The Most Underrated Movies of the 1980s

Starting our list of the most underrated 80s movies is “The Cotton Club.” This film was released on December 14, 1984, and is a true hidden gem. This movie had a budget of $58 million and only grossed just under $26 million. Despite this, the film has phenomenal reviews and a 74% Tomatometer score.

The Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai Across The 8th Dimension (1984)

Although not many people think of “The Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai Across The 8th Dimension” when imagining 80s movies, it’s a classic and loved by its fans.

“The Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai Across The 8th Dimension” is a hilarious sci-fi comedy first released on August 10, 1984, in the United States. Like many of the movies on our list, it’s underrated but also bombed at the box office. With a budget of $17 million, it only grossed $6.3 million. This could be because the movie was too strange for most people or it competed against big names like “Ghostbusters” and “Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom.”

Top Secret! (1984)

Action films were super popular in the 1980s. One of the most underrated 80s action films is “Top Secret!” It was released on June 22, 1984, in the United States and did decently. The budget for this film was about $9 million, and the film grossed $20.5 million.

While it made back its budget, and then some, the film isn’t talked about like other 80s action films. Still, it’s a fun watch starring Val Kilmer, Lucy Gutteridge and Omar Sharif.

Streets of Fire (1984)

1984 was a fantastic year for movies. In 1984, we got amazing films like “Gremlins,” “A Nightmare on Elm Street,” “The Karate Kid” and more. But have you heard of “Streets of Fire?” It was released on June 1, 1984, in the United States, but was unsuccessful at the box office.

Although starring strong actors and a unique plot, it grossed only $8.1 million. Still, a lot of people enjoy this crime movie. The Rotten Tomatoes audience score is 70%.

Another underrated movie of the 80s is “Less Than Zero,” which was released on November 6, 1987, in the United States. This drama tells the story of Clay, a college freshman who returns home for Christmas only to notice everything is different, including his high school girlfriend and best friend.

This drama is tear-jerking, ending with a gut-wrenching funeral. Although not a perfect film, it’s unforgettable and underrated compared to other 80s dramas.

Mystery Train (1989)

Also released in the 1980s is “Mystery Train.” It was released on November 17, 1989, in the United States and on December 23, 1989, in Japan. This incredible film is a comedy-drama anthology film and tells multiple stories. It’s beautifully written and performed. It’s a true hidden gem rarely talked about.

This movie was nominated for multiple Independent Spirit Awards. “Mystery Train” scored an audience score of 87% and a Tomatometer score of 89% on Rotten Tomatoes.

Best Friends (1982)

Romantic comedies were all over theaters in the 1980s. Movies like “Splash,” “Sixteen Candles,” “Say Anything” and “The Princess Bride.” So many classics were released in just one decade, which might be why “Best Friends” is a hidden gem.

“Best Friends” was released on December 17, 1982, in the United States. It had a budget of $15 to 19 million and grossed $36.8 million.

Somewhere in Time (1980)

“Somewhere in Time” is unforgettable. It was released on October 3, 1980, in the United States. It’s a fun and whimsy fantasy romance that does a great job starting the decade. “Somewhere in Time” is based on the novel “Bid Time Return” (1975). It had a budget of about $4 million and grossed nearly $10 million.

The musical score of the movie is beautiful and the performances do such a great job of drawing the audience in and feeling for the time-traveling couple.

Waxwork (1988)

“Waxwork” is a comedy horror film that does not get enough praise. It was released on June 17, 1988, in the United States and absolutely bombed at the box office. It had a budget of $3.5 million but only grossed $808,114. This is likely because it had a limited release. “Waxwork” is a fun movie for horror and gore fans, although it’s nothing special or new.

Say Anything (1989)

American romantic comedies were very popular in the 1980s. “Say Anything…” is a favorite for many, although it’s rather underrated compared to other Teen romances of the decade. It was released on April 14, 1989.

The film tells the story of Lloyd Dobler and Diane Court, two different teens, and how they fall in love after high school. On Rotten Tomatoes, the audience score for this film is 85%, while the Tomatometer score is 98%.

