80s Movies I Love

By Michelle Miles

This past weekend, I visited my local library. I realized for the first time, 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 BFF reminded 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 so great he wants to own a copy. Guess I’ll be scouring the $5 bin at WalMart.

Anyway. 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 Art (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.