Pop Culture Phenomenon Films: 80’s

Hell Night is a 1981 American slasher film directed by Tom DeSimone, and starring Linda Blair, Vincent Van Patten, Kevin Brophy, and Peter Barton.

The film depicts a night of fraternity hazing set in an old manor—the site of a familial mass murder—during which a deformed killer terrorizes and murders many of the college students. The plot blends elements of slasher films and Gothic haunted house films.

Filmmaker Chuck Russell served as an executive producer, while his long-time collaborator Frank Darabont served as a production assistant.

The film featured earlier performances Linda Blair and Vincent Van Patten,

After being fired from their jobs as security guards, Josh and Ivan form Video Aces, a video production company. Using Josh's talent and Ivan's business savvy, they attempt to hit it big in the business while doing projects they want to do.

Among those whose paths cross with theirs are Norman Mart, an extremely right-wing presidential candidate; Samantha Gregory, a scheming music reporter; and Mo Fuzz, a producer willing to give them a chance or three if they'll work on spec.

The band Ranchbone in this movie is portrayed by the real life ska-punk band Fishbone.

Both John Cusack and Tim Robbins are big fans of the band in real life. Robbins can even be seen wearing a Fishbone t-shirt in a scene in the movie Bull Durham released earlier that same year.

The FBI agent who makes the remark about Dead Kennedys' singer Jello Biafra is played by Biafra himself.

Also making cameos, were Michael Nesmith, Courtney Love, and various others.

Tapeheads, featured songs by They Might Be Giants, Fishbone, The Circle Jerks, Devo and others.

Tapeheads was made for $3 million, and garnered $343,786.

Mysterious deaths, have taken place at Camp Rolling Hills, horrible, horrible murders. But who is the billet? Is the chirpy, cute, adorable new camp councillor Angela?

Maybe it is! Many unhappy female campers, will soon find out!

Interestingly enough, many of the unhappy campers, were directly named after teen actors, especially Brat Packets such as Phoebe Cates, Emilio Estevez, Anthony Michael Hall, Mate Winnigham, and others.

There is even someone named John Hughes, in this film!
The irony, being that one of the actresses in this film, is Renee Estevez, and Emilio is the name of her brother.

The film, featured earlier performances by Pamela Springsteen, and Renée Estevez, and featured the song

“Instant Club Hit (You'll Dance to Anything)” performed by The Dead Milkmen, Obsession, Anvil, and others.

Released, direct to video, with two sequels that followed.

It Takes Two is a 1988 American romantic comedy film
directed by David Beaird and starring George Newbern, Leslie Hope, and Kimberly Foster.

Screenwriters Richard Christian Matheson and Thomas E. Szollosi had previously teamed up to write the 1987 teen comedy Three O'Clock High.

It had initially been announced for release under the title My New Car.

Travis is due to marry Stephanie in a few days when he is convinced by beautiful saleswoman Jonni to buy a fancy sports car.

The car looks good, but it turns out to be a piece of junk. Travis is determined to get satisfaction and he and Jonni hit the road to confront the crooked car dealer. Meanwhile, Stephi waits for her groom to show up at the wedding.

The film, featured earlier performances by John Hawkes, George Newbern, Kimberley Foster, and Leslie Hope, and was filmed in and around Dallas, Texas.

The film’s soundtrack, featured songs by Buckwheat Zydeco, Power Station, The Truth, and Joe Satriani, as well as music composed by Carter Burwell.

Shag is a beach flick set in 1963. The years have passed, but the old Where the Boys Are formula holds firm: four attractive young lasses head for the surf and sand of Myrtle Beach, SC, looking for guys.

Carson McBride is about to be married, so her three pals seek out a final affaire d'amour on her behalf before she is lost to the world forever.

The cast is fascinating for its family ties: Bridget Fonda is the daughter of Peter Fonda, Page Hannah the sister of Daryl Hannah, and Tyrone Power Jr. is the son of you-know-who.

Filmed in 1988, Shag was released that year in Europe, then offered to American audiences one year later.

Shag (also known as Shag: The Movie) is a 1989 American comedy film starring Bridget Fonda, Phoebe Cates, Annabeth Gish, Page Hannah, Jeff Yagher and Scott Coffey.

Directed by Zelda Barron, the film features Carolina shag dancing and was produced in cooperation with the South Carolina Film Commission.

The soundtrack album was on Sire/Warner Bros. Records.

The film, featured earlier performances by Bridget Fonda, Jeff Yagher, Annabeth Gish, Robert Rusler, Phoebe Cates, and Page Hannah.

The film grossed approximately $6.9 million at the U.S. box office.

Despite the film's box office underperformance, the film received mixed to positive reviews from critics.

Rotten Tomatoes shows an approval rating of 65% based on 17 reviews.

The film’s soundtrack, featured songs by k.d. Lang and The Recliners, Tommy Page, Randy Newman, Chris Issak, and others.

Hemdale Pictures, the film’s distributor closed shop years later.

The film, was released the same year as the 60’s themed movie, 1969. Both had a less than groovy time in theatres.

Sing is a 1989 American musical drama film directed by Richard J. Baskin, written by Dean Pitchford (who also co-wrote the songs) and produced by Craig Zadan (both previously collaborated on Footloose), and starring Lorraine Bracco, Peter Dobson, and Jessica Steen.

The film follows a fictional New York City SING! production. The supporting cast includes Louise Lasser, George DiCenzo, Patti LaBelle, Yank Azman, Ingrid Veninger, and Cuba Gooding Jr.

Sing was released in the United States on March 31, 1989. It received mixed reviews from critics and was a box office bomb, grossing only $2.3 million from an $11.5 million budget.

A woman returns to her high school as a teacher and convinces the school punk to become involved in the schools annual production "sing".

When the board of education decides to close the school and refuses to allow the annual event to be held, the neighborhood and students come together to put the event on one last time.

A hybrid of "Grease", "Fame" and "Footloose"

The film, featured earlier performances by Rachel Sweet, Cuba Gooding Jr, Peter Dobson, and Jessica Steen, with the soundtrack featured songs by Johnny Kemp, Nia Peebles, and others.

The film, was also partially filmed in Toronto, Ontario, Canada.

Les (Corey is embarrassed when he fails his driving test in this routine teen comedy.

His buddies are depending on him to provide the wheels for the weekend, but Les is more interested in his Saturday date with Mercedes.

