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The following is an overview of events in 1985 in film, including the highest-grossing films, award ceremonies and festivals, a list of films released and notable births and deaths.
The top ten 1985 released films by box office gross in North America are as follows:
Rank | Title | Distributor | Box-office gross |
---|---|---|---|
1 | Back to the Future | Universal | $210,609,762 |
2 | Rambo: First Blood Part II | TriStar / Carolco | $150,415,432 |
3 | Rocky IV | MGM | $127,873,716 |
4 | The Color Purple | Warner Bros. | $94,175,854 |
5 | Out of Africa | Universal | $87,071,205 |
6 | Cocoon | 20th Century Fox | $76,113,124 |
7 | The Jewel of the Nile | $75,973,200 | |
8 | Witness | Paramount | $68,706,993 |
9 | The Goonies | Warner Bros. | $61,389,680 |
10 | Spies Like Us | $60,088,980 |
The year was considered an unsuccessful one for film. Despite a record number of film releases, many films failed at the box office, and ticket sales were down 17% compared with 1984. [2] [3] Industry executives believed the problem, in part, was a lack of original concepts. [4] Films about fantasy and magic failed, as audiences leaned towards science-fiction. [5] [3] Janet Maslin said the fault for this lay partly with Steven Spielberg, who had created such a successful template with films like E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial and Close Encounters of the Third Kind that many fantasy films had imitated them. [6] There was also a saturation of youth-oriented films targeted at those under 18. Executives were not fond of these films, but the financial rewards were too significant to ignore. The few films aimed at older audiences, like Cocoon, were surprise successes. [3] [7] Only Back to the Future and Rambo: First Blood Part II were successful blockbusters, earning more than double the box office of Cocoon. [3] Films offering escapism and pro-America themes like Rambo: First Blood Part II and Rocky IV had also fared well. [7]
The glut of youth-targeted films like Return to Oz and The Black Cauldron , and science-fiction comedies like Weird Science , Real Genius , and My Science Project had resulted in a string of failures. Executives said that the films were all very similar and marketed in the same way, offering no variety for audiences. [3] [5]
Palme d'Or (Cannes Film Festival):
Golden Lion (Venice Film Festival):
Golden Bear (Berlin Film Festival):
Month | Date | Name | Age | Country | Profession | Notable films |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
January | 5 | Robert Surtees | 78 | US | Cinematographer | |
5 | John Paxton | 73 | US | Screenwriter | ||
11 | Edward Buzzell | 89 | US | Director | ||
12 | Paul Luty | 52 | UK | Actor | ||
13 | Carol Wayne | 42 | US | Actress | ||
14 | Jetta Goudal | 93 | Netherlands | Actress | ||
18 | Wilfrid Brambell | 72 | Ireland | Actor | ||
18 | Georgie Stoll | 82 | US | Composer, Musical Director | ||
25 | Paul J. Smith | 78 | US | Composer | ||
29 | Chic Murray | 65 | UK | Actor | ||
February | 4 | John Wexley | 77 | US | Screenwriter | |
6 | Neil McCarthy | 52 | UK | Actor | ||
10 | Wanda Tuchock | 86 | US | Screenwriter | ||
11 | Henry Hathaway | 86 | US | Director | ||
11 | Heinz Roemheld | 83 | US | Composer | ||
12 | Nicholas Colasanto | 61 | US | Actor | ||
19 | Dorothy Black | 85 | South Africa | Actress | ||
20 | Clarence Nash | 80 | US | Voice Actor | ||
21 | Ina Claire | 91 | US | Actress | ||
21 | Louis Hayward | 75 | South Africa | Actor | ||
22 | Alexander Scourby | 71 | US | Actor | ||
24 | Joseph C. Wright | 92 | US | Art Director | ||
27 | J. Pat O'Malley | 80 | UK | Actor | ||
27 | David Huffman | 39 | US | Actor | ||
March | 1 | Alfred Zeisler | 92 | US | Producer, Director | |
3 | Connie Gilchrist | 89 | US | Actress | ||
3 | Noel Purcell | 84 | Ireland | Actor | ||
5 | Thomas Little | 98 | US | Set Decorator | ||
8 | Edward Andrews | 70 | US | Actor | ||
19 | Anthony Nelson Keys | 73 | UK | Producer | ||
21 | Michael Redgrave | 77 | UK | Actor | ||
