Movie The 80’s - the last great decade of Movies?

[phantom13]

As phantom13 mentioned, I've been doing an Iconic Movies project to catch up on movies I've missed from the 80s and 90s purely through my own pigheadedness.

I definitely agree that the nostalgia lens comes into play into a discussion like this, but as someone who is diving into particular decades, for me the 90s wins - for both volume of great movies and the overall quality.

Funnily enough I started reading Tarantino's Cinema Speculation last night, and he claims that the 70s is the greatest, and most important, decade for film of all time.

Me and Tarantino. Couple of bonafide experts. That’s enough for me to claim I’m right

 

[phantom13]

Outside of a 10,000 word exposition it’s about as much as I’m prepared to expand upon.

As is your right but it’s not a particularly compelling argument.

Nobody is even capable of being objective about this, there is no way to define objectively the best “art”, cinema sits in that space.

All of us (me and Quentin included) are going to romanticize the era we grew up with and the stars that were in those films. They all fade, countless films have been made about this (one by Quentin himself). Saying that ONLY happened to the 80s stars pimping themselves out now is factually incorrect, that’s about the only factual discussion that can be had on this whole subject tbh.

 

[MrsEddieBetts]

Me and Tarantino. Couple of bonafide experts. That’s enough for me to claim I’m right

Write a book, I’ll read yours too.

 

[rocker_oz33]

90s thrillers for me .

But 80s movies.
I personally really liked first 2 Bev Hills cop movies.
We had these gems...and the Corey's.

Full metal jacket.
The goonies.
Die hard.
Top gun.
Risky business.
Stand bye me.
Road house.
Raiders of the lost arc...movies.
Creaming the cube.
The Karte kid.
Footloose
Malcom.

 

[rocker_oz33]

Write a book, I’ll read yours too.

Look at you too.

 

[Gasometer]

90s thrillers for me .

But 80s movies.
I personally really liked first 2 Bev Hills cop movies.
We had these gems...and the Corey's.

Full metal jacket.
The goonies.
Die hard.
Top gun.
Risky business.
Stand bye me.
Road house.
Raiders of the lost arc...movies.
Creaming the cube.
The Karte kid.
Footloose
Malcom.

An Officer and a Gentleman
Ferris Bueller
Witness
Dead Poets
The Right Stuff

 

[rocker_oz33]

An Officer and a Gentleman
Ferris Bueller
Witness
Dead Poets
The Right Stuff

Yeah ..not the worst decade of movies..IMO..

Some leser known ones .

Side out.
Hiding out .

Allan from 2 and half man hiding in many of these movies ..

 

[rocker_oz33]

Hollywood didn't really make much out of the 80s TV series. In the way of movies.

Chips.
21 jump Street.
A Team .

Etc etc.

 

[raskolnikov]

50s, 60s, 70s, 00s and 10s were all better.

Incorrect.

 

[rocker_oz33]

Incorrect.

The 80s were Rad .

 

[rocker_oz33]

Re 80s.

Aerosmith and Run DMC .
Music. Vid .

Was one of important music vids ofthe 80s.
Where black and white can be friends.

 

[Gasometer]

Re 80s.

Aerosmith and Run DMC .
Music. Vid .

Was one of important music vids ofthe 80s.
Where black and white can be friends.

80’s music videos…well there’s another Thread to consider. They were epic

 

[GoldbergsGold]

I do like a lot of movies from the 1980s, but it's much weaker when compared to the 1970s in film, and maybe even 1990s in film. Obviously some gems like Scarface, but I think when "New Hollywood" died, it really regressed, since the 1970s had much better movies.

 

[Shell]

90s marginally better just.
But it's so hard to compare the decades are so different

 

[Shell]

JC this decade would be one of the shittiest really. I know there's alot of great films out but looking over BPs. They're just meh. A whole lotta meh.

For me: 90s, 80s, then chronological

 

[raskolnikov]

I struggle to think of many great movies from the 90s whereas I could rattle off a long list from the 80s.

 

[TubbsFarquhar]

JC this decade would be one of the shittiest really. I know there's alot of great films out but looking over BPs. They're just meh. A whole lotta meh.

For me: 90s, 80s, then chronological

The rise in streaming has created so much quality TV to choose from, but films have suffered as a result of it. There are still decent films being made, but nothing particularly mind-blowing.

 

[Shell]

The rise in streaming has created so much quality TV to choose from, but films have suffered as a result of it. There are still decent films being made, but nothing particularly mind-blowing.

Lol I can recall when doing tv was considered beneath actors

 

[rocker_oz33]

I struggle to think of many great movies from the 90s whereas I could rattle off a long list from the 80s.

There's quiet a few good 90s flicks .

 

[Shell]

Course there is. Tonnes

 

[rocker_oz33]

90s thrillers ...

 

[GoldbergsGold]

The rise in streaming has created so much quality TV to choose from, but films have suffered as a result of it. There are still decent films being made, but nothing particularly mind-blowing.

Nothing out there close to The Sopranos or Breaking Bad atm, that 2000s period had better subscription TV shows.

 

[TubbsFarquhar]

Nothing out there close to The Sopranos or Breaking Bad atm, that 2000s period had better subscription TV shows.

The Sopranos and The West Wing kick-started the golden age of drama TV, which paved the way for the likes of Six Feet Under and The Wire, which has continued from there.

 

[jaaack]

in my mind* 80s saw a huge shift towards blockbusters, marketing, and movies that targeted subcultural audiences, so doesn't make a lot of sense to me to consider it as the last of anything, since movies in the 80s laid out the blueprint for what we are seeing in movies today. and from that perspective, since i hate today's movies, maybe 80s was the worst decade in cinema

*in my mind because maybe it's an innacurate perception

there were tons of great movies in the 90s (i'd actually rate 90s ahead of the 80s), and a few in the 00s. i've barely been able to get into anything from the 10s though. my own favourite is between 60s and 70s. probably 70s due to all the trashy exploitation movies. i wont deny that nostalgia plays a central role in my preferences

Where do you guys keep your fave movies info? This looks like an interesting exercise.

i use plex to organise my media, it has an option for "collections". so i have made collections for all time favourites, favourite horror, favourtie action, etc

 

[BEaston]

All my rated movies by decade in order of average rating:

Decade	Average Rating	Number of movies
50	7.50​	8​
60	7.25​	16​
70	7.17​	29​
30	7.00​	1​
20	6.82​	28​
80	6.63​	67​
10	6.61​	266​
40	6.25​	4​
00	6.21​	279​
90	6.04​	176​

Possible sample size issue with the decades before the 90s though. I was surprised I hadn't seen more movies from the 80s tbh.

Obviously with the older movies I'd only go back and watch the ones that were known as being "good" so that would skew the data.

Interesting that 90s is the lowest rated. Probably less discerning with choosing movies to watch at that age.

I think the 80s holds up pretty well.