Les secretly steals his grandfather's immaculate 1972 Cadillac for the adventure.

The dream date soon turns into a nightmare when Dean bothers Les with camera flashes and cigar smoke, and his sloppy-drunk date dances on the hood of the car with high heels.

The car is towed when he parks illegally, and later the teens are chased by revved-up motorheads who challenge him to a race. Carol Kane and Richard Masur play Les' parents.

License to Drive is a 1988 American teen comedy film written by Neil Tolkin and directed by Greg Beeman in his feature film directorial debut.

It stars Corey Haim, Corey Feldman, Heather Graham, Carol Kane, Richard Masur, Michael Manasseri, and Nina Siemaszko.

The film was in production in late 1987. It was released on July 6, 1988, in the United States and grossed over $20 million at the North American box office. It was distributed by 20th Century Fox.

Which means that since it’s now owned by the Mouse, it’s now Disney property.

To released on Disney+? Not likely.

The film, featured earlier performances by Heather Graham, Nina Siemaszko, Grant Heslov, James Avery, and R.A. Mihailoff,

It earned $22,433,275 at the North American box office, against a production budget of $8 million.

The soundtrack, featured songs by DJ Jazzy Jeff & The Fresh Prince, The Breakfast Club, Brenda K. Starr, Jane Wiedlin, as well as the song “Get Outta My Dreams, Get into My Car” by Billy Ocean.

1969 is a 1988 American drama film written and directed by Ernest Thompson and starring Robert Downey Jr., Kiefer Sutherland and Winona Ryder.

The original music score is composed by Michael Small. The film deals with the Vietnam War and the resulting social tensions between those who support and oppose the war in small-town America.

1969, featured earlier performances by Winona Ryder, Kiefer Sutherland, and Robert Downey, Jr., and garnered mixed reviews.

The film’s soundtrack, “Reach Out of the Darkness” by Friend & Lover, and consists of original period rock. However, this also includes a notable re-recording of The Youngbloods' classic song "Get Together", performed by the group's lead singer Jesse Colin Young.

Made for $7 million, and garnering $5,979,0, the film’s distributor Atlantic Releasing, went out of business, years later.

Biloxi Blues is a 1988 American military comedy-drama film directed by Mike Nichols, written by Neil Simon, and starring Matthew Broderick and Christopher Walken.

Simon adapted his semi-autobiographical 1984 play of the same title, the second chapter in what is known as the Eugene trilogy, the first being Brighton Beach Memoirs and the third being Broadway Bound.

New York City teenager Eugene Jerome starts military service thoughtfully yet patriotically prepared to take part in World War II.

At boot camp in Biloxi, Mississippi, he faces the brutally opposed views of other recruits, which he must live with.

Still they must bind, if not bond, facing the sadistic drill sergeant during their physically ruthless and mentally abusive training, which is heading for tragedy.

Meanwhile, their boyish minds wander often to sexual frustrations, from obsession with potency (and escaping virginity) to prejudice against gays.

Armed only with his sense of humor, Eugene is determined to leave camp with everything he came with.

The film, featured earlier performances by Casey Siemaszko and Penelope Ann Miller, with the movie gaining mixed reviews.

Made for $17 million, the grossed $51.7 million.

Braddock: Missing in Action III is a 1988 American action adventure film, and a sequel to Missing in Action, following the second film, Missing in Action 2: The Beginning, which was a prequel.

It is the third and final installment in the Missing in Action film series.

The film stars Chuck Norris, who co-wrote the screenplay with James Bruner. The film was directed by Norris' brother, Aaron Norris.

Vietnam veteran Colonel Braddock had believed his wife to be dead since the war, but he hears from a missionary that she is not only alive, but has a son.

Soon, he returns to Vietnam to rescue them and others from a prison camp.

This is the third Missing in Action film starring the well-known martial artist, Chuck Norris, as lethal hero Braddock.

The movie debuted at No. 5 at the box office with $2,210,401 in the opening weekend.[10] It was the least financially successful film in the Missing in Action film series.

The film, also featured songs by Ron Bloom.

Lenny Brown moves to California to find his fortune in tax shelter investments. When the federal government changes the tax laws, poor Lenny finds himself $700,000 in hock with nowhere to turn.

His friend, Joel, introduces him to cocaine to give Lenny that needed "boost". What ensues next is a descent into drug addiction and insanity as Lenny tries to regain control of his life, all the while needing that extra "boost".

The Boost is a 1988 American drama film directed by Harold Becker and based on the book Ludes: A Ballad of the Drug and the Dream by Ben Stein.

It stars James Woods, Sean Young, John Kapelos, Steven Hill, June Chandler and Amanda Blake.

The Boost earned mixed reviews from critics. Roger Ebert gave the film three-and-a-half of a possible four stars in a Dec. 28, 1988 Chicago Sun-Times review, calling the film "one of the most convincing and horrifying portraits of drug addiction I've ever seen."

Leonard Maltin was not so kind, however, giving the film only one-and-a-half of a possible four stars: "A misfire that's on the screen for 30 minutes before you even realize that it *is* anti-drug...As with Jack Nicholson in The Shining, it's hard to distinguish the 'before' Lenny from the 'after’.

The film, was made for $8 million, and earned $784,990 in theatres.

Jamie Conway, is an aspiring writer and yuppie living in New York City who seeks oblivion in cocaine and the glittery nightclub scene as his life falls apart (his wife leaves him, his mother dies, etc.).

With his hard-partying friend Tad Allagash tagging along with him during their nights out, Jamie finds it increasingly difficult to show up every day at his unfulfilling job as a fact checker for a literary Manhattan magazine.

Bright Lights, Big City is a 1988 American tragic drama film directed by James Bridges, starring Michael J. Fox, Kiefer Sutherland, Phoebe Cates, Dianne Wiest and Jason Robards, and based on the novel by Jay McInerney, who also wrote the screenplay.

It was the last film directed by Bridges, who died in 1993.

The film, featured earlier performances by Annabelle Gurwitch, David Hyde Pierce, Charlie Schlatter, Susan Traylor, Jessica Lundy, Mike Bacarella, Maria Pitillo, and Kelly Lynch, and was made for $25 million, and earned $16 million.

Even though they had worked together on "Family Ties”, Michael J. Fox and Tracy Pollan didn't begin dating until they worked together on this film.

