still haven't released a DVD. A VHS copy in good shape can fetch between 20-50 bucks. It's actually one of the best "boob-comedies" from the 80's. Tim Matheson is hilarious here. Worth seeking out for anyone who like "Fast Times", "Porky's", or "Animal House".
- DirectorWolfgang PetersenStarsJürgen ProchnowHerbert GrönemeyerKlaus WennemannA German U-boat stalks the frigid waters of the North Atlantic as its young crew experience the sheer terror and claustrophobic life of a submariner in World War II.The ultimate submariner adventure. At nearly 4 hours long it is a labor of love for the viewer, but it's also one of the most epic, underrated/under-viewed-by-today's-generation films of all-time. One of the most "intense" films ever made.
- DirectorRidley ScottStarsMichael DouglasAndy GarciaKen TakakuraTwo NYC cops arrest a Yakuza member and must escort him when he's extradited to Japan.Not a flawless film by any means, but an under-viewed and definitely above average thriller.
- DirectorStuart GordonStarsJeffrey CombsBarbara CramptonTed SorelA group of scientists have developed the Resonator, a machine which allows whoever is within range to see beyond normal perceptible reality. But when the experiment succeeds, they are immediately attacked by terrible life forms.Weird before it became a cliche'. I love this movie.
- DirectorStuart GordonStarsJeffrey CombsBruce AbbottBarbara CramptonAfter an odd new medical student arrives on campus, a dedicated local and his girlfriend become involved in bizarre experiments centering around the re-animation of dead tissue.To this day - I think this is the best opening credit sequence ever made. The acting is suspect, the script lacks the comedy of "Night of the Creeps, and Evil Dead", but it's complete horror-escapism. Ridiculous, and ridiculously good at the same time.
- DirectorMichael MannStarsWilliam PetersenKim GreistJoan AllenFormer FBI profiler Will Graham returns to service to pursue a deranged serial killer dubbed "the Tooth Fairy" by the media.I'll sit here and argue for days that it's better than "Silence of the Lambs". Most folks think that "Silence of the Lambs" was the first Hannibal Lector film. Nope! Not the best either. This is Michael Mann at his artistic best. You can tell someone behind the camera really cared about what they were putting on film. The remake, "Red Dragon", isn't a pimple on Manhunter's arse. Awesome movie!
- DirectorSteve MinerStarsWilliam KattKay LenzGeorge WendtA troubled writer moves into a haunted house after inheriting it from his aunt.Here we are with yet another, original horror flick. One of the hardest films to compare to any other film because it's just so different. The weird thing is that the first 4 horror films on this list aren't very scary, but they're very entertaining.
- DirectorJoe DanteCarl GottliebPeter HortonStarsRosanna ArquetteMichelle PfeifferArsenio HallA spoof of low budget 1950s science-fiction movies, interspersed with various comedy sketches and fake commercials making fun of late-night television.One of the silliest films ever made. features a ton of future comedic stars. Some scenes are absolutely side-splitting.
- DirectorBrian De PalmaStarsCraig WassonMelanie GriffithGregg HenryA young actor's obsession with spying on a beautiful woman who lives nearby leads to a baffling series of events with drastic consequences.I don't know that I would call this Brian De Palma Noir piece a masterpiece, but it's pretty darn close. From the Di-Opt shots, to the music and storyline, it's a lesson in film-making.
- DirectorLawrence KasdanStarsWilliam HurtKathleen TurnerRichard CrennaDuring an extreme heatwave, a beautiful Florida woman and a seedy lawyer engage in an affair while plotting the murder of her rich husband.The 2nd great example of 80's noir film in-a-row. Another great director(Lawrence Kasdan) on top of his game here. The pacing is slow, but it's still a fine film.
- DirectorJames FoleyStarsSean PennChristopher WalkenMary Stuart MastersonReunited with his career criminal father, tough teen Brad thinks he's found his ticket to an exciting life of crime, only to find out he's wrong.I'm not sure why this film didn't explode at the box-office. Walken and Penn are fantastic. Madonna provides much of the soundtrack, and the story, which is dead on in terms of sticking to the real story of the Johnston gang, is as shocking and effective as it gets. In real life the guy got shot 9 times, twice in the head! The final scene in the kitchen is InTEnSe!
