1987 was a year to remember in cinema, especially during the summertime. A wealth of cinema memories were made in that season that still reverberate today. Not all of them were great mind you but they were memorable enough that people still think about and reference them from time to time. That’s what it means to be a great movie or a cult classic, people tend to remember them with a reverence that speaks of how influential they were at that given time. Plus, it’s hard to really forget your favorite movies, or some of the worst you’ve ever seen.
Here’s a handful of films that most of us that were growing up back then should recall.
Predator
Get to the choppah! No one saw this film coming, and one of the more memorable moments that had people talking, besides Arnold’s classic line, was when Billy had his spine and skull ripped out in one vicious, flesh-ripping yank.
The Lost Boys
It had nothing to do with Peter Pan obviously but there was that kind of Peter Pan complex inherent in a bunch of young men that just didn’t age. Still, that’s where the reference ended since not long after the movie starts you realize that things just aren’t right in this little coastal town.
Innerspace
This wasn’t a new idea but the manner in which it was done and the effects were certainly new to the screen. Plus it was a lot funnier than Fantastic Voyage.
The Monster Squad
A bunch of kids tangle with the movie monsters of old, and seek a way to banish them back to a different dimension. It was campy but still cool for kids.
The Brave Little Toaster
This was Toy Story before there was a Toy Story. I guess you could have called it Appliances or Kitchen Story and it would have had the same meaning, but not the same feeling.
Masters of the Universe
This seems like it was an hour and a half of Dolph Lundgren running around in a revealing outfit trying to prove that he was a star. It worked for him obviously but not the rest of the cast.
Ernest Goes to Camp
If you went cross country and stayed at a KOA, chances are you saw this movie multiple times that summer. That’s okay, it was funny each and every time.
The Untouchables
For a heavily modified story of real-life events this film was pretty good. One would have to crack open a history book to see how things really went down but thanks to decent acting it was enjoyable.
Adventures in Babysitting
Don’t nobody get outta here without singing the blues. Talk about your rough night on the job. I thought babysitting was supposed to be a cakewalk.
Predator
Yes it’s on here twice, but it was that awesome that it had to be mentioned again. Anytime you put one of the most awesome action stars up against an unstoppable opponent you have the makings of a blockbuster on your hands.
Spaceballs
This movie didn’t get nearly enough credit for being one of the funniest productions EVER. So it’s a spoof, that’s what made it great.
Robocop
They should have stopped at this one and called it good. The premise and the plot were great but then they went and did two more sequels that just about killed it.
The Living Daylights
Okay, it wasn’t the best Bond film ever, but it was also going through a change-up by placing Timothy Dalton in the lead role. You kind of had to expect some difficulty in transition.
Full Metal Jacket
I kind of wonder if more young men started enlisting or if they stayed away after watching this film. R. Lee Ermey is just BRUTAL.
All in all 1987 was a good summer for movies.
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