The film’s soundtrack, featured songs by MARRS, Donald Fagen, Bryan Ferry, Prince, and others.

Bright Lights, Big City ended up being the final film, directed by James Bridges.

Not unlike Less Than Zero, Bright Lights, Big City gave us the flip side to the excesses that marked the 80’s.

Living fast, with very light consequences never ends well. The choice is yours. Make the right one.

The escaped delinquent John W. Burns, Jr. replaces Dr. Maitlin on a radio show, saying he's the psychiatrist Lawrence Baird. His tactless radio show is a hit, and he becomes very popular.

But then Dr. Maitlin meets the real Dr. Lawrence Baird at a congress in London

The Couch Trip is a 1988 American comedy film directed by Michael Ritchie. It stars Dan Aykroyd, Walter Matthau, Charles Grodin and Donna Dixon. It is loosely based on the 1971 novel The Couch Trip, by Ken Kolb.

The film, featured earlier performances by John D. LeMay, J.E. Freeman, Arye Gross, David Clennon, Mary Gross, and Michael Ensign.

The movie received mixed reviews, and although the film was a flop at the box office, it did well on home video.

It was made, for 19 million, and earned $11,005,304 in theatres.

Evil Angels (released as A Cry in the Dark outside Australia and New Zealand) is a 1988 Australian drama film directed by Fred Schepisi.

The screenplay by Schepisi and Robert Caswell is based on John Bryson's 1985 book of the same name.

It chronicles the case of Azaria Chamberlain, a nine-week-old baby girl who disappeared from a campground near Uluru in August 1980, and the struggle of her parents, Michael Chamberlain and Lindy Chamberlain, to prove their innocence to a public convinced that they were complicit in her death.

Meryl Streep and Sam Neill star as the Chamberlains.

The film was released less than two months after the Chamberlains were exonerated by the Northern Territory Court of Appeals of all charges filed against them.

The film received generally favourable reviews, with Streep's performance receiving high praise and a nomination for the Academy Award for Best Actress, but was a box office disappointment, grossing only $6.9 million against its $15 million budget.

The film, featured a earlier performance by David Heflin, and entered pop culture, with “A dingo ate my baby!”, referenced on a episode of Seinfeld, and the name of a rock band, on the TV series, Buffy, the Vampire Slayer, as “Dingoes Ate My Baby'.

Mick "Crocodile" Dundee is settling into his new
Manhattan home when a South American drug dealer (Hechter Ubarry) abducts his girlfriend, Sue Charlton.

The drug dealer thinks images of his criminal activities, taken by Sue's photographer ex-husband, are now in her hands.

The dealer takes Sue to Colombia and threatens her, hoping that she'll give up the evidence. But intrepid Dundee, aiming to rescue Sue, is soon on the criminal's trail.

The film, featured earlier performances by Charles S. Dutton. Stephen Root, Tatyana Ali, Colin Quinn, and Susie Essman, and was later followed by Crocodile Dundee in Los Angeles, which bombed and marked the end of the franchise.

The film set an opening weekend record in Australia with a gross of A$2,005,536 and went on to gross $24,916,805 in Australia, which is equivalent to $59,890,392 in 2022 dollars.

Then U.S. President Ronald Reagan viewed this film at Camp David on June 10, 1988

The film, was made for 14 million, and earned $239.6 million.

The Police Academy misfits travel to Miami, Florida for their academy's commanding officer, Lassard, to receive a prestigious lifetime award pending his retirement, which takes a turn involving a group of jewel thieves after their stolen loot that Lassard unknowingly has in his possession.

The film, featured earlier performances by Jerry O’Connell, Janet Jones, Julio Oscar Mechoso, Scott Weinger, and Rene Auberjonois, and was made for $14 million, and earned $54.5 million.

Police Academy 5, didn’t get great reviews from critics, with Gene Siskel of the Chicago Tribune giving the film zero stars, reporting, "I didn't laugh once during the entire film—not at the slapstick, not at the humor, which is pitched at the preschool level.”

And was later followed by a animated series, and a sequel.

Ernest Saves Christmas is a 1988 American Christmas comedy film directed by John Cherry and starring Jim Varney.

This is the third film to feature the character Ernest P. Worrell, the second film in the Ernest series, and the highest-grossing film in the Ernest series.

The film chronicles Ernest's attempt to help find a replacement for an aging Santa Claus.

Ernest P. Worell, a sweet but silly taxi driver who at times suffers delusions of grandeur, has just chauffeured a rather extraordinary fare: "His Great Red Oneness, the Claus" himself.

It seems Santa hasn't got the magic for another Christmas season, and has come to Orlando, Florida for Joe Carruthers, the man he has chosen as his successor.

But things quickly begin to unravel, thanks to Joe's meddling agent and Santa's increasingly unreliable memory.

Incredibly, dimwitted Ernest soon becomes Santa's only hope! Joining forces with a young runaway named "Harmony Star", Ernest rushes to save the holidays as we know them.

The film was not a critical success, though it was commercially successful, being the highest-grossing of the five theatrical Ernest films.

The film, was made for $6.5 million, and earned $28.2 million in theatres.

When her Great Aunt dies, famed horror hostess Elvira heads for the uptight New England town of Falwell to claim her inheritance of a haunted house, a witch's cookbook and a punk rock poodle.

But once the stuffy locals get an eyeful of the scream queen's ample assets, all hell busts out and breaks loose.

Can the Madonna Of The Macabre find love with a studly cinema owner, avoid her creepy Great Uncle, titillate the town's teens and become a Las Vegas dance sensation all without being burned alive at the stake?

What is a Mistress of the Dark, to do?

Elvira: Mistress of the Dark is a 1988 American comedy horror film directed by James Signorelli. It stars Cassandra Peterson as eccentric horror hostess Elvira, a character previously established in the television program Elvira's Movie Macabre.

The character's feature film debut, the film's plot centers on Elvira inheriting a house that is nestled in the heart of an overtly prudish community. The film's screenplay was written by Peterson, John Paragon, and Sam Egan.

Elvira: Mistress of the Dark received generally mixed reviews from critics.

Peterson was nominated for both a Saturn Award for Best Actress and a Razzie Award for Worst Actress in 1989 for her performance in the film.

She went on to reprise her role as Elvira in the 2001 film Elvira's Haunted Hills.

