1980s Challenge (Official, December 2020)

shugs · #1

The 1980s Challenge

Goal:
Watch as many movies from the 1980s as possible.

Rules:
- All movies from 1980-1989 are eligble.
- A feature film (anything 40 minutes or over) counts as one entry.
- A total of 60 minutes of short films count as one entry.
- For Mini-Series (40 minute episodes or longer) each episode counts as an entry.
- For Mini-Series with shorter episodes, the 60 minute rule applies.
- Rewatches allowed.

Movies watched this challenge
https://www.icheckmovies.com/lists/1980 ... 020/shugs/

Official iCM list:
1980s (IMDB)

Unofficial iCM lists
iCM Forum's Favourite Movies of the 1980s Top 250
Taschen's movies of the 80's
Paste Magazine's 80 Best Movies of the 1980s

50 Furious Films: The 1980s
Total Film's Best Movies of the 80s
The Most Popular Movies From the 80s (IMDB)

Unchecked movies, sorted by # of official lists:

Participants

Ranking	Participant	Score
1	Lu-Chin	136
2	blueboybob	127
3	Traveller	108
4	DudeLanez	62
5	jdidaco	54
6	Lonewolf2003	46
7	Prat	44
8	Coryn	36
9	cinephage	32
10	VincentPrice	28
10	sol	28
12	AB537	26
13	peeptoad	23
14	Melvelet	16
14	morrison-dylan-fan	16
16	blocho	15
16	pitchorneirda	15
18	shugs	14
19	RogerTheMovieManiac88	13
20	AssonFire	12
20	flavo5000	12
22	Obgeoff	9
23	Onderhond	8
23	burneyfan	8
25	frbrown	7
25	maxwelldeux	7
27	hurluberlu	6
27	ororama	6
29	connordenney	4
29	zzzorf	4
31	Hunziker	3
31	Knaldskalle	3
33	jocularities	2
34	allisoncm	1
34	kongs_speech	1

Traveller · #2

I'm in. Thanks for hosting, shugs.

burneyfan · #3

I'm in; my viewing is mostly random, so I'll post here whatever '80s films I happen to see in December.

Prat · #4

I'm in, too. Don't know for how much or how long, but I was waiting for this

Thank you for hosting, shugs !

sol · #5

It starts! First in.

1. Plaff! (1988)

A woman is aggravated by not her only her relatives but also someone who keeps throwing eggs at her house in this comedy. It is a decent set-up and the mystery of who is throwing the eggs is both intriguing and spooky, however, the egg dilemma ends up only being a tiny part of the film. There is also some fun fourth wall breaking with the director pausing things and fake end credits. As with the eggs though, the fourth wall breaking feels infrequent.

shugs · #6

1. Sea of Love (Harold Becker, 1989) - 7/10
2. Blue Thunder (John Badham, 1983) - 5/10

Traveller · #7

01.a Eine murul (1987)(25min)
01.b Okhota (1988)(19min)
01.c Kumshagalskaya istoriya (1986)(20min)

02.a Las plumas del múcaro (1989)(18min)
02.b Gap-Toothed Women (1987)(31min)
02.c Zhavoronok (1986)(19min)

03.a Fake Fruit Factory (1986)(22min)
03.b Universal Citizen (1987)(21min)
03.c Rangierer (1984)(21min)

04. Mariya (1988) - 6/10
05. A Nightmare on Elm Street 3: Dream Warriors (1987) - 1/10
06. Halloween III: Season of the Witch (1982) - 2/10

Hunziker · #8

Alright then, count me in.

shugs · #9

Added a list of all the watched movies
https://www.icheckmovies.com/lists/1980 ... 020/shugs/

Onderhond · #10

Don't expect to log much, but we'll see.

