The Clown Prince of Crime
Super Freak
According to QT, the 1950's and the 1980's were the two worst decades for films.
Does he has a point?
It's a 5 minute video.
Does he has a point?
It's a 5 minute video.
Last edited:
Quentin Tarantino says the 80's sucked.
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Nnneh. I dunno. I seemed to find 80s movies compelling enough, then again he might not have our genre movies in mind which is arguably what the 80s were best for.
The Clown Prince of Crime
Super Freak
The part about there being a focus on protagonist being likable and flawed characters almost apologetically changing their ways by the end of the film is something to think about. It's an interesting observation that I need to analyze, because there's truth to it, but I can probably think of some examples of characters that fit that description in the 70's like Han Solo. He goes from being a sharp dangerous knife in the beginning of the film to a butter knife by the end. I wish QT had gone into further details, but the interviewer changed the subject and the direction of the interview, unfortunately. I 'd like to know what he thinks about specific films from the 80's.
Could that not be called a 'character arc'?
2020s will be the worst decade ever for movies. But yeah the 80s seemingly sucked. I can’t even think of 10 good 80s movies that I like. I can pick one year from the late 00s or 2010s and that year would be better for movies than the complete 1980s were.
Let’s see....
ESB
ROTJ
Ferris Bueller
Christmas Vacation
Aliens
Planes, Trains, Automobiles
Die Hard
Child’s Play
Batman
Let’s see....
ESB
ROTJ
Ferris Bueller
Christmas Vacation
Aliens
Planes, Trains, Automobiles
Die Hard
Child’s Play
Batman
He can eat my ass
The Clown Prince of Crime
Super Freak
Correct.
Some characters change and others do not. Still, I'm sure QT's criticism goes beyond forced character arcs because of "self censorship" or the "political correctness" of the time. That's why I wish he had talked more about the 80's film industry as a whole to understand in greater detail what made those two decades so bad. Clearly he's very knowledgeable of the film industry and knows his history, so he's not hating on those decades or saying all the films made in the 80's were bad.
I can hear Jye's Hnnnnng from Ireland for what's not on your list
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80s movies > all Tarantino movies (except Kill Bill Vol. 1 & 2)
How about:
Raiders of the Lost Ark
Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade
Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom
Predator
Robocop
Terminator
Raging Bull
Platoon
Blade Runner
Das Boot
The Princess Bride
Back to the Future
The Right Stuff
Glory
Field of Dreams
Yeah seen this last night. I was scratching my head on it to, but tried to look deeper. The character arc angle I assume he was discussing was that characters in the 80s can grow and change within a 2 hr movie, but in his POV, a character doesn't change and stays in that character. I think that seems to be a pet peeve in his mind and that when you establish a character, they stay in character with their choices. I think there is nothing wrong with the existence of both. It might have just been tipped in that direction during the 80s. A lot of films to analyze for POV.
80s > 70s/90s IMO.
He also talked about Weinstein too in that interview. Kudos to Rogan for not being afraid of bringing that up.
jal76
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Big Tarantino fan, but hard to say the 80s sucked with Indiana Jones, Ghostbusters, Raging Bull, Blade Runner, American Werewolf in London, Ran, Blue Velvet, The Elephant Man, Blow Out.
The funny thing is Tarantino always names Brian DePalma his favorite filmmaker of all time and always lists Blow Out as one of his top 10 films of all time.
Hard to say a decade that produced one of your all time favorites sucked.
The funny thing is Tarantino always names Brian DePalma his favorite filmmaker of all time and always lists Blow Out as one of his top 10 films of all time.
Hard to say a decade that produced one of your all time favorites sucked.
generalszabo
Super Freak
Absolute nonsense, for the reasons stated, but mainly Blade Runner
https://www2.bfi.org.uk/films-tv-people/sightandsoundpoll2012/voter/1134
Tarantino's top 10
Tarantino's top 10
| Apocalypse Now | 1979 | Francis Ford Coppola |
| Bad News Bears, The | 1976 | Michael Ritchie |
| Carrie | 1976 | Brian de Palma |
| Dazed and Confused | 1993 | Richard Linklater |
| Good, the Bad and the Ugly, The | 1966 | Sergio Leone |
| Great Escape, The | 1963 | John Sturges |
| His Girl Friday | 1939 | Howard Hawks |
| Jaws | 1975 | Steven Spielberg |
| Pretty Maids All in a Row | 1971 | Roger Vadim |
| Rolling Thunder | 1997 | John Flynn |
| Sorcerer | 1977 | William Friedkin |
| Taxi Driver | 1976 | Martin Scorsese |
ajp4mgs
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I don't think QT is saying that 80's movies all sucked. He's just making a point about how the approach to 80's filmmaking relied far more on creating the "crowd-pleaser" type of movies. There was more resistance in cinema to "offending" the audience's sensebilities. And therefore, more of an effort to make "feel good" films.
