Why 80s Movies Look and Feel Different
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- čas přidán 30. 06. 2024
- 80s movies have what I call The 80s Movie Feel. But why? Why do movies from that decade feel so distinctly 80s? Why do 80s movies look different? Why do 80s movies sound different? Why do 80s movies FEEL different? Is it just nostalgia or is there something tangible behind it?
In this video we dive into the topic of why 80s moves feel like 80s movies.
If there are reasons you think I missed, make sure to leave a comment. I'll be sure to join in on the conversation.
If you like this video, don't forget to like and subscribe!
Chapters:
00:00 - Intro
00:45 - Music and Sound
02:37 - Practical Effects
03:43 - Color
05:44 - Style
06:35 - Product Placement
If you have any other ideas for videos, leave a comment and I might make a video with your idea.
Twitter: / realfilmstack
Instagram: / realfilmstack
#80sMovies #80s #TopGun #BackToTheFuture
Why do movies from the 80s feel different? / Why do movies from the 80s look different? / Why do movies from the 80s sound different? / Tom Cruise / Top Gun / Back to the Future / Marty McFly / Terminator / Arnold Schwarzenegger / The Breakfast Club / Footloose / Dirty Dancing / Flashdance / Michael Jackson - Krátké a kreslené filmy
I think one more notable aspect in the 80s, not just in movies, is the level of IMAGINATION. I was born in 77, and entering the 80s as a young kid there were so many things that inspired, scared and blew my mind. Aliens, robots, monsters, demons, ghosts, spaceships, fantasy lands, cool cars, jets, guns, gadgets, everything!
Oh yeh! That's a really good point. Sure, we still have that stuff now but all of it was so new and refreshing in the 80s which might also lead to the, "the 80s are the og of creativity", mindset.
Thanks for commenting!
Your one year younger than me as I was born in 76, but I completely get what you mean. This was the decade when producer Don Simpson coined the term Hi-Concept, the ability to describe a movies plot in one sentence.
Born in 1974...Gen X had the best!
I was born in 73. Growing up in the 80's was the best! The good thing about 80's sci-fi movies was, because they didn't have CGI back then and had to use practical effects, they still concentrated on the storyline and the style. Most modern movies are lousy at that.
@@jimdigitalvideo Especially the story.
The 80s colors made the films so comfortable to watch. Nothing against films these days as there are some really nice looking films due to the colors, but often I see movies use colors wrong and it really takes away from the experience.
100% agreed. When movies use it well, I love it, but when they use it just to use it and be more cinematic or over the top I wish they toned it down a bit. Sometimes it takes you out of the movie.
The coloring was a great point to bring up. The natural appearance always makes those movies feel more grounded as opposed to the more stylized look of movies that followed.
This is a perfect example of something I never knew but my brain did.
It's more vibrant and rich colors in 80s movies. I think the color reproduction was better than now.
Yeh. We have a lot of color grading in movies these days vs the in camera colour work that was required. There are still a lot of vibrant movies (Wes Anderson for example) but there is definitely a more consistent tone across the board.
I actually think that whilst movies tended to have realistic colours, first thing I could distinguish an 80s show from any other decade, is because everything was kind of blueish. Like there was blue filter on everything or something.
Also, occasionally 80s would use filters. For example 'Knight of the Juggernaut' episode of Knight Rider is all shaded down which gave this episode somewhat dark and gloomy appearance which corresponded with unusually dramatic events of the episode. Also the violet shading was used for opening.
The 80s was special, unique, and magical.
80s movies give me nostalgia even though I'm a 90s baby, so there is definitely something about them.
@@FilmStack , great minds think alike.
80s movie try to be over the top less qualty than the 90s
@@FilmStack You should have added Fright Night too!
@@FilmStack 📼I think you mean 80's movies were grainy looking? As remastering and digital upscaling have made these classic movies look new and different overall losing the original look and feel! Have you seen Ferris Buellers Day Off lately on HD Wide screen tv? It's looks nothing how I remember it looking on VHS in the 80s! The colors are now super bright and vibrant nearly looking like an episode of Stranger Things LOL! So it's nice to see these movies being preserved and remastered and upscaled but sadly it is taken away something as well!?🤔🙄🤨😢
The 80s and 90s were such a special time. Perhaps I’m a bit biased having been born in 1980, but I really feel like the movies and the music were unmatched.
Agreed!
Creativity was at its best back then, no doubt about it.
@@TOSHTON yup... no cgi just models and miniature cities... i think it made for a better movie for sure!!!
80s babies > all others 👶🏻
You're not biased. Born in 99, and 80s movies are better than the recent hollywood crap today
One of the things that made 80s movies so magical is the fact that when they were released there was no internet. It may sound like a strange statement, but back then a new Hollywood movie was not "a thing *some people* were talking about" (like today), but "THE thing *everyone* was talking about" because they weren't bombarded with millions and millions of different pieces of information 24-7 on their smartphones/computers. As an example, whenever a new Rocky movie came out it was something every boy at my school here in Denmark knew about, and when a new episode of Dynasty or Dallas was shown on television is was something all adults could talk about for the simple reason that there really wasn't anything else to talk about (regarding television entertainment). Back then you had millions of people watching *the same thing* every day in contrast to today where you have millions of people watching equally many *different things* every day. For the same reason movies were a HUGE thing and very much regarded as pieces of art, hence why so much effort were put into them.
Absolutely agreed. There is talent today, but even if something good is made, it is overrun by 10-000 other shows in one weeks time. Even ultra great shows like Breaking Bad have tough time keeping up
Your explanation is true.
That is the main reason
This also made 80s songs and music acts so magical and there was real excitement in awaiting your fave band/singer's next move, sound, single, album, and what new acts would arrive with it you could get into, and they pretty much were ALL different, but since the downturn in the 90s to the arrival of the internet, despite all lies to the contrary, ALL acts resemble each other and in ALL the worst ways, but this is denied yet celebrated at the same time! Human beings!
Exactly!! Also, the passion exuded by the actors. It felt like they were really enthusiastic and committed to their roles. In contrast, present-day actors sometimes seem to take their roles for granted, lacking the same level of fervor.