The film, featured earlier performances by Tress MacNeille, Kurt Fuller, and Hugh Gillin, and the soundtrack featured songs by Joanna St. Claire, Pamela Des Barres, Lori Chacko, and others.

Critics, said boo to the film, with the movie being made for $7.5 million, and only conjured $5.5 million in bat bucks.

Jack Hartounian, a self-made man is trying to get into Bushwood County Club because his daughter is being asked by her snooty friends.

Jack applies, but a couple things ruin his application: one being that he's extremely boorish and the other is that he is building low-cost housing in an affluent neighborhood.

Jack then turns to Ty Webb, who owns the majority share of the club; Jack buys Ty's shares, takes over the club, and makes some changes which the members don't like.

That's when the club members attack Jack by stopping his housing project. Eventually they decide to settle it on the golf course, but the club president decides to take contingencies.

The film, featured earlier performances by Jessica Lundy, Jonathan Silverman, and Chynna Phillips, and featured music by Earth, Wind, and Fire, Cheap Trick, as well the hit song “Nobody’s Fool” by Kenny Loggins, and other songs.

Chevy Chase was the only original cast member to return for this movie, and he later regretted the decision.

Producers also begged Rodney Dangerfield to return. Upon reading the script, he reportedly threw it in the trash can.

Made for $20 million, the film bombed $11.8 million in theatres horribly.

The New York Times wrote, “Caddyshack II is the kind of film that sends careers spiraling downward.”

The sequel, in which many top comedians are upstaged by a dumb gopher puppet, won two Razzies and is considered one of the worst films of all time.

Carol Anne has been sent to live with her Aunt and Uncle in an effort to hide her from the clutches of the ghostly Reverend Kane, but he tracks her down and terrorises her in her relatives' appartment in a tall glass building.

Will he finally achieve his target and capture Carol Anne again, or will Tangina be able, yet again, to thwart him?

The film, featured earlier performances by Lara Flynn Boyle, and Meg Thalken, witn Poltergeist III sadly being the last film, to star Heather O’Rourke who passed during the film’s shooting.

Poltergeist iii’s soundtrack featured songs by Simon Stokes and James Carter, and music composed by Joe Renzetti.

Poltergeist iii, marked the end of the series, and was later followed by the unrelated TV series Poltergeist: The Legacy, and a remake.

Released on June 10, 1988, the film marked O'Rourke's final performance, as she died four months before its release at the age of 12.

Her death resulted in marketing complications for the film's studio, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, who did not want to exploit the tragedy. The film earned negative reviews from critics and disappointed at the box office, earning $14.1 million against a $9.5 million budget.

If O’Rourke hadn’t sadly passed away in 1988 and the reshot ending didn’t have to utilize a stand-in actress, Poltergeist III would still be vastly inferior to the two Poltergeist movies that preceded it.

The fact that audiences knew that the angelic-faced lead actress died and the studio still reshot the ending with a double and released the movie months after O’Rourke’s death made it an icky sequel that reeked of exploitation.

With effects work by Tim Moran, Dick Smith, Mark Shostrom, and Randall Drake.

Funny Farm is a 1988 American comedy film starring Chevy Chase and Madolyn Smith. The film was adapted from a 1985 comedic novel of the same name by Jay Cronley.

The movie was filmed on location in Vermont, mostly in Townshend, Vermont. It was the final film directed by George Roy Hill.

When Andy and Elizabeth buy a farm in Vermont, they can't imagine the trouble that awaits them. Andy has quit his job as a sports journalist and is planning to use the peace and quiet of the country to write the Great American Novel.

From the moment the movers' truck gets lost with their furniture, though, there's little peace and less quiet. From a manical mailman to a dead body buried in the garden,

Andy is distracted by the town and its wacky inhabitants. His effort at a novel is mediocre, at best, and he's threatened by Elizabeth's foray into writing when she attempts a children's book.

Can the Farmers survive the townsfolk and each other?

The film, featured earlier performances by Glenn Plummer and Bill Fagerbakke, with the movie garnishing mixed reviews from critics.

With the success of National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation the following year, Funny Farm eventually gained a cult following, and is now regarded by critics and Chevy Chase fans as one of his best films.

U.S. President Ronald Reagan viewed this film at Camp David on June 11, 1988.

Funny Farm, was made for $19 million, and earned $25,537,22 in theatres.

Dangerous Liaisons is a 1988 American period romantic drama film directed by Stephen Frears from a screenplay by Christopher Hampton, based on his 1985 play Les liaisons dangereuses, itself adapted from the 1782 French novel of the same name by Pierre Choderlos de Laclos.

It stars Glenn Close, John Malkovich, Michelle Pfeiffer, Uma Thurman, Swoosie Kurtz, Mildred Natwick, Peter Capaldi and Keanu Reeves.

Dangerous Liaisons was theatrically released by Warner Bros. Pictures on December 16, 1988. The film received generally positive reviews from critics, with praise for the performances by Close and Pfeiffer and the screenplay, production values and costumes.

Grossing $34.7 million against its $14 million budget, it was a modest box-office success. It received seven nominations at the 61st Academy Awards, including for the Best Picture, and won three: Best Adapted Screenplay, Best Costume Design, and Best Production Design.

In 18th century France, the Marquise de Merteuil and the Vicomte de Valmont play a dangerous game of seduction.

Valmont is someone who measures success by the number of his conquests and Merteuil challenges him to seduce the soon to be married Cecile de Volanges and provide proof in writing of his success.

His reward for doing so will be to spend the night with Merteuil. He has little difficulty seducing Cecile but what he really wants is to seduce Madame de Tourvel.

When Merteuil learns that he has actually fallen in love with her, she refuses to let him claim his reward for seducing Cecile. Death soon follows.

The film, featured earlier performances by Keanu Reeves, Uma Thurman and Peter Capaldi, a year the similarly theme film Valmont, was released. Only, it wasn’t as well received.

The Dead Pool is a 1988 American neo-noir vigilante action thriller film directed by Buddy Van Horn, written by Steve Sharon, and starring Clint Eastwood as Inspector "Dirty" Harry Callahan.

It is the fifth and final film in the Dirty Harry film series and is set in San Francisco, California.

Even though he detests publicity, for once, the tough-as-nails San Francisco Police Department officer, Inspector Dirty Harry, has hit the headlines for a good cause, after putting behind bars an infamous mobster.

