MY TOP 50+ MOVIES FOR 1980 (in list order)
The start of an interesting decade with my all time favourite directors in the top 5.
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- DirectorDavid LynchStarsAnthony HopkinsJohn HurtAnne BancroftA Victorian surgeon rescues a heavily disfigured man who is mistreated while scraping a living as a side-show freak. Behind his monstrous façade, there is revealed a person of kindness, intelligence and sophistication.Lynch goes straight in this stunning Hollywood debut...
- DirectorAkira KurosawaStarsTatsuya NakadaiTsutomu YamazakiKen'ichi HagiwaraA petty thief with an utter resemblance to a samurai warlord is hired as the lord's double. When the warlord later dies the thief is forced to take up arms in his place.Kurosawa still flaunting it...
- DirectorMartin ScorseseStarsRobert De NiroCathy MoriartyJoe PesciThe life of boxer Jake LaMotta, whose violence and temper that led him to the top in the ring destroyed his life outside of it.Scorsese and team enter Jack's bleak world...
- DirectorBruce BeresfordStarsEdward WoodwardJack ThompsonJohn WatersThree Australian lieutenants are court martialed for executing prisoners as a way of deflecting attention from war crimes committed by their superior officers.A taunt courtroom drama with brilliant editing and photography...
- DirectorWoody AllenStarsWoody AllenCharlotte RamplingJessica HarperWhile attending a retrospective of his work, a filmmaker recalls his life and his loves: the inspirations for his films.Woody does Fellini...
- DirectorNicolas RoegStarsArt GarfunkelTheresa RussellHarvey KeitelA psychiatrist, living in Vienna, enters a torrid relationship with a married woman. When she ends up in the hospital from an overdose, an inspector becomes set on discovering the demise of their affair.Stimulating for the mind...
- DirectorJohn LandisStarsJohn BelushiDan AykroydCab CallowayJake Blues rejoins with his brother Elwood after being released from prison, but the duo has just days to reunite their old R&B band and save the Catholic home where the two were raised, outrunning the police as they tear through Chicago.The perfect message from the blues...
- DirectorFederico FelliniStarsMarcello MastroianniAnna PrucnalBernice StegersA businessman finds himself trapped at a hotel and threatened by women en masse.Fellini on his last legs...
- DirectorJohn MackenzieStarsBob HoskinsHelen MirrenPaul FreemanAn up-and-coming gangster is tested by the insurgence of an unknown, very powerful threat.Hopkins is brilliant...
- DirectorRichard RushStarsPeter O'TooleSteve RailsbackBarbara HersheyA fugitive stumbles onto a movie set just when they need a new stunt man, takes the job as a way to hide out and falls for the leading lady while facing off with his manipulative director.Perfect film about filmmaking...
- DirectorPaul SchraderStarsRichard GereLauren HuttonHector ElizondoA Los Angeles escort is accused of a murder which he did not commit.Schrader does good with sleaze...
- DirectorJamie UysStarsN!xauMarius WeyersSandra PrinslooA comic allegory about a traveling Bushman who encounters modern civilization and its stranger aspects, including a clumsy scientist and a band of revolutionaries.Adorable...
- DirectorStephen WallaceStarsBryan BrownMax PhippsDennis MillerWhen a repeat offender returns to a prison after exposing abuses committed by its guards to the press, tensions boil between inmates and staff, culminating in a bloody riot.Brown is perfect in this gritty Aussie prison drama...
- DirectorRobert RedfordStarsDonald SutherlandMary Tyler MooreJudd HirschThe accidental death of the older son of an affluent family deeply strains the relationships among the bitter mother, the good-natured father and the guilt-ridden younger son.Surprising debut from Redford...
- DirectorStanley KubrickStarsJack NicholsonShelley DuvallDanny LloydA family heads to an isolated hotel for the winter where a sinister presence influences the father into violence, while his psychic son sees horrific forebodings from both past and future.Kubrick creates more than a horror...
- DirectorJim AbrahamsDavid ZuckerJerry ZuckerStarsRobert HaysJulie HagertyLeslie NielsenAfter the crew becomes sick with food poisoning, a neurotic ex-fighter pilot must safely land a commercial airplane full of passengers.The perfect way to make parody...
- DirectorPeter MedakStarsGeorge C. ScottTrish Van DevereMelvyn DouglasAfter the death of his wife and daughter in a car crash, a music professor staying at a long-vacant Seattle mansion is dragged into a decades-old mystery by an inexplicable presence in the mansion's attic.From an underrated director and a strong performance from C Scott comes an interesting piece...
- DirectorIrvin KershnerStarsMark HamillHarrison FordCarrie FisherAfter the Rebel Alliance are overpowered by the Empire, Luke Skywalker begins his Jedi training with Yoda, while his friends are pursued across the galaxy by Darth Vader and bounty hunter Boba Fett.More fun in space...
