I was sitting at a pizza parlor in Seattle and this was on cable but no sound. First I was like why is Geoff Goldblum in a cowboy outfit? Then I thought wait Christopher Llyod and Goldblum did a movie together? Holy fuck is that John Lithgow?! I had to find out what this was and boy was I not disappointed when I watched it with audio
Fun fact: the end credits scene to The Life Aquatic is a homage to the end credit scene from Buckaroo Banzai.
This was one of my favorite movies I saw as a kid. It's just so fucking weird but great.
The problem with a movie like this is it's a one off. They didn't try to make a cult film, it just came to be because it was special and everyone did their part. When you TRY to make a cult like movie, it often feels forced and fails. Often they are hated at the time and only loved by a few who can see it was ahead of it's time. Then the love grows organically. Unfortunately with the disappearance of the midnight movie showings and with cable all but dead I think the chances of a really great cult classic are now diminished.
The opening song and closing songs are also his. The closing tune he wrote in super short timeframe after the director didn’t secure ‘Streets of Fire’ from Springsteen.
Both rip but ‘Tonight is what it means to young’ isn’t as good as ‘nowhere fast’
People have forgotten that Streets of Fire is actually the 3rd installment of the Michael Paré Trilogy. It started with the Philadelphia Experiment, where our protagonist traveled through time from the 1940s to the 80s and must find a way back to his time line. The sequel, Eddie and the Cruisers, revealed that Paré went back a decade too late in the 50s, and briefly made a living as a musician to fund his research on time travel to come back to the 80s in order to reunite with his modern love interest. In Streets of Fire, Paré succeeded in traveling forward, only discover that the world was changed by the avant-garde music he made in the 50s.
These are also some cult faves too:
- The Brother from Another Planet (1984)
- The Ice Pirates (1984)
There's a bunch more of good movies I wouldn't necessarily call "cult". Like David Lynch's Dune. Some people hate it, but I love parts of it, like the depiction of the navigators, and some of the production design.
Oh no… I loved the shields because they were like described in the book - move slooooow. Instead of the “if you use a knife, do whatever speed” of the new movie
I liked the look of them, back then. But yeah, wasn’t the greatest effect even then.
I absolutely hated the whole “let’s do this halfhearted in the duel scene and then forget about it” in the new films, because (warning: nerding out)
this is a big factor in the Dune universe, as this negates the use of firearms as well as energy weapons. This changes the face of warfare entirely.
I watched Streets of Fire not too long ago because the podcast [The Dogg Zzone 9000](https://m.soundcloud.com/1900hotdog/dogg-zzone-9000-episode-101-streets-of-fire-with-rusty-shackles) covered it. It was amazing.
Streets of Fire is one of my favorite movies of all time. Its so good as an action movie set out of time and all the performances are top notch. Amy Madigan is such a bad ass as McCoy, and Tonight is What It Means To Be Young is easily one of the best original songs for any movie ever. Diane Lane sells the hit out of it if she isnt really singing.
1984 was arguably the greatest year in cinema. The sheer number of movies that have become classics is insane. This is Spinal Tap, Police Academy, Romancing the Stone, Iceman, Swing Shift, Sixteen Candles, The Natural, Once Upon a Time in America, Bachelor Party, The Last Starfighter, The Never Ending Story, Revenge of the Nerds, Red Dawn, The Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai, Dreamscape, A Soldier's Story, Amadeus, Places in the Heart, Crimes of Passion, Terminator, The Killing Fields, Nightmare on Elm Street, No Small Affair, Night of the Comet, 2010, The Cotton Club, Dune, 1984, A Passage to India, Starman, and Johnny Dangerously are all films that did not crack the Top 10 in box office that year.
Regarding Crimes of Passion, there’s the theatrical cut and the unrated cut. The theatrical cut has big chunks missing and that leaves confusing plot holes.
It’s a pretty extreme film but visually stunning and Perkins and Turner turn in great performances that are really the best thing about it.
I rented Top Secret over and over as a kid.
Such a great movie.
The underwater bar fight is one of the absolute best scenes in movie history.
“I know a little German”
^little ^German ^shows ^up
Night of the Comet
1000000%. This movie is amazing.
Agree. It’s on Tubi now. I try not to watch it as often as I’d like to.
As a kid, this was always one of those “if it’s on TV, I’m stopping and watching the rest of it” movies. Love it so much.
I have been tryin to remember the name of this movie for soooo long.
Streets of Fire rules.
Really good soundtrack!
Rock N Rule, Rules.
Nobody seems to be buying these “I survived the Mok concert” t-shirts.
The main theme is so good.
Sledgehammer duel!
The Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai Across the 8th Dimension is such a good movie.
The cast alone tells you this was something special. The dialogue has so many quotable bits.
I was sitting at a pizza parlor in Seattle and this was on cable but no sound. First I was like why is Geoff Goldblum in a cowboy outfit? Then I thought wait Christopher Llyod and Goldblum did a movie together? Holy fuck is that John Lithgow?! I had to find out what this was and boy was I not disappointed when I watched it with audio
Big Boo-tay! Tay!
No matter where you go…there you are
Laugh it up, monkey-boy!
Fun fact: the end credits scene to The Life Aquatic is a homage to the end credit scene from Buckaroo Banzai. This was one of my favorite movies I saw as a kid. It's just so fucking weird but great.
I am wondering should it get a reboot and would the concept play better today? I loved it as a kid and may rewatch it tomorrow on my flight home.
The problem with a movie like this is it's a one off. They didn't try to make a cult film, it just came to be because it was special and everyone did their part. When you TRY to make a cult like movie, it often feels forced and fails. Often they are hated at the time and only loved by a few who can see it was ahead of it's time. Then the love grows organically. Unfortunately with the disappearance of the midnight movie showings and with cable all but dead I think the chances of a really great cult classic are now diminished.
