We Bet No One Can Name These '80s Movies Without Their Parents' Help
- by Clayton Leir
- – on
- in Movies and TV
It should be noted that there are many 80s films out there that have achieved grand iconic status many times over and for many different reasons. The 80s was certainly a different time. While a lot of people looked at it as a bit of a sketchy time full of excess and little money, it was actually a time of economic boom and the music and movies produced then reflected that, for sure.
There were so many films that featured a coming of age story in one way or another that it seemed all we really cared about was just how to deal with the next chapter of life, whether that was from going from a little kid to a teen or from a teen to an adult or just how to survive once becoming an adult. There were films to cover all of this.
In addition to that, there were films that just had ridiculous storylines and scenarios that took people's minds to another world to escape from the drudgery of everyday life for a while. It was a great time for cinema and there are some very famous films from the era. Below are a few such films but we are willing to bet that no one can name all of these 80s movies without their parents' help.
Name this 80s film!
This is probably one of the most ridiculous but also heartbreakingly hilarious films to have come out of the 80s. Actually...there is pretty well a ton of films from the 80s that exactly fit that description. However, this is one of the few films that actually mixed both live action and classic animation together to create a truly unique experience for all. This certainly worked as a film for both kids and adults alike. In fact, this film often scared little kids because of just how nutty the main villain is and given that the villain was played by Christopher Lloyd, that's not surprising.
Name this 80s film!
Here is a very strange film from the 80s indeed. There is something about this one that really does show just how different the 80s were compared to other decades when it comes to movie making. This film features Robert Downey Jr. from back in his...exciting days, we'll say. Bill Paxton also features in this film. The plot is essentially that two nerds hack into government computing power in order to fuel their incredible machine that brings their dream woman to life from magazine clippings. It seems like a bizarre plot, but it really worked back in the day. It was a big deal.
Name this 80s film!
This is a pretty amazing film that may have not quite stood the test of time. It is not too often anymore that this film is referenced. At least not as heavily as some of the big blockbuster films from the 80s. However, it still has a stellar cast, that is for sure. Jamie Lee Curtis, Eddie Murphy and Dan Aykroyd in a film together? That is a pretty sweet cast if anyone were to ask us. This film has many times been referred to as the modern day version of The Prince and The Pauper. A pretty cool concept.
Name this 80s film!
This is probably one of the most famous of all the 80s films on this list. There should be no surprise that Tom Cruise makes it on to the top list of 80s films. He's been in so many of them and he seems to always make a blockbuster hit with his films as well. And it also does not hurt at all that the film revolves around the great Tom Cruise being an ace pilot. There are some pretty great flight scenes. That being said, there are also some heartbreaking flight scenes as well, unfortunately. It's a cool and serious film.
Name this 80s film!
Here is one of the great creepy films of the 80s. This grand film has been remade in recent years but the remake is nothing compared to the original. The great director John Carpenter is the creator of this incredible film. Starring Kurt Russell, this film really was something beyond all other creepy and creature films. Digging up some nutty entity from under the ice and snow, a research outpost is taken over and no one person can trust another, worried that there is some creature inside them waiting for its moment to strike. It is a very strange and sometimes hilarious movie.
Name this 80s film!
Well, here is one of the biggest classics of the 80s, for sure. This might be one of the most quoted films out there even to this day. We guess there must be something about films that have to do with a dystopian future and some time traveling characters who are looking to make changes to the world, whether for the good or the bad. Arnie really made a good showing in this one. He didn't have to talk all that much and he got to mainly focus on action. It really made him a big deal and he has been known as this character ever since.
Name this 80s film!
"Great Scott!" Here is an 80s classic, for sure. Sure, it is not like the DMC-12 DeLorean ever really lasted beyond this film, but that has not stopped people from building replicas of this car so they too can pretend that they have a time machine. With Michael J. Fox and Christopher Lloyd at the helm of this film and a whole world of past, present and future at their disposal, this film was a wonderful time of great comedy and real drama. Who knew that featuring Huey Lewis on the soundtrack would make such an iconic theme and such a classic film?
Name this 80s film!
