10 Controversial ’80s Movies Where The Audience Missed The Point

Every decade has movies where it feels like the entire point of the film goes over the audience’s heads, and the 1980s were no different. As a complex era categorized by societies fractured by Reaganomic policies, Cold War anxiety, and widespread recession, movies often subtly reflected the societies’ woes in a way not every viewer picked up on. In some cases, these misunderstandings have led to big films that have completely bombed the box office.And it is only in hindsight that their meaning and purpose seem obvious.

The most controversial movies ever become notorious because of some major misunderstandings, as truly insightful films challenge audience expectations and social norms. This has been especially the case in recent decades, as before the widespread online discourse, it was more difficult for film lovers to get behind-the-scenes information or in-depth analysis of a particular movie. While Some viewers initially did not understand the message of these great filmsThe fact that they are still being written about today shows their enduring legacy.

10

Wall Street (1987)

Audiences overlooked the capitalist critique of Wall Street

Michael Douglas won the Oscar for Best Actor, playing the ambitious and ruthless stockbroker Gordon Gekko in Wall Street. As a damning indictment of capitalism and the money-hungry landscape of 1980s Reaganomics, Gekko’s ethos that “Greed is good“is never meant to be taken seriously. Instead, director Oliver Stone invites viewers to Look past the financial gains of stocks and bonds and see the soullessness and shallow materialism behind it all.

However, the anti-capitalism message of Wall Street Went over many viewers’ heads as, although it made the world of finance look desirable, it was actually a damning critique of the cynical culture of the 1980s. While some audiences may have seen Gekko as a charismatic success, the truth was he was the villain, and the film served to highlight the dubious morality of characters like him. Although Wall Street Could have appeared aspirational, it was anything but.

9

First Blood (1982)

Audience failed to see the message about the treatment of veterans in first blood

Sylvester Stallone brought to life a cinematic icon as enduring as his breakout role of Rocky Balboa when he first played John Rambo in First blood. As a Vietnam War veteran suffering from PTSD, First blood Showcase a man in emotional crisis who relies on his combat skills to survive a vicious manhunt in the woods near the small town of Hope, Washington.

While First blood became a big blockbuster success And the start of a new action movie franchise, viewers missed the emotional and psychological themes underlying the story. First blood It was much more than a simple action film, as it represented the plight of war veterans and how the adverse, deeply traumatizing effects of conflict left their mark on countless soldiers.

While Rambo’s intense Vietnam flashbacks and reckless guerilla warfare tactics are an extreme example, they showcase how, for those who have been in the heart of battle, it is difficult to leave warfare behind. First blood was a complex and layered story of real emotional resonance; However, the way it devolved into a purely carriage-filled action franchise showed how viewers missed the point.

8

Manhunter (1986)

Audience did not appreciate Michael Mann’s stylistic choices

Although Anthony Hopkins’s portrayal of Dr. Hannibal Lecter in The silence of the lambs Arguably cinema’s most acclaimed version of the character, he was first played on screen by Brian Cox in Michael Mann’s Manhunter. like An adaptation of the novel Red Dragon by Thomas HarrisThis box office disappointment was misunderstood by audiences when it was first released but has since become a cult classic.

Featuring one of the best synth movie scores of the 1980s, Manhunter was much more than a typical crime thriller and was categorized by pure style and atmosphere. Man inun Tsoba for camel Manhunter A tinted aesthetic that evokes mood and tone throughout.

While contemporary viewers are turned off by Manhunter s More artsy style, when you look back on it today, that made it stand out among a litany of forgettable and lackluster crime thrillers during the 1980s. Despite not being appreciated in his own time, Manhunter s Focus on mood and note notably influenced later thrillers such as Se7en.

7

RoboCop (1987)

Audiences missed the satirical depth of RoboCop

At first glance, Robocop It was an over-the-top action movie that owed much of its inspiration The Terminator. This is how the movie was received by many viewers when it was released in 1987, when it became a box office hit and the starting point for an entirely new franchise.

However, with Complex themes about the nature of humanity, personal identity, corporate greed and corruption, Robocop The message is actually much deeper than the average sci-fi action movie. With a central theme around the power of corporations, Robocop was a thought-provoking satire of Reaganomics that spoofed right-wing fears surrounding drugs and crime.

With religious imagery that brought to mind the crucifixion of Jesus Christ, it is only in the Internet era of widespread online debate that The deeply complex subtext of Robocop has become a mainstream talking point among viewers. How movie fans can come together for online discussion around films such as RobocopIts thematically dense, satirical narrative has become common knowledge in a way it did not in the 1980s.

6

Scarface (1983)

Audiences who idolized Tony Montana missed the point

Sharpface was truly one of Al Pacino’s definitive movies, whose iconography and quotes have been a touchstone of popular culture. As Tony Montana, Pacino embodied a level of violent excess that showed the ruthless and outrageous nature of gangsters and powerfully updated the original 1932 Howard Hawks movie for a new generation. However, Tony Montana has since become an icon of hip-hop culture, and Viewers who saw Sharpface How an idolization of criminal behavior completely misses the point.

