List of comedy films of the 1980s

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A list of comedy film s released in the 1980s.

TitleDirectorCastCountrySubgenre/Notes
1980
9 to 5 Colin Higgins Lily Tomlin, Dolly Parton, Jane Fonda United States
Private Benjamin Howard Zieff Goldie Hawn, Eileen Brennan, Armand Assante United States
Airplane! Jim Abrahams, David Zucker, Jerry Zucker Robert Hays, Julie Hagerty, Robert Stack, Leslie Nielsen, Peter Graves, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Lorna Patterson, Lloyd Bridges, Ethel Merman United StatesA spoof of disaster films
Caddyshack Harold Ramis Chevy Chase, Rodney Dangerfield, Ted Knight, Michael O'Keefe, Bill Murray, Sarah Holcomb, Scott Colomby, Cindy Morgan, Dan Resin, Henry Wilcoxon, Elaine Aiken, Albert Salmi, Ann Ryerson, Brian Doyle-Murray, Hamilton Mitchell United States
Melvin and Howard Jonathan Demme Paul Le Mat, Mary Steenburgen, Pamela Reed, Jason Robards United StatesComedy-drama
History of the World, Part I Mel Brooks Mel Brooks, Dom DeLuise, Madeline Kahn, Harvey Korman, Cloris Leachman, Ron Carey, Gregory Hines, Pamela Stephenson, Spike Milligan, Shecky Greene, Sid Caesar, Mary-Margaret Humes, Orson Welles, Hugh Hefner, Barry Levinson, John Hurt, Andrew Sachs United States
The Blues Brothers John Landis John Belusi, Dan Aykroyd, Carrie Fisher United States
1981
Stripes Ivan Reitman Bill Murray, Harold Ramis, Warren Oates, P. J. Soles, John Candy, John Laroquette, Judge Reinhold United States
1982
Airplane II: The Sequel Ken Finkleman Robert Hays, Julie Hagerty, Peter Graves, Lloyd Bridges, Chad Everett United States
Porky's Bob Clark Kim Cattrall, Dan Monahan, Wyatt Knight United States
1983
Strange Brew Rick Moranis, Dave Thomas Rick Moranis, Dave Thomas, Max von Sydow, Paul Dooley, Lynne Griffin Canada
1984
Ghostbusters Ivan Reitman Bill Murray, Dan Aykroyd, Sigourney Weaver, Harold Ramis, Rick Moranis, Annie Potts, William Atherton, Ernie Hudson, David Margulies, Steven Tash, Jennifer Runyon, Slavitza Jovan, Michael Ensign, Alice Drummond, Jordan Charney United States
Repo Man Alex Cox Emilio Estevez, Harry Dean Stanton, Tracey Walter United States
Splash Ron Howard Tom Hanks, Daryl Hannah, John Candy, Eugene Levy United States
This is Spinal Tap Rob Reiner Michael McKean, Christopher Guest, Harry Shearer, Rob Reiner United States
Top Secret! Jim Abrahams, David Zucker, Jerry Zucker Val Kilmer, Lucy Gutteridge, Omar Sharif, Peter Cushing, Michael Gough United States
1985
Back to the Future Robert Zemeckis Michael J. Fox, Christopher Lloyd, Lea Thompson, Crispin Glover, Thomas F. Wilson, Claudia Wells, Marc McClure, Wendie Jo Sperber, George DiCenzo, Frances Lee McCain, James Tolkan, J. J. Cohen, Casey Siemaszko, Billy Zane, Harry Waters, Jr. United States
The Goonies Richard Donner Sean Astin, Josh Brolin, Jeff Cohen, Corey Feldman, Kerri Green, Martha Plimpton, Ke Huy Quan, John Mutuszak, Robert Davi, Joe Pantoliano, Anne Ramsey, Lupe Ontiveros, Mary Ellen Trainor, Keith Walker, Curtis Hanson United States
Lost in America Albert Brooks Albert Brooks, Julie Hagerty, Michael Greene, Tom Tarpey, Garry Marshall United States
Once Bitten Howard Storm Jim Carrey, Lauren Hutton, Cleavon Little United States
Summer Rental Carl Reiner John Candy, Karen Austin, Rip Torn, Richard Crenna United States
Pee-wee's Big Adventure Tim Burton Paul Reubens, Elizabeth Daily, Mark Holton, Diane Salinger, Judd Omen, Irving Hellman, Monte Landis, Damon Martin, David Glasser, Gregory Brown, Mark Everett, Daryl Roach, Bill Cable, Peter Looney, Starletta DuPois United States
Weird Science John Hughes Ilan Mitchell-Smith, Anthony Michael Hall, Kelly LeBrock, Bill Paxton United States
1986
Down and Out in Beverly Hills Paul Mazursky Nick Nolte, Bette Midler, Richard Dreyfuss, Elizabeth Peña, Little Richard, Evan Richards, Tracy Nelson, Felton Perry United States
Little Shop of Horrors Frank Oz Rick Moranis, Steve Martin, John Candy United States
Ruthless People Jim Abrahams, David Zucker, Jerry Zucker Danny DeVito, Bette Midler, Judge Reinhold, Helen Slater United States
1987
Hunk Lawrence Bassoff John Allen Nelson, Steve Levitt, James Coco, David KurtzUnited StatesA Faustian comedy
Spaceballs Mel Brooks Mel Brooks, Rick Moranis, Bill Pullman, Daphne Zuniga, John Candy, George Wyner, Joan Rivers, Dick Van Patten, Michael Winslow, Lorene Yarnell, John Hurt, Sal Viscuso, Ronny Graham, Jim J. Bullock, Leslie Bevis United StatesA parody of Star Wars
1988
Beetlejuice Tim Burton Alec Baldwin, Geena Davis, Annie McEnroe, Maurice Page, Hugo Stanger, Michael Keaton, Rachel Mittelman, Catherine O'Hara, J. Jay Saunders, Mark Ettlinger, Jeffrey Jones, Winona Ryder, Glenn Shadix, Patrice Martinez, Cindy Daly United States
1989
Back to the Future Part II Robert Zemeckis Michael J. Fox, Christopher Lloyd, Lea Thompson, Thomas F. Wilson, Elisabeth Shue, James Tolkan, Jeffrey Weissman, Casey Siemaszko, Billy Zane, J.J. Cohen, Charles Fleischer, E. Casanova Evans, Jay Koch, Charles Gherardi, Ricky Dean Logan United States
Ghostbusters II Ivan Reitman Bill Murray, Dan Aykroyd, Sigourney Weaver, Harold Ramis, Rick Moranis, Ernie Hudson, Annie Potts, Peter MacNicol, Harris Yulin, David Margulies, Kurt Fuller, Janet Margolin, Wilhelm von Homburg, William T. Deutschendorf, Henry J. Deutschensorf United States

