Top Movies 1983

From Brian De Palma, starring Al Pacino, Michelle Pfeiffer, Steven Bauer, Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio
Rated R

Scarface is a 1983 American crime drama film directed by Brian De Palma and written by Oliver Stone. The film follows Cuban immigrant, Tony Montana, as he rises to the top of Miami's criminal underworld. The film stars Al Pacino as Montana, alongside actors Steven Bauer, Michelle Pfeiffer, Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio, and Robert Loggia. The story follows Montana as he builds a criminal empire through drug trafficking and ruthless violence. With his newfound power, Tony begins to lose sight of his own morality and engages in illegal activities such as murder and bribery. The film is an adaptation of the 1932 film of the same name and is set in early 1980s Miami. The film has become a cult classic, with its memorable characters, intense violence, and controversial themes of ambition and excess. It is considered a definitive gangster film and is widely regarded as one of the greatest films ever made.

From Richard Marquand, starring Mark Hamill, Harrison Ford, Carrie Fisher, Billy Dee Williams
Rated PG

Star Wars: Episode VI - Return of the Jedi is the final installment in the original Star Wars trilogy. The story takes place one year after the events of The Empire Strikes Back. The Galactic Empire has constructed a new, more powerful Death Star, and is using the moon of Endor as a shield generator. The Rebel Alliance must find a way to destroy the Death Star and defeat the Empire once and for all. Luke Skywalker, Princess Leia, Han Solo, Chewbacca, and the droids C-3PO and R2-D2 travel to Endor to deactivate the shield generator, while the Rebel fleet engages the Imperial forces in a desperate battle. Meanwhile, Luke confronts his father, Darth Vader, in a lightsaber duel as the fate of the galaxy hangs in the balance. In the end, Vader is redeemed and the Death Star is destroyed, leading to the downfall of the Empire and the restoration of peace in the galaxy.

From Martin Scorsese, starring Robert De Niro, Jerry Lewis, Diahnne Abbott, Sandra Bernhard
Rated PG

The King of Comedy is a 1982 American black comedy film directed by Martin Scorsese and starring Robert De Niro and Jerry Lewis. The film follows Rupert Pupkin, an aspiring stand-up comic, who manages to talk his way into a meeting with famous talk show host, Jerry Langford. Rupert believes his appearance on the show will help him become a successful comedian. He then concocts a plan to kidnap Langford in order to get a spot on the show. Along the way, he meets Masha, a fellow aspiring comedian, who helps him out with his plan. The film follows Rupert's attempts to make it on Langford's show, as well as his relationship with Masha. The King of Comedy offers a darkly comedic look at stardom and celebrity culture, as well as the lengths some people will go to in order to achieve their dreams.

From Philip Kaufman, starring Sam Shepard, Scott Glenn, Ed Harris, Dennis Quaid
Rated PG

The Right Stuff is a 1983 American epic historical drama film written and directed by Philip Kaufman. It is based on Tom Wolfe's best-selling 1979 book of the same name about the Navy, Marine and Air Force test pilots who were involved in aeronautical research at Edwards Air Force Base, California, as well as the Mercury Seven, the seven military pilots who were selected to be the astronauts for Project Mercury, the first human spaceflight program of the United States. The film follows the test pilots and their families as they overcome personal and professional difficulties and compete to be the first to enter outer space. It also explores the sacrifices made by the families of the astronauts and the effects of space exploration on the United States. The film stars Ed Harris, Scott Glenn, Sam Shepard, Fred Ward, Dennis Quaid, Barbara Hershey and Veronica Cartwright. The Right Stuff received critical acclaim, and was nominated for eight Academy Awards including Best Picture.