But now, Callahan's name is on a macabre list of soon-to-be-dead celebrities. Before long, the first one dies, the drug-addled rock star, Johnny Squares, and as more violent deaths follow, Callahan now fears that he is next in line.

In the meantime, more and more, all indications point to the British horror-film director, Peter Swan. Who is the mastermind behind the anonymous hit-list and the twisted gambling game known as the Dead Pool?

Can Harry get to the bottom of this deadly conundrum before it is too late?

The film, featured earlier performances by Liam Neeson, Charles Martinet, Patricia Clarkson, members of Guns’N Roses, and Jim Carrey as burnt out punker, Johnny Squares.

The Dead Pool, also featured the song “Welcome to the Jungle” by Guns ‘N Roses.

The Dead Pool was released in United States theatres July 1988.[19] In its opening weekend, the film took $9,071,330 in 1988 cinemas in the US, at an average of $4,563.

In total in the US, the film made $37,903,295, making it the least profitable of the five films in the Dirty Harry series.

The Dead Pool, also marked the end of Dirty Harry’s career.

D.O.A. is a 1988 American neo-noir[3] film directed by Rocky Morton and Annabel Jankel. A remake of the 1950 film of the same name, it stars Dennis Quaid, Meg Ryan and Charlotte Rampling, and was filmed in Austin, Texas and San Marcos, Texas.

It was theatrically released in the United States on March 18, 1988 to generally positive reviews.

A remake of the classic 1950 thriller in which a disillusioned college professor awakes from a night of drinking to discover that he has been poisoned with a slow-acting toxin.

In a desperate attempt to find his own murderer, he retraces his steps with the help of a besotted female student. However, the couple soon find themselves caught up in a dark labyrinth of deception and murder.

The film, featured earlier performances by Meg Ryan, Jane Kaczmarek, Robert Knepper, Marco Perella, Jay Patterson, and John Hawke.

It was also the third of five versions of the D.O.A. (Dead on Arrival) story with the first being the classic original film noir motion picture D.O.A. with other versions being D.O.A., Crank, Color Me Dead, and Dead on Arrival.

D.O.A., featured the songs by Timbuk 3 including “Life is Hard” and “Too Much Sex, Not Enough Affection”, The Waterboys, Billy Idol, and others.

D.O.A. debuted at No. 3 at the US box office. By the end of its run, the film earned a total of $12.7 million in domestic sales, with the film garnishing mixed reviews.

A doctor and his wife go to Paris for a medical conference. While showering, his wife disappears.

His lack of language and the odd way she disappeared makes it nearly impossible for him to find any official help in his search as he enters the punk/drug culture to find out what has happened to her.

The film, featured earlier performances by John Mahoney and Angela Featherstone, with music by Simply Red, Grace Jones, David Sanborn, and others.

The film was a disappointment at the box office with a domestic gross of $17,637,950, failing to recoup its production budget.

However, the film was more successful in other countries such as France where it received 1,293,721 admissions.

Betrayed is a 1988 American spy thriller film directed by Costa-Gavras, written by Joe Eszterhas, and starring Debra Winger and Tom Berenger.

The plot is roughly based upon the terrorist activities of American neo-Nazi and white supremacist Robert Mathews and his group The Order.

Following the murder of a radio personality in Chicago, all evidence of the crime points to a white supremacist group from Iowa.

With the FBI on the case, the department sends inexperienced agent Catherine Weaver on an undercover mission to root out the killers. Falling for her guise, local farmer and suspect Gary Simmons fully embraces Weaver into the community.

As Weaver spends more time with Simmons, her belief in his guilt diminishes and love takes its place.

The film, featured earlier performances by John Mahoney, John Heard, David Clennon, Ted Levine, and Jeffrey DeMunn, Betrayed featured music by The Ozark Mountain Daredevils and Waylon Jennings.

This was one of two movies released in 1988 that were inspired by events surrounding the 1984 murder of Denver radio talk show host Alan Berg. The other was Talk Radio.

The film, was also filmed in and around Calgary, Alberta, Canada, and Fort Mcleod, Alberta, Canada.

Betrayed, was made for $19 million, and earned $25.8 million.

In the 1940s in the small town of Jupiter Hollow, two sets of identical twins are born in the same hospital on the same night. One set to a poor local family and the other to a rich family just passing through.

The dizzy nurse on duty accidentally mixes the twins unbeknown to the parents. Our story flashes forward to the 1980s where the mismatched sets of twins are about to cross paths following a big business deal to closedown the Jupiter Hollow factory.

The film, featured earlier performances J.C Quinn, Mary Gross, and Seth Green, with the movie featuring the song “Higher Love” by Steve Winwood.

Produced by Touchstone Pictures, the film co-stars Fred Ward, Edward Herrmann, Joe Grifasi, and Seth Green, as well as siblings Michael Gross and Mary Gross. Directed by Jim Abrahams, critical reaction to the film as a whole was generally lukewarm.

Both Midler and Tomlin were nominated for the American Comedy Award for Funniest Actress in a Motion Picture for their performances with Midler winning.

Big Business, was made for $20 million, and $40.2 million.

High Spirits is a 1988 fantasy comedy film written and directed by Neil Jordan and starring Steve Guttenberg, Daryl Hannah, Beverly D'Angelo, Liam Neeson and Peter O'Toole. It is an Irish, British and American co-production.

Set in a remote Irish castle called Dromore Castle, County Limerick, High Spirits is a topsy-turvy comedy with thematic leanings towards Ireland's rich folklore regarding ghosts and spirits, where the castle starts to come to life with the help of such denizens.

Featuring effects work, by Derek Meddings, Peter Chiang, and John Alexander, and also featured earlier performances by Jennifer Tilly, Peter Gallagher, Liam Neeson, and Martin Ferrero.

The film, was made for $15 million, and spirited away with $8.5 million.

The Big Blue (released in some countries under the French title Le Grand Bleu) is a 1988 drama film in the French Cinéma du look visual style, made by French director Luc Besson.

It is a heavily fictionalized and dramatized story of the friendship and sporting rivalry between two leading contemporary champion free divers in the 20th century: Jacques Mayol (played by Jean-Marc Barr) and Enzo Maiorca (renamed "Enzo Molinari" and played by Jean Reno), and Mayol's fictionalized relationship with his girlfriend Johana Baker (played by Rosanna Arquette).

