From H.G. Wells to Philip K. Dick, science fiction has burrowed into our minds to often paint vivid landscapes of dystopian worlds, or have us dare to dream of technological wonders.

We're here to put a microscope over the eighties classics to determine which of its fine products will go through to the final and compete with other genre winners.

As always, your participation is greatly appreciated by casting your vote via the form at the end of this article for each round. It will be interesting to see how the community stacks up against my personal choice. If you're unsure then take a look at their respective trailers and pick one – it's all in good fun. I will reveal the winner of the online community choice in each of the following week's genre rounds. **You can find the winner of last week's genre – cop- at the end of this article.
**

I apologise in advance if any of the films you thought are deserving of being included in each list are not featured.

Some Rationale For Being Included On The List

Whether it's as a time travel fantasy adventure or as present day nightmare of alien invasions hell-bent on destroying mankind, narratives of the genre will share with the spectator themes involving a fear of 'the other'. Using the backdrop of science fiction to explore social issues, filmmakers use various techniques to offer messages dominant with western ideals.

History is rife with two cultures at war with one another – usually involving one looking to rule over the other. The fear of conforming to an enemy is often expressed in the form of science fiction. Fritz Lang's Metropolis (1927) would look to explore an autocratic rule over a lower class, whereas, Invasion of the Body Snatchers (Siegel, 1956) gave rise to a nation in fear of communism invading our civil liberties and freedoms.

The 1960s space race along with its technological revolution had society fearful of technology running amok and destroying mankind, as touched on in 2001: A Space Odyssey (Kubrick, 1968). While the 1970s saw a cycle repeat in that a counterculture movement looked to push back against an authoritarian rule, realising once more the dangers of establishments looking to keep its distance between social classes. Not to mention another bout of communist propaganda from America's testing relationship with Russia during the cold war, giving us a retelling of Invasion of the Body Snatchers (Kaufman, 1978). Only this time, it's ending is more downbeat seeing as the decade was seemingly at an impasse with no end in sight of coming out of its darkness.

Each film is accompanied with a trailer and a short blurb about the narrative. No spoilers in this one folks! In no particular order:

Back to the Future (Zemeckis, 1985)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qvsgGtivCgs

“Run for it Marty!” I can never tire of this film – it has laughs, thrills and the flux capacitor! With a great 1950s backdrop, this is a classic that's somehow timeless. Zemeckis has it written into his contract that only he can sign off on a remake. Thank goodness he has on a number of occasions refused to entertain the horror of that notion!

E.T. The Extra Terrestrial (Spielberg, 1982)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DSx8Jobx-Gs

This broke box office records for its time and has become a staple for many families. If you notice the government for the majority of the film are shrouded in shadows and mystery, feared and revered. Spielberg uses low-key lighting more akin to a horror such was the influence of the 1970s mistrust of authority. He also kept the camera low as if to capture the narrative from a child's perspective.

The Terminator (Cameron, 1984)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k64P4l2Wmeg

Cameron's time travel paradox is thrilling to watch as much as it looks to explore our fears of technology. Schwarzenegger dons the leather jacket and proceeds to end the resistance looking to stop the machines from destroying mankind by going back in time to kill the mother of the resistance leader before he is born. This is the film he first uttered the line, “I'll be back.”

Escape from New York (Carpenter, 1981)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ckvDo2JHB7o

Ex-soldier and Federal prisoner, Snake Plissken is coerced into rescuing the president of the United States from Manhattan Island, which is now a maximum-security prison. This one is dark and frightening as much as it's thrilling in its imagination from Carpenter who wrote this in the mid-70s during a period of uncertainty, hence the references to anti-establishment explored in the narrative.

RoboCop (Verhoeven, 1987)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6tC_5mp3udE

“I'll buy that for a dollar!” This is satire at its best to match the outrageous graphic violence. Alex Murphy is the murdered cop revived back to life as a superhuman cyborg by OCP (Omni Consumer Products) to clean up the crime-ridden streets of Detroit. An exploration of corporate greed, authoritarianism and corruption, Verhoeven doesn't hold back whatsoever! “Dead or alive, you're coming with me.”

They Live (Carpenter, 1988)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iJC4R1uXDaE

Social commentary about the ruling classes maintaining power through subliminal advertising and mass media. The ones holding power are in fact aliens concealing their true appearance as humans. Roddy Piper is the drifter who stumbles on the truth through the use of special sunglasses and joins a rebellion looking to expose the deceit. “I've come here to chew bubble gum and kick ass. And I'm all out of bubble gum.”

Blade Runner (Scott, 1982)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iYhJ7Mf2Oxs

Loosely based on Philip K. Dick's novel, Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?, Blade Runner is a visual feast taking reference from noir films of the past. Deckard is tasked to 'retire' four Replicants on the run looking for their maker to extend their life cycle. Director, Ridley Scott fought against the studio for creative control releasing many versions throughout the years.