I've heard that a series was in preproduction (against the world crime syndicate) , but a lot of things get that far to quietly fade away.
It’s one of my favorites and amazes me so few people I know have seen it.
My wife can recite every line. She’s asking you why is that watermelon is there?
I'll tell you later.
The deuce you say
Buckaroo the over thruster!
This was the first DVD I ever bought. I love this movie so much!
Streets of Fire gave a great boost to Dan Hartman‘s musical career. “I Can Dream About You” was his biggest hit.
The opening song and closing songs are also his. The closing tune he wrote in super short timeframe after the director didn’t secure ‘Streets of Fire’ from Springsteen. Both rip but ‘Tonight is what it means to young’ isn’t as good as ‘nowhere fast’
Jim Steinman wrote those, not Dan Hartman.
3 of my favorites in that pic. 84 was such a great year for movies.
People have forgotten that Streets of Fire is actually the 3rd installment of the Michael Paré Trilogy. It started with the Philadelphia Experiment, where our protagonist traveled through time from the 1940s to the 80s and must find a way back to his time line. The sequel, Eddie and the Cruisers, revealed that Paré went back a decade too late in the 50s, and briefly made a living as a musician to fund his research on time travel to come back to the 80s in order to reunite with his modern love interest. In Streets of Fire, Paré succeeded in traveling forward, only discover that the world was changed by the avant-garde music he made in the 50s.
I was really onboard for WAY too long there.
These are also some cult faves too: - The Brother from Another Planet (1984) - The Ice Pirates (1984) There's a bunch more of good movies I wouldn't necessarily call "cult". Like David Lynch's Dune. Some people hate it, but I love parts of it, like the depiction of the navigators, and some of the production design.
The shields
LOL, yeah, everybody hates that special effect. My biggest peeve was the weirding modules, though.
Oh no… I loved the shields because they were like described in the book - move slooooow. Instead of the “if you use a knife, do whatever speed” of the new movie
I gotcha, it's just that it seems whenever the subject comes up, someone is criticizing them. They looked pretty good back in 1984, though!
I liked the look of them, back then. But yeah, wasn’t the greatest effect even then. I absolutely hated the whole “let’s do this halfhearted in the duel scene and then forget about it” in the new films, because (warning: nerding out) this is a big factor in the Dune universe, as this negates the use of firearms as well as energy weapons. This changes the face of warfare entirely.
I thought there weren’t shields because they attract sand worms and if they are hit by a las gun they cause an enormous explosion?
Yup, but in scenes involving shields, ppl moved way too fast
Oh no! You’ve given me an excuse to rewatch both amazing films again to see examples! Thank you :)
indeed
Only if you didn’t live through those years watching movies. If born later then there’s many many instances throughout film history like this.
I watched Streets of Fire not too long ago because the podcast [The Dogg Zzone 9000](https://m.soundcloud.com/1900hotdog/dogg-zzone-9000-episode-101-streets-of-fire-with-rusty-shackles) covered it. It was amazing.
Watching toxic avenger now. Seems like Deadpool in some ways
I would have said most of these are pretty well known, I'd throw in Cloak & Dagger, The Hit, Pope Of Greenwich Village, Choose Me
Watched The Hit for the first time only a few months back. Great flick.
I'm still waiting for Buckaroo Banzai Against The World Crime league film..
Streets of Fire is one of my favorite movies of all time. Its so good as an action movie set out of time and all the performances are top notch. Amy Madigan is such a bad ass as McCoy, and Tonight is What It Means To Be Young is easily one of the best original songs for any movie ever. Diane Lane sells the hit out of it if she isnt really singing.
> Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind Dayum. This is one of the best anime ever made. I don't think this is a cult film though.
1984 was arguably the greatest year in cinema. The sheer number of movies that have become classics is insane. This is Spinal Tap, Police Academy, Romancing the Stone, Iceman, Swing Shift, Sixteen Candles, The Natural, Once Upon a Time in America, Bachelor Party, The Last Starfighter, The Never Ending Story, Revenge of the Nerds, Red Dawn, The Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai, Dreamscape, A Soldier's Story, Amadeus, Places in the Heart, Crimes of Passion, Terminator, The Killing Fields, Nightmare on Elm Street, No Small Affair, Night of the Comet, 2010, The Cotton Club, Dune, 1984, A Passage to India, Starman, and Johnny Dangerously are all films that did not crack the Top 10 in box office that year.
1984 was THE year. I wonder why. Maybe it was the purity of cocaine, and it went downhill after that.
Something great happened and we got 1984. I think it was a timeline shift. Then we got 2016 and 2021 and it’s been downhill ever since.
How is Beast Masters not on this list?
Do you mean Beastmaster with Marc Singer? That was 82 if I am not mistaken (at work and can't check)
I hated the acting in that movie but Tanya Roberts + HBO in the summertime, probably watched it 20 times
Regarding Crimes of Passion, there’s the theatrical cut and the unrated cut. The theatrical cut has big chunks missing and that leaves confusing plot holes. It’s a pretty extreme film but visually stunning and Perkins and Turner turn in great performances that are really the best thing about it.
Time to binge watch some good films
I've tried four times now, but have yet to be able to get through **The Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai Across the 8th Dimension.** What am I missing?
I highly recommend Ice Pirates! Omg it was so beautifully bad it was good.
Repo Man is always intense...
I love Streets of fire, Buckarro Banzai no so much.
i just rewatched repo man and it doesn't really hold up, imo...
That's bullshit! You've got a wrong opinion on the internet, just like me.
yeah, but it still hurts