Guest post by BigDaddy
Inspired by the Top Gun T-shirt that I’m wearing and my obsession with all things 80’s I thought it might be cool to figure out what my favourite movies from my youth are and why I loved (and still love) them. Plus top 10’s always divide opinion and generate debate so feel free to disagree with me, throw in your own choices and tell me to “Shut up Fool!!”
1. Top Gun
No surprises here, I have the T-Shirt for crying out loud! It was the movie that made a star of Tom Cruise, boosted U.S. Navy recruitment figures to record levels and made many of my friends tell girls in bars they were “Naval Aviators” because saying “I work in a bank” just doesn’t have the same ring to it. I love everything about this film, it’s a fast paced, good looking and hugely stylised American flag waving rollercoaster ride of an action movie. Top Gun laid a blueprint of how action movies should be made that is still followed today. All together now…. “I feel the need, the need for speed”.
2. Back to the Future
Of all the movies I’ve watched in my life this is my favourite. It’s not the best movie ever made but it’s the one I would take to a desert island if I had too. It has all the ingredients (great cast, great story and good music) to make it a classic and it also has a car with doors that open UPWARDS……come on, that is the business when you’re eight years old. But it’s only when you watch it as an adult you realise it’s also a very clever film because there’s only really one action sequence in the whole movie but the film is never dull and rockets along at a cool 88mph. “Great Scott”!
3. The Goonies
This movie just made me want to be a Goonie. In my mind I was Mikey but in my body I was closer to Chunk! The Goonie’s had a really good cast (most of whom have gone on to big things) and loads of good old fashioned adventure as the gang go off in search of One Eyed Willie’s (please, no sniggering, this is a family blog) treasure to save their homes in the Goon Docks. There are also lots of laughs along the way, who could forget the truffle shuffle!? “Goonies never say Die”
4. Ghostbusters
OK, hands up, who wanted to be a Ghostbuster!!? I did and frequently drafted in my mates in the playground to be the rest of them (yes, I am a geek!) They had cool Proton packs, a great car and they were very funny! This is possibly the best cast of the 80’s, all playing at the top of their game, it still stands up as a classic and doesn’t look dated at all. “Who ya gonna call?”
5. E.T.
This classic needs no introduction and shows off one of Steven Spielberg’s greatest gifts, getting performances out of kids that are actually believable. This is a kid’s film where the kids (and also E.T. himself) are the stars, and the adults are the bad guys. If you watch closely you’ll notice all the adults except for Elliot’s mum are only filmed from the waist down. This was deliberately done as that is where a child’s eye line is. Very clever. “Be good”
6. The Empire Strikes Back
THE best Star Wars film by miles. Dark, action packed, well made and it has one of the biggest shocks in film history. I have a theory that Star Wars movies are at their best when George Lucas doesn’t direct them. This movie single handidly proves that. Fact! “No. I am your father”
7. Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade
This may be a controversial choice as Raiders of the Lost Ark is often considered to be the best Indy movie but the Last Crusade gets my vote because it’s got more aspects to it. It’s funnier, Harrison Ford seems more comfortable in the role and it has Sean Connery in it! It has inspired casting and you really buy that Connery is Indy’s dad even though in real life he is only 12 years older than Harrison Ford. “Germany has declared war on the Jones boys”
8. The Great Outdoors
One of the funniest films ever and so underrated. If you haven’t seen it please try. It has one of the best Dan Akroyd performances (you will hate him but laugh at him) and John Candy is simply hysterical, from trying to eat the biggest steak ever and being chased by a bald bear! Total nonsense but really funny. “Bear… bear… Big Bear… big bear chase meeeeeeee…!”
9. Who Framed Roger Rabbit?
One of my first trips to the Odeon cinema where my Aunty worked was to see this and it blew me away and still does. It’s so well done the animation and live action meld together seamlessly. It makes you laugh out loud and has a great twist but the real trick is that it makes you care about a character that is just a drawing! That is genius! Bob Hoskins is superb but Roger steals the show. Poor Bob, upstaged by a cartoon rabbit . “I’m not bad. I’m just drawn that way”
10. Empire of the Sun
This film was the first film that made me look inward and think about how I would feel in the main characters position. When Jim gets separated from his parents after the Japanese invade Shanghai during WWII he gets taken to a POW camp and has to survive using his wits and has to grow up quickly. I was blown away by the feeling of loss and helplessness that a young Christian Bale manages to get into his performance. It’s truly one of the finest child performances ever. Classic. “I can’t remember what my parents look like.”
What’s your favourite film from your youth?
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I've been blogging for four years and write about anything and everything that takes my fancy.
Above is me with my beloved Ernie in Port Aventura and left with our love child in Florida.
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