Short Circuit (Badham, 1986)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9rlI3Xg9g_A

Johnny Five is alive! Nova Robotics create the future soldier in the form of robot prototypes for the U.S. military. But when lightening strikes number five, it sparks it into life with feelings and a thirst for input. With all the hallmarks of the genre, Short Circuit deserves a place on the list – a family favourite!

Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back (Kershner, 1980)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JNwNXF9Y6kY

Leigh Brackett who wrote the classic western Rio Bravo took on the challenge to write an early draft of this, arguably the best edition of the entire Star Wars franchise. And it shows with crackling chemistry between characters and witty dialogue befitting of the wild west. Sadly she passed away before the film started production. “Do or do not, there is no try”

The Last Starfighter (Castle, 1984)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WmUiVsz_UH8

Alex Rogan achieves the highest score in the arcade game, Starfighter. Unbeknown to him, the game was a test used to recruit the best in a battle to defend the alien force in an interstellar battle beyond the stars. One of the earlier films to utilise computer generated imagery to depict many star-ships and landscapes and intense battle sequences.

Please choose from the list and submit your vote. Your participation is greatly appreciated.

https://forms.gle/o6TckVqq8KfJkXMRA

**Check back next Sunday for the results of the online community choice, and for part 7 of the series, the 'comedy' genre.
**

The winner of the online community vote for the 'cop' genre: *DIE HARD*

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Posters featured in the header can be found on IMDB.

The 1980s would see the cop genre flourish with some of the best team-ups, generating laughs and thrills as they look to take down the 'bad guys' with explosive action and one liners.

We're here to put a microscope over the eighties classics to determine which of its fine products will go through to the final and compete with other genre winners.

As always, your participation is greatly appreciated by casting your vote via the form at the end of this article for each round. It will be interesting to see how the community stacks up against my personal choice. If you're unsure then take a look at their respective trailers and pick one – it's all in good fun. I will reveal the winner of the online community choice in each of the following week's genre rounds. **You can find the winner of last week's genre – romance – at the end of this article.
**

I apologise in advance if any of the films you thought are deserving of being included in each list are not featured.

Some Rationale For Being Included On The List

While the 1960s and 1970s movie scene explored gritty themes and utilised French New Wave cinema techniques (referred to as Nouvelle Vague from the late 1950s) – just take a look at the likes of Point Blank (Boorman, 1967), Bullit (Yates, 1968) and The French Connection (Friedkin, 1971) – Hollywood deviated slightly to actualise the genre using more familiar mainstream techniques instead, subsequently generating hit after hit after hit. Of course, our sensibilities had changed also from those decades and our desires were for more palatable, upbeat entertainment.

Studios would team up their protagonists using binary opposites to create conflict and engage the spectator with crackling chemistry, which in some way was far more interesting than the various crimes they were looking to solve. Thus, began a new era of franchises that are still chugging along today.

This one is gonna be tough to call folks!

Each film is accompanied with a trailer and a short blurb about the narrative. No spoilers in this one folks! In no particular order:

Beverly Hills Cop

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7aYmBrXyISA

Did you know that Sylvester Stallone was touted to star as the lead protagonist in this film before it was given to Eddie Murphy? Crazy, right? Detroit police detective, Axel Foley investigates the murder of his friend, which takes him to the palm tree lined streets of Beverly Hills. Trust me... if you've not seen this, seriously make it a point to get the popcorn on and enjoy. It's funny. It's thrilling. And if you don't, you might end up falling for the banana in the tailpipe gag!

Lethal Weapon

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bKeW-MGu-qQ

Riggs (Mel Gibson) and Murtaugh (Danny Glover) are newly partnered police detectives looking to solve the murder of a young woman, leading them to a gang of drug smugglers. The team behind this film crackles with chemistry from its director to its stars. It's telling how this franchise is kicking about still with a potential fifth in the works! It also put Shane Black, its writer on the Hollywood map! You're never to old for this shit!

Black Rain

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k7MXzRUuKSs

Already established NYC partners, Nick and Charlie, take their detecting skills to the streets of Japan on arresting a member of the Yakuza, updating the the binary opposite trend of the genre to give us a thrilling and action packed film on foreign soil. A twist plot point – one I wasn't expecting – and a thrilling score from Hans Zimmer places this film as one of my favourite Ridley Scott directed vehicles.

48 Hrs

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=24XiqMIC6q8

Not sure if this one would have been made today – certainly not in the form it was released in with it's 'banter' between its buddy pairing. This time, instead of partners from the same side of the law, Jack Cates (Nick Nolte) must team up with a convict Reggie Hammond (Edie Murphy) to help track down a killer. This was Murphy's first film starring vehicle... the rest is history such was the success of his performance!

Red Heat

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N1m5nHD7iMk

Walter Hill makes it on the list once more with another heavy hitter, Arnold Schwarzenegger who plays a Moscow cop, Ivan Danko, teaming up with Chicago police detective, Art (James Belushi) to apprehend an escaped criminal and extradite him back to Russia. Worlds apart and touching on the political landscape between two nations looking to warm to each other, Red Heat is an escapist fun through the downtown streets of the windy city.

