The 80s-Era Cinematography That Resonates with Current Events

The 1980s was a particularly significant time in the history of American cinema as it came right after the Golden age of the 70s. Some of the practices that came to be in the production of films in the 80s and trends that kicked off during this period are still being practiced even in recent times. The Blockbuster is one of the trends that arose in the 80s that is still present in film. The blockbuster film is one that is highly successful at box office sales and is not necessarily made on a large budget; this type of film did not exist before the 80s with films experiencing just enough profit from sales at cinemas.

During this time in Hollywood, different genres of films were explored and in these different genres are movies aimed at kids and families. Every period in the film industry has films that were highly performing with audiences and/or critics and the 80s is no different. For the purpose of this article, the 12 best 80s kids and family movies that can still be considered as great in current times will be explored. Keep reading to learn more about some of the biggest films that were made in this period.

E.T the Extra-Terrestrial: This is one of the greatest films to be made by the highly revered Steven Spielberg. When E.T was released in 1982 it was the highest grossing film of the year but its success was not just limited to its year of release and in the ten years that make up the 1980s it was the most successful film with the $435 million it made from box office sales. This film chronicles the summer adventure a group of kids have with an alien who got stranded on earth. These kids battle government agencies and journalists, all in a bid to get their Extra-Terrestrial friend back to his planet.

The Princess Bride: This 80s film was released on the 25th of September, 1987 and it is an adaptation of the 1973 novel of the same name written by William Goldman. It cuts across the genres of adventure, fantasy and comedy. Rob Reiner, who directed the film, had read the book after it had been gifted to him by his father and he decided that he needed to make a film out of it. When it was time to make the film, Goldman who had been unwilling to sell the rights of the book wrote the screenplay. There are two parts to the film, with the film been acted out as a narration that is being given by a grandfather to his sick grandson. The Princess Bride was made on a budget of $16 million and it made $30.9 million and because it is a film about love and adventure, concepts that are timeless and universal it can still be appealing to audiences of today.

Big: Tom Hanks was one of the biggest stars of the 80s and in one of his earliest performances he plays the role of a child who is tired of being smallish makes a wish to be ‘big’ and then turns into an adult man. As an adult he gets a job working at a toy company and because he is really a child who understands toys he goes through the ranks quickly. His ability to play a childlike man as well as he did was applauded; for this he won the 1989 Golden Globe for best actor, which was his first Golden Globe. The film was not only a critical success but a commercial one as well, making $151.7 million on its budget of $18 million.

Three Men and a Baby: Three bachelors living in New York are saddled with a baby one of them has with an actress. The baby who is mistaken for another package which is actually a packet of cocaine entraps the men in a web of drug dealers, the police and the responsibilities of being fathers in a short time with no prior experience in this field. This endearing film made over a hundred million in box office sales and was the highest earning film of 1987.

Beetlejuice: Tim Burton is a director, who had more than one blockbuster in the 80s, Beetlejuice just happened to be one of these blockbusters that classifies as a film for kids and families. It features the talents of Michael Keaton, Alec Baldwin, Geena Davis, Jeffery Jones, Winona Ryder and Catherine O’Hara. Baldwin and Davis are ghosts who keep haunting their house while the other mentioned members of the cast make up the Deetz family that they try to frighten. Keaton plays the titular character Beetlejuice an exorcist for humans who is employed by ghosts. Burton is able to take a macabre subject matter and put a comedic twist it on that appealed to not just children but adults as well.

The Goonies: The Goonies is a 1985 adventure film, directed by Richard Donner but based on a story by Steven Spielberg. The name of the film refers to a group of boy who decide to have their last meeting on the weekend before the foreclosure of their homes in Oregon. During this last weekend together they find a map that leads to a treasure, which in turn takes them on a whirlwind of adventure. The film ends with the boys getting enough money to cancel the foreclosure of their homes. Most of the actors who play major roles in the films went on to have long successful careers in Hollywood.

Annie: Based on a Broadway musical, Annie was released in 1982 and it tells the story of an orphaned girl Annie who manages to escape the conditions of the orphanage she lives at which is run by an abusive woman. Annie is luckily invited to live with a millionaire who uses her presence in his house as a PR stunt and her life changes immensely. The songs on the film are one of the most significant features of the film and the ability of the writers to portray the depression of the 30s, the temporal setting of the film while still infusing the cheekiness of a children’s film has been praised by critics.

Ghostbusters: In 2016, a remake of this 1984 film was made but the remake was not able to hold a candle to the brilliance of the original version. Bill Murray, Dan Aykroyd, Harold Ramis, Rick Moranis and Sigourney Weaver all play major roles in the film, which was written by Aykroyd. The relevance of this film has spread beyond the period it was made even to current times and it is deeply entrenched in pop culture. Ghostbusters was written from Dan Aykroyd’s fascination with the supernatural and was the first film in the comedy genre to employ CGI. It was one of the most expensive films of the period but the $295.2 it made from box office sales which made it one of the highest grossing films of the decade made up for the $25 million that was spent on making the film.

The Land Before Time: This is a 1988 animated film that features anthropomorphic dinosaurs and its major theme is the conflict that can exist between species especially when this conflict leads to the oppression of one group. The Land Before Time is animated which kids will love and it teaches a great lesson on human power relations which can be learnt and understood from a young age.

Return of the Jedi: This is the third film in the Star Wars franchise and it was not the only Star Wars film that was released in the 1980s. The actions in this film are a continuation of the events that took place in The Empire Strikes Back. In this film the rebels are able to defeat the Empire with the help of Darth Vader who makes a turnaround for the better and embraces the role a Jedi. Return of the Jedi, is packed with revelations for different characters and is remembered for its redemption for most of its characters and the victory of The Rebellion. This film was the second highest grossing film of the decade.

Back to the Future: The first film that started one of the greatest time travel film franchise was made in 1985 with its sequel in 1989, both films were a huge success. On the night of 0ctiber 26, 1985 Marty McFly is transported to 1955 where he meets his teacher Dr. Emmett Brown and the two of them find a way to get McFly back to his correct timeline. While Brown works on the time machine, Marty fixes the life of his parents. This film written by Robert Zemeckis was a iconic achievement in the year it was released and is still considered one of the greatest films ever to be made.

Ferris Bueller’s Day Off: This 1986 teenage high school film features the titular character Ferris Bueller who decides to take a day off from school by lying about his health and he enlists the help of his friends, Cameron and Sloane. In the process of their delinquency that includes a trip to New York each of the trio grow up. It was directed and written by John Hughes whose portfolio is riddled with works that share the thematic preoccupations as Ferris Bueller’s Day Off.