Here is one very strange film indeed. Stanley Kubrick created a film that really did get in people's heads back in the day. Sure, looking at it now, it really doesn't seem like it could be much of a creepy movie, but it is a classic of the genre. Starring Jack Nicholson, there is perhaps some of his most iconic work coming from this film. Some of his greatest lines and some of the most hilarious of his memes come from this film. Not to mention the fact that this film has been referenced all over tv and film, including a classic episode of The Simpsons.
Name this 80s film!
Oh, here is a great 80s film from back when Carey Elwes was still a dashing and incredibly desired man. After the 80s, he really only did a notable stint in Twister in the 90s and SAW in the 00s. But he is not the only big name in this film. Let's not forget Robin Wright, Andre The Giant, and Billy Crystal. Of course, Andre is no longer with us but that doesn't change the fact that he was an awesome addition to this film. And who does not enjoy at least some of the comedy of Billy Crystal? Great cast; great film.
Name this 80s film!
This is a pretty iconic film, for sure. It is almost like the referencing can never truly come to an end with this one. Sure, the references that are out there now are not near as obvious as some might like but the band Atreyu is a pretty big one. That is the name of the lead character of the film after all. The graphics and what not, looking back, are not all that astounding, but if one were to go back to that time, this movie was groundbreaking for sure. There was always a big use of puppets in the 80s, and this went above and beyond.
Name this 80s film!
Here is perhaps one of the greatest vampire movies of all time. Sure, don't get us wrong here, Nosferatu and Dracula are clearly very important films when it comes to the vampire genre but there is something about this film that really changed the game when it came to future vamp movies. This film combined a healthy mix of comedy and drama and with that wonderful twist that is that bizarre 80s essence, this film paved the way for a whole world of vamp movies that did the same thing through the 80s, 90s, and 00s. And who doesn't likes Kiefer Sutherland's mullet?
Name this 80s film!
"Wax on, wax off". This is a pretty famous film that probably doesn't get referenced much anymore aside from that very famous waxing line that definitely still gets a good amount of use. There is something that is still pretty cool about a coming of age story like this one that is based on something as seemingly simple as the study and training in of martial arts. This is still something that we sort of see today but not in such a cheesy way as this film did. But this film still had all manner of drama amidst the ridiculous 80s vibe.
Name this 80s film!
"Hey, you guys!" If there is someone here taking this quiz who does not know this film simply based on the quotation we put here alone, then we are not quite sure how it is that said person could know anything about 80s pop culture at all without the help of their parents. This is not the only Corey Feldman film on this list and it is also not the only treasure hunting film on this list either. When a bunch of kids might lose their home, they follow a pirate treasure map in hopes of saving their home from the villainous developers.
Name this 80s film!
This is certainly the greatest film of the original trilogy, that is for sure. We think we should be pretty hard pressed to find someone who did not agree with that. This might also actually just be the best of all of the films from each of the three trilogies as well as the spinoff films in the same universe. There is something about this film that just truly encapsulates the world that George Lucas created and it pulls in so much from the darker aspects of each of the characters. This is truly a masterpiece of this particular genre.
Name this 80s film!
Here is one of the crown jewels of the entire canon of 80s movies. This is probably one of the most quotable and most referenced 80s films out there today. There is just something about five very different people stuck in detention on a Saturday that really makes for some very interesting comedy and drama. It seems that the 80s had a pretty good grasp of the dramedy thing. There was usually a pretty good mix to make the film appeal to a wide audience and still make a point at the same time. This film certainly made a point.
Name this 80s film!
Oh, hey, look! It just so happens to be yet another Corey Feldman film. This kid was all over the 80s like white on rice. It is just too bad that his adult work was not near as successful as his childhood work. That doesn't stop his performances from being creepy, dramatic and/or hilarious though. This particular movie has a pretty good mix of all of that. It is a sort of coming of age story that revolves around going to see a body after a journey through a swamp and dealing with personal obstacles of one kind or another.
Name this 80s film!
This is one of the most intense of the 80s drama films this movie features a good chunk of the big name actors of the era and it was heavy hitting to say the least. There is all manner of drama in this film from relationship issues to professional aspirations, and from yearning for a disinterested lover to childcare. This movie is all about becoming an adult and just how to deal with it. There were plenty of teen films in the 80s but this really aimed to deal with life from the college level and beyond. Featuring music by Kenny Loggins.
