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1986. A fine year for pop culture writers to be born for sure, but what kind of year was it for film? When I think the ‘80s and movies, the first year I think of is always 1984. That year was packed with great films and iconic blockbusters. My favorite movie Repo Man came out that year. So did two of my favorite studio comedies in Gremlins and Ghostbusters. Of course, this article isn’t about 1984. It’s about 1986, so it’s time for me to get to breaking down this year in movies.
Apparently this year people had the need…the need for speed. Yes, Top Gun topped the box office. This is where I have to admit I’ve never seen it. It just has no appeal to me. The same goes for the film that came in second, Crocodile Dundee. Those are two decidedly different movies. One is a slick action film, the other a fish-out-of-water comedy starring a guy Americans had never heard of. A few sequels pop up in the top 10 of the box office. One of them, Aliens, is really good. I believe Star Trek IV is one of the ones people like, but I don’t remember the last time anybody said anything about The Karate Kid II. Eddie Murphy was a box-office superstar in the ‘80s, which is how The Golden Child finished in the top 10 I’m sure. Also, you know this was a different time for film, because Ruthless People, a dark comedy directed by the Airplane! guys, finished ninth.
I didn’t mention the movie that finished in third, because it’s also the movie that won Best Picture. That would be Oliver Stone’s Platoon. When I first saw Platoon as a teenager I was really into it. I was young enough to think to myself, “Oh wow this is an edgy war movie! How cool!” Also, I think I wanted to like it because it won Best Picture for the year I was born, and teenagers can be dumb. I still think it’s good, if overwrought, but eventually you see Apocalypse Now and realize a seminal Vietnam movie had already been made. This was an interesting year for Best Actor and Best Actress. Paul Newman won for The Color of Money, kind of a career achievement award. Then, Marlee Matlin won Best Actress for Children of a Lesser God. She is the youngest winner of that award even. Meanwhile, both of the supporting roles went to actors from Hannah and Her Sisters, and that’s not necessarily a fun movie to talk about.
I don’t know if I have a better choice for Best Picture. Aliens is a better movie, but that’s not the kind of movie that wins Best Picture. A Room With a View is not really my thing. Personally I think Blue Velvet sucks. So yeah, congrats to Platoon, I guess?
Other notable movies include the likes of the steamy 9 ½ Weeks and the shitty Pretty in Pink. I’m not a John Hughes fan at all, but that’s a story for another day. In terms of cheap horror movies there Troll and Critters. The Fly is creepy but good, while Howard the Duck is creepy and bad. The only movie I really like that I haven’t mentioned yet is Little Shop of Horrors, the horror comedy musical starring Rich Moranis. I’m not a big musical fan, but that movie is arch enough to work for me.
Ultimately, this is not a year for movies that wows me. Aliens is a classic and we got a worthwhile Best Picture winner, but this was not a remarkable year for films unlike you want to see Lea Thompson get busy with a duck. Personally, I do not want that. Sorry, 1986.
