Almost three decades have passed and it seems like the 80’s will forever be inspiring aspects of our lives. It was a decade that seemed to have no precedent. It pretty much broke the mold. Clothes were being sold in colors we had never seen, like florescent and day-glow. There was a new kind of electronic music we had never heard being synthesized by computers. And cinema had a growth spurt with films that represented the freedom-loving, optimistic spirit of the American culture. Actually, there was a lot of growth during the decade, and despite some major character flaws that existed in our country, there was an eye on the future and dreams to make computer technology ubiquitous. Annnnnd here we are!
Today’s music, movies, shows and fashion either parody or honor the decade that never slept. But cherry-picking the best parts is only natural, and if you can’t look back on the 80’s now and laugh at how ridiculous things got, then you probably still have that totally rad Flock of Seagulls haircut, don’t you? It’s okay, the embarrassing outfits and hair of days past are the 80’s costumes of today!
Whether or not you are old enough to have made your own 1980’s memories, the ripples of the decade are still rolling by us. Let’s look at some of the movie characters that made the biggest splash on the silver screen and in our lives. Here are some of the best 80’s movie quotes and lines that sum up the sentiment of the character or the film in which they starred.
Movie Quotes Through the 80s
There were so many amazing and notable movies from the 80s, we had a really hard time narrowing down our list to fit into one graphic. We included most of our favorites but the quotes we didn’t include are listed below. Go ahead and @ us if we missed anything.
1980
“There’s a force in the universe that makes things happen. And all you have to do is get in touch with it, stop thinking, let things happen, and be the ball.” –Ty Webb from Caddyshack (1980) played by Chevy Chase
“I knew you’d double-cross me, Luthor. A lying weasel like you couldn’t resist the chance.” –Superman/Clark Kent from Superman II (1980) played by Christopher Reeve
“We’re putting the band back together.” –Jake Blues from The Blues Brothers (1980) played by John Belushi
1981
“Snakes. Why’d it have to be snakes?” –Indiana Jones from Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981) played by Harrison Ford
“When I get back, I’m going to kill you.” –Snake Plissken from Escape From New York (1981) played by Kurt Russel
“I’m just here for the gasoline.” –Max from The Road Warrior (1981) played by Mel Gibson
“Victor, that’s two priests driving a Ferrari. When’s the last time you saw two priests drive a Ferrari?” –J. J. McClure from The Cannonball Run (1981) played by Burt Reynolds
1982
“Be good.” –E.T. from E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial (1982) voiced by Pat Welsh
“On the other side of the screen, it all looks so easy.” –Kevin Flynn/Clu from Tron (1982) played by Jeff Bridges
“In the field, we had a code of honor, you watch my back, I watch yours. Back here there’s nothing!” –Rambo from First Blood (1982) played by Sylvester Stallone
“All he’d wanted were the same answers the rest of us want. Where did I come from? Where am I going? How long have I got?” –Rick Deckard from Blade Runner (1982) played by Harrison Ford
1983
“We have powerful friends. You’re going to regret this.” –Princess Leia from Star Wars: Return of the Jedi (1983) played by Carrie Fisher
“I always tell the truth. Even when I lie.” –Tony Montana from Scarface (1983) played by Al Pacino
“You call that dancing, rolling on the floor on your back?” –Alex Owens from Flashdance (1983) played by Jennifer Beals
“My name is Joel Goodson. I deal in human fulfillment. I grossed over eight thousand dollars in one night. Time of your life, huh kid?” –Joel from Risky Business (1983) played by Tom Cruise
“This is no longer a vacation. It’s a quest. It’s a quest for fun.” –Clark Griswold from National Lampoon’s Vacation (1983) played by Chevy Chase
1984
“Your clothes… give them to me, now.” –Terminator from The Terminator (1984) played by Arnold Schwarzenegger
“When you don’t have anything, you don’t have anything to lose. Right?” –Samantha from Sixteen Candles (1984) played by Molly Ringwald
“Before I go, I just want you two to know something, alright? The supercop story… was working. Okay? It was working, and you guys just messed it up. Okay?” –Axel Foley from Beverly Hills Cop (1984) played by Eddie Murphy
“Never had karate training like this before; sure wish I knew how it worked.” –Daniel from The Karate Kid (1984) played by Ralph Macchio
“Wait, wait, wait. Jump back. Are you kidding me? DANCING is against the law?” –Ren from Footloose (1984) played by Kevin Bacon
