80's Sci-Fi/Fantasy films [Archive]

Watashi

09-21-2008, 06:05 AM

Dead & Messed Up

09-21-2008, 06:23 AM

There is of course the big Lucas/Spielberg/Zemeckis films, but what other underseen 80's sci-fi/fantasy gems are there?

Are these any good?

*batteries not included
Battle Beyond the Stars
Cocoon
Krull
The Quiet Earth

Out of those five, I've seen Cocoon and batteries. The former is charming, and the latter is not.

One good sci-fi I'd recommend is The Brother from Another Planet. Great central perf from Joe Morton. Although it's less sci-fi and more social commentary.

Sven

09-21-2008, 06:27 AM

Explorers. You'll love it.

The Mike

09-21-2008, 06:36 AM

One good sci-fi I'd recommend is The Brother from Another Planet. Great central perf from Joe Morton. Although it's less sci-fi and more social commentary.Stole my rec. Great movie.

The Quiet Earth is pretty interesting. I'd recommend that from the list, but it's also the only one I've seen recently enough to remember.

The only others I would recommend off the top of my head are The Hidden, Cherry 2000, and Alien Nation. None of them are high art, but I find each of them to be great fun.

Oh, I haven't seen The Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai Across the Eighth Dimension yet, but I hear it's quite good.

Watashi

09-21-2008, 06:44 AM

Explorers. You'll love it.

Sounds awesome.

I recently saw Enemy Mine. It kinda sucked.

I think I've finally realized that Dennis Quaid hasn't been good in anything.

Biff Justice

09-21-2008, 06:53 AM

Cocoon is probably the best of the 5 films you listed, and its still pretty bad. Krull does at least have a bit of "so bad its fun" value to it.

My recommendation, if you haven't seen it, would be Night of the Comet. And, the Mike is right about Buckaroo Banzai, its indeed great.

The Mike

09-21-2008, 07:34 AM

Oh, Frank Darabont and Chuck Russell's remake of The Blob is pretty good, too.

soitgoes...

09-21-2008, 08:05 AM

Bask in the glory of what is Flash Gordon.

EyesWideOpen

09-21-2008, 08:17 AM

Flash Gordon which i have watched recently is awesome in a Troll 2 sort of way. I remember liking batteries not included and Cocoon as a kid but that doesn't mean much.

Derek

09-21-2008, 08:23 AM

Bask in the glory of what is Flash Gordon.

The Blessed owns the screen!

http://blogs.coventrytelegraph.net/thegeekfiles/blessed.jpg

Morris Schæffer

09-21-2008, 09:10 AM

I think I've finally realized that Dennis Quaid hasn't been good in anything.

Ouch! Not even Far From Heaven? I think he cut an awesome figure throwing balls in The Rookie.

@TheMike: Yeah, The Blob and The Hidden are pretty enjoyable and yucky horror movies.

Oh, while far from "gem" status, here's a few cool ones:

http://www.scifi-movies.com/images/n/nimitzretourverslenfer1980film/affiche3.jpg

http://www.ukquad.com/philadelphiaexperiment.JPG

http://www.ukquad.com/last%20starfighter%20b.jpg

http://www.publispain.com/posters/daryl.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v58/Lightstorm/innerspace.jpg

This one, like the others, isn't exactly a classic, but Dennis Muren's FX did win an oscar so there's that.

Grouchy

09-21-2008, 05:30 PM

Well, the awesome Enemy Mine is the first that came to mind...

Hollywood:
Brain Damage
Robocop
Predator
The Fly
Aliens
Brazil
Re-Animator
Starman
Videodrome
The Dead Zone
Blade Runner
Scanners

Non-Hollywood:
Akira

Kurosawa Fan

09-21-2008, 05:36 PM

WarGames. Also loved Cloak and Dagger as a kid, but can't vouch for it beyond that. Both are borderline Sci-Fi/Fantasy, but they each contain enough elements that I thought they were worth mentioning.

Duncan

09-21-2008, 06:35 PM

The Last Starfighter is cheesy 80's glory.

Dead & Messed Up

09-21-2008, 08:27 PM

Oh, I haven't seen The Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai Across the Eighth Dimension yet, but I hear it's quite good.

Eh. I was expecting it to be wackier. It's actually very droll.

