Essential Films of 1983

Favorites

The King of Comedy
The Meaning of Life
Return of the Jedi

Honorable mention

The Dead Zone
Duel
Flashdance
Koyaanisqatsi
Scarface
Superman III
Trading Places

All ages-ish

Mr. Mom (gender depictions over the years…)
The Black Stallion
War Games

Guilty pleasures

Cujo

Holiday

Want to see

All the Right Moves
The Big Chill
Brainstorm (Christopher Walken future thriller)
El Sur
Eureka (Nicolas Roeg / Gene Hackman crime drama in the Yukon)
The Fourth Man (Paul Verhoeven thriller)
The Hunger (Tony Scott vampires in New York)
The Keep (early Michael Mann vampire)
Krull (cult sci fi fantasy)
The Last Battle (Luc Besson sci fi)
Local Hero
Of Unknown Origin (George Comatos)
Once Upon a Time in America
Outland (sci fi)
Prize of Danger (Running Man version from Robert Sheckley story)
The Right Stuff
Rumble Fish (Coppola drama)
Silkwood
Sole Survivor (post-airplane crash thriller)
Something Wicked This Way Comes (Ray Bradbury adaption)
The Star Chamber (Michael Douglas thriller)
Strange Invaders (alien invasion)
Terms of Endearment
Twilight Zone: The Movie
Under Fire (Nicaraguan revolution / Nolte, Hackman, Ed Harris)
Videodrome (David Cronenberg’s sci-fi horror)
The Wind in the Willows

Not worth the time

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Essential music of 1983

Albums

1. Def Leppard - Pyromania

2. Echo & the Bunnymen - Porcupine

3. New Order - Power, Corruption & Lies

Honorable mention

1. the Police - Synchonicity

2. Tom Waits - Swordfishtrombones

The greatest songs of 1983

1. 99 Luftballoons - Nena

2. Age of Consent - New Order

3. Blue Monday by New Order

4. Burning Down the House - Talking Heads

5. Every Breath You Take by The Police

6. Faithfully by Journey

7. Girls Just Want to Have Fun - Cyndi Lauper

8. Here Comes the Rain Again by Eurythmics

9. Janey Don’t You Lose Heart by Bruce Springsteen

10. The Lady Wore Black - Queensrÿche

11. Mad World - Tears For Fears

12. Photograph - Def Leppard

13. Rock of Ages - Def Leppard

14. Sweet Dreams (Are Made Of This) - the Eurythmics

    1983 Playlists by month

    January

    1. New Year’s Day - U2

    2. Mad World - Tears For Fears

    3. Blue Monday - New Order

    4. Photograph - Def Leppard

    February

    1. Age of Consent - New Order

    2. Every Breath You Take - the Police

    3. Faithfully - Journey

    4. Sweet Dreams (Are Made Of This) - the Eurythmics

    March

    1. Janey Don’t You Lose Heart - Bruce Springsteen

    2. The Longest Time - Billy Joel

    April

    1. Here Comes the Rain Again - the Eurythmics

    2. Burning Down the House - Talking Heads

    May

    1. Girls Just Want to Have Fun - Cyndi Lauper

    2. Uptown Girl - Billy Joel

    3. 99 Luftballoons - Nena

    June

    1. coming soon

    July

    1. coming soon

    August

    1. coming soon

    September

    1. Rock of Ages - Def Leppard

    2. The Lady Wore Black - Queensrÿche

    October

    1. Billy’s Got a Gun - Def Leppard

    2. Rainbow in the Dark - Dio

    November

    1. Sugar Hiccup - Cocteau Twins

    December

    1. coming soon

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