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Best Movies of the 80s
Travel back in time to the most bodacious movie decade ever!
Don't miss this trip through the movies that defined the ’80s era. Packed with photos and memorabilia of Hollywood stars, this collection of classic cinema blockbusters offers summaries, release dates, trivia, and fun facts on each motion picture. We'll cover the invention of massive-budget action films, the Brat Pack, and even popular foreign flicks of the day. Nobody puts this book in the corner—you’ll be donning your Ray-Bans and immersing yourself in gnarly nostalgia from the neon-colored 1980s in no time!
Don't miss this trip through the movies that defined the ’80s era. Packed with photos and memorabilia of Hollywood stars, this collection of classic cinema blockbusters offers summaries, release dates, trivia, and fun facts on each motion picture. We'll cover the invention of massive-budget action films, the Brat Pack, and even popular foreign flicks of the day. Nobody puts this book in the corner—you’ll be donning your Ray-Bans and immersing yourself in gnarly nostalgia from the neon-colored 1980s in no time!
- GenresNonfictionFilmReference
419 pages, Kindle Edition
First published March 3, 2020
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Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews
February 11, 2025
Do you remember the ‘80’s? Do you at least know about the ‘80’s? Did you know that they made movies in the ‘80’s? If not, then this book is for you, because it will tell you that there were all kinds of major release movies in the ‘80’s and it will even tell you who was in them and stuff!
Why waste time finding an ‘80’s mainstream movie list on Letterboxd or Internet Movie Database when you can buy that same list as a neon collage? Who wants critical essays, obscure trivia, or original artistic depictions? I want bland plot synopses and familiar studio posters, page after page!
I suppose it’s not a total loss. ‘80’s nostalgia hit its peak at the time this came out, so why not capitalize on that? I guess it would look good displayed on top of your VHS shelf. Not mine.
Why waste time finding an ‘80’s mainstream movie list on Letterboxd or Internet Movie Database when you can buy that same list as a neon collage? Who wants critical essays, obscure trivia, or original artistic depictions? I want bland plot synopses and familiar studio posters, page after page!
I suppose it’s not a total loss. ‘80’s nostalgia hit its peak at the time this came out, so why not capitalize on that? I guess it would look good displayed on top of your VHS shelf. Not mine.
May 7, 2019
I wasn't even born in the 80's, and yet the movies from that period are the BEST!
This is a pretty good run down of alot of them. And some other fun facts thrown in too.
Does what it says on the tin.
This is a pretty good run down of alot of them. And some other fun facts thrown in too.
Does what it says on the tin.
November 4, 2018
An entertaining reminder of some of the 80s best films. While it unapologetically focuses on the big US films, what it offers is easy to digest and fun to read.
March 31, 2019
This is a review for Helen O’Hara’s Ultimate 80’s movies:
It’s an undeniable fun read, with good general coverage of popular 80’s movies. It is slightly let down by poor editing (wrong actors named, the odd typo and some incorrectly recounted film plots), so it’s as glossy as the 80’s, and a nice reminder of some fun years.
It’s an undeniable fun read, with good general coverage of popular 80’s movies. It is slightly let down by poor editing (wrong actors named, the odd typo and some incorrectly recounted film plots), so it’s as glossy as the 80’s, and a nice reminder of some fun years.
August 8, 2019
“The aim is to review all your favourite films, the ones that have stood the test of time and popularity... and a few that haven't (Ewoks: Caravan of Courage anyone?)”. Featuring in-depth discussions of the best films of the decade, this dissects other significant cinematic aspects of the era, such as the decade's most quotable lines, the stars that made the '80s what it was and the music that we're all still humming. A definitive guide to the most fun, most lasting movies of one of the richest decades cinema has ever seen.
I loved the 80s and am a huge fan of the cinema from that fine decade - plus I love this kind of nostalgic look back. Featuring a fairly wide range of films - the usual suspects, as well as few titles that surprised me (in a good way) - this looks at the plot and casting, takes in the best bits and also examines where some of those films don’t quite stand up today (“Mannequin” is rightly mentioned at one point - I thoroughly enjoyed it when I first saw it but re-viewing, years later, it’s quite an uncomfortable watch) without dismissing them because of it. Along with separate sections covering music and the like and a header for each year featuring major awards, Top 10 Box Office and births, deaths and notable debuts, this is thorough and entertaining. With a clear style and a sense of humour, this makes for great reading and the few glitches I spotted (it’s Tom Skerrit in “Top Gun”, for example, not Tom Selleck) weren’t detrimental. If you’re an 80s fan, especially of the big films of the decade, this is a real treat and as such, I’d highly recommend it.
