Eight great movies that are now 40 years old
Thanks to The Conjuring’s latest instalment – The Devil Made Me Do It – and Apple TV+’s Physical, 1981 is having a moment. That year, the Springboks divided our nation and Trevor and Greg Chappell decided a lawn bowlsstyle delivery was the best way to decide a cricket match. It was also when some classic movies were released.
After looking through the archives, Stuff to Watch has come up with eight favourites.
An American Werewolf in London
(YouTube, iTunes, Google Play)
Sexy, funny and frightening, John Landis’ comedy-horror about two students who are attacked by a werewolf that none of the locals will admit exists is notable for Rick Baker’s special effects and inspiring a whole new generation of Jenny Agutter fans. It also boasts a terrific soundtrack.
Chariots of Fire (YouTube, iTunes, Google Play)
The film that gave the world Greek composer Vangelis and reacquainted it with British athletes Harold Abrahams and Eric Liddell, Hugh Hudson’s dramatic recreation of their involvement in the 1924 Olympics is firstclass period film-making with a, then, modern twist. It is hard to beat for emotional impact.
Escape From New York
(YouTube, iTunes, Google Play) Kurt Russell is outstanding in
John Carpenter’s seminal sci-fi action movie. The year is
1997 and a crimeridden America has transformed Manhattan into a maximum security prison. Unfortunately, Air Force One has been hijacked and deliberately diverted onto the island. That’s when the call goes out to Russell’s ex-soldier and current prisoner, Snake Plissken, to extricate the President. What follows is a taut, tense thriller.
Excalibur (Netflix) Patrick Stewart, Liam Neeson, Gabriel Byrne and Helen Mirren teamed up for this epic medieval fantasy. A strange mix of The Lord of the Rings and Monty Python and the Holy Grail, it was notable for its striking visuals, sometimes dreadful dialogue and lashings of sex and violence.
The Great Muppet Caper
(Disney+)
In the only Muppet movie directed by Jim Henson, the felty friends are caught up in a London jewel heist. Fozzie and Kermit were a pair of unlikely twins, both reporters for The Daily Chronicle. It lacked the memorable tunes of the earlier The Muppet Movie, but didn’t stint on celebrity cameos, with Charles Grodin and Diana Rigg’s characters joined by John Cleese, Peter Falk and Peter Ustinov.
Raiders of the Lost Ark
(Amazon Prime Video, Netflix)
This was hyped as an amazing collaboration between the two top directors (George Lucas and Steven Spielberg). Harrison Ford is at his charismatic best as well, proving Star Wars’ Han Solo was no one-off. The action set-pieces are still spectacular, even if the special-effects now look ropy. A globetrotting adventure that still entertains from start to finish.
Stripes (YouTube, iTunes, Google Play)
Ivan Reitman’s military movie helped make Bill Murray a star and sees the former Saturday Night Live standout play John Winger, an unemployed troublemaker who decides to join the army. During basic training he meets a bunch of fellow misfits, pitch-perfectly played by the likes of John Candy, John Larroquette, Judge Reinhold and Dave Thomas.
Time Bandits (Alice’s, Aro) Sadly now difficult to get a hold of but hopefully that will change with a Taika Waititi-penned TV series remake in the works. Cowriting with fellow Python Michael Palin, director Terry Gilliam is at his fantastical best with this exciting and charming adventure about a boy who joins a group of dwarves in flitting about through human history. The impressive support cast includes John Cleese, Sean Connery, Shelley Duvall, Ian Holm and David Warner, and the magnificent ending has haunted generations of children.