A lot happened in the year 1987, including the debut of a family-friendly TV sitcom set in San Francisco. The name of the show was Full House, and we’ll be doing a deep dive into this popular comedy over the coming weeks.
But first, to get a sense of the times and trends that helped shape this series, here’s a quick look at the notable films that premiered in 1987.
Wanted: Dead or Alive
January 16th Wanted: Dead or Alive is released. Nick Randall is a Los Angeles-based bounty hunter and ex-CIA operative who is asked by a former co-worker to help track down terrorist Malak Al-Rahim, who bombed a movie theater and later planned to release gas from a chemical plant similar to the Bhopal disaster.
Radio Days
January 30thRadio Days is released. The film is an American comedy-drama film written and directed by Woody Allen, who also narrates the story. The film looks back on an American family’s life during the Golden Age of Radio using both music and memories to tell the story. It stars an ensemble cast.
A Nightmare on Elm Street 3: Dream Warriors
February 27th A Nightmare on Elm Street 3: Dream Warriors is released. This film is an American fantasy slasher film directed by Chuck Russell. The story was developed by Wes Craven and Bruce Wagner and is the third installment in the Nightmare on Elm Street franchise and stars Heather Langenkamp, Patricia Arquette, Larry Fishburne, Priscilla Pointer, Craig Wasson, and Robert Englund as Freddy Krueger. Dream Warriors grossed $44.8 million domestically on a budget of over $4 million. It received mostly positive reviews from critics and is considered by many to be one of the best films in the Elm Street series. The film was preceded by A Nightmare on Elm Street 2: Freddy’s Revenge (1985) and followed by A Nightmare on Elm Street 4: The Dream Master (1988).
Lethal Weapon
March 6th Lethal Weapon is released. This film is an American buddy cop action comedy film directed and co-produced by Richard Donner, written by Shane Black, and co-produced by Joel Silver. It stars Mel Gibson and Danny Glover alongside Gary Busey, Tom Atkins, Darlene Love, and Mitchell Ryan. In Lethal Weapon, a pair of mismatched LAPD detectives – Martin Riggs (Gibson), a former Green Beret who has become suicidal following the death of his wife, and veteran officer and family man Roger Murtaugh (Glover) – work together as partners. Upon its release, Lethal Weapon grossed over $120 million (against a production budget of $15 million) and was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Sound. It spawned a franchise that includes three sequels and a television series, with a fourth sequel in development.
Raising Arizona
March 18thRaising Arizona is released. This film is an American crime comedy film directed by Joel Coen, produced by Ethan Coen, and written by Joel and Ethan Coen. It stars Nicolas Cage as H.I. “Hi” McDunnough, an ex-convict, and Holly Hunter as Edwina “Ed” McDunnough, a former police officer and his wife. Other members of the cast include Trey Wilson, William Forsythe, John Goodman, Frances McDormand, Sam McMurray, and Randall “Tex” Cobb. The Coen brothers set out to work on the film with the intention of making a film as different from their previous film, the dark thriller Blood Simple, as possible, with a lighter sense of humor and a faster pace. Raising Arizona received mixed reviews at the time of its release. Some criticized it as too self-conscious, manneristic, and unclear as to whether it was fantasy or realism. Other critics praised the film for its originality. The film ranks 31st on the American Film Institute’s 100 Years…100 Laughs list, and 45th on Bravo’s “100 Funniest Movies” list.
Street Smart
March 20th Street Smart is released. This film is an American dramatic crime thriller film directed by Jerry Schatzberg and starring Christopher Reeve, Morgan Freeman and Kathy Baker. It was shot in New York City and Montreal, Quebec. Despite being well-received by audiences and critics (especially being Morgan Freeman’s first Oscar-nominated performance), the film was a commercial failure.
Police Academy 4: Citizens on Patrol
April 3rd Police Academy 4: Citizens on Patrol is released. This film is an American comedy film. It is the fourth installment in the Police Academy franchise. The original Police Academy cast reprise their roles in the film. This was the last Police Academy film to feature Steve Guttenberg as Carey Mahoney. This film also stars a young David Spade in his feature film debut, as well as featuring a brief appearance from pro skateboarder Tony Hawk as Spade’s double in a skateboarding scene. Despite the commercial success, the sequel was panned by film critics.
The Secret of My Success
April 17th The Secret of My Success is released. This film is an American comedy film produced and directed by Herbert Ross and starring Michael J. Fox and Helen Slater. The screenplay was written by A.J. Carothers, Jim Cash and Jack Epps Jr. from a story written by Carothers. It was filmed on location in Manhattan.
