Can You ID These ’80s Movies?

By: Brittany Rowland
Estimated Completion Time
5 min
Can You ID These ’80s Movies?
Image: Universal Pictures

About This Quiz

Film critics sometimes look down on the 1980s in the history of cinema, but the decade certainly had its share of memorable films. The '80s, in particular, featured blockbusters, high-budget films like the "Star Wars" sequels, "Indiana Jones" trilogy and "E.T. the Extraterrestrial" that attracted audiences in droves. People flocked to these blockbuster films because they featured easy-to-admire heroes up against fun-to-hate villains. Nothing was more thrilling than watching Luke Skywalker's lightsaber duel with Darth Vader or John McClane picking off terrorists one by one in a high-rise building.

But the '80s had more than just blockbusters. With the improvement of special effects, directors could wow audiences with horror, science fiction and fantasy films like never before. Audiences watched Carol Ann and all her bedroom furniture get sucked into a vortex in the closet, and terrifying xenomorphs attack a team of Marines on an alien planet. But we can't talk about '80s films without mentioning its comedies, too. Jeff Spicoli inspired a generation of stoners in "Fast Times at Ridgemont High," and Clark Griswold endured the road trip from hell to reach Walley World in "National Lampoon's Vacation." 

Whether you were alive during the '80s or you discovered these films decades later, now is the time to put your cinema knowledge to the test! You won't need a DeLorean to travel back to this decade; just start the quiz and let the memories of shoulder pads, mullets and power suits overwhelm you!

Dirty Dancing You'll have the time of your life watching this 1987 romance! What's it called?
"Flashdance"
"Footloose"
"Sixteen Candles"
"Dirty Dancing"
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Nobody puts Baby in the corner! She belongs on the stage, dancing with Johnny, the resort's dance instructor. Jennifer Grey and Patrick Swayze share chemistry and dance moves in this fun flick.

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The Shining Heeere's Johnny! What's the name of this classic 1980 horror film?
"The Shining"
"Poltergeist"
"A Nightmare on Elm Street"
"The Blob"
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Jack Nicholson and Shelley Duvall star in this psychological horror film by Stanley Kubrick, based on the Stephen King novel. Will a family survive a winter at an isolated (and haunted) hotel?

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Back to the Future Marty goes on a date with his mom ⁠— ew! What's this film?
"Raiders of the Lost Ark"
"Back to the Future"
"The Goonies"
"Ghostbusters"
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

1980s teen Marty McFly takes a DeLorean time machine back to the '50s, where he must ensure that his parents meet, dance and fall in love. Can Marty make it back to the future in time?

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E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial He's far from home, but he's changing three kids' lives forever. What movie is this?
"The Terminator"
"Close Encounters of the Third Kind"
"Gremlins"
"E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial"
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Steven Spielberg's 1982 classic "E.T." features a little alien stranded on Earth, where he befriends a lonely boy named Elliot. Elliot's in for an amazing ride ⁠— including a flying bike!

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Ghostbusters Got some malevolent spirits? Who you gonna call?
"Poltergeist"
"Ghostbusters"
"Die Hard"
"Aliens"
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

In the 1984 fantasy film by Ivan Reitman, three scientists (Bill Murray, Dan Aykroyd, Harold Ramis) start a "Ghostbusters" business. Can they save New York City when ghosts slip through a portal?

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Raiders of the Lost Ark Indy has to find a religious relic before the Nazis in which film that's the first in a series?
"Raiders of the Lost Ark"
"Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom"
"Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade"
"Romancing the Stone"
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

"Raiders of the Lost Ark" is the first in the Indiana Jones series, which follows an archaeologist on his thrilling adventures. Indy and old flame Marion team up to find the powerful Ark in Egypt.

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Ferris Bueller's Day Off A boy skips school to have a fun day in Chicago. Do you remember this film?
"Fast Times at Ridgemont High"
"The Breakfast Club"
"Top Gun"
"Ferris Bueller's Day Off"
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

A young Matthew Broderick plays carefree Ferris, who skips school with his girlfriend and his best friend. Will he be able to evade his sister and Principal Rooney, who want to bust him?