21 | Michael Trubshawe | 79 | UK | Actor | ||
April | 16 | Scott Brady | 60 | US | Actor | |
21 | John Welsh | 70 | Ireland | Actor | ||
23 | Kent Smith | 78 | US | Actor | ||
25 | Richard Haydn | 80 | UK | Actor | ||
26 | Albert Maltz | 76 | US | Screenwriter | ||
May | 1 | George Pravda | 68 | Czech Republic | Actor | |
4 | Harry Earles | 83 | US | Actor | ||
7 | Dawn Addams | 54 | UK | Actress | ||
8 | Susan Morrow | 53 | US | Actress | ||
8 | Dolph Sweet | 64 | US | Actor | ||
9 | Edmond O'Brien | 69 | US | Actor | ||
13 | Selma Diamond | 64 | Canada | Actress | ||
13 | Leatrice Joy | 91 | US | Actress | ||
14 | Frank Westmore | 62 | ?? | Makeup Artist | ||
16 | Margaret Hamilton | 82 | US | Actress | ||
17 | Hugh Burden | 72 | UK | Actor | ||
20 | George Memmoli | 46 | US | Actor | ||
22 | Wolfgang Reitherman | 75 | Germany | Animator, Director | ||
22 | Gerald Case | 80 | UK | Actor | ||
25 | Robert Nathan | 91 | US | Screenwriter | ||
26 | Harold Hecht | 77 | US | Producer | ||
30 | Talbot Jennings | 90 | US | Screenwriter | ||
June | 1 | Richard Greene | 66 | UK | Actor | |
7 | Gordon Rollings | 59 | UK | Actor | ||
8 | Charles LeMaire | 88 | US | Costume Designer | ||
9 | Clifford Evans | 73 | UK | Actor | ||
10 | George Chandler | 86 | US | Actor | ||
12 | Dominique Laffin | 33 | France | Actress | ||
17 | John Boulting | 71 | UK | Producer, Director | ||
17 | Georgia Hale | 84 | US | Actress | ||
24 | Valentine Dyall | 77 | UK | Actor | ||
28 | James Craig | 73 | US | Actor | ||
July | 3 | Nelson Leigh | 80 | US | Actor | |
7 | Ewen Solon | 67 | New Zealand | Actor | ||
8 | Phil Foster | 71 | US | Actor | ||
8 | Victor Rendina | 68 | US | Actor | ||
9 | Rafael Campos | 49 | Dominican Republic | Actor | ||
10 | Arthur J. Ornitz | 68 | US | Cinematographer | ||
16 | Elsie Wagstaff | 86 | UK | Actress | ||
17 | Margo | 68 | Mexico | Actress | ||
19 | Henry Mollison | 80 | UK | Actor | ||
20 | Estelle Evans | 78 | Bahamas | Actress | ||
21 | Alvah Bessie | 81 | US | Screenwriter | ||
23 | Mickey Shaughnessy | 64 | US | Actor | ||
23 | Tom Waldman | 63 | US | Screenwriter | ||
27 | Michel Audiard | 65 | France | Screenwriter, Director | ||
28 | Grant Williams | 53 | US | Actor | ||
August | 1 | Al Overton | 73 | US | Sound Engineer | |
1 | Joseph Walker | 92 | US | Cinematographer | ||
2 | Bob Holt | 56 | US | Actor | ||
2 | Frank Faylen | 79 | US | Actor | ||
7 | Grayson Hall | 62 | US | Actress | ||
8 | Louise Brooks | 78 | US | Actress | ||
8 | Milton H. Greene | 63 | US | Producer | ||
10 | Kenny Baker | 72 | US | Singer, Actor | ||
12 | Patrick Hines | 55 | US | Actor | ||
13 | Marion Martin | 77 | US | Actress | ||
14 | Gale Sondergaard | 86 | US | Actress | ||
15 | Lester Cole | 81 | US | Screenwriter | ||
24 | Morrie Ryskind | 89 | US | Screenwriter | ||
28 | Ruth Gordon | 88 | US | Actress, Screenwriter | ||
29 | Evelyn Ankers | 67 | Chile | Actress | ||
29 | Patrick Barr | 77 | UK | Actor | ||
30 | Tom Howard | 75 | UK | Special Effects Artist | ||
September | 4 | Isabel Jeans | 93 | UK | Actress | |
4 | George O'Brien | 86 | US | Actor | ||
6 | Johnny Desmond | 65 | US | Actor, Singer | ||
6 | Jane Frazee | 67 | US | Actress, Singer | ||
10 | Alexa Kenin | 23 | US | Actress | ||
11 | William Alwyn | 79 | UK | Composer | ||
14 | Julian Beck | 60 | US | Actor | ||
23 | Harvey Parry | 85 | US | Stuntman | ||
24 | Paul Mann | 71 | Canada | Actor | ||
26 | Frank Bracht | 75 | US | Film Editor | ||
27 | Lloyd Nolan | 83 | US | Actor | ||
28 | L. B. Abbott | 77 | US | Special Effects Artist | ||
29 | Arthur Krams | 73 | US | Set Decorator | ||
30 | Simone Signoret | 64 | France | Actress | ||
30 | Floyd Crosby | 85 | US | Cinematographer | ||
October | 2 | Rock Hudson | 59 | US | Actor | |
6 | Nelson Riddle | 64 | US | Composer | ||
8 | Theresa Harris | 78 | US | Actress | ||
10 | Yul Brynner | 65 | Russia | Actor | ||
10 | Orson Welles | 70 | US | Actor, Director, Screenwriter | ||
11 | Elwood Ullman | 82 | US | Screenwriter | ||
