A few more epic fantasy features from the ‘80s

Until now, a lot of people still consider the ‘80s to be one of the greatest decade of film. In every genre, the decade has produced countless of the most iconic and memorable movies in history. Joe Cianciotto.

Image source: theringer.com

Image source: bleedingcool.com

Today’s blog will feature a few more of the most epic fantasy features from the decade. Joe Cianciotto.

Legend

Ridley Scott, the acclaimed director of “Alien,” “Blade Runner,” and “Gladiator” tried his hand with fantasy, casting a young Tom Cruise in the film “Legend.” The result was one of the most atmospheric and magical films of all-time. Joe Cianciotto.

Excalibur

The greatest film depiction of the Arthurian legend in film history came out in the ‘80s with this absolute fantasy gem. “Excalibur” had some of the greatest thespians of the generation acting their hearts out, in a brutal and bloody sword and armor epic. Joe Cianciotto.

Willow

“Willow” was hilarious as much as it was magically epic. And the fact that George Lucas came up with the story was a huge plus. There isn’t anything in the film that old-school fantasy fans wouldn’t enjoy.

The Last Unicorn

Very few animated features can compare with “The Last Unicorn.” Heartbreaking, gut-wrenching, terrifying, wonderful, awe-inspiring, and filled with amazing music, the film truly stands out as a bright spot in classic animation.

The 10 greatest action movies of the ‘80s

I’m Joe Cianciotto and I love movies. I believe every era offers a general treatment unique to the times. One of my favorite eras is the ‘80s. I’ve already written blogs about fantasy films of the decade. Now, here are my top ten action movies from the ‘80s (in no particular order)

Image source: imdb.com

Aliens (1986): James Cameron’s finest in my opinion, and the best of the franchise (sorry, Ridley Scott).

Die Hard (1988): My favorite Christmas movie ever, “Die Hard” is one of the best action vehicles, ever.

Top Gun (1986): This is the film responsible for catapulting Tom Cruise into superstardom. And what about that soundtrack.

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Star Wars: Empire Strikes Back (1980): The decade of film opened with a bang with the greatest film of the Star Wars saga. Definitely a Joe Cianciotto favorite.

Lethal Weapon (1987): The gold standard in buddy-cop films. I’ll never be too old for this.

Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981): Spielberg and Lucas create magic with an exhilarating adventure.

Indiana Jones and The Last Crusade (1989): Spielberg and Lucas create magic once again, on an even larger scale.

Big Trouble in Little China (1986): A cult classic from horror master, John Carpenter.

Blade Runner (1982): Ridley Scott’s stunning, unsurpassed vision of the future.

Predator (1987): Pure testosterone versus the most ruthless hunter you’ll ever come across.

Joe Cianciotto is a San Francisco Bay Area-based architect. He is a movie buff and enjoys a diverse selection of genres, including superhero films, independent science fiction, mumblecore, and Golden-age dramas and epics. Read more on this page.