Top 10 Underrated Films of the 1980s

Various movies from the '80s are regarded as some of the best of all time. These are not those movies, although maybe they should be. Join www.WatchMojo.com as we count down our picks for the Top 10 Underrated Movies of the 1980s. Subscribe►► / subscription_c. . Facebook►► / watchmojo . Twitter►► / watchmojo Instagram►► / watchmojo Suggestion Tool►►www.WatchMojo.com/suggest Channel Page►► / watchmojo
For this list, we're looking at movies released between 1980 and 1989 that remain mysteriously overlooked or forgotten over the years and often suffered from a modest box office performance or general lack of acknowledgment, despite their quality.
Special thanks to our user drewbrown for submitting the idea using our interactive suggestion tool at www.WatchMojo.com/suggest
Check out the voting page here,
watchmojo.com/suggest/Top+10+U...
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[@BassPlayerSusan]

"They Live' is terrific. Sure one can view it as a cheesy 1980s sci-fi flick, but the underlying satire is fierce.

[@indrajeetpatel5058]

It can ever rival Fight Club believe me

[@christineadams1284]

"They Live" is a Documentary. Roddy Piper 👍

[@jesuschristislord7754]

@@christineadams1284 yes

[@priuss6109]

It was a warning that went unheeded.

[@jesuschristislord7754]

@@indrajeetpatel5058 I read the book, it was much better. 🧐 Seriously though, I used to revere that nihilism until I realized it was a technique of spiritual warfare being used against me.

[@Stabsnipers]

They Live is so great.

[@natesmith5493]

Stabsnipers rip roddy

[@dylankaiser5546]

They Live has come to this world to chew bubble gum and kick ass and it's all out of bubble gum

[@dylankaiser5546]

he's a waste of a person don't feel bad

[@LordGandor3]

Demons are the aliens ! Nazi scientists working on private islands cloned humans in the 50's & they also cloned Nephilim Giants then cross hybridized them with animals to create Beastly hybrids to stage a fake War of the Worlds alien invasion. Demon possessed human clones have been walking among us for decades. My friend knows a scientist who saw the hybrids at a US air force base hangar late one night when he had to drop off papers & couldn't reach his supervisor by phone so he walked in on a meeting. He calmly put the papers on the desk & walked away never to return. As I'm sure you know all weather worldwide is engineered & so are geo disasters. They are going to purposely destroy crops & homes with wildfires, tsunamis, volcanic eruptions & earthquakes. The wildfires have already begun. Directed Energy Weapon Systems are the most powerful weapons on earth. Nuclear weapons do not exist. Uranium & Plutonium are not toxic elements. Hiroshima, Nagasaki, Chernobyl & Fukushima are all elaborate hoaxes. The ruling oligarchy families control all governments, militaries , local law enforcement, educational institutions, Hollywood & of course the worldwide propaganda news machine. They also control the Healthkill system. Vaccines & pharmaceuticals are designed as a slow kill. Vaccines & pharmaceuticals contain aluminum, mercury, formaldehyde & hormone disruptors. Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, Autism, brain Cancer, Epilepsy & SIDS are all caused by vaccine heavy metals that migrate to the brain. The US governments vaccine injury / death compensation program has paid out over 3.5 billion in compensation. Many commercial products contain toxic chemicals including perfumes, antiperspirants (which cause breast cancer), scented soaps & detergents, lotions & bug repellants (if you put Deet on your headlights it will eat thru the plastic !) Vladimir Lenin said "The best way to control the opposition is to lead it ourselves" so Alex Jones, David Icke, Dane Wigington, VAXXED & numerous others are controlled opposition including all politicians ! There is one controlled political party masquerading as two. It's obvious the recent mass shootings are staged with crisis actors who can't cry on cue....GUN CONTROL ! They are going to repeal the 2nd Amendment ! They might even stage a fake assassination of Trump-et or a Sports idol live on national TV. Who are the biggest sports idols ? Tiger Woods & Tom Brady come to mind first. First Woods will win 3 more Majors to come within one of Jack Nick's record of 18 Majors. Most people are too self absorbed to see the Book of Revelation is happening right now ! We are in End Times & the 4 Horsemen are about to ride....Famine, Disease, WW3 & FEMA Death camps !!! Don't eat the mystery meat at Camp FEMA, it's Soylent Green made from human bodies. According to FBI chief Gunderson the US purchased 1000's of XL plastic washable coffins & guillotines. Rev 20:4 explains the guillotines. Rev 9:11 They have over them a king, an Angel of the Abyss who's name in Hebrew is A-bad-don the Destroyer, In Greek his name is A-pol-lyon the Destroyer. What number do you call when disaster strikes ? 911 !!! According to CNN on 9-11 Flight 11 Allegedly hit the N Tower at 11 min to 9. Actually it's impossible for planes made of aluminum to disappear into buildings made of steel. There were no real planes just holograms, a surround sound system & thermite explosives ! Building 7 next door also collapsed exactly like a controlled demolition the same day ?

[@jabezscratch]

Best fight scene in a movie … ever.

[@ichhasseamerika]

"I have come here to chew bubblegum and kick ass. . . And Im all out of bubblegum". One of the greatest lines in cinematic history.

