The Movie Journal

Chariots of Fire (1981) When the opening notes of Vangelis’s iconic theme appeared in the very first scene of 1981’s Chariots of Fire, I knew we were in for something special when I felt chills going down my spine. I put this movie in the echelon of great films because this movie meant so much and by the end, I had tears rolling down my cheek as I sat in stunned silence mesmerized by what I saw. People view the movie as a sports film, but it is way more than that. The movie is set with running in the 1924 Olympics, but it takes it on in a more spiritual, inspirational way. It is about the drive and determination of what it takes to be the very best. The two main runners portrayed-Eric Liddell and Harold Abrahams want to win for different, inspirational reasons and not because they want to be the best runners in the world (although they were). Director Hugh Hudson and producer David Puttnam when through painstaking research and casting to make this movie the way it is. Pu...

Arthur (1981) I may be in the minority, but I did not think too highly of the 1981 comedy Arthur . Those who know me well knows that I had mixed feelings on screwball comedies. Some are great, but the majority don’t do it for me. This movie plays out as a 1930’s screwball comedy but set in the 1980’s. The movie is energetic and has a fast pace to it, but it did not work well for me. To me, a good movie is all about have likeable characters that you can relate to. The main character in Arthur is not who I aspire to be and it was not fun watching his drunken personality travel all over New York City trying to be the rich womanizer that he is. Arthur (Dudley Moore) is a permanently-drunk bachelor worth over $750 million dollars. He is always drunk, has no ambition, and is always on an endless quest for love. His daily routine has him waking up every morning, his butler Hobson (John Gielgud) drawing him a bath, drinking a martini, and then travelling around Manhattan in his lim...

Stripes (1981) Stripes is everything I want from a movie involving the director/actor tandem of Ivan Reitman and Bill Murray. The movie is raucous, irreverent, and just a silly movie in general. Towards the end, the movie loses some steam, but I cannot deny how involved I was for the first hour or so. As a movie that pokes fun of the military and basic training, I was reminded of 1980’s Private Benjamin which I was lukewarm on. That particular movie featured some fine comedic moments but Goldie Hawn’s romance sidetracked the film. This film, however, stays true to the military from start to finish as it antes up the comedy level. It’s not every movie that features explosive weapons where we can find hilarious, albeit questionable uses of kitchen utensils! If you went into this movie blind, you would be forgiven if you thought this was a National Lampoon movie. The same kind of raucousness you might have seen in Animal House is seen here. The writer behind that film, Haro...

Superman II  Superman II is the only one of the three original sequels produced that could live up to the classic 1978 Superman . That is a surprise because the drama behind the movie is more famous than the movie itself. There are two cuts of the movie. The Richard Donner version and the Salkind version in which they brought in comedy director Richard Lester to direct the movie or what little remained to be shot. That said, I thought this movie was enjoyable! Compared to the first film, it had a lighter tone and comedy was used more here. I will say the film does come close to overstaying with its comedy. I also liked the introduction of three villains-the three Kryptons led by General Zod. Before we discuss the film, it is important to talk about the behind-the-scenes drama. Richard Donner, who directed the 1978 original film, was filming the sequel back-to-back. The producers-the Salkinds, decided to shut down production so they can focus on promoting the first fi...

Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981) Steven Spielberg is back, better than ever! After the dismal failure that was 1941 , the acclaimed director teamed up with George Lucas, coming off his Star Wars fame to create one of the most memorable heroes of all time. Raiders of the Lost Ark is my favorite movie from 1981 and is in my top 20 films of all time. This movie gives everything you could ask for. Strong, memorable characters, witty dialogue, fantastic set pieces, exotic locations, great action, and a John Williams musical theme you could never forget. Indiana Jones is my favorite fictional hero and this movie is the example why I believe that. This movie has fascinating origins. George Lucas was writing this movie the same time he came up with the idea for Star Wars . He decided to pursue his space adventure instead to great success. In 1978, while on vacation in Hawaii, he ran into Steven Spielberg, who was coming off Close Encounters of the Third Kind . Spielberg expressed ...

The Fan (1981) I am definitely not a fan of 1981’s The Fan . The movie has a nice premise and some interesting characterization. The film received lots of media attention because it came out only mere weeks after John Lennon was shot to death by a crazed former fan. Talk about wrong timing! The movie started out well as the movie explores the actions and the ideas of fandom and how intense it can be, as well as a middle-aged actress stuck in her own thoughts about divorce and middle-age. But halfway through, the film becomes your standard, cliched thriller that relies upon unnecessary violence. The producers were impressed with the Friday the 13 th box office, so they unwisely changed the ending to make the film appeal to those who went to see that movie. Well…..they failed as this movie ended up being one of the biggest box office bombs of the year. According to reports, the movie set was not a fun one. Everyone apparently disliked each other and no one was happy with ...

