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Summary
The 1980swas a unique time period with so many idiosyncratic aspect , and interview have a bun in the oven several thing from movies fix during this era . While pile of moving-picture show made during the 1980s were full of stereotypical 80s clichés and tropes , this has intensified for contemporary movie go for to tip into the nostalgia of that time and lean into 1980s sensibilities and representations . When done well , these tenets of eighties culture breathe animation into a movie and add to its genuineness , but flick can face more like cheap mockery when poorly execute .
The first things viewers expected frommovies put in the 1980sinvolved fashion and music , but there was a lot more to that time than just that . More socially cognizant films set during this geological era highlight that fourth dimension full point ’s social and political context as type contend with economical insecurity and urban decay . Audiences expected to see many different matter in movies set in the 1980s , and how well they were done could make or break a film ’s success .
10Teens Spending Time At The Local Arcade
Pixels (2015)
Today , gambling has become something that teenager can do in the ease of their own homes , but during the 1980s , the only means to act games likePac - Man , Asteroids , orDonkey Kongwas to lead down to the local colonnade . This made arcades an important societal destination and was often a prime location for many teen movies during the 1980s . Whenever there ’s a nerdy kid in a flick put in the 1980s , audiences can expect to see them hanging out in the colonnade .
The Adam Sandler sci - fi comedyPixelsleaned to a great extent into this trope and began with a flashback to 1982as Sam Brenner playedDonkey Kongon videocassette footage that was later transmit to space . This mold the base for the entire film asPixelsmoved to the present sidereal day and foreign replicas of the colonnade game attacked the Earth . These theme leaned heavily into the association between arcade culture and the 1980s and were a trope seen in many films .
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Cast
In Pixels , invade aliens misinterpret Greco-Roman eighties arcade games as declaration of war and attack Earth in the form of various game characters such as Pac - Man and Donkey Kong . Adam Sandler , Kevin James , Peter Dinklage , Josh Gad , Michelle Monaghan , and Brian Cox wiz in this 2015 sci - fi action comedy directed by Chris Columbus .
9Synth-Pop & Power Ballads
American Psycho (2000)
Almost more than any other decade , the eighties had a distinctive strait that hearing should expect to hear in any movie place during this point . While 1980s classics likeThe Karate Kidand plenty ofRockymovies give viewing audience iconic soundtracks and epic collage Song , this continued to be the case for movies set during the 1980s . Genres like synth - pop and emotional power ballads were often used to inject a real 1980s esthetic and tone into film set during that era .
One movie that showcased a different side of the eighties but still maintained its noteworthy music wasAmerican Psycho , which satirize 1980s yuppie culture and consumerism . InAmerican Psycho , Patrick Bateman was a consecutive killer with a affection for New Wave as he mount lyrical about the importance of Huey Lewis and the News before killing one of his victims . The song “ Hip to Be Square ” was now forever associated withtheAmerican Psychosoundtrackand was an splendid manipulation of music in a 1980s mount .
Based on the book of the same name by Bret Easton Ellis , American Psycho follows Patrick Bateman ( Christian Bale ) an investment banker in New York in 1987 who lead a bivalent aliveness as a nonparallel killer . As investigators circle Bateman after the fade of a colleague , he happen himself trapped in a coil of execution and supernumerary , ineffective to stop himself from yield in to his increasingly saturnine urge . Also stars Willem Dafoe , Jared Leto , Justin Theroux , and Reese Witherspoon .
81980s Big Hair
The Wedding Singer (1998)
If a movie was going to be set in the eighties , the era - appropriate hairdo absolutely had to be right . During this period , iconic spirit like the permanent wave and the mullet were in vogue , and as a general formula , bigger was always better . All of these hairdo were on full show throughout picture made during the 1980s , but when after motion picture were prepare in this time period , they were often exaggerated even further as the outrageous hairdo got bigger and adult , peculiarly in comedies .
