Calvin Trager's Favorite 1980s Movies
By Calvin Trager
October 26, 2004
Selecting a mere ten movies from the approximate thousand that were born of the Me Decade is a daunting proposition. To give you an idea, a first pass through the candidates left me with a "short list" containing over 50 films. Clearly, I needed a plan.
After winnowing the list down again by about half, I decided the only way I was going to make any further progress was to create broader categories reflective of the 80s or of movies in general, and nominate one representative of each category from the remaining prospects. Thus, Summer School, Fast Times at Ridgemont High, The Breakfast Club, Sixteen Candles, and Ferris Bueller's Day Off - not a bad top five list just among themselves - were all judged against each other to identify my personal "definitive teen / high school comedy of the decade". Meanwhile, Trading Places, 48 Hours, and Beverly Hills Cop were competing for the title of "definitive Eddie Murphy movie".
The process resulted in some painful cuts, as the above examples surely demonstrate. Even more painfully, the end of that surgical procedure left me with 11 broad categories and therefore 11 movies for ten musical chairs seats. Sorry, "definitive sports movie of the '80s" (Hoosiers), this one does not go to eleven.
Without further ado here is my contribution to BOP's '80s list, with some further ranting for the ones that didn't make it.
10) Stripes (Not Listed)
Stripes (1981) won my "definitive Bill Murray comedy" runoff, and here's where I make another confession regarding my voting - I root for underdogs. I knew Caddyshack and Ghostbusters were going to get their well-deserved share of support, and that Stripes is comparatively underrated. I may have adjusted my voting accordingly. Too bad it wasn't enough to earn this military laugher a spot on the big list.
9) All of Me (Not Listed)
Not Planes, Trains, and Automobiles, not Roxanne, not The Jerk, not L.A. Story, but this movie, All of Me (1984), captures everything there is to love about Steve Martin, comedy genius. Plus, Lilly Tomlin!
8) About Last Night... (Not Listed)
This is the definitive relationship movie of the decade. David Mamet's words (his play forms the basis of the screenplay) perfectly capture that time between college and figuring out what you are going to do for the rest of your life, and with whom you're going to do it. Plus, Demi Moore naked! In 1986!
7) 48 Hrs. (Not Listed)
I was pretty blown away when I saw that 48 Hrs. (1982) didn't make the list. This movie gets major points in my book as Eddie Murphy's best performance, the plot, the chemistry between Murphy and Nick Nolte, and for providing the template for the litany of buddy cop movies that came after it.
6) The Blues Brothers (Not Listed)
Perhaps my favorite indulgence, The Blues Brothers (1980) is the best movie to spawn from Saturday Night Live, and Dan Ackroyd's first great role, and John Belushi's last great role. It also has going for it a tremendous love and respect for the blues, evidenced by the meaty cameo appearances from the living blues legends of the day: Cab Calloway, Ray Charles, James Brown, and Aretha Franklin.
5) Full Metal Jacket (#10, 1987)
4) Fletch (Not Listed)
Criminally overlooked by everyone on the BOP staff except for me, Fletch (1985) is Chevy Chase's finest moment, and one of the great comedic characters in movies. Add to it the intriguing, smart story and this is, for my money, one of the best movies of the decade.
3) Ferris Bueller's Day Off (#5, 1986)
"Ferris Bueller, you're my hero." Here we see which movie won my pick for definitive high school comedy. There's just something about skipping school to catch the Cubs.
2) Raiders of the Lost Ark (#2, 1981)
1) The Right Stuff (#37, 1983)
I've already sung its praises in the write-ups. The Right Stuff is simply my favorite movie of all time, and in my opinion one of the best films ever made.
Print this column