[@jorgesicre8268]

'The Live' is a splendid depiction of reality. Veritas

[@billionairenow81]

"They live" is still the truth

[@ellismarcelle321]

Timeless classic, in my estimation

[@laustcawz]

...but the aliens wouldn't all be white. There would be some blacks, some asians, etc.

[@trixstermillion2190]

@@laustcawz If you're going to say whites and blacks then you should say yellows, too.

[@1996toyotacelica]

more so than ever.

[@MrZaphod711]

The thing was 1970s....

[@Transformersguy1000]

Big Trouble In Little China

[@sonnybrown4758]

How's that underrated lol

[@gregm766]

Seems like a lot of John Carpenter's stuff fits this bill.

[@theeuprise]

lol, i recently re-watched it and its dog shit. couldn't finish it.

[@nickxlf8630]

I love it

[@nickxlf8630]

Jack Burton for Prez!

[@bradkuzniczci894]

Labyrinth, Better Off Dead, 3 O'Clock High; FML, this should have been a top 20 list. The 80's had so many gems.

[@lavakillu]

Manhunter (1985) remains my favorite iteration of the Red Dragon story. Great acting and haunting soundtrack! I also loved True Stories (1986), Rumble Fish (1983) Cat People (1982) but not sure if they would be considered underrated.

[@andym28]

Brian Cox based his character on a Scottish serial killer named Manuel . It's so similar to him.

[@jaketheberge1970]

Makes me wish Roddy Piper was the one who got lots of movie deals, not Hulk Hogan.

[@jaketheberge1970]

+john kelly I only saw They Lived. I'll have to check those others out.

[@kewgardensstation]

"They Live" was a freaking BRILLIANT movie and one of the best sci-fi films of all time. John Carpenter at his tongue-in-cheek, understated best. Every five minutes , there's a set-up and a punchline, and the scene where John Nada (Roddy Piper) puts on the sunglasses for the first time, which allow him to see what messages are being transmitted by the aliens, is pure cinematic gold, as good as anything Stanley Kubrick ever did. Plus the fight scene with Keith David's Frank Ermitage was exceptionally staged and executed (where Roddy is in his element., of course.) Funny and dramatic and gritty and both surreal and down-to-earth at the same time. And Roddy Piper puts in a VERY respectable performance for a professional wrestler.

[@etonbachs4226]

I'm so glad she told me the 80s were 1980-1989. I never would have known that.

[@vavacadoz]

An incredibly underrated 80’s film that I’ve grown to appreciate, is “Bright Lights, Big City.” Based on the novel written by Jay Mclnerney, and starring Michael J. Fox, the film is about a young man working as a fact checker for a major New York magazine who turns to substance abuse as a way to cope with the struggles of his wife having left him to further pursue her modelling career, and the loss of his mother to Leukaemia a year prior. Compared to Michaels’ earlier roles; this one takes on a much more serious theme. And working alongside Kiefer Sutherland-another 80’s icon-this film well represents his versatility as an actor and performer. I definitely recommend!

[@BrandonJamesPLUGS]

I was just about to comment this! Definitely one of my favorite films!

[@genefogarty5395]

Lower than zero, also.

[@johngrayatkinson1214]

@@genefogarty5395 less than zero Bright Lights Big City is where I first heard " Bolivian Marching Powder"

[@genefogarty5395]

@@johngrayatkinson1214 Lol, yes! Less than zero, I must've been in a fog. Great films back then, seems the industry has been on a steady decline as good movies seem fewer and farther between year after year.

[@pickford3152]

Thank you! Awesome movie

[@zzzhuh]

*EVERYONE* Needs to watch 'They live'. I didn't know it was 'underrated' but it is soo valid. It's like '1984' with scifi involved. Love it.

[@dedgeroo4665]

zzzhuh , top film. The fight scene is one of the best ever...put the glasses on.

[@paulcurran1152]

Both good documentaries with of course idiocracy as well

[@jordanjoestar458]

And although it was meant as a critique of consumerism, it is even more relevant now concerning the political left and their brainwashing of people through the corrupt media!

[@succulentcranberry]

This might not be the same reason for a lot of people, but I have personally not seen this movie yet because I thought it was just another zombie movie.

[@albundy6008]

Plus, Roddy Piper is badass!

[@JimJWalker]

"Big Trouble in Little China" was an extremely fast paced fantasy/action/comedy directed by John Carpenter in 1986. One of my favorite forgotten movies.

[@GavinJ37]

It was fun but bad movie. Kurt Russell mimicking John wayne got tired after a point. And most of the supporting cast were rather forgettable (or just poorly acted)

[@daflotsam]

Fantastic movie.

[@drainmudvayne27]

@@GavinJ37 it is a awesome movie and most of the main supporting cast went on to make many great movies.

[@DEMIxGODxSHADOW]

Hardly forgotten

[@christyshultz6443]

I know right? A lot of people say oh blade runner or something like that big trouble in Little China was a damn good film.

[@Guy_de_Loimbard]

You forgot to mention a crucial element of To Live and Die in LA -- the excellent, moody score/soundtrack by essential 80s band Wang Chung.

[@OversikerSTUDIO]

That's how I found the movie. Cook in my favourite restaurant was watching a movie. The sound design and music was so perfect and atmospheric that I had to ask about it!