Excalibur (1981) I remember the first time I laid my eyes on Excalibur . It was my high school freshman year English class. I thought the movie was incredibly boring. Flash forward a decade later, I took the opportunity to revisit the movie. Thankfully, my opinion changed. This film is a solid take on the King Arthur mythology with hammy (although enjoyable) acting, great special effects and costume designs, a rather violent screenplay, and character development/dialogue that could have been better. Based on that last sentence, you can see that I thought of this film as a mixed bag. In the end, it is a fun fantasy adventure. Ever since learning about the legend of Arthur in grade school, I was always fascinated by this legend. Is this story real? The only thing anthropologists have discovered regarding this legend is some Celtic texts. It is apparent that Arthur was a real person, but I do love all the fantasy stuff added to the story. The Knights of the Round Table, the...

Atlantic City (1981) 1981’s Atlantic City is a tender, subtle film about two people accustomed to the traditions of old and trying to adjust to a newer, more complicated world. That statement is envisioned throughout the movie with those exterior shots of decaying buildings of old and the sky cranes building grander, newer palaces to attract the crowds. I was expecting a flashy picture based on the title of the movie, but it’s a smaller, more subtle film that boasts very fine leading performances from the great Burt Lancaster and Susan Sarandon. This is a Canadian-French production, so we are introduced to Canadian actors such as Kate Reid. Through my eyes, this film acted like a mini history lesson. I grew up in New Jersey, and I have been to Atlantic City several times. I remember the casinos, the boardwalk, and the food. From what the old-timers say and based on this movie, times were different not even forty years ago. By 1975, the city was in decay. Buildings were crum...

Thief (1981) 1981’s Thief was a very pleasant surprise for me. I heard many good things going into the movie, and now I realize why this movie is one of the 1980’s most underrated gems. This is a hardboiled crime classic that marks the directorial debut of veteran TV director Michael Mann who would produce future classics such as Heat and The Insider . The movie was also produced by Jerry Bruckheimer, who would later be known for producing blockbusters. This movie also features one of the best career performances from James Caan, whom reeks with charisma. Frank (James Caan) is a man who makes a living cracking safes and stealing diamonds. After spending eleven years in prison, Frank wants a normal life for himself. He wants a wife, children, and a life not spent in the criminal world. In order to make the money to live his comfortable life he wants, he takes one last score from a well-known gangster, Leo (Robert Prosky). However, the score does not go well and Frank may have p...

The Postman Always Rings Twice (1981) The Postman Always Ring Twice is a noir-thriller that reminds me of the film noirs made in the 1940’s and 1950’s. Ironically enough, this movie happens to be a remake of the 1946 film with the same name starring John Garfield and Lana Turner, which was previously adapted to screen by the immensely popular 1934 novel written by James M. Cain. This movie was brought more explosively to the screen when compared to the movie that came out nearly forty years prior. With less censorship this time around, the movie is told in a style where murder, blackmail, and lust lurks around every corner. The movie wants to be shocking, and it mostly succeeds by the standards of 1980’s. Frank Chambers (Jack Nicholson) is a drifter and an ex-con man who stops at a roadside diner one night. He decides to linger when he puts his eye on the very attractive cook, Cora (Jessica Lange). She so happens to be in a loveless marriage with the Greek owner of the resta...

Fort Apache, the Bronx (1981) Ah, nothing like watching a movie that is beholden with cop movie clichés. Fort Apache, the Bronx is a film that depends on its cop clichés to move it along. That being said, I still enjoyed the heck out of this movie. The movie works based on acting and the atmosphere alone. The plot, riddled with clichés, doesn’t work as well as it could have been. If your movie stars Paul Newman, Edward Asner, and others, then it is still worth a watch no matter the plot. Here in 2018, I live in the South Bronx. Boy, do times change! The depiction of the Bronx in this 1981 movie is bleak, raw, and violent. It is hard to fathom that the Bronx was like how it was shown here in the movie. But as I am told, the authenticity of this film is spot-on.   From the look of the urban wasteland to the shots of pimps beating up hookers to the police force not being able to do much with all the crime. In 1981, this movie was made as if to enlighten the public to the...