Ishtar
May 15th Ishtar is released. This film is an American adventure-comedy film written and directed by Elaine May and produced by Warren Beatty, who co-starred opposite Dustin Hoffman. The story revolves around a duo of incredibly untalented American songwriters who travel to a booking in Morocco and stumble into a four-party Cold War standoff. Shot on location in Morocco and New York City by cinematographer Vittorio Storaro, the production drew media attention before its release for substantial cost overruns on top of a lavish budget, and reports of clashes between May, Beatty, and Storaro. A change in studio management at Columbia Pictures during post-production also led to professional and personal difficulties that undermined the film’s release. The film polarized critics and became a notorious failure at the box office. Many initially considered it to be one of the worst films ever made, although critical support for the film has grown strongly since its release.
Beverly Hills Cop II
May 20th Beverly Hills Cop II is released. This film is an American buddy-cop action-comedy film directed by Tony Scott, written by Larry Ferguson and Warren Skaaren, and starring Eddie Murphy. Murphy returns as Detroit police detective Axel Foley, who reunites with Beverly Hills detectives Billy Rosewood (Judge Reinhold) and John Taggart (John Ashton) to stop a robbery/gun-running gang after Captain Andrew Bogomil (Ronny Cox) is shot and seriously wounded. Despite making less money than the first film and receiving mixed reviews from critics, the film was still a box office success, grossing $276.6 million. Aside from box office success, the film was nominated for an Oscar and for a Golden Globe Award for Best Original Song, for Bob Seger’s “Shakedown”.
Ernest Goes to Camp
May 22nd Ernest Goes to Camp is released. This film is an American comedy film directed by John Cherry and starring Jim Varney. It is the second film to feature the character of Ernest P. Worrell and was shot at Montgomery Bell State Park. It was also the first “Ernest” film to be distributed by Touchstone Pictures. This film also marks Iron Eyes Cody’s final appearance on screen.
The Untouchables
June 3rd The Untouchables is released. This film is an American crime film directed by Brian De Palma, produced by Art Linson, and written by David Mamet. The film is loosely based on the book of the same name (1957) and the real-life events it was based on, but most of its plot is fictionalized. The film stars Kevin Costner, Charles Martin Smith, Andy García, Robert De Niro and Sean Connery, and follows Eliot Ness (Costner) as he forms the Untouchables team to bring Al Capone (De Niro) to justice during Prohibition. The Grammy Award–nominated score was composed by Ennio Morricone and features period music by Duke Ellington. The film grossed $106.2 million worldwide and received generally positive reviews from critics. It was nominated for four Academy Awards; Connery won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor.
Harry and the Hendersons
June 5th Harry and the Hendersons is released. This film is an American fantasy comedy film directed and produced by William Dear and starring John Lithgow, Melinda Dillon, Don Ameche, David Suchet, Margaret Langrick, Joshua Rudoy, Lainie Kazan, and Kevin Peter Hall. Steven Spielberg served as its uncredited executive producer, while Rick Baker provided the makeup and the creature designs for Harry. The film tells the story of a Seattle family’s encounter with the cryptozoological creature Bigfoot. Harry and the Hendersons grossed $50 million worldwide. It won an Oscar for Best Makeup at the 60th Academy Awards, and inspired a television spin-off of the same name.
Predator
June 12th Predator is released. This film is an American science fiction horror action film directed by John McTiernan and written by brothers Jim and John Thomas. It is the first installment in the Predator franchise. It stars Arnold Schwarzenegger as the leader of an elite paramilitary rescue team on a mission to save hostages in guerrilla-held territory in a Central American rainforest, who encounter the deadly Predator (Kevin Peter Hall), a skilled, technologically advanced alien who stalks and hunts them down. The film grossed $98 million worldwide. Initial reviews were mixed, but has since been considered a classic of the action and science fiction genres and one of the best films of the 1980s. The success of Predator launched a media franchise of films, novels, comic books, video games, and toys. It spawned four sequels: Predator 2 (1990), Predators (2010), The Predator (2018), and Prey (2022). A crossover with the Alien franchise produced the Alien vs. Predator films, which include Alien vs. Predator (2004) and Aliens vs. Predator: Requiem (2007).