The film became one of France's most commercially successful films (although an adaptation for US release was a commercial failure in that country).

French President Jacques Chirac referred to the film in describing Mayol, after his death in 2001, as an enduring symbol for the "Big Blue" generation.

The film, marked a earlier film directed by Luc Beeson, and was followed by Le Femme Nikita and Leon: The Professional.

The Big Blue, also featured the song “My Lady Blue” by Eric Serra, who also composed the film’s score.

Made for $80 million, or roughly $13.5 million in US dollars, and earned $3.6 million in the US.

Clean and Sober is a 1988 American drama film directed by Glenn Gordon Caron and starring Michael Keaton as a real estate agent struggling with a substance abuse problem. This film was Keaton's first dramatic departure from comedies.

The supporting cast includes Kathy Baker, M. Emmet Walsh, Morgan Freeman, Luca Bercovici and Tate Donovan.

Ron Howard, who previously directed Keaton in the comedies Night Shift and Gung Ho, served as co-producer.

It also featured earlier performances by Claudia Christian, and Brian Benben.

The film, was made for $12 million, and garnered 8,674,093.

That same year, Beetlejuice was released in theatres.

Both Michael Keaton and Morgan Freeman, were in Batman films, that being Batman, Batman Returns, and the Dark Knight trilogy.

Art, Ben and Joe are back! So are their wives and good friend Bernie in their first adventure since their last!

Five years since the senior citizens blasted off into space with the Antareans return to earth because their alien friends have to collect the rest of the cocoons in the ocean, believed to be in danger from an earthquake.

Ben and Mary visit their family, while Art and Joe visit Bernie, who's still hangin' on. Art, Ben and Joe had forgotten what it was like on earth and immediately begin to feel their weaknesses, except for Art's wife who's pregnant!

Meanwhile in the ocean, a biologist company snatched a cocoon out of the ocean and are doing research on it.

Cocoon: The Return is a 1988 American science fiction comedy-drama film directed by Daniel Petrie and written by Stephen McPherson.

The film serves as the sequel to the 1985 film Cocoon. All of the starring actors from the first film reprised their roles in this film, although Brian Dennehy only appears in one scene at the end of the film.

Unlike its predecessor, the film was neither a commercial nor a critical success.

The film brought $25 million worldwide, far less than the first film's $85 million worldwide gross.
Then-U.S.

President Ronald Reagan viewed this film at Camp David on November 12, 1988.

Lloyd Hopkins, a hard-boiled American police detective is on the trail of a mass murderer who is victimizing women in Los Angeles.

The pursuit leads him through a world that has become his own natural habitat - a nasty world of crime, drugs, prostitution and male hustlers where "innocence kills" and continued exposure corrupts.

Based on the novel, “Blood on the Moon” by James Ellory, and garnered decent reviews.

Cop was made for $5–7 million, and earned $1.9 million in theatres.

David is a teenager whose parents are in a deteriorating marriage after their infant daughter dies. Clara is a chambermaid at a Jamaican resort who's hired to be a housekeeper.

She and David develop a close bond, opening his eyes and heart to new experiences, and eventually leading to a disturbing secret in Clara's past.

The film, featured earlier performances by Neil Patrick Harris, Whoppi Goldberg, Kathleen Quinlan, Spalding Gray, and Beverly Todd.

Clara’s Hesrt, featured music by The Determiantion Band, Erik B. & Rakim, and Bob Marley and the Wailers, and garnered decent reviews.

Clara's Heart is a 1988 American drama film, based on Joseph Olshan's novel of the same name, directed by Robert Mulligan, written by Mark Medoff and is also Neil Patrick Harris' debut role.

The film, garnered $5,194,49 in theatres.

Coming to America is a 1988 American romantic comedy film directed by John Landis and based on a story originally created by Eddie Murphy, who also stars in the lead role.

The film also co-stars Arsenio Hall, James Earl Jones, Shari Headley, and John Amos. The film was released in the United States on June 29, 1988.

Eddie Murphy plays Akeem Joffer, the crown prince of the fictional African nation of Zamunda, who travels to the United States in the hopes of finding a woman he can marry and will love him for who he is, not for his status or for having been trained to please him.

In 1989, a pilot for a planned spin-off television series was made, although this was never picked up for a series.[5] A sequel, Coming 2 America, was released on March 4, 2021.

The film featured earlier performances by Garcelle Beauvais, Louie Anderson, Chris Rock, Vanessa Bell Calloway, Vondie Curtis-Hall, Samuel L. Jackson, Eriq La Salle, Frankie Faison, and Cuba Gooding, Jr.

Released on June 29, 1988, by Paramount Pictures in the United States, it was a commercial box-office success, both domestically and worldwide.

The film debuted at number one with $21,404,420 from 2,064 screens, for a five-day total of $28,409,497.

The film made $128,152,301 in the United States and ended up with a worldwide total of $288,752,301.

It was the highest earning film that year for the studio and the third-highest-grossing film at the United States box office.

The film’s soundtrack featured songs by The System, Levert, J.J. Fad, and others.

Barbara and Adam Maitland, are a couple that have things pretty good, a house, a life together, and pretty much everything else.

That is until, a accident takes place leaving them dead and coming back as ghosts, and unfortunately for them a new family arrives and buys their home.

Delia and Charles Deetz, and their daughter Lydia who can see ghosts. Desperate, to get rid of the new tenets they decide to hire Beetlejuice, who is “the ghost with the most.” However, it becomes apparent over time that he has other ideas. Namely, scaring the Deetz to death and winning over Lydia.

Can they stop him, before it’s too late?

The film, featured music by Harry Belafonte which included “Jump in the Line (Shake Señora)”, “Day O”, “ Sweethart from Venezuela”: and “Man Smart, Women Smarter”, and music composed by Danny Elfman.

Beetlejuice was a critical and commercial success, grossing US$74.7 million from a budget of US$15 million. It won the Academy Award for Best Makeup and three Saturn Awards: Best Horror Film, Best Makeup, and Best Supporting Actress for Sylvia Sidney.

The film's success spawned an animated television series, video games, and a 2018 stage musical.

A sequel was officially announced on May 10, 2023 with a theatrical release date set for September 6, 2024.

Lydia, herself would become a goth icon, and Beetlejuice, a pop cultural. I’m sure that he would have approved of that.

