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GungFuFighter
06-22-2008, 11:36 PM
The 1980's was a great time for cinema. The 1980's really raised the bar for action films and gave us some great action stars to watch and love. What are your top 10 80's action films?

Rules that have to apply:

Must have a credible action star
Action is varied, so the films can be from martial arts action, soldier/cop action, usa action, scifi action ect.
Must have focus on action rather then story/plot
Body counts are important, but there can be exceptions

10) Rambo III - John Rambo returns in the 2nd sequel to First Blood. In this sequel, Rambo goes to Afghanistan to rescue his Vietnam superior. We have Rambo in the desert of Afghanistan, fighting/killing Russians for a rescue mission. Action packed, and a good 80's film.

9) Rocky IV - Yes, another Sly film. He returns in the 3rd sequel to Rocky. In this, Rocky decides to fight the Russian super Boxer, Ivan Drago, who killed his friend Apollo Creed. Packed with good 80's music, and good montages, it taught us "If I can change, then you can change, then we can all change!"

8) Robocop - "Dead or alive, you're coming with me!" Robocop is an obvious 80's great. A cop gunned down, so what does the police do? Rebuild him as a robot of course! With his slow moving walk, his robotic talk, and his killing of bad guys, Robocop is entertaining for all.

7) Kickboxer - Our first martial arts flick on the countdown. Kickboxer shows us Van Damme in this big role, where he plays Kurt Sloane, brother of Kickboxing champion Eric Sloane played by awesome KB champ, Dennis Alexio. The montages, the music, the training, and the ass kicking make this a classic.

6) The Running Man - Our first, but not last Arnold film on the countdown. There's so many things I could say about this flick, just see it for yourself. So 80's, you'll love it.

5) Over The Top - Another Sly flick, cracking the into the top 5. Aw man, this is great. Sly plays a truck driver named Lincoln Hawk, who after his wife dies, tries to improve the relationship between him and his son. But what really makes this movie great, is that Hawk is an arm wrestler, who enters a huge arm wrestling tournament.

4) Bloodsport - Van Damme's first big hit. Stars Van Damme as Frank Dux, a man going to fight in a NHB martial arts tournament in Hong Kong called the Kumite. Van Damme does what he does best here.... kick, kick, and kick. Great martial arts flick, with all the montages, music, and fights. Bolo also gives a good performance as Chong Li.

3) The Terminator - Another Arnold film, in the top 3. This is a great film for so many reasons. Arnold plays the emotionless, killing cyborg who will stop at nothing to kill Sarah Connor played by the lovely Linda Hamilton. To protect Sarah, a soldier from the future, Reese (played by the bamf, Michael Bien) comes to destroy the Terminator. One of the best scifi and one of the best action movies ever.

2) Die Hard - Yippie Kay Yay... yeah you know the rest. Bruce Willis playing a cop coming to see his wife (they are seperated) for a Christmas party in LA. What he does expect is that terrorists plan to take over the building where the party is at, to make some money. This movie is memorable for many reasons.

1) Commando - This is the best of the best when it comes to not only 1980's action films, but action films in general. Arnold plays John Matrix, a retired Army commando, who's trying to make a normal life for his daughter and himself. After his daughter is kidnapped, and going to be killed, he only has 11 hours to save her. The movie is great for many reasons. Arnold, beating people up (using martial arts!), shooting people up, blowing things up, and all the beautiful, beautiful guns and weapons. The death's are great, it has a big body count, and it has Arnold running around the bad guy's courtyard, killing tons of soldiers, being a one man army! Fantastic, and number 1.

WhiteTiger1
06-23-2008, 07:06 PM
1.DIE HARD- ALL
2.LETHAL WEAPON
3.THE TERMANATOR
4.ROBOCOP
5.ALIENS
6.THE THING
7.ROADHOUSE
8.RAMBO-FIRST BLOOD
9.PREDATOR
10.THE LAST BOY SCOUT

Love Sci-Fi Action Flicks...:D

froffeecoffee
06-23-2008, 07:46 PM
Hey Whitetiger, Under Siege came out in 1992, so it just misses being an 80s action flick.

Mine are:

Conan the Barbarian
Raiders of the Lost Ark
Mad Max 2 (The Road Warrior)
Cobra
Beverly Hills Cop
48 Hours
Death Wish 3
Escape from New York
Rambo: First Blood Part II
Die Hard

WhiteTiger1
06-23-2008, 09:08 PM
Hey Whitetiger, Under Siege came out in 1992, so it just misses being an 80s action flick.