The Witches of Eastwick
June 12th The Witches of Eastwick is released. This film is an American dark fantasy-comedy film directed by George Miller and starring Jack Nicholson as Daryl Van Horne, alongside Cher, Michelle Pfeiffer and Susan Sarandon as the titular witches. The film is based on John Updike’s 1984 novel of the same name, telling the story of three women who are unaware of the power of the words they speak; as they tell each other their deepest desires, a man arrives just in time and fulfills them, but has a dark side of his own.
Roxanne
June 19th Roxanne is released. This film is an American romantic comedy film directed by Fred Schepisi and starring Steve Martin and Daryl Hannah. It is a modern retelling of Edmond Rostand’s 1897 verse play Cyrano de Bergerac, adapted by Steve Martin.
Spaceballs
June 26th Spaceballs is released. This film is an American space opera parody film co-written, produced and directed by Mel Brooks. It is primarily a parody of the original Star Wars trilogy, but also parodies other sci-fi films and popular franchises including Star Trek, Alien, The Wizard of Oz, 2001: A Space Odyssey, Planet of the Apes, and Transformers. The film stars Bill Pullman, John Candy and Rick Moranis, with the supporting cast including Daphne Zuniga, Dick Van Patten, George Wyner, Lorene Yarnell, and the voice of Joan Rivers. In addition to Brooks playing a dual role, the film also features Brooks regulars Dom DeLuise and Rudy De Luca in cameo appearances. Despite initially getting a mixed reception from critics and audiences, it has since become a cult classic, and is one of Brooks’s most popular and well-known films.
Adventures in Babysitting
July 3rd Adventures in Babysitting is released. This film, which is also known as A Night on the Town in certain countries, is an American teen comedy film written by David Simkins and directed by Chris Columbus in his directorial debut. It stars Elisabeth Shue, Keith Coogan, Anthony Rapp, and Maia Brewton, and features cameos by blues singer/guitarist Albert Collins and singer-songwriter Southside Johnny Lyon.
Full Metal Jacket
July 10th Full Metal Jacket is released. This film is a war drama film directed and produced by Stanley Kubrick, who also co-wrote the screenplay with Michael Herr and Gustav Hasford. The film is based on Hasford’s 1979 novel The Short-Timers and stars Matthew Modine, Lee Ermey, Vincent D’Onofrio and Adam Baldwin. The storyline follows a platoon of U.S. Marines through their boot camp training in Marine Corps and deployment during the Tet Offensive of the Vietnam War. The film’s title refers to the full metal jacket bullet used by military servicemen. It was the last of Kubrick’s films to be released during his lifetime. The film received critical acclaim, grossed $120 million against a budget of $16 million, and was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Adapted Screenplay for Kubrick, Herr, and Hasford. In 2001, the American Film Institute placed the film at number 95 in its poll titled “AFI’s 100 Years…100 Thrills.”
Revenge of the Nerds II: Nerds in Paradise
July 10th Revenge of the Nerds II: Nerds in Paradise is released. This film is an American comedy film and sequel to Revenge of the Nerds. Its cast featured most of the main actors from its predecessor, including Robert Carradine, Anthony Edwards, Curtis Armstrong, Larry B. Scott, Timothy Busfield, Donald Gibb, and Andrew Cassese. This film also provided an early starring role for Courtney Thorne-Smith. Other cast members include Bradley Whitford, Ed Lauter, and Barry Sobel.
Jaws: The Revenge
July 10th Jaws: The Revenge is released. This film is an American horror film produced and directed by Joseph Sargent. It is a direct sequel to Jaws, ignoring the events of Jaws 2 and Jaws 3-D, and is the fourth and final film in the franchise. Lorraine Gary reprised her role from the first two films while new cast members include Lance Guest, Mario Van Peebles, Karen Young and Michael Caine. The film focuses on a now-widowed Ellen Brody (Lorraine Gary) after Chief Brody died from a heart attack, her conviction that a great white shark is seeking revenge on her family, particularly when it kills her son, and follows her to the Bahamas. The lowest grossing film of the franchise with only $51.9 million, it was widely panned by critics, who criticized the story, acting and effects. The film introduced the infamous tagline “This time, it’s personal.”