[@ImmortalChaos]

Meg Foster has such hypnotic eyes, she looks gorgeous in They Live

[@TheSMLIFfilms]

Brian De Palma's "Blow Out" is a criminally underrated thriller.

[@TheSMLIFfilms]

Spoke too soon, bless you, Watchmojo

[@Randomark3087]

Enemy Mine, Batteries not included, Short Circuit, Labrynth, Willow, Big Trouble In Little China, and The Toxic Anenger.

[@ziggyff693]

a few on my list...Real Genius..Dead Poet's Society..Commando..Drugstore Cowboy..Raising Arizona..The Thing..Princess Bride..Stand By Me

[@RightURKen7]

Real Genius for sure. Loads of fun.

[@retropat3670]

For me : Remo Williams: The Adventure Begins , very underrated.

[@BarbarosaAlexander]

Yes!!!! Chun, you're amazing. No. I'm better than that.

[@jcbass2u]

absolutely love that movie....

[@climatepurification]

"Walking" on water never seemed so real.

[@tigmo55]

Absolutely! I saw that one for the first time a mere 5-6 years ago but it truly is a gem. Super fun movie!

[@WatchMojo]

This is the start of a new series! Check back tomorrow for the 1990s, and everyday after until Sunday when we publish the "All Time" video!

[@joeyruss3933]

Man. Star Wars episode 5 is definitely underrated.

[@kostajovanovic3711]

Why starting from the 80's??

[@joeyruss3933]

Seriously though, I still find blade runner to be less rated than it should be.

[@jordcadwell]

I love WM series!

[@OmnipotentJello]

I hope the 90s list has Dark City.

[@ClearTheRubble7]

Glad to see They Live in this list. It was definitely one of my favorite movies of the '80's. The scene where Roddy Piper first puts on the sunglasses and looks at billboards, signs, money, etc, has always stuck in my mind, and I still think about it today when I see all the trash advertising and dis-informative news surrounding us.

[@kevindiaz3459]

The Kardashians are those weird alien things. But you don't need glasses to see it.

[@LogueTheRogue]

"I came here for two reasons: to kick ass and chew bubblegum....and I'm all out of bubblegum..."

[@SoleilPhoenix]

Mark Zuckerdick is another alien

[@serpentsepia6638]

They Live isn't underrated, it's considered one of the best horror movies to date.

[@williamolson5728]

No, it isn't, and I love that movie. It's a cult film

[@markblum5059]

Tangerine Dream soundtracks.

[@MultiMiracle1989]

My favourite on that list is "They Live"

[@WatchMojo]

WatchMojo in Portuguese: kzbin.info WatchMojo in Spanish: kzbin.info WatchMojo in Dutch:kzbin.info/door/ht3DEu9qWOSQWa1YzxADjA Watchmojo in German: kzbin.info/door/9hLYAhlQsx71_yNUbTeWWQ Watchmojo in Turkish: kzbin.info/door/V_0rWL0R2EcYlcko1ZxUIg WatchMojo in Polish: kzbin.info/door/0CC_MaeMKk6qRoQVwFdo_g Many more to come!

[@trupype3028]

They Live is an amazing film. Thank you, thank you, thank you for including it

[@krisfrederick5001]

I kept thinking "They live" was called "Them" for years, but that movie freaked me out when I was a child. Still loved it though

[@laustcawz2089]

"Them!" was a '50s thriller about giant mutant ants.

[@WatchMojo]

Hey Everyone, our friends over at MsMojo are publishing Top 10 Backstreet Boys Songs today @ 3pm, so be sure to head on over to kzbin.info and SUBSCRIBE NOW

[@Justsomebiggerman2]

+Simanta Sapkota noone cares you douche.

[@christophgriesbeck8793]

How about Mads Mikkelsen vs Anthony Hopkins as Hannibal lecter

[@adamgreensides948]

I would of liked to have seen the Tom Cruise film legend on here

[@HardcoreGamer097]

Thank u😊 I'll check out their channel😜👍 U guys should do a most underrated films per decade😉

[@arielfangirlmendez]

Your a geusis

[@johannes914]

Midnight Run (1988) by Martin Brest with Robert De Niro & Charles Grodin

[@johannes914]

I watch it at least once a year. The script is so entertaining, dialogues so funny and the actors have done a fantastic job.

[@jjmanzano9]

Love that movie!

[@Squeeealer]

Incredible chemistry

[@matthewdrake2210]

That is one of My Favorite Films of all Time!!!!!!!

[@nl3064]

M.R. is literally just every other single buddy movie ever made. What is there about it that you haven't seen a million times? How can you people be so simple as to be entertained by the same bland formula over and over and over and over and over and over again - two mismatched personalities get paired up together, and initially they don't like each other, then after a series of bonding misadventures, they become the best of buddies. It's literally just a shitty modern recycling of Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid set in contemporary times. Meanwhile there's something like The Last Detail (1973) that subverts that cliche at the end and is realistic, and instead you're praising this platitude Hollywood falls back on. Every. Single. Time.

[@steveanderson8236]

Some Kind of Wonderful. A great John Hughes movie that’s really unrated.

[@nl3064]

Oh yeah, yet _another_ John Hughes 80's teen high school movie. So much to credit it with.

