Favorite underrated '80s movie?

[Plaid Adder]

The evil twin of the *Flashdance* thread...what's your favorite 80s movie that never got enough play?

My pick is *Jumping Jack Flash,* a Whoopi Goldberg vehicle that I've always found both really funny and very touching. And sooooo dated now because it was made in the very very early days of electronic communication. Oh, the monitors, oh the screen displays, oh the novelty of being able to communicate instantly with someone in the USSR!

So what's yours?

The Plaid Adder

[Wickerman]

1. Local Hero

great flick about a corporate guy sent to Scotland to buy up a village for an oil company. Finds a different way of life and reconsiders his values.

Oh, and middle aged crazy. Bruce Dern is a god. Who else killed John Wayne in a movie?

[BigBigBear]

7. Yes - Local Hero

is quite possibly my favorite movie of all time.

[Plaid Adder]

10. I really liked *Local Hero.*

And Mark Knopfler on guitar...how can you go wrong?

C ya,

The Plaid Adder

[bif]

12. Great soundtrack

And one of my favorite movies ever.Charming little movie.

[Wickerman]

13. I forgot about Knopfler!

and, come to think of it, thats why I went to the movie in the first place! I bought it on DVD awhile back, still watch it sometimes.

[Brotherjohn]

22. Wow. I didn't expect so many people to have the same choice as me!

"Local Hero" was great. It's my personal belief it was the inspiration for "Northern Exposure", that great TV series about another big city "fish out of water" going to an eccentric, northern town and falling in love with it.

[Bridget Burke]

42. For a Houstonian, the movie had extra impact.

The Scottish village was such contrast to this city.

At the end, when Peter Riegert stepped out onto the balcony of his high rise, I could feel the impact of the Houston air--like a warm, damp, none-too-clean cloth thrown over your face. That mixture of heat, humidity & petrochemical products is so different from the cool, clear air of the Scottish coast.

Many excellent parts to this fine film--such as Mr. Burt Lancaster--a true star.

[Zookeeper]

59. My husband met Burt Lancaster...

in the 1980's. He said he was very cool.

[Westegg]

64. "Local Hero": in my top-10 of ALL-Time!

[VOX]

65. "I'd make a good Gordon, Gordon." Local Hero is a terrific film!

One of my favorites -- great characters and sly wit.

:toast:

[SaveElmer]

2. "Long Riders" - 1980

Story of the James - Younger Gang. Kinda gimmicky with the Carradine brothers, Keach brothers, Quaid brothers, and Guest brothers all in the movie. But not a bad movie (though historically questionable). Great score by Ry Cooder!!!

[stanwyck]

50. David Carradine

had fun as Cole Younger. I'm blanking on the name of the actress who played Belle Starr...help! Pam (?)....very well-acted, well directed movie.

[Bertha Venation]

3. Great pick! Now that you mention it, it's mine too.

And I think its being so dated is fantastic. It's like a snapshot of 1986.

Don't shave with a sickle, baby!

[bif]

4. "After Hours" and "Local Hero"

[Wickerman]

14. Yes on After Hours, too

I need to see that again.

King of Comedy, too.

[bif]

21. Just a dark, offbeat nightmare of a night

Except the ending was totally stupid. (For a reason).

[Zookeeper]

40. After Hours is a favorite of mine. n/t

[StopTheMorans]

5. Money Pit

[amandae]

16. I love that movie!

And pretty much anything else with Tom Hanks in it .... gotta love a movie about people getting screwed every way they turn though!!

:hi:

[SCRUBDASHRUB]

47. Remember when Tom Hanks gets stuck in the carpet? LOL!!!!

[amandae]

63. That part was great!!

When he's just sitting in the dark ... slowly losing his mind!

I like that part ... and the part with the whole bathtub/turkey/kitchen scene! That movie rocks!

[bif]

6. I forgot to add "Baghdad Cafe"

[bubblesby2002]

20. Baghdad Cafe was one of the moste underrated movies of all time

not just of the 80's. It was a wonderful movie.

[nothingshocksmeanymore]

28. excellent movie! on a side note

a friend of mine now owns the set where that movie was filmed.