American films

1980s

1980

1981

1982

1983

1984

1985

1986

1987

1988

1989

British films

Comedy-horror

1981

1982

1983

1984

1985

1986

1987

1988

1989

Sci-fi comedy

Comedy-drama

Parody films

Related Research Articles

A parody film or spoof film is a subgenre of comedy film that lampoons other film genres or films as pastiches, works created by imitation of the style of many different films reassembled together. Although the subgenre is often overlooked by critics, parody films are commonly profitable at the box office. Parody is related to satire, except that "parody is more often a representation of appreciation, while a satire is more often...pointing ...out the major flaws of an object through ridicule." J.M. Maher notes that the "difference is not always clear" and points out that "some films employ both techniques". Parody is found in a range of art and culture, including literature, music, theater, television, animation, and gaming.

Shuki Levy is an Israeli-American music composer and television producer. Levy's best known work is soundtrack compositions for children's television programs of the 1980s, such as The Real Ghostbusters, Inspector Gadget, The Mysterious Cities of Gold, M.A.S.K., Dinosaucers, He-Man and the Masters of the Universe, She-Ra: Princess of Power, and Jayce and the Wheeled Warriors. In the 1990s, he became known chiefly for his work on the Power Rangers franchise, Digimon: Digital Monsters, Masked Rider, VR Troopers, and Big Bad Beetleborgs. He has also written and directed numerous episodes for some these television shows, and directed a few films, such as Perfect Victims (1988) and Blind Vision (1991). He was also part of a musical duo known as Shuky & Aviva with his partner Aviva Paz.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">UFOs in fiction</span>

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TCM Underground was a weekly late-night cult film showcase airing on Turner Classic Movies. Developed by former TCM marketing director Eric Weber, it was originally hosted by industrial rock/heavy metal musician and independent filmmaker Rob Zombie. The films were programmed by Eric Weber until 2007, when TCM programmer Millie De Chirico took over the role. The block ended on February 24, 2023, following layoffs in December that included De Chirico.

The vigilante film is a film genre in which the protagonist or protagonists engage in vigilante behavior, taking the law into their own hands. Vigilante films are usually revenge films in which the legal system fails protagonists, leading them to become vigilantes. The vigilante film has in recent years often crossed over with the superhero genre, due to character origin stories frequently involving an injustice having been committed against them.

References

  1. The Last Dragon (1985) – Michael Schultz | Synopsis, Characteristics, Moods, Themes and Related | AllMovie
  2. Lethal Weapon (1987) – Richard Donner | Synopsis, Characteristics, Moods, Themes and Related | AllMovie
  3. Frightmare (1983) – Norman Thaddeus Vane | Synopsis, Characteristics, Moods, Themes and Related | AllMovie
  4. Bloodsuckers from Outer Space (1984) – Glen Coburn | Synopsis, Characteristics, Moods, Themes and Related | AllMovie
  5. The Return of the Living Dead (1985) – Dan O'Bannon | Synopsis, Characteristics, Moods, Themes and Related | AllMovie
  6. Blood Hook (1987) – James Mallon, Jim Mallon | Synopsis, Characteristics, Moods, Themes and Related | AllMovie
  7. Evil Laugh (1988) – Dominick Brascia | Synopsis, Characteristics, Moods, Themes and Related | AllMovie
  8. Monster in the Closet (1987) – Bob Dahlin | Synopsis, Characteristics, Moods, Themes and Related | AllMovie
  9. The Seventh Curse (1986) – Ngai Kai Lam, Lan-Wei Tsang | Synopsis, Characteristics, Moods, Themes and Related | AllMovie
  10. TerrorVision (1986) – Ted Nicolaou | Synopsis, Characteristics, Moods, Themes and Related | AllMovie
  11. A Chinese Ghost Story (1987) – Siu-Tung Ching | Synopsis, Characteristics, Moods, Themes and Related | AllMovie
  12. Dead Heat (1988) – Mark Goldblatt | Synopsis, Characteristics, Moods, Themes and Related | AllMovie
  13. "Hollywood Chainsaw Hookers (1988) - Fred Olen Ray | Synopsis, Characteristics, Moods, Themes and Related | AllMovie".
  14. The Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai (1984) – W.D. Richter | Synopsis, Characteristics, Moods, Themes and Related | AllMovie
  15. "Traxx (1988) - Jerome Gary | Synopsis, Characteristics, Moods, Themes and Related | AllMovie".