- DirectorJohn CarpenterStarsAdrienne BarbeauJamie Lee CurtisJanet LeighAn unearthly fog rolls into a small coastal town exactly 100 years after a ship mysteriously sank in its waters.Carpenter creates the perfect drive-in horror film...
- DirectorEttore ScolaStarsVittorio GassmanUgo TognazziJean-Louis TrintignantDuring a dinner in a Roman terrace, the lives and experiences of multiple characters intertwine.Scola gets the perfect dream cast...
- DirectorFrançois TruffautStarsCatherine DeneuveGérard DepardieuJean PoiretIn occupied Paris, an actress married to a Jewish theater owner must keep him hidden from the Germans while doing both of their jobs.Truffaut finds the perfect teaming in Deneuve and Depardieu...
- DirectorArt LinsonStarsPeter BoyleBill MurrayBruno KirbySemi-biographical film based on the experiences of gonzo journalist Hunter S. Thompson.Murray is perfect as HST...
- DirectorBertrand TavernierStarsNathalie BayeGérard LanvinFlore FitzgeraldLaurence, French teacher at a Lyon secondary school, simply can't take any more. Her doctor prescribes a week off. Whilst her partner Pierre has no idea how to help her, she decides to get away and take stock of her life, both personal and professional.The gentle touch from Tavernier...
- DirectorMichael CiminoStarsKris KristoffersonChristopher WalkenJohn HurtDuring the Johnson County War in 1890 Wyoming, a sheriff born into wealth does his best to protect immigrant farmers from rich cattle interests.What an interesting mess...
- DirectorSidney PoitierStarsGene WilderRichard PryorGeorg Stanford BrownSet up and wrongfully accused, two best friends are sent to prison for a crime they didn't commit. However, no prison cell can keep them locked in a cage.Funny duo...
- DirectorKrzysztof ZanussiStarsTadeusz BradeckiZofia MrozowskaMalgorzata ZajaczkowskaA young man is facing death of his mother. A petty corruption at his job leads to him being framed and robbed of his only desire to climb mountains in Himalayas, as his father did and where he died.Life the hard way for a Polish worker who will not succumb to the corruption surrounding him...
- DirectorBruce BeresfordStarsJack ThompsonGraham KennedyFrank WilsonBoardroom and dressing-room intrigues spill on to the field at the Australian Rules football club.The wonderful politics of football....
- DirectorWalter HillStarsDavid CarradineStacy KeachDennis QuaidThe origins, exploits and the ultimate fate of the Jesse James gang is told in a sympathetic portrayal of the bank robbers made up of brothers who begin their legendary bank raids because of revenge.Walter takes the brothers for a Western ride...
- DirectorAlain ResnaisStarsGérard DepardieuNicole GarciaRoger PierreThe intersecting stories of three people who face difficult choices in life-changing situations are used to illustrate the theories espoused by Henri Laborit about human behavior and the relationship between the self and society.A look at the self-centred human condition as Alain Resnais plays with the audience's intellect...
- DirectorRichard LesterStarsGene HackmanChristopher ReeveMargot KidderSuperman agrees to sacrifice his powers to start a relationship with Lois Lane, unaware that three Kryptonian criminals he inadvertently released are conquering Earth.Still good entertaining fluff...
- DirectorJackie ChanStarsJackie ChanPai WeiBiao YuenA talented martial arts student goes after his expelled brother, who get into bad company.Early Chan at his best...
- DirectorWilliam WiardStarsSteve McQueenLinda EvansRichard FarnsworthAn ex-army scout is hired by ranchers to kill cattle rustlers but he gets into trouble with the corrupt local officials when he's suspected of killing a boy.McQueen still had it...
- DirectorRobert HoustonKenji MisumiStarsTomisaburô WakayamaKayo MatsuoMinoru ÔkiWhen the wife of the Shogun's Decapitator is murdered and he is ordered to commit suicide by the paranoid Shogun, he and his four-year-old son escape and become assassins for hire, embarking on a journey of blood and violent death.Classic violent action scenes for its time...
- DirectorRobert ZemeckisStarsKurt RussellJack WardenGerrit GrahamWhen the owner of a struggling used car lot is killed, it's up to the lot's hot-shot salesman to save the property from falling into the hands of the owner's ruthless brother and used-car rival.Zemeckis entry into the A-list thanks to Russell's performance...
- DirectorBertrand TavernierStarsRomy SchneiderHarvey KeitelHarry Dean StantonIn a future where dying of illness is exceedingly rare, a terminally ill woman becomes a celebrity and a man with camera implants goes to secretly record her for a morbid TV show.Before reality TV became the norm...
- DirectorKen RussellStarsWilliam HurtBlair BrownBob BalabanA psycho-physiologist experiments with drugs and a sensory-deprivation tank and has visions he believes are genetic memories.An interesting path for Russell...