“Why worry? Each one of us is carrying an unlicensed nuclear accelerator on his back.” –Peter Venkman from Ghost Busters (1984) played by Bill Murry
“You thought at least I was… a human being.” –Madison from Splash (1984) played by Daryl Hannah
1985
“I had a horrible nightmare. I dreamed that I went… back in time. It was terrible.” –Marty McFly from Back to the Future (1985) played by Michael J. Fox
“I am sorrow.” –Isabeau from Ladyhawke (1985) played by Michelle Pfeiffer
“Ma, you’ve been bad.” –Sloth from The Goonies (1985) played by John Matuszak
“The more things change, the more they stay the same.” –Celie Johnson from The Color Purple (1985) played by Whoopie Goldberg
“You guys created me, I didn’t come from anywhere. Before you started messing around with your computer, I didn’t even exist.” –Lisa from Weird Science (1985) played by Kelly LeBrock
“Listen, tomorrow, things will be different. I won’t be like this anymore.” –Montgomery Brewster from Brewster’s Millions (1985) played by Richard Pryor
“Yeah, well, fortunately for everyone, I’m here and I’m thinking.” –Susan from Desperately Seeking Susan (1985) played by Madonna
“Hey, I’m no different than anyone else.” –Scott Howard from Teen Wolf (1985) played by Michael J. Fox
“You know the law: Two men enter, one man leaves.” –Aunty Entity from Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome (1985) played by Tina Turner
“When you grow up, your heart dies.” –Allison Reynolds from Breakfast Club (1985) played by Ally Sheedy
1986
“Sorry, Goose, but it’s time to buzz the tower.” –Maverick from Top Gun (1986) played by Tom Cruise
“Goddammit, that’s NOT all! ‘Cause if one of those things gets down here then that WILL be all!” –Ripley from Aliens (1986) played by Sigourney Weaver
“Imagine seven million people all wanting to live together. Yeah, New York must be the friendliest place on earth.” –Michael J. ‘Crocodile’ Dundee from Crocodile Dundee (1986) played by Paul Hogan
“No duck is an island. And if fate sent me here to save Earth, then Howard the Duck is ready to fight!” –Howard from Howard the Duck (1986) voiced by Chip Zien
“A person should not believe in an -ism, he should believe in himself.” –Ferris Bueller from Ferris Bueller’s Day Off (1986) played by Matthew Broderick
“May the wings of liberty never lose a feather.” –Jack Burton from Big Trouble in Little China (1986) played by Kurt Russel
“Goblin King! Goblin King! Wherever you may be take this child of mine far away from me!” –Sarah from Labyrinth (1986) played by Jennifer Connelly
1987
“Listen! We’re not just doing this for money! We’re doing it for a SH*T LOAD of money!” –Lone Starr from Spaceballs played by Bill Pullman
“Didn’t I tell you, you’re the only one who can see me like this.” –Emmy from Mannequin (1987) played by Kim Cattrall
“You won’t answer my calls, you change your number. I mean, I’m not gonna be ignored, Dan!” –Alex Forrest from Fatal Attraction (1987) played by Glenn Close
“There’s what’s right and there’s what’s right and never the twain shall meet.” –H.I. McDunnough from Raising Arizona (1987) played by Nicolas Cage
“Don’t worry. We’ll get home. This has all just been a big mistake.” –Chris from Adventures in Babysitting (1987) played by Elisabeth Shue
“Have you ever considered piracy? You’d make a wonderful Dread Pirate Roberts.” –Westley from The Princess Bride (1987) played by Cary Elwes
“I’m scared of walking out of this room and never feeling the rest of my whole life the way I feel when I’m with you.” –Baby Houseman from Dirty Dancing (1987) played by Jennifer Grey
“You’re not even interesting enough to make me sick.” –Alexandra Medford from The Witches of Eastwick (1987) played by Cher
1988
“I’m a ghost with the most, babe.” –Betelgeuse from BeetleJuice (1988) played by Micael Keaton
“You mean sleep over? Okay, but I get to be on top!” –Josh Baskin from Big (1988) played by Tom Hanks
“Dear Diary, my teen-angst bullsh*t now has a body count.” –Veronica Sawyer from Heathers (1988) played by Winona Ryder
“Just a fly in the ointment, Hans. A monkey in the wretch. A pain in the ass.” –John McClane from Die Hard (1988) played by Bruce Willis
1989
“No, you the man.” –Mookie from Do the Right Thing (1989) played by Spike Lee
“Haven’t you ever heard of the healing power of laughter?” –The Joker from Batman (1989) played by Jack Nicholson
“Be excellent to each other. PARTY ON, DUDES!” –Bill & Ted from Bill and Ted’s Excellent Adventure (1989) played by Alex Winter and Keanu Reeves
“Sorry, but I’m positive about this. The machine shrunk our kids.” –Wayne Szalinski from Honey, I shrunk the Kids played by Rick Moranis
“There is something down there! Something not us.” –Lindsey Brigman from The Abyss played by Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio
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