Also, if marked the beginning of quirky, odd, strange and bonkers films featuring annoyingly, obnoxious, and weird main monsters and strangers including Little Monsters, Drop Dead Fred, and Monkeybone. And equally weird films, like Cool World.

Colors stars Robert Duvall and Sean Penn as partners on the LAPD's gang crime division. Duvall had hoped to spend more time with his family, but he's pulled back into active service because of a step-up in gang activity.

He makes no secret of his contempt for his novice partner Penn, but eventually comes to rely on the younger man as a valuable street contact.

The central crisis is the battle for supremacy between the "Crips" and the "Bloods", with every effort to call a truce stymied by the gang members themselves and by undue police intervention.

The film, featured earlier performances by Clark Johnson, Maria Conchita Alonso, Grand L. Bush, Don Cheadle, Gerardo Mejía, Glenn Plummer, Damon Wayans, R.D. Call, Courtney Gains, Leon Robinson, Mario Lopez, and Tony Todd.

The soundtrack, featured songs by Los Lobos, Ice T, Big Daddy Kane, M.C. Shan, and others, with music composed by Herbie Hancock.

Colors, was made for $10 million, and garnered $46,616,067 in theatres, and garbed mixed to positive reviews.

Notably, the film would was controversial for his excessive violence. The movie, would later be followed other films that centred around urban communities, and their day to day reality.

Forest Whitaker stars as the brilliant jazz saxophonist Charlie "Bird" Parker in this elegiac biopic. Director Clint Eastwood pays full homage to Parker's musical genius, but also devotes ample time to the musician's twin demons, drugs and alcohol which accelerated his death at the age of 34.

In his struggles to gain widespread acceptance for his music, "Bird" is forever stymied by his own self-destructiveness, and forever bailed out by the love of his life, Chan Richardson Parker.

The film bemoans the decline of the brand of jazz fathered by Parker, which came to be replaced by more conventional material, as illustrated by the "descent" into the mainstream of Parker's mentor Buster Franklin.

Also starring in Bird is Samuel E. Wright as Dizzy Gillespie.

That's the real Charlie "Bird" Parker on the film's soundtrack, though most of the background music has been re-orchestrated.

The film, featured earlier performances by Forest Whitaker, Michael Zelnicker, Diane Verona, Tim Russ, Diane Salinger, Richard Jeni, Tony Todd, John Witherspoon, Tony Cox, Arlen Dean Snyder, and Samuel E. Wright.

The film, was made for $9–14 million, and garnered $2 million.

Ivan Moser is a serial killer who has been convicted of the rape, torture, and murder of 23 people. Moser is given the death penalty by electrocution.

At his execution, he boasts of having killed 24 people. A power outage caused by a riot prevents the execution, but Moser receives a jolt of electricity before the power fails.

He’s back, and meaner than ever. No one is safe, not even the film crew, that is there making a movie!

The film, featured earlier performances by Deborah Foreman, Clay Rohner, and former football player, Lyle Alzado, who sadly passed away, years later.

The movie, was one of many criminals who were sent to the electric chair or death row to die, but came back from the dead films, such as Prison, The Horror Show, Shocker, and later The First Power, and Fallen.

The film was released theatrically in the United States by The Movie Store on September 28, 1988. It was also released on VHS and LaserDisc by Virgin Vision that same year.

With effects work by Craig Lyman, and Ted Drnec.

Don't Bury Me... I'm Not Dead!

Wes Craven directs this terrifying story of one man's nightmarish journey into the blood-curdling, deadly world of voodoo.

A Harvard anthropologist is sent to Haiti to retrieve a strange powder that is said to have the power to bring human beings back from the dead. In his quest to find the miracle drug, the cynical scientist enters the rarely seen netherworld of walking zombies, blood rites and ancient curses.

Based on the true-to-life experiences of Wade Davis, starring Cathy Tyson, Zakes Mokae, Paul Winfield and Michael Gough, and filmed on location in Haiti, it's a frightening excursion into black magic and the supernatural!

The Serpent and the Rainbow, garnered decent reviews from critics, with the consensus being “Although it's occasionally overwhelmed by excessive special effects, The Serpent and the Rainbow draws on a chilling atmosphere to deliver an intelligent, politically informed story."

Roger Ebert of the Chicago Sun-Times gave the movie three stars out of a possible four, praising Pullman's performance and the "stunning" visuals, while also noting The Serpent and the Rainbow seemed to take Haitain voodoo more seriously as a religion and cultural force than most horror movies with similar themes, which merely use voodoo as a "gimmick".

With effects work by Bob Ahmanson, Peter Chesney, and Robin L. D'Arcy, and was made for $7 million, and $19.6 million.

A Nightmare on Elm Street 5, was released the very same year, with it being the larger grossing film.

One person, who was not happy with the film was Wade Davis, who felt that well it was well made, it didn’t reflect his experience while he was in Haiti, and played things fast and loose.

Fearful of a prophecy stating that a girl child will be born to bring about her downfall, the evil Queen Bavmorda imprisons all pregnant women within the formidable stronghold of Nockmaar.

A child, Elora Danan, is born in the Nockmaar dungeons and identified as the prophesied child by a birthmark on her arm.

However, before the black sorceress arrives to claim the child, Elora’s mother convinces her reluctant midwife to escape with the baby. Willow, a timid farmer and aspiring sorcerer, is entrusted with delivering the royal infant from evil.

The film, featured earlier performances by Warwick Davis, Val Kilmer, Kevin Pollock, Rick Overton, and Joanne Whalley, and was filmed in New Zealand, years before the Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit were filmed.

Willow, was made for 35 million, and $137.6 million, and garnered mixed reviews, and garnered a cult following, and many consider Willow to be one of the best fantasy films, possibly ever made.

Years later Willow, was made into a short lived TV series, on Disney+, with George Lucas outlining the Chronicles of the Shadow War trilogy to follow the film and hired comic book writer/novelist Chris Claremont to adapt them into a series of books.

They take place about fifteen years after the original film and feature the teenage Elora Danan as a central character.

With effects work by Clive Beard, John Brown, Kevin Chisnall, and Simon Cockren.

Francis Xavier Cross is a cynical, mean spirited television executive, he treats his loyal assistant with contempt.

He just sacked a member of staff on Christmas Eve for simply disagreeing with him, and he's alienated himself from his brother who still insists on inviting Frank to Christmas dinner despite him refusing to go every year.