[RT Atlanta]

8. Silverado

I always liked that one and don't remember whether it had limited commercial success so as to qualify as "underrated."

[KittyWampus]

9. Down By Law

Jim Jarmucsh

[Madrone]

54. Down By Law - I LOVE that movie!

and I LOVE Tom Waits - w00t!

He was probably the reason I rented the movie in the first place. I'd like to find a copy on dvd - not sure if they've released it on anything but vhs though.

[buddhamama]

67. Jarmusch Rules !

Down By Law, Yeah!

another Jarmusch fave
the film short "Coffee and Cigarettes".

[DODI]

11. True Stories

[Cat Atomic]

15. Remo Williams

God, I love that stupid movie.

[Rabrrrrrr]

58. That is an awesome movie!

I often think of it, especially whenever I see Wilford Brimley.

"We could tell you the temperature of your ass sitting on that chair"

[Snellius]

17. Where the Buffalo Roam (1980) with Bill Murray

This is a weird movie. A semi-autobiography of Hunter Thompson as played by an equally wigged-out Bill Murray. A complete disaster in most ordinary respects -- it was bearly released theatrically, if at all -- but I thought it was hilarious.

Favorite line: "I hate to advocate weird chemicals, alcohol, violence or insanity to anyone... but they've always worked for me."

[Wickerman]

25. with wonderful soundtrack by Neil Young

Home on the range will never be the same! I was fortunate to see it in the theatre and now have a copy of it.

[frylock]

18. the return of the living dead

[camero]

19. Big

I thought it was pretty good.

[bubblesby2002]

23. Hey Hi

Just logged in and there you were.:D

ps I liked Big too

[camero]

24. Hey there.

I always pop up at just the right time, eh? :D How are you doing?

[bubblesby2002]

26. I'm feeling better than I was

I have finished all my appraisals (except for one ocean waterfront) and I's just about to make appointments to see two more.

[camero]

27. Cool

The driving must be the crappiest part of the job. I'm glad you're feeling better.

I gotta go to the SS office friday and got my medical records today.
They looked real strange.

[bubblesby2002]

29. What kind of office is an SS office?

and what looked strange? the medical records or the people in the office?

You know what? the driving is one of the best parts of the job. I love driving my little purple Honda five-speed. However, when the OAPs are all out, it can be a very frustrating experience.

I've also gone to the doctor recently with maybe an ulcer - God I hope not - I hope I've just been stressed lately.

[camero]

30. Stress will do that.

SS is the Social Security office. I'm trying to get disability benefits until I can go back to work and maybe the health insurance will help me get better.

Those people are strange. :D No, the strange part of it was my records showed a high level of CO2. Probably because I live in a polluted area with alot of auto traffic. It was just weird seeing it up close.

Edit: maybe you just need a vacation.

[bubblesby2002]

31. I think you're correct

A nice little vacation - maybe in Florida?;)

What's wrong that you can't work right now - I understand that you have diabetes - am I right? But did you hurt yourself or something or just get sick and have to stop driving?

B
ps I hope you're going to be okay right?

[camero]

33. Got sick and had to stop driving

They have me on insulin and I've been too low quite a few times. 3 shots a day. Florida, hmmm? Not a bad idea. You have a place to stay if you decide to. ;)

Edit: My kidneys are leaking protein a little too but they took me off the meds because of the side effects.

[bubblesby2002]

35. Wow

Have you got an extra room for me to stay? You know all my Ontario relatives go to Florida for their holidays - so it's not that far-fetched. Anyway - time for me to leave work and go out with the family - it's my niece's 21st birthday today - imagine that. The cute little thing is 21!!.

I will be in touch Charlie. Take care.

Barbara:D

[camero]

38. My room is good

;) The house has four bedrooms and I live 2 miles from the beach. My other brothers and sister are here too.

OK, see ya later.

[Devil Dog Dem]

32. Vision Quest

Great flick, great theme song (Lunatic Fringe).

"Oh, and one more thing: kick his ass!"

[solinvictus]

34. Repo Man

One of the best movies ever.