01. 1.0* - Histoire(s) du Cinéma by Jean-Luc Godard (1989)

I wasn't aware this was a Godard-led project. I figured it was just a documentary series looking back at the history of cinema. Not my favorite topic, but no doubt interesting enough. Five minutes in I realized what I had gotten myself into. It's not that I hate Godard, it's just that my appreciation is mostly for his early work. Once he set off on his quest to find true cinema, the man kind of lost me. This isn't a very traditional documentary, instead it's another one of Godard's crazy cut & paste jobs, sporting textual overlays, meandering voice-overs and very crude editing techniques. It's very low on factual content, it's hard to appreciate any of the references since they're so cut up and it gets a bit too artistic for its own good. The problem for me is that I simply don't care for Godard's modern style. It looks sloppy, crude and cheap. The idea is nice enough, but the execution is substandard. At least the later episodes are a bit shorter and contain slightly more information, but overall this was a very disappointing series.

Coryn · #11

1. Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind (1984)

burneyfan · #12

01. Pembalasan rambu a.k.a. The Intruder -- Burnama, 1986.

Indonesian Rambo, very rapey and crummy.

Prat · #13

1. Bad Timing (1980)
I wasn't moved by the first half of the movie, but then I began to really enjoy this toxic passion between the characters, some subversive and yet essential scenes were really good. The editing was clever and to show this story through flashbacks (beginning with the suicide attempt) and the investigation was a plus for me. 7/10

2. Gregory's Girl (1980)
I enjoyed it. From the start to the end ; a british rom-com about highschool students who looked like highschool students. The eccentricity was controlled and not over-the-top like some american comedies. It was different and it was refreshing. 8/10

Spoiler

1. Bad Timing (1980)
2. Gregory's Girl (1980)

allisoncm · #14

1. Strange Behavior (1981) 4/10 SHUDDER

kongs_speech · #15

01. Max mon amour (1986, Nagisa Oshima) - 4/5

Max mon amour is likely an odd choice for one's first Nagisa Oshima film, but it expires from MUBI this week and I wasn't about to miss out on it. If this is truly one of his lesser works, I can't wait until I see the good stuff, because I found it to be a fantastic deadpan farce in the vein of Bunuel. I hate to make that comparison because half the reviews on Letterboxd are saying the same thing, but seriously, I don't know how a cinephile could watch the film and not pick up a Bunuel vibe -- The Discreet Charm of the Bourgeoisie, in particular. Max is the same type of absurdist satire of the wealthy elites, played with total seriousness and commitment from everyone involved, which is why it is frequently hilarious.

A classy, world-renowned actress such as Charlotte Rampling having an affair with a literal chimpanzee from the zoo is already a funny concept, but the fact that she gives it her all and turns in a magnificent performance elevates it to another level. Anthony Higgins is also great fun as her husband, who is shockingly nonchalant about the whole bestiality aspect of his spouse's new fling. The thing that surprised me the most about Max mon amour is that, despite the perverse premise and Oshima's reputation for explicit sexuality, it isn't lurid or trashy at all. It certainly isn't wholesome family fun, yet there is no content that should shock anyone well-versed in R-rated movies. No one in their right mind would accuse this delightfully subversive anti-bourgeoisie satire of being an edgelord film.

Traveller · #16

07. El Norte (1983) - 4/10
08. City After Dark (1980) - 6/10
09. Bye Bye Brazil (1980) - 4/10
10. Blood Wedding (1981) - 7/10

peeptoad · #17

1. Vernon, Florida (1981) 6
2. Silent Night, Deadly Night (1984) 6

shugs · #18

Onderhond wrote: ↑December 1st, 2020, 6:21 pm Don't expect to log much, but we'll see.

01. 1.0* - Histoire(s) du Cinéma by Jean-Luc Godard (1989)

I wasn't aware this was a Godard-led project. I figured it was just a documentary series looking back at the history of cinema. Not my favorite topic, but no doubt interesting enough. Five minutes in I realized what I had gotten myself into. It's not that I hate Godard, it's just that my appreciation is mostly for his early work. Once he set off on his quest to find true cinema, the man kind of lost me. This isn't a very traditional documentary, instead it's another one of Godard's crazy cut & paste jobs, sporting textual overlays, meandering voice-overs and very crude editing techniques. It's very low on factual content, it's hard to appreciate any of the references since they're so cut up and it gets a bit too artistic for its own good. The problem for me is that I simply don't care for Godard's modern style. It looks sloppy, crude and cheap. The idea is nice enough, but the execution is substandard. At least the later episodes are a bit shorter and contain slightly more information, but overall this was a very disappointing series.