Also, the grainy aesthetic feel in 80s movies can't be i to their unique atmosphere can't be ignored! It had a certain vibe to it. A certain charm and nostalgia to the overall viewing experience.
Moreover, 80s movies were often driven by well-developed characters and focused on delivering feel-good stories. Audiences could connect with the simplicity of it. In contrast, contemporary films tend to lean towards more abstract and conceptual themes, resulting in heady experience & feels emotionally numb.
The ironic thing it's really all a giant trick being perpetrated on mankind. We're not watching many different things at all, we're just watching mass-produced barely tweaked MANY versions of the same TYPE of thing. Yes there's loads of information shoved into our faces at every turn, every insistence we must see/hear/have this, but it's all identikit. There's little or no badge of individuality or even worth to it, we just all force ourselves to have it cos we can and everyone else is doing and if you don't, well you're the one 'missing out' on something! The people are all identikit too and they all look and act the same, are all highly artificial looking, which leads to resentment at spending any time with them at all.
I wasn't born in the 80s, I was born in the 70s and grew up in the 80s. That nostalgia Hits different when you're a teenager in the 80s.
What does that mean? "Hits different"? That doesn't makes sense.
@@flipjupiter1 😑😑😑 Hits different is slang for feels different, meaning that when you're a certain age growing up in the 80s, you remember certain things vividly, it "hits" . Hope that's clear enough for you slick.
@@flipjupiter1 coming to age during the 80s is a lot different than being an elementary school student. I was born in 1980 came, I was coming to age in the 90s though. That era was off the hook for a teen!
@@Pugetwitch Born in 79'. I find it fascinating that Im 43, and Ive been alive for 6 decades. Crazy.
I define “growing up as kid” as the ages of 5-15 yrs old. That 10 year block of time happened to be 1980-1990 for me. And I am soooo glad I spent those 10 years in the 80s. Great time to grow up as a kid.
Nothing beats the 1980s. So glad I was alive to experience the whole decade.
I firmly believe the best years in cinema history spanned from 1975-1995. Great video.
Thank you! We are working on another video in this series for the 70s, and boy oh boy! The 70s had some really amazing movies. Every time we work on one of these videos I end up watching a bunch of films from that decade.
Jesus loves you & made a way for our sins to be forgiven, turn to Christ & repent for eternity in Heaven!
Something about them just felt so much better, they have a passion that you just don’t see anymore in most movies nowadays.
Edit: I don’t mind the graininess BC I think it adds to the fantastic atmosphere that most 80s films have.
It's almost as if every movie in the 80s was trying to one up the previous one with better effects, more action, etc. you can really see the time and craftsmanship that went into a lot of the blockbuster movies.
@@FilmStack They don’t make em like they used to that’s for sure.
What are your favourites? Mine are: The Terminator (1984), First Blood (1982), The Thing (1982), Escape from New York (1981), Commando (1985), Red Dawn (1984), Better Off Dead (1985), The Breakfast Club (1985), Back to the Future (1985), The Goonies (1985), The Legend of Billie Jean (1985), My Science Project (1985), Hiding Out (1987), Repo Man (1984), Wisdom (1986), Weird Science (1985), St. Elmo's Fire (1985), Back to the Future Part II (1989), Planes, Trains, and Automobiles (1987), Pretty in Pink (1986), Cobra (1986), Fast Times at Ridgemont High (1982), The Karate Kid (1984), Mannequin (1987), Overboard (1987), A Nightmare on Elm Street (1984), Halloween III (1982), Heathers (1989), National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation (1989), Airplane (1980), My Secret Admirer (1985), Roadhouse (1989), Grandview U.S.A. (1984), No Man's Land (1987), Throw Momma from the Train (1987), and Twins (1988).
There is plenty more, but those are the ones that come to mind. I have most of them on DvD and some of them on tape. Also, I do not mind the graininess either. My favourite actors from the time would probably have been: Kurt Russel, Sylvester Stalone, Arnold Swarzenegger, Emilio Estevez, Rob Lowe, and Charlie Sheen. Of course who didn't like Michael J. Fox from Family Ties, or John Candy, and Steve Martin... ...etc... My favourite actresses would probably have to be... Actually I do not know if I have any. When watching movies I like to see the familiar faces of actresses like: Lea Thomas, Winona Ryder, and Jennifer Jason Leigh, and Jennifer Grey. I really could not say I had any favourites though.
@@averagechadlegionary5824 They went woke and boring 😂
@@simonfilmfan4899 I 100% agree, wokeness has ruined the film and video game industry.
Movies from the 80’s and early 90’s gives you a great nostalgic feeling especially if your childhood was around those times because the world was not ruled by internet, cell phones, and social media.
Also identy polotics from what I remember didn't exist. At least from what I remember: Media wasn't trying go say: ok we need a LBGTABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRTUVXYZ person with no propper gender or pronoun. some blacks, whites etc etc. You wanted a boxer? you found someone to box. You wanted someone to be one of thee heroes you got them. Somewhat the same for singers, and tv news etc. At least from what I recall.
Foreign countries were more pure because there was no internet.
There was something very special and cinematic about the story telling in the 80s. In the 90s everything did feel bigger on a cinematic scale. But 80s movies were simultaneously big and unassuming. A weird but wonderful combination. But this is why someone like Freddie Kruger were so much more frightening in the 80s than in the 2000s. Gosh, Micheal Jackson's Thriller still freaks me out more than any thriller movie of today!
Story telling. Thats one of the big reasons why film makers and writers were great, in the 80s. In the modern times we have lousy writers that come up with something like Mobious or She HUlk which ruin the original characters. EXCEPTION: in 1977, a great science fiction movie called The Andromeda Strain, based on Michael Crichton's book.
@@lukeyznaga7627 I enjoy most of Crichton's films because he's a good writer. Even that B-movie CONGO, I thought it was wonderfully creative and fun (critics panned it!). Where have the good writers gone?
@@juniorjames7076 they got fed up and moved to Aruba or Switzerland or Norway.
I don't know how or why, but actors in the 80s managed to act out unbelievable scenarios while still looking and talking like normal humans. For some reason the latter seems like a big ask for today's actors.