From Directors: Terry Jones, Terry Gilliam, starring John Cleese, Terry Gilliam, Eric Idle, Terry Jones
Rated R

The Meaning of Life is a 1983 British musical comedy film written and directed by Terry Jones and Terry Gilliam. The film is a series of comic episodes, loosely connected by a story about the search for the meaning of life. The film features a cast of Monty Python alumni, including Graham Chapman, John Cleese, Terry Gilliam, Eric Idle, Terry Jones, and Michael Palin. It is the last film to feature all six Python members before Chapman's death in 1989. The film is set in the present day, telling the story of a group of people searching for the meaning of life. The film follows the characters as they experience a variety of odd and surreal situations, including a lavish dinner party, a military hospital, and a parody of a Catholic church service. Along the way, the characters are confronted with various philosophical questions regarding the meaning of life and death. The film also features a series of satirical sketches, which range from the absurd to the poignant. In the end, the characters come to their own conclusions about the meaning of life, each having come to a different understanding.

From John Landis, starring Eddie Murphy, Dan Aykroyd, Ralph Bellamy, Don Ameche
Rated R

Trading Places is a 1983 American comedy film directed by John Landis, starring Dan Aykroyd, Eddie Murphy, and Jamie Lee Curtis. The film tells the story of two wealthy brothers who decide to switch the lives of a homeless street hustler and a commodities broker. The street hustler, Billy Ray, is played by Murphy, while Aykroyd plays the commodities broker, Louis Winthorpe III. Through their wager, the brothers attempt to prove that success is determined by environment and not by intelligence or hard work. After the switch, Billy Ray and Louis find themselves in drastically different circumstances and must fight their way back to the top. In the course of their journey, they learn the importance of family, friendship, and the power of self-determination.

From James L. Brooks, starring Shirley MacLaine, Debra Winger, Jack Nicholson, Danny DeVito
Rated PG

From Robert Bresson, starring Christian Patey, Sylvie Van den Elsen, Michel Briguet, Vincent Risterucci
Rated Not Rated

From Harold Ramis, starring Chevy Chase, Beverly D'Angelo, Imogene Coca, Randy Quaid
Rated R

From Bill Forsyth, starring Burt Lancaster, Peter Riegert, Fulton Mackay, Denis Lawson
Rated PG

From Nagisa Ôshima, starring David Bowie, Tom Conti, Ryuichi Sakamoto, Takeshi Kitano
Rated R

From David Cronenberg, starring Christopher Walken, Brooke Adams, Tom Skerritt, Herbert Lom
Rated R

From David Cronenberg, starring James Woods, Debbie Harry, Sonja Smits, Peter Dvorsky
Rated R

From Lawrence Kasdan, starring Tom Berenger, Glenn Close, Jeff Goldblum, William Hurt
Rated R

From John Badham, starring Matthew Broderick, Ally Sheedy, John Wood, Dabney Coleman
Rated PG

From Mike Nichols, starring Meryl Streep, Kurt Russell, Cher, Craig T. Nelson
Rated R

From Francis Ford Coppola, starring C. Thomas Howell, Matt Dillon, Ralph Macchio, Patrick Swayze
Rated PG

From Roger Spottiswoode, starring Nick Nolte, Ed Harris, Gene Hackman, Joanna Cassidy
Rated R

From Penelope Spheeris, starring Chris Pedersen, Bill Coyne, Jennifer Clay, Timothy O'Brien
Rated R

From Paul Brickman, starring Tom Cruise, Rebecca De Mornay, Joe Pantoliano, Richard Masur
Rated R

From Barbra Streisand, starring Barbra Streisand, Amy Irving, Mandy Patinkin, Nehemiah Persoff
Rated PG

From Clint Eastwood, starring Clint Eastwood, Sondra Locke, Pat Hingle, Bradford Dillman
Rated R

From Tony Scott, starring Catherine Deneuve, David Bowie, Susan Sarandon, Cliff De Young
Rated R

From John Glen, starring Roger Moore, Maud Adams, Louis Jourdan, Kristina Wayborn
Rated PG

From Richard Franklin, starring Anthony Perkins, Vera Miles, Meg Tilly, Robert Loggia
Rated R