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May 15, 2012

80s Movies I Love

By Michelle Miles

On a trip to my local library, I was thrilled and excited to discover they had movies and music available for check-out. I was in heaven! Who KNEW? And why didn’t *I* know? And what’s really awesome is – it’s FREE! So my son and I perused their selection and I found a movie I’d like. He found a movie he wanted.

It was Ghostbusters (1984). He asked if he could get it and I, of course, said SURE! I forgot how silly that movie is. It still makes me giggle. And there are tons of quotable lines throughout. Such as:

I looked into the trap, Ray.
Dogs and cats living together! Mass Hysteria!
Mother pussbucket.
Okay. So. She’s a dog.



(Later my good friend reminded me that, back in the 80s, the Button Craze was going on and people had buttons that said, "Okay. So. She’s a dog." That comment resurrected those brain cells that were long gone and it reminded me of the denim acid-wash jacket I had COVERED in them. No lie.)

We watched it twice. The kid thinks it’s awesome so I had to buy a copy.

I got to thinking about all the great 80s movies I loved when I was growing up. In 1984 when Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom came out, I wanted to see it so bad but I was forbidden. It has too violent. This was the pre-PG13 era, mind you. How could I NOT see it? It had my heartthrob, Harrison Ford, in it! It was Indy for goodness-sake. I needed to see it. I had to!

My BFF at the time and I hatched a plan. Karate Kid was out that same time and we told my mom we were going to see it. It would all work, you see, because she had already seen it and could already quote the lines. SWEET! Mom dropped us off at the movies and we thought we were so badass when we bought tickets to see Indy. YES! I got to see it! (Sorry, Mom. We lied. But look – I turned out okay!)

When Mom picked us up at the theater later she asked how the movie was. My BFF and I had already agreed on what line she was going to quote and what scene we’d talk about. You know the part where Daniel is trying to catch the fly with the chopsticks? And he does it? And Mr. Miyagi is disgusted and tells him it was "beginners luck"? Yeah. That’s the part we said was our favorite. How lame is that?

What about Wax On/Wax Off? What about Paint The Fence?

I did later see Karate Kid but I think that was in the video-tape rental phase of my life.

I wasn’t the normal teenager in the 1980s. Meaning, I didn’t get all gushy and excited over the same movies that others did. Like The Breakfast Club (1985). And Ferris Bueller’s Day Off (1986). And St. Elmo’s Fire (1985). Nope. Not me. I wasn’t into that sort of movie. There wasn’t enough adventure and heart-pounding action for me.

Oh, sure. I saw the normal blockbusters. But the movies I really loved were things like Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981) and Empire Strikes Back (1980) which is my all-time favorite Star Wars. Die Hard (1988) is still one of my favorites. And of course, The Princess Bride (1987).

And you want to know WHY I love these movies so much? Sure, you do! That’s why you’re here! They all have quotable quotes. Things I can say in everyday life and feel smug *I* know what movie that came from even if the other person I’m talking to doesn’t. Yeah. That’s a great feeling.
So what are your favorite 80s movies? Inquiring minds want to know!

Michelle Miles is an avid movie watcher, writes romance, drinks coffee and collects shoes. You can learn more about her books at http://www.michellemiles.net.

27 comments:

Vicki Batman, sassy writer said...

I love ALL those you mentioned. Saw Ghostbusters 3 times when it was rEleased. Indy, Ferris, and Princess Bride will always be favs. What about Bond, James Bond?

Sylvia said...

I loved Romancing the Stone, Star Wars and Fatal Attraction. Yeah, I know kind of a creepy movie, but it scared me. I also loved Steel Magnolias. I thought Shirley McLaine was hilarious in that movie. I laughed and cried.

Sylvia

Leanne Tyler said...

Sixteen Candles, Pretty in Pink, The Breakfast Club, I loved John Hughes films.

Liese said...

Ok. My hands-down favorite movie of the 80s is "A Christmas Story." And because of the quotable lines from it:
"Randy lay there like a slug. It was his only defense."

"The line stretched all the way to Terra Haute."

"You're going to shoot your eye out!"

Pamela Stone said...

Great post. I love most of those too. Crocodile Dundee comes to mind. "That's not a knife. This is a knife."

Alisha said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Alisha said...