I was born in mid-1979 and grew up in the 80’s and 90’s. Although obviously from a kid’s perspective, it was truly a great time to be alive in my opinion, and really feel sorry for people who grew up after it. I also in my adult life got my degree in film and video production and chose it for my career. Putting any technical ideas aside, I think what made so many 80’s movies great was one thing. They were real. And let me explain what I mean by that. First off, effects were pretty much all done practically and optically. There were just a few short bits of cgi by the late 80’s with things like morphing such as in “Willow”. But the 80’s also I feel pretty much just tried to be itself. Today we have a million movies and TV shows trying to replicate or recreate things from the 80’s. Squeezing out a sequel to an 80’s movie from decades ago rarely is a good idea. But similarly, scripts seem unoriginal to me today too. While movies were always somewhat to make money too, today they are COMPLETELY about that. Studios used to be willing to try new things and take a risk that it would fail in the 80’s. Today, movies pretty much HAVE to be guaranteed to make money. And that’s why you see so many comic book and superhero movies, sequels and spin-offs, remakes, and movies driven by one famous actor. It’s less about art and the craft of making cinema, and more about squeezing another penny out of a franchise that should have been allowed to go out on a high note. Some cases in point are Star Wars, the Indiana Jones trilogy, or the Terminator franchise. Among others. But the 80’s had great 80’s music in it because…it was the 80’s. Whereas today people put 80’s music in them as a throwback, or simply because music today (in my opinion) isn’t as good. Another huge problem are people’s basic motivations. Actors or musicians in the 80’s did what they did because they loved their craft. Sure they wanted to make money too, but their intentions were pretty pure I think, and a lot of their backgrounds to learn to do what they did were more tradition. Today I think actors and musicians don’t actually want to BE actors or musicians. They simply want to BE one thing; famous. And that’s not very admirable, nor should it be why you want to get into anything.
Very well written.
I totally agree
I was born in the late 70's so I absorbed a lot of film in the 80's and nothing compares. Even sequels to hits of the 80's weren't always able to recapture it or moved on from it changing the dynamic in ways that weren't always as pleasing.
Thanks for commenting! I wonder if this is cyclical. I was born in 1993 and because of this a lot of 90s movies and late 80s movies have a certain charm to them that movies today don't seem to have (for me at least).
But yesterday I watched Free Guy and it was such a charming and fun movie and it got me thinking. Will kids born in the 2010s or 2000s have that same feeling about the movies that were popular while they were growing up.
@@FilmStack I think the level of distraction kids have faced the last couple decades may affect the level of nostalgia. Everything these days is at a faster pace and they don't seem to have the attention previous generations did. But this is just an observation of course. I instantly think of this FG scene
czcams.com/video/G6jX-LWLaZM/video.html&ab_channel=SteadieCee
For me, what makes 80s movies look unique is how they move their camera, so simple yet effective
One thing I have noticed from early 80s movies that shot on location in cities is that the street lamps have a blue or green tint to them. That all changed when there was a national push to change street lamps to a warm color as it was believed that the blue and green colors where a factor in increased crime. That blue green look is pretty unique.
Woah! That is super interesting. Thanks for sharing 😁
Cities in general looked a lot darker too. Just not as many buildings and cars. World population has almost doubled since 1984. Crazy to think about.
@@ct6852 That's because film used for night was 500 iso. They either had to pump in more artificial light or just leave it natural.
@@cuckoonut1208 Oh interesting. It's become like a nostalgic thing. Even Blade Runner, that's supposed to be such an overpopulated world, has that darkness to it. But it's nice, in a way.
Got any more info on the colour change thing? never heard of it before
Finally someone talks about this! I've always noticed a stark difference in the general "look" of 1980s film that nobody else does.
I was born in 1977 and I was an 80s kid. It was a magnificent decade.
2000s were better
We have a 2000s video now 😊
@@juiceoverflow Hahaha hahaha hahahahahaha 😂🤣
I'm also from the class of 1977 and can confirm that being a kid in the 1980s was a fun and awesome experience.
@@1977TA woah man so cool now how's your current personality? Boring as shit? Got it
My friend’s father was born in 66 and class of 84, so he was a teen and young adult in the 80s. Even from him, a young adult, I heard stories of how amazing the 80s were and I could see it was as amazing as it looked in the pop culture, and I understand why he misses the 80s so much.
The 80's were pretty unique and interesting to live through.
Bro as somebody who was a child of the 70s and teenager of the 80s, you pretty much nailed it. I could totally say that from my experience both 80s movies and music entertainment etc...there was a very positive and upbeat atmosphere even the horror films. Great analysis.
The 80s make you feel like you're living in a fantasy. The modern day makes you feel like you're living in reality.
I am stealing this comment and giving you no credit like Gordon Gekko steals pension funds.
@@r.s.334 🤣
I was born in the 2000s and I can say I missed a lot 😔🙂
You have a lot of great movies just waiting to be watched 😃
^
Don't worry about it since you can now binge watch those whenever you want while we had to go to cinema, wait for TV and then not miss it or rent a cassette! I love 80s but it's more convenient to experience 80s stuff today!
@osb I got you bro. These are the unmissable 80s movies:
Scarface, Blow Out, Die Hard, Platoon, Terminator 2: Judgement Day, The Breakfast Club, The Empire Strikes Back, Short Circuit, Aliens, Full Metal Jacket, Big.
Terminator 2 is not a 80s movie it came out in 1991
Very good video! Film grain and color palette I think are huge contributors. A lot of movies today use very stylized color palettes, often de-saturating the darker colors, such as black, to give the illusion of "realism" (a la The Dark Knight/Early MCU movies). In the real world, we're used to colors having their full saturation, which the 80s often did. I bet camera placement and editing also factor into the 80s style. Today you can place the "camera" anywhere you want. While that's cool, it can impact how the audience relates to it. The 80's had its limitations where the camera could go, but it almost always was in a position a human can relate to and easily access. As for editing, Top Gun and Footloose are great examples of the "MTV movie" trend at that time, cutting between story/dialogue scenes and action/dance scenes set to the pop music of the day. Also, most politics in movies then were subtle and had nuance, so the audience wasn't put off by it. People often comment how the 80s was just pure fun and didn't get political, which isn't true. We just don't notice it, because it's not crudely overt, the way it is in today's movies. Final point I'll make, there's also directing style. The 70's gave directors far more license to tell the stories they wanted and some of the best directors were making some of their best films at that time. There's a youthful hunger from the directors of that time, to make compelling and meaningful films. The 80s is sort of the cream of the crop of that era in film making. There's a distinct voice coming from that time in US history, that I don't think can be replicated, without feeling a tad artificial.
