3 Movies from the 1980s to Rewatch (& Re-appreciate) Right Now
It’s always a good idea to go back and look over some classics and see how they hold up under a more modern lens. This isn’t just comparing the quality of CGI or practical effects between the two time periods; it’s also about seeing how films were structured or written differently – with different audience expectations of the time.
Furthermore, you might find that certain films which have gone down as classics aren’t ones you’ve returned to, due to their familiarity. However, if you do, you might get a fresh realization of why they have become classics.
Raiders of the Lost Ark
This film is not included under the banner of being under-appreciated. However, it seems to be remembered more and more fondly as time goes on. With the release of the fifth (and apparently final) film in the Indiana Jones franchise, it’s a good idea to go back and see where it all began. Raiders of the Lost Ark is regarded highly and maintains the title of the best in the franchise, and while that’s obviously subjective, going back to it now can illuminate some qualities that were lost as the series fell under more typically blockbuster expectations.
Compared to the others, Raiders of the Lost Ark had a smaller budget to work with, and while it still has the adventurous set-pieces of the sequels, it’s much more localized in how it goes about deploying them.
Rain Man
Headed by Dustin Hoffman and Tom Cruise, this critically-acclaimed film is known for raising a lot of discussion around the topic of autism (some good, some bad), but that can often sidestep talking about the quality of the film itself – something that you can settle on for yourself by going back and looking to see what it has to offer.
It’s not just the dynamic between the leads that might have you engaged, though; it might also be the setting and the excitement of the games as they travel throughout the Vegas strip. The blackjack game has remained popular over the years, evidenced by how it has been adapted to the digital format. It is now found at venues like jackpotcity.ca, which follows responsible gambling methods and has a $1600 deposit bonus. However, the appearance of blackjack in films such as Rain Man, Casino and License to Kill boosted that initial popularity.
The Terminator
At this point, it’s safe to say that the Terminator franchise has been run into the ground in the eyes of many people. With six films to choose from, fans will still often point to the first two as being their favorites. Still, even out of these two, it’s interesting looking back how different the two end up feeling. Terminator 2: Judgement Day is a tense and thrilling adventure, sure, but it’s also one that feels much more like a blockbuster, with action and light-hearted moments being more regular despite the range of more horror-themed moments, mostly due to the antagonist.
The first film, on the other hand, is pure thriller. It’s low-key, small-scale and focused – leading to a very simple yet effective film that never loses focus from what it is and manages to maintain that looming terror as a result of that. The idea of being pursued by an unstoppable, disguised machine from the future is a simple concept, and it’s natural that it should suffer from diminishing returns when you see those antagonists defeated time and time again.
Garon Cockrell is the Founder and Editor of Pop Culture Beast and host of The Pop Culture Beast Show. He founded the site over seven years ago to have a place on the internet to write about the things he loved. Since then, Garon has become a best-selling author (Demonic and Other Tales), an award winning screenwriter (Best Screenplay 2013 Motor City Nightmares Film Festival), and a cast member on the top rated podcast, Never Not Funny.