Mine are:

Conan the Barbarian
Raiders of the Lost Ark
Mad Max 2 (The Road Warrior)
Cobra
Beverly Hills Cop
48 Hours
Death Wish 3
Escape from New York
Rambo: First Blood Part II
Die Hard

I appreciate the heads up:eek:

TheManInWhite
06-23-2008, 11:46 PM
Man, picking 10 is tough, but here is goes in alpha order:

Die Hard - start of Bruce Willis' career as an action hero where he portrays NY cop John McClane just visiting Los Angeles to see his estranged wife and kids. When her company is taken hostage by some evil baddies, it's up to McClane to save the day against all odds. 100% classic!

48 Hrs. - the unlikely pairing of Nick Nolte as a tough-nosed cop out for revenge and Eddie Murphy as a wise-cracking con made this Walter Hill film a classic "buddy" action flick of the 80s.

The Killer - John Woo film with Chow Yun Fat plays a contract killer who indeed has a heart when he doesn't complete a job. On his trail is Danny Lee as a cop. They form an unlikely alliance which sets up for an ultimate showdown in a church (a scene duped by Woo himself in Face/Off) against an army who wants them dead. Heroic bloodshed at his finest!

Lethal Weapon/Lethal Weapon 2 - unlikely pairing of Mel Gibson as a cop who's a loose cannon with a death wish and Danny Glover as a grizzled veteran of the force. They face off against a militia unit whose forte is smuggling and killing those who are in their way. It's up to the boys to bust it up before it's too late. In the 2nd installment, Gibson and Glover are on the trail of a South African diplomatic clique who has (yes) a smuggling ring. And they must protect a government witness (Joe Pesce) in the process. Lightning strikes twice for Richard Donner!

Lock Up - a sleeper with Sly Stallone as a well-behaved convict with not much time to go. He's ultimately transferred to one of the worst prisons ran by a sadistic warden (Donald Sutherland) who is out to keep Sly in jail for the rest of his life. Plenty of prison action as well as a football game that makes the remade Longest Yard look like two hand touch.

Midnight Run - Robert DeNiro plays grizzled bounty hunter Jack Walsh with one last job to do as he must transport an embezzler (Charles Grodin) across country. Standing in their way is a mob boss (Dennis Farina) who wants Grodin dead, a FBI agent (Yaphet Kotto) who's hot on the pair's trail and a competing bounty hunter. Laughs and action aplenty here. Another favorite of mine.

Next of Kin - another personal favorite of mine has Patrick Swayze as a city cop from backwoods of Kentucky whose brother was slain by the mob. While trying to stay within the law to get answers, his older brother Briar (Liam Neeson) has other ideas. Pretty good action here.

Predator - Arnie at his finest. Part of an elite commando unit, they soon discover highly unusual killings taking place in the jungle. And the killer is not of this world. The action and thrills doesn't get any better than this!

Tango & Cash - odd pairing of Sly Stallone as a straight-laced, Versace-suit wearing cop and Kurt Russell as a not-so-straight-laced det. Both end up getting framed and put in jail by an alliance of baddies (headed by Jack Palance). Can they clear their name? Better yet, can they survive prison where most of the criminals they locked up currently live? Action and laughs follow in this one.

Terminator - a film well ahead of its time with Arnie as a relentless cyborg out to kill Sarah Connor (Linda Hamilton) who's to be the mother of the leader of the revolt against the machines. Michael Biehn plays a soldier sent back to protect Sarah. James Cameron's still raking in the dough as we speak.

Bravery
06-23-2008, 11:53 PM
Not really in order and assuming you just mean American Action.

48 Hrs
Big Trouble In Little China
Die Hard
Batman--the best of them all
Escape From New York
Leathal Weapon 2
American Ninja
Action Jackson
The Best Of The Best
Willow
Tango & Cash


Couldn't keep it to just 10

Chinatown Kid
06-24-2008, 02:03 AM
Besides the ones already mentioned I would like to add Heartbreak Ridge in there. "Shut your face hippie" lol.

Jstn
06-24-2008, 04:56 AM
Predator - Arnie at his finest. Part of an elite commando unit, they soon discover highly unusual killings taking place in the jungle. And the killer is not of this world. The action and thrills doesn't get any better than this!