Those are some great points! Especially about how much freedom the 70s had with filmmaking. All the different genres expanded and took more risks with the stories they told. They were more violent than before, and I think the 80s toned it down a bit to become a more comfortable decade for film. We'll for sure make a video on the 70s, we currently are working on one about the 90s!
@@FilmStack the 80's is more edgy
Movies look like crap today. Digital backgrounds and color grading are obnoxious. I'm watching a video game, not being transported to another world.
@@chrisbenavides3176 ?
@@lexkanyima2195 ??
I'm Gen X (b. 1975) and i gotta say going through my childhood and early teens in the 80's was pretty awesome..... we had the tail end of Punk (which to a kid was just the most colorful and fun looking genre) the start of Sampling and Industrial (which was a much more influential sub-genre that never gets the credit it deserves).....one thing you missed in your video that i think is an important identifier of 80's movies is that this period was the time of the "Latchkey Kids" ie the Babyboomers (Gen X's Parents) were all either divorced or both mum and dad were at work leaving us kids to fend for ourselves this is a running theme in much of the media of that time ie music / tv and film
I'm a product of divorced and very busy parents. So it was common. Didn't know that.
Most Gen X are children of the Silent Generation, not the Boomers. It’s the Millennials that are children mostly of the Boomers.
The reason 80s movies evoke a feeling of nostalgia even in 90s kids is because those movies were still popular in the 90s so they still played a major role in our childhoods
There is also some psychological component missing today, present in the 80s. In the 80s, the West was basically winning against the East. Now, that may sound strange, but the Cold War was an issue for a long time in movies, and as the 1980s rolled on, the West was basically winning and knew it. So the easiness of living in the West was seeping into pop culture media as well. While you would still get your occatinal Rocky IV or Rambo III, most movies where more about how to enjoy being capitalist, rich and right about Communism being wrong and malfunctioning.
Don't forget about Red Dawn (1984). I think you are right. Much like the 1950's the 80's was a decade of opulence and the movies showed it. In particular the mid to late 1980's. They captured the general mindset of being proud to be an American, and it was put into the movies subliminally.
For most of the 80s, the threat of the Soviet Union was as large as it had ever been. The military might have known that the Soviet economy was struggling to match the massive US military spending of the 80s, but the general US population had no clue. It really wasn't until the second half of the 80s with the mass strikes of the Polish Solidarity movement in 1988 that the cracks in the Iron Curtain began to show in the American news. The 80s "ease" you might have noticed was more due to economic ones, not political ones, and the threat of global nuclear Armageddon still loomed heavily in the background of the 80s behind the facade of consumerist bliss. You could see this not only blatantly in movies like War Games, but also in all the Mad Max-style post-apocalyptic films and B-movie nuclear mutant films.
The psychological and sociological points mentioned are accurate. It was also a very innovative time and before the era of "political correctness". I think people for the most part still had old school values even tho people were having fun. Decentralized businesses played more of a role and before the internet I think there was less conformity. I was only a kid throughout the decade but I remember it well.
Have you seen War Games with Mathew Broderick?
@@dereknolin5986 I agree. Even if the Soviet economy was struggling it meant very little because there was a constant nuclear threat and many people actually saw a collapsing Soviet Union as more dangerous because there might be a growing risk that they could get desperate and actually use the nuclear weapons and there was also the fear that their nuclear weapons could end up in even worse hands.
I was born in 92 but I absolutely love everything about the 80s from the epic movies to the music High Energy Hits I don't even bother to go today's cinemas simply because all the movies showing are absolute trash they are not thrilling or entertaining watching an 80s movie is an experience.
Yeah me too I share that sentiment exactly. I was actually born in 1995, but I grew up watching a lot of 80s movies, I consider myself privileged for that. I just think movies back then just had a lot more soul and heart to them, creativity and imagination in general. I don't hardly ever go to the cinemas today because I just can't get into a lot of movies today. They just don't look and feel right to me. And Alot of it feels like just soulless corporate money making films. Older movies just felt felt like there was a lot more life and passion to them. Movies today just feel like a manufactured assembly line conveyer belt of movies.
I watched Maverick at the cinema because it was the closest thing to an 80s action movie and was worth going . 99% of movies today are so bad that fher are not even worth watching for free on your parents Netflix account
There are many reasons as to why the 80s aesthetic and feel is so iconic to the point that it has created a whole phenomenon of its own that often leads to the longing of a period that was extraordinarily creative whether it was a big Hollywood film or a smaller independent film. Modern films are so devoid of style, charm, creativity and idiosyncrasy that if the best that Hollywood can give you is Hulk losing so much of his testosterone that he is walking around taking selfies with other people and Thor turning into a fat Big Lebowski wannabe playing Fortnite, the nostalgia for periods like the 80s intensifies enormously.
The music actually varied more during this period than most with a mixture of synthesizers, orchestral, saxophone and guitars whether it be a music score or a soundtrack. They offered and amplified a lot of the aesthetic and feel as they were so artistically expressive and imaginative that they become synonymous with the films themselves in a way that no modern film can get close to replicating. Even when you ask friends and even strangers about what music themes from a film pops up in their mind, at the very least 70-80% (no pun intended) of them come from the 80s.
As far as the sound is concerned, I will argue that it's a huge mistake to say that sound has gotten 'better'. Yes, Digital has a lot of conveniences in terms of being easier to use and offers a thousand different ways to manipulate the sound levels but that doesn't mean that it is superior to Analog. Digital may have surround sound that includes a thousand speakers haha, but the biggest problems with the format is that the sound is more artificial, actually contains lesser frequencies and tons of current films not having a genuine midrange to the sound, which often leads to a hybrid of being mixed too low with even dialog at times being way too quiet and then the action sequences start to occur and they are so loud that they instantly motivate you to turn the volume down.