This can count as more than one point, since it's a miniseries. But the episodes vary in length so I'm too lazy to calculate just how many it's worth (especially with the current rules

). Let me know if you want it to count for more points.

Onderhond · #19

Nah, I'm fine

hurluberlu · #20

1. The Falcon and the snowman (John Schlesinger, 1985) 7-

Lu-Chin · #21

1. Divine Horsemen: The Living Gods of Haiti (1985) 5/10
2. La Operación (1982) 6/10
3. Demasiado miedo a la vida o Plaff (1988) 5/10
4. Rue Cases Nègres (1983) 7/10
5. El Salvador: el pueblo vencerá (1982) 7/10
6. ¡Vampiros en La Habana! (1985) 6/10
7. Vernon, Florida (1981) 5/10
8. Sans soleil (1983) 8/10

flavo5000 · #22

kongs_speech wrote: ↑December 2nd, 2020, 4:04 pm 01. Max mon amour (1986, Nagisa Oshima) - 4/5

A classy, world-renowned actress such as Charlotte Rampling having an affair with a literal chimpanzee from the zoo is already a funny concept, but the fact that she gives it her all and turns in a magnificent performance elevates it to another level. Anthony Higgins is also great fun as her husband, who is shockingly nonchalant about the whole bestiality aspect of his spouse's new fling. The thing that surprised me the most about Max mon amour is that, despite the perverse premise and Oshima's reputation for explicit sexuality, it isn't lurid or trashy at all. It certainly isn't wholesome family fun, yet there is no content that should shock anyone well-versed in R-rated movies. No one in their right mind would accuse this delightfully subversive anti-bourgeoisie satire of being an edgelord film.

Well, i think much of Oshima's notorious reputation is based on In The Realm of the Senses which goes WAY beyond R-rated territory. He is a consistently interesting filmmaker to follow though.

DudeLanez · #23

1. Smooth Talk (1985, Sundance) 6,5/10
2. Heat and Sunlight (1987, Sundance) 6,0/10

frbrown · #24

1. Koyaanisqatsi (1982)

VincentPrice · #25

1. Anna to the Infinite Power-1983: 7/10

Hunziker · #26

1. Ging chaat goo si (1985) - 6/10
2. Dead Calm (1989) - 7/10

Prat · #27

3. Heimat - Eine Chronik in elf Teilen (1984) - Episode 1 (125 min)
4. Heimat - Eine Chronik in elf Teilen (1984) - Episode 2 (94 min)

5. A Idade da Terra (1980)
I was fascinated by some scenes in it, especially the ones with rites or the idea of making the actors repeat their lines several times. But the metaphorical way to tell a story was too heavy and I guess I missed some points because I'm not familiar enough with brazilian culture and references. The editing was too rough sometimes, not a movie for epileptics ! In the end, despite ideas that I liked, I was bored and eventually relieved when it ended. 5/10

6. Sauve qui peut (la vie) (1980)
Onderhond didn't like Histoire(s) du cinéma and said he appreciates mostly his early work. I agree with that (and Histoire(s) du cinéma was a pain to watch for me). In this one, I was confused most of the time and a little pissed, too. We can see some clichés of french Nouvelle Vague films like the music covering enough of a dialogue to block the viewer from understanting it. Godard decided to have a character who is him (even the name is the same) and there is some vulgarities that are not necessary, such as the insults toward his daughter and sound falsely subversive. The monologues and dialogues are weak : I really had the impression to be, again, in a party with fellow fresh men at the university (litterature one) where some from litterature or philosophy section were trying to show off by saying in poetic-ish sentences a profond philosophical truth that reveals itself to be pedestrian. 4/10

Spoiler

1. Bad Timing (1980)
2. Gregory's Girl (1980)
3. Heimat - Eine Chronik in elf Teilen (1984) - Episode 1 (125 min)
4. Heimat - Eine Chronik in elf Teilen (1984) - Episode 2 (94 min)
5. A Idade da Terra (1980)
6. Sauve qui peut (la vie) (1980)

cinephage · #28

01. Vampire's kiss, by Robert Bierman (1988) 8/10

This is not really a horror film, it's rather a grotesque satire of modern life in the eighties, when a manager breaks under pressure, a little bit like Schumacher's free fall, but with a comical and more extreme approach. Nicolas Cage gives an outworldly performance, I was laughing all the time, this a film I will certainly rewatch.

