My Favorite 10 Films of 1982

This is a list of the 10 films from 1982 that I liked the most.  These are not necessarily the ten best films of the year, just the ten that amuse/entertain me the most, so here we go:

This year proved to be very difficult to do.  Not picking the films but the order, I had this finished 5 times but blew the order up and started again.

10) Tron-

Lets be clear my love for this movie isnt based on some deep love of the plot or some great desire to learn about this world, its purely on the amazing visuals this presented in 1982.  Not to say that the movie is bad by any means, just that for me its a visual feast more than anything else, even today the retro-faux future tech is still gorgeous. 

 

Sequel Alert: A sequel came pretty quick, only took 28 years (2010).  Another sequel was green lit in 2010 so I expect to see it in 15 or so years.  There was a 19 episode animated series that aired on Disney XD in 2012/13 called Tron:Uprising. It has also been supported by numerous video games and comics.

9) Tootsie-

OK lets be really clear, I'm not saying this movie handles the concept of cross dressing in a meaningful or tactful manner. But the film is funny.  But thats is not why its so high on my list.Why is it so high?  Head cannon baby.  See years ago someone told me their theory that the entire movie is an allegory for "gay for pay" in adult films.  If you watch with that in mind it completely changes the experience, it went from being a funny if offensive comedy to a comic drama with a very underlying darkness that is almost smothering.

 

Sequel Alert: Nope

 

8) Conan the Barbarian-

Buff men, busty women, broadswords.  Add Arnie and what more could you want?  In this case you get a surprisingly well crafted film and script(well surpring until you realize it was made by John "Apocalypse Now" Milius and Oliver "OliverMotherFuckingStone" Stone).  This might be the most epic sword and sorcery fantasy flick ever. 

 

 

Sequel Alert:  One direct sequel in Conan the Destroyer.  It had a spin-off in Red Sonja as well. A third sequel was eventually turned into Kull the Conquer starring Kevin Sorbo when Arnie decided not to return. A fourth film with the same name as this came out in 2011, starring Aquaman Jason Momoa, a reboot of the series.  There were two animated series during the 90s (Conan the Adventurer and Conan and the Young Warriors), as well as a live action show the shares a name with the first animated series.  Numerous stories, games and comics.  Particular shout out to Savage Sword Of Conan by Marvel Comics(in particular when written by Roy Thmas and drwn by Barry Windsor-Smith or John Buscema) as that is actually the media I most associate with this movie, just capture the feel perfectly.

7) Rocky III-

Ok so my first time caring about this movie it was purely due to Thunderlips and Clubber Lang.  It wouldnt be until I watched it again in my teen years(long after my liking of Hogan had passed, T was still cool, and always will be) that I actually appreciated a rather nuanced performance from both Stallone and Weathers.  A good sequel that actually did the thing most sequels suck at, evolved the characters without rewriting them. 

 

 

Sequel Alert: Two movies that came before it (Rocky and Rocky II), and a series of five more to come after it(Rocky IV,V, Rocky Balboa, Creed and Creed II).  It has also had a half dozen or so video games over the years(mostly really bad).  And while not actually related I like to think of Grudge Match as an unofficial alternate reality Rocky finale.

6) Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan-

Excuse me one minute... 

"KHAAANNNNNN"

Ok so yes this is a good movie.  My dad was a huge Trekkie, had entire series on VHS tapes.  Living out in the middle of nowhere in the South we watched those tapes a lot cause reception sucked ass, yes even well into the 2000s.  Anyway I developed a liking of the show and this movie marks, for my money, the high point of the original cast of characters.  Shatner and Nimoy give the best performances they ever did and Ricardo Montalbán is the man, in this and everything else. Keep in mind Roddenberry was still involved in the creative process so decide for yourself if that's a positive or negative.

Sequel Alert: This is a sequel to the first Trek film.  From here we would get four more featuring the original cast, four featuring the cast from TNG and now we are three deep in the Reboot-verse.  If you look beyond films, the Trek verse includes 8 live action TV series, three animated TV shows and way more books, comics, and games than anyone can ever parse.  Not to mention that everyone has seen something that parodies the show in some way.

5) Blade Runner-

 

"I've seen things you people wouldn't believe. Attack ships on fire off the shoulder of Orion. I watched C-beams glitter in the dark near the Tannhauser Gate. All those moments will be lost in time, like tears in rain. Time to die." 

FUCKING CHILLS.  