Analog in many ways can be proven to be better and more organic sounding even if most of the Analog audio formats weren't technically as sophisticated if that makes sense. Yes, you may not have had a 7.1 or Atmos equivalent for Analog and plenty of films weren't always mixed the best, but the format does actually contain higher frequencies and some sense of being more true to life and having a scale and a soul that you will simply not get with digital. And some of the the six channel mixes that came out of 70MM are some of the absolute most powerful and dynamic audio experiences of all time
Colour and cinematography actually had significantly better reproduction than Digital does, but a lot of 80s movies actually didn't always have natural palettes. In many instances, a lot of VHS' and DVDs used elements that were not the same as the prints that would be made for theatres. Many 80s films were in fact more colourful upon their initial release than many of the the home video versions due to using analog equivalants of colour correction process, which still technically has the best dynamic range of colour to this day and played a huge role in giving those films their character and vibrancy in terms of the image. Old school 35mm may not be as seemingly clear and as sharp as digital, but it does have a much more tangible and less artificial image that can really bring locations and worlds to life in a convincing way that Digital also cannot do.
And of course, the peak of super advanced practical effects before the days of CGI. That decade had mixture of hyper real, stylized and advances special effects like never before and just like the other aspects mentioned will never be replicated again. The extreme charisma that a lot of the actors had stood out as well in a way that you don't see anymore either. Many of the actors that try to be charismatic these days end up phony and not likeable, where as in the 80s it was a incredible time for a screen chewing movie star to inspire audiences to want to be like them.
At the end of the day, the 80s was simply a great time for pop culture and you know that you will never reach that peak again when half of Hollywood's recent 'films' are milking off of the brand recognition of those classics and often spit on their legacy. But no matter what dumb garbage they do, we still always have those classics.
Wow! This might be the single best (and longest) comment on our channel. We really appreciate it.
You put up a lot of really good points and I think all of them are valid. It's great to see and hear about someone's differing opinion in some cases but also learn more reasons the 80s looked different. And I agree, it's sad to see studios milking older franchises. They should just let the classics be classic (although I'm pretty excited to see the new Top Gun).
@@FilmStack Thanks very much man, i really appreciate the reply you gave back considering the slight excessiveness of my comment haha. I guess that when i go on a long tangent in that kind of fashion, i suppose it comes from the lenses of having a passion for interesting aesthetics in at least most of not all artforms, and i think that it is incredibly important that no details of what gives the art its character is swept under the radar.
Personally i am not excited for anything that is Hollywood, i can't really take a guy who is almost 60 still being a fighter pilot very seriously haha. That's a perfect example where sticking with the one film is the best option especially decades after the fact.
Every decade and its movies has a look and a feel to it,... The 40s, the 50s, the 60s, the 70s? They all are redolent with certain qualities that tell you what decade that film was produced in. I think it's harder starting in the nineties, because computers got involved, things have become more homogenous since then it seems to me.
@@daivwhaley6937 I agree 100% man, the 90s was really the decade where filmmaking started to really lose quite a bit of its identity and from there it just constantly declined decade after decade. The CGI, digital sound, change of acting styles, change of cinematography and the obvious decline of quantity of memorable movie scores is just only little pieces of what makes 90s and onwards cinema less interesting.
You nailed it. When they speak is so low I have to turn up the volume, then something happens then boom! I have to turn it down, it's annoying and a clear lesser quality than old films
Practical effects had that realness that the actors could interact with. My favorite practical effect that doesn’t get talked about nearly as much as it should be, was the rotating room in ‘Nightmare on Elm Street’
The sets actors and extras looked a lot more vibrant, people looked healthy happy and sexy somehow, and grainy analog is so much easier on the eye.
The 80s is the only decade that gives people, who haven't even seen and remembered the decade, nostalgia.
One of my guilty pleasures are action movies from the 80s and even 90s, which have a unique style about them. Lots of real explosions, blood squibs, and just raw action, that isn't overdone to the levels of Michael Bay. Commando is a perfect example of a fun, cheesy action movie, that screams the 80s (the credits song kicks ass, haha).
Color & lighting definitely plays a big role but film stock also plays a large role in their look and feel. Prior to digital cinematography, when every movie was shot on film (I almost wrote 'when every film was shot on film' because I'm so used to calling them films), the film industry (as in the production of actual film stock) was huge. And over the decades there'd be new advancements in its production and so you'd get a different look and feel to films as the decades went on.
I actually really miss movies shot on film. Maybe its just because its what I grew up watching. But the subtle grain in the film, along with quality of light captured on film (not to mention the lighting production you mention here vs the post production color grading) just give everything a much more human feel to me.
Film didn't have the dynamic range, autoexposure, and HDR capabilities of digital cameras, so directors had to put serious effort into figuring out the scene and lighting. Scenes had to be set up seriously like plays, with real scenery, consistent lighting, and background characters.
I think digital cameras encourage directors to be lazy about lighting. Everything looks either exaggerated or flat and autocorrected like an iPhone video. It intuitively looks fake to us because nothing in reality is normally lit that way.
I can tell when a film is FILM and not Goddamn video.
@@foxotcw30 Sometimes they don't light a scene at all and just depend on digital sensor's dynamic range. Super lazy!
Definitely a huge factor in the feel of movies across each decade
Anemoia - A noun used to describe the nostalgia you feel for a time you never lived in. I lived through the 80's and I never thought the movies and especially the music would have aged as well as they have. I never thought anything from our era would be remembered as fondly as Back to the Future, or Indiana Jones or neon clothing or checkered vans has.
In 80s synthesisers where not at all in their infancy. That is the reason why they suddenly got used so much. Take like latest Korg models Minilogue or Opsix, one is analog other is FM. That stuff was already in 80s. Infact MIDI technology got introduced in 1982 with Prophet 600 which replaced analog communication interfaces CV inputs and outputs with digital way of communicating between devices like sequencers and synth. Synth that you hear in Bladerunner was from late 70s. What was not up-to-date was samplers.Those became usable to the level of high definition in 90s.
