Comments on: 30 Years Later: Ranking The Movies Of Summer 1984

By: loudrockmusic

loudrockmusic — Fri, 13 May 2016 07:21:20 +0000

Sixteen Candles gives me LIFE every day. From quotes to arguing about the original score in the opening sequence (it's different for broadcast), it is definitely my favorite Hughes movie.
Top Secret! also had a big impact on what I think is funny, how to tell a joke, and how to pick up on little things in a movie. I watched it again a few days ago. I watch it on Netflix a lot, actually. I also have a copy of the soundtrack on LP. I listened to it more when Netflix wasn't streaming it. I've had that record for years, though. I just smile to myself when I think of the cow wearing boots or "I see. Let me know if his condition changes……He's dead." Ha ha! Oh, and Val Kilmer! I didn't know that was his first movie! We were all so young then.
Oh! Listen to me carrying on! Sorry. Later!

By: Nathan Duke

Nathan Duke — Fri, 13 May 2016 07:21:20 +0000

Great choice for number one. The best film of that summer and, in my opinion, one of the 10 best of the decade.

On another note, Red Dawn and Rhinestone are two of my favorite hilariously awful movies of the 1980s.

By: Jason

Jason — Fri, 13 May 2016 07:21:20 +0000

Incredible how many fairly high-profile (if not always good) movies were still being released back then. Hollywood has really slowed down.

Couple things. "Volcano" was not Huston's penultimate film–"Prizzi's Honor" came after it (and then came "The Dead"). And the characterization of "The Natural"'s plot as "silly" and exposing the "dated" novel that is its source material makes me suspect you've never actually read it. Malamud's novel is an established classic, and its rather extravagant plot feeds off of the Arthurian legend–i.e., the plot is *supposed* to be fairly over the top. It's not the novel's fault if the filmmakers seemed unaware of this dimension to the story (or that they compromised the novel's main point–that a man given a second chance in life is probably going to screw up the same way he did the first time).

By: Dave

Dave — Fri, 13 May 2016 07:21:20 +0000

Did I miss Terminator on this list?

If I didn't… then you did.

By: Dangelo

Dangelo — Fri, 13 May 2016 07:21:20 +0000

The first half of Once Upon…was great then it fell apart. So not #1

By: MUNIER

MUNIER — Fri, 13 May 2016 07:21:20 +0000

"Streets of Fire" was my shit! Pare' flipping the butterfly knife in the trailer; "Deeper and Deeper" by the FIXX! I cut class to see it opening day!

By: skierpete

skierpete — Fri, 13 May 2016 07:21:20 +0000

Thanks for bringing back memories. I was 14 and I think I saw at least 20 of the movies on your list in theaters. I remember me and a friend did a movie marathon day where we saw 4 movies in one day. Pretty sure they are all on your list. I know it was Star Trek III and Temple of Doom on that list, pretty sure a third one was Ghostbusters, don't remember the fourth. I saw Temple of Doom 11 times in theaters that year (mostly at the local $1 theater), which will probably forever be the most I will ever see any movie in the theaters. Never liked that this movie was dissed by so many, including Speilberg and Lucas. Doesn't match the near-perfection of the first, and Kate Capshaw grates at times, but it is SOOOO good.

Another memory of that summer, going to see Ghostbusters the first time not really knowing what to expect and loving it. And particularly the scene when Rick Moranis' character is being attacked by the "devil dog" in Central Park, his backs against the wall, and sitting in the theater you heard the dog growling BEHIND you. Yes, with home theaters and surround sound in every theater this is the standard, but at the time, I had never heard such sound separation in a movie theater, such that to this day the memory of that moment still sticks in my head.

By: Gary Palmucci

Gary Palmucci — Fri, 13 May 2016 07:21:20 +0000

Folks, what about Repo Man?

By: LA2000

LA2000 — Fri, 13 May 2016 07:21:20 +0000

I worked at a movie theater from January 1982 until August 1986, and as wild as the summer of 1984 looks, nothing in my mind beats the craziness that went down in the 4 short weeks between Memorial Day 1982 and the third weekend of June that year – "Rocky 3", "Star Trek 2 Wrath of Khan", "Poltergeist," " ET," "Blade Runner," "John Carpenter's 'The Thing" – it was hard to pick a bad movie, even if you just picked at random ( "Grease 2" and "Annie" were the duds during that period, so it was possible to pick a bad one, but not likely…)

And talk about legs: "Rocky 3" and "ET" played the entire summer with "ET" remarkably continuing to sell out every weekend for the first 3 months of release with a run did not ultimately wrap up at our theater until we finally needed to free up screens for the Holiday movies that started arriving the third week of NOVEMBER!

Imagine that happening today.

By: Jackie

Jackie — Fri, 13 May 2016 07:21:20 +0000

I get that "Temple of Doom" and "Gremlins" got the bump cuz they helped create the PG13 rating, but I'm not personally a fan of either. Heck, "Purple Rain" wasn't the best made film, but I'd have put it on the front page personally 😛 Just because it had a kick-ass soundtrack and it was such a pop culture phenom.

By: vp19

vp19 — Fri, 13 May 2016 07:21:20 +0000

I was going to ask, "Where is 'All Of Me'?". a brilliantly crafted, Thorne Smith-style fantasy comedy from Carl Reiner starring a then-seemingly restrained Steve Martin and the delightful Lily Tomlin, as I recall seeing a flyer promoting the film that summer on a bridge at the University of Minnesota.

Then I checked IMDb and discovered it wasn't released until Sept. 21.

By: olivia hynes

olivia hynes — Fri, 13 May 2016 07:21:20 +0000

thats my boy!!!

By: Andrew Miller

Andrew Miller — Fri, 13 May 2016 07:21:20 +0000

left out Cloak & Dagger

By: Andrew Miller

Andrew Miller — Fri, 13 May 2016 07:21:20 +0000

and Pope of Greenwich Village, Meatballs II, Woman in Red, Making the Grade, Neverending Story, Corsican Brothers and Electric Dreams.

By: cory everett

cory everett — Fri, 13 May 2016 07:21:20 +0000

Haaaaaated OUATIA.

By: Jerry The Bookie

Jerry The Bookie — Fri, 13 May 2016 07:21:20 +0000

Well, I apparently forgot just how bad the Summer of 1984 was… I'd have to go with Purple Rain, The Natural and The Karate Kid… wow those are some bad movies, I wonder if any will even make my soon to be release list of greatest movies I've ever seen… thinking probably none make the cut. Bolero… ha ha… still trying to remember what theater had that playing on Friday for release, but actually pulled it on Tuesday, not allowing it the full first week run… too funny.

By: RobThom

RobThom — Fri, 13 May 2016 07:21:20 +0000

The first two pages had some oddities (Rhinestone higher then Breakin'),
but Streets of Fire above Purple Rain is where you disappeared up the proverbial butt.

By: todd

todd — Fri, 13 May 2016 07:21:20 +0000

Pretty unforgivable to leave out the Neverending Story.