Great post, Michelle!!! I LOVED Indy too!!! All that stubble! And remember when the dude was tossing his sword and Indy just shoots him? LOL! And I thought the ending where the guy's face melts was the scariest thing I'd ever seen in my entire life!!! Most exciting movie ever! My kids love Ghostbusters too!! Cracks me up! So cheesy! And Liese just cracked me up with that unforgettable line from A Christmas Story..."You're going to shoot your eye out!" I also loved Pretty in Pink because I was the weird, different girl like Molly Ringwald and it had the happiest ending of all. That's great that you snuck into the forbidden movie..lol!!! You bad girl!!! :)~

Elizabeth Essex said...

I saw Indiana Jones at a big theater in Dublin, Ireland where I was studying. My American friend and I were laughing through the whole thing, but the rest of the theater was absolutely quiet. That's when I learned that humor is cultural, and even though the Irish are famed for their humor, it's just not the same as ours.

Thanks for amble down memory lane. :)

Sasha Summers said...

I have a few: "Goonies Never Die!"
"My little brother paid a buck to see your underwear in the boys bathroom." OR "Where is my automobile?"
"Never expose it to bright light. Never get it wet. And never feed it after midnight."
"Beware the moon... And stick to the road... Oops!" - one of my all time favorites!
Lots of great, if cheesy, movies from the 80's!

Kelly L Lee said...

Who would have known that goofy '80's movies would have such a lasting impact so many years later. I think it was in the most recent Oscar award show someone said, "Beuller... Beuller" when they didn't get a laugh. Not to mention, I don't know how many times I've heard someone refer to jealousy as "ready to boil the bunny" Yipes! :)

Kathy Ivan said...

Absolutely loving all these quotes, because i actually remember all of these movies. Gremlin, Goonies, Romancing the Stone, and of course Indy.

I can remember back when the first Indiana Jones movie released on VHS (man now I feel really old). We went around to so many stores trying to find it because it was sold out everywhere! You couldn't scrounge up a copy even for big bucks! Many, many stores later, we did finally fine it and watched it over and over and over.

Thanks for the walk down memory lane, Michelle.

Kathy Ivan said...

I forgot to add my other movie weakness that started in the 80s (1989 to be exact). Disney animated musicals. The Little Mermaid came out in 1989. I could sing almost every song from that and most of the subsequent musicals that followed. LOL

What can i say--music moves me!

Kathleen Baldwin said...

Anyone remember Ladyhawke with Rutger Hauer and Michelle Pfeiffer and Matthew Broderick? So romantic that flick, but very 80's.
I also remember obsessing over The Man from Snowy River. Horses, cowboys, a sappy romance, Australian scenery, what's not to love???

Elizabeth, your comment about humor is interesting - thought provoking. Makes you wonder how the British and European versions of our books are really received, eh?
Do they laugh at the right spots? Is the cultural difference in humor why the Japanese keep buying rights to my stories but not the Germans?

Hhhmmmm. You've made me curious.

Phyllis said...

Ah, Michelle, thanks for those memories.

I agree I was never one for those movies you mentioned that you weren't into and so into the ones you did go to and feel in love with. They are all my favorites too.

I was in such a brain fog with work (like most my life) that other than those movies mentioned - I can't remember any others ...much less quotes! However, if the movie is playing somewhere, I can quote the lines as they are being said...lol.

Is this what we call short term memory....?

Phyllis said...

Ah,Guys...your are naming a buch of my favorites too!
Kat....Ladyhawke!
Kathy...Goonies, Romancing the Stone and sequels.
Pam..."That's not a knife. This is a knife."
Sylvia...I learned from Steel Magnolias that I get WAY to emotional in those kind of movies.

Sylvia said...

I watched Steele Magnolias not too long ago and couldn't believe how young Julia Roberts looked in that movie. That story just ripped your heart right out.

Pretty in Pink-- Ahhhh, I loved that one too. Molly Ringwald was so good. I loved every movie she was in.

And Goonies. Very cute.

Sylvia

Michelle Miles said...

You guys reminded me of some good ones! Goonies, A Christmas Story (Fragile. Must be Italian.) and of course James Bond!

Sorry I'm just now popping in. The Day Job kept me away from playing today. Thanks for stopping by, all, and adding to the movie quotes of the day! :)

Michelle Miles said...

Ladyhawke....was that the most romantic movie EVER. Loved that one, too. Isabeau!!

Liz Lipperman said...

One of my favorites was ABOUT LAST NIGHT with Rob owe and Demi Moore.

Great post, Michelle. It brought back a lot of memories.

Karilyn Bentley said...

I love all the above movies! But Star Wars, Indy and Ferris Beuller were my favs. :)

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