Top Movies Of 1984

From Milos Forman, starring F. Murray Abraham, Tom Hulce, Elizabeth Berridge, Roy Dotrice
Rated R

Amadeus is a 1984 biographical drama film based on the life of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, directed by Milos Forman. The film follows the rivalry between Mozart and Antonio Salieri, a composer of lesser talent and status. After Salieri hears Mozart's beautiful music, he seeks to destroy Mozart out of envy and spite, but ultimately, Mozart's genius is too great. The film follows Mozart and Salieri's fraught relationship and Mozart's life in Vienna and eventual death while Salieri watches in sorrow. It also delves into Mozart's personal life, including his love for his wife, his relationship with his father, and his financial difficulties. Amadeus is a nuanced look at the human cost of genius, set to the backdrop of some of Mozart's most classic pieces of music.

From Sergio Leone, starring Robert De Niro, James Woods, Elizabeth McGovern, Treat Williams
Rated R

Once Upon a Time in America is a 1984 epic crime drama film directed by Sergio Leone and starring Robert De Niro, James Woods, Elizabeth McGovern, and Joe Pesci. Set in New York City during the 1930s and 1940s, the story follows the lives of Jewish immigrant gangsters from their boyhood in the slums to their rise to power, and their gradual descent into organized crime and the eventual dissolution of their empire. The film focuses on the relationship between two of the gangsters, Noodles and Max, and how the decisions they make in their lives shape the future of their gang. The film is a meditation on the passage of time, exploring themes of friendship, loyalty, and the price of power.

From James Cameron, starring Arnold Schwarzenegger, Linda Hamilton, Michael Biehn, Paul Winfield
Rated R

The Terminator is a science fiction action film directed by James Cameron and released in 1984. It stars Arnold Schwarzenegger as the titular Terminator, a cyborg assassin sent back in time from the year 2029 to 1984 to kill Sarah Connor (Linda Hamilton), the future mother of a resistance leader. An equally formidable warrior from the future, Kyle Reese (Michael Biehn), is sent back to protect her from the Terminator. The two must battle for Sarah's fate as the Terminator relentlessly pursues her. With the help of a mysterious stranger, Sarah and Kyle must battle for the future of mankind against the unstoppable killing machine.

From Wim Wenders, starring Harry Dean Stanton, Nastassja Kinski, Dean Stockwell, Sam Berry
Rated R

Paris, Texas is the story of Travis Henderson (Harry Dean Stanton), a loner who has been missing for four years. After being found in a Texas desert, he begins a search for his brother and young son, who were left behind when he disappeared. With the help of his brother Walt (Dean Stockwell), Travis reunites with his son Hunter (Hunter Carson) and estranged wife Jane (Nastassja Kinski). The reunion is bittersweet, as Jane is now married to another man, and Travis must find his place in this new family dynamic. His journey takes him to Paris, Texas, where he discovers the secrets of his past and learns to accept the realities of his present. Along the way, he finds a sense of peace and acceptance, and the courage to face his future.

From Mick Jackson, starring Karen Meagher, Reece Dinsdale, David Brierly, Rita May
Rated TV-MA

Threads is a British television drama film written by Barry Hines, directed by Mick Jackson and produced by the BBC. It is a docudrama account of a nuclear war and its effects on the city of Sheffield in England. The film follows the lives of two families, the Kemps and the Becketts, as they attempt to survive in the aftermath of a full-scale nuclear exchange between the United States and the Soviet Union. The film covers the period from the initial attack to the long-term effects of nuclear winter, including the breakdown of society, civil unrest, famine and death from radiation poisoning. Threads serves as a stark reminder of the devastating consequences of nuclear war and the futility of such a conflict.

From Rob Reiner, starring Rob Reiner, Michael McKean, Christopher Guest, Kimberly Stringer
Rated R

This Is Spinal Tap is a 1984 mockumentary directed by Rob Reiner about a mock British heavy metal band called Spinal Tap. The film follows the band's journey as they embark on a U.S. tour in support of their new album. Along the way, they experience many misadventures such as failing to find their way around the city they are playing in, losing drummers to spontaneous combustion, and having a diminutive Stonehenge monument delivered instead of the full-sized one they requested. The film also features interviews with the band members and various other people, as well as a behind-the-scenes look at their performances. The film is a satire of the music scene in the 1980s and has become a cult classic.

