Top 10 1980s films that need a sequel

5 September 2012 17 Comments

There’s a sequel or reboot coming out every month it seems. Instead of complaining I’m going to embrace Hollywood’s intention to rehash and suggest these 1980s classics need a Part 2.

There has been a lot of talk about reboots recently. Does the world need another reinterpretation of Batman so soon after Nolan concluded his majestic trilogy. The bed is still warm!

It is, of course, all part of the moneymaking Hollywood machine; its creative energy based on the probability of box office return. Granted, it is shrewd business but it makes for an overly familiar catalogue of new movies – the same characters being rolled out once more, the same stories with a slightly different twist. Essentially, it is a “if it isn’t broke, don’t fix it” attitude. So we find ourselves with more reboots (Spider-Man, Superman, Batman), more sequels (The Hobbit times by three), more Aliens versus Predators/Freddy versus Jasons/Harold versus Kumas, and more familiar characters. Hollywood knows we’ve bought the ticket before, so we’ll buy the ticket again.

In years to come we’ll find our top 10 films of the last twelve months oddly mimicking each other. Let me rush forward in time for a second – Top 10 Films of 2015 equals The Hobbit Part III: There and Back Again in at number one. The following year it’ll be Avatar III: Attack of the Green Aliens (I made that title up by the way). After that it’ll be Batman Begins Again. Wait a minute…but my favorite films of the 2000s were Lord of the Rings, Avatar and Batman…erm…Begins – what’s happening here? I feel like I’m in Back To The Future and my vehicle of choice is a time-travelling DeLorean.

With this in mind (and with Hollywood’s idea factory in some sort of comatose state), I figure I should jump on board instead of complaining and encourage this roll out of the same old stuff. Therefore, I’m going to pitch my ideas for some new sequels – namely, those favourites from the 1980s. What happened to these characters? Where are they now? What new adventures are they getting up to?

10. Roxanne (Schepisi, 1987)

Steve Martin’s C.D. Bales was one of his finest comic creations. However, I’m reminded about that immortal line from Back To The Future when Doc tells Marty, “Something has to be done about your kids”. Just what happened to C.D and Daryl Hannah’s offspring – were they also born with the same nasal appendage and razor sharp wit?

9. E.T (Spielberg, 1982)

E.T. makes it home – or so we are to believe. But does he ever come back? Of course he does, especially if there’s a sequel ready to welcome him back to planet earth.

8. Explorers (Dante, 1985)

Three kids build a spaceship out of a fairground ride car. What will they build next, and where will they go…that’s what we’ll find out.

7. Bull Durham (Shelton, 1988)

If only for another messy food-induced romp with Susan Sarandon and Prince of Thieves himself Kevin Costner, Bull Durham 2 would be highly appealing.

6. Supergirl (Szwarc, 1984)

The machismo in recent superhero films has put baby most definitely in the corner. Bring back feminism! Let Supergirl have another day in the limelight.

5. Innerspace (Dante, 1987)

Fellow miniaturisation film Honey, I Shrunk The Kids got a sequel, what about the Dennis Quaid-starring Innerspace. Surely he couldn’t have managed to stay married to Meg Ryan…

4. Beetlejuice (Burton, 1988)

Arguably Michael Keaton’s best ever role (and performance), the one-time Hollywood giant could do with career reinvigoration. This is just the ticket.

3. Stand By Me (Reiner, 1986)

There was plenty of time before these four kids hit adulthood for them to get up to more adventure. Perhaps this time it isn’t a dead body – alien landing perhaps…

2. The Breakfast Club (Hughes, 1985)

Bring back the music, bring back the characters. What happened to these five teenagers after that day in detention?

1. The Goonies (Donner, 1985)

There was certainly talk of a Goonies sequel but it never happened. This great adventure story will have everyone queuing up around the blocks no matter the age. I’m thinking the Goonies could go in search of Jack Sparrow’s lost rum cache.