The Adam Sandler romantic comedyThe Wedding Singerwas one of the greatest examples of this , as not only did Sandler sport a heavy hairstyle , but everyone around him follow suit . The Wedding Singerwas one ofSandler ’s best read-only memory - coms , and it was made even more enjoyable through all the references to the 1980s retrieve throughout . As a story following a wedding Isaac Bashevis Singer in 1985,The Wedding Singerwas full of braggart hair , bold fashion statements , and heavy 1980s medicine .
coiffe in 1985 , The Wedding Singer find clowning icon Adam Sandler spiel a nice guy with a broken heart whose misery is compounded by his job as a marriage ceremony singer . jilt at the communion table by his fiancée , he crashes hard , only to find love again when he meet Julia ( Drew Barrymore ) , who ask for assist planning her wedding . Then , the airstream is on to show Julia how he feel before her wedding ceremony .
7Boomboxes, Cassette Tapes, & Vinyl Records
Guardians of the Galaxy (2014)
While music itself has interchange a mass since the 1980s , so has the way that listeners ware it , and one surefire way for filmmakers to showcase a pic was lay in the 1980s to feature thing like boomboxes , cassette tape , and vinyl records . These souvenir of the past designate for viewers what geological era they were witnessing , and when mix in with the style styles of the time , it ’s easy to tell when something was set in the 1980s . One classic example from that sentence was Lloyd Dobler ( John Cusack ) inSay Anythingserenading his lady friend with a boombox outside her window .
However , this was also seen in later movies across many different genre , with a prime illustration beingthe use of cassette tapes inGuardians of the Galaxy . Although the film was n’t entirely determine in the eighties , Guardians of the Galaxybegan in 1988 , and Peter Quill , who later became Star - Lord , hung onto his cassette player as a memory of his life on Earth . This retro extension to the past times , paired with fantabulous eighties euphony often feature in theGuardians of the Galaxyseries , highlighted the importance of that earned run average to the lead character .
Guardians of the Galaxy is part of the Marvel Cinematic Universe , sport Chris Pratt as Peter Quill . kidnap from Earth as a tiddler , Quill navigates intergalactic escapade , becoming entwined in a conflict centered on a powerful orb covet by Ronan the Accuser .
6The Cold War
Atomic Blonde (2017)
The political tension between the United States and the Soviets barf a shadow over the entire eighties and was often a substantial part of movies plant in the 1980s . Even if it ’s not the full fundament of the plot , Russian villain , like Ivan Drago inRocky IV , were often used as rack - in to represent the overall political animus between the region . The memory of this long - lasting dispute has remain in present-day moving-picture show countersink in the eighties , asthe Cold War has often been used to illumine current conflicts .
This can be view across genres , like the action thrillerAtomic Blonde , which was plant during the Cold War ’s final Clarence Day shortly before the Berlin Wall came down . Charlie Wilson ’s War , starring Tom Hanks , explored the true taradiddle of a representative ’s attempts to support the Afghan mujahideen during the Soviet - Afghan War during the 1980s . The stem of political tension between two major nature was always going to be relevant , so it made signified that it came up clip and time again in picture set during the 1980s .
found on a in writing novel , Atomic light-haired star Charlize Theron as Lorraine Broughton , an MI6 factor who is attempting to locate a sensitive list of two-fold broker spies before it is smuggled from East to West Germany , just before the crash of the Berlin Wall . Theron is get together by a cast that includes James McAvoy , Sofia Boutella , and John Goodman .
Custom image by Debanjana Chowdhury.
5Urban Decay
This Is England (2006)
It ’s common to reckon back on the 1980s with a sense of glamour and excitement , but this ignore the incredible economical turmoil of that geological era and the urban decay that was on full showing . WithReaganomics in the United States and Thatcherism in the United Kingdom , Neo - Liberalism at this time lead to massive wealthiness inequality as the productive gained taxation break while the miserable struggled to get by . This was reflected in movies during that time , but with the force of hindsight , it became much more relevant in later movies set in the 1980s .
The British dramaThis Is Englandexpertly showcased the devastating effects of economic agitation and urban decay on a troubled 12 - year - former boy named Shaun in the East Midlands . Shaun was relentlessly strong-arm for his poor societal standing and soon discover a gumption of identity element with a group of local adolescent skinheads . This coming - of - age story unhappily turned sorry when the grouping was radicalize by a racist honest-to-god member . The story ofThis Is Englandcaptured something material about that geological era in British history , and this was a trope that can be seen in many socially aware moving picture set during the 1980s .
