30 Films of 1982

CB2001

Master Member
Today, Monday, April 23, marks 30 years of my existence on the face of the Earth. But, I'm not posting this as a means of getting birthday wishes (seriously, I'm not), but to reflect on a period of time that some of you know about called 1982. There were a lot of great feature films that came out at that time, some that have drifted into obscurity, others that have become cult classics and still have a following, and those that still continue to live on as new generations get a chance to see them. So, to mark 30 years (for myself and for these films), I've composed a list of 30 films for all you guys that I recommend. Some of these I recommend not just for the fun of it, but some of them that those who are into filmmaking should watch, from including various genres such as action, horror, sci-fi, comedy, drama and a couple of documentaries thrown in there. In fact, some of these you may have already watched about 50+ times or are planning to watch soon because you heard of them. But here is the list of 30 Movies from 1982. I hope you decide to take the chance and watch them (or watch those that you haven't seen yet, or in case of the RPF, watch some of them yet again):
1. TRON
2. E.T.: The Extra-Terestial
3. John Carpenter's The Thing
4. Blade Runner
5. First Blood
6. Koyaanisqatsi
7. Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan
8. Creepshow
9. Conan the Barbarian
10. Deathtrap
11. 48 Hours
12. Class of 1984
13. The Year of Living Dangerously
14. Timerider: The Adventure of Lyle Swann
15. Swamp Thing
16. Porky's
17. Pink Floyd: The Wall
18. Firefox
19. Gandhi
20. Poltergeist
21. The Verdict
22. Tootsie
23. Sophie's Choice
24. Dead Men Don't Wear Plaid
25. The Toy
26. Kiss Me Goodbye
27. The Dark Crystal
28. Fast Times at Ridgemont High
29. Barbarosa
30. The Atomic Cafe
 
I turned 21 in 1982. Saw every one of those on the big screen and own them all on DVD.

Great list. The 80's were good for movies.

....and Happy Birthday.
 
Happy Birthday! I've long contended that 1982 was one of the best years for American cinema of the fanboy variety :lol On a different note, I saw Atomic Cafe for the first time a few months ago and was incredibly moved by it. Wonderful film. Those who like it or are interested in nuclear issues should check out Radio Bikini as well.
 
A good list, though I hated First Blood. I think those Rambo films were the first signs of the death of a great epoch in film history - the New Hollywood wave of the 70s, which was distinguished by an extremely high degree of naturalism in character (Mean Streets, Cuckoo's Nest, The Godfather, Serpico, Dog Day Afternoon etc.). This 70s New Hollywood naturalism had not died out by 1982, as John Carpenter's The Thing shows. However it was to suffer massive body-blows at the hands of James Cameron and Roland Emmerich in the years to come, following the dreadful precedent laid out in First Blood and its two sequels. So much so that films like Carpenter's The Thing and Alien actually have more in common with some 70s New Hollywood road movie than today's breed of cartoon-toned SF blockbusters.
 
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I consider 1977 to 1983 to be my golden years for movies. I only saw the following twelve movies from your list in the theater that year but enjoyed them all, even Timerider for some strange reason.

TRON
E.T.: The Extra-Terestial
John Carpenter's The Thing
Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan
Creepshow
Conan the Barbarian
48 Hours
Timerider: The Adventure of Lyle Swann
Swamp Thing
Pink Floyd: The Wall
Poltergeist
The Dark Crystal

I also saw these in the theater that year. Fun times for the most part. Zapped and Megaforce were painful though.

Megaforce
The Road Warrior
Halloween 3: Season of the Witch
Zapped!
Airplane II: The Sequel
 
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Today, Monday, April 23, marks 30 years of my existence on the face of the Earth. >>>clip<<<

Wow, to think you were in production at the same time as all those great films!!!

Happy Birthday....

I've only seen a few from your list, don't have nearly enough time for the new stuff and it's really hard to find older movies and make time to see them......

