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The best films of the 1980s
The defining films of the 1980s, ranked by rating.
The 1980s produced films that still reward close attention — a veteran broadcaster who suspects his new channel hides something sinister, a Soviet taxi driver whose easy life runs on mutual favours, a Baltimore physician fighting bureaucracy to establish a shock-trauma unit, a documentary granting rare access to Fellini at work. From Hong Kong horror to Japanese domestic drama, from screwball comedy to Soviet realism, this selection spans the decade's range without leaning on nostalgia.
Best films of the 1980s
Film
A Haunted Romance
A Hong Kong horror film from 1985, bringing the supernatural into unsettling territory.
Film
Tanshin funin: Niizuma no himitsu
A lonely wife begins an affair with the newly widowed neighbour while her husband is away on business.
Film
Fellini Racconta: Diary of a Film
Italian television documentary offering behind-the-scenes footage and extended interviews with Fellini during the making of *And the Ship Sails On*.
Film
The Vision
Veteran broadcaster James Marriner fronts a new national TV channel, then begins to suspect it is a front for something sinister and political.
Film
Heart to Hearts
Screwball comedy: a creative director temporarily takes over a choir and finds himself overwhelmed by two mischievous kids and a neurotic mother.
Film
Taxi Fare
Oleg Sergachev, one of the best drivers in his taxi company, runs his life on mutual favours — until the arrangement starts to cost him.
Film
Shock-Trauma
Dr. R. Adams Cowley, the Baltimore physician who pioneered the first shock-trauma unit, fights hospital bureaucracy for recognition.
Film
The Rape
Saeko waits for her jailed lover to return, supports him as he grows desperate, and is dragged under by his mounting debts.
Frequently asked
Where should I start with 1980s cinema if I'm new to the decade?
The Vision is a good entry point — a drama about a veteran broadcaster who gradually suspects the glossy new TV channel he fronts is a front for something sinister and political. It's self-contained and needs no prior knowledge of the era.
Are there any documentaries in this 1980s collection?
Yes — Fellini Racconta: Diary of a Film is a documentary made by Italian television with behind-the-scenes footage of the making of And the Ship Sails On and extended interview footage of Fellini himself.
What kinds of stories does this 1980s selection cover?
The range includes domestic drama, horror, screwball comedy, a medical drama about a real pioneering physician, Soviet realism, and documentary. Locations span Hong Kong, Japan, the Soviet Union, Baltimore, and a UK broadcast network.