Name this 80s film!
Here is one of the more...physically rough of the films of the 80s. Al Pacino takes on the role of a Cuban who comes across the Gulf to the U.S. on what was then called a "banana boat". His name is Tony Montana and he does not really care what anyone thinks or wants. He just wants money. His thought is that once he has money, he will have power and once he has power then he'll have the woman he wants. Of course, he gets all of those things but still ends up yearning for me until he oversteps his bounds quite intensely.
Name this 80s film!
Whoever thought that John Cusack was in a high school movie!? Well, it's true. This film is the ridiculous story of one man (or one teenager) yearning for the love of one of the smartest and most beautiful girls in the high school. And while she does actually go along with it all and feels the same way about Cusack's character, it is ultimately her father who serves as the antagonist throughout the piece. Having been divorced and happening to be a big control freak, he is consistently making it rather difficult for their relationship to run at all smooth.
Name this 80s film!
This is one of the great and underrated films of the 80s for sure. There are some moments of comedy in the film but predominantly it is high fantasy and quite a lot of drama. Imagine Matthew Broderick in a fairly serious fantasy. To be fair, he is pretty well the only comic relief but still, he remains also quite a serious and important part of the plot of the film. He is not always appreciated or trusted but he is the one who helps in the breaking of a curse so that two lovers who have been forced apart may be together again.
Name this 80s film!
This is probably one of the most ridiculous of all the 80s films on the list. Sure, it is a Tom Cruise film but the premise is something that, even in the desensitized world that we live in now would probably never get passed the social justice warriors of the day. Essentially, Cruise's character and his best friend hire a...lady of the night when his parents are away and after getting the bill (and after crashing his dad's Porsche), he ends up making bank the only way he can think of...by turning his parents' house into a...house of ill repute.
Name this 80s film!
This is a pretty iconic film of the 80s right here. There is something about the rebuilding of this giant space station that really hits hard on the characters and the audience alike, all the way through the ranks. They know the power of the station and must do everything in their power to stop it from disappearing yet another planet. This film introduces the ridiculous yet famous Ewoks who even had their own animated show back in the 80s. That was something to behold, for sure. Either way, this is what should have remained the culminating film of the franchise, for sure.
Name this 80s film!
Back when Harrison Ford was at the top of his game he played a pretty iconic character that certainly still resonates today. Of course, this probably has to do with the fact that the most recent film to come out with this character was actually not all that many years ago, as compared to the 80s. Either way, this particular film features Ford having to face off against a significant group of enemies who are searching for a rather powerful relic. The interesting thing here is that if Ford's character never got involved in the first place, the exact same ending would take place.
Name this 80s film!
Imagine Robert De Niro...pretty easily done, right? Now imagine Robert De Niro as a man who just cannot control his anger and takes all of it out in the boxing ring while he tries to deal with a woman he's in love with and his yearning for the championship. This lack of control is what ends up costing De Niro everything in this heartbreaking film. It even cost him about 50 extra pounds that he put on for the ending of the film. And he was pretty cut during the rest of the movie. Joe Pesci is a great co-star in this piece.
Name this 80s film!
The 80s were filled with a certain kind of film. That is just a fact. There are probably more coming of age films from the 80s than any other decade. And sure, every decade does have their own style of coming of age sorts of films but the ones that come from the 80s are just incredibly iconic and really do still resonate for a lot of people today. This particular film stars Molly Ringwald who was pretty much an 80s teen superstar for a time. While she did fade away from the big screen after the 80s, she really played a big role in some of these 80s movies.
Name this 80s film!
This is one of the creepier films of the 80s and it inspired all manner of references through the film and gaming industries, without a single doubt. The number of games that feature this creature is ridiculous. And aside from all of that, this creature was so iconic that it was even put up against yet another iconic 80s film creature in an epic duel film that came out in sometime in the 00s. People loved that film so much that they even made a sequel for it as well. There is something about this stalking creature that can cloak itself that really draws people in...like a trap!
Name this 80s film!
