80’s Movies that Define ‘Cult Films’
Here you’ll find a handful of the cult films from the 1980’s. Some were a hit from day one and others took a bit more time to build a loyal fan base and truly achieve “cult film” status. Some of these films have themes that are offbeat or unique and others borrow common themes and repurpose them in a way no one previously had before.
Cult films run the gamut of genres, from science fiction to drama to teen comedies, but they’re all sure to have memorable characters, scenes, and quotes that are able to endure decades. Devoted cult film fans have such a passion for the movies they love that many of these films now boast repetitive viewings, fan clubs, and websites as their legacy.
E.T.
“He is afraid. He is totally alone. He is 3 million light years from home.”
E.T., a 1982 sci-fi Steven Spielberg movie, holds the record for the #4 grossing film of all time! E.T. earned itself a cult film following that’s still going strong 26 years after it’s’ release. This heart-warming story depicts a young boy, Elliott who befriends the alien, E.T. after he is left stranded on Earth by his spacecraft. Elliott keeps E.T. hidden while trying to help him get back to his home. E.T. gets seriously sick, and because of his special connection to Elliot, the young boy suffers, too. Their relationship blooms into a different kind of friendship in which E.T learns about life on earth and Elliot learns about some new values for the true meaning of friendship.
Top Gun
“Up there with the best of the best.”
Tom Cruise plays Maverick a hot, young pilot that gets sent to the Top Gun Naval Flying School in this 1986 cult film. Although top of his class, he struggles to hold the #1 position. He meets a girl and loses a best friend in this quest to be the best. This movie opened to good reviews, becoming a box office hit that ultimately accumulated more then $350 million worldwide, broke home-video sales, and still has a thriving cult film following today.
The Karate Kid
“Only the 'Old One' could teach him the secrets of the masters.”
In this 1985 cult film, a young boy named Daniel moves to a new town with his mother. There he doesn't fit into the blond surfer crowd, especially after he tries to date one of their girlfriends. As he is getting beat up by a bunch of kids all from the same karate school Daniel sees Miyagi, a handyman. Miyagi jumps in to save him, and then takes the naive Daniel under his wing to show him karate and life aren't all about power, strength, and violence. When training begins, Daniel doesn’t understand Miyagi since he has Daniel painting fences and waxing cars more than learning karate. But by the end of the movie Daniel becomes a skilled and disciplined teenager, known as The Karate Kid.
Footloose
“One kid. One town. One chance.”
Footloose, a classic cult film of the 80’s, tells the familiar tale of teen rebellion and repression. This version of the story mixes torment with dance & music. Ren and his family move from Chicago to a conservative town in the Midwest. And with him come rock music and gyrating dance moves. Though he tries hard to fit in, the streetwise Ren can't believe he's living in a place where rock music and dancing are illegal. Ren organizes a battle against the town and local preacher to abolish the ban and revitalize the spirit of the repressed townspeople, especially before prom.
Dirty Dancing
“First dance. First love. The time of your life.”
"Baby", a sweet daddy's girl, goes with her family to a resort in the Catskill Mountains. Baby becomes infatuated with the camp's dance instructor, Johnny, a man whose background is very different from her own. She ends up filling in as Johnny's dance partner, and while he is teaching her the dance routine they fall in love. After Baby’s father finds out the crowd she has been hanging around he bans her from seeing Johnny and his friends anymore, but she defies her fathers’ wishes. In the film's climactic scene, Johnny, who had been fired, returns to the resort to perform the final dance of the season with Baby. He then utters this cult film's most famous line, "Nobody puts Baby in a corner," as he pulls her up from her parents' table. The movie then ends with an unforgettable dance sequence.
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