2. E.T.: The Extra-Terrestrial
5. First Blood
7. Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan
9. Conan the Barbarian
20. Poltergeist
25. The Toy
27. The Dark Crystal

Shylaah
 
First of all, I want to say thank you guys for the birthday wishes.

I will admit, I had a challenge on composing the list because I wanted to make sure that it was ones that were some of the best for that period of time, especially since I also posted this on my Facebook page where I knew a lot of my classmates from Full Sail would be looking at (to continue on my "no school like old school" theme on filmmaking and storytelling that I've talked with them about quite a few times).

I know that First Blood seems like it was the start of a downward spiral in what film was, but to me, it was the second and third film that sort of did that, while the first one actually had more of an important message to tell about how we mistreat our veterans than it was a "run-and-gun" action film genre that it inadvertently started. I mean, John Rambo didn't want a fight. All he wanted was a hot meal and a place to sleep for the night. It was Teasel and his men that pushed him too far because they thought he was just another vagabond. Of course, that's just my opinion and interpretation.
 
I know that First Blood seems like it was the start of a downward spiral in what film was, but to me, it was the second and third film that sort of did that, while the first one actually had more of an important message to tell about how we mistreat our veterans than it was a "run-and-gun" action film genre that it inadvertently started.

Absolutely. The first Rambo movie is 100% legit. Because the sequels became a corny 'roided mess, and instituted a decade of corny 'roided messes, doesn't take away from it at ALL.
 
I liked First Blood because Stallone was young and good looking and his character didn't talk much!
Also, John Rambo in First Blood is a lot like Bruce Lee in Enter the Dragon, cool and able to maintain
in a very know thyself, know thine enemy sort of way.

Shylaah
 
Oh yeah Happy Birthday. Meant to write that in my post and completely forgot. :facepalm

First Blood IMO is a good movie and I would definitely keep it on the list. I do agree the next two Rambo's went off into super macho action fairytale land.

I will have to watch the remaining few movies from your list that I haven't seen yet.
 
No problem, Mola. Thank you. And I hope you enjoy the ones you haven't seen that I've listed. :D
 
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I have to echo what has been mentioned about First Blood. Definitely a film with a message. Although I wouldn't say Rambo was in complete control of himself; more like a time bomb that he has been trying to contain since returning from the war.

He can't blend back into society because of the horrors he was subjected to in the war. This is why he drifts and can't keep a minor job for long. Teasle (and especially Galt) set Rambo off in a way he could not control.


1982 was a huge year for movies! Really is no wonder Blade Runner didn't do very well at the box office. I forgot that Firefox was from that year as well.

Obviously "my" favourite film is from that year too. ;)


Kevin
 
Yeah so many great flicks came out that year!

It was a great year to go to the shows!!

Happy b-Day! :cheers
 
82 is also my birthyear.

I think 1982 and 1975 are two of my favorite years.

75. Jaws, Cuckoo Nest, Barry Lyndon, - Doctor Who - Genesis of the Daleks on TV.

82. Mostly mentioned above, obviously Blade Runner and The Thing are standouts.
 
Yeah so many great flicks came out that year!

It was a great year to go to the shows!!

Happy b-Day! :cheers

Thanks Apollo. I also agree that TV shows also had a great year then too (I also celebrate the same year as one of my favorite TV shows, Knight Rider.
 
Another 82 birth year here.

Also from North Florida originally, too.

When's the RPF Logan's Run for those of us turning 30 this year? lol
 
1. TRON
2. E.T.: The Extra-Terestial
3. John Carpenter's The Thing
4. Blade Runner
5. First Blood
7. Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan
8. Creepshow
9. Conan the Barbarian
11. 48 Hours
12. Class of 1984
16. Porky's
18. Firefox
20. Poltergeist
24. Dead Men Don't Wear Plaid
27. The Dark Crystal
28. Fast Times at Ridgemont High

I was 12 then. I was lucky enough to have seen all those in theaters. Some of the R rated ones I had to convince somebody older to take me to or sneek into after paying for another movie
 
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