However, Frank is forced to learn the true meaning of Christmas when he's visited by three ghosts.

The film, featured earlier performances by Alfre Woodward, Joel Murray, Kathy Kinney, and Wendi Malick, and featured music by Kool Moe Dee, Dan Hartman, a earlier version of the U2 song “The Sweetest Thing” by New Voices of Freedom featuring Adriane McDonald and George Pendergrass, “Christmastime Must Be Tonight” by Robbie Robertson, and a cover of “Put a Little Live in Your Heart” by Annie Lennox and Al Green, and music composed by Danny Elfman.

The film was made for $32 million dollars, and got for Christmas $10O.3 million dollars, and garnered mixed reviews from critics.

With effects work by Eric Brevig, Steven C. Foster, and David Goldberg.

Bad Dreams is a 1988 American supernatural mystery slasher film co-written and directed by Andrew Fleming and starring Jennifer Rubin, Bruce Abbott, E. G. Daily, Dean Cameron, Harris Yulin and Richard Lynch.

It was produced by Gale Anne Hurd. The plot follows a woman who awakens from a thirteen-year-long coma and finds herself being stalked by the ghost of a cult leader who led a mass suicide by fire that she survived as a child.

Bad Dreams was released on April 8, 1988, and grossed $9.8 million at the box office on a budget of $4.5 million.

However, it was criticized by horror fans and critics alike because of its similarities to A Nightmare on Elm Street, even taking into account that Jennifer Rubin was a supporting actress in A Nightmare on Elm Street 3: Dream Warriors.

The film’s soundtrack featured songs by Electric Prune, and Guns ‘N Roses, a largely unknown band at the time, performing the song “Sweet Child ‘O Mine”.

Bad Dreams, featured earlier performances by Shawnee Smith, Elizabeth Dailey, Susan Ruttan, Harris Yulin, Charles Fleischer, and Dean Cameron,

With bad dreams supplied by Tony Alderson, Leslie Huntley, Bret Mixon, and Gene Warren, Jr.

Dr. Blake runs a TV show called "Independent Thinkers", which is sort of a Scientology-like self-help/religion program.

But he's not making his audience think any more independently, with the help of an alien organism he calls The Brain, he's using brainwashing and mind control. The only thing that stands between them and world domination is a brilliant but troubled high school student with a penchant for pranks.

The film, featured a earlier performance by Cythina Preston, and was at the time largely unknown horror film, from Canada, and ended up becoming a direct to video film in the US, and later became a cult film.

The Brain, was made in around and Toronto, Ontario, Canada, and Scarborough, Ontario, Canada, and featured effects work by Thomas M. Bellisario, Larry Chase, W.R. Crombie, and Kevin Danzey.

In a tiny California town, high school students Brian (Kevin Dillon), Meg and Paul discover a strange, gelatinous substance that melts the flesh of any living creatures in its path.

The deadly substance gets into the town's sewer system, where it begins growing uncontrollably, occasionally emerging to feast on unsuspecting townspeople.

A military clean-up crew is sent to eliminate the menace, but it may end up doing more harm than good.

It creeps, it oozes, it kills, it crawls. Beware of the blob.

Later on, Chuck Russell would go on to direct the box office hits, The Mask and Eraser, and Frank Darabont would go on to write and direct The Shawshank Redemption and The Mist, and adapt The Walking Dead for television.

Filmed in Abbeville, Louisiana, The Blob was theatrically released in August 1988 by Tri-Star Pictures and was a box office failure, grossing $8.2 million against its budget of approximately $10 million.

Though it received a mixed response from critics, the film has since accrued a cult following, it’s also based on the 1958 film of film same name, and was later followed by the sequel, The Son of the Blob.

The Blob, featured earlier performances by Kevin Dillon, Shawnee Smith, Paul McCrane, Del Close, Erica Eleniak, Bill Moseley, Ricky Paull Goldin, Joe Seneca, Jeffrey DeMunn, and Donavan Leitch, Jr.

It also featured songs by Alien, Hot Rize, And Mike Slamer, and featured effects work by Tony Gardner, Virginia Buck, and Eric Allerd.

Julius and Vincent Benedict are the results of an experiment that would allow for the perfect child. Julius was planned and grows to athletic proportions. Vincent is an accident and is somewhat smaller in stature.

Vincent is placed in an orphanage while Julius is taken to a South Seas island and raised by philosophers. Vincent becomes the ultimate lowlife and is about to be killed by loan sharks when Julius discovers that he has a brother and begins looking for him.

Twins, marked the first film to have Arnold Schwarzenegger in a comedic role, and the beginning of a partnership between Schwarzenegger and Ivan Reitman, which included Kindergarten Cop, and Junior.

Twins, featured earlier performances by David Caruso, Heather Graham, Tony Jay, Cary-Hiroyuki Tagawa, Jason Reitman, Catherine Reitman, Maury Chakin, and Richard Portnow.

Twins, featured songs 2 Live Crew, The Coasters, The Spinners, Nicolette Larson, Jeff Beck, Little Richard, Phillip Bailey, and others, with Larson and Beck making cameos.

Twins, was made for 18 million, and garnered $216.6 million.

Jake and Kristy Briggs are newlyweds. Being young, they are perhaps a bit unprepared for the full reality of marriage and all that it (and their parents) expect from them.

Do they want babies? Their parents certainly want them to. Is married life all that there is? Things certainly aren't helped by Jake's friend Davis, who always seems to turn up just in time to put a spanner in the works.

The film, featured earlier performances by Elizabeth McGovern, Holland Taylor, Lili Taylor, Alec Baldwin, and Dennis Dugan, who would later go on to be a director, himself.

Along with Uncle Buck, Planes, Trains, and Automoblies, and Some Kind of Wonderful, She’s Having a Baby marked a period in John Hughes veered away from teen comedies, and went towards more introspective films.

Between, She’s Having a Baby underperforming in theatres, the passing of John Candy, and studios wanting Hughes to film in Los Angeles, rather than in Chicago, Illinois, Hughes’ hometown, he would later move from directing, and producing films, to mostly producing and writing movies, before retiring all together.

The film’s soundtrack featured songs by XTC, Kate Bush, Love and Rockets, “She’s Having a Baby” performed by Dave Wakeling, and others.

The film, received mixed reviews, was made for $20 million, and garnered $16 million.