1982 in cinema: a post by dan braun

1982: the year which re-defined a decade – as well as modern cinema – and encapsulated our society, as well as the direction it was heading in.

48 Hrs. – The launch of a new cycle of both the buddy and the cop film.

Blade Runner – The template of the modern-day sci-fi thriller.

Come Back to the Five-and-Dime, Jimmy Dean, Jimmy Dean and Diner – What’s old is new again: heyday-era Woolworth’s and the neighborhood coffee-and-a-burger spot as places for reminiscing, bonding, growth and attempting to make sense of it all.

E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial and Poltergeist – Chronicles of the then-relatively new realities of suburban life in America: the sense of community – and of a seeming safe haven torn asunder.

Fast Times at Ridgemont High and Porky’s – The teen coming-of-age comedy meets SoCal surfing and shopping mall culture – and synthesizes the period-era (1950s), teen coming-of-age comedy with a decided 1980s influence.

First Blood – Vietnam and Reagan-era revenge meet and merge.

Gandhi – The story of a man of simple means achieving greatness within an epic setting – and the return of a cinematic era.

Night Shift and Tootsie – Dreaming and desire and trying to carve a niche within and outside of accepted societal 'norms.'

Sophie’s Choice – Being haunted by one’s past – and being confronted by difficult decisions which need to be made.

Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan – A modern-day classic resumes in its re-birth – and the contemporary blockbuster continues taking shape.