Here is one of the best films from the late and great David Bowie. Starring the lovely Jennifer Connelly, this film features a who collection of Jim Henson puppetry and a great list of music for the soundtrack. How could it not be great when David Bowie is singing on it, right? Either way, this film is all about a stolen little brother who is meant to be turned into a goblin unless the bigger sister can overcome her own personal issues and rise above the likes of the goblin king to push away his power and take her little bro back.
Name this 80s film!
Ah, one of the best Christmas movies out there, hands down. At least one of the very best critter Christmas films, that's for sure. There is something about these cute little creatures who go a little nutty after midnight, especially when hit with water. Just getting these guys a little bit wet means a whole world of trouble for a whole lot of people. This is actually one of the darker films that appears on this list and while it is certainly a Christmas comedy of sorts, there is still its fair share of pretty nutty darkness. It's a lot of fun though, either way.
Name this 80s film!
If there is someone taking this quiz who just can't actually figure out what film this is simply by this photo then there is something wrong. This is one that everyone should be able to recognize without having to worry about asking mom or dad. This is very much an important part of pop culture even today. After all, there was a whole new remake of the film not that many years ago now and while it was met with a whole bunch of controversy, that does not mean that it isn't still an important part of pop culture. "I ain't afraid of no ghost".
Name this 80s film!
Here is a very interesting film. There have been a ton of movies done about the war in Vietnam, that is for sure. No doubt there at all. But this particular film takes a very interesting look at things. There are moments of hilarity but there are definitely some creepy and unsettling moments as well. While this might not be an entirely realistic look at the training for and eventual deployment to Vietnam, Stanley Kubrick's take on this sort of world event was still very striking all the same and really did shake a lot of people. This movie is still heavily quoted today.
Name this 80s film!
Well, here is the thing. If those taking this quiz can't actually get the answer to this from something as simple as the sign to Camp Crystal Lake, then there is really not much hope of getting this one right. This film is one of the greats when it comes to the "slasher film" genre. Camp Crystal Lake is a very key location where a little boy was left unsupervised by the camp staff. He went into the lake...but didn't come out. So it is natural for his mother to want to take matters into her own hands. It sounds sane.
Name this 80s film!
This is a great film when it comes to dealing with issues like censorship, for sure. Kevin Bacon stars in this film about a little town in the U.S. that has banned both dancing and rock 'n' roll. That is pretty nutty sounding, right? They actually made those things illegal in this quiet little town that Bacon's character now calls home. So what does he do? He goes out of his way to bring rock and dance back to the town. In order to actually succeed, he has to overtake John Lithgow's character: the influential minister in the town who helped ban it all to begin with.
Name this 80s film!
Imagine a young woman working her days away at a steel mill. With us so far? Then imagine that she has a night job where she dances at a bar. Beyond that, imagine that her boss has a thing for her and is very supportive of what he thinks could be a world of dance for her in the future and that is essentially this film. Throw some ballet and a build up to audition for a prestigious dance school and that is pretty much the whole deal. This is a beautiful film though, with great music, great dance and iconic 80s charm.
Name this 80s film!
This film is one of the more quotable and heavily referenced of all the 80s films here. That might have something to do with the fact that this film is all about three teens slowly coming of age while they simultaneously skip out on a day of school for adventure and fun. Cameron doesn't like to have fun much and tends to stay home, away from everything. But his good buddy and his girlfriend take him out on an adventure which forces him to face his parents and their controlling ways. Always a fun film to watch over and again.
Name this 80s film!
Here is a film all about just getting started on the dating scene. Love triangles and advice from already...experienced best friends, this is essentially the reality of high school for many but just taken to the ninth degree. And let us not forget Sean Penn's iconic role in this film as the stoner kid who wants to do nothing more than have a toke and go surfing. He spends pretty well the entirety of the film battling it out with one of the teachers from the school while working for that freedom that would just allow him to bake and cut the surf.
Name this 80s film!
No one should actually need a scene from this film in order to guess what it is. And no one should have to actually guess what the film is in the first place. This should be a pretty easy one from just looking at this character. Hands down, this is one of the more notable films from the 80s even if it is not one of the most viewed these days. Everyone knows at least one quotation from it. Or they at least know that Drew Barrymore featured in it when she was something like five years old. Is it time to "phone home"?
