About This Quiz
The '80s was a great time for movies, wasn't it? Back then, movie plots weren't as complicated as they are today; most of them could have been summarized into three sentences or less. The movie rating PG-13 was invented; at the time there was only PG and R. Rumor has it that this came about because of the films "Gremlins" and "Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom," both of which had more violence than was suitable for kids at the time.
Despite people loving the advances made in the movie industry in that decade, many Hollywood professionals, including Quentin Tarantino, have said that it may have been the worst in cinematic history, at least in terms of the quality of the movies that were released. Great strides were made in the following genres: science fiction, action and horror. "Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope" helped show a need for and an appreciation of that kind of film in 1977, and it was continued during the '80s.
And while we can't seem to resist a walk down memory lane, not every '80s film was completely memorable — will your brain be jogged enough to be able to name all the amazing '80s movies from a single image?
"If there's something strange in your neighborhood. Who you gonna call? Ghostbusters!"
"Back to the Future" was turned down by over 40 major movie networks. When it finally got picked up, many edits were made and one suggestion was changing the title to "Spaceman from Pluto" — thankfully, that one didn't go through.
Disney bought the rights to Star Wars franchise back in 2012 along with Lucasfilm for a staggering $4.05 billion dollars.
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Jake Blues, just out from prison, puts together his old band to save the Catholic home where he and brother Elwood were raised in "The Blues Brothers."
"The Breakfast Club" is one the most iconic movies of the 1980s. The Brat Pack stars in this famous film about five teens who learn about each other's lives in one afternoon stuck in detention.
"Star Wars: Episode VI — Return of the Jedi" won numerous awards and was nominated for four Oscars including best effects and art direction.
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In order to save their home from foreclosure, a group of misfits set out to find a pirate's ancient valuable treasure in "The Goonies."
"The Princess Bride" is one the most beloved romantic comedies of the '80s. It has the perfect mix of humor and romance. If you haven't watched this movie 100 times already, you are missing out!
In "Batman," the Dark Knight of Gotham City begins his war on crime, with his first major enemy being the clownishly homicidal Joker.
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"The Neverending Story" is a charming tale about a boy who escapes into a magic world within an old book and is a must-see for people of all ages.
In "The Shining," a family heads to an isolated hotel for the winter, where an evil and spiritual presence influences the father to violence, while his psychic son sees horrific forebodings from the past and of the future.
Another classic '80s comedy starring Elizabeth Shue, which includes the timeless line "Don't &%^# with the babysitter."
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A girl's 16th birthday becomes anything but special as she suffers from every embarrassment possible in "Sixteen Candles."
Oliver Stone wrote "Scarface" while battling an addiction to cocaine.
In "Full Metal Jacket," a war movie directed by the great Stanley Kubrick, Matthew Modine stars as Private Joker and Vincent D'Onofrio as Private Leonard "Gomer Pyle" Lawrence.
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It's no "Citizen Kane," but nothing will beat "Top Gun" for great visuals, a terrific soundtrack, and snappy, quotable lines.
Ferris knows how to have fun — whether it be cutting class or hanging out with his friends, he always knows how to make the most of every situation.
1986's "Aliens" is the sequel to the 1979 blockbuster "Alien," both starring Sigourney Weaver as Officer Ripley.
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In "Die Hard," Bruce Willis stars as NYPD officer John McClane, who tries to save his wife and several others who have been taken hostage by German terrorist Hans Gruber during a Christmas party at the Nakatomi Plaza in Los Angeles.
The Griswold family's cross-country drive to the Walley World theme park proves to be much more arduous than they ever anticipated in "National Lampoon's Vacation."
Tim Burton guides a stellar cast including Michael Keaton, Alec Baldwin, Geena Davis and Winona Ryder through a comedy where a couple of ghosts have their home taken over by trendy yuppies.
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Causing quite a bit of controversy when it was first released in 1980, in "The Blue Lagoon" Brooke Shields and Christopher Atkins star as shipwrecked teens learning about love.
"Road House" is the stuff that B-movie legends are made of. Patrick Swayze's Dalton is perhaps the only Mercedes-driving, philosophy-majoring bouncer at a rowdy Southern bar in history.
The rivalry between two gangs, the poor Greasers and the rich Socs, heats up when one gang member kills a member of the other in "The Outsiders."
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E.T. phone home... E.T. has grossed over $400,000,000 since it was released in 1982.
Imagine being afraid to fly and then having to help land the plane yourself? You might be yelling a little more than just "Airplane!"
In "Dead Poets Society," English teacher John Keating inspires his students to look at poetry with a different perspective.
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"Come with me if you want to live..."
While spending the summer at a Catskills resort with her family, Frances "Baby" Houseman falls in love with the camp's dance instructor, Johnny Castle, in the hit '80s film "Dirty Dancing."
If I was Michael and Sam, I would convince my family to move as far away from California as possible.
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Could you imagine living in a world without computers and civilized society? I can't, so I'm glad we are not living in a post-apocalyptic world.
"Raiders of the Lost Ark" alone has grossed over $200 million since its release in 1981.
Do you think you would have what it takes to protect an entire community in a post-apocalyptic world?
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Director John Carpenter created an excessively gory masterpiece of suspenseful storytelling in "The Thing."
He who controls the spice controls the universe!
"Wax on, right hand. Wax off, left hand. Wax on, wax off. Breathe in through nose, out the mouth. Wax on, wax off. Don't forget to breathe, very important."
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A prince from Africa goes to America to find his future wife since he does not want to marry the brainwashed women his parents picked for him.
"I'm your boyfriend now, Nancy..."
Would you go left or right? Well, we wouldn't go either in this tale of a 16-year-old girl who is given 13 hours to solve a labyrinth and rescue her baby brother from the Goblin King.
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"We're going to get you. We're going to get you. Not another peep. Time to go to sleep."
With an all-star cast including Sean Penn, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Phoebe Cates, Judge Reinhold and Ray Walston, "Fast Times at Ridgemont High" also debuts future stars including Nicolas Cage, Eric Stoltz and Anthony Edwards.
An iconic buddy/cop movie that spawned three sequels, "Lethal Weapon" is a cut above the standard action movie.
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Another classic from director John Hughes, "Weird Science" is basically what happens if Frankenstein were to take place in the 1980s, and legend has it that Hughes wrote this film in only two days.
The Indiana Jones franchise is estimated to be worth over a billion dollars.
"Stand by Me" is a classic coming-of-age movie that we really hope you've seen already — and if you haven't ever seen it, we are judging you. The movie, released in 1986, takes place in 1959 and is based on the novella by Stephen King called "The Body."
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Arnold Schwarzenegger stars in this 1987 sci-fi action film set in the jungles of Central America.
Director Ridley Scott achieved the famous "shining eyes" effect by using a technique known as the "Schüfftan process," where light is bounced into the actors' eyes off a piece of half-mirrored glass mounted at a 45-degree angle to the camera.
Robert De Niro stars as Noodles in this 1984 crime drama.
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In order to get out of the snobby clique that is destroying her good-girl reputation, an intelligent teen teams up with a dark sociopath in a plot to kill the cool kids in "Heathers."
Lane, an emotional teenager, decides it's better to commit suicide than to face another day feeling rejected by his ex-girlfriend. Thankfully, he gives up the attempt and decides to become a better man than the guy she fell for.