Tango & Cash

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DoacpCpBptU

Sylvester Stallone this time makes his appearance alongside Kurt Russell as two successful cops from different precincts and varying in style, on the hunt after the same drug crime lord. When they are both set up for murder, they must put aside their differences to escape a maximum-security prison and set the record straight in taking down the kingpin. This is where I found out what F.U.B.A.R stands for!

Running Scared

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qt2AyS-Zinw

Chicago detectives return from their vacation in the Key West to help take down the drug lord who nearly killed them. However, the toll of the 'kickback' bar life of the Key West has made them rusty! Gregory Hines and Billy Crystal star in the fun loving caper. Originally touted as a vehicle for Gene Hackman and Paul Newman, director Hyams decided to approach the material with a younger pairing.

Stakeout

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C5x1FfeFHGM

Two Seattle detectives looking to track down an escaped prisoner, stakeout his ex-girlfriend's place only for one of our hapless officers to fall for her and in the process putting their lives in danger. All great buddy cop films require chemistry to make it work and this one has it in spades. It is also the film to help launch Madeleine Stowe's career. In addition, Bruce Willis and Demi Moore met at the film's premiere for the first time, subsequently getting married that same year.

The Untouchables

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YbzkK06MJjE

Eliot Ness assembles a small, hand-picked team to take down Al Capone in this period piece team-up, which earned Sean Connery a Best Supporting Actor Award. A terrific cast and stellar direction makes this a must see, and one that looks to put the cat amongst the pigeons. De Niro tracked down Capone's original tailors, who then made identical suits for him in the film.

Die Hard

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jaJuwKCmJbY

We had Stallone and Schwarzenegger, and now it's Bruce Willis's turn! When terrorists take over Nakatomi Plaza, it's up to one NYC cop, out of his jurisdiction to save all the hostages whilst trying to salvage his marriage! There's a terrific turn from Alan Rickman as the villain and some outstanding action to set the heart racing and pulse pumping in this 'contained' super mega hit! Welcome to the party, pal!

Please choose from the list and submit your vote. Your participation is greatly appreciated.

https://forms.gle/qaDfcBAU2YNG8qaF9

Check back next Sunday for the results of the online community choice, and for part 6 of the series, the 'science-fiction' genre.

The winner of the online community vote for the 'romance' genre:

Are you a content creator, but not getting paid for the time and effort of your work? Why don't you give Coil a try? It's an ad-free experience with lots of exclusive features. You can sign up to the platform for just $5 a month and start earning today.

Posters featured in the header can be found on IMDB.

There are three main female characters featured in Ridley Scott's visual feast, Blade Runner. Each of them a representation through the lens of a patriarchal system.

[Source](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0083658/mediaindex?page=2&ref_=ttmi_mi_sm)

While Scott would often represent his female characters in positions of authority (Alien, Thelma & Louise and G.I. Jane), his rendition of Blade Runner very much goes against the grain.

Post Vietnam, the film delves into American psyche of traumatised men returning from war. They are considered forgotten and 'fallen' heroes, emotionally scarred and fragile. The counterculture movement fought against the tyranny of its government looking to impose itself and enforce its authoritative values to maintain power.

These ideals are often reflected in narratives of that era, bleeding into the early eighties. We are of course looking at themes such as hierarchy and masculinity. And one cannot explore how female characters are represented without this context.

For women, the 1970s and 1980s were a time of liberation. Attendance at university was on the rise, and catching up with male applicant numbers.

Source: https://educationdata.org/college-enrollment-statistics/

The significance of this is two-fold: firstly, with more women in education, a reflection of this would lead to more women seeking employment in higher ranking positions; secondly, in seeking employment, women longed for an independent life without restrictions. In addition, divorce rates were at their highest levels in the late 1970s, sending shock-waves across the nation, suggesting that women had had enough and this was their time to push back. For the patriarchal system, this presented a problem, and so began a campaign explored as messages in film to suggest that either women cannot be controlled, or women are not to be trusted. Either you conform or you are punished.

In essence, the way in which each of the three female characters are represented present clear messages and values. Ones that might well be outdated today, though still exists, for Blade Runner, it takes its cue from a misogynistic institution looking to assert its power over a feminist push for equality.

So how would filmmakers such as Scott look to express this on a visual level? Film is a visual medium after all, and for Scott, his influence is clearly rooted in film noir. First coined by French film critic, Nino Frank in 1946, film noir quite literally means black film. It's dark not only in its themes as touched upon when looking into the context of the time period, but also in its visual sense. Lighting is low-key. Framing of characters would often be tight to reflect the claustrophobia experienced by society, as governments looked to tighten restrictions on its people. Characters lurking in shadows and masked by smoke reveal their mistrust of others, or our mistrust of them. Low, high and canted angles would portray the emotions of protagonists, which in turn, aligns the spectator to mirror their anxieties felt around the time period. Los Angeles is a setting synonymous with film noir, offering its unsuspecting characters the promise of riches only to lure them in close before skewing their moral compass and corrupting their soul.

