Tuesday Tally

Best Early 1980's sci-fi movies

These are the films we grew up watching on cable late at night. From the doom to the synthesizer music these films scream 1980-Something.*

Blade Runner: We've talked about this movie already. Since blogging about Blade Runner we've watched it again and like it much better the second time around.

Escape From New York: This is a fun, campy movie. Basically The Warriors set in the future. A nice bit of setup is the supposed war with China and Russia. Red Letter Media thought the film was kind of ridiculous, but they're Wisconsin guys. Escape from New York was just the old New York taken to its conclusion. Two words: Lee van Cleef.

The Terminator: Remember when The Terminator was just a cult film? We do. It's all here. Synth music, LA at night, apocalypse.

Heavy Metal: A very dark vision. Before the internet, cartoon T&A.

Outland: Sean Connery is the sheriff on a space mining colony on one of Jupiter's moons. Basically a well executed High Noon in space. Ha! People thought we'd be colonize Jupiter in the 21st Century.

*The Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi aren't science fiction.

**We remember Battle Beyond the Stars being great, but watched it a few years ago and can't believe how much it sucks. Screw you, Roger Corman.