- DirectorBoaz DavidsonStarsLawrence MonosonDiane FranklinSteve AntinPizza delivery boy Gary, loudmouth David and hunky Rick are three high school students out to lose their virginity any way they can. Gary falls for transfer student Karen, who gets involved with Rick.There's something TOO realistic and hard-hitting about this low-budget, coming-of-age sleeper. The soundtrack is classic 80's front to back. Went relatively unseen - even by 80's film enthusiasts.
- DirectorHarold BeckerStarsJames WoodsSean YoungJohn KapelosA real estate developer who enjoyed short-lived success seeks to regain his edge by using cocaine, but takes himself to new lows as he gets lost in the downward spiral of drug addiction.James Woods gives a fantastic performance. Sean Young is good as well. The movie isn't great, but it's good. Shows life in the fast lane getting hit head-on.
- DirectorPeter YatesStarsTom SelleckF. Murray AbrahamLaila RobinsA man is framed by two corrupt cops for drugs. After he gets out of prison, he comes after them.An under-rated film. Tom Selleck is excellent here. SOme of the prison segments are hard to watch, and the viewer gets immersed in the simple but disturbing story.
- DirectorWoody AllenFrancis Ford CoppolaMartin ScorseseStarsWoody AllenNick NolteRosanna ArquetteA middle-aged artist obsessed with his pretty young assistant, a precocious 12-year-old living in a hotel, and a neurotic lawyer with a possessive mother make up three Gotham tales.Missed by the masses. A really good movie. Directed by Woody Allen.
- DirectorDon CoscarelliStarsJames Le GrosReggie BannisterAngus ScrimmMike, now released from a psychiatric hospital, meets with Reggie, and discover his dreams (the events of the original film) are real, and they both journey to find and stop the evil Tall Man from his grim work.I like the original better, but this kept some of the intrigue and campy-coolness. It's not as scary as the original, but compared to today's horror films - this is excellent.
- DirectorPaul FlahertyStarsJohn CandyJeffrey JonesAnnie PottsHarry Crumb is a bumbling and inept private investigator who is hired to solve the kidnapping of a young heiress which he's not expected to solve because his employer is the mastermind behind the kidnapping.You know, John Candy never really got that signature role. The closest he ever came was "Uncle Buck", but I think this is his best. A very funny film that is SEVERELY under-rated on IMDB at 5.4.
- DirectorMichael SchultzStarsTaimakVanityChristopher MurneyIn New York City, a young man searches for a Master to obtain the final level of martial arts mastery known as the Glow.I'm not sure how a film becomes one of the cheesiest and coolest films of all-time at the same time, but here it is. This is why we love and hate films from this era - all bundled into one.
- DirectorJohn IrvinStarsAnthony BarrileMichael BoatmanDon CheadleA very realistic interpretation of one of the bloodiest battles of the Vietnam War.A lot of films come up when Vietnam Vets talk about realism in Vietnam War films, but this is one that comes up that many people haven't seen. It has it's share of flaws, but it doesn't have an agenda like many Vietnam films do.
- DirectorJohn SaylesStarsJohn CusackClifton JamesJace AlexanderA dramatization of the Black Sox scandal when the underpaid Chicago White Sox accepted bribes to deliberately lose the 1919 World Series.Great acting highlights the film about the legendary White Sox scandal. The pacing is slow, but the film is good.
- DirectorWilliam Peter BlattyStarsGeorge C. ScottEd FlandersBrad DourifA police lieutenant uncovers more than he bargained for as his investigation of a series of murders, which have all the hallmarks of the deceased Gemini serial killer, leads him to question the patients of a psychiatric ward.incorrectly listed as '90 here. The film saw limited release in '89. One of the most under-rated horror films ever made. Genuinely scary, and maybe the best third installment to any horror series.
- DirectorMartin RosenStarsJohn HurtChristopher BenjaminJames BolamTwo dogs escape from a laboratory and are hunted as possible carriers of the bubonic plague.Don't be fooled because this is an animated film. This IS NOT a kids film. This is a hard-hitting film about cruelty towards animals, and one of the best animated films ever made. Better than Watership Down! John Hurt provides on of the voice-overs. A gut-wrenching film!
- DirectorAndrew DavisStarsGene HackmanTommy Lee JonesJoanna CassidyExperienced Green Beret sergeant Johnny Gallagher is escorting a prisoner, Airborne Ranger Thomas Boyette, back to the US, but Boyette escapes and Gallagher must risk life and limb to catch him.Towards the bottom in terms of quality on this list, but I think it still deserves its' place. Probably as good as two similar films Hackman made(Narrow Margin, Company Business).