Tango & Cash - odd pairing of Sly Stallone as a straight-laced, Versace-suit wearing cop and Kurt Russell as a not-so-straight-laced det. Both end up getting framed and put in jail by an alliance of baddies (headed by Jack Palance). Can they clear their name? Better yet, can they survive prison where most of the criminals they locked up currently live? Action and laughs follow in this one.



Two great ones as far as action is concerned! Tango & Cash was a good one, loved watching these two together. Predator....can you get a better extra-terrestrial?

robgrob
06-27-2008, 05:51 PM
1. return of the dragon,bruce lee vs Chunk norris
2.Terminator,classic bar and police station scenes
3.predator,jesse the body,carl weathers,anrold and a all-star cast vs one bad ass alien
4.commando, all-out action and one beautiful co-star
5.rocky 3, Mr.T as Clubber Lane
6.enter the dragon,bruce lee and all-star cast
7.warriors,the boopers, sluggers,can u dig it,warriors come out and playyyyyy!
8.aliens 2 , face huggers and the final battle
9.madmax beyond thunderdome,tina turner as villian
10.Bloodsport,Bolo in one of his most memorable roles and shutout too bruce,wood don't hit back.

ironfistedmonk
06-27-2008, 10:23 PM
The 80's was a tremendous time for action movies, I really struggle to pick a top 10 but here are my favourites in no particular order

Terminator - Despite the obvious 80's feel to the film it still stand up really well due to it being a really well directed movie, Arnie never looked better, bad guys always get the best roles :)
Predator - Best Alien? second best IMO but what a great movie, "there's something out there waiting for us, and it ain't no man", classic
Aliens - If I had to pick one above all the other great 80's action films it would be this one, great characters (Vazquez is one tough chick) and an intense experience, plus so many classic lines "Hey Vazquez, you ever been mistaken for a man" "No, have you" lol classic
Die Hard - Bruce is great, he is tough as nails but always seems vulnerable too. Nakatomi Plaza overrun by Eurotrash, Alan Rickman is cool as hell as Hans Gruber
, great stuff

Chinatown Kid
06-28-2008, 02:16 AM
Yo robgrob, Return of the Dragon and Enter the Dragon came out in 1972 and 73 respectively, The Warriors just missed being an 80's film as it came out in 79. I do like all three of those flicks though. :D

Jstn
06-28-2008, 04:16 AM
The 80's was a tremendous time for action movies, I really struggle to pick a top 10 but here are my favourites in no particular order

Terminator - Despite the obvious 80's feel to the film it still stand up really well due to it being a really well directed movie, Arnie never looked better, bad guys always get the best roles :)
Predator - Best Alien? second best IMO but what a great movie, "there's something out there waiting for us, and it ain't no man", classic
Aliens - If I had to pick one above all the other great 80's action films it would be this one, great characters (Vazquez is one tough chick) and an intense experience, plus so many classic lines "Hey Vazquez, you ever been mistaken for a man" "No, have you" lol classic
Die Hard - Bruce is great, he is tough as nails but always seems vulnerable too. Nakatomi Plaza overrun by Eurotrash, Alan Rickman is cool as hell as Hans Gruber
, great stuff

Aliens - freakin' top movie mate - the greatest alien ever put on the silver screen!!!

thekfc
06-28-2008, 04:54 PM
I would also like to add these:
Harlem Nights
Born on the Fourth of July
The Untouchables
Once Upon a Time In America
Raging Bull
The Empire Strikes Back
Return of The Jedi
Full Metal Jacket
Highlander
Forth Apache, The Bronx

Thou not all action - These are some of my Favs from the 80s:
The Shining
Fast Time at Ridgemond High
Poltergeist
Friday the 13th
Nightmare on Elm Street
Hellraiser
The Lost Boys
Ghostbusters
The Howling
The Name of The Rose
Colors

robgrob
06-28-2008, 09:40 PM
Yo robgrob, Return of the Dragon and Enter the Dragon came out in 1972 and 73 respectively, The Warriors just missed being an 80's film as it came out in 79. I do like all three of those flicks though. :D
sorry about that chinatown kid,thanks for the info how about john carpenter's
thing,and van dammes cyborg as replacements

Chinatown Kid
06-29-2008, 12:56 AM
Hey sounds good to me. :)