Top 10 80s High School Movies (that didn't involve John Hughes)

Welcome to the Subjectiville Cineplex! Any time you do one these lists, it's always a matter of personal opinion--much like 95% of the content on the Web. By first narrowing it down to "high school movies," i.e., movies that either take place in high school and/or whose main characters are high school age., I figured I wouldn't have to get into the "best" movies of the decade. So you won't find "Raging Bull" or "The Killing Fields" here, fine films though they may have been. And we're also not talking the decade's "biggest" movies, so no "Die Hard" or "Beverly Hills Cop" or "Indiana Jones" either. And sadly, no "Breakin'" (though "Breakin' 2: Electric Bugaloo" was definitely in the running).

Why no John Hughes? Well, it wouldn't be fair to the other movies. Dude had that decade locked up. Of course there is the triumvirate: "Sixteen Candles," "Breakfast Club," and "Pretty In Pink" ... but then you also have "Weird Science" and "Ferris Bueller's Day Off." That's to say nothing of the "non high school" movies like "Planes, Trains, and Automobiles,""She's Having A Baby," and "Uncle Buck."

Oh yeah, I've also made this "Top 10" list into a "Top 15." That "Top 10" thing is just to please the gods of Google SEO. So grab your $8 popcorn and $9 Coke and let's get going ...

15. Vision Quest (1985)
Starting off with a coming of age movie about a high school wrestler in Spokane is a little obscure, I'll grant you. But this one gets extra 80s points for not just having a couple of Madonna songs in it ("Crazy For You" and "Gambler"), but actually having a young Madonna perform those songs in the movie (hard as it may be for our younger readers to believe, she didn't always look like an emaciated goblin). Beyond Madonna, it also featured Matthew Modine, Linda Fiorentino, and Forrest Whittaker. Mr. Modine also wins the prize as oldest actor to portray a high school kid in a movie on this list, as he was 26.

And here they (or most of them) are:


14. Valley Girl (1983)
While only featuring one "star," Nicolas Cage (who in 1983 actually wasn't, in fact this was his second movie, his first appears further up this list), this is another movie I'm giving 80s bonus points to, for tapping into the "Valley Girl" fad of the early 80s. Moon Unit Zappa anyone? Fer sure, fer sure.


13. Heathers (1989)
This black comedy didn't really have an 80s sensibility (hey, it's Arbitrary Definitions Day, send someone a card!), but it squeaked in to the tail end of the decade, and it did star 80s staples Winona Ryder, Christian Slater, and a pre-90210 Shannen Doherty. Plus, though a box office failure when it debuted, it did become a bit of a cult classic, and Entertainment Weekly placed it at #5 on their "50 Best High School Movies" list (the aforementioned "Breakfast Club" was #1).

Here are the crazy young kids (Ms. Ryder and Mr. Slater) meeting for the first time (warning: some "R" language) ...


12. Can't Buy Me Love (1987)
Long, long before he was turning women into puddles of desire as Dr. McDreamy, Patrick Dempsey played a very nerdy high school schmo who had to resort to extortion to date a cheerleader. But it really was sweeter than that sounds. It also features a classic "slow clap" scene, part of this informative montage. You'll also want to checkout the full trailer ...


11. The Lost Boys (1987)
As I write this, teenage girls across the nation are positively giddy with anticipation for the first "Twilight" movie. But of course it won't be the first teen vampire movie. Actually, I'm not sure "The Lost Boys" was either, but I don't feel like doing the research, so let's say it is.

It starred a pre-24 Keifer Sutherland, Jami Gerz (Rowrrrr!), Jason Patric, and, even more frightening than the movie itself, that two-headed scourge of the 80s, the Coreys (Haim and Feldman).


10. All The Right Moves (1983)
When you look at Tom Cruise now, its a bit hard to imagine him as Stefen Djordjovic, a feisty high school football player from a rundown steel town in Western Pennsylvania. But Tom managed to pull it off 25 years (!) ago. Leah Thompson was the girl that loved him, and Craig T. Nelson was the hard-nosed coach in a ridiculous hat who didn't like Tom's attitude one bit. Actually, I suppose it was Stefen's attitude he didn't like. But having met a number of people from Western PA, I can't imagine he would have cared much for Mr. Cruise either.

Let's take a trip back in time to the grimy glory of Ampipe ...


9. Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure (1989)
Some would certainly argue that the good natured, dim witted Ted Logan was the role Keanu Reeves was born to play. Some would also argue that Ted and Bill's characters owe a lot to one Jeff Spicoli, a noted surfer/stoner from earlier in the decade (foreshadowing alert!).

I invite you to watch this most excellent trailer and party on, dude.


8. Dead Poets Society (1989)
This is more like a "80s Hoity-Toity Prep School" movie, but I suppose the kids were high-school age (at least in the movie), so it qualifies. And it is a fine film, with Robin Williams in full wacky/wise mode. Along with Mr. Williams and Ethan Hawke, the film also starred Robert Sean Leonard Scott in what was definitely the peak of his career, at least until he appeared on House, MD.

Here's Mork learnin' the fellas about "carpe diem," which, as you likely know, means "seize the diem."


7. The Outsiders (1983)
This movie is probably known for its incredible cast: Tom Cruise, Patrick Swayze, Matt Dillon, Diane Lane, Rob Lowe, Emilio Estevez, Ralph Macchio, and C. Thomas Howell. All greasers brought together by Francis Ford Coppola to fight those nasty "socs" (as in "socials").

Here are many of them talking a bit about the movie many years later, most of whom are wearing bizarre mike/headset thingees. I'm guessing it was for a commentary track for the re-release of the DVD. Tom Cruise was apparently off somewhere being nuts.


6. The Karate Kid (1984)
Right after he made "The Outsiders," Ralph Macchio rolled into the junkyard/dojo of Mr. Miyagi. I can't say why I love this movie so much, but it likely has to do with Elisabeth Shue, in her first major movie role. And who can forget "Wax on, wax off"? Or "Sweep the leg!"

As an aside, I was driving to a film shoot at a golf course in Encino, outside Los Angeles, and I said to the other people I was driving with: "Hey, remember how in The Karate Kid Ali was from Encino, and all her friends looked down on Daniel because he was from Reseda?" Of course, as happens to me quite often, they just looked at me like I was insane.

Anyway, here's the climactic final battle between Daniel-san and the Cobra Kai thug played by the legendary Billy Zabka.


Coming soon: the Top 5 ...