- DirectorJohn CarpenterStarsAdrienne BarbeauJamie Lee CurtisJanet LeighAn unearthly fog rolls into a small coastal town exactly 100 years after a ship mysteriously sank in its waters.Unbelievably stupid premise. The ending falls a little flat. BUT, this is from the golden age of horror films, and this film is creepy and stylistic. Much, MUCH better than the horrible remake.
- DirectorErrol MorrisStarsRandall AdamsDavid HarrisGus RoseA film that successfully argued that a man was wrongly convicted for murder by a corrupt justice system in Dallas County, Texas.One of the best documentary films ever made. Similar to Paradise Lost, but achieved the same thing with one film. Errol Morris is amazing.
- DirectorJohn CarpenterStarsDonald PleasenceLisa BlountJameson ParkerA group of graduate students and scientists uncover an ancient canister in an abandoned church, but when they open the container, they inadvertently unleash a strange liquid and an evil force on all humanity.I know - a few horror flicks on the list - I know. This is Carpenter's last good one. Not great, good.
- DirectorOliver StoneStarsJames WoodsJim BelushiMichael MurphyA burnt-out photojournalist becomes involved in a Central American revolution.I thought Woods should have gotten an Oscar nomination for this. A really good movie! The last film the director made before he got a little too pretentious.
- DirectorBrian De PalmaStarsMichael CaineAngie DickinsonNancy AllenA mysterious blonde woman kills one of a psychiatrist's patients, and then goes after the high-class call girl who witnessed the murder.De Palma's third film on the list. Good movie.
- DirectorDavid LynchStarsIsabella RosselliniKyle MacLachlanDennis HopperThe discovery of a severed human ear found in a field leads a young man on an investigation related to a beautiful, mysterious nightclub singer and a group of psychopathic criminals who have kidnapped her child.Spawned Twin Peaks, Eyes Wide Shut, and Wild at Heart. One of David Lynch's best(if not his best imo). He has others on the list.
- DirectorSteven SoderberghStarsJames SpaderAndie MacDowellPeter GallagherA sexually repressed woman's husband is having an affair with her sister. The arrival of a visitor with a rather unusual fetish changes everything.Soderbergh's first feature film is one of his best. Andie McDowell is similarly effective in "The Rapture" which would have been included, but it was from the early 90's.
- DirectorLuc BessonStarsChristopher LambertIsabelle AdjaniRichard BohringerOn improvising a burglary at a shady tycoon's home, Fred takes refuge in the hip and surreal universe of the Paris Metro and encounters its assorted denizens, the tycoon's henchmen and his disenchanted young wife.Now here's a weird French film. Reminds me of Nimrod Antal's Kontroll, only not quite as good. Luc Besson definitely has the same feel for visceral effectiveness.
- DirectorLamberto BavaStarsUrbano BarberiniNatasha HoveyKarl ZinnyA group of random people are invited to a screening of a mysterious movie, only to find themselves trapped in the theater with ravenous demons.Alright, the last two films will definitely separate those who don't want to watch cheesy 80's cinema, but they're STILL better than most of the crap at the theater today.
- DirectorOliver StoneStarsEric BogosianEllen GreeneLeslie HopeA rude, contemptuous talk show host becomes overwhelmed by the hatred that surrounds his program just before it goes national.One of the best/went-relatively unnoticed performances of the 80's.
- DirectorDavid MametStarsLindsay CrouseJoe MantegnaMike NussbaumA psychiatrist comes to the aid of a compulsive gambler and is led by a smooth-talking grifter into the shadowy but compelling world of stings, scams, and con men.Lindsay Crouse's performance was a bit rigid, but this David Mamet's best(imo). Great movie with style, fantastic dialogue, and good twists.
- DirectorJoseph RubenStarsDennis QuaidMax von SydowChristopher PlummerA man who can enter and manipulate people's dreams is recruited by a government agency to help cure the President of the United States of his nightmares about nuclear war but stumbles upon an assassination plot.Went south in its' final act, but a thrilling, original piece.
- DirectorJeff KanewStarsAnthony EdwardsLinda FiorentinoJsu GarciaJonathan plays Gotcha with fellow college students, testing ability as assassin or mark, using paintball guns on campus. He flies to Paris on vacation and, with a woman taking his virginity, on to Berlin, where the game/ammo gets real.Light-hearted espionage fare. Anthony Edwards is convincing enough, and the movie, while totally ridiculous in concept, is pure fun from beginning to end.
