1980s Best Movies

When you think of the 1980s, a few images come to mind: shoulder pads, big hair, and all-cheesy-everything. However, the decade had more to contribute to pop culture than being known as the New Jersey of the 20th century. The 1980s were also an era for incredible classic movies, ones that shifted the film industry as we know it. From John Hughes’ The Breakfast Club to Steven Spielberg’s E.T., the best movies of the 1980s not only shaped its generation but inspired subsequent generations in every way imaginable.

Hardbodies (1984)

Shat The Movies was made for movies like “Hardbodies,” a motion picture originally planned for the Playboy Channel but released in theaters because America needed boobs. This 1985 skin flick has all the tropes you’d expect: women in bikinis, beach parties, waterbeds and cheesy lines. But “Hardbodies” surprised us with...

Let It Ride (1989)

“Let It Ride” is a 1989 comedy starring Richard Dreyfuss as Jay Trotter, a perpetually unlucky gambler who, after overhearing a tip about a longshot horse, decides to bet all his savings on it. As Jay’s luck suddenly turns around, he finds himself on an exhilarating winning streak at the...

Do The Right Thing (1989)

Discussing race in America is never easy, and it was even harder in 1989 when Spike Lee released “Do The Right Thing,” a film filled with ambiguity, tension and Rosie Perez dancing. This supersized episode, commissioned by listener Grant Leisure, compelled the Shat Crew to take a hard look at...

Perfect (1985)

We’ve all seen that scene from “Perfect” where John Travolta is humping his way through a Jamie Lee Curtis aerobics class, but there’s another two hours to this 1985 box-office bomb. And we had to watch all of it. Longtime Shat The Movies beer buddy Scott in Friendswood, Texas, was...

The Legend of Billie Jean (1985)

“The Legend of Billie Jean” had a little something for each Shat The Movies host. Gene got his Honda Elite scooter. Ash got her Christian Slater. And Big D got Helen Slater with no bra. But that’s not why listener BreAnn M. commissioned this 1985 coming-of-age film. For her, “The...

Short Circuit (1986)

We noticed all the biggest podcasts seem to have celebrity hosts, murder or hot takes. Shat The Movies lacks star power. And it doesn’t have thrilling true-crime tales. So this week we’re banking on misguided opinions as we plug into “Short Circuit.” Big D doesn’t think Johnny 5 is really...

Legend (1985)

Shat The Movies power couple Carlos and Natasha were kind enough to gift the Shat Crew three film commissions of our choice. So we  used the first to fill a glaring omission in the Pantheon of Shat: “Legend.” Nursing a “Hawk The Slayer” hangover, Ash was a bit worried venturing...

Hawk The Slayer (1980)

When listener Joe asked to commission a pair of films for his grandmother’s 100th birthday, the Shat Crew never suspected his first choice would be “Hawk The Slayer.” And the surprises didn’t end there. This low-budget 1980 sword-and-sorcery fantasy treated us to machine-gun crossbows, a magical fisting sword and Jack...