[Zookeeper]

61. Yes! Fun movie! n/t

[m-jean03]

36. Blue Lagoon

No, you can't laugh at me.

[Coventina]

37. "The Long Walk Home"

Whoopie Goldberg
Sissy Spacek
Dwight Schultz

I'll never forget seeing the opening scene for the first time.
It broke my heart.
I was a clueless, naive white kid before the movie.

I was a saddened, adult American afterward.

[djeseru]

39. Buckaroo Banzai...

...or Sixteen Candles.

[Zookeeper]

41. Rumble Fish

Not a perfect film, but I loved it. It's very stylized and the soundtrack is by Stewart Copeland. It stars Mickey Rourke before he became repulsive. And it's hard to get tired of looking at a young Matt Dillion and Diane Lane. (Also features Dennis Hopper and Tom Waits.)

[NashVegas]

43. Was 'Real Genius' Underrated?

If so, that gets my vote.

When it gets show now on one of the cable channels, it's eerie to see how accurate it was, and how we still haven't learned. It's also a major geek flick.

[WillParkinson]

52. This? It's a penis stretcher. Want to try it?

I liked that movie, too!

[lucidmadman]

44. CUTTER'S WAY

Jeff Bridges and John Heard. Conspiracy, skulduggery, heavy drinking, betrayal in Santa Barbara...I never hear anyone refer to it and yet it's so good. Based on a decent novel: CUTTER AND BONE.

[stanwyck]

51. Wonderful movie!

Jeff Bridges is sexy and dissolute....a golden boy whose time is running out. And Heard. What a role for him. Very unusual tone to the movie. It covers that odd transitional time when friends are moving beyond the college years and into the cold reality of life's routines. And didn't the villain remind you of someone? Like maybe our current VP?

[lucidmadman]

55. The villain was a stand-in for a lot 'respectable' stuffed shirts...

...bland evil.Lisa Eichorn was really good as Mo, too. She's been on LAW AND ORDER:CRIMINAL INTENT recently. I looked up the director, Ivan Passer on IMDb and he directed HAUNTED SUMMER and was a colleague of Milos Foreman back in Prague before coming to the US.
I want to see it again. Think I'll rent it soon. M. Emmett Walsh was in it, too. Always a good sign...
:hi:

[Bridget Burke]

45. some of Alan Rudolph's best came out in the 80's

"Choose Me", "Trouble in Mind" & "The Moderns". May I include "Love At Large", released in 1990? Moody, musical, beautiful to see. I've heard there were plots involved--but plots are highly overrated.

I'll agree with those who've mentioned "Local Hero" & "The Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai..."

& how about "My Favorite Year"?

[RogueTrooper]

46. Pump Up The Volume

a very prescient look at American culture to come.



"Did you ever get the feeling that everything in America is completely fucked up. You know that feeling that the whole country is like one inch away from saying 'That's it, forget it.' You think about it. Everything is polluted. The environment, the government, the schools you name it. "

[GiovanniC]

48. Robocop

n/t

[flamingyouth]

49. Comfort & Joy

I really liked that one. Cheesy, but sweet.

[Madrone]

53. Night of the Comet -

I'm sure there're others - but that one immediately came to mind.

[Mrs. Venation]

56. Mystic Pizza

and Crimes of the Heart. I especially enjoyed Tess Harper's character in Crimes.

[havocmom]

57. Ladyhawk

very cool flim and music is wonderful

[Rabrrrrrr]

60. Conan The Barbarian

Those who know the movie know that it is an incredbile work of art.

Those that don't know give it no time of day.

One of the top ten soundtracks, too, in terms of both all-out listenability, but ESPECIALLY in terms of being wedded PERFECTLY to the action on the screen. It kicks John Williams' ass all over the world.

It's time that the first Conan movie finally be recognized for the incredible achievement that it was. And the second one shuold be stricken from the memory of all humanity.

[mitchum]

62. "Star 80"...

The great Bob Fosse's swansong about men, women, fame, money, violence, lust and society

[Pert_UK]

66. Withnail and I.......my favourite film ever!

We demand cake and fine wines!

P.