Name this 80s film!
"Nobody puts Baby in the corner". Those who don't get that line might struggle with just how to sort out this film but that is probably the most quoted line from this film, for sure. It has been used in all sorts of film and TV since this movie came out. Community, the comedy that is known for pretty much being nothing but reference humor, uses that line in the very first episode of the very first season. Patrick Swayze (rest in peace) takes on instructing a naive girl who wants nothing more than to join the Peace Corps. A pretty thrilling movie, for sure.
Name this 80s film!
Ridley Scott takes on Harrison Ford and puts him into this rather futuristic and somewhat dystopian world where there are people and then there are "replicants". Well, forced to take on his old job, Harrison Ford must go and hunt down four replicants who are wandering about the realm. His job is to eliminate them. However, this becomes a little more complicated when he makes a pit stop and ends up falling in love with a replicant as well. Clearly, his job is a bit more difficult when he realizes that perhaps these replicants are more like himself than he thought.
Name this 80s film!
This was a box office smash, for sure. It brought in over $316 million while it was in the theatres. That is a pretty sweet return on a film that only cost $15 million to produce. Either way, it is very interesting to see the likes of Eddie Murphy going out in a film that is rated R and giving it his all. It is not often that Murphy is part of a rated R film so having him out and about cussing and fighting without reckless abandon is actually pretty cool to see. Sure, the film is funny too, but it is definitely an action/drama.
Name this 80s film!
Here is one of the greatest 80s films that we definitely love, across the board. Sure, it can be more than a little crude and it certainly brings a whole lot of that 80s essence to it but on top of all of that, it also has the nuttiness of not only Tim Burton but also of Michael Keaton, Winona Ryder, Alec Baldwin, Catherine O'Hara and Jeffrey Jones. That is a pretty star-studded cast to say the very least. And given the antics that they all get up to in this macabre little tale, it is no wonder that this character is so well-known.
Name this 80s film!
Well, isn't this just a face that only a mother could love? This is Jack Nicholson. Obviously, this is not his normal face but it is still pretty clearly Nicholson. He has a way about him that already makes him look a bit creepy *cough* The Shining *cough*. He has a way about him that unsettles people, for sure. Either way, this interesting clown-like face is the result of a chemical incident. Of course, this does not stop him from moving on in life...it just drives him a little nutty and he goes on a crime spree all over the city.
Name this 80s film!
This is probably one of the cooler films on this list that many people have just sort of left by the wayside. And that is too bad because this is a wonderful sequel film (which is not something that is uttered all that often in all seriousness). Imagine that Dorothy goes back to the land that she managed to escape from before and she must save the land all over again but from a different and even creepier character. This is a very dark sequel, especially when compared to the very original film. There is not much light in this film at all.
Name this 80s film!
Certainly one of the creepier movies on this list, this is the very first installment of a seven film franchise. Sure, there was a remake a few years ago but that hardly counts and should remain unwatched. Either way, this film came out in 1984 and was the film debut of the super famous Johnny Depp. That's right, this is the very first film that he starred in. He worked alongside notables Heather Langenkamp, Robert Englund, and John Saxon. Unfortunately, for him, he does not quite make it all the way through the film, though he is one of the last to go.
Name this 80s film!
This guy seems to always be getting himself into trouble no matter what he does or where he goes. Of course, in this case, he is going out of his way to try and bail his father out of a pretty difficult situation. His father was searching for the Holy Grail and so the two team up and go searching together at a certain point before some old enemies pop up again and predictably go out of their way to try and make grand sweeping speeches and over the top end games scenarios. It's a corny movie but it is still famous.
Name this 80s film!
Even without seeing a specific scene from this film, it should be trivially easy to look at this creature and know exactly just what film it is from. After all, the films featuring this creature did not stop as far back as the 80s. The very first of four films came out in the 80s but it was still going on through the 90s as well and even beyond that there have been several films produced where this creature takes on yet another iconic creature of the era. Not to mention the toys, comics and references that are strewn all about the nerd world.