A teenager (Jennifer Connelly) ventures into a magical maze to save her abducted infant brother from the clutches of the Goblin King (David Bowie) in Jim Henson Labyrinth. Guest blogger Barry P. explores the 1986 fantasy film and cult favorite.
Read more →1980s Movies
William Friedkin’s Cruising Out of the Closet
Protested by gay activists, trashed by critics, and shoved into the corner of movie history, William Friedkin’s “Cruising” is a bold, brilliant thriller that deserves a place among the important films of its time. Not that the movie doesn’t go out of its way to help some people get the wrong idea…
Read more →First Monday in October
Rushed to release when Sandra Day O’Connor was nominated to the Supreme Court by President Reagan, “First Monday in October” was very much a film of its time. And guess what? It’s still relevant today.
Read more →Slice ‘Em and Dice ‘Em: A Tribute to ‘80s Slasher Films
The 1980s gave us MTV, New Coke, and the heyday of the “splatter film.” In this classic MovieFanFare post, we go back to the Reagan Era for a blood-soaked salute to Prom Night, The Burning, Phenomena and other grisly goodies.
Read more →Ninja III: The Domination Is Vintage 1984
MovieFanFare joins Forgotten Films’ 1984-Blog-a-thon fun with this appreciation of the crazy Cannon Film Group release about a telephone repairwoman who loves aerobics and gets possessed by the spirit of a dead ninja.
Read more →Crossing “The Border” Today
Director Tony Richardson’s 1982 film “The Border,” which stars Jack Nicholson in one of his most underrated performances, has a lot to offer to anyone looking for a mature drama about the crisis that has once more taken command of our public discourse.
Read more →Das Boot: WWII Drama Beneath the Waves
U.S. moviegoers got a look at World War II through the eyes of a German U-boat crew in director Wolfgang Petersen’s acclaimed Das Boot (The Boat). Guest writer Barry P. takes the plunge and reviews the 1981 drama, originally shown as a TV miniseries.
Read more →Underrated Films of the ’80s
Continuing our survey-by-decade of too-good-to-be-forgotten cinema, we’ve reached back to the Reagan Era for more recommendations for revisits.
Read more →An Angel Earns His Wings of Desire
Ask people what their favorite “angel” movie is, and I daresay a majority of movie fans might say “It’s a Wonderful Life,” especially during the holiday season. I go my own way, and pick “Wings of Desire”–at this time of year or any other.
Read more →Believing (or not) in The Ninth Configuration
Are you a devoted disciple of William Peter Blatty’s 1980 film “The Ninth Conifguration”? If not, let me try to convert you; this cult film from the writer of “The Exorcist” is a mind-bending marvel…
Read more →