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Stand By Me Four boys ... a dead body ... a journey of discovery. What's this classic coming-of-age tale?
"The Goonies"
"Stand By Me"
"Big"
"Explorers"
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Rob Reiner's 1986 film follows four boys in 1950s Oregon who set off on a journey to find a boy's dead body in the woods. Gordie, Chris, Teddy and Vern will never be the same after this fateful trip.

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Airplane! It's one disaster after another in which spoof movie?
"Airplane!"
"Die Hard"
"Blade Runner"
"Gremlins"
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

This 1980 comedy starring Robert Hays and Leslie Nielsen spoofs every disaster movie cliche. It's up to a war vet with PTSD to safely land a plane when the pilot gets food poisoning.

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Return of the Jedi The Rebels have to destroy the Death Star ... again! What's the name of this sci-fi classic?
"Full Metal Jacket"
"The Empire Strikes Back"
"Return of the Jedi"
"Top Gun"
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

In the final chapter of the original Star Wars trilogy, Luke Skywalker confronts Darth Vader, hoping to turn him back to the light side. And Leia and Han lead a strike force on the planet moon of Endor.

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Fast Times at Ridgemont High Sean Penn plays a surfer dude in this high school comedy. Can you name it?
"The Karate Kid"
"Sixteen Candles"
"A Nightmare on Elm Street"
"Fast Times at Ridgemont High"
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Did someone order a pizza in Mr. Hand's history class? Oh yeah, that's Spicoli! "Fast Times at Ridgemont High" follows a group of teenagers through an unforgettable year of school.

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Batman A masked vigilante faces off against a madman in which 1989 film?
"Who Framed Roger Rabbit"
"Batman"
"Beverly Hills Cop"
"Beetlejuice"
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

A trauma in Bruce Wayne's childhood ⁠— seeing his parents murdered ⁠— spurs him to don a bat suit and fight crime in this Tim Burton film. Jack Nicholson stars as the maniacal Joker.

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Poltergeist Theeeeey're here! Watch out for evil spirits in this 1982 thriller.
"Poltergeist"
"The Shining"
"Ghostbusters"
"Beetlejuice"
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Poor little Carol Ann gets sucked into another dimension in this horror film directed by Tobe Hooper. Her parents will stop at nothing to save her from the poltergeists invading their suburban home.

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The Empire Strikes Back The villain is the hero's dad? Say it ain't so! What's this classic movie?
"Aliens"
"Dune"
"The Empire Strikes Back"
"The Evil Dead"
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

In 1980, "The Empire Strikes Back" shocked Star Wars fans with a big twist: Darth Vader is Luke Skywalker's father! We bet Luke wishes he'd listened to Yoda and stayed on Dagobah now ...

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Big A boy trapped in a man's body ... Tom Hanks' body, to be specific. What's this movie?
"Trading Places"
"Risky Business"
"Big"
"Look Who's Talking"
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Josh is 12 years old and wishes he could be an adult, but he never expects his wish to come true! Tom Hanks stars as a man with the mind of a child, who must navigate a new job and a potential love interest.

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Rain Man This movie features a cross-country trip with long-lost brothers. Grab your hankie!
"Rain Man"
"Bill and Ted's Excellent Adventure"
"First Blood"
"Raging Bull"
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Charlie (Tom Cruise) discovers he has a brother, Raymond (Dustin Hoffman), who is autistic. Charlie wants to take custody of Raymond to gain his father's inheritance, but things don't go as planned ...

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Labyrinth David Bowie as a goblin king? It must be this Jim Henson fantasy film! Can you name it?
"The NeverEnding Story"
"Labyrinth"
"The Princess Bride"
"Dark Crystal"
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Teenage Sarah (Jennifer Connelly) wishes her baby brother away and then must navigate a maze to get him back. "Labyrinth" features Jim Henson's Muppets, but not the cute, Kermit the Frog kind!

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Coming to America A prince in disguise working in fast food? That would be which comedy film?
"Beverly Hills Cop"
"Coming to America"
"Trading Places"
"Summer Rental"
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

In "Coming to America," Eddie Murphy stars as an African prince who comes to the U.S. incognito to find a bride. He thinks he's found the girl of his dreams, but will his king father approve?