It's key to note that film noir is not a genre. It is a cycle that plays out based on the time period. While film noir originated in the late 1930s, it continued through into the 1950s before the MPAA (Motion Picture Association of America) was reestablished to replace the Hays Code, Hollywood's self-imposed regulatory body of the time.

As such, from Chinatown (Polanski, 1974) to L.A. Confidential (Hanson, 1997), a new cycle came to be known as neo noir. New, because we had entered a 'present-day' cycle distinguished by the horrors of a time period to showcase seismic rifts within society. Blade Runner would be one of those films defined by noir conventions.

Loosely based on Philip K. Dick's novel, Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? Blade Runner features androids known as 'replicants' who are designed as slaves to help build colonies on other worlds. Of those featured in the film, Rick Deckard (Harrison Ford), an ex-police officer has been tasked with the job of 'retiring' four that have escaped to earth in search of their maker so he can extend their four year life cycle, which is coming to an end.

Led by Roy Batty (Rutger Hauer), these replicants are considered dangerous, a nod to how technology was considered a help and a hindrance of the time. Whereas now, we view technological advancement as something far more positive.

Three of these replicants are female with one referred to as a 'pleasure model'. The mere fact of her being touted as 'pleasure' immediately suggests her to be subordinate to man. All three are viewed from a male lens and considered desirable in their own way. Zhora is known for her military prowess and assimilates into society in the hope of evading capture. Pris is the sexual object designed for pleasure, while Rachael is the obedient throwback of the 1940s.

ZHORA

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4lj2ISTrfnE

In this sequence, Deckard has located Zhora who is now an exotic dancer at The Snake Pit night club. She is viewed topless and as an object of desire, which is exemplified by her profession. The snake prop and sequin-like scales she dons as make-up add to her persona as someone dangerous and untrustworthy, especially when making reference to the snake from a biblical sense. The way in which Scott captures her last moments is one that befits the morals and standards set by a patriarchal power insisting that women conform.

Her death is a violent one, edited in slow-motion to accentuate the graphic nature. The 'easy playing' saxophone score is disturbing in how it romanticises the violence against the heavy handed shots of Zhora crashing through panes of glass. Transitions to bring us closer grants the spectator the visual pleasure of her anguish and fear of death etched across her face as bullets rip through her flesh. All of which is designed to help express the hangover from a time of violent dissidence rooted in the 1970s. Zhora was unwilling to conform so was punished instead.

PRIS

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e9t5ikxjAQ4

Pris is represented as a crazed and manipulative sexual object of desire. The wide shot as Deckard enters the room has Pris 'hiding' in plain sight, but unnoticed, concealing herself as one of the many life-like toys. The mere fact of her as a toy is to insinuate Pris as an item for men to own. The skin-coloured leotard lacks definition, stripping her of discernible identification as a human let alone a woman other than to accentuate her curves.

Low angle shots of her as she does her best to squeeze the life out of our 'hero' Deckard captures her frenzied facial expression and wild-like hair. As a 'woman' during a time of change, she is looking to dominate man. But this is a representation akin to radicalism and one that is undesired.

The gunshot to the belly has her flail and screech uncontrollably, and is considered more violent than Zhora's death. The pleasure model has no place in society and is put down by man. Noticeably, the positioning of the fatal wound is to suggest this representation of a female – the crazed, radicalised siren poses a danger to masculinity and must not reproduce for fear of posing a threat to patriarchal power with the next generation of protest.

RACHAEL

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pOfvq5ZO-Qw

One of the more interesting representations is of Rachael. Though her scenes are infrequent, they are very much layered and provide a motivational point for Deckard. She is a reflection of the femme fatale in as much as she is manipulative in deceiving Deckard for her own gain.

When she observes the photograph, she sets about imitating the woman featured in it. She wants Deckard to like her and so conforms to his ideal. She wants to live up to what men expect a woman to look like. During her physical transformation, the soft playing saxophone with remnants of Frankie Valli's Can't Take My Eyes Off You, plays as a backdrop and serves to enhance the romance building courtship between the two characters.

But what transpires moments later carries different meaning today than it did when the film was made. Deckard and Rachael are caught in the shadows of the Venetian blinds – a characteristic of film noir – suggestive of them being trapped. She being trapped by his clutches as he shoves her back against the window after slamming her exit shut. He forces himself onto her and locks her in a kiss. Asking her to say “Kiss me” to seek approval to further force himself onto her is seen to express his masculinity and assert his power. She is subordinate and relents, relinquishing any protest. An allegory of the counterculture movement pushing back against authority, and the flicker of feminism looking to peer over the parapet is being shut out in a 'love scene' considered by today's spectator as an alarming sequence of rape.

Rachael's knowing glance moments before as she hears him stumble off the couch with spilled alcohol can be considered a tell-tale sign that she 'sells' herself to him for her own gain. An interpretation could suggest that it is Deckard trapped, as indicated by the shadows of the Venetian blinds. Rachel is luring him in and gives Deckard ownership of the moment, to build up his self-esteem and give him the illusion of power.

