The 1980s saw some of the greatest hits in Hollywood. In fact, some of these films are so iconic that they’ve even found a following among younger audiences, decades later. Many movies from the 80s have made it to the ‘must-watch’ list, and for good reason. In fact, we can see the influence of these movies and their stars even today in more ways than one.
Movies from this decade redefined not just cinema but also created major trends as well as genres. With action movies, science fiction epics, teen dramas, and comedies, this decade had a little bit of everything.
Redefining Trends
If you think of fashion, there are many trends from the 80s that became big and, in fact, keep coming back in vogue every few years. The outfits from the 80s are the most recognizable if you compare them with any other era. This is probably why we continue to see so many 80s-themed parties and people even dressing up as famous 80s characters on Halloween. Of course, there are some obvious influences here, such as ‘Footloose’ and ‘The Breakfast Club’, classics in every way.
However, you probably don’t really associate fashion with the big action films of the 80s. But if you see someone dressed up just like Daniel LaRusso or Mr. Miyagi from The Karate Kid, it would probably not take you more than a second to identify the film and the characters. You would also not have any problem recognizing a Terminator-inspired outfit, or even one inspired by Blade Runner. And we cannot possibly ignore Indiana Jones, who has managed to amass a cult following across the world.
The 80s is also the decade when we really started seeing other genres on the big screen. One of these is science fiction. How can we forget that the first Star Wars movie came out in 1980? And then, there was Steven Spielberg’s classic E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial in 1982, which can conjure up tears even four decades later.
Inspiring Spin-Offs
The movies from the 80s have left such a deep mark on the popular imagination that the themes, movies, and characters continue to be explored in other forms as well. One of these ways is through remakes and movie franchises. A number of films from the era have had successful remakes, such as RoboCop and The Karate Kid. Others like Star Wars and Terminator triggered entire franchises which are still very much alive.
Another big way in which the 80s movies are still very relevant is their presence across online gaming. Essentially, it’s possible to play slots for real money while hanging out with your favorite 80s heroes. Many game developers have created video games and casino slot games inspired by the epic 80s movies and characters, which continue to be immensely popular even today. For instance, many of the films mentioned above have beloved games that are based on them (such as Terminator), or characters inspired by them (such as the adventurous archaeologist Rich Wilde who will remind you of Indiana Jones in many ways).
The 80s evoke a certain sense of nostalgia in the best of us. And the films from this decade are great conversation starters that can help you instantly connect with your peers or fellow film aficionados. The fashion from the 80s is very popular and it keeps making comebacks in modern fashion and is a great go-to theme for parties too. This was also the decade when action movies as well as the casino theme peaked. That’s why these movies continue to remain popular even decades later.
