The BEST 4K UHD Releases Of The 1980s!

[@jpenir]

For me The Thing is the best looking 80s 4K I've ever seen

[@021om6]

Wait no way you left out Blade Runner The Shining Poltergeist The Running Man Stand by me Major League Indiana Jones The lost boys Top Gun Empire strikes back Return of the Jedi E.T The Thing Predator Karate kid trilogy Purple Rain All of those transfers were spectacular!

[@Neonmirrorblack]

I can't agree with Predator, and I don't know why everyone keeps giving it such high marks. The grain on it is overbearing and the audio is quite bad, and extremely tinny sounding. Yes, I'm talking about the UHD, not just the blu-ray that's even worse. I do agree with most of the rest of your list though.

[@marcoesquandolez4737]

Such great titles from the 1980’s I own almost all of these and they are all fantastic!

[@midlevelmedia]

Agreed!

[@TheOriginalFuzz]

Very cool list & topic Ken! Mine would probably be quite similar and have many of the same titles. I love that you included Halloween III on your list. It's one of my favorite Halloween movies (next JC's original). And I agree about the 4K... it looks incredible. Probably my favorite Halloween franchise 4K as well, so you're definitely not alone in that view. Also From Beyond is another favorite 80s 4K for me.

[@Sammy_X7]

The Shining 4K transfer is incredible. Top 10 worthy.

[@thecrow1482]

There’s actually a new back to the future trilogy box set 4K coming out on June 4th That’s not in cardboard and in three individual cases thank God. It’s on Amazon as a preorder as well.

[@midlevelmedia]

They need to do them individually with slips like they did for the Hitchcock and Monster films

[@thecrow1482]

In the new box that they do come in individual cases with original poster artwork for each movie, no more cardboard, thankfully but no slip covers unfortunately.

[@thecrow1482]

Here is a pre-order link and pictures of how the new boxset looks like

[@randybradley4151]

I like Aliens and The Abyss. Many hated them because there wasn't a sandstorm of film grain.

[@TotalMeltdown2]

You should never use AI and DNR to "restore" a classic film

[@bened22]

That's not the reason why we didn't like "Aliens" on 4K. The problems were face sharpening, blown out highlights, sitcom color grading, no real HDR enhancement, non-filmic look of a classic film, ruined audio with missing dialog. It's a joke of a transfer and the fact that you like it doesn't change that. You can't change objective reality with your preferences. "The Abyss" is overally fine.

[@batman.darthmaul]

Hey, Randy. I agree; Aliens looks really great.

[@mig1017]

I like both the Alien and Aliens 4ks.

[@randybradley4151]

@@bened22 I've seen more complaints about the film grain then what you mentioned. The only one I've seen complaints like this for recent Cameron movies was True Lies and I also agree, but it's still not as bad as T2.

[@ralphlaney4620]

Back to the Future Trilogy is my all time favorite 😊

[@jonathangreen7398]

Ken, I totally agree! Just bought the arrow release of Robocop two weeks ago and just recently watched it. Arrow video nailed it with a borderline perfect transfer. Can’t wait for Robocop 2 scream factory release in June too!

[@fettmatic4106]

I own Robocop, Howard the Duck & Scarface. The few 4ks I own & like are: Predator, ESB, ROTJ, Cloak & Dagger & Conan Chronicles. Btw, the new BTF trilogy comes out on 6/4 and there own case with slipcovers.

[@mutiger2001]

I love how you are hyping up the LA smog looking beautiful on 4k!

[@reginaldforthright805]

Here are some more: Killer Klowns Conan Hellraiser 2 Return of the living dead Dragon slayer Temple of doom Labyrinth The shining Total recall Blues brothers

[@patricklena9062]

Kenny You have to do part 2. You left a lot of films out, What about aliens, Platoon, National lampoon's vacation, so many you looked over

[@Mr._AV_Nerd]

1. The Shining 2. The Thing 3. Back to the Future 4. Stand By Me 5. Christine 6. Poltergeist 7. Full Metal Jacket 8. Fright Night 9. Raging Bull 10. Ferris Bueller’s Day Off

[@444chroma]

The Princess Bride and Beetlejuice are 2 of my favorite 80s 4ks

[@JonLefev]

Thanks Ken!

[@midlevelmedia]

Welcome!

[@garyrichardson475]

I saw a RoboCop opening weekend at the Mann Chinese on Hollywood Boulevard. THX was a big thing back then and I recall it sounding really good.

[@ozzy.....7383]

The bttf box set is so good I want to buy it again every time I see it. So many extras you will never be able to watch it all. I tried

[@kondorr]

The new ROADHOUSE is amazing. True feel good movie. Cant wait for the 4k.

[@Gaming-Enthusiast]

Great pickups , just jumped back into collecting 4k media after halting my collection few yrs back in favour of my gaming consoles. Now buying some awesome upgrades from dvd to 4k 👌👌👌

[@jjchmiel78]

I am surprised you didn't put The Golden Shower...huh umm Flashdance on there.