River’s Edge (1986)

While most people know of Keanu Reeves for his roles in “The Matrix” and “Bill & Ted’s Excellent Adventure,” he also starred in “River’s Edge.” This crime drama film is underrated. The plot isn’t unique, but it’s still dramatic and shocking enough to drag you in.

“River’s Edge” follows a group of teenagers as they deal with a murder and the disposal of the body. The film had a budget of $1.7 million and grossed $4.6 million.

Eight Men Out (1988)

Have you ever heard of the Major League Baseball’s Black Sox Scandal? “Eight Men Out” is a dramatization of these shocking events.

“Eight Men Out” was released on September 2, 1988, in the United States. It almost made back its budget of $6.1 million, as it grossed $5.7 million. While not as popular as other 80s movies, it received a Tomatometer score of 87%.

Vampire’s Kiss (1988)

Nicolas Cage is a great actor. Did you know though that he’s played multiple vampire roles? He played a literary agent who was slowly losing his mind, to the point where he’s convinced he’s becoming and falls in love with a vampire.

This black comedy film is underrated. The faces Nicolas Cage makes alone are a highlight of the movie. “Vampire’s Kiss” didn’t do well. With a budget of $2 million, the film only grossed $725,131.

Return to Oz (1985)

Dark teen and children’s movies were popular during the 1980s. “Return to Oz” is no exception. This film was released by Walt Disney Pictures on June 21, 1985, in the United States. Although the film had a budget of $28 million, it only grossed 11.1 million in the U.S.

Although it had poor reviews when this unique film was released, it now has a loyal cult following. The audience score of Rotten Tomatoes for this film is 71%.

Baby It’s You (1983)

Also on our list of underrated 80s movies is “Baby It’s You,” which was released on March 4, 1983, in the United States. This comedy-drama had a budget of $3 million and grossed $1,867,792.

Although the film didn’t make back its budget, it became a favorite for many. On Rotten Tomatoes, this film has a Tomatometer score of 94% and an audience score of 71%.

The Bride (1985)

Retellings of old horror films and stories are always exciting to watch and this includes “The Bride.” This film was released on August 16, 1985, in the United States and is based on the novel “Frankenstein” or “The Modern Prometheus.”

This film stars incredible talent like Sting, Jennifer Beals, Geraldine Page, and Clancy Brown. However it didn’t do well and has low ratings, but is considered a fun underrated film to watch with friends while drinking.

Broadcast News (1987)

“Broadcast News” is an underrated 80s comedy that doesn’t get enough attention. It stars William Hurt, Albert Brooks, and Holly Hunter. This romantic comedy-drama was released on December 16, 1987, in the United States. Although successful, it’s not commonly referred to when discussing the best romance or comedies of the 80s.

“Broadcast News” was nominated for many awards including Academy Awards, Golden Globe Awards and New York Film Critics Circle Awards.

Grease 2 (1982)

If you’ve watched the first Grease film, then you know that it’s a classic for a reason. When a sequel came out, many people were confused and upset by the differences, especially when compared to the brilliance that was the first film.

“Grease 2” deserves some recognition for being an underrated movie. The music is fun, the sets are colorful and the costumes are a joy to see.

Adventures in Babysitting (1987)

Nearing the end of our list of the most underrated films of the 80s is “Adventures in Babysitting.” This film was released on July 3, 1987, in the United States. It tells a fun story of Chris Parker as she babysits Sarah Anderson and the terrifying adventures that occur.

The movie did well at the box office but isn’t really talked about. It’s a warm and fun movie, although nothing groundbreaking or different.

A Fish Called Wanda (1988)

Last but not least is “A Fish Called Wanda.” It was released on July 15, 1988, in the United States and did fantastically. The budget for this film was $7.5 million, but grossed a whopping $188.6 million. Although initially popular, very few people talk about this movie now.

Many of the actors in this film for their portrayals of the roles won awards. For instance, Kline won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor. (Interested in reading more? Check out our article on the 30 Movies That Were Really Underappreciated Upon Release.)