Roy Ivy and Adriane Neuenschwander from Consequences of Sound have the right of it when they say that a lot of people can’t seem to take a joke these days. The movies we grew up with back in the 80s have been put under the microscope in recent years and pored over by those that seem to have forgotten what a joke was like back in the day. Nowadays people look at these movies and seem to recoil in horror as jokes that are still funny to this day are being used. People seem to forget that the main point of comedy is to laugh at the things that make us uncomfortable as it takes away the majority of the power that such things might have over our lives. But then we’re reminded that we’re in the fallout phase of PC culture and are bound to have every last moment that’s caught on film scrutinized by those that are more than willing to watch a movie such as Fifty Shades of Grey or Saw and think it’s brilliant, but can’t take a joke that was told decades earlier. Yep, we’re living in the PC era still, and this list of movies is firmly in their crosshairs. Feel free to laugh as hard as you might have the first time. Here are 10 80s movies that couldn’t even be made today:
10. Sixteen Candles
Well now let’s see, a high school movie in which a senior is attracted to a freshman and a freshman is attracted to the same girl but convinces her to lend him her underwear so he can show it off. Oh, and there’s only a couple of students of color in the entire movie, AND a stereotypical Asian man. This doesn’t even go into the fact that Jake allows a freshman without a license to drive his father’s car in an attempt to take his drunken girlfriend home. Wow, that’s a lot, and that’s not even all of it. But tell you what, it was funny because 1) the ridiculousness of it all was so over the top that it played out like a live-action cartoon, and 2) That’s right, it was a comedy.
9. Caddyshack
Well, first off there’s the idea that they’re openly smoking weed in a time when it obviously wasn’t legal, and there’s the objectification of women. Apart from that there’s not a lot of reason why this movie should be on the block but it is all the same. In all honesty this was one of the funniest movies ever made and watching Bill Murray and Chevy Chase toking on a Bob Marley-sized joint while chasing it with a cannonball, basically a big swig of liquor. This is something you might expect of a movie like this and quite honestly it was one of the funniest things ever scripted since Carl was, despite being a nitwit, one of the best parts of the movie.
8. Better Off Dead
Ah yes, teenage suicide is nothing to make fun of apparently, especially now when the suicide rate has supposedly gone up and people are up in arms about it. But back in this time period it was still an issue, yet the idea of making it funny was something that wasn’t seen as that taboo at the time apparently, or we wouldn’t have this movie. Plus, the main character might have been a bit suicidal but he was so inept at it that every time he tried something went wrong and he was given another chance to go on living. It was a dark comedy to be sure, but a classic one all the same.
7. Stripes
I would have to say that it’s more or less the objectification of women in this one since the simple line that’s spoken about black men being hung instead of being given a dishonorable discharge is more rumor and gossip that is unsubstantiated in this time period. Plus, if anyone really wants to get offended by this movie it might be best to make them watch it all the way to the end since the two women that do manage to become a big part of the cast end up being two of the most badass characters as well while a good number of the men look like nitwits that couldn’t tie their own shoelaces.
6. The Blues Brothers
Obviously you can’t say much about race in this one since they make a good representation of the African-American, or black community, however you want to say it. People that have an issue with how this movie portrays black people might need a history lesson since the black folks featured in this movie are fairly diverse in how they’re being shown. There’s a black band member, a black cop, black men and women that look as though they’re doing quite well for themselves, and of course several noted black celebrities that are known as legends in the music and acting industries. So really, where’s the problem?
5. Spaceballs
Huh boy, where to start? No one does offensive material like Mel Brooks, for good or worse. But since Blazing Saddles has been in so many articles and YouTube videos throughout the last few years I thought I’d take a different tact. Spaceballs has actually been called out too but to a lesser degree than some of Brooks’ other films. This one of course goes the same way as it objectifies women, makes fun of various ethnic groups in different ways, and of course just makes a mockery of whatever it can get its hands on. If you haven’t quoted this movie at least once since seeing it then you don’t have much in the way of a sense of humor.
4. Ferris Bueller’s Day Off
Oh no, not juvenile delinquency! Oh wait, that makes no sense considering that the same people that pan these movies have no issue with kids walking out of school in protest of….just about anything these days. Ferris Bueller was of course one of the best and most entertaining class-skipping students back in his day since he made it look fun and cool and as though he could do no wrong. His day off was something for the record books back in that time since he got away with just about anything and everything and was able to get off without ever being caught, thanks to a last-minute save by his sister of course.
3. Weird Science
Will the objectification of women never stop?! Well, considering the Fifty Shades books and movies were somewhat popular among many people that would gladly call out the innocent humor in these movies, probably not. The hypocrisy runs pretty deep when people that love the kind of tripe that’s dished out to us in this day and age have to dig back through the decades to find movies that have even an inkling of controversy in them, especially when the objectification in this instance becomes more cartoonish than anything and eventually leads to both leads becoming better individuals thanks to the woman that was their shared creation.
2. The Goonies
Sigh, the Truffle Shuffle and Sloth. Those seem to be the two biggest concerns of this movie, apart from the supposed stereotypical Asian kid in the group and the damsel in distress played by the good-looking young woman that some people can’t stand any longer. First of all, the Truffle Shuffle was indeed funny, and the actor went on to become a rather successful individual. Sloth being chained to the wall was indeed horrible, but then again so were the characters that did this to him, his own family for crying out loud. You almost have to think that people are getting sensitive enough that they forget they’re watching a MOVIE.
1. Revenge of the Nerds
Eric Conner of Ranker obviously remembers the infamous panty-raid, the nerd-bashing, the stereotypes, the continual harassment, and so on and so forth and just….wow. A comedy that was meant to poke fun at the stereotypes has now been looked at as one of the most harmful movies of all time BECAUSE of the stereotypes. Do people even understand why comedy is important? Without movies and TV shows like this to laugh at life would be one depressing sentence for a lot of people. Being able to laugh at this stuff is what makes it possible to keep going.
Do yourself a favor and laugh at the comedies as they come, it’s so much easier than analyzing everything that could be labeled as offensive.Caddyshack
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