Here’s a movie I could dedicate a blog of its own to (and people probably have). What we have here is one of the most funniest and iconic 80’s comedies with the hottest comedy names of the time.
Instead of describing in length what’s so great about this movie, I’ll just urge you to watch it if you’re into eighties and movie spoofs made in the vein of Airplane and Naked Gun.
To me, this is the best movie Mel Brooks ever made.
80s-o-meter: 92%
Total: 91%
In short: Betsy Russell plays a girl mechanic everyone calls a Tomboy.
I was expecting a drama comedy about girl who has to face a society fixated on traditional gender roles and her fighting against the prejudice.
Well..
It pretty soon becomes clear this movie exists to show a few pair of tits. Not to say that this is entirely a bad thing – they are generally pretty nice tits. The movie itself is pretty clumsy, the actors struggle, cuts don’t seem to match an so on. Russell is the most natural one of the cast, but she’s hopelessly unconvincing as a world’s greatest master mechanic. In the middle of the movie there’s a scene with a party and all of a sudden everyone seems to be naked.
It’s a pretty odd experience all in all, this one.
The movie is made in 1985, but the format resembles crazy comedies of early eighties with lots of naked skin and no actual plot to speak of. It’s a comedy, but delivers no laughs and as such it feels more like lighthearted drama.
80s-o-meter: 85%
Total: 45%
Like the t-shirt in the poster suggests, Full Moon High is a werewolf movie based on the campy 50s I Was a Teenage Werewolf teen flick, and a some kind of parody at that.
Not having seen the original movie, the parody part escapes me, but otherwise Full Moon High is kind of a crazy comedy done in the vein of Airplane. There are a few small chuckles to be had, but the writing is nowhere sharp enough to warrant all the nonsense we’re seeing on the screen.
The comedic concept of Full Moon High was picked up again four years later with pretty much the same, uninspired concept in perhaps even more mediocre, but more commercially succesful Teen Wolf. People’s fascination with werewolves has always totally escaped me, and Full Moon High nothing but strengthens my opinion at the subject.
80s-o-meter: 55%
Total: 58%
She’s hilarious! She’s captivating! She’s wonderful! She’s a Beverly Hills babe in the woods Troop Beverly Hills is a story of a rich and pampered Beverly Hills house wife trying to make it as a girl scout troop leader.
As such it is very light hearted fun and to be honest is first seemed to be even too silly and frivolous to carry the whole 100 minutes. Luckily the movie soon finds its heart and the always sweet Shelley Long leads the role of superficial but well-meaning and sympathetic Beverly Hills mom perfectly.
Surprisingly solid comedy where in real 80’s style all problems – even divorces – are solved by winning a competition in the end.
80s-o-meter: 88%
Total: 78%
Starring Danny DeVito and Arnold Schwarzenegger, Twins is a treat of an 80s comedy. Having watched this movie over and over so many times I’m almost disqualified to rate this movie objectively. But hear me out.
This being Arnold’s first comedy, the movie seems tailored to him. The unlikely chemistry with DeVito works very fluently, and they really end up complementing each other. The movie also ticks a lot of boxes for the 80s-o-meter with its palm trees, cars, babes, drama and iconic baddies. What can I say, I love it.
Directed by the superb Ivan Reitman (Stripes, Ghostbusters) and features Kelly Preston, easily one of the hottest eighties babes.
And that scene with the Stallone poster. Pure comedy gold.
80s-o-meter: 92%
Total: 94%
Fletch’s adventures in the deep south still entertain and make for a pretty decent comedy thriller, but this time around the constant wisecracking seems much less snappy, and tends to get a bit tiresome after awhile.
80s-o-meter: 90%
Total: 82%
I’ll kick off this project with Fletch, starring Chevy Chase who dominated the comedy movie scene in the 80s. Chevy plays Irwin ”Fletch” Fletcher, a journalist who gets involved in drug trafficking case and goes after the suspects in many of his disguises.
The character is based on the novel Fletch (1974) by Gregory Mcdonald that spawned a series of 11 books over the years. Fletch movie series itself spawned a somewhat decent sequel called Fletch Lives (1989).
The movie is also known for having a catchy theme by Harold Faltermeyer (Beverly Hills Cop, The Running Man, Tango & Cash).
Fletch, an investigating reporter is a perfect vessel for Chevy Chase’s style of comedy; utterly stupid but undoubtedly funny and pretty much as 80s as they come.
80s-o-meter: 92%
Total: 90%
