Movies of the 80s
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We love the 1980s. Everything on this page is all about movies of the 1980s. Starting in 1980 and working our way the decade, we are preserving the stories and movies of the greatest decade, the 80s. https://www.youtube.com/@Moviesofthe80s
Stories (127)
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How Dolly Parton Wrote “9 to 5” — Her Casting in 9 to 5 and the Song’s Unforgettable Sound
Introduction Released in 1980, “9 to 5” is not just one of Dolly Parton’s most iconic songs — it’s also inseparable from her film debut in 9 to 5, a comedy about working women dealing with discrimination, low pay, and an overbearing boss. The song, its creation, and Parton’s casting are deeply intertwined, offering a window into her creativity, negotiation skills, and her ability to turn lived-in workplace frustrations into art.
By Movies of the 80s5 months ago in Beat
Jaclyn Smith’s Fight for Control: The Making of Nightkill (1980)
In 1980’s Nightkill, Jaclyn Smith went from TV stardom to psychological thriller — fighting off nudity demands, navigating on-set tension, and finding romance with cinematographer Anthony Richmond. Here’s the story behind the cult desert noir.
By Movies of the 80s5 months ago in Geeks
Frederick Forsyth, The Dogs of War, and the writer who blurred research and reality
Frederick Forsyth used undercover reporting, intelligence contacts and audacious stunts while researching The Dogs of War. That immersion gave the 1974 novel — and the 1980 film — a cold, operational realism that resonated with readers and, alarmingly, inspired real-world coup plots.
By Movies of the 80s5 months ago in Geeks
Tess (1980): How Polanski’s Troubled Production Made a Pastoral Masterpiece
Movies of the 80s recognizes that content surrounding someone like Roman Polanski can be controversial and hurtful to those who've been through similar trauma. This article is not intended to venerate Roman Polanski the man but rather, to discuss a movie that is a great work of art despite the character of its creator.
By Movies of the 80s6 months ago in Geeks
Clyde’s Revenge: The Wild Story Behind Any Which Way You Can
When Clint Eastwood released Every Which Way But Loose in 1978, audiences weren’t quite sure what to expect. The world’s most famous tough guy, known for his squints and six-shooters, was suddenly playing a laid-back trucker with a mischievous orangutan sidekick. It sounded absurd—but the film became a massive box office hit. Two years later, Eastwood returned with Any Which Way You Can (1980), a sequel that doubled down on the oddball comedy, the bare-knuckle brawling, and most importantly, Clyde the orangutan.
By Movies of the 80s6 months ago in Geeks
Stir Crazy: The Comic Alchemy of Richard Pryor and Gene Wilder
When Sidney Poitier’s Stir Crazy opened in December 1980, few expected it to become a box office juggernaut. Yet the film about two unlucky friends trapped in a prison sentence earned over $100 million domestically, becoming Columbia Pictures’ biggest hit at the time. The film’s real magic wasn’t the plot but the pairing: Gene Wilder and Richard Pryor, two comedians from very different worlds who somehow sparked electricity every time they shared the screen.
By Movies of the 80s6 months ago in Geeks
Robert Evans and Popeye (1980): A High-Noon Hollywood Gamble That Spiraled into Carnival Chaos
I. Old-Hollywood Ambition Meets Comic-Strip Oddity After breathing new life into Paramount with The Godfather and Chinatown, Robert Evans set his sights on Popeye — not the rubbery cartoon, but E.C. Segar’s darkly quirky comic strip. He commissioned Jules Feiffer to adapt it, enlisted Robert Altman to direct, and cast Robin Williams in his first starring role. Evans envisioned a bold, musical comedy unlike anything audiences had seen.
By Movies of the 80s6 months ago in Geeks
Queen’s Flash Gordon: How a Rock Band Scored a Space-Opera Cult Classic
When Mike Hodges’ candy-colored Flash Gordon hit theaters in 1980, critics were divided on the camp, the box office was middling, and yet one thing cut through like a laser beam: Queen’s soundtrack. Four musicians at the peak of their pop power took on a full feature score—folding in synthesisers, film dialogue, heroic guitar fanfares, and that indelible call-and-response hook: “Flash! Ah-ahhh!” Here’s how the band got the gig, how they built the music, and why the record’s legacy ultimately outpaced the movie’s first-run fortunes.
By Movies of the 80s6 months ago in Beat
The Woman Who Made The Competition (1980) Feel Real: Jean Evensen Shaw
When Richard Dreyfuss and Amy Irving sat down at grand pianos for the 1980 drama The Competition, the film’s credibility was on the line. A story about classical musicians battling through a high-stakes piano contest would collapse if the performances looked fake. Surprisingly, they didn’t. The secret was Jean Evensen Shaw, the classically trained pianist who coached the actors to look like they belonged on a concert stage.
By Movies of the 80s6 months ago in Beat
When Midlife Melodrama Collides with Hollywood Politics: The Troubled Saga of A Change of Seasons (1980)
A purportedly witty dramedy about shifting romantic boundaries turns into a tale of studio meddling, clashing egos, director upheaval, sudden sex-symbol exploitation, Razzie notoriety—and, decades later, an obscure rarity. Here’s what went wrong behind the scenes of A Change of Seasons.
By Movies of the 80s6 months ago in Geeks
Rockshow Revisited: How Paul McCartney’s Stadium Epic Helped Make Concerts a Big-Screen Event
Paul McCartney’s Rockshow (1980) captured Wings at their 1976 peak and helped set the stage for today’s “event cinema.” We revisit McCartney’s own reflections, band anecdotes, critical reactions, and the film’s cultural footprint.
By Movies of the 80s6 months ago in Beat
Lance Henriksen on 'The Visitor' (1980): When a Cult Classic Embarrassed Its Own Cast
Actor Lance Henriksen has openly trashed the bizarre 1979 sci-fi/horror The Visitor, calling it incomprehensible and embarrassing. Here’s the story behind the cult film’s chaotic production, star-studded cast, and why Henriksen’s honesty stands out among Hollywood actors who have disowned their own movies.
By Movies of the 80s6 months ago in Geeks
