I Can Remember LOTS of Things: '80s Movies

[carrier76]

"St. Elmo's Fire" is redeemable because of the AWESOME John Parr soundtrack song. WANNA BE YOUR MAN IN MOTION!!!!

Jake Ryan was beeyootiful, and he went on to be beeyootiful though slightly craggy in "Mermaids" (LOVE IT) before settling into a life of carpentry. My vote is actually for Duckie Dale. Awwww.

I've never seen "Caddyshack" either.

Man. So many great '80s movies. "Can't Buy Me Love", "Top Gun", "Ferris Bueller's Day Off" and "Adventures in Babysitting" used to run on continuous loop on Showtime when I was in 7th grade, around 1988/89, so I can recite them ad nauseum.

I'd also like to mention two quirky family favorites: Pee Wee's Big Adventure and Ernest Goes to Camp.

[Atreides]

My favourite movie of all time is Dangerous Liaisons from 1988. It's not the kind of movie you think of when you think "80s movies!" since it's set in the 1780s but the themes of greed and arrogrance causing your own destruction and that of everyone around you went well with the decadent and overindulgent era of the 1980s.

My favourite guilty pleasure is Adventures in Babysitting from 1987.

[proper stranger]

For some reason, I do not own Better Off Dead on DVD. I must rectify this. "Two dollars...*takes out switchblade-comb* CASH." And I love Curtis Armstrong as the best friend who can't find "real drugs" in town.

I think everyone from "Just One of the Guys" fell off the face of the earth except Sherilyn Fenn who went on to "Twin Peaks" and some bit parts, and the weird guy who was always carrying around lizards in that movie had a lot of bit parts later on, most notably the bellhop/serial killer in that episode of the X-Files "Clyde Bruckman's Final Repose."

The guy who played Rick (his name was Rick, right?) had a recurring part on "Murder One" (the TV show). I think he was also in the X-Files episode with the rainmaker/weatherman (Victoria Jackson was also a guest-star).

I loved Jake Ryan, even though the character was pure fantasy and Sixteen Candles was pretty much the only movie the actor was in.

My 80s confession: I have never seen Caddyshack or Real Genius.

ETA:

Jan 6, 2009 16:25:26 GMT -4 carrier76 said:

"St. Elmo's Fire" is redeemable because of the AWESOME John Parr soundtrack song. WANNA BE YOUR MAN IN MOTION!!!!

I love that song. (tiny voice) I still have great affection for the "Love Theme" from St. Elmo's Fire, too. (/tiny voice)

[Deleted]

As for hottest 80s dude? I was always a Jake Ryan fan, but yeah, he did fall off the face of the earth (to do carpentry, I think)

The actor (Michael something?) has a daughter who goes to the same college as my brother, and they once had a class together. When my brother first told me this, I was shocked that Jake Ryan was old enough to have a child in college, but it turns out he's actually a year older than my parents.

I've never seen St. Elmo's Fire, and have always wanted to...

[Daisy Pusher]

Jan 6, 2009 16:45:25 GMT -4 proper stranger said:

The guy who played Rick (his name was Rick, right?) had a recurring part on "Murder One" (the TV show). I think he was also in the X-Files episode with the rainmaker/weatherman (Victoria Jackson was also a guest-star).

Clayton Rohner! He was in several classic 80s teen movies. April Fool's Day (starring another 80s icon, Deborah Foreman of one of my all time fave flicks, Valley Girl). 'Rick' was also in Modern Girls--does anyone else remember that? Virginia Madsen and Daphne Zuniga (and a really annoying Cynthia Gibb) are party girls out on the town and Rick plays two roles--the geek and the rock star. Craptastic film (in a fun way), best thing about it was Depeche Mode's "But Not Tonight" playing as the closing credits rolled.

I loved Jake Ryan, even though the character was pure fantasy and Sixteen Candles was pretty much the only movie the actor was in.

He was best as Jake, so we could project all our fervid teen fantasies on him. And he was the hottie wrestler with the mohawk in VisionQuest! And the hottie in Belizaire the Cajun!

ETA: I will forever love John Cusack and James Spader. God, Spader was teh sex in Pretty in Pink.

[carrier76]

OKay this movie is kind of lame, AND it was a TV movie but does anyone else remember "Dance 'Til Dawn"? I think it was made in 1988. Anyway, it was awesome and was about the prom (doubling the awesomeness) and showcased some TV thespians of the time: Alyssa Milano, Tempsett Bledsoe, Tracey Gold, BRIAN BLOOM and his scary eyes, Chris Young (I don't know if he was in a TV show, but whatever), Christina Applegate, Matthew Perry (who was also in "She's Out of Control"), ALAN THICKE, Edie McClurg, Kelsey Grammar, and I believe Mary Frann. Good stuff.

[Sunnyhorse]

Hey, Carrie, did you know Mary Frann was from our neck of the woods (Washington, Mo.)?

[Sukie]

I always had a crush on the other nerd in Weird Science and he was one who just disappeared ala Jake Ryan. I am strangely excited at the thought he is now a nerdy college professor somewhere.

Seriously, the entire cast from Just One of the Guys did go away. Whatever happened to the younger brother? He was always popping up in the 80's it seemed.

A quick check on imdb tells me his name is Billy Jacoby and he has not done much - some serial tv work.

[Deleted]

ETA: I will forever love John Cusack and James Spader. God, Spader was teh sex in Pretty in Pink.

Oh God, yes! I couldn't and can't understand why Andie didn't just hit that.

A quick check on imdb tells me his name is Billy Jacoby and he has not done much - some serial tv work.

I see him in commercials all the time. One was for a Fisher-Price reading tool. It was hard to reconcile the image of him as a horny teen and a proud dad.

[Sukie]

Jan 6, 2009 17:54:17 GMT -4 carrier76 said:

OKay this movie is kind of lame, AND it was a TV movie but does anyone else remember "Dance 'Til Dawn"? I think it was made in 1988. Anyway, it was awesome and was about the prom (doubling the awesomeness) and showcased some TV thespians of the time: Alyssa Milano, Tempsett Bledsoe, Tracey Gold, BRIAN BLOOM and his scary eyes, Chris Young (I don't know if he was in a TV show, but whatever), Christina Applegate, Matthew Perry (who was also in "She's Out of Control"), ALAN THICKE, Edie McClurg, Kelsey Grammar, and I believe Mary Frann. Good stuff.

I totallly remember this movie! In fact, I think I saw a repeat of it on Lifetime a couple of years ago. It did in fact have all the major young actors of that time.

Speaking of, another whatever happened to candidate - Chris Young? Where did he go? I used to think he was really cute.

ETA:

'Rick' was also in Modern Girls--does anyone else remember that? Virginia Madsen and Daphne Zuniga (and a really annoying Cynthia Gibb) are party girls out on the town and Rick plays two roles--the geek and the rock star. Craptastic film (in a fun way), best thing about it was Depeche Mode's "But Not Tonight" playing as the closing credits rolled.

OMG!! I just saw this movie a couple of months ago for the first time. Total cheese. Weird, almost rape scene and yes, Cynthia Gibb was uber annoying in it.