Worst Films of 1981

[jmc]

You're right on that one....E.T. is manipulative to the max, but it doesn't approach the level of suckitude that most of those other films have.  

I don't think Halloween III was bad, it just should have had a different title and not been portrayed as part of the Halloween series.  I still love the scene where the snakes and bugs come out of the kid's head.  

Porky's, bad?  Yeah, it's a mindless sex comedy, but I don't see it as a particularly bad movie--about the only weak point is that the "teenage" characters are obviously in their late 20s early 30s, but such was the case with most of those films.  I think it's probably a little better made than most of those movies were.  

However, the rest on your list are certainly cringe-worthy.

[Damien01]

Airplane II (Mindless and funny, seen the move at least 3 times)

The Amityville Horror II (I own the movie)

Annie (Wow... I kind agree here...)

the Cat People remake (Seen the movie at least 4 times)

National Lampoon's Class Reunion (Is this the one with the killer? if so I think own it)

Death Wish II (have this movie, too)

Friday the 13th Part II (I love this movie)

Grease II (Seen it once and its not as bad as Annie)

Halloween III (I love this movie, too.)

Hanky Panky (Havent seen it...)

Jinxed! (Cannot remember this one...)

Megaforce (I didnt know this movie was from 1982, I thought of it being ok for that kind of movie)

Night Shift (Ok, this movie was bad, but I dont think of it being that worse)

The Pirate Movie (I dont know about this movie if I have seen it or not, I might even check it out)

Porky's (sure it was a bad movie, but if your going to see a mindless comedy this movie was one of the best ever)

Time Walker (aka Being from Another Planet for MSTies) (Is this "Being" I think I own this movie I need to check at home)

The Toy (Just like Porky's... if your looking for a comedy with a brain dont see it, if you like to see something that is mindless and funny its watchable... Ive seen this move at least 10 times)

Trail of the Pink Panther (Agree that it was bad, but I'm a very good Pink Panther fan, too.)

and, last but maybe least, Zapped!, starring the immortal Scott Baio. (Just like The Toy and Porkys... Mindless Comedy dosent mean worst movie)


I see ET being a bad movie because it dosent offer me anything when I see the film. I had seen the film back in 1982, I was 12 and my Stepmother took me took me to check it out. As what I mean by offerering something, its very simple, we watch movies to escape! Its very simple. And just because a movie is mindless dosent make it a worst movie either. If I like to see Porkys, I know I'm not watching The Godfather, so I dont expect to see something with a brain attached to it. As for ET I dont know what to call it but "Pre-Home Alone" lets face it the movie was design for an age group and nothing more... What dosent make sense with ET... What kind of powers does this small alien has (he could heal the sick, force people to kiss, and make bikes fly), also this advanced creature (without any clothes eats candy on a floor ) sure it was a good move... and then come to think of it... Annie was still funn to watch...

[Damien01]

IMC, its nice to see that I'm not the only person that thinks ET was a bad movie...

[JonahFalcon]

I didn't think E.T. was a bad movie - just a cute movie with some edginess. The remake was bad, though - removing whatever edge it orignally had.

[Chadzilla]

Jinxed! was the last movie to be directed by the great Don Siegel (Dirty Harry, the original Invasion of the Body Snatchers and many more) and it was an utter disaster originally meant to launch Bette Midler into superstardom.  Rumor has it that making the movie was so traumtic for Midler that she blames it for her nervous breakdown that same year.  I had a book that carried a quote from co-star Ken Wahl, it went something like "There was this scene where I had to slap her.  I thought why waste a sound effect?"  Obviously morale was high on the set.  Sheesh.

I've always liked Cat People.  The late Gene Siskel gave it an honorable mention on his Ten Best List.  While the movie has its justified detractors, I've always thought it was better than average (not classic, but better than average).  Sure it wasn't in the sublte Val Lewton style, but it was not intended to be either.  Novelist Ray Gordon wrote an interesting (if tongue in cheek) alter ego essay where his mature half argued with his immature half over which version was better (you can probably figure out which side chose which movie).  The movie does have an impossiple to defend bad disco soundtrack by Giorgio Moroder though.

