80 Greatest '80s Movie Moments

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We're calling it the grEighties for short

An Officer and a Gentleman (1982)

Fitzcarraldo (1982)

The Moment: Klaus Kinski brings opera to the Amazon...by carting a boat up the side of a forest.

Only In The '80s: ...would the filmmakers actually do this for real.

If It Was Made Today: It’d never happen. Not even Werner Herzog is that crazy these days.

The Karate Kid (1984)

The Moment: Bruised but not beaten, Ralph Macchio pulls out the tricky crane kick to win the tournament.

Only In The '80s: Would the guy yelling “Get him a bodybag, yeah!” become a cult icon.

If It Was Made Today: Mr Miyagi would be Chinese or something.

Scanners (1980)

The Moment: A boffin’s attempt to show the powers of Scanning go awry when telekinetic rogue Michael Ironside decides to blow his head open, just for kicks.

Only In The '80s: ...would this become one of the most rewound few seconds in VHS history that doesn’t involve breasts.

If It Was Made Today: It’d be done on computer,and it’d miss the visceral impact of shooting a fake head full of livers with a shotgun.

Dead Poets Society (1989)

The Moment: A class full of kids show solidarity with disgraced teacher Robin Williams by standing on their desks – “O Captain, My Captain!”

Only In The '80s: ...could a teacher teach his kids poetry without being accused of being a paedophile.

If It Was Made Today: The pupils would be wizards, and they’d hit the miserable headmaster with a Crucio charm.

The Terminator (1984)

The Moment: “I’ll be back,” promises Arnie – and proves it by driving through a police station wall and massacring the officers.

Only In The '80s: ...could the most seemingly banal line become an enduring catchphrase.

If It Was Made Today: There would be some appallingly weak, nonsensical pun embedded into the dialogue.

Field of Dreams (1989)

The Moment: Kevin Costner hears an imaginary voice and uses it to justifying turning valuable farmland into a baseball pitch.

Only In The '80s: ...could the movies provide politicians with such a vague, catch-all assurance of their promises.

If It Was Made Today: It’d be a full blown baseball stadium with a Starbucks franchise.

Say Anything... (1989)

The Moment: John Cusack stands on his car roof, boom box held aloft, to woo Ione Skye.

Only In The '80s: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boombox

If It Was Made Today: He’d struggle, to be honest. An iPod just doesn’t have enough bass.

Flashdance (1983)

The Moment: Jennifer Beals dances her way out of her day job as a welder to What A Feeling .

Only In The '80s: ...were leotards fashionable.

If It Was Made Today: What are you talking about? Everybody’s remade this! Geri Haliwell, J. Lo, Robert Webb...

This is Spinal Tap (1984)

The Moment: The centrepiece of the Tap’s new show, a model of Stonehenge, is lowered on to the stage. Trouble is, somebody got their measurements wrong, and the stones are 18 inches tall, not 18 feet.

Only In The '80s: ...would a band get away with poodle perms like that.

If It Was Made Today: Too late - real-life rockers Anvil have trumped any spoof.