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Aliens Ellen Ripley should've stayed on Earth with her cat ... What's the name of this sci-fi thriller?
"Aliens"
"The Terminator"
"Predator"
"Platoon"
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

James Cameron directed this 1986 sequel to "Alien," introducing a cast of Marines who set out to destroy the aliens on a distant planet. Ripley tries to warn them, but do they listen?

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Die Hard Yippee-ki-yay! A team of terrorists is no match for John McClane in which movie?
"The Terminator"
"Lethal Weapon"
"Die Hard"
"Full Metal Jacket"
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

John McClane comes to the Nakatomi Plaza to reconcile with his wife, but he gets way more than he bargained for when thieves storm the building. It's a Christmas film for the action movie fan!

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The Goonies What happens when a group of kids finds a pirate treasure map? You get this 1985 film!
"The Goonies"
"Raiders of the Lost Ark"
"Dune"
"Tron"
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

"The Goonies" stars Sean Astin and Corey Feldman as members of a gang of misfit kids who stumble upon a treasure map. Of course, finding the treasure won't be easy, not with the bad guys on their trail!

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Midnight Run Robert De Niro and Charles Grodin on a crazy cross-country trek ... We're talking about which thriller comedy?
"48 Hrs."
"Planes, Trains and Automobiles"
"Uncle Buck"
"Midnight Run"
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

De Niro plays Jack Walsh, a bounty hunter who wants out of the business. But first, he'll have to deliver an embezzler accountant (Grodin) to his bail bondsman ⁠— and avoid the FBI and the mob.

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Planes, Trains and Automobiles Who wouldn't want to take a road trip with John Candy? Can you name this classic comedy?
"Uncle Buck"
"Summer Rental"
"The Great Outdoors"
"Planes, Trains and Automobiles"
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

All Neal Page (Steve Martin) wants is to make it home in time for Thanksgiving. But he has the trip from hell with an obnoxious shower curtain ring salesman (John Candy), whom he just can't shake.

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National Lampoon's Vacation The Griswolds head to Walley World for some family fun in this movie. What could go wrong?
"The Great Outdoors"
"Summer Rental"
"Bill and Ted's Excellent Adventure"
"National Lampoon's Vacation"
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Chevy Chase plays dad Clark Griswold, who just wants a quality vacation with his wife and kids. But their long trip to Walley World will be unforgettable for all the wrong reasons ...

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The Breakfast Club Five kids ... Saturday detention ... new relationships. It's which John Hughes dramedy?
"The Breakfast Club"
"Ferris Bueller's Day Off"
"Sixteen Candles"
"Pretty in Pink"
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Five high school students with different personalities and problems find common ground at an all-day Saturday detention. At the end, you'll be singing "Don't You (Forget About Me)" too.

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The Terminator Will Sarah and Kyle escape a cyborg assassin? Which movie should you watch to find out?
"Predator"
"Aliens"
"The Evil Dead"
"The Terminator"
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Arnold Schwarzenegger stars as the Terminator, an unstoppable cyborg sent back from the future to destroy Sarah Connor, whose unborn son will play a critical role in the future. He'll be back.

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The Princess Bride Buttercup and Westley share true love in which Rob Reiner fantasy?
"Labyrinth"
"The Princess Bride"
"The NeverEnding Story"
"Romancing the Stone"
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

"The Princess Bride" is an unforgettable fairy tale featuring Princess Buttercup and Westley, whose love persists in spite of pirates, a creepy albino and an evil king. We'll read this storybook any day!

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The Neverending Story Can Bastian save Fantasia from the Nothing? That's the plot of which classic fantasy?
"Flight of the Navigator"
"An American Tail"
"The Neverending Story"
"Back to the Future"
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

A lonely, bullied boy takes refuge in a magical book, which pulls him into the story in surprising ways. Join Bastian, Atreyu, Falkor and the Empress as they fight a dark, spreading force.

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Honey, I Shrunk the Kids An inventor's kids end up the size of bugs in which family adventure film?
"The Land Before Time"
"The Dark Crystal"
"Honey, I Shrunk the Kids"
"Mac and Me"
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Wayne Szalinski (Rick Moranis) thinks his shrink ray is a failure, unaware that it's shrunk his two kids (and two neighbor kids) to microscopic size! Can he find them before they're squished?