- DirectorTom DeSimoneStarsLinda BlairVincent Van PattenPeter BartonFour college pledges are forced to spend the night in a deserted old mansion, where they are stalked by the monstrous survivor of a family massacre years earlier.Made on a shoe-string budget(was nearly not even completed). Hell Night is scary, and proof that anyone can make a good movie with limited resources.
- DirectorPeter GreenawayStarsRichard BohringerMichael GambonHelen MirrenAt Le Hollandais gourmet restaurant, every night is filled with opulence, decadence and gluttony. But when the cook, a thief, his wife and her lover all come together, they unleash a shocking torrent of sex, food, murder and revenge.Not for all tastes. Sensual, creepy film.
- DirectorPeter MedakStarsGeorge C. ScottTrish Van DevereMelvyn DouglasAfter experiencing tragic personal losses, a music professor rents a Seattle mansion, haunted by a slain boy.Today's horror films are full of gore and CGI, but here's a film that has neither, but is twice as scary.
- DirectorJohn WooStarsChow Yun-FatDanny LeeSally YehA disillusioned assassin accepts one last hit in hopes of using his earnings to restore vision to a singer he accidentally blinded.John Woo doing what he does best.
- DirectorJohn CarpenterStarsRoddy PiperKeith DavidMeg FosterThey influence our decisions without us knowing it. They numb our senses without us feeling it. They control our lives without us realizing it. They live.Awaiting the inevitable/inferior/impending remake. ALso includes one of the best fights scenes ever. Fantastic concept, decent execution.
- DirectorJohn MackenzieStarsBob HoskinsHelen MirrenPaul FreemanAn up-and-coming gangster is tested by the insurgence of an unknown, very powerful threat.Another one that deserved an Academy Award nomination for best actor(Bob Hoskins)., but didn't get one. Good movie!
- DirectorIsao TakahataStarsTsutomu TatsumiAyano ShiraishiAkemi YamaguchiA young boy and his little sister struggle to survive in Japan during World War II.Fantastic film. Heart-wrenching, but fantastic none-the-less.
- DirectorDavid CronenbergStarsJames WoodsDebbie HarrySonja SmitsA programmer at a Toronto TV station that specializes in adult entertainment searches for the producers of a dangerous and bizarre broadcast.Yet another James Woods sighting.
- DirectorGeoff MurphyStarsBruno LawrenceAlison RoutledgePete SmithA scientist awakens to find himself alone in the world. In a desperate attempt to search for others, he finds only two who have their own agenda.Awesome foreign film.
- DirectorSam RaimiStarsBruce CampbellEllen SandweissRichard DeManincorFive friends travel to a cabin in the woods, where they unknowingly release flesh-possessing demons.Getting to the point where I'm not sure if you can call this a sleeper anymore, but we'll put it on here for budget constraints anyway.
- DirectorSam RaimiStarsBruce CampbellSarah BerryDan HicksAsh Williams, the lone survivor of an earlier onslaught of flesh-possessing spirits, holes up in a cabin with a group of strangers while the demons continue their attack.Much better than Evil Dead. I love this movie!
- DirectorJoe PytkaStarsRichard DreyfussTeri GarrDavid JohansenA nosy cab driver gets a hot tip on a race horse and wins big, but he can't seem to stop gambling. Will he go broke or walk home with a pretty penny?Richard Dreyfuss plays "Trotter", a cab-driver alcoholic and gambling addict who's about to risk it all, multiple times mind you. Good movie!
- DirectorWalter HillStarsMichael ParéDiane LaneRick MoranisA mercenary is hired to rescue his ex-girlfriend, a singer who has been kidnapped by a motorcycle gang.Contains another fantastic fight scene on the list. Deserves a spot here for it's style, music, and Diane Lane(my god she was smokin' hot in this movie!)
- DirectorPeter HyamsStarsSean ConneryFrances SternhagenPeter BoyleA federal marshal stationed at a mining colony on the Jupiter moon of Io uncovers a drug-smuggling conspiracy. He gets no help from the workers or authorities when he finds himself marked for murder.Not great, but good for a nice lazy sunday afternoon sci-fi selection.