Her want is to 'live', to survive and in doing so, preventing Deckard from fulfilling his duty to retire all four replicants. She is the last one and she uses her sexual prowess to entangle him into her deceit – she knows what he is after. His want is to feel needed, appreciated and to be the rescuer of a damsel in distress. Rachael presents herself as his desire. By such definition, she presents herself as a femme fatale and for conforming to his ideals, she survives.

For more film analyses, click the links below:

Wonder Woman (Jenkins, 2017)

Captain Fantastic (Ross, 2015)

Fight Club (Fincher, 1999)

L.A. Confidential (Hanson, 1997)

Shaun of the Dead (Wright, 2004)

Moon (Jones, 2009)

Double Indemnity (Wilder, 1944)

Header by Denise Jans on Unsplash

Are you a content creator, but not getting paid for the time and effort of your work? Why don't you give Coil a try? It's an ad-free experience with lots of exclusive features. You can sign up to the platform for just $5 a month and start earning today.

There's something about horror that makes us go back to it time and time again. The fear we 'feel' is like an addiction that must be gratified.

We're here to put a microscope over the eighties classics to determine which of its fine products will go through to the final and compete with other genre winners.

As always, your participation is greatly appreciated by casting your vote via the form at the end of this article for each round. It will be interesting to see how the community stacks up against my personal choice. If you're unsure then take a look at their respective trailers and pick one – it's all in good fun. I will reveal the winner of the online community choice in each of the following week's genre rounds. You can find the winner of last week's genre – teen – at the end of this article.

I apologise in advance if any of the films you thought are deserving of being included in each list are not featured.

Some Rationale For Being Included On The List

From the 'final girl' to the paranormal, and your classic monster movie to the slasher, horror is very much a genre that has a built in audience.

Gone away from the gritty, realist approach of the 1970s (think, The Exorcist and Halloween), the eighties took on the call to adventure from a new government administration looking to incentivise businesses to capitalise on the emerging consumerist culture. The horror genre was not spared by Hollywood, and so began the phase of establishing franchises.

As for 1980s technology, we had the pop open VCRs and their VHS tapes, Sony Discman (you remember how the tracks would skip every time you made sudden movement?), home consoles and computers such as the ZX Spectrum and Commodore 64 (we couldn't afford that one so we plumped for the black sheep of the family, the Commodore Vic 20) and of course blue screen film effects that boomed during this time period after successfully being used for a little known film called Star Wars in 1977.

And it's here that I would like to address the horror genre of the 1980s. Back then, good old fashioned special effects involved the artistry of make-up technicians and genius engineering to produce 'practical' effects that seemed to have an authenticity about them unlike the animations we see in nearly all big budgeted effects driven spectacles we see today. I say animations, because computer generated imagery (CGI) is a form of animation irrespective of the live-action segments.

Many horror films of the 1980s relied heavily on these practical effects wizards to bring home a reality that was needed to have the desired effect on spectators.

Each film is accompanied with a trailer and a short blurb about the narrative. No spoilers in this one folks! In no particular order:

An American Werewolf in London

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ArJhUEAeiw0

John Landis and his team of special effects wizards created what is arguably one of the most effective werewolf transformations ever put to celluloid. Not even digital effects of today can match the texture and real-time approach to this one. The film follows David – an American tourist backpacking through the UK who survives a slash wound inflicted by this classic monster. There's gore aplenty, shocks of course and a few genuine laughs.

Fright Night

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T3CqXIlG-UY

In his directorial debut, Tom Holland scores a hit with Fright Night, of which he also wrote. Since then Holland has become synonymous with the genre when looking at his IMDB credits. The film offers its spectator all the traditional vampire lore we expect from the classic monster, and some of the more frightening vampire facial make-up effects seen. Charley Brewster teams up with a fictional television vampire expert to investigate the strange goings on with a new neighbour Charley suspects is a vampire. Shades of Rear Window with a horror twist, Fright Night doesn't disappoint, unlike the its 2013 remake.

The Thing

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mcFct1otVyE

Carpenter has a thing for Howard Hawks it seems! His Assault on Precinct 13 was inspired by the western, Rio Bravo and with this, he took on Hawks' original, The Thing. However, unlike many remakes, this is one that is outstanding and probably the only time anyone has done a remake justice in movie history. Yes, I feel that strongly about this film. Secluded in a remote outpost in the arctic, a research team uncover a being from another world only to find it has intentions to kill. Kurt Russell leads an ensemble cast and turns on the horror levels to the max!

A Nightmare on Elm Street

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dCVh4lBfW-c

Craven is about as clear-cut as you get when you attach a name to a genre. In horror, he serves up an original monster to be compared to the best of them. Freddy Kruger is the villain preying on teenagers in their dreams, or more accurately, their nightmares. If you die in your dreams, you die in real life. It's such a terrific concept and one that has stood the test of time, spawning many sequels and a remake. Just don't fall asleep or else you might not wake up again!