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An American Tail Little Fievel is an immigrant mouse in search of his family in which animated film?
"An American Tail"
"The Land Before Time"
"The Great Mouse Detective"
"Oliver & Company"
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

"An American Tail" features Fievel, a plucky boy mouse separated from his family on the perilous journey across the sea. He must navigate a scary new world, find his folks and avoid the cats!

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The Secret of NIMH Do you remember the movie about Mrs. Brisby's quest to save her home from the farmer's plow?
"The Rescuers Down Under"
"The Secret of NIMH"
"The Great Mouse Detective"
"The Black Cauldron"
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Don Bluth's 1982 animated fantasy features a mother mouse who will stop at nothing to save her family. She has help, of course, from a wise owl and a society of super-intelligent rats.

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The Land Before Time Watch out for the Sharptooth! He's in which dino-tastic movie?
"Predator"
"Little Monsters"
"The Land Before Time"
"The Fox and the Hound"
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

After Littlefoot's mother dies, the young long-necked dinosaur must find the Great Valley on his own ⁠— until he meets some new friends. Who knew a dinosaur movie could be so poignant?

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All Dogs Go to Heaven Gambling gangster dogs and a singing crocodile appear in which 1989 film?
"The Fox and the Hound"
"Annie"
"The Wizard"
"All Dogs Go to Heaven"
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

"All Dogs Go to Heaven" is a surprisingly dark animated film featuring a murdered dog who escapes heaven to seek revenge, only to become a guardian to an orphan girl. You can't keep a good dog down!

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Annie Which musical features a plucky red-headed orphan and her bald benefactor?
"Annie"
"A Christmas Story"
"Curly Top"
"Curly Sue"
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Aileen Quinn stars as an orphan whose dreams come true when she visits the home of Oliver Warbucks, a cantankerous billionaire. But she must foil a plot by Miss Hannigan, the orphanage director!

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My Neighbor Totoro Two sisters meet a large, friendly spirit in the woods. What's this film?
"Adventures in Babysitting"
"The Great Mouse Detective"
"My Neighbor Totoro"
"Willow"
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

This acclaimed film by Hayao Miyazaki focuses on two young girls who encounter benevolent spirits in the woods by their home. Satsuke and Mei steal hearts with their sweet innocence.

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SpaceCamp Four kids visit NASA, and look what happens! Can you name this movie?
"The Last Starfighter"
"Short Circuit"
"Explorers"
"SpaceCamp"
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The 1986 adventure film "SpaceCamp" stars Lea Thompson and Kate Capshaw. Four kids at Space Camp are inadvertently sent up into space. Can they get home again with their limited training?

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The Brave Little Toaster In this film, common household appliances have hopes, dreams and fears. What is it?
"The Brave Little Toaster"
"Oliver and Company"
"Mac and Me"
"D.A.R.Y.L."
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

In this animated musical, five appliances, including the title toaster, set off on a journey to find their old master, a man who now lives in the city. Will they survive the trash compactor, though?

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The Karate Kid We all could use a Mr. Miyagi to teach us some life lessons! What's this movie called?
"Vision Quest"
"Adventures in Babysitting"
"The Outsiders"
"The Karate Kid"
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

If Daniel's going to go up against the Cobra Kai, he'll first need to train under karate master Mr. Miyagi. Can this bullied kid learn karate from the unassuming but wise repairman?

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Who Framed Roger Rabbit This clever film blends live-action and animation. Can you name it?
"Bugsy Malone"
"Who Framed Roger Rabbit"
"Paper Moon"
"Moonstruck"
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Robert Zemeckis' fantasy features a bitter detective (Bob Hoskins) who reluctantly teams up with some wacky toons to solve a mystery in Toon Town. The film cleverly satirizes the film noir genre.

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The Great Mouse Detective Here's an animated film worthy of Sherlock Holmes! What is it?
"The Great Mouse Detective"
"The Secret of NIMH"
"The Fox and the Hound"
"Gremlins"
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Disney's "The Great Mouse Detective" features Basil of Baker Street, a sleuth who investigates the case of a kidnapped toymaker. With the help of Dawson, he faces his old foe, Ratigan.

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