- DirectorMartin DavidsonStarsWilliam PetersenVirginia MadsenDermot MulroneyStory of the Tampico Stogies, a low minor-league baseball team, and its star player and manager, Stud' Cantrell, as they battle for the league championship amidst the corruption and racism of the American south.This was made for TV, but it might be one of the top 5 sports movies EVER! Long Gone(also known as stogies) is probably the most sought after VHS(no DVD release) film of all. A Good VHS original can fetch up to 100 bucks. William Peterson and Viriginia Madsen are great, and the film touches on all sorts of effective/pertinant subplots.
- DirectorPenelope SpheerisStarsMaxwell CaulfieldCharlie SheenPatti D'ArbanvilleRoy and Bo leave their small California town the weekend after graduation for a short road trip to Los Angeles. Soon, they find themselves lashing out and leaving a trail of bodies behind them. The violence escalates throughout.I';d compare this to Joel Schumacher's "Falling Down", or Russell Crowe's "Romper Stomper". A violent, disturbing tale of two young men who go on a rampage. Powerful low-budget film. This might have been made for TV( a few on the list are:Long GOne, Escape From Sorbibor, Miracle Mile, The Heist, and maybe more).
- DirectorSteven SpielbergStarsChristian BaleJohn MalkovichMiranda RichardsonA young English boy struggles to survive under Japanese occupation of China during World War II.An early Christian Bale sighting. Good movie.
- DirectorDon TaylorStarsKirk DouglasMartin SheenKatharine RossA modern aircraft carrier is thrown back in time to 1941 near Hawaii, just hours before the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor.Definitely aging quickly, but an original film.
- DirectorJohn WooStarsLung TiLeslie CheungChow Yun-FatA reforming ex-gangster tries to reconcile with his estranged policeman brother, but the ties to his former gang are difficult to break.A fantastic low-budget action film with a strong plot, and incredible action sequences by John Woo. This film contains the infamous "hallway scene" - one of my favorite scenes in all of film.
- DirectorJohn WooStarsLeslie CheungChow Yun-FatLung TiA restauranteur teams up with a police officer and his ex-con brother to avenge the death of a friend's daughter.We don't know how to make a decent sequel, but Hong Kong does.
- DirectorJack GoldStarsAlan ArkinJoanna PaculaRutger HauerGerman death camp in Sobibor, Poland, killed two hundred fifty thousand Jews. It had the most successful prisoner escape in World War II on October 14, 1943.The best holocaust film you've never seen.
- DirectorSteve De JarnattStarsAnthony EdwardsMare WinninghamJohn AgarA young man hears a chance phone call telling him that a nuclear war has started and missiles will hit his city in 70 minutes.One of the cheesiest, most intriguing and original films ever made. I love this film for it's bravery. This is going out on a production limb, and making the most of it. This one divides audiences, but I love, LOVE this movie.
- DirectorJonathan DemmeStarsJeff DanielsMelanie GriffithGeorge 'Red' SchwartzA free-spirited woman "kidnaps" a yuppie for a weekend of adventure. But the fun quickly takes a dangerous turn when her ex-convict husband shows up.Jeff Daniels and Melanie Griffith are great here.
- DirectorStuart OrmeStarsPierce BrosnanTom SkerrittWendy HughesFramed con-man seeks revenge by planning a racetrack heist.Good twists in this made for TV flick. A rare find, but good luck on that front.
- DirectorKen RussellStarsWilliam HurtBlair BrownBob BalabanA psycho-physiologist experiments with drugs and a sensory-deprivation tank and has visions he believes are genetic memories.Weird, disturbing.
- DirectorKathryn BigelowStarsAdrian PasdarJenny WrightLance HenriksenA small-town farmer's son reluctantly joins a traveling group of vampires after he is bitten by a beautiful drifter.Another one with a remake on the way. If 80's movies are so bad, and new movies are so good, why are there so many new movies that are remakes of 80's flicks?
- DirectorWilliam FriedkinStarsWilliam PetersenWillem DafoeJane LeevesA fearless Secret Service agent will stop at nothing to bring down the counterfeiter who killed his partner.Reminds me a bit of "Drive". Drive meets the French Connection.
- DirectorStephen FrearsStarsFreddie StuartRalph BrownA.J. ClarkeTen years after ratting on his old mobster friends in exchange for personal immunity, two hit men drive a hardened criminal to Paris for his execution. However, while on the way, whatever can go wrong, does go wrong.
- DirectorMichael MannStarsJames CaanTuesday WeldWillie NelsonAn ace safe cracker wants to do one last big heist for the mob before going straight.