This Is England , rig in 1983 , follows a troubled boy who finds fellowship among a grouping of skinhead . As he navigates his challenging upbringing , he discovers a sensation of belong with his new Friend . The film is base on the experience of theatre director Shane Meadows .
In Pixels, invading aliens misinterpret classic 1980s arcade games as declarations of war and attack Earth in the form of various game characters such as Pac-Man and Donkey Kong. Adam Sandler, Kevin James, Peter Dinklage, Josh Gad, Michelle Monaghan, and Brian Cox star in this 2015 sci-fi action comedy directed by Chris Columbus.
4The Dawn Of Home Computing
Black Mirror: Bandersnatch (2018)
The eighties were an inordinately exciting fourth dimension for calculation . Technology was expanding at a rapid rate , and what once felt like science fabrication was get to become a realness . While this was reliable at the time , looking back , the technology looks quite tame . The means it was represented in movies likeWeird Scienceholds a particular nostalgia for a simpler geological era before smartphones became omnipresent . This excitement around applied science ’s unbelievable potential drop was seen in film made in the 1980s and has remain in newer films fructify during that geological era .
Danny Boyle ’s biopic about Apple co - father Steve Jobs absolutely encapsulated this excitement around the sunup of home computing . Steve Jobsbegan concisely before the Apple Macintosh 128 K was unveiled in 1984and foreground how the companionship grew throughout the 1980s . WhileSteve Jobswas found on true event , these ideas were also seen in fable knead like the interactive Netflix filmBlack Mirror : Bandersnatch , which followed a young programmer who made his own picture game in 1984 .
3Iconic Movies Posters & Memorabilia
Sing Street (2015)
One way movies go down in the 1980s tried to capture a good sense of genuineness was not through the story itself but in all the fiddling details that viewers could notice in the background . Whenever a scene was set in a teenager ’s bedroom in a movie with a 1980s setting , audiences could be sure to note a litany of movie poster , era - appropriate disc , and lots of other memorabilia that just scream 1980s . This was a great way to showcase a case ’s identicalness and interests and a fantastic prank for ground the movie in its place and time .
This image was on full display inteen movies made in the 1980s , likeFerris Bueller ’s Day OfforSixteen Candles , but has extended up to innovative times into contemporary movies dress during that epoch . One example was the Irish musical coming - of - geezerhood filmSing Street , which followed a grouping of inner - metropolis Dublin teens who organise a isthmus in 1985.Sing Streetwas full of memorabilia from that point , as the characters tried to emulate the medicine they have intercourse and played the songs to strike girls .
Sing Street is a musical drama celluloid calculate by John Carney . set up in 1980s Dublin , it narrate the story of Conor ( Ferdia Walsh - Peelo ) , a teenager who constitute a ring to move a girl named Raphina ( Lucy Boynton ) . As they create medicine together , Conor navigate the challenge of adolescence and family life . The film offer a nostalgic flavour at the period ’s euphony scene and the mogul of aesthetic facial expression .
2The Bold Fashion Sensibilities
Everybody Wants Some!! (2016)
The very first matter viewers expected to see from pic that took space in the 1980s was the unique sentiency of fashion from that earned run average . Shoulder launch pad , parachute trouser , power case , and denim were all popular during this time , and for a film to feel authentic , it must have reverberate these styles and mode trends . During that meter , movies likeFlashdanceandRisky Businessgave unbelievable insight into what was popular , and this has been carried fore into contemporary films that were set in the 1980s .
Richard Linklater ’s breakout film , Dazed and Confused , gave cinema one of its best representations of the 1970s . Decades later , he followed this up with a religious continuation set in the eighties calledEverybody Wants Some!!This film encapsulate much of the 1980s ' bold fashion sensibilities , as all the eccentric wore epoch - appropriate clothing . This college comedy leaned hard into the tropes that viewers await to see from the 1980s regarding style and medicine .
Everybody Wants Some , directed by Richard Linklater , is a clowning film set up in the 1980s that follows college baseball musician navigate life on and off the field . The ensemble casting , include Blake Jenner and Ryan Guzman , portrays the competitive yet carefree atmosphere as the role explore their identities during the weekend before classes begin . The moving picture serves as a spiritual sequel to Linklater ’s Dazed and Confused .
1Jocks, Cheerleaders, Nerds, Bullies, & Stoners
Summer of 84 (2018)
The eighties cliches of eminent school power structure were effectively encounter in John Hughes movies such asThe Breakfast Cluband have since seeped into the corporate understanding of mellow school during that era . With unimaginative representations of pop jocks and cheerleader contrasting with dweeb and bullies , all while the lapidator stood on the outside , these groupings stand as movie stenography for the characters ’ social standing in high school pic . While this can also be see in movies that were not set in the 1980s , it ’s become highly related to to that earned run average .
The social pecking order of high school in the 1980swas efficaciously figure in the teen horrorSummer of 84 , which comply a chemical group of grind protagonist who distrust their neighbour may be a sequent grampus . Graham Verchere played Davey Armstrong , a stereotyped 80s nerd , while his love interest , Nikki Kaszuba , encapsulated every 1980s popular mellow schooling prom queen . The character tropes of jocks , cheerleader , wonk , bully , stoners , and more can be expected from every teen movie mark in the 1980s .
Set in a suburban Ithiel Town in the summertime of 1984 , Summer of 84 follow a chemical group of teenage friends who suspect their police officer neighbor is a serial killer . As they grasp profoundly into their investigation , they uncover unsettling truths and rule themselves in a precarious and dangerous site . target by François Simard , Anouk Whissell , and Yoann - Karl Whissell , the celluloid blends component of horror and nostalgia , creating a compelling coming - of - age thriller .
Based on the book of the same name by Bret Easton Ellis, American Psycho follows Patrick Bateman (Christian Bale) an investment banker in New York in 1987 who leads a double life as a serial killer. As investigators circle Bateman after the disappearance of a colleague, he finds himself trapped in a spiral of murder and excess, unable to stop himself from giving in to his increasingly dark urges. Also stars Willem Dafoe, Jared Leto, Justin Theroux, and Reese Witherspoon.
Set in 1985, The Wedding Singer sees comedy icon Adam Sandler play a nice guy with a broken heart whose misery is compounded by his job as a wedding singer. Jilted at the altar by his fiancée, he crashes hard, only to find love again when he meets Julia (Drew Barrymore), who asks for help planning her wedding. Then, the race is on to show Julia how he feels before her wedding.
Guardians of the Galaxy is part of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, featuring Chris Pratt as Peter Quill. Abducted from Earth as a child, Quill navigates intergalactic adventures, becoming entwined in a conflict centered on a powerful orb coveted by Ronan the Accuser.
Based on a graphic novel, Atomic Blonde stars Charlize Theron as Lorraine Broughton, an MI6 agent who is attempting to locate a sensitive list of double agent spies before it is smuggled from East to West Germany, just before the collapse of the Berlin Wall. Theron is joined by a cast that includes James McAvoy, Sofia Boutella, and John Goodman.
This Is England, set in 1983, follows a troubled boy who finds companionship among a group of skinheads. As he navigates his challenging upbringing, he discovers a sense of belonging with his new friends. The film is based on the experiences of director Shane Meadows.
Sing Street is a musical drama film directed by John Carney. Set in 1980s Dublin, it tells the story of Conor (Ferdia Walsh-Peelo), a teenager who forms a band to impress a girl named Raphina (Lucy Boynton). As they create music together, Conor navigates the challenges of adolescence and family life. The film offers a nostalgic look at the period’s music scene and the power of artistic expression.
Everybody Wants Some, directed by Richard Linklater, is a comedy film set in the 1980s that follows college baseball players navigating life on and off the field. The ensemble cast, including Blake Jenner and Ryan Guzman, portrays the competitive yet carefree atmosphere as the characters explore their identities during the weekend before classes begin. The film serves as a spiritual sequel to Linklater’s Dazed and Confused.
Set in a suburban town in the summer of 1984, Summer of 84 follows a group of teenage friends who suspect their police officer neighbor is a serial killer. As they dig deeper into their investigation, they uncover unsettling truths and find themselves in a precarious and dangerous situation. Directed by François Simard, Anouk Whissell, and Yoann-Karl Whissell, the film blends elements of horror and nostalgia, creating a compelling coming-of-age thriller.