[@PadisherCreel]

Was going to suggest that, so adding my support here

[@mike196212]

To Live And Die In LA was clearly well regarded,hardly underrated and did fairly well at the box office. It still stands up.

[@mikem6432]

Loved it so much back in the day I bought the soundtrack.

[@junerei8148]

Saw They Live as a 15 year old when it first came out. Blew my f-ing mind!

[@mobus1603]

"Lucas" was underrated? That movie must have been played about a thousand times on HBO back in the '80s! People may not go back to rediscover it, but I think that it got the acknowledgement that it deserved at the time at least.

[@DEMIxGODxSHADOW]

Still on cable all the time.

[@thealaskan1635]

Popularity on cable isn't looked at. It's the theatrical earnings.

[@dominicturner77]

Lucas is pretty much unheard of in the UK.

[@tigmo55]

One Crazy Summer is a really fun flick with John Cusack and Demi Moore (and of course Bob Goldthwait as well)! It's nothing fancy but it's the perfect example of why 80's films were the best. Just lots of fun and spontaneity to go around! I just recently saw They Live and loved it and it was cool to see The Brave Little Toaster at least mentioned (TBLT is actually quite dark and spooky at times making it more than just a simple happy-go-lucky kids movie.)

[@markobabic9415]

Great list. What about "Manhunter"?

[@mattposlusny917]

you forgot one of the best underrated movies: 1985's "Into The Night" with Jeff Goldblum and Michelle Pfeiffer.

[@Blaqjaqshellaq]

A whole lot of big-name cameos in it, aren't there?

[@hadara69]

Hey America, "PUT THE GLASSES ON!!!!"

[@dannyfenlon2476]

+Jacob Zondag sorry we're all out of bubblegum

[@hadara69]

***** Lol! If putting on the glasses represents seeing the oligarchy for what it is. Running out of bubble gum represents being done with childish, pointless behavior. ;D

[@hadara69]

***** Metaphors are what Art is all about, bro.

[@nl3064]

Hey Golgotha_Mythos69, TAKE THE NOSTALGIA GOGGLES OFF!!!!

[@christineadams1284]

Golgotha_Mythos69 Yessssssss If only we could get the darned world to put the glasses on. The Bolsheviks (Rothschild) are back at it but this time it is the whole world. Depopulation 💉 Georgia Guidestones: 1) maintain a world population of 500 million.

[@keithkimmel6638]

Ghost Story(1981) with Melvyn Douglas, John Houseman, Fred Astaire, Douglas Fairbanks, Jr., Craig Watson, and Alice Krige ~ hauntingly suspenseful!

[@LambentLark]

1981 Sean Connery Outland.

[@Mystickneon]

Short Circuit, Raising Arizona, Real Genius, Real Men, The Goonies..............

[@terrelleharrison6570]

The Adventures of Baron Munchausen (1988)

[@moviemetalhead]

Agreed

[@AtheistOrphan]

Agreed also

[@Hollow_Noises]

Such-and-such a good film

[@IntyMichael]

+Rell Dibiase All Terry Gilliam movies are mostly underrated!

[@sinistergrey3]

+Rell Dibiase indeed, a classic from my childhood and a great film.

[@NickCC23]

Adventures in Babysitting is a personal fave of mine starring Elisabeth Shue.

[@Tacsmoker]

also named "night on the town"

[@LowDoze]

Willow, Time Bandits, Monster Squad, The 'Burbs, The Last Starfighter, Innerspace, Band of the Hand, House of the Long Shadows, and Pet Cemetery. The 80's were amazing!

[@christyshultz6443]

Oh I love The last Starfighter.

[@christyshultz6443]

Batteries Not included which was I think another little alien type film cute and sweet.

[@christyshultz6443]

it's another film with Anthony Hopkins in the one where he's a butler and falls in love with made with that is 80s or the 90s I can't remember but it was beautiful.

[@christyshultz6443]

And innerspace yeah for its time it utilized a lot of really cool tricks and makeup and things like that. And like they live it made you think it was fresh and new and it wasn't like anything else that they had going at the time that's why I enjoyed it.

[@lsimon343]

You are my movie soulmate!!!!

[@CGRULEZ]

The Late Great Rowdy Roddy Piper!

[@gidgitvonlarue679]

theretrocinema.com/?s=they+live

[@ianrangers]

A movie I found underrated from the 80s was runaway train with Jon Voig, Eric Roberts and Rebecca De Mornay

[@kennyspillman9241]

+ian mcgrath and Danny Trejo

[@ianrangers]

+Kenny Spillman yeah but he's in it for like 2 minutes not a leading role

[@kennyspillman9241]

ian mcgrath it was his first movie

[@sniffingmoney]

Who remembers, Critters, Tremors, Hellraiser and such?

[@angelacontreras-murillo44]

Yes!!

[@TeddyStrongBear]

Honorable mention........Doctor Detroit

[@GodlessScummer]

They Live is legitimately a great film. John Carpenter was at his best as a director and Rowdy Roddy Piper really stepped up to the plate as an actor. Better than most wrestlers have ever managed to.

[@connorw2k]

The Thing was his best

[@gidgitvonlarue679]

theretrocinema.com/?s=they+live

[@nl3064]

@ Godless Scummer No, it legitimately isn't.

