Can You Identify All 50 '80s Movies From Just One Screenshot?
By: Ana Todorovic
5 min
Image: Paramount Pictures
About This Quiz
What a time it was for Hollywood! With the birth of the blockbuster in the 1970s, the '80s was a decade when directors and screenwriters were eager to look outside the box for big ideas. Stars were born, the Brat Pack reigned supreme, and movie execs ran with it all the way to the bank (and to their own private islands).
The 1980s saw a sci-fi renaissance with offerings from George Lucas, James Cameron and Steven Spielberg. Horror auteurs like Wes Craven, John Carpenter and Sam Raimi killed it on the big screen. And nobody had a finger on the pulse of teen angst like writer-director John Hughes.
These are the classics you know by heart. The classics that make you drop everything when they're on TV (even though you've seen them a hundred times). After all, house cleaning can wait when there's a Holy Grail to be found or Fast Times to be had.
But for every timeless gem, there's a guilty pleasure (many of which star Patrick Swayze) that holds a special place in our hearts. Are you an expert on '80s cinema? Take this quiz and prove it!
Test your movie memory by matching this scene to the film.
"Lethal Weapon"
"Scarface"
"The Untouchables"
"Bloodsport"
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer
Did you know? It is commonly held that musical group Blink 182 took their numerical name from a certain obscenity Al Pacino frequently uses in "Scarface."
Do you know which silver screen classic this clip comes from?
"The Money Pit"
"Wild Orchid"
"Lethal Weapon"
"The Year of Living Dangerously"
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer
In 1987, director Richard Donner and screenwriter Shane Black made it look effortless with this classic buddy cop movie that led to three sequels and a TV show.
Directed by Jim Abrahams, David Zucker and Jerry Zucker, "Airplane!" is a colorful comedy starring serious actors like Peter Graves and Leslie Nielsen.
Francis Ford Coppola's 1983 gang film features an all-star cast of leading men such as Matt Dillon, Ralph Macchio, Patrick Swayze, Rob Lowe, Emilio Estevez and Tom Cruise.
"Fast Times at Ridgemont High" (1982) features an all-star cast with the likes of Sean Penn, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Phoebe Cates, Judge Reinhold, Ray Walston, Nicolas Cage, Eric Stoltz, Anthony Edwards and Forest Whitaker.
Can you identify the film that brought us this spooky scene?
"The Evil Dead"
"The Accused"
"Cyborg"
"Near Dark"
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer
Writer-director Sam Raimi and actor Bruce Campbell kicked off the franchise in 1981. Most people generally agree "Evil Dead II" is the best of the series.
In this dark romantic comedy, John Cusack plays a teenager in the dumps after his girlfriend leaves him for the ski team captain. If you or someone you know is experiencing thoughts of suicide, there is help. Call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-8255 to reach a skilled, trained counselor 24/7.