Coryn · #29

1. Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind (1984)
2. The Blues Brothers (1980)

Going off 80's movies on Netflix I didn't see yet.

shugs · #30

Coryn wrote: ↑December 3rd, 2020, 1:42 pm 1. Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind (1984)
2. The Blues Brothers (1980)

Going off 80's movies on Netflix I didn't see yet.

Can you add previous watches in a spoiler tag please? It makes my tracking easier.

blueboybob · #31

1. Countryman (1982)
2. Cecilia (1982)
3. Haitian Corner (1987)
4. Tango Bar (1987)
5. Demasiado miedo a la vida o Plaff (1988)

VincentPrice · #32

2. National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation-1989: 9/10

Spoiler

1. Anna to the Infinite Power-1983: 7/10

Traveller · #33

11. Born on the Fourth of July (1989) - 2/10
12. Danton (1983) - 7/10
13. Coming to America (1988) - 1/10
14. National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation (1989) - 6/10

Coryn · #34

shugs wrote: ↑December 3rd, 2020, 2:10 pm
Coryn wrote: ↑December 3rd, 2020, 1:42 pm 1. Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind (1984)
2. The Blues Brothers (1980)

Going off 80's movies on Netflix I didn't see yet.
Can you add previous watches in a spoiler tag please? It makes my tracking easier.

Thanks for telling me, it's been too long since I participated

Coryn · #35

Spoiler

1. Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind (1984)
2. The Blues Brothers (1980)

3. Coming to America (1988)

burneyfan · #36

Spoiler

01. Pembalasan rambu a.k.a. The Intruder -- Burnama, 1986.

02. Feng er ti ta cai a.k.a. Cheerful Wind a.k.a. Play as You Play -- Hou, 1981.

This romance is Hou's second film, soapy and fairly quick-moving, and bears little resemblance to many of his later (and better) movies.

Onderhond · #37

02. 1.0* - The Dead by John Huston (1987)

John Huston's final film is an adaptation of a James Joyce short story. If that gets you giddy, you're probably the target audience of this film. If not, it might be good to check the trailer first before you subjects yourself to it. While it may be rather short, it's the kind of film that becomes quite the ordeal when you start to lose interest. Three spinsters are throwing an Epiphany party. The year is 1906, the attendants are all upper class, with a background in the arts. There's some singing, some piano playing, people cite poetry and discuss the finer things in life. I don't think I've ever seen a party I'd rather not attend. The performances are stiff, Huston's style is formal, the literary dialogues are pompous and the characters are simply horrendous. For kicks, someone should plan a double bill with Project X, just the shock effect alone would be worth the price of the admission. This simply wasn't my kind of cinema I'm afraid.

I was born in the 80s, so I can say it sucked

01. 1.0* - Histoire(s) du Cinéma by Jean-Luc Godard (1989)

VincentPrice · #38

3. The Principal-1987: 8/10

Spoiler

1. Anna to the Infinite Power-1983: 7/10
2. National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation-1989: 9/10

AB537 · #39

1. Uncle Buck (John Hughes, 1989) 7/10
2. Weekend at Bernie's (Ted Kotcheff, 1989) 7/10

By no means great films, but strangely enjoyable in both cases and a far more entertaining evening than expected

maxwelldeux · #40

AB537 wrote: ↑December 4th, 2020, 3:43 am 1. Uncle Buck (John Hughes, 1989) 7/10
2. Weekend at Bernie's (Ted Kotcheff, 1989) 7/10

By no means great films, but strangely enjoyable in both cases and a far more entertaining evening than expected

Uncle Buck was one of my favorite films growing up - I'm just a little afraid to rewatch it, as I don't know how well it would hold up relative to my memory. But good to hear you enjoyed it well enough.