- DirectorJoel OlianskyStarsRichard DreyfussAmy IrvingLee RemickPaul Dietrich, at almost 30 years old, is a fading piano prodigy. Heidi Schoonover is a talented young pianist with a promising future. When Paul hears of an upcoming competition that could make his career, he dedicates himself to winning.Dreyfuss and Irving do it justice...
- DirectorLouis MalleStarsBurt LancasterSusan SarandonKate ReidIn a corrupt city, a small-time gangster and the estranged wife of a pot dealer find themselves thrown together in an escapade of love, money, drugs and danger.If it wasn't for the cast...
- DirectorÉdouard MolinaroStarsMichel SerraultUgo TognazziMarcel BozzuffiThe titular gay couple become involved with local cops and foreign spies when one of them unwittingly obtains a roll of stolen microfilm.And the silliness continues...
- DirectorJohn ByrumStarsNick NolteSissy SpacekJohn HeardThe life and friendship among the icons of the Beat Generation: Neal Cassady, Carolyn Cassady, and Jack Kerouac.Almost pulled it off...
- DirectorHoward ZieffStarsGoldie HawnEileen BrennanArmand AssanteA sheltered young high-society woman joins the United States Army on a whim and finds herself in a trickier situation than she ever expected.Perfect silly vehicle for Goldie...
- DirectorBrian De PalmaStarsMichael CaineAngie DickinsonNancy AllenA mysterious blonde woman kills one of a psychiatrist's patients, and then goes after the high-class call girl who witnessed the murder.De Palma does good trash...
- DirectorClint EastwoodStarsClint EastwoodSondra LockeGeoffrey LewisAn idealistic, modern-day cowboy struggles to keep his Wild West show afloat in the face of hard luck and waning interest.The lighter side of Clint...
- DirectorAdrian LyneStarsJodie FosterCherie CurrieMarilyn KaganA group of four teenage girls come of age in the asphalt desert of Los Angeles' San Fernando Valley arranged with a blazing soundtrack and endless drinking, drugs and sex.Interesting teen flic...
- DirectorAlan ParkerStarsEddie BarthIrene CaraLee CurreriA chronicle of the lives of several teenagers who attend a New York high school for students gifted in the performing arts.Striving for that elusive dream...
- DirectorSamuel FullerStarsLee MarvinMark HamillRobert CarradineA hardened sergeant and the four core members of his infantry unit try to survive World War II as they move from battle to battle throughout Europe.Fuller goes into the mind of the war...
- DirectorWilliam A. GrahamStarsPowers BootheNed BeattyIrene CaraThe real-life story of the Peoples Temple cult led by Reverend Jim Jones and the events involving its move to Guyana and its eventual mass suicide.Boothe does well...
- DirectorWilliam FriedkinStarsAl PacinoPaul SorvinoKaren AllenA police officer goes undercover in the underground S&M gay subculture of New York City to catch a serial killer who is preying on gay men.Pacino goes dark...
- DirectorJack HazanDavid MingayStarsRay GangeJoe StrummerMick JonesA young British punk and roadie for The Clash navigates life in socially torn 1970s England.A curious piece on England as the conservatives come to power and the life of a social outcast collide under the mighty presence of punk band, The Clash...
- DirectorHenry JaglomStarsMichael EmilZack NormanPatrice TownsendTwo small-time thieves (Michael Emil and Zack Norman) come together as a bizarre comic duo in a quest to make their childhood dreams come true. In a limousine stuffed with cash stolen from the mob, they take off for Miami, where they plan to fly to a safe haven in Costa Rica. On the road they pick up a singer/chauffeur (Richard Romanus) plus two unlikely women they meet in a Holiday Inn (Patrice Townsend and Irene Forrest). Then the fun begins. A zany, hilarious, screwball road comedy about sex, money and vitamins, with an exceptional cast who deliver comic performances of manic perfection.Indie road film with charm from Jaglon and a fine company...
- DirectorHarold RamisStarsChevy ChaseRodney DangerfieldBill MurrayAn exclusive golf course has to deal with a flatulent new member and a destructive dancing gopher.Perfect stupidity...
- DirectorJohn CassavetesStarsGena RowlandsBuck HenryJulie CarmenWhen a young boy's family is killed by the mob, their tough neighbor Gloria becomes his reluctant guardian. In possession of a book that the gangsters want, the pair go on the run in New York.Cassavetes goes gun crazy...
- DirectorDario ArgentoStarsLeigh McCloskeyIrene MiracleEleonora GiorgiAn American student investigates the disappearance of his sister and the death of a friend, both connected from New York to Rome by an old alchemy book.The Argento touch...
- DirectorDennis HopperStarsLinda ManzDennis HopperSharon FarrellA young girl whose father is an ex-convict and whose mother is a junkie finds it difficult to conform and tries to find comfort in a quirky combination of Elvis and the punk scene.An interesting one from Hopper...