The Fly

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z-V3X963DRI

Cronenberg has given us many nightmares through his films over the years, but in the case of The Fly, a remake of the 1958 classic, he notches up the terror and has us reaching for the sick-bag such was the puss oozing effects of watching a young Jeff Goldblum transform into a monster. Despite the overt use of gore, there's a genuine subtlety in the approach to the material where you feel a great deal of sympathy towards the once renowned scientist turned villain. In very much an intertextual reference to Kafka's Metamorphosis, The Fly is a must watch for any fan of the genre. Man playing god always leads to horror!

Hellraiser

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OpEQNEHKdXg

Barker almost had audiences vomit in the aisles on this film's release such was the impressive make-up effects at the time. Seeing the corpse of a man's muscle structure and sinew glisten in a purposefully lit scene was a first for Hollywood at the time. It was a first for many a spectator. The skinless corpse is Frank, a man who opens the door to another dimension and is dismembered for it. On finding a way back, he needs to feed on the blood of his unwitting victims to resurrect into his full self.

Poltergeist

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9eZgEKjYJqA

Written by Spielberg, yes, you read that correct, Poltergeist explores a family's turmoil when they find out their dream home was built on an ancient native American burial ground. The result of which releases a poltergeist, taking the young girl living there into an afterlife dimension. With moments of genuine frights and a plot that ratchets up the nervous tension, Poltergeist is a classic in its own right. If you don't like clowns, then perhaps stay clear of this! All together now, “They're here.”

The Shining

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S014oGZiSdI

Some of the most terrifying horror resides in the mind's eye. While practical effects are realised in Kubrick's slow burner, it's not the focal point for our nightmares. Instead, the film takes us on a psychological tour, building up the suspense and has us shift nervously, peeking though our fingers. Jack Nicholson terrorises his wife and child to the point where the you can detect genuine fear in Duvall's eyes as the axe crashes through the door, “Here's Johnny!”

The Evil Dead

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NL6mioAlpJk

Horror films often have low-budgets and this is no exception. It would also launch the careers of its director and star, Raimi and Campbell respectively. Set in a secluded cabin, a typical convention of the genre, which is to isolate its characters from receiving any help, the film follows a group of friends who unleash a legion of demons and spirits setting in motion a gore fest even the most initiated would find disturbing.

Pumpkinhead

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HqJ8Teiv6YY

Lance Henriksen adds gravitas to this tale of a grieving father who unleashes a demon to take vengeance on those who killed his son in an accident. Once summoned, there is no going back. Winston understands the genre having worked on various productions creating the creatures that entertained and made us feel fear. A tight story and performances to match, the film boasts tense sequences and a twist in its final act to set the pulses racing.

Please choose from the list and submit your vote. Your participation is greatly appreciated.

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**Check back next Sunday for the results of the online community choice, and for part 4 of the series, the 'romance' genre.
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The winner of the online community vote for the 'teen' genre:

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Educated at the Juilliard School of Music in New York, Conti is renowned for his rousing and triumphant film scores.

Source

Having secured an Academy Award for Best Music, Original Score to The Right Stuff (Kaufman, 1983), you would be mistaken if you thought Conti was only involved in high brow period pieces designed to draw the attention of a film critic only crowd.

Instead, Conti wasn't afraid to cut his teeth into television, composing the themes to many popular prime-time dramas such as The Colbys, Cagney and Lacey and Falcon Crest. Did you know he also composed the music to the TV series, American Gladiators?

If you search through his credits you'll also notice sporting films littered throughout his career. And it's here that I would like to focus my attention on, as the beating heart to many of his scores derive from this sub-genre.

Music has a tendency to connect with us emotionally – we are primed to 'feel' the sound of particular instruments, which, when arranged together leave a psychological imprint. It can shape our behaviour and align our moral compass. Conti's music did just that for me as a child growing up in the 80s.

THE KARATE KID

The first instalment of The Karate Kid franchise sees Daniel LaRusso undergo an emotional transformation that is matched equally by Conti's score. Listening to the track to the final fight has us make a strong fist to which we punch the air in delight. It is truly triumphant and rousing.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QBi8tQMkqcA

It is spine tingling to hear the deep string rhythm section rattle our senses before the loud brass abruptly cuts in and pits the spectator firmly into the mindset of Daniel, as he is about to face his moment of truth. Conti has written music befitting of each character, which are at odds with each other. It is no accident that villains and hero's are given their own theme to prime the spectator so they can identify who to root for.

Now watch the clip that features the track to see how influential the music is to establishing the hero's moment of truth.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=939kXCYK98U

The brass fanfare is loud and clear as Daniel is shown to overcome the adversity he faced throughout the film. It is the moment we have all been waiting for, as we sit on the edge of our seats in anticipation of Daniel believing in himself, as we do of him – the crane kick has become a symbol of hope and triumph to all teenage boys of the time.