From Ivan Reitman, starring Bill Murray, Dan Aykroyd, Sigourney Weaver, Harold Ramis
Rated PG

Ghostbusters is a 1984 American supernatural comedy film directed by Ivan Reitman and written by Dan Aykroyd and Harold Ramis. The film stars Bill Murray, Aykroyd, and Ramis as three eccentric parapsychologists and paranormal investigators who start a ghost-catching business in New York City. The trio set up shop in an old fire station and begin zapping ghosts and demons with energy weapons and proton packs. When the ghosts threaten to wreak havoc on the city, the Ghostbusters are called upon to save the day. With the help of a showgirl, a secretary, and a spirit guide, the Ghostbusters must battle an ancient evil force that has been unleashed in the city. In the end, the Ghostbusters must use their courage, wits, and gadgets to confront the ultimate evil and save the city.

From Roland Joffé, starring Sam Waterston, Haing S. Ngor, John Malkovich, Julian Sands
Rated R

The Killing Fields is a 1984 British-American historical drama directed by Roland Joffé. The film follows the true story of Cambodian journalist and refugee Dith Pran, portrayed by Haing S. Ngor, and his friend and mentor, Sydney Schanberg, an American journalist played by Sam Waterston. The film begins in 1973, when Schanberg is sent to Cambodia to report on the civil war between the Khmer Rouge and the Cambodian government. While in Cambodia, he meets and befriends Pran, a local interpreter. When the Khmer Rouge takes power, Schanberg is forced to evacuate while Pran is left behind. The film follows Pran’s desperate attempts to survive the ensuing genocide and eventual escape to Thailand. The Killing Fields captures the horror of the Khmer Rouge regime and the devastating effects it had on Pran, his family and his country. The film was nominated for seven Academy Awards, winning Best Supporting Actor for Haing S. Ngor.

From Directors: Joel Coen, Ethan Coen, starring John Getz, Frances McDormand, Dan Hedaya, M. Emmet Walsh
Rated R

Blood Simple is a 1984 neo-noir crime thriller directed by Joel and Ethan Coen. The film follows a bar owner in Texas, Marty (Dan Hedaya), who suspects his wife Abby (Frances McDormand) of having an affair with one of his employees, Ray (John Getz). He hires private detective Loren Visser (M. Emmet Walsh) to tail them, but all three soon find themselves embroiled in murder and betrayal. The film features a series of dark, suspenseful twists and turns that ultimately descend into a world of violence and chaos. Blood Simple is considered to be the Coen Brothers' breakout film and is widely regarded as a classic of the neo-noir genre.

From Steven Spielberg, starring Harrison Ford, Kate Capshaw, Ke Huy Quan, Amrish Puri
Rated PG

Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom is an action-adventure film directed by Steven Spielberg, and a prequel to the 1981 film Raiders of the Lost Ark. The film follows Indiana Jones (Harrison Ford) and his allies as they travel to an Indian village in search of the missing children of a small village. Along the way, they encounter the dangerous Thuggee cult, who are using the children for human sacrifice, and must battle them in order to save the children and recover a powerful Hindu artifact. The film is filled with thrilling action sequences, intense suspense, and spectacular special effects, and also features some light-hearted comedy.

From Wes Craven, starring Heather Langenkamp, Johnny Depp, Robert Englund, John Saxon
Rated R

From Woody Allen, starring Woody Allen, Mia Farrow, Nick Apollo Forte, Sandy Baron
Rated PG

From Jim Jarmusch, starring John Lurie, Eszter Balint, Richard Edson, Cecillia Stark
Rated R

From Robert Benton, starring Sally Field, Lindsay Crouse, Ed Harris, Amy Madigan
Rated PG

From Barry Levinson, starring Robert Redford, Robert Duvall, Glenn Close, Kim Basinger
Rated PG

From Wolfgang Petersen, starring Noah Hathaway, Barret Oliver, Tami Stronach, Gerald McRaney
Rated PG

From Martin Brest, starring Eddie Murphy, Judge Reinhold, John Ashton, Lisa Eilbacher
Rated R

From Joe Dante, starring Zach Galligan, Phoebe Cates, Hoyt Axton, John Louie
Rated PG

From John G. Avildsen, starring Ralph Macchio, Pat Morita, Elisabeth Shue, Martin Kove
Rated PG

From Alan Parker, starring Matthew Modine, Nicolas Cage, John Harkins, Sandy Baron
Rated R

From Norman Jewison, starring Howard E. Rollins Jr., Adolph Caesar, Art Evans, David Alan Grier
Rated PG

From John Carpenter, starring Jeff Bridges, Karen Allen, Charles Martin Smith, Richard Jaeckel
Rated PG

From John Hughes, starring Molly Ringwald, Anthony Michael Hall, Justin Henry, Michael Schoeffling
Rated PG

From Roger Donaldson, starring Mel Gibson, Anthony Hopkins, Laurence Olivier, Edward Fox
Rated PG

From Alex Cox, starring Harry Dean Stanton, Emilio Estevez, Tracey Walter, Olivia Barash
Rated R