Ridley & Tony Scott had alot to do with the way 80s movies look & feel. And John Hughes' love of music made 80s movies cool.
So many genres were booming in the 80s. It seems that they made a movie for every trend no matter how niche. Action was perhaps the most popular b/c it was being widely distributed by both Hollywood & Hong Kong. Beyond the stars, the action directors were also legendary: James Cameron (Aliens), Paul Verhoeven (RoboCop), John McTiernan (Die Hard), George Miller (The Road Warrior), Steven Spielberg (Raiders of the Lost Ark), John Woo (The Killer), Jackie Chan (Police Story), etc...
Full frontal nudity and female group shower scenes were far more common in the 80s to.
@@vice2versa Adult content in movies, whether theatrical or straight-to-video, definitely also boomed in that decade before the rise of the internet.
I loved loved loved the 80’s, and still do. The movies felt so sincere somehow! Anyway, great video. Thanks for making it!
I just found your channel and it’s amazing! I’ve never seen someone be able to describe the “feel” of something so adequately. I think I’m of the same generation as you, but I agree about the feeling the 80s gives even though I didn’t live through it.
One thing that helped was that 80s style had a tendency to make people look big. Big starter jackets, big sunglasses, big hats, big helmets, big suits with big shoulderpads, and of course, big hair. That helped all the characters feel larger than life.
When Terminator 2 came out (1991), it was obvious it wasn't an 80's movie. It also used blue color scheme in its filming (the blue light when John Connor and Terminator creates a narrative that you're now in the realm of the Terminator and your choices are limited in his custody).
It's more a bigger test
Few piece of music touch the 80s nostalgia magic of the Neverending Story soundtrack ✨💥
The 80s movies had a sense of optimism to them, even their dark dramas. They also had clear lines between right and wrong and good evil. This may come out of raganism and the closing of the cold war, but they just were a much more enjoyable experience.
Exactly. American movies used to "sell" the American dream. Now, they sell the American "nightmare", exhaustion, doubts, frustration and burnout.
Each decade has good… and bad… movies. And each decade’s movies (and architecture… and fashions… and music… and, and, and…) have a distinct *feel.* And nostalgia for one’s past is a helluva intoxicant…
THANK YOU. At least for the 80s it's (partially) an effect called vaporware and vaporwave. Or just the mandela effect. I grew up the 80s. And at least from what I recall it was a trip and a half. Mix in nostalgia and you have one helluva brain drug. People forget how StarWars part 2 damn near tanked a potential trilogy. It did help to not be smashed in the face with doom and gloom from a 24/7 news cycle. Max Headroom has some good and some bad, but it's not the masterpiece people think. It's camp AF though. Fation wise I mostly remember girls in skintight clothing and guys in jeans and shorts. Malls were a thing because the internet wouldn't take off for another 10-12 years.
I'm gonna make my own film inspired by the movies from the 80s. Your video will definitely be useful so thanks. You just earned yourself a new subscriber this video was amazing you are underrated.
Thank you! And that's awesome! Make sure to link it when finished, I'd love to see it.
@@FilmStack Definetly will do
Oh, i'm the same!! I can't wait to have kids so i can shoot 80s - 90s movies with them.. similar to E.T. , the Goonies, Stand by Me, The Sandlot, Home Alone, Beetowen, Flight of the Navigator , Look who's talking now, Full House etc... it's a lot of hard work.. but i am planing to furnish my whole house in 80s style, with vintage everything.. and looking to also buy a Jeep Wagoneer.. and a golden retriever.. so i can just use my house as a set up many times, problem is ...the kids and dog will need training in acting... so that and shooting itself will be the most challenging i think... but not impossible 😊 i just really wish by then i could find more people that are into this ... cus most people don't seem to be bothered.. sadly they're just satisfied with whatever crap comes on TV or cinemas.. and fill their houses with all sorts of cheap chinese merch... it's sad...
I’m also a 90s born child but I am a retro 80s lover. One other aspect of 80s movies I love that made them very distinctive was the classic musical montage. I don’t remember any 90s movies doing it although I could be wrong. It just made the movies more fun. Not all of them had them for sure but it was a very 80s thing.
It wasn't just on screen. I still recall the late 80s and there was an 'atmosphere ' in the real world: from cigarette smoke in the air almost everywhere to distinctive sound of the CRD TV's and just a more relaxed tone in general. Life was certainly less intense and more chilled. I guess the 70s were even more that way but I wasn't around.
My high school and university was the 80s decade. I miss it so much!
Don't know if anyone has mentioned this already, but another distinct part of 80s movies is a hazy look from what I think is a heavy use of smoke machines, and which made light beams from light source quite visible. Another part of that same whole would be characters being back-lit in those environments, giving them a quite bright rim lighting, shining through their big hair and on the edges of the clothes. The feel of the music wasn't just the use of synths either, but more memorable adventurous scores. Even if the movies used acoustic instruments, the film scores were just more playful and memorable, compared to today where they tend to be more atmospheric and not so memorable.
One of the quiet background elements that defines 80's film is the final bows taken by Greatest Generation filmmakers and audiences. Raiders of the Lost Ark, for example, benefits from the cinematography of Douglas Slocombe, who had been working on films since the 40's. Likewise, the box office was split between cheap shlock like the output of Cannon Films, and big blockbusters with star power like Stallone/Schwarzenegger action films - the industry was moving towards the model of filmmaking that got refined in the 90's, but still retained grindhouse influences, and so a lot of 80's film feels more raw not just in the camera but also in the scripts and editing. Modern 80's-influenced aesthetics tend to distill the camera effects and graphics, but not the storytelling; physical cut and splice editing changes the kind of story you tell because you are less likely to make a lot of fine-grained edits. VHS rentals also grew rapidly during the 80's - at first the use-case of VHS was mostly to record whatever was on the TV, but by the end of the decade "movie night" might mean going to Blockbuster, and therefore the types of films being made started to consider home market demographics, making films for audiences to buy and rewatch, vs movies to watch once on a rental. A lot of 80's movies were first experienced by 90's Millennials because someone's parents had it, or a teacher wheeled in the AV cart one day.