[@andreamorasuarez5289]

I loved They Live

[@princesspentagram3458]

andre morasuarez The chewing bubblegum line should be in the best movie quotes of all time :)

[@mitchelllaffey1586]

Fire in COPIAGUE

[@gagetolinwrites6845]

Roddy Piper > Hulk Hogan

[@tomtanaka841]

Justice4Ever both a better wrestler and a better actor!

[@gidgitvonlarue679]

theretrocinema.com/?s=they+live

[@ryry998]

>Andre the giant :P

[@tierneybla]

Woah I am shocked they put After Hours on here! When they were mentioning “honorable mentions” I said out loud “man no love for after hours” 👏 👏 all that’s missing is Brazil

[@nitroshortbus9856]

Better Off Dead for comedy, John Cusack's finest work! Though I've heard he wouldn't agree?

[@radrcer]

I went back and watched it again. This movie is bad - not at first but after 2nd or 3rd time it doesnt hold up. Office space ive watched 10 times and still good.

[@jcavazos4145]

Nitro Shortbus Cusacks film sre interesting. To say the least. I prefer Gross Point Blank.

[@drewsollars2239]

Better Off Dead is awesome, and the follow up One Crazy Summer was just as good.

[@christopherdieudonne]

@@radrcer I was about to say the same thing. I tried to watch again recently and couldn't get through but back in the 80's, I loved it.

[@angelomaiorana2091]

Loved the movie. Always will.

[@Al_Bundy_1966]

One of the most underrated movies of the 80s is also a movie I bet most people don't even know exists. 1981's Quest For Fire is a gem. It's a movie set in the time of cavemen and a time when possessing fire was crucial to the survival of a tribe. There is not one spoken word of english, no subtitles and no need for any. Seek it out and be prepared to be impressed.

[@junerei8148]

As I was only 8 or 9 when that came out I could be wrong here, but seems to me that movie was a pretty big deal at the time. Amazing picture at any rate.

[@trikkerman1]

I also see it as a comedy.

[@Wolfen443]

I remember renting that one once, also The Clan Of The Cave Bear is a good prehistoric duo of films as well.

[@trikkerman1]

What about the greatest caveman movie of all time? "Caveman" with Ringo Starr.

[@samusaran9024]

I love that movie

[@markcasey7182]

Electric Dreams with Virginia Madsen, The Night Before & Permanent Record, both with Keanu Reeves, and who can forget Real Genius with Val Kilmer?

[@davidlecorchick8864]

The "...and I'm all out of bubble gum" line is an absolute classic.

[@StolenPvP]

Midnight Run 1988 is the best action comedy ever made imo. Should've at least made this list. It's so underrated, lists of underrated films don't include that film.

[@mattb8521]

+Stolen. Great movie. Your're going to be suffering from fistaphobia if you dont get on that plane. Some really great lines in that movie.

[@StolenPvP]

+matt b it's so underrated it hurts

[@niallreid7664]

Cool I'll check it out.

[@jamesgeese]

yeah

[@rondyd9701]

+james771234 yeah

[@TheSuperhomosapien]

Raising Arizona

[@Blaqjaqshellaq]

Someone said it's like a Warner Brothers cartoon in live action!

[@WrenFaithBridger]

They said underrated...not overrated, which is what I feel this was.

[@wesone7429]

@@WrenFaithBridger agree

[@manuelfamilychannel85]

They Live is one of my favorites, some great one liners.😀👍🏼

[@pauljames21]

Your narraration is my favorite thing about WatchMojo. Thank you 😊

[@CouchTfilms]

Monster's Squad or The Lost Boys for sure

[@TheRealest127]

You can't say either of these 2 movies because they are classics that everyone knows about. ESPECIALLY Lost Boys

[@scifugitive2]

+Couch Tomato Oh my little brother was so addicted to Monster Squad, he wore out the VHS tape. We still say "is she a virshin?" to get a giggle out of the family.

[@kasrakhatir]

+Couch Tomato hey man

[@CouchTfilms]

+KINGSEANFAME both are "cult classics" meaning the have a niche audience. A lot of people don't know these movies

[@johnlemus7921]

+Couch Tomato Actually, I think both movies are still fondly remembered.

[@leetrent747]

My bodyguard (1980) Matt Dillon as the bad guy "Moody"

[@ryanhammond2142]

That movie is terrible

[@macyrosson4265]

Yes loved that movie and Matt Dillon

[@rollotomassi4768]

Over the Edge, and River's Edge?

[@christopherdieudonne]

I *loved* "My Bodyguard" !!

[@dukecraig2402]

Matt Dillon's best movie EVER is Over the Edge (1979, so it doesn't qualify for this list), his first movie roll, if you've never seen it do so, it's based on real events.

[@jessicamerrell7192]

The Legend of Billie Jean. Took me years to track this down.

[@mecrumbly429___4]

Steve DeJarnett’s Miracle Mile. A pretty hard movie to get a hold of (in more ways than one, as you can see, it’s very inaccessible). It’s so underrated that it doesn’t even show up in a list of underrated films.

[@finntastique3891]

Where was "House of Games" (1987) by David Mamet. Brilliant stuff.

[@adamrockatansky2483]

MANHUNTER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[@natedogg5641]

Best movie in the series.