The violent excess seen in Sharpfacesuch as the “Say hello to my little friend” Shootout and the outrageous mountains of cocaine on display, highlighted the hollow nature of materialism. Although some audiences may have looked to Tony as a symbol of criminal success, his troubling story was, in fact, a critique of the emptiness of the American dream While Tony transformed from a penniless immigrant into a drug kingpin, it was at the cost of finding true meaning in life.

5

The Thing (1982)

Audience failed to appreciate the thing, and it has since been reappraised

As a movie that commonly ranks among the greatest horror movies ever made, it’s shocking just how dismissive audiences were of The thing Back when it was released. Although John Carpenter’s thrilling masterpiece of paranoia and the breakdown of trust has endured over the decades, The thing Underperformed at the box office As viewers favored the more optimistic foreign movie et the extra-terrestrial. While the special effects gained praise, its storyline and unique atmosphere were woefully underappreciated.

however, These things Reputation has only grown in the years since its releaseAnd it is now considered perhaps Carpenter’s greatest movie. This retrospective reassessment means it is now a timeless classic and a must-watch movie for horror lovers of all descriptions. The way The thing Lovecraftian horror melded with Cold War anxiety of mutually assured destruction was overlooked at the time but has since had a major effect on popular culture and influenced everything from The hate eight to Stranger things.

4

Heathers (1989)

Audiences aren’t used to Heather’s cynical inversion of teen movie tropes

Heathers Contrast the optimism of John Hughes-style teen moviesSuch as Sixteen candles And The Breakfast ClubWith a dark tone of cynicism, which better represented the trials and tribulations of Reagan’s America. While this was a deeply clever high school satire, Heathers Failed to find an audience and bombed at the box office. The idea of ​​a dark teen movie that unpacked the real horrors of bullying and teen suicide was so ahead of its time that audiences missed the point.

in retrospect, Heathers was a very influential film that only became more relevant over the years. While contemporary viewers took the film’s extreme scenarios and irreverent tone at face value, looking back, it was a smart social commentary on serious issues. Heathers has since become a cult classic coming-of-age movie which was adapted as a musical and with a TV reboot.

3

Blue Velvet (1986)

Audiences are alienated by David Lynch’s surreal filmmaking style

Surrealist writer David Lynch always forged his own path, whether critics or audiences understood his work or not. That was the case for his iconic debut Makerhead and remained so right up to the last work vi Twin Peaks: The ReturnExcluding one notable instance where he was not provided with a final cut for his adaptation of Don.

An artistic and financial failure, Lynch vowed never to make the same mistake again and delved even further into his uncompromising and often alienating style with his follow-up feature, Blue velvet. It was a very misunderstood film at the time of its release, as Lynch had yet to become widely known for his surreal and dreamlike aesthetic that peeled back the sinister curtain of suburbia.

Blue velvet was thought to be a weird and subtly sexualized film when it was first released, which ignored its insightful commentary on society’s buried violence and desire. Although Blue velvet has since gained a cult followingDuring the 1980s, it was just too out there for mainstream audiences.

2

The King of Comedy (1982)

Audience failed to enjoy the satirical nature of the king of comedy

with the king of comedy Director Martin Scorsese delivered one of the greatest movies of the 1980s, but unfortunately, audiences weren’t interested in this insightful satirical look at celebrity worship and obsession. As a box office flop, the story of a wannabe comedian kidnapping his idol has all the hallmarks of Scorsese’s best work, as his dark character study brought to mind the sinister undertones of previous Scorsese movies like Taxi driver.

The king of comedy was not fully understood when it was releasedBut his dark satire has only become more relevant in the years since. Robert De Niro gave one of his greatest performances as Rupert Pupkin, a stand-up comedian with mental health issues, who is so perfectly Walked the fine line between comedy and drama that it alienated viewers.

The cringe-inducing and awkward nature of his story was just too ahead of its time for the 1980s. But has since had a major influence on later movies. Joker’s Box office smash success, which strongly paid homage to The king of comedy Over, was a prime example of its enduring legacy.

1

Do the Right Thing (1989)

Audiences protested Do the Right Thing, missing his anti-violence message

The fact that Driving Miss Daisy took home the Academy Award for Best Picture over Do the right thing Perfectly encapsulated How misunderstood this classic film was by contemporary audiences. As an insightful crime drama by Spike Lee, Do the right thing Addresses racial issues in a timely and urgent way, and, when contrasted with Driving Miss DaisyIt was clearly a much more urgent and powerful film.

However, those who criticize do the right things’ The image of violence failed to understand the deeper meaning in the heart of the film. Do the right thing Depicts simmering racial tensions between a neighborhood’s African-American residents and Italian-Americans on a hot summer day.

Upon release, some protested the film, stating that it could incite riots (via Rolling Stone), despite having an anti-violent message is the whole point of the movie. Lee himself commented on the way some audience members missed the pointCall the protests “Scandal, extraordinary“and”Racist.”

Source: Rolling Stone