80's action movies were not "blockbusters" from a production stand-point. Virtually every Stallone and Schwarzenegger movie from the 80's was mid-budget, and they didn't have extravagant marketing campaigns. The 1989 Batman movie was the turning point where movies became ridiculously over-hyped and over-marketed, plus movie budgets started getting over the top in the 90's too.
As for recreating an authentic '80s feel, Stranger Things did an insanely good job with it. Yes, I think product placement (as well as tons of callbacks and Easter eggs) helped a lot.
Excellent video. Well thought out, researched, analyzed, and presented. Thank you.
i was born in the late 70's so lived my childhood at the peak of this era. i was a massive movie fan especially when VHS stores started to pop up everywhere and i couldnt get enough of it.i surpose not having aware of whats happening else where in the world and watching these movies where its always evil vs good and the good always wins with a bang made me have hope in life. I really feel that the expansive knowledge of the internet has given kids nowasday too much unessasery nformation whats going on in the rest of the world and itsvery overwhelming and stressful.
I have a similar feeling towards the 90s and even 2000s. It makes me wonder if we'll look back at today's times 20 years in the future and think these were simpler times. It sure doesn't feel like it right now though 😅
I really like movie or film look from the 70’s, to the early REALLY early 2000’s. Not because of, nostalgia. (i never really watched, lots of old movies as a young kid.) But because it works well with movies, especially mature movies. Or movies that don’t, rely on lots of CGI.
For example action movies like die hard or Terminator, or dark fantasy movies like Conan.
I like the pre digital grainy upbeat, warm look. (Especially scenes that play in early, morning or dawn) and the, analog grain and 35mm film.
As well the coloration and upbeat yet also gritty feeling is so nice to look at.
The same i would say even goes for music videos, imo especially rap and metal and rock music videos.
Idk i just think considering to re use old styles of filming, back is just something i would do. especially for certain genres.
Also the cinematography, imo adds a lot too.
To me it’s basically the perfect movie aesthetic, if there was a basic movie look to derive from it be that.
Thanks for the comment. We love the aesthetic too! We still love modern movies and how they look but there is just something about that era you mentioned. *muah*. Chef's kiss.
@@FilmStack Yeah but one thing not mentioned about 80's movies and TV was the dreaded haze. During the 80's we did not know any better because just about everything was hazy. Stranger Things looks ultra 80's in part because they include the haze that gives it a true 80's feel. I miss just about everything about the 80's except the haze.
Thank you. I see what you mean about not using colour grading and deriving colours from the environment/lighting. That is a great nugget of truth for me, thank you for making this neat video!
Born in 1990, I grew up watching all the 80s classics and am now very nostalgic for them. I hope to carry them on for the next generation as alot of them I consider to be timeless and worth remembering :)
This was a great video! You deserve more views and subs!
That comment really means a lot to me, thank you!
Fantastic - proud to be in the first 100 subscribers 😊
Thank you! I really appreciate it ☺️
it's more colourful, flashy but in style, and coolness. I was also born in the 90s but the 80s also give me nostalgia.
80s cinematography was so stylish, especially thanks to Michael Mann's Style
Love this type of content such a cool video idea holy AWESOME JOB
Thank you so much!! I really appreciate it.
I actually theorize that it’s the cinematography. next time you watch an 80s movie pay attention to how long the camera sticks on the actor during any given shot. On average, the camera sticks on actors longer in the 80’s films than modern ones. While only probably a few extra minutes per film, I believe this difference is enough for viewers to “connect” with them more human to human. This connection is what makes the characters and world feel more real, it also just opens the viewer up to enjoy their time more similarly to how you have more fun doing something with a friend than alone.
Thanks for the video, I've been running an 80s based role playing game but always looking for inspiration and you pinned down a lot of good points
Here before 10k followers. This guy is going places. I appreciate your view on film culture!
I love the ‘80s! That was my time and I actually worked as an usher at d Sherman Oaks Pacific 4 Theaters (where Fast Times… was filmed). It was a great time with so many great movies! I love classic movies from the 30s thru the 70a, but the 80s hold a special place in my heart. They tackled important issues but also entertained us - CGI has taken things to the next level, but to me it’s overkill. Long live the 80s!!
One thing we also have to remember about our nostalgia for 80's movies in the way they looked and sounded is how we consumed them. Heck I was born in 79, so while I did see a few movies in the 80's on the big screen (Batman, Ghostbusters, TMNT to name a few), most people younger than me around here has never seen an 80's movie when it was originally released on theater screens. We mostly saw them on VHS, which lets face it, did horrors to the visuals and the audio. But that is what we are mostly nostalgic about.
Yes, today we can get our 4K UHD Blu-Rays of Blade Runner digitally remastered editions preserving film grain and all that. But its still going to be a digitization of what the original was. Its not watching the actual Blade Runner film print being projected right in front of us in all its analog glory! Just saying that the 80's look we love is the 80's look we think we remember, but its been altered by the mediums that which we more frequently enjoyed these films.
that's a really long way of saying it's also partially a Mandela effect. Where you probably actually saw them on VHS and all the "fantastic" things it does to anything recorded lol. Which is true!. While I did see all three of the orginal starwars movies in the theaters. Where I probably remember it best from is the VHS copies. Same for TMNT, back to the future and blah blah blah blah.
A+ Great job! Quality video!
wow amazing analysis great work
the thing i love about 80s movies is the blue nights they had. thats what i think of when i think of 80s movie look and feel
Oh interesting. Do you have an example of a scene? I'm curious to see how it differs from todays films.
Yess, I love the blue tones they always had to the street lights everything.
You could also throw in the difference in film stock and the lenses available to filmmakers in the 80s. Like you said, a lot of the look was decided in camera, so film stock and lens choices would have influenced this more than anything else.
One factor not mentioned is that the movies of the 80’s were just plain FUN!
The natural color grading is something I miss. Thanks for the video!