[@nl3064]

Not underrated. FFS, it's in 1,001 movies you must see before you die, along with Silence of the Lambs.

[@geordischmidt]

"After Hours" was freaking hilarious. A surefire pick for #1 on this list.

[@CraftySouthpaw]

Glad to see "Thief" on here - it also had one of the best soundtracks ever (by Tangerine Dream).

[@hsa1d210]

Lucas is one of my favorite movies❤️

[@epk888]

Repo Man 1984 Harry Dean Stanton!

[@MrPartisanhack]

Harry Dean Stanton himself is an underrated actor.

[@Blaqjaqshellaq]

"Ordinary f**king people!" (Catch HDS in PARIS TEXAS.)

[@williamolson5728]

"That was intense!" "A repo man is always intense!"

[@nl3064]

Repo Man is terrible. Compare it to something like Paris, Texas, you goddam casual - it's his best role (and one of his very few leading ones), it came out the same year, has the same D.P., is included in 1,001 movies you must watch, is on Roger Ebert's great movies list, and was the favorite movie of Kurt Cobain and Elliott Smith. What does crappy Repo Man amount to? Even among Cult classics, it's not anything distinguished. It's not even Alex Cox's best - even Sid and Nancy and Straight To Hell were better. Repo Man was a really bad forgettable no-budget B-Movie.

[@laurastrobel718]

R I P Harry Dean🎆

[@ronwashington7319]

Blowout! What a great movie!

[@PianoVampire]

Great list - I would also add Streets of Fire, Manhunter & Company of Wolves

[@MrJest2]

Loved After Hours. I'd never heard of it until my friend made me watch it. Hysterical and surreal at the same time.

[@jonwmeyer11]

Angel Heart is one of my all time favs

[@brenthays6539]

Three picks: 1. Miracle Mile- starring Anthony Edwards. Starts as a standard 80s rom-com, ends with front row seats to the apocalypse. 2. Looker- stars Albert Finney and Susan Day, it’s a near-future where computers can digitally recreate actors for use in movies and commercials, and corporations use media to mold an unsuspecting populace. So completely unbelievable, obviously. 3. Fright Night- vampire horror-comedy with Roddy McDowell as a monster movie host on late night tv who plays Van Helsing to William Ragsdale’s teenage vampire hunter out to rescue his girlfriend.

[@NewYorkWerewolf]

Blow was awesome John Lithgow. John Travolta and Nancy Allen (younger crowd will recall her from Robocop as Murphy's partner, or one of the girls in Carrie) What about Miracle mile that was pretty good

[@bighawklob2694]

I thought me and my friend were the only ppl in the world who love They Live! Lol

[@mikehilbert9349]

BigHawk LOB I've come here to chew bubblegum and kick ass and I'm all outta Bubblegum best line ever.

[@faklemt]

I love They Live. It’s not perfect, but really original.

[@frankboff1260]

Haha for a long time I thought it was just me!

[@gidgitvonlarue679]

Hahaha - nope! Us too! theretrocinema.com/?s=they+live

[@derekroberts6654]

They did not mention "Buckeroo Banzai" with Peter Weller, Jeff Goldbum and John Lithgow. thats a forgotten 80s cheese gem.

[@stoogefest16]

That film makes quite a bit more sense when you think of it as a live action anime.

[@veronicaferguson8548]

Less than Zero is a grossly underrated movie of the '80s.

[@PhilAndersonOutside]

One of the best WatchMojo videos. Little factoid: Two of these films were scored by Tangerine Dream.

[@patricksmith6796]

The movie They Live will never be rebooted, that movie is more relevant now than it was then, it was a warning to the people to open their eyes then but both eyes were wired shut then as it is now.

[@Koexistence13]

Dead Zone was fantastic. Recommend highly.

[@kimberlypatton8473]

Koexistence13 One of my favorites too. The quality and suspense is consistent throughout the movie,and it is as though you feel what he's going through.Great Stephen King story and adaptation.Christopher Walken is perfection,and Martin Sheen perfect as the corrupt politician dooming us all if elected! Should have lots more praise!

[@19RaxR91]

Dead Zone is definitely a solid movie. However, The underrated 80s David Cronennberg film which Should have been on this list is Dead Ringers - even IF only for the performance of Jeremy Irons, who played twins in it.

[@nl3064]

@@kimberlypatton8473 What quality? it's literally no more than any other supernatural suspense formula.

[@jackzaccardi1896]

I bought the score of Dead Zone. One of the best haunting, but lovely, leitmotifs in film.

[@nl3064]

@CisforCock Dead Ringers isn't underrated - it's usually placed, by fans and critics, towards the top of his work, it's included in 1,001 Movies You Must See Before You Die, The Toronto international Film Festival placed on their top 10 Canadian movies of all time list (in 2004 and 2015), and numerous magazines have placed it on their best horror movies lists.

[@gustavefrankfurter6462]

You left out The Hidden! Just the first 4 minutes of this classic is more exciting than anything made in the 80's! Watch this movie immediately and tell me if I'm wrong. Even the soundtrack is awesome!

[@wexfordrob]

Can’t find it anywhere!

[@swtb7313]

Fantastic list. So glad to see After Hours number one. Griffin Dunne was amazing in it and in An American Werewolf in London.