Ok but lets start by clearing up that I'm only counting the original theatrical cut, not the work-print, not the San Diego Con version, not the later international theatrical version, not the broadcast, director's cur or final cut.  (For the record I will eventually rank the cuts of this film so not giving my feelings away on those).  Rutger Hauer and Harrison Ford both earn their legendary status as do Ridley Scott and David Peoples.  This was my first exposure to the work of Philip K Dick.  For that alone it holds a massive place close to my heart, but for 82 this is all it could do.

 

Sequel Alert: One true sequel in Blade Runner 2049.  That film then had three short prequels adding up to about 40 minutes of story (Two six minute episodes and a 27 minute anime).  A 13 episode anime is coming to Crunch Roll this year(2021).  A couple of bad pc games were released but are better left forgotten.  A series of comics by BOOM! Studios based on the novel were published and a adaptation of the movie by Marvel as well.  Interestingly the 1998 movie Soldier starring Kurt Russell was co-written by David Peoples(writer of Blade Runner) and is set in the same universe as kind of a sidequel or spiritual successor

4) E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial-

An all time classic.  Every child betwen the age of 6-12 should be required to watch this at least once a year.  I cant think of any other movie that captures the wonder and awe that childhood brings, the raw sense of everything being so important and in the moment.  This film is a straight shot of nostalgia that every person can use every now and again.  The 20th Anniversary edition of the film does a whole bunch of CGI nonsense that was completely unnecessary and while it did not ruin the film, it didn't add anything good either.

 

Sequel Alert:  No.  ET has appeared either officially or unofficially in lots of things including:  The Earth Day Special, which aired on ABC in 90, Family Guy and American Dad and SNL.  He was in a really, really bad Atari 2600 game that basically helped crash the industry and then an even worse game on the Playstation.  This isnt even counting how many films just ripped off the concept and feel of this movie during the next twenty years.

 

3) Friday the 13th Part III-

The movie that finally completed the iconic look of our Jason.  From child to baghead to our lovable hockey masked hero.  This one also includes everyone's favorite victim Shelly(well ok not everyone's but hes gotta be everyone's top5).  Shit keeps coming directly at the screen since it was originally in 3D.  This is the movie that implies Jason is a rapist.  I dont like that, hes a murdering monster with no physical needs or emotional feelings except his mother psychosis thing, making him a rapist is just shock for shock value when its not needed in this series.  The arrow through the eye is gnarly.  More of the same if you like the others(I do) then you should like this one.  If not, nothing going to blow your mind here.

 

 

Sequel Alert: Im already tired on writing Sequel Alerts for this series and its only 1982....Oh joy. Anyway including this one three down, 9 to go.  At least I get a year off next year.

2) The Thing-

Atmosphere.  This movie, like all of Carpenter's works, just drip of atmosphere.  Kurt Russell gives another great performance (as do just about everyone).  But Jesus the effects in this movie.  Some of the body horror in this flick is truly disturbing (in the good way).  And the end is so good its till being debated 40 years later.

 

Sequel Alert: This is itself a remake of the 1951 The Thing from Another World , there was a prequel with the same name released in 2011 and an actual sequel in the form of a 2002 (X-Box/PS2/PC) game.  While not related in context of story, the films Prince of Darkness and In the Mouth of Madness form what Carpenter himself calls his "Apocalypse Trilogy", as they all deal with apocalyptic, Lovecraftian threats.

Honorable Mentions: 

Gandhi-

Biography of Gandhi, sterilized to remove the racist and pervert things but still a great film.

The World According to Garp-

An interesting movie that includes a brilliant performance from Robin Williams.

First Blood-

To be fully honest, I really wish this was top 10 and if not for all the horrendous sequels that spit in the face of the point of the original it would be.  First Blood good Rambo not good.

Fantasia (Re-Release) -

Still great, a true work of art, the music and visuals despite being now over 80 years old still hold up perfectly.  Sorcerer's Apprentice Mickey is iconic.

And our Number One Film of 1982 is:

1) Fast Times at Ridgemont High-

Phoebe Cates pool scene.  Really that would be reason enough for this to be number one, I know that makes me a perv but that is the number one reason I watched it so many times as a teenager/early twenties.  That said I now have a much more wholesome appreciation for the movie.  And man the music is so good. Sean Penn is great as Spicoli and Jennifer Jason Leigh and Judge Reinhold round out the main cast.  The cast in just full of other notable names as well.

Sequel Alert:None but did have a TV spinoff that lasted just 7 episodes in 86.  That said much of Cameron Crowe's future output carries a similar feel and there have been no end to parodies or references to the film over the years, maybe best done in music video for Stacy's Mom by Fountains of Wayne.