RoboCop
July 17thRoboCop is released. This film is an American science fiction action film directed by Paul Verhoeven and written by Edward Neumeier and Michael Miner. The film stars Peter Weller, Nancy Allen, Daniel O’Herlihy, Ronny Cox, Kurtwood Smith, and Miguel Ferrer. Set in a crime-ridden Detroit, in the near future, RoboCop centers on police officer Alex Murphy (Weller) who is murdered by a gang of criminals and subsequently revived by the megacorporation Omni Consumer Products as the cyborg law enforcer RoboCop. RoboCop was a financial success upon its release, earning $53.4 million. Reviews praised the film as a clever action film with deeper philosophical messages and satire but were more conflicted over the extreme violence throughout. The film was nominated for several awards, and won an Academy Award as well as numerous Saturn Awards. Since its release, RoboCop has been critically reevaluated and it has been hailed as one of the best films of the 1980s and one of the greatest science fiction and action films ever made. The success of RoboCop created a franchise comprising the sequels RoboCop 2 (1990) and RoboCop 3 (1993), children’s animated series, multiple live-action television shows, video games, comic books, toys, clothing, and other merchandise. A remake was released in 2014. A direct sequel to the original 1987 film, tentatively titled RoboCop Returns, is in development as of 2020; it ignores other entries in the series.
Superman IV: The Quest for Peace
July 24th Superman IV: The Quest for Peace is released. This film is a superhero film directed by Sidney J. Furie and written by Lawrence Konner and Mark Rosenthal from a story by Christopher Reeve, Konner, and Rosenthal based on the DC Comics character Superman. The film stars Reeve, Gene Hackman, Jackie Cooper, Marc McClure, Jon Cryer, Sam Wanamaker, Jim Broadbent, Mariel Hemingway, and Margot Kidder. The film marks the final appearance of Reeve as Superman, who agreed to return in exchange for a large salary and a story promoting nuclear disarmament. Upon release, it was widely lambasted by critics and fans alike, with many reviewers citing poor special effects, inconsistencies, and plot holes. Superman IV has often been named one of the worst films ever made. No further Superman films were released until Superman Returns in 2006.
The Lost Boys
July 31st The Lost Boys is released. This film is an American supernatural black comedy horror film directed by Joel Schumacher, produced by Harvey Bernhard with a screenplay written by Jeffrey Boam, Janice Fischer and James Jeremias, from a story by Fischer and Jeremias. The film’s ensemble cast includes Corey Haim, Jason Patric, Kiefer Sutherland, Jami Gertz, Corey Feldman, Dianne Wiest, Edward Herrmann, Billy Wirth, Brooke McCarter, Alex Winter, Jamison Newlander, and Barnard Hughes. The title is a reference to the Lost Boys in J. M. Barrie’s stories about Peter Pan and Neverland, who, like vampires, never grow up. Most of the film was shot in Santa Cruz, California. The Lost Boys was a critical and commercial success, grossing over $32 million against a production budget of $8.5 million. The success of the film has spawned a franchise with two sequels (Lost Boys: The Tribe and Lost Boys: The Thirst), and two comic book series.
Stakeout
August 5th Stakeout is released. This film is an American buddy-cop action-comedy film directed by John Badham and starring Richard Dreyfuss, Emilio Estevez, Madeleine Stowe and Aidan Quinn. The screenplay was written by Jim Kouf, who won a 1988 Edgar Award for his work. Although the story is set in Seattle, the film was shot in Vancouver. A sequel, Another Stakeout, followed in 1993.
The Care Bears Adventure in Wonderland
August 7thThe Care Bears Adventure in Wonderland is released. This film is an animated musical fantasy film and the third theatrically released film in the Care Bears franchise. It is based on Lewis Carroll’s Alice stories. It starred the voices of Keith Knight, Bob Dermer, Jim Henshaw, Tracey Moore and Elizabeth Hanna. The film featured a musical score by Patricia Cullen along with songs by pop musicians John Sebastian and Natalie Cole. Upon its North American release, the film opened weakly to mixed reviews, and ended up with a $2.6 million gross; worldwide, it barely made back its $5 million cost.
Masters of the Universe
August 7th Masters of the Universe is released. This film is an American superhero film directed by Gary Goddard, produced by Yoram Globus and by Menahem Golan and written by David Odell. The film stars Dolph Lundgren, Frank Langella, Jon Cypher, Chelsea Field, Billy Barty, Courteney Cox, Robert Duncan McNeill, and Meg Foster. It is based on the Mattel toy line of the same name and tells the story of two teenagers who meet He-Man, the most powerful man in the universe, and his friends, who arrive on Earth by chance from their home planet Eternia and go on a mission to save the universe from He-Man’s archenemy, the evil Skeletor. It was a critical and commercial failure, grossing $17 million worldwide against a budget of $22 million, but is now regarded as a classic cult film.