[@pscoulsey]

The Hidden

[@myleshigh9851]

Heathers? Colors?

[@katwest9324]

+Sean Law Heathers is so good!

[@myleshigh9851]

Classic!!

[@scifugitive2]

+Sean Law I love Heathers! But was it underrated? I remember it being everywhere, and beloved by HBO well into the 90s. I got a lot of terminology out of that one that I used when I got to high school

[@everythingfangirl4532]

I wouldn't call Heathers underrated

[@shawnnoyes2776]

What about "Gotcha!" - it certainly had some surprise star power. -Shawn

[@drewhunkins7192]

John Sayles' "Baby It's You," released in 1982, is IMHO the best film of the 1980s. Spectacular and criminally underrated movie, "Baby It's You". Don't miss it.

[@NOLL72]

"Blow Out" was merely a remake of "Blow Up" with the protagonist using a different medium.

[@JohnSandate]

NOLL72 Don’t forget about “The Conversation” similar concept

[@nl3064]

@@JohnSandate Yeah, Blow Out was literally a combined rip-off of both those.

[@IndoorHydroponix]

Drugstore Cowboy. Eddie and the cruisers. Real genius. Vision quest. Gross anatomy. Can't buy me love. Better off dead. Common this could go on and on. They live should be 1.

[@ElizabethDwelleJewelry]

Indoor Hydroponix all of those so good!

[@syvyn11]

The Sure thing with Daphne DeZungia and John Cusak, before he became all John Cusaky.

[@saymynameice-zen-berg511]

Dragonslayer(1981), Willow(1988), Without A Clue(1988), Fright Night Part 2(1989), 3 O’Clock High(1987), The Gate(1987), Night Of The Creeps(1986), Warning Sign(1985), Monster Squad(1987), Big Trouble In Little China(1986), House On Sorority Row(1983), Watcher In The Woods(1980), CHUD(1985), Starchaser-Legend Of Orin(1985), The Night Before(1988), Pumpkinhead(1988), Elvira Mistress Of The Dark(1988).

[@beanbean78]

The deadzone was great movie and They Live is awesome "I've come here to chew bubblegum and kick ass and I'm all out of bubblegum!"

[@arthas640]

The tv remake of the dead zone was really underappreciated too

[@SalItzMed]

Manhunter (1986) Directed by Michael Mann and starring William Peterson. With Brian Cox as Hannibal Lecter

[@mistermyers777]

I was just going to say the same thing. In my opinion Manhunter is the best Hannibal Lecter movie.

[@matman000000]

+Salvador Medina Another gritty atmospheric thriller from the 80's worth watching. I wouldn't put it on the same spot as Thief, Blue Velvet or Blood Simple, but it's still really good.

[@stoogefest16]

Max Payne I would actually say Manhunter is certainly on par with Blood Simple and Thief. I think even designating bs as underrated is a bit of a stretch. It was a critical sensation when it debuted, but barely anyone saw it. Thief and Manhunter by turns were either overlooked or dismissed in their time. There are many who think that Manhunter is actually superior to silence of the lambs.

[@ThePirateprincess23]

Manhunter definitely should have gotten at least an honorable mention. I found it to be a pretty good film (I prefer the remake Red Dragon over Manhunter, but Manhunter is still good).

[@TheMadisonMachine]

What about Something Wicked This Way Comes? It's one of the best children's movies I've ever seen, and while there are the odd references to it in pop culture, no one really seems to directly talk about it, and it did poorly at the box office.

[@gspendlove]

I don't want to remember that movie because SPIDERS SPIDERS SPIDERS so thanks for reminding me.

[@lorianngrilley-jamroz7631]

HHAAHHAAA EVERYONE HATES SPIDERS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[@GavinJ37]

A truly awesome film. But it could have been better

[@terryleeslaughter4611]

They live is a CLASSIC, all the long fight scenes today owe it all to Roddy Piper and Keith David

[@steveleslie2170]

"They Live" wasn't scary, just awesome.

[@tmovies92]

My 10 Favorite Underrated films of the 80s are 1-Earth Girls are Easy 2-Mask 3-Summer School 4-Friday The 13th: Jason Takes Manhattan(this is actually my 2nd favorite Friday The 13th film) 5-Roxanne 6-All Dogs Go To Heaven 7-Heavy Metal 8-The Pick-up Artist 9-Hauned Honeymoon 10-Cobra

[@junerei8148]

Earth Girls are easy for sure.

[@christyshultz6443]

I know that the name sounds bad but Earth girls are easy is probably one of the best films of the 80s .

[@christyshultz6443]

@GenericMediocrity you want substantial movies On Golden Pond there done. I also don't think you have the right to dictate what other people watch or whatever other people find me the best movie ever in the 80s cuz that's going to be vary person to person. Jesus the ego on you.

[@christyshultz6443]

@GenericMediocrity and I wasn't talking to you.