Awesome video, dude
Thank you! I appreciate that 😊
A top tier decade for pop culture
Every time I see a video about the 80s, it reminds how great it was back then, and how much the world sucks today.
So off topic, but I have never heard anyone in CZcams to lightly press the like button.😭 love it
The synthesizer in the 80s was what dubstep was in the 2010s.
Yup. Regrettable, horrid noise.
I grew up with 80s movies mostly river phoenix ones but goonies and mannequin obviously I was born in 1995 but I get nostalgic with those films I saw ghostbusters afterlife the other day and again that was a very nostalgic trip down memory lane because I watched the cartoon as a kid on fox kids and the film I did cry a little bit at egon it was just this very emotional goodbye to Harold ramis because I loved his character and I loved it 💔❤
Thanks for commenting! Yeh, I was born in 1993 which means a lot of the movies I watched were from the 80s and it's always a trip down memory lane for me.
@@FilmStack I'm currently watching extreme ghostbusters and that's just toon disney days oh my heart 😂😍🔙📺
80s, 90s, 2000s, and early 2010s were special! each decade had its special vibe!
Super cool video dude, This is a fun series.
God damn I love the 80s, especially Michael Jackson.
the grain and color are my favorite features of 80's or older movies, they are mesmerizing!
another great video!!
This was great! Long live the 80s!
Thank you!!!
@@FilmStack your welcome 😊
Eastman Kodak and Fuji were also producing higher-contrast film in the 80s than in the 70s and 90s. It was a stylistic choice. As for the grain, that was from higher-speed films becoming more common. Most movies were previously shot on 50-100 ISO where 400 became common in the 80s. One particularly grainy filmstock from Eastman Kodak was 5295. Personally, I think film reached its peak quality in the mid 2000s.
For nostalgic reasons, I like the film stock of the late 80's/early 90's (more natural skin tones and colors than earlier film stock, but also a bit more pleasing to the eye than late 90's/early 2000's film stock which looks a bit too washed out to me).
@@ryanjacobson2508 You're probably liking EXR color negative. It's less contrasty and lower grain than most 80s films but still high color saturation.
Born in 81 and absolutely prefer the 80's above all the decades. Friends of the same age call me crazy and allthough the 90's were great, it never tops the 80's
There’s some thing about the pacing of movies that is different to. Older movies are noticeably slower paced than more modern movies, and movies in the 80s seem to find a balance in the middle. It was often fast enough to get you excited about what was happening without overwhelming you.
Great video
Thank you! I really appreciate that ☺️
Stranger things almost nails the 80s..
I wasn't born in the 80s but I love the vibe!
Went woke by season 3.
Cool video, bro! It's too bad you missed the '80s, because they were excellent. The best part about this video is your voice, and the likeability of it. Keep up the great research, and work.
Excellent analysis. I agree with everything you mentioned. The 80s was my decade and I miss it very much. Very special.
Something special about the 80's.......
❄️?
Todays movie are too realistic if that makes any sense. The have more of a news station or documentary feel vs a movie. Most of its the tone and colors and also the sound tracks don't seem as good. Like everything was more dramatic back then.
Interesting take. I think a lot of indie movies have lead movies to being more realistic but I also think that these days there are a lot of movies that are less realistic. Think MCU, Harry Potter, Nope, Ready Player One, etc, etc. These movies are very over the top and don't have that documentary feel.
Great discussion and video here. I reckon one key thing about the look of 80s films was the softness of the image along with extensive use of photgraphic bloom etc. makes it feel more grounded.
Often the 4K 'modern' stuff we watch today can look overly sharp and can override the beautiful imperfection we see in 80s films
Thank you for a great video. I love movies from the 80s.
The 80s & 90s there was a lot of dark tones and vibrant colours which made you get lost in the movie, these days they only use the same lame dead yellowish tone in everything now or they highent up the contrast and everything looks light.
80s movies were the best, some of the all time greatest movies were made in the 80s. Almost every movie John Hugh's made was a hit. Movies like the breakfast club, pretty in pink, ferris Buellers day off, weird science, and some kind of wonderful were classic movies that defined a generation. I loved and still love those movies. 80s movies relied on story telling rather than huge budget productions. 80s movies were great. There will never be anything like them.
I was stunned the day I realized that John Hughes was associated with (writer, director, producer) so many movies that I liked. Only in the past 10 years, or so, I have started paying attention to those things.
It's rare that I comment before I've watched a video. Maybe that's not true but being born in 77 and growing up in the States...I'm stoked for this because I can't let go of my 80's movie's. From Aliens to Back to the Future, All The Hugh's films not forgetting Predator and Crocodile Dundee, they just don't make them like that anymore. Romancing the Stone. 🤗
I was there. Film production qualities aside, NO INTERNET is the biggest difference.
I remember Indiana Jones playing in theaters for over THREE YEARS. Yes - three years.
I never understood the idea of "product placement" and the theory that seeing an product in a movie will make you want to use it because the cool characters also use it. I never bought a Coke thinking it would make me look like a Breakfast Club character. To me it seems like it should be the opposite, the Breakfast Club kids drank Coke because that's what normal people like me would drink. It would have looked odd to see them having lunch and all they get to drink are glasses of lukewarm water, or tea from a fancy tea set. The point was to show them as normal kids, right?
Yeh! That's a great observation. I'm sure there is something subconscious that happens, or else companies wouldn't want to spend money. But I agree! Maybe it's just the exposure of it. I read that after E.T release, the sales of Reese's Pieces went through the roof.
It's a subconscious thing. You don't really notice them drinking coke, but your brain does.
@@benjaminwakefield9509 Yeah but does it follow that the brain naturally mimics anything it sees? I grew up watching these 80s movies and I still think of them daily, yet today I drink water or unsweet tea and black coffee.
@@FiggsNeughton No not "anything" it sees, just some of what it sees. It's like throwing mud at a wall - some of it sticks, some of it doesn't. Product placement is a hit or miss process. It might miss 90% of the time, but it's the 10% that makes it worth doing.
@@FilmStack The best example is smoking in movies. They made it look so natural to the extent that your hands feel "empty" if you are not holding a cigarette during some important moments of your life. That is the subconscious manipulation at its finest.