5 80’s Gems You Should See On Tubi
The decade of the 80’s was great for so many reasons. Especially when it comes to entertainment. The film and music of the era was unbeatable. But the 80’s was also known as the decade of excess and that wasn't for nothing. The decade saw what can only be described as an abundance of cinematic offerings. From *Batteries Not Included to Zorro: The Gay Blade it was probably the most eclectic decade in entertainment history. With that kind of quantity it’s no surprise that some good films get lost in the shuffle. Here are some lesser known films of the decade that can be watched free with ads on TUBItv.
At Close Range
Director: James Foley
Starring: Sean Penn, Christopher Walken, Mary Stuart Masterson, Crispen Glover, Chris Penn.
Don't let the poor box office of this movie fool you. Penn and Walken are at their best throughout this film. The film is a bit of a slow burn in the first thirty minutes, (not uncommon for an 80’s drama) but the last half of the film makes up for it in a big way. It's an interesting portrayal of the dynamics of a low level crime family in Pennsylvania. Penn, fresh off of Fast Times At Ridgemont High and The Falcon And The Snowman, shows the range that has made him one of the best actors of his generation. As for Christopher Walken, well, he's Christopher Walken. What else can you say? While watching it recently, I remembered that the 80’s was a great decade for beautiful young starlets. Mary Stuart Masterson was no exception. Also, it had a great soundtrack, like most 80’s films. Buoyed by Live To Tell, maybe one of Madonna's best songs
Escape From Sobibor
Director: Jack Gold
Starring: Alan Arkin, Rutger Hauer, Joanna Pacula, Hartmut Becker.
A 1987 British television film, It is the story of the mass escape from the Nazi extermination camp at Sobibor, the most successful uprising by Jewish prisoners of German extermination camps. Brilliantly acted by Arkin and Hauer, the film is made even better by the performance of Hartmut Becker as the evil SS guard Gustav Wagner. Bad guys make good movies and he was a great bad guy. Emotional and shocking, it's hard not to get bowled over by the brutal honesty of this film. This may be a take that will shock some people, but I think it’s almost as good as Schindler's List. And that won, like, ALL the awards.
Runaway
Director: Michael Crichton
Starring: Tom Sellick, Gene Simmons, Cynthia Rhodes.
Already a bit of a cult classic, this one is a film that has become oddly relevant again as we go deeper into the age of tech. Terribly dated, the film still meets a couple required elements of a good action thriller. A great climax and an amazing bad guy. Sellick was, at this point, in the early stages of his Magnum P.I. fame and decided to make his first real shot at cinema glory. Unfortunately, Gene Simmons turns in one of the great Villain performances of the 80’s with his turn as Dr. Luther and kinds of runs away with the film. Cynthia Rhoads doesn't do much in the film except look good, which is unfortunate because in films like Saturday Night Fever and Dirty Dancing she shows pretty clearly that she’s got great screen presence. While watching the film recently, I thought it was interesting that we are in the same place now with A.I.and trying to figure out how it will impact our lives moving forward. Remake? Check out our review here.
Killer Klowns From Outer Space
Director: The Chiodo Brothers
Starring: Grant Cramer, John Allen Nelson, John Vernon.
It concerns a clan of evil extraterrestrials who resemble clowns. They arrive on Earth and invade a small town in order to capture, kill and harvest the human inhabitants to use as sustenance by drinking their blood. Yes, this movie is goofy as hell. But it's a great horror comedy. The creature effects are fantastic and not just for the time. They still hold up (The Chiodo Bros went on to do the effects for films like Critters, RoboCop and Elf). The “Shadow Puppet” scene is hilarious and the campy nature of the film makes it an easy watch for kids while the innuendo will make the adults giggle. Admittedly, I have a personal connection to this film. It was filmed in my home town of Santa Cruz California, so it’s one of my personal favorites. Check out our review here.
Vision Quest
Director: Harold Becker
Starring: Matthew Modine, Linda Fiorentino, Michael Schoeffling and Ronny Cox.
Based on Terry Davis's 1979 novel of the same name, Modine plays a Spokane high school wrestler who falls in love with an older woman, an aspiring artist from New Jersey on her way to San Francisco. Modine was one of the kings of 80’s cinema and he shows why in this movie. The real star is Linda Florentino in her feature film debut. She is not only beautiful but she gives a masterful performance as the outsider that nearly ruins Modine’s plans to win the big wrestling match. Ronnie Cox turns in a stellar job in a supporting role as Modine’s father. This is my second favorite film by Becker behind TAPS (1981). The film was one of many 80’s films that had a great soundtrack including Crazy For You by Madonna. Possibly the best love song from the 80’s.
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