It's all a reflection of the culture at the time. The 80's was the most commercial decade ever. There was much more focus about giving people what they want in order to maximize revenue. The 70's and 90's were a contrast to that in many ways (much more the case with the 70's).
The 70's was largely about skepticism, cynicism, and screw "The Man." There was a harder edge to that decade because people became disillusioned by Vietnam, Watergate, economic hardship, violent cultural protests, gas shortages, etc. The movies reflected that harder edge. Apocalypse Now, Network, Deer Hunter, Cuckoo's Nest, Taxi Driver . . . these movies had balls. It was art for the sake of art, and pleasing the crowd wasn't as important as it would become in the 80's.
The 90's started with war and economic hardship, and its first true identity was "grunge." Again, a harder edge to it that was at least a *little* less interested in just being commercially popular. A good number of the best 90's movies reflected that (with major contributions from QT himself), but nowhere near the levels of the 70's. Natural Born Killers, Seven, Unforgiven, Trainspotting, Fight Club . . . the feel of those movies would've been more "at home" in the 70's than the 80's.
To say that "political correctness" was the culprit in the 80's is a bit off the mark, though, IMO. I think it was more about commercialism in general, where the focus was more on popularity and the "feel good" messaging that would simply make more money.
It's all a reflection of the culture at the time. The 80's was the most commercial decade ever. There was much more focus about giving people what they want in order to maximize revenue. The 70's and 90's were a contrast to that in many ways (much more the case with the 70's).
The 70's was largely about skepticism, cynicism, and screw "The Man." There was a harder edge to that decade because people became disillusioned by Vietnam, Watergate, economic hardship, violent cultural protests, gas shortages, etc. The movies reflected that harder edge. Apocalypse Now, Network, Deer Hunter, Cuckoo's Nest, Taxi Driver . . . these movies had balls. It was art for the sake of art, and pleasing the crowd wasn't as important as it would become in the 80's.
The 90's started with war and economic hardship, and its first true identity was "grunge." Again, a harder edge to it that was at least a *little* less interested in just being commercially popular. A good number of the best 90's movies reflected that (with major contributions from QT himself), but nowhere near the levels of the 70's. Natural Born Killers, Seven, Unforgiven, Trainspotting, Fight Club . . . the feel of those movies would've been more "at home" in the 70's than the 80's.
To say that "political correctness" was the culprit in the 80's is a bit off the mark, though, IMO. I think it was more about commercialism in general, where the focus was more on popularity and the "feel good" messaging that would simply make more money.
If that's true, I just lost a little respect for him.
greygoose
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jal76
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As long as it’s never revealed that he did not in fact direct Phantom of the Paradise, DePalma will always have my admiration, regardless of how terrible some of his other output may be.
jal76
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I’ll go with the list that he hand wrote versus some guy at BFI’s take:
Attachments
Oh Ducky Ducky Ducky... Such a lost sole.
1982 alone probably kills any given year from the late 00s or 2010's
1. The Thing
2. Blade Runner
3. First Blood
4. Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan
5. Poltergeist
6. E.T. The Extra Terrestrial
7. Conan the Barbarian
8. The Dark Crystal
9. Tron
10. Rocky III
1980 had
1. The Empire Strikes Back
2. The Shining
3. Raging Bull
4. The Elephant Man
5. Airplane
6. The Blues Brothers
7. Superman 2
8. Caddyshack
1981 had
1. Raiders of the Lost Ark
2. An American Werewolf in London
3. The Evil Dead
4. The Road Warrior
5. Stripes
1983
1. Scarface
2. Vacation
3. Return of the Jedi
1984
1. The Terminator
2. Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom
3. Ghostbusters
4. Once upon a Time in America
5. A Nightmare on Elm Street
6. Amadeus
7. This is Spinal Tap
8. Gremlins
9. The Natural
Of course these list don't count all the films that I think should be on there.. I tried to go with the ones that are Universally considered good to great or having a big impact on future filmmakers and film goers
Now from 1985 on.. Things get a little dark and are more in line of what QT was probably talking about.
Of course there were great films made during that time period also but they look more like 1983 than 1982, 80, and 84