THE KARATE KID PART 3

In The Karate Kid Part 3, Daniel must again face a skilled opponent in a final battle that is equally as rousing as it was the first time round. However, there is a difference in the arrangement of the music. See if you notice.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ORAkPWhi2us

There's a menace to the rhythm on this occasion that was missing from the first film. It's nasty and it's somewhat designed around a different theme. Whereas the first film was about discovering your inner belief and overcoming adversity to beat the odds, this time the film explores 'fear'. The strings are playing at a much faster tempo in conjunction with percussion. There's a softness at times to reflect our feelings towards Daniel before he looks to take his stand and face his fears.

The footage combines with the music to show us the way Conti breaks his arrangement into two parts – each expressing a character.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=esfGpLKClow

When Daniel falls to the mat at the start of the clip the camera drops down with him – we are neutral with our fallen hero. On finding a centre with his mentor's inspiring words, the brass fanfare cuts through the deep strings before Mike berates and antagonises Daniel. Here, the rattle of the strings become prominent again, as we are offered point of view shots looking up at Daniel's intimidating opponents.

On getting up to take his stand, the brass arrangement takes centre stage, as we too feel Daniel's energy on facing his fear. The volume increases to help propel the spectator's emotional connection with Daniel as the hero. We are for the first time treated to some authoritative low angle positions of Daniel as he readies himself to strike back, and on doing so, becoming triumphant.

By 1984, America emerged from their slumber, which reinvigorated the mindset of its people. Unemployment rates were beginning to fall and for once, society were no longer craving for a happy ending, they were living it.

ROCKY

No article discussing Conti can go unnoticed without the mention of Rocky. The film features an underdog – a key component to a Conti composed film – facing what seems to be insurmountable odds.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GvQkl7qa6RQ

Going the Distance is about making a comeback – the arrangement screams out to the spectator to get up and fight on, to never give up. The brass fanfare give rise to this notion, while the strings play in such a way we are willing Rocky to essentially, as the title track suggests, go the distance with the champion.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PvvDj2fnKoQ

The Final Bell track instead plays its piano notes softly in a sombre and downbeat way at the start, asking us to feel emotionally sensitive towards Rocky. It is his actual theme after all. The film in essence is about a man's struggle, mirroring that of a society worn down by an authoritative system at the time, only to be given an opportunity to beat it. We are Rocky!

Seconds into the track, the brass fanfare once more plays out loud and proud as a heroic piece of music that is unforgettable. It is when Rocky survives the count and makes it to the end, earning admiration and adulation not only from a roaring crowd, but from his opponent, Apollo Creed. From a system too, knowing it has a fight on its hands in going up against a society fuelled by the sheer will to overcome any form of authoritative oppression.

The 1970s society raged with anger and were in desperate need of a hero to latch onto and root for. It is interesting how Rocky doesn't actually win his fight against Apollo Creed. It feeds into the spirit of the time with a people at loggerheads with a system wanting to keep them down. The fact that we can go toe-to-toe with the best of them and yet still be standing is testament to the embodiment of the human spirit. We are battered and bruised, but we will fight on. It is an open ended conclusion to the film smack dab in the middle of the 1970s counterculture era. In which direction society was to go was to be up to them. At least we now had a hero to identify with, offering a glimmer of hope for a brighter future.

Conti's music is inspiring and heroic in ways audiences were in desperate need of. To align the spectator with a hero, and to arouse their emotional state through a piece of purposefully composed music is not an accident. It is the mark of sophistication and one that demands respect.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AKRbMglmxHk&t=128s

In the clip, Conti recollects his time working on Rocky with a small budget and a tight time-frame

With 150 credits as a composer in the film and television industry, Conti has established himself as a beacon of aspiration for musicians the world over.

I'd love to hear your views on movie music on Twitter. Let's discuss your favourite tracks.

Header image by Felix Mooneeram

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For those of you with a subscription please continue to read where I briefly discuss his Oscar winning score for The Right Stuff.

From to , the 'teen' genre is an industry staple defined by the decade of a film's production.

We're here to put a microscope over the eighties classics to determine which of its fine products will go through to the final and compete with other genre winners.

As always, your participation is greatly appreciated by casting your vote via the form at the end of this article for each round. It will be interesting to see how the community stacks up against my personal choice. If you're unsure then take a look at their respective trailers and pick one – it's all in good fun. I will reveal the winner of the online community choice in each of the following week's genre rounds. You can find the winner of last week's genre – thriller – at the end of this article.

I apologise in advance if any of the films you thought are deserving of being included in each list are not featured.

Some Rationale For Being Included On The List

Growing up as a kid in the eighties was great! As a pre-teen, I got to identify with various characters from films that embodied the rebellious movement. And it's this that I feel truly defines the teen genre.

The counterculture movement of the 1960s and 1970s threatened to spill into Regan's era. But on becoming appointed as president in 1980, Regan started his reign by injecting a good dose of happiness into the American arteries. He looked to reinvigorate the U.S. economy through his policies that pretty much saw growth across all areas. He dared the American public to dream again.

And boy did they! The birth of MTV in 1981 was a defining moment for adolescent teenagers the world over. To the scourge of parents, it gave rise to artists and bands who wanted to stray from the norm and celebrate new orders for their legion of fans to worship. Encouraged by the movement, youths were able to relate to the music as a gateway to freedom of oppression from their elders. And parents used to think Rock 'N' Roll was deviant!

