Image credit: New Line Cinema, UFDC, FGH, DEG, Paramount Pictures, Central Independent Television, Famous Films, Filmways Pictures, Lucasfilm, Cinema '84, Alive Films, Religioso Primitiva, Universal Pictures, Mann/Caan Productions, New World Pictures, Imagine Entertainment, Winkast Film Productions, Renaissance Pictures, Walt Disney Productions, The Saul Zaentz Company
In a time when blockbuster franchises were on the rise, these cinematic wonders dared to be different.
It's time to dust off your VHS player (or stream them, if you must) and dive back into the neon-lit, synth-driven world of these 25 underrated 80s cult classics that have aged like a fine wine (looking at you here, Tom Cruise!).
1. "E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial" (1982) Rotten Tomatoes score: 99% A young boy forms a unique bond with a stranded alien and embarks on a quest to help his new friend return home, while evading government agents.
2. "Midnight Run" (1988) Rotten Tomatoes score: 95% A bounty hunter and former cop is tasked with bringing an accountant who embezzled millions from the Mob back to L.A., but their cross-country journey is fraught with obstacles and an unexpected bond.
3. "Polyester" (1981) Rotten Tomatoes score: 94% In this John Waters satire, a suburban housewife's world unravels amidst her cheating husband, rebellious children, and a sniff-and-scratch card for the audience to interact with the film's odors.
4. "Heathers" (1988) Rotten Tomatoes score: 93% A dark comedy where a high school girl and her rebellious boyfriend plot to kill the popular clique, only for their "suicides" to start a disturbing trend.
5. "Something Wild" (1986) Rotten Tomatoes score: 91% A conservative businessman's life turns upside down after meeting a free-spirited woman, leading to an unpredictable and wild journey that blurs the lines between excitement and danger.
6. "Evil Dead II" (1987) Rotten Tomatoes score: 88% A man and his girlfriend face a nightmarish ordeal when an ancient book and a tape recorder unleash demonic forces in a remote cabin, blending horror with black comedy.
7. "Blow Out" (1981) Rotten Tomatoes score: 88% A sound technician accidentally records evidence of a political assassination, leading him into a deep conspiracy and a complex relationship with a possible witness.
8. "They Live" (1988) Rotten Tomatoes score: 86% A drifter discovers a pair of sunglasses that reveal the world is controlled by aliens disguised as humans and manipulating society through subliminal messages, leading to a fight against their sinister plot.
9. "First Blood" (1982) Rotten Tomatoes score: 86% A Vietnam War veteran, facing harassment from a small-town sheriff, unleashes his combat skills in a one-man war against the police, highlighting the struggles of war veterans.
10. "The Evil Dead" (1981) Rotten Tomatoes score: 86% Five friends staying at a remote cabin unwittingly release flesh-possessing demons, leading to a gruesome battle for survival.
11. "Flash Gordon" (1980) Rotten Tomatoes score: 83% A football player and his friends travel to the planet Mongo and find themselves fighting the tyranny of Ming the Merciless to save Earth.
12. "Made in Britain" (1982) Rotten Tomatoes score: 83% A rebellious British teen, portrayed by Tim Roth, navigates the juvenile justice system, showcasing his anti-social behavior and the societal factors contributing to youth delinquency.
13. "Angel Heart" (1987) Rotten Tomatoes score: 82% A private detective's investigation into a missing singer in 1950s New Orleans becomes entangled with strange, supernatural occurrences and dark secrets about his own identity.
14. "Thief" (1981) Rotten Tomatoes score: 80% A professional safecracker, planning to leave his criminal life, takes one final job for the Mafia, but things spiral out of control, challenging his values and freedom.
15. "Knightriders" (1981) Rotten Tomatoes score: 80% A group of modern-day jousters on motorcycles led by a King Arthur-esque leader struggles to maintain their idealistic lifestyle against commercial pressures and internal conflicts.
16. "Scarface" (1983) Rotten Tomatoes score: 79% A Cuban immigrant rises to power in Miami's drug cartel, but his unbridled ambition and paranoia lead to his violent downfall.
17. "The Last Starfighter" (1984) Rotten Tomatoes score: 76% A teenager, skilled at a video game, is recruited by an alien defense force to fight in an interstellar war, discovering that his gaming skills are crucial to the survival of an entire galaxy.
18. "The Mosquito Coast" (1986) Rotten Tomatoes score: 75% An inventor, disillusioned with American consumerism, moves his family to the jungles of Central America to create a utopian civilization, but his obsession leads to their downfall.
19. "Labyrinth" (1986) Rotten Tomatoes score: 75% A teenage girl embarks on a quest to rescue her baby brother from the Goblin King by navigating a fantastical and treacherous labyrinth, discovering her own strength and imagination.
20. "Tron" (1982) Rotten Tomatoes score: 73% A computer programmer is transported inside a digital world, where he must navigate through dangerous games and revolutionary software with the help of a heroic security program to stop an oppressive regime.
21. "Earth Girls Are Easy" (1988) Rotten Tomatoes score: 68% A quirky comedy where a Southern California girl befriends three colorful aliens whose spaceship lands in her pool, leading to humorous cultural misunderstandings and romantic escapades.
22. "Top Gun" (1986) Rotten Tomatoes score: 57% A talented yet reckless fighter pilot competes at the elite U.S. Navy Fighter Weapons School, facing personal and professional challenges as he strives to be the best.
23. "The 'Burbs" (1989) Rotten Tomatoes score: 55% A suburban man becomes obsessed with the belief that his new, reclusive neighbors are involved in foul play, leading to a series of comedic and suspenseful events.
24. "Black Rain" (1989) Rotten Tomatoes score: 54% Two New York City cops are caught in the dangerous underworld of Osaka, Japan, as they extradite a Yakuza member, facing cultural clashes and rampant corruption.
25. "Turkey Shoot" (1982) Rotten Tomatoes score: 44% In a dystopian future, prisoners are subjected to a deadly game where they must survive being hunted by wealthy elites, highlighting themes of totalitarianism and rebellion.
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