Written and compiled by Daniel Stephens.

For all the latest top 10s, reviews and competitions follow Top 10 Films on Twitter!

Your turn – what 1980s films need a sequel?

17 Comments »

mark said:

Maybe we should save ourselves the mental angst and just push the 1980s to the back of our minds, revisiting that peculiar decade only on special occassions when we are lying in bed late at night thinking about where it all went wrong.

# 5 September 2012 at 3:13 pm

Dan (author) said:

@Mark: Haha…Don’t ignore the greatest decade in the history of film!

# 5 September 2012 at 3:19 pm

Raghav Modi said:

I say forget sequels or remakes… Just re-release the originals in the theaters

# 5 September 2012 at 3:28 pm

Dan (author) said:

@Raghav: Ooh…that would make my day. The Goonies on the big screen!

# 5 September 2012 at 3:35 pm

Rodney said:

I’m with Raghav – just re-release the originals. I can’t see The Goonies or Stand By Me being made any better than they were the first time, so leave them the hell alone, Hollywood.

Although, now that you mention it, I’m surprised Supergirl hasn’t been given another shot….. with today’s tech, that film would ROCK!!

# 6 September 2012 at 2:29 am

Dan (author) said:

@Rodney: if they are trying to appeal to the teenage boy market then Supergirl is a sure fire hit!

# 6 September 2012 at 7:29 am

Scott Lawlor said:

I disagree with you here matey… none of these need a sequel at all.

STAY THE F*** AWAY FROM THE GOONIES!!!!

# 6 September 2012 at 8:32 am

Dan (author) said:

@Scott: This time they’d be after Jack Sparrow’s rum..!

# 6 September 2012 at 10:44 am

ruth said:

VERY interesting, Dan. I don’t know if any of these need a sequel though, especially NOT Supergirl. That was awful!! Funny you mentioned Beetlejuice, I just talked about Keaton in yesterday’s post.

# 6 September 2012 at 7:45 pm

Dan (author) said:

@Ruth: Was Supergirl that bad? I quite like it!

# 6 September 2012 at 8:42 pm

Alex Withrow said:

Oh man, great list here! Sequels for Stand by Me and Beetlejuice would’ve been epic.

Also wouldn’t be opposed an E.T. sequel.

# 6 September 2012 at 9:20 pm

Neal Damiano said:

Ok list but I don’t agree with The Breakfast Club and I’ll tell you why,it’s one of those films that should not be touched. Sometimes when the industry makes sequels it ruins the original film and this is just too good of a film to take the risk. John Hughes said this himself and never wanted to make a sequel. There was rumors of a remake which would be horrible. How can you recast this film it is perfect the way it is. Lets hope this never happens!!

# 8 September 2012 at 1:31 pm

Cyril Sneer said:

Some great movies on their. I agree with some here but some of those movies do have the potential to have great sequels but I don’t know if I would want to risk it just in case the writer/director/actors in it, ruin both the sequel and the original movie

# 10 September 2012 at 1:09 pm

mark said:

“Don’t ignore the greatest decade in the history of film!”

Not sure I agree with that one Dan. Sort of pointless arguing over what constitutes a greatest decade as there’s no accounting for taste.

However, one could contest the 1980s had less cinematic highlights than other decades. Again that is subjective – requires a book or big essay or something.

In relation to the above list, I couldn’t understand the appeal of those teenage John Hughes movies, I thought Joe Dante was overrated, Spielberg’s best stuff came post 1994, cheesy sci fi and horror were way too self conscious and cheesy, while Michael Keaton seemed far more watchable in the 1990s.

Which may partly explain why some of the above never had sequels.

# 10 September 2012 at 6:51 pm

Andina said:

I think Breakfast Club sequel could be relevant to produce these times, though I don’t know if they’ll top the first one. I’ll want to see that!
E.T also is an interesting choice. I don’t know much about the other choices. Nice list, as always

# 14 September 2012 at 4:25 pm