Lucky

09-21-2008, 10:09 PM

The Dark Crystal

Russ

09-21-2008, 10:31 PM

Ok, Wats, you definitely want to catch these because of their "Spielberg-iness":

*batteries not included
Splash (surely you've seen this?)
Short Circuit (this one too?)
Cocoon (you haven't seen? well, this is your kind of movie)
The Explorers (this too, is your kind of movie)

you might like/should probably give a look to:

Battle Beyond the Stars
The Last Starfighter

I second these:

The Hidden
Brother from Another Planet
Innerspace
Alien Nation
Starman (you've seen this one, right?)

I may be the only one to like:

Legend
A Boy and His Dog (70's)

Watashi

09-21-2008, 10:48 PM

Cool beans, Russ. I've only seen Starman on the list you mentioned. That film would probably make my Top 50.

I've steered away from Cocoon due to the Ron Howard factor, but considering its positive remarks on this site, I'll go after that one next.

Sxottlan

09-22-2008, 04:42 AM

Some of my lesser known favorites when I was a kid:

http://www.oldmovies.net.au/userimages/user1367_1169265405.jpg

http://images-eu.amazon.com/images/P/B00004L8KM.02.LZZZZZZZ.jpg

http://www.movieposter.com/posters/archive/main/5/A70-2657

http://i2.iofferphoto.com/img/item/193/385/31/o_condorman_fullscreen_small.j pg

EyesWideOpen

09-22-2008, 04:48 AM

Flight of the Navigator is the only definite answer to this thread but i'm pretty sure Wats has seen it.

Morris Schæffer

09-22-2008, 10:54 AM

Oh God yes Condorman!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=40Sy_ramx24&feature=related

Fezzik

09-22-2008, 07:36 PM

Flight of the Navigator is the only definite answer to this thread but i'm pretty sure Wats has seen it.

Compliance!

Russ

09-22-2008, 08:08 PM

Flight of the Navigator is the only definite answer to this thread but i'm pretty sure Wats has seen it.
Oops. Yeah, Wats, put this one on your short list too. As long as having Pee-wee Herman supplying the voice of Max, the robotic pilot, doesn't bother you (and it shouldn't: he's awesome), then you're good to go.

monolith94

09-22-2008, 08:24 PM

It's kind of frightening, how many times I must've seen The Explorers as a kid...

Yxklyx

09-23-2008, 12:58 AM

Some 80s stuff...

Altered States
Time Bandits
Conan the Barbarian
Tron
Repo Man
The Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai Across the 8th Dimension
RoboCop
The Adventures of Baron Munchausen
Tetsuo

The Hidden is probably worth checking out.

SirNewt

09-23-2008, 03:48 AM

Maybe its to well known since these are supposed to be lesser films but no one has mentioned Jim Henson's Labyrinth.

I second Time Bandits. I saw many of these growing up and Wats, you better be prepared for some cringe-worthy acting. Still great fun of course.

Sxottlan

09-23-2008, 06:44 AM

Oh God yes Condorman!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=40Sy_ramx24&feature=related

Prognoviach!

Elite KGB pursuit squad... in German cars.

Always loved the lead guy's car the most.

Sxottlan

09-23-2008, 08:22 AM

Slightly on topic, but holy crap, it's Automan (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OQb1ZD9W8_c&NR=1)! I vaguely remember this one.

It's Blue Thunder. It's Tron. It's Knight Rider. It is everything!

Morris Schæffer

09-23-2008, 07:59 PM

I would have thrown in:

http://www.moviegoods.com/Assets/product_images/1020/192809.1020.A.jpg

But it's 1979 and so narrowly misses out.:)

Lasse

09-23-2008, 08:12 PM

I rewatched Weird Science not too long ago and it was still a lot of fun.

KK2.0

09-24-2008, 12:14 AM

i remember enjoying My Science Project a lot as a teen, but i'm afraid to revisit old favorites and find out they flat out suck now. :P

still i'd like to add to the list

Brainstorm (1983)
Dreamscape (1984)
Scanners (1981)
Mad Max 2: The Road Warrior (1981)
DragonSlayer (1981)
Flesh + Blood (1985)

I think I've finally realized that Dennis Quaid hasn't been good in anything.

INNERSPAAAAAACE!!!

Sxottlan

09-27-2008, 08:37 AM

How could I forget The Black Hole? Loved that movie when I was a kid.

I actually found it pretty creepy. The ship waiting at the event horizon, the robots on board and eventually, just the idea of a force from which nothing could escape.