Dirty Dancing
August 21st Dirty Dancing is released. This film is an American romantic drama dance film written by Eleanor Bergstein, produced by Linda Gottlieb, and directed by Emile Ardolino. Starring Patrick Swayze and Jennifer Grey, it tells the story of Frances “Baby” Houseman, a young woman who falls in love with dance instructor Johnny Castle (Swayze) at a vacation resort. Dirty Dancing earned over $214 million worldwide, and was the first film to sell more than a million copies for home video. It earned positive reviews from critics, who particularly praised the performances of Grey and Swayze, and its soundtrack, created by Jimmy Ienner, generated two multi-platinum albums and multiple singles. “(I’ve Had) The Time of My Life”, performed by Bill Medley and Jennifer Warnes, won the Academy Award for Best Original Song, the Golden Globe Award for Best Original Song, and the Grammy Award for Best Pop Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocals. The film’s popularity led to a 2004 prequel, Dirty Dancing: Havana Nights, and a stage version which has had sellout performances in Australia, Europe, and North America. A made-for-TV remake was also released in 2017. A sequel is scheduled to be released in 2024, with Grey reprising her role.
Fatal Attraction
September 18th Fatal Attraction is released. This film is an American psychological thriller film directed by Adrian Lyne from a screenplay by James Dearden, based on his 1980 short film Diversion. Starring Michael Douglas, Glenn Close, and Anne Archer, the film centers on a married man who has a weekend affair with a woman who refuses to allow it to end and becomes obsessed with him. It received positive reviews from critics, but generated controversy at the time of its release. The film became a huge box office success, grossing $320 million against a $14 million budget, becoming the highest-grossing film of 1987 worldwide. At the 60th Academy Awards, it received six nominations: Best Picture, Best Director, Best Actress (for Close), Best Supporting Actress (for Archer), Best Adapted Screenplay, and Best Film Editing.
The Princess Bride
October 9thThe Princess Bride is released. This film is an American fantasy adventure comedy film directed and co-produced by Rob Reiner and starring Cary Elwes, Robin Wright, Mandy Patinkin, Chris Sarandon, Wallace Shawn, André the Giant, and Christopher Guest. Adapted by William Goldman from his 1973 novel of the same name, it tells the story of a swashbuckling farmhand named Westley, accompanied by companions befriended along the way, who must rescue his true love Princess Buttercup from the odious Prince Humperdinck. The film was well received by critics at the time. After only having modest success at the box office at first, it has over time become a cult film and been considered as one of the best films of the 1980s, and one of Reiner’s best works. The film is number 50 on Bravo’s “100 Funniest Movies”, number 88 on The American Film Institute’s (AFI) “AFI’s 100 Years…100 Passions” list of the 100 greatest film love stories, and 46 in Channel 4’s 50 Greatest Comedy Films list. The film also won the 1988 Hugo Award for Best Dramatic Presentation. In 2016, the film was selected by the Library of Congress for preservation in the United States National Film Registry as being “culturally, historically or aesthetically significant”.
Gaby: A True Story
October 30th Gaby: A True Story is released. This film is a biographical drama film directed by Luis Mandoki. An international co-production of the United States and Mexico, it stars Rachel Chagall, Norma Aleandro, Liv Ullmann, and Robert Loggia. Written by Michael Love and Martín Salinas, the film chronicles the lives of Gabriela Brimmer, a Mexican writer and disability rights activist, and her caretaker, Florencia Sánchez Morales.
Cry Freedom
November 6th Cry Freedom is released. This film is an epic apartheid drama film directed and produced by Richard Attenborough, set in late-1970s apartheid-era South Africa. The screenplay was written by John Briley based on a pair of books by journalist Donald Woods. The film centers on the real-life events involving South African activist Steve Biko and his friend Donald Woods. Denzel Washington stars as Biko, while Kevin Kline portrays Woods. The film was primarily shot on location in Zimbabwe due to not being allowed to film in South Africa at the time of production. South African authorities unexpectedly allowed the film to be screened in cinemas without cuts or restrictions, despite the publication of Biko’s writings being banned at the time of its release. The film was generally met with favorable reviews and earned theatrical rentals of $15 million worldwide. The film was nominated for multiple awards, including Academy Award nominations for Best Actor in a Supporting Role, Best Original Score, and Best Original Song. It also won a number of awards including those from the Berlin International Film Festival and the British Academy Film Awards.