[JonahFalcon]

Jinxed was an unwise followup to Bette Midler's Oscar nominated role in THE ROSE (loosely based on Janis Joplin.) It destroyed Midler's film career til her revival in the 80's (starting with DOWN AND OUT IN BEVERLY HILLS, and reinforced with her hysterical turn in RUTHLESS PEOPLE.)

CAT PEOPLE has its admirers, but that's in spite of the badness. It reminded me of a Ted V. Mikels film with a high budget, though.



Post Edited (04-15-03 18:45)

[Funk, E.]

Even so, I sincerely doubt you watched all of the heinous anime or foreign feature length animation.

[JonahFalcon]

What does that have to do with the price of tea in China?

By the way, I try to avoid foriegn films - I only consider them if they got sufficient theater time in the USA -- and most of them never had a theatrical release - only video.

[Funk, E.]

The price of tea in China is directly related to how much bad Anime and Wire kung-fu they watch...

Seriously, what you mean then is the worst American produced, theatrically released, animated feature in 1981. Of that catagory there were all of 4 and did you watch "AMERICAN POP" or "THE LOONEY LOONEY LOONEY BUGS BUNNY MOVIE?"

[Damien01]

JonahFalcon By the way, I try to avoid foriegn films - I only consider them if they got sufficient theater time in the USA -- and most of them never had a theatrical release - only video.

This kind of explains everything...

Movies are like art. It dosent matter what country the movie is from as long as the view is enterained. If you only see moive as American and Non-Amarican then your missing on a wider range of films... Also, what is American Films anyway, most movies are made in Canada not in Hollywood. And many forgen Directors make movies in the USA like "The Beyond" and "The Professional" is made in USA but its still a forgen movies.

[JonahFalcon]

Of course I did. Did you read my 1981 intro?!

http://www.jonahfalcon.com/1981intro.htm

[JonahFalcon]

Question: How often do foriegn films get a Best Picture nomination at the Oscars (not very often.) That's why there's a seperate category for them (Best Foriegn Film).

I'm focusing mostly on GARBAGE SPEWED OUT BY AMERICA. (rolling eyes)

Besides, 99% of Japanimation is pure junk.

[Damien01]

My god... the Oscars are full of crap!

Why wasnt King Kong given best picture?
What was the Award given to Judy in Wizards of Oz??
Why was The Thing not given Best Special effects???
And Speaking of Best Special Effects... Flesh Gorden "Beetle Man" was one of the best stop motion animation of its time... Oh, yea, the Oscars decided to remove that catagory from the nomations back in the early 1970's... Because Flesh Gorden was soft core porn.

I know I could go on...

[Chadzilla]

Sci-fi author Theodore Sturgeon (I bet I spelled it wrong too) reportedly once stated of sci-fi that 98% of it is crap.  I think the law has been adopted by most b-move fans and can be applied to just about everything.  Thus  98% of just about everything (Anime, horror movies, action, art, TV shows, music, etc. etc. etc.) is pure crap.  My only interest then is it entertaining or pretentious - watchable or unwatchable.

But I do find all this heated huffing and puffing about movies rather entertaining.  Please continue, a flame war will eventually break out over some imagined slight and watching that will be as hilarious as the flaming of Houston in The Swarm.

Of course all of this is entirely subjective and, as the old cliche puts forth, 'One person's trash is another person's treasure'.  As long as Bill Lustig, Blue Underground and Anchor Bay work to treat trash movies with respect, I'm happy.

[Chadzilla]

Hey, The Swarm was nominated for Best Costume Design!

STOP LAUGHING

I assume you mean the original King Kong, the remake was nominated for an Effects Oscar.  Honest.

There was a minor stink about Bottin not getting a nomination for make-up for The Thing.  But the Academy ruled the they were not make-up effects, that they were Mechanical (technically they were).  So the movie got a pass.  Too bad, I do think that Bottin's work in the movie is brilliant.

The Oscars are really an advertising campaign to show that Hollywood does make "Art".  Which is the funniest thing about Hollywood, it's just a company town that likes to think of itself as an artistic community.

Frankly I get more entertainment out of a b-movie done well (or not so well, which is 98% of the time) than most glitzy productions.  But that's just me.



Post Edited (04-16-03 13:30)