I loved the 80s and am a huge fan of the cinema from that fine decade - plus I love this kind of nostalgic look back. Featuring a fairly wide range of films - the usual suspects, as well as few titles that surprised me (in a good way) - this looks at the plot and casting, takes in the best bits and also examines where some of those films don’t quite stand up today (“Mannequin” is rightly mentioned at one point - I thoroughly enjoyed it when I first saw it but re-viewing, years later, it’s quite an uncomfortable watch) without dismissing them because of it. Along with separate sections covering music and the like and a header for each year featuring major awards, Top 10 Box Office and births, deaths and notable debuts, this is thorough and entertaining. With a clear style and a sense of humour, this makes for great reading and the few glitches I spotted (it’s Tom Skerrit in “Top Gun”, for example, not Tom Selleck) weren’t detrimental. If you’re an 80s fan, especially of the big films of the decade, this is a real treat and as such, I’d highly recommend it.
September 22, 2019
A really fantastic book; it is essentially the first real serious overview of the Superhero movie genre. The book pretty much mentions every American Superhero movie of the last forty years.
What I'm waiting for now is decent book that has an in depth critical analysis of the genre.
What I'm waiting for now is decent book that has an in depth critical analysis of the genre.
June 17, 2022
the 1980s remains the best decade for films!! top gun, dirty dancing, the breakfast club, etc you will always be famous. loved the little “further viewing” sections cause there were some films i’ve never heard of on those i can add to my watchlist immediately, so true <3
July 13, 2023
This was a huge trip down memory lane for me. So many of those movies remain with me and are almost embedded in my DNA. It was quite the fun read.
October 26, 2024
Somehow (multiverse shenanigans?) Goodreads has morphed Helen’s “Ultimate Superheroes Move Guide” with her “80 Movie Guide”. Because (duh!) it’s Helen, I’ve read both. I only purchased the 80s guide because I have more affinity with more 1980s films than more Superhero films, but both are excellent, despite both having appalling typescript font (and 80s book is worse because of appalling background colours). Hard to read because of that, but a delight to read cause it’s Helen.
This review is for the Superhero Guide, finished 26/10/2024:
We’ve got to talk about portals. And every key movie superhero joint before. This is a definitive, superb, read. Great photos, but the writing and insights are so good I could’ve done with less pics, and a thicker, more analysis filled tome. But a great intro/skip through movie supes. Best chapters: Wonder Woman, Homecoming, Black Panther and of course the final two MCU flicks covered here. I could read Helen all day.
9/10
This review is for Helen’s 80s Movies book, finished 23 Jun 2019:
Purchased for posterity, because…duh!…Helen!
Fantastic spread and diversity of flicks from my fave movie decade covered. SO many cool still photos. HATE the tiny text, especially on the darker colour backgrounds. Not enough Mad Max, alas.
But love the selection of the big gun chapters and the (admittedly surface, fleeting) analysis of the films. Because…duh!…Helen!!!
9/10
This review is for the Superhero Guide, finished 26/10/2024:
We’ve got to talk about portals. And every key movie superhero joint before. This is a definitive, superb, read. Great photos, but the writing and insights are so good I could’ve done with less pics, and a thicker, more analysis filled tome. But a great intro/skip through movie supes. Best chapters: Wonder Woman, Homecoming, Black Panther and of course the final two MCU flicks covered here. I could read Helen all day.
9/10
This review is for Helen’s 80s Movies book, finished 23 Jun 2019:
Purchased for posterity, because…duh!…Helen!
Fantastic spread and diversity of flicks from my fave movie decade covered. SO many cool still photos. HATE the tiny text, especially on the darker colour backgrounds. Not enough Mad Max, alas.
But love the selection of the big gun chapters and the (admittedly surface, fleeting) analysis of the films. Because…duh!…Helen!!!
9/10
May 27, 2020
3.5 stars
It's a great overview of all superhero movies (and I mean ALL) in the modern era. Helen O'Hara is a wonderful writer and I've been a fan for years, because she blends description, opinion and analysis so well. With this book, however, I've become a victim of my own dedication. As a massive Marvel fan, the entries for the MCU do not really contain anything I didn't already know. For me, the parts about the movies I haven't seen that much or at all contained more new facts to learn. So perhaps this is more geared towards cinephiles who aren't yet entirely convinced that superhero movies are more than explosions and witty dialogue. In that case, this book is surely going to welcome new people into the fold.
Overall, it's a compilation that reminds me why I love these movies so much, and why they shouldn't be discounted. And for that alone, I love it.
It's a great overview of all superhero movies (and I mean ALL) in the modern era. Helen O'Hara is a wonderful writer and I've been a fan for years, because she blends description, opinion and analysis so well. With this book, however, I've become a victim of my own dedication. As a massive Marvel fan, the entries for the MCU do not really contain anything I didn't already know. For me, the parts about the movies I haven't seen that much or at all contained more new facts to learn. So perhaps this is more geared towards cinephiles who aren't yet entirely convinced that superhero movies are more than explosions and witty dialogue. In that case, this book is surely going to welcome new people into the fold.
Overall, it's a compilation that reminds me why I love these movies so much, and why they shouldn't be discounted. And for that alone, I love it.
Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews