Sport -- 5 days ago
Words: Alex Woodhall
The 1980s were a great decade for film. The era spawned so many cult classics and firm favourites it’s difficult to nail down a definitive list of the best films from the period. We’ve given it ago with a number of films you absolutely need to watch again, and if you’ve yet to see them, you’re seriously missing out, and better fire up Netflix or the like as soon as you’re home.
SCARFACE (1983)
The definitive gangster film, Al Pacino’s turn as Tony Montana is iconic to say the least. Quotable as they come, the cocaine-fuelled epic is a film to watch again and again; although the lengthy runtime means you’ll be setting the whole night aside for this one.
STAND BY ME (1986)
Starring a very young River Phoenix and Kiefer Sutherland, Stand By Me is a classic coming-of-age story although with slightly darker twist; four boys find the dead body of a missing child. Adapted from Stephen King’s novella, ‘The Body’, it facilitated Shawshank Redemption’s move from page to screen.
FULL METAL JACKET (1987)
Painting a chilling picture of war even before the battlefield action, it focuses on aspiring soldiers at a nightmare boot camp as they prepare for the Vietnam War. The first half is notably better than the second but that’s a testament to quality, the tension and hold on the viewer is never really lost throughout.
WALL STREET (1987)
The financial-business drama, set a benchmark for the genre and Michael Douglas’ role as Gordon Gekko, won him a Best Actor Oscar, endorsement enough, no? Whilst the sequel hit a more flat note, the original is a fantastic film that charts the excess of the era to a tee.
RAGING BULL (1980)
Easily one of, if not the best, films of the decade, the boxing biopic was pioneering and innovative. The Scorsese/De Niro combination is superlative as they get into the headspace of boxer Jake LaMotta. From a cinematic point of view it’s one of the finest films to date, as Scorsese gets brilliantly creative with the shooting of the feature.
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