The 1980’s were a transitional period in film, leaving the gritty realism of the ‘70s behind for a more campy, family-oriented style of filmmaking. Americans were weary from decades of war, and with the election of President Reagan, many shifts were occurring in the American psyche and this can be seen in the films produced during this period. Check out our Top 5 Greatest Films of the 1980’s to see which movies stood out from the rest!
1) Raging Bull
Tells the story of Jake LaMotta, a boxer whose self-destructive and obsessive rage, sexual jealousy, and animalistic appetite destroyed his relationship with his wife and family
Voted by many critics including Roger Ebert and Gene Siskel as the best film of the 1980s
Nominated for eight Oscars, including Best Picture, Director, Actor, Supporting Actress, Supporting Actor, Cinematography, Sound, and Editing
Selected for preservation in the National Film Registry in 1990
Ranked #4 in the American Film Institute’s updated 100 Years 100 Movies list
Oliver Stone wrote the story based upon his experiences as a U.S. infantryman in Vietnam to counter the vision of the war portrayed in John Wayne's The Green Berets
First Hollywood film to be written and directed by a Vietnam veteran
Winner of the Golden Globe for Best Picture- Drama
The American Film Institute placed Platoon at #83 in their "AFI's 100 Years... 100 Movies" list
The discovery of a severed human ear found in a field leads a man on an investigation related to a beautiful, mysterious nightclub singer and a group of psychopathic criminals who have kidnapped her child
Has achieved cult status, significant academic attention and, alongside Eraserhead and Mulholland Drive, is widely regarded as one of David Lynch's finest works
Ranked as one of the 100 Greatest Films of All Time by Entertainment Weekly in 1999
Chosen by the American Film Institute as one of the greatest mystery films ever made
Won National Society of Film Critics awards for Best Film, Best Director, Best Cinematography, and Best Supporting Actor
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