[@russwalker3603]

Ken ken ken - The shinning is the best 4k from the 80's. I don't think anything could look better. Also I really love Predator, die hard looked pretty good as well as beetlejuice and batman

[@ShaMicKan]

It saddens me the argument for Halloween 3 still has to be made all these years later. If you ignored the title I think more would see what a gem it is. Great cast, insane plot, ridiculous one liners. It’s one of the best early 80’s horror films I own.

[@nunyabidness7547]

return of the living dead looks great on 4k

[@hareypujols9059]

Would love to see a video for all the decades lol

[@monijam1]

The Thing, Blade Runner, The Shinning, Silver Bullet, Creepshow 1 & 2, Children of the Corn, Predator...

[@jamesgarrison7397]

Where did you get those shelves?

[@Reggaebeatman]

Great List, 80s Rule !!! anyone see "Teen Wolf" 🐺 in 80s with M.J Fox. Such an awsome actor 😅 Family Ties. They dont make good family tv shows like that anymore 😢

[@midlevelmedia]

We need Teen Wolf on 4K. Absolutely love it.

[@bahet1061]

Back To the Future Trilogy on 4K comes out in two weeks on June 4th in a box set featuring 4K and Blu-ray in individual UHD cases.

[@jahdorose8659]

I have the ultimate back to the future trilogy as well as RoboCop director cut

[@lacrossed55]

The BTTF trilogy has disk issues. There are sound drop and freezing around 48 mm disk one

[@midlevelmedia]

I had no issues.

[@lacrossed55]

@midlevelmedia Yeah. I just got my replacement set. Fingers crossed, but it seems to be a pretty wide issue. My other disc's worked, others had issues with those. I wish I could have just returned the bad disk b/c my luck, the other disks are jacked up

[@peppersmith]

8ED209, HIII is my best Halloween Classic movie. Yes, i still love the first Halloween. But i guess i really like the 3rd because - "8 more days til Halloween, Halloween. lol... NotC is a classic all the way..Chief Woodenhead. This is why i hav a Huge selection. When i want to watch a Classic 4real. I jus whip out the disc.

[@mikmo8597]

Where is The Thing???

[@randybradley4151]

Not on this list.

[@midlevelmedia]

A great one that I could have included, but didn’t want the list to turn into horror only.

[@HECTORMONTALVO-le9cn]

Definitely that's missing!🤔

[@kondorr]

Temple of Doom is also an amazing 4k. My fav from 80ies.

[@midlevelmedia]

That was the best looking of the original 3

[@kondorr]

@@midlevelmedia Agree a 100% Was even a tad dissappointed that RAIDERS did not look THAT good.

[@timothymathetes]

Have you seen The Untouchables in 4k? Amazing looking. Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade looks great too.

[@jcanada9405]

Howard the duck is a blast. Love that movie. Yeah Night of the Commit was a great improvement.

[@thedarknate08]

There is so many great transfers though

[@donsimpsonshead8809]

I don’t understand what you mean about Creepshow “ being immortalized that way it should have looked back when it originally came out.” The original theatrical experience looked beautiful. Just as good as the 4K. Were you talking about the first physical releases instead?

[@tomboling2309]

Ken you pick most obvious titles that everyone knows about. But here is some good titles from the 80's. Lost boys gremlins Hellraiser & Hellbound hellraised 2 pet semetery & rad & Texas chainsaw massacre 2

[@midlevelmedia]

Everyone doesn’t know about Lost Boys and Gremlins?

[@tomboling2309]

@@midlevelmedia I also said rad and texas chainsaw massacre part 2 . And nobody hardly talks about rad on 4k

[@roachman1412]

I hope arrow re-release robo cop 4k again it's hard to find

[@FriedTux]

My Top 25 films from 1980's I tried to pull from different genres, otherwise my list would be mostly Sci-fi and horror. So war films, foreign, fantasy, drama, etc. 25. Sex, Lies and Video Tape 24. Evil Dead 23. 1984 (No 4k yet. Criterion? C'mon) 22. Platoon 21. Monty Python's The Meaning Of Life 20. Labyrinth 19. The Princess Bride 18. My Neighbor Totoro 17. The Last Emperor 16. Wall Street (no 4k, Disney problem) 15. Stand By Me 14. The Terminator 13. Scarface 12. The Shining 11. Star Trek 3 The Wrath of Khan 10. Ran 09. Predator 08. Beetlejuice 07. Full Metal Jacket 06. Das Boot (No 4k yet) 05. The Dark Crystal 04. The Thing 03. Star Wars The Empire Strikes Back 02. Aliens 01. Blade Runner Honorable Mentions: The Cook, The Thief, His Wife, and Her Lover Amadeus Blue Velvet The Breakfast Club Tootsie

[@midlevelmedia]

Great list!

