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I was kind of hoping that Siri would give us a year a little bit closer to our current this week when I asked her for a number between 1 and 100, and for once she cooperated - 83 she said, and so today we celebrate The Movies of 1983. I was five going on six that year so most of these movies (another dark bunch of movies) I didn't see until much later -- there's only one film among the runners-up that I probably saw at the time. (And you probably can guess which one.) We've already done our five faves from the year before (right here) and the year after (right here) - the early 80s are almost gone altogether! - but this time around here are...
My 5 Favorite Movies of 1983
(dir. David Cronenberg)
-- released on February 4th, 1983 --
(dir. Mike Nichols)
-- released on December 10th, 1983 --
(dir. Martin Scorsese)
-- released on February 13th, 1983 --
(dir. Robert Hiltzik)
-- released on November 18th, 1983 --
(dir. Paul Verhoeven)
-- released on March 24th, 1983 --
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Runners-up: Return of the Jedi (dir. Marquand), Risky Business (dir. Brickman), Scarface (dir. Brian De Palma), The Hunger (dir. Tony Scott), Terms of Endearment (dir. Brooks), A Christmas Story (dir. Bob Clark), Zelig (dir. Woody Allen), Of Unknown Origin (dir. Cosmatos), Something Wicked This Way Comes (dir. Jack Clayton), Cujo (dir. Teague)
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What are your favorite movies of 1983?
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6 comments:
This was around the time when the VCR first became available commercially, so I saw a lot of these movies on tape. I went to see Terms of Endearment on a below zero Sunday and just hated it. I thought it was a nasty movie about nasty people. Then I had to wait almost an hour for a bus home in frigid weather. However, here are the ones I liked:
WarGames - smart little movie with a good cast.
National Lampoon’s Vacation - No masterpiece, but a very funny movie.
Trading Places - Terrific cast. One of the few things I can stand Eddie Murphy in. I love Jamie Leigh Curtis, too!
Octopussy - Louis Jourdan as the villain and a good script, this is one of Roger Moore's best Bond pictures.
Right Stuff - Outstanding. I watch this every Memorial Day, and when it's on disc, will watch it with Hidden Figures.
Big Chill = I related to a lot of this, because these were the people I knew in college.
Life of Brian - Anything with Monty Python.
Local Hero - A little gem. I bought this in London for 3 pounds, and can stream it from my computer.
Silkwood - Can't stand Streep, but both Kurt Russell and Cher are especially good in it.
Zelig - Marvelous, inventive Woody Allen
Yentl - I still cry when I watch this heartfelt movie what was a dream project for Streisand.
Strange Brew - Hamlet set in a brewery. There really is Elsinore Beer, but you have to get it at Elsinore, Denmark. I had it at Hamlet's Castle.
Tender Mercies - Robert Duvall deserved his Oscar for this film. Betty Buckley's great in it, too.
The Dresser - Brilliant acting. I watched this several times, because I wound up directing the play.
Star 80 - Eric Roberts and Marial Hemingway in a Bob Fosse movie. Superb.
The 4th Man is SO GOOD! I recently bought it on DVD and promptly forgot about it, so thanks for that.
Apparently I haven't seen many movies at all from this year for some reason, though out of movies not yet mentioned I really like The Dead Zone, Educating Rita and Psycho II (which is a lot better than it has any right to be).
Wow, great to see The 4th Man here. I was mesmerized by that movie! Sexy, thrilling, I felt like a voyeur of something taboo!
THE 4TH MAN!!!! Amazing movie with an incredible performance by Renee Soutendijk. It doesn't make my top five but would be in my top 10. I don't have as many favorites this year as I usually do with the 40's-my favorite film decade-but there were many wonderful films this year.
Top 5:
A Christmas Story
The Right Stuff
The Year of Living Dangerously
Terms of Endearment
War Games
Runner-ups:
To Be or Not to Be-Love the original and love this one. Mel Brooks & Anne Bancroft interact do charmingly and what a great supporting cast.
Educating Rita
Mr. Mom
Under Fire-A woefully underrated drama with a trio of great performances from Joanna Cassidy, Gene Hackman and Nick Nolte
The 4th Man
The Outsiders
Heart Like a Wheel-A great Bonnie Bedelia performance!
Max Dugan Returns
Eddie and the Cruisers
Phar Lap
The Dresser
The Pirates of Penzance-Kevin Kline, Angela Lansbury and George Rose all plunge into their roles with such brio, Rex Smith is adorable and it's so great that Linda Ronstadt-in glorious voice was able to perform her Broadway role.
It's a guilty pleasure, for sure, but "Flashdance" would definitely be on my list. And "Risky Business" remains one of my favorite movies of all time. I can still watch it in the context of: "Before Tom Cruise became a wackadoo."
"The Big Chill" is one of my all-time favorite movies. That's what I wanted my life and friends to be like, and have weekends like those (funerals notwithstanding). Not to be alas.
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