A Filmmaker's Guide to: 20 Films of the 1980s

During the 1980s, we get more of a mixture of film, genres begin to collide and characters are multi-faceted experiences of light and dark in human nature. From extreme levels of Sci-Fi to the High Drama Renaissance, this era is one of the most fascinating for film historians because it is in this era where film expands beyond our wildest imaginations. It comes with epics, horror movies, biopics, adaptations, teen drama, comedies, action and adventure, romance and so much more. It is truly one of the most diverse decades in the history of American film.

Off the back of the Horror Renaissance comes the extremities we can go to when we talk about the physical, Sam Raimi's "Evil Dead" (1981) seems to be the next step forwards. Starting off a series of ultimate splatter punk films, the Horror Renaissance really ends here and it has had a great time. One of the horror films that definitely overshadows it in the Late Renaissance era though is "The Shining" (1980). Between splatter-punk and the sheer terror invoked by any Kubrick film, "The Shining" (1980) seems like a smarter way to go out with a bang for the Horror Renaissance. But you be the judge, would you like the Renaissance to end with Kubrick's most voluminous horror film, or with the beginning of a horror series that was to end all horror series?

The epic became far more popular as it has its resurgence right about now. Not since "The Godfather" (1972) do we really get an epic saga that we can talk about for years to come. When we look at the 1980s though, we have some that are definitely worth our time. And I mean it - some of these are over 3 hours long. Robert De Niro's "Once Upon a Time in America" (1984) and "Gandhi" (1982) are just two of the epic high dramas we get in the 1980s. Fun fact: if you pay extra attention to the film "Gandhi" (1982) you may get to see a South African man making fun of Gandhi as he seeks to do his work. It only lasts about half a minute - but yes, it is actually a young Daniel Day-Lewis.

Spielberg is beginning to make his name in Hollywood as well, with his epic Sci-Fi kids' movie "E.T" (1982) and the unforgettable soundtrack by Michael Jackson, this film became a piece of timeless entertainment that you can watch over and over again over the course of many generations. Spielberg also created a great film based on a book by JG Farrell called "Empire of the Sun" (1987) with an incredibly small child named Christian Bale. It was an absolute epic and to be honest, it really does prove that Christian Bale was pretty much born to be an actor.

Before the days of the drug-induced weekends, Charlie Sheen was actually a very serious actor - believe it or not. And he was absolutely amazing with it. In Oliver Stone's Vietnam War epic that shocked and thrilled the world, "Platoon" (1986), Sheen is one of the most amazing actors of his decade and this in turn, leads him to star in the Business Drama "Wall Street" (1987) alongside the legendary Michael Douglas. Both of these movies were very different yes, but both of them fit into the High Drama resurgence of epics pretty well with "Platoon" (1986) becoming one of the most respected war films of all time.

Out of the 1980s comes a strange director with a dream to direct a film for the comic-book series "Batman". Yes, there was one made in the 60s, but now he wants to do it properly and scare the life out of every child in the room with Jack Nicholson's terrifyingly good portrayal of the arch-nemesis, The Joker. Starring Michael Keaton and directed by Tim Burton, "Batman" (1989) became the greatest of its generation and more. Not until Nolan's "The Dark Knight" (2008) would we get anything that came remotely close. And even then, it was clear Heath Ledger took a lot of inspiration from Jack Nicholson. Tim Burton had actually directed Michael Keaton only a year before in what was one of his weirdest roles to date - "Beetlejuice" (1988) became a cult classic for reasons I cannot explain. Alongside the rising Winona Ryder and others, this became one of Tim Burton's most memorable films and his trademark for the strange.

20 Films of the 1980s

With film budgets rising by the second and demands for more variety on screen just going up and up, films became more popular than ever and criticism of them was now an academic practice. Each and every genre possible was being explored and now, we had a range of films that we could never just watch once. For example: I've probably seen Batman (1989) over 50 times since my childhood and the film never ceases to amaze me.

1. Batman (1989)

2. Scarface (1983)

3. Platoon (1986)

4. The Elephant Man (1980)

5. Die Hard (1988)

6. E.T (1982)

7. Wall Street (1987)

8. The Shining (1980)

9. Dead Poets Society (1989)

10. Blade Runner (1982)

11. Empire of the Sun (1987)

12. Ghostbusters (1984)

13. The Evil Dead (1981)

14. Top Gun (1986)

15. Once Upon a Time in America (1984)

16. Gandhi (1982)

17. Beetlejuice (1988)

18. Amadeus (1984)

19. Raging Bull (1980)

20. Rain Man (1988)