The 1980s were a blissful decade full of cringe-worthy fashion trends and pop music. The movies from the '80s are haunting in a good way; they leave us enamored and begging for more. Many of them have hidden messages, and some are more obvious. All of them, however, are noteworthy. Here's a list of my favorites, and why we should remember them.
If you haven't seen Ferris Bueller's Day Off, you're not living. Here's the sitch: wise-cracking slacker Ferris, his lady Sloane, and his best friend Cameron decide to ditch school, prompting for a day in the city. Between a visit to Wrigley Field, and a near run-in with Ferris' daddy who believes him to be sick and bed-ridden, the trio have a romantic (in the true meaning of the word) time. Mr. Rooney, the obsessive principal, tries his darndest to expose Ferris as a hooky-playing sneak, not an ill angel, but fails. Ferris helps us remember that all work and no play is never an option. Break the rules every once in a while, and live life with no regrets.
March 24, 1984. 7:06 a.m. to 4 p.m.. Otherwise known as the Saturday detention in The Breakfast Club. The bad boy, the brainiac, the athlete, the crazy, and the princess all are assigned an essay to write on who they really are. As if! They bond during those eight hours and 56 minutes, and end up dissing their principal then walking off into the sunset together. I'll go all Albus Dumbledore on you here, and simply say that friends are everywhere if you know how to look.
In 1984's Sixteen Candles, sophomore Sam is less than impressed when her entire family forgets her birthday and focuses on her older sister's wedding. Things only get worse when she can't stop fawning over senior Jake Ryan. Oh, a firsty-lasty. He's not Jake, he's not Ryan. He's the Jake Ryan. Anyways, at the school dance, Sam meets a nerdy but altogether sweet freshman, who then shows up at Jake's party the same night and puts in a good word for Sam. All in all, Jake and Sam get together. Aw, how sweet. Good ole' Sam is a reminder to stay optimistic, for even the worst of days can take a turn for the awesome.
Nobody puts Baby in a corner! Dirty Dancing is a revolutionary classic. Baby is 17, vacationing with her family in the Catskills, when she meets hunky dance instructor Johnny. Things take a turn for the scandalous when Johnny's dance partner, Penny, can no longer dance because Baby's sister's boyfriend knocked her up. Baby's dad believes Johnny to be the father and tells Baby not to see him anymore. Of course she doesn't listen. Baby continues to dance with Johnny, and their feelings for each other become prominent. Their relationship is revealed when Johnny is accused of stealing a wallet and doesn't have an alibi, but Baby insists that they were together that night. The ending is completely fabulous, with an unforgettable dance scene. Baby's selflessness in defending Johnny symbolizes that sometimes, helping others is more important than what other people think of you.
Lastly, The Princess Bride. The lovely young maiden Buttercup falls for her farm boy, Westley. His catch phrase? "As you wish." He goes away to bring home some bacon to his girl, but she learns that he is killed by a pirate and agrees to marry the ridiculously obnoxious Prince Humperdinck. He hires three men to kill her, plotting to start a war. Two of those villains turn out as good guys. Buttercup is rescued by Westley, who is actually still alive. The End. Not really. Prince Humperdinck and his sadistic BFF capture the two and trick Buttercup into coming back with Humperdinck. She believes Westley is free, but in reality he's being tortured by the Prince and mentioned BFF. The bad guys turned good aforementioned save Westley and crash Buttercup and Humperdinck's wedding, and Westley saves his love once again, The end for real. The moral of this one is simple; love waits.