[@jonathanMallard]

Forgot to mention Blow Out (1981)

[@midlevelmedia]

A great release for sure!

[@OzzyMandias]

Howard the Duck looks like George Lucas...is it just me?

[@JEdmund81]

Indiana Jones trilogy Beetlejuice Road House Ghostbusters E.T. Predator Close Encounters...

[@supertrexandroidx]

From Beyond currently $38 on Amazon

[@ozzy.....7383]

He killed thanos

[@jeffcarlin5866]

Yikes. Kino Lorber's release of To Live and Die in L.A. is one of my least favorite 4K discs from the 1980s. The print is dirty and damaged and the grain was mismanaged. Still, the MOVIE is fantastic.

[@Ghostrecon12]

1978 To 1998 Was the ERA when the MAJORITY of the BEST movies of all TIME were made PERIOD...

[@blackphilipalvarez1305]

I know you don’t like the films but I would’ve added Beverly Hills Cop 1&2. I also would’ve added The Goonies, Beetlejuice, Ghostbusters 1&2, but I guess those are for another video.

[@randybradley4151]

I've said it before and I'll say it again. Put your list in the description.

[@midlevelmedia]

Don’t want to spoil the list.

[@nathanielsmith9400]

@@midlevelmedia Much agreed. No need to spoil the list.

[@monijam1]

An American Werewolf in London!

[@iloveblue7920]

I have the Arrow version of Night of the Comet cos we cannot buy Scream Factory releases cos they are reqion locked

[@Neonmirrorblack]

Neither Road House films were actually any good. Sorry Swayze stans. The only reason anyone remembers the original was because of Patrick, but that doesn't mean it was good. If you want to go by metrics, both critics and audiences actually prefer the newer one as well. I thought the remake was disposable, but I actually prefer Gyllenhaal, so it was at least watchable. I just watched the original (again) as well as soon as it came out on 4K, so it's not like I had forgotten it. Can't argue about the transfer though, because it looks fantastic.

[@ijslandernl]

Couldn't agree more with Back to the Future and Scarface, and of course Lea Thompson. The view of her ass in the scene on the bed in Howard the Duck is simply the best ass you'll see in any movie... ever. Anyway, The Thing and The Shining are absolutely fantastic as well. I was also going to mention Total Recall, but when I checked IMDb, it turned out the movie is actually from 1990, so it just doesn't make this list. However, just like Back to the Future, it's one of those movies I can keep on watching over and over again. These movies are just awesome.

[@nicodimus2222]

The new Road House is so freaking bad. Connor shows up, and a mediocre movie becomes cartoonish nonsense for the rest of the movie.

[@midlevelmedia]

I hated it so much

[@nicodimus2222]

@@midlevelmedia The original isn't a masterpiece itself, but it's very entertaining and at least makes sense compared to whatever the hell that was.

[@Bluehawks206]

Um you didn’t include the best Star Wars movie ever empire strikes back but you included Halloween 3? No Aliens one of the biggest action epics of all time? Raiders of the lost Arc ? Um I think you need to rethink your list or rename it to my best.

[@midlevelmedia]

Not a list based on the movies themselves necessarily, but some of the best overall transfers.

[@Johnny82Utah]

To be fair he did say 4k UHD I do think Raiders and Empire for sure need to be mentioned Aliens I have to watch again as so many are 50/50 on the restoration.

[@reginaldforthright805]

Raiders stinks

[@Johnny82Utah]

@@reginaldforthright805 sounds like a rotten opinion

[@sethm.woodiwiss786]

These are his favorites. Not your favorites. I would of definitely put the Star Wars movies and the Raiders. He's much more of horror movie guy.

[@bigdadd09able]

The new RH is entertaining bro. Not a movie I’d buy tho.

[@johnpublic7796]

Ken, sorry, but Halloween III is NOT one of the top 80s movies, but I respect the call out for a Halloween film. What SHOULD HAVE been a top 80s movie, and is a hidden gem, is Who's That Girl starring Madonna and Griffin Dunne (Dunne- pronounced "Done" is from "After Hours"). Dude, you NEED to watch Who's That Girl. It's totally 80s and I think it's totally up your alley. You should marathon it and After Hours with your wife and let us know what y'all think. I grew up watching Who's That Girl, and while After Hours is better, it's only slightly better imo. Who's That Girl also has my college screenwriting professor, Patrick McCord, as the motorcycle cop, who has lines in Who's That Girl. It was crazy to me when I had his class that I instantly knew who he was, even though I was the only student who did.

[@Sampson.entertainment]

“You taste in film is terrible” really???

[@rubenvilla1675]

New Roadhouse is so lame lol

[@djdepression]

First

[@josephherman5790]

Hated all 3 Back to The Future movies,as I can't stand Michael J. Fox,except in Mars Attacks.

[@petemarshall3512]

"Man, I hated these two movies and that damn lead actor! .... Guess I'll watch the third movie."