13 | Francesca Bertini | 93 | Italy | Actress | ||
16 | Franklin Milton | 78 | US | Sound Engineer | ||
21 | Diane Thomas | 39 | US | Screenwriter | ||
22 | Stefano Satta Flores | 48 | Italy | Actor | ||
24 | Masaichi Nagata | 79 | Japan | Producer | ||
28 | William Bramley | 57 | US | Actor | ||
29 | John Davis Lodge | 82 | US | Actor | ||
30 | Kirby Grant | 73 | US | Actor | ||
30 | David Oxley | 64 | UK | Actor | ||
November | 1 | Phil Silvers | 74 | US | Actor | |
6 | Sanjeev Kumar | 47 | India | Actor | ||
9 | Helen Rose | 81 | US | Costume Designer | ||
19 | Jimmy Ritz | 81 | US | Actor | ||
19 | Stepin Fetchit | 83 | US | Actor | ||
27 | Harry Harvey Sr. | 84 | US | Actor | ||
December | 3 | Sam Gilman | 70 | US | Actor | |
5 | Howard Rodman | 73 | US | Screenwriter | ||
8 | Jack H. Skirball | 89 | US | Producer | ||
11 | Kathleen Ryan | 63 | Ireland | Actress | ||
12 | Anne Baxter | 62 | US | Actress | ||
12 | Phil Karlson | 77 | US | Director | ||
14 | Bruce Weintraub | 33 | US | Set Decorator | ||
17 | Harry M. Leonard | 85 | US | Sound Engineer | ||
22 | Lawrence Hauben | 54 | US | Screenwriter | ||
23 | Gina Kaus | 92 | Austria | Screenwriter | ||
26 | Margarete Schön | 90 | Germany | Actress | ||
28 | Renato Castellani | 72 | Italy | Director, Screenwriter | ||
31 | Ricky Nelson | 45 | US | Actor, Singer | ||
31 | Sam Spiegel | 84 | Poland | Producer |
The year 1990 in film involved many significant events as shown below. Universal Pictures celebrated its 75th anniversary in 1990, despite its actual 75th anniversary taking place in 1987.
The year 1989 involved many significant films.
The following is an overview of events in 1988 in film, including the highest-grossing films, award ceremonies and festivals, a list of films released and notable deaths.
The following is an overview of events in 1987 in film, including the highest-grossing films, award ceremonies and festivals, a list of films released and notable deaths. Paramount Pictures celebrated its 75th anniversary in 1987.
The year 1992 in film involved many significant film releases.
The following is an overview of events in 1986 in film, including the highest-grossing films, award ceremonies and festivals, a list of films released and notable deaths.
The following is an overview of events in 1984 in film, including the highest-grossing films, award ceremonies and festivals, a list of films released and notable deaths.
The following is an overview of events in 1983 in film, including the highest-grossing films, award ceremonies and festivals, a list of films released and notable deaths.
The following is an overview of events in 1982 in film, including the highest-grossing films, award ceremonies and festivals, a list of films released and notable deaths.
The following is an overview of events in 1981 in film, including the highest-grossing films, award ceremonies and festivals, a list of films released and notable deaths.
The year 1978 in film involved some significant events.
The year 1977 in film involved some significant events.
The year 1976 in film involved some significant events.
The year 1974 in film involved some significant events.
This page covers significant events of the year 1973 in film.
The year 1972 in film involved several significant events.
The year 1971 in film involved some significant events.
The year 1970 in film involved some significant events.
The year 1969 in film involved some significant events, with Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid dominating the U.S. box office and becoming one of the highest-grossing films of all time and Midnight Cowboy, a film rated X, winning the Academy Award for Best Picture.
The year 1968 in film involved some significant events, with the release of Stanley Kubrick's 2001: A Space Odyssey, as well as two highly successful musical films, Funny Girl and Oliver!, the former earning Barbra Streisand the Academy Award for Best Actress and the latter winning both the Best Picture and Best Director awards.
…actor Aja Naomi King in 1985 (age 35)