[@christyshultz6443]

@GenericMediocrity if you'd stop being adouchebag you would realize that we( I mean the person above me) werre agreeing with the person that made the comment when they put it as number one. It's just an agreement that we think it's one of the best.. not the greatest not the most substantial. Movies can be fun they can be entertaining and they can be cool (personally howeve I prefer books horror or true crime get back then as well.)I was a child of the 70s(born in 1973), 80s. Pretty boys were a huge thing.I thinki i give a shit about blade runner back (student love it but I could appreciate it more in the 90s when I hit my twenties and started having my kid's).when I was 13 to17 .I did like full metal jacket.and you know what just because you see that I'm female or whatever your trollish reasons I'm done.. fuck off. edited even if you didn't mean to sound like a troll you came off very rude and offense (oh and condescending as well.)talking down to people and trying to show your vast knowledge that you seem to think you have isn't a good way to start a conversation. You can say. got you.. but I prefer.. instead of all the rude as shit you you just said.For someone who wants to appear to be well-educated and well-rounded you don't act like it and you don't come off that way either. But hey if you want to know my list today would be. 1984. 12 angry men (seriously can't recommend this movie enough and it is amazing). A few Good men. Platoon. Going to agree lady or gentleman above me say the mask. Lucas The Goonies. Hamburger hill. Gran Torino. Running on empty. Golden Pond. Secret Life of bees. The Unforgiven. The usual suspects. Mostly anything that Michael Moore did. The princess Bride because I watched it hundreds of times . Back to the Future 1 2 & 3 The pick up artist. Chances or anything that Robert Downey jr. Did. What's eating Gilbert grape and pretty much anything that Johnny Depp does. (Or at least watch it once.) Moonstruck(wasn't fond mermaids though.) Hannibal all books and tv ,movies pretty much love them all save that Brian Cox version... But the movie otherwise it's okay..uh mindhunter I think the name is. The rocket of Gibraltar(awesome movie(it made me love art.. Anne Rice and really want to be cremated). Long-term companion(what can I say it was the AIDS epidemicpeak and no one was talking about it so a movie that dealt with people living through it was actually a welcome thing.) All films the planet of the apes (original). Pretty much anything done by Hitchcock. (And back. Just watch rear window the other day) Movies like citizen Kane wear my favorite you know done in the:40 50s and60(less annoying and pretentious). Also Star trek the show in the (except that reboot trash) Won't even cover Star wars because it's mixed up mess of B's (like the original trilogy though.) But those two are usually the only Syfy I do unless it's video vgames which is another thing all together. In truth I never was never much of a movie watcher. I can only tell you phones that I enjoyed as a child and throwing up I don't watch them these days. I prefer books video games and sometimes shows but even day will grate on my nerves.if I watch shows it has to be true crime or just a certain type of genre or else I will stop watching it. I guess in some sensesafter being a fan fiction writer and reader I really really hate where people go with storylines and I can watch the beginning of a movie or show and get halfway through it and know that I could have done better story-wise .if I liked it up until then I might see if it has fanfiction about. If not I'll come back later when it doesn't bother me if I get to that point. Bottom line is the older I get the less I give a shit about stuff like that. I guess I'm just a born reader. (Books and fanfiction their my thing.) I guess you can say I like video games because many of them are RPGs and it would do whatever I want and then I guess you can say I'm a control freak who likes to have a story on my way. Movies don't allow for it and I really don't have the patience for the shity storylines going on today. Okay just went on longer than I thought.. done now.

[@bingbong6768]

The Dead Zone is one of the best movies of the 80s for sure.

[@davids736]

Totally agree - I watch it at least once every couple of years. Walken gives a tour de force of a performance.... Highly recommended 👍👍

[@davidcobb2693]

I have bought The Dead Zone on DVD a few times because after I watch it I tell someone how much I like the movie, then they ask to borrow it and it never gets returned to me, that's what happens when you loan out your DVD's.

[@nl3064]

@Jeg Hunckel How's it good? What's your basis in saying that? What're you measuring it up against?

[@nl3064]

No. It isn't. I like how you say "for sure" - how do you think your opinion is fact? Maybe you should watch more 80's movies - particularly foreign one and lesser-known uncommon ones, before being easily impressed by every boring Stephen King adaptation that's just like any other.

[@nl3064]

@Jeg Hunckel You're not answering how this is in any demonstrable way any different from any other King movie, and you using extremely generic nothing descriptions which just simply reflect your own personal opinion is not a demonstration of "greatness".

[@cloud9savagehenry]

The Hidden.... Enemy Mine...... From Beyond

[@stoogefest16]

cloud9savagehenry The Hidden is truly underrated.

[@kitoyobeni1]

Oh man, I'd forgotten about Enemy Mine!

[@valley_robot]

Enemy mine, top film one of my favourites

[@eddieboggs8306]

Enemy mine was great. It was a remake. The original was about two enemies inWW2 on a Pacific island.

[@nl3064]

@@stoogefest16 Even though it's awful TV-movie level garbage. Pray tell, what due and proper credit is there to give to this Cobra (the Stallone movie) level of trash? And no, just because it has a "message" doesn't make it any good. There are plenty of awful "message" movies out there. If I may suggest, the whole consumer/materialist satire has been handled much better in countless other works, probably most exemplary in Bret Easton Ellis' novel 'American Psycho', which mocks the yuppie lifestyle much more viciously and bitingly than this brain-dead unwatchable garbage videotape.

[@Alexinytown]

I picked up They Live as part of a John Carpenter collection. Definitely an underrated gem.