Then came the yuppie – 'young urban professional' – flourishing after the doom and gloom of the 1970s. After Regan's deregulation policy removed barriers to competition, consumers would see the benefits as products became affordable. The age of consumerism was taking shape with advertisers 'selling' the high life to an emerging generation of youths dreaming of power suits and cocktails after work while partying in their bachelor pads. It was going to be such an easy life making money hand over fist!

Each film is accompanied with a trailer and a short blurb about the narrative. No spoilers in this one folks! In no particular order:

Ferris Bueller’s Day Off

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D6gABQFR94U

“Bueller? Bueller? Bueller?” He's cutting school again and this time he's determined to make it the best day of his life! Ferris is idolised by his peers and despised by his sister. His parents adore him, while his high school principle wants to ruin him. Rebelling against the system, Ferris Bueller's Day Off breaks the fourth wall to speak to its audience directly with a call to action, 'Life moves pretty fast', he says. You don't want to miss this one.

The Breakfast Club

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BSXBvor47Zs

John Hughes is arguably responsible for putting us into the mindset of a teenager and asks us to root for them instead of us adults. On one Saturday morning, a group of stereotypical teens are brought together to attend a school detention. Their exposure to one another sets in motion the removal of barriers obstructing their own prejudices of each other. It's funny. It's moving. And if you see it, you won't forget about them.

Footloose

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P4narQca4Oc

Kevin Bacon is a big city newcomer looking to fit into a small town community. It doesn't take long for his progressive views to clash with the town's old fashioned ways, when he discovers that dancing and rock music has been banned. When challenging the town's elders, he is accused of sullying the minds of their youth and he further complicates matters when he falls for the town's patriarch's daughter. There's a terrific soundtrack and lots of dancing despite the town's ban!

The Goonies

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hJ2j4oWdQtU

Hey you guys! They really don't make them like they used to anymore. This is essentially Indiana Jones with teenagers. A group of friends embark on one last hurrah together in search for lost treasure before land developers foreclose their homes forcing their families to move away from each other. From escaped convicts on the run to a mistaken first kiss, The Goonies has something for everyone.

License To Drive

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a4KJtDxTqWQ

For Les and his best friend, passing their driver's test is a license to freedom. When a high school crush on the girl of his dreams accepts to go out on a date with him, Les ignores the curfew imposed on him by his parents to sneak out in his grandfather's prized Cadillac. All he has to do is bring the car back in one piece and no one would be the wiser. What could possibly go wrong?

Better Off Dead

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NdSavg_i_lw

There can't possibly be a teen film on the list without John Cusack! Lane tries to win his girlfriend Beth back after being dumped by her for the popular captain of the ski team. In attempting to do so, he befriends a foreign-exchange student setting in motion a chain of confidence building events, which leads to the ultimate ski-off between our hapless hero and the handsome bully. There's a 1967 Camero that undergoes its own character arc and a neighbourhood paper boy claiming to be short changed. Cue, “I want my two dollars!”

Heathers

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oAAz8AuFkgw

Before Mean Girls there was Heathers. Never have high school cliques been so deadly. Dark and brooding with with cynicism, the narrative explores two teenagers working through their high school angst only to become the Bonnie and Clyde couple of their high school. Heathers was the film to launch the careers of Winona Ryder and Christian Slater in what is a depiction of a genre that showcases the cultural trends of its time.

The Karate Kid

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xlnm0NtPoVs

From the city streets of the east to the sunny west coast, Daniel LaRusso is a fish out of water, bullied and beaten by members of the Cobra Kai, a karate outfit from the same school he attends. With the help of an old karate master he befriends, Daniel learns the ways of self defence to compete in the All Valley Karate Tournament, confronting his tormentors in a rousing battle not to be missed. Is Daniel the best around?

Teen Wolf

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=96LR5Vsag_E

A story about a high school teenager who turns into a werewolf to become a star player for his basketball team. Yeah, doesn't sound like it's up to much, but at its heart it's really about a high school teenager experiencing difficulties with adolescent insecurities and peer pressure in accepting who he is.

All The Right Moves

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w8KG3oGYCa8

A high school football player dreams of a scholarship and moving on to bigger things from his dead-end position in the economically challenged town of Ampipe he currently resides in. Conflicting with his coach, Stef battles personal issues as the odds soon begin to stack up against him and his ambitions, which far outweigh that of the Ampipe. Does Stef possess the right moves to make it to the final?

Please choose from the list and submit your vote. Your participation is greatly appreciated.

https://forms.gle/KEQszNqWex9YDfm17

**Check back next Sunday for the results of the online community choice, and for part 3 of the series, the 'horror' genre.
**

The winner of the online community vote for the 'thriller' genre:

Are you a content creator, but not getting paid for the time and effort of your work? Why don't you give Coil a try? It's an ad-free experience with lots of exclusive features. You can sign up to the platform for just $5 a month and start earning today.

Poster featured in the header can be found on IMDB.

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