Category Archives: 1980s

I watched this film about two years ago, in bed, on a laptop. I think we downloaded it (maybe). I can’t remember. (It was quite a while ago.) I think we decided to watch it because we were going through a ‘sexy late 80’s/early 90’s’ phase (Fatal Attraction, 9 ½ Weeks, Disclosure, etc) and so were looking for other sexy films from the same period to watch. I can remember almost nothing about this film. (I don’t think it was very sexy.) I vaguely remember a scene where someone is forced by magic to float in the air (?), and also some sort of chaotic scene in a swimming pool. This film stars Cher and Jack Nicholson and (possibly) Meryl Streep. Whenever I attempt to think about Jack Nicholson’s performance, I just picture him doing his ‘iconic face’ in a white linen suit. I’d give this film a solid 5/10.

The Witches of Eastwick . 1987 . George Miller

Reviewed by Chris Killen

A rogue supercomputer threatens to take over a giant software corporation and ex-employee / hacker / video game enthusiast Billy Flynn (Jeff Bridges) is the only one who can stop it when he’s transported inside the computer.  There he meets up with super programme Tron and together, they revolt against their omnipotent overseer.
Yeah, right.
But ignore the vague, preposterous story – it’s merely a conduit for Tron’s unique visuals.  The brightly coloured, neon lights are of course pretty primitive in today’s age, but they do have a certain retro charm and allow for some surreal, geometric screensaver landscapes.  And for all its flaws, the narrative does allow for some cool set pieces – the well-parodied, gladiatorial disc duels and motorbike battles in particular, though they’re unfortunately underused.  Then again, it’s Bridges who shines the most, lighting up the screen with his magnetic charisma.
Just look past the atrocious script, bit brain.

TRON . 1982 . Steven Lisberger

Reviewed by Ed Nightingale

Last week, Jameson Cult Film Club took over the Manchester Town Hall for a one-off screening of this ultimate in time-travel fantasy, populating those hallowed halls with madcap actors, whisky cocktails and repeated renditions of The Power of Love. The whole night was wonderfully put together and a great homage to a fabulous film. I had forgotten quite how good Back to the Future is; such exuberent silliness and non-patronising knowingness to its kitschy references. The script went through a million re-writes but the end result is a polished and frenetic plot that whips along at such a fun pace (88mph perhaps?) that all the days cares and woes are kicked out of the cinema door for just over an hour. Fox and Lloyd were inspired casting; boggle-eyed and jittery and just the right level of kooky. A lovely trip back to when blockbusters were just happy to be fun.

Back to the Future . 1985 . Robert Zemeckis

Reviewed by Screen150

Let me just say this: “Suck my fat one, you cheap dime-store hood”

With that, Stand By Me neatly packages comedy, adventure, a brilliant soundtrack and, above all, friendship.

Teddy (Corey Feldman), Vern (Jerry O’Connell), Chris (River Phoenix) and Gordie (Wil Wheaton) have family problems – Teddy’s violent father, Chris’s entire dysfunctional family, the spectre of Gordie’s dead brother (quarterback hero John Cusack) and Vern’s hoodlum brother (who ‘rolls with’ ever-menacing Kiefer Sutherland).

Their camping trip to find a dead boy is based on Stephen King’s ‘The Body’ (from Four Seasons which includes ‘Rita Hayworth and the Shawshank Redemption’). Finding the body is almost an anti-climax because at the heart of the film is the delightful relationship between Chris and Gordie. Chris’s care and encouragement of Gordie mirrors that shown by Gordie’s brother.

Classic male-bonding road trip: four 12 year olds, with a comb and $2.37. Let the good times roll.

Stand by Me. Rob Reiner. 1986.

Reviewed by Laura Maley

You know someone is a good friend – a ‘bessie mate’ in modern parlance – because they can slate your mother and you don’t mind as you’re about to reply with something equally harsh about theirs. Stand By Me bumbles sincerely along railway tracks as the four lads work out who they are and who they want to be. Along the way they use as many potty-mouthed phrases about other people’s mothers as they can and no-one takes offence.

I never tire of hearing kids swearing with such aplomb. If you’re going to swear, you might as well make it a good one, so that your mates will remember it and use it themselves in their own parlance.

Stand By Me is notable for containing the second best use of radio in a film, when Vern and Teddy singalong to ‘Lollipop’, and the greatest use of puke in the Barforama.

Stand by Me . 1986 . Rob Rainer

Reviewed by Aaron Gow

ST2 came out in 1982 after the first movie outing in 1979 failed to strike the balance between pure sci-fi and crowd-pleasing action adventure. Proper director Nicholas Meyer got to play with the cast before they became antiques and had the franchise’s best villain to chase them around. Ricardo Montalban chews the scenery with aplomb and drenches the dialogue in his fabulous accent as the eponymous grouchy protagonist. Rather than the frenetic screen-filling battles of JJ Abrams’ Trek, Meyer gives us tense scenes more reminiscent of submarine combat. It’s the sparing use and reminders of the cost of violence that raises Khan over all other Trek films. The cast get to show some range as they face the loss of new recruits and old friends alike. The easy interplay among Kirk, Spock & McCoy is funny and touching and the film also has the most imitated Shatner moment ever – KHHHHAAAAAANNNNN!

Screen 1: KHHHHAAAAAANNNNN!

Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan . 1982 . Nicholas Meyer

Reviewed by Lee Moore

Transformers is a film about aggressive/peacful transforming robots who enjoy life and defend their planet/attack the other planet.

It’s a very well made film with excellent music, including some great songs about being inspired in some way, and some kooky songs with fantastic licks.

A lot of people have been saying recently in a lot of different places that the modern transformers films are a pathetic, cynincal joke when compared to the ignorant exuberances of the 1986 original. Who cares! Not me, I just love the graphics and story and music and characters and the transforming noises.

Although Rodimus Prime is a bullshit name (in terms of latin translation etc) compared to Optimus Prime and Ultra Magnus. That’s the only bad bit.

Also a famous, heavyweight actor/director plays a famous, heavyweight intergalactic robot/planet in this which is great.

Also, it’s extra good if you are a child.

Screen 1: Film

Transformers: The Movie . 1986 . Nelson Shin

Reviewed by Socrates Adams