The Running Man
November 13thThe Running Man is released. This film is an American dystopian action film directed by Paul Michael Glaser and starring Arnold Schwarzenegger, María Conchita Alonso, Richard Dawson, Yaphet Kotto, and Jesse Ventura. The film’s story about a television show where convicted criminal “runners” must escape death at the hands of professional killers is very loosely based on the 1982 novel of the same name written by Stephen King and published under the pseudonym Richard Bachman. A lawsuit determined the movie was plagiarized from the French movie Le prix du danger (1983). The 1987 US film is set in a dystopian United States between 2017 and 2019. The Running Man was a moderate box office success in the United States, grossing $38 million on its $27 million budget, but opened to mixed reviews from critics. A new movie adaptation of the novel, announced in early 2021, is in development at Paramount Pictures, with Edgar Wright directing and Michael Bacall writing the script.
Planes, Trains and Automobiles
November 27th Planes, Trains and Automobiles is released. This film is an American comedy film written, produced and directed by John Hughes and starring Steve Martin and John Candy with supporting roles by Laila Robins and Michael McKean. It tells the story of a high-strung marketing executive and a goodhearted but annoying shower curtain ring salesman who become travel companions when their flight is diverted and share a three-day odyssey of misadventures trying to get to Chicago in time for the executive’s Thanksgiving Day dinner with his family. The film received critical acclaim, with many praising it for Hughes branching out from teen comedies, and for Candy’s and Martin’s performances. It has become a Thanksgiving Day tradition for many.
Three Men and a Baby
November 27th Three Men and a Baby is released. This film is an American comedy film directed by Leonard Nimoy. It stars Tom Selleck, Steve Guttenberg, and Ted Danson as three bachelors as they attempt to adapt their lives to de facto fatherhood with the arrival of the love child of one of the men. The script was based on the 1985 French film Trois hommes et un couffin (Three Men and a Cradle). The film was the biggest American box office hit of that year, surpassing Fatal Attraction and eventually grossing $167 million in the United States and Canada and $240 million worldwide. The film won the 1988 People’s Choice Award for Favorite Comedy Motion Picture. The success of the movie launched a franchise.
Throw Momma from the Train
December 11th Throw Momma from the Train is released. This film is an American crime comedy film starring and directed by Danny DeVito in his theatrical directorial debut. The film co-stars Billy Crystal, Anne Ramsey, Rob Reiner, Branford Marsalis, Kim Greist, and Kate Mulgrew. The title comes from Patti Page’s 1956 hit song, “Mama from the Train (A Kiss, A Kiss)”. The film was inspired by the 1951 Alfred Hitchcock thriller Strangers on a Train, which is also seen in the film. The film received mixed reviews, but was a commercial success. Anne Ramsey was singled out for praise for her portrayal of the overbearing Mrs. Lift; she won a Saturn Award and was nominated for a Golden Globe Award and the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress.
Wall Street
December 11th Wall Street is released. This film is an American drama film, directed and co-written by Oliver Stone, which stars Michael Douglas, Charlie Sheen, Daryl Hannah, and Martin Sheen. The film tells the story of Bud Fox (C. Sheen), a young stockbroker who becomes involved with Gordon Gekko (Douglas), a wealthy, unscrupulous corporate raider. The film was well received among major film critics. Douglas won the Academy Award for Best Actor, and the film has come to be seen as the archetypal portrayal of 1980s excess, with Douglas’ character declaring that “greed, for lack of a better word, is good.” Stone and Douglas reunited for a sequel titled Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps, which was released theatrically on September 24, 2010.
Ironweed
December 18th Ironweed is released. This film is an American drama film directed by Héctor Babenco. It is based on the Pulitzer Prize-winning novel of the same name by William Kennedy, who also wrote the screenplay. It stars Jack Nicholson and Meryl Streep, with Carroll Baker, Michael O’Keefe, Diane Venora, Fred Gwynne, Nathan Lane and Tom Waits in supporting roles. The story concerns the relationship of a homeless couple: Francis, an alcoholic, and Helen, a terminally ill woman during the years following the Great Depression. Despite mixed reviews and being a box-office bomb, Ironweed received two nominations at the 60th Academy Awards, Best Actor (for Nicholson), and Best Actress (for Streep).
Moonstruck
December 18th Moonstruck is released. This film is an American romantic comedy-drama film directed and co-produced by Norman Jewison, written by John Patrick Shanley, and starring Cher, Nicolas Cage, Danny Aiello, Olympia Dukakis, and Vincent Gardenia. The film follows Loretta Castorini, a widowed Italian-American woman who falls in love with her fiancé’s hot-tempered, estranged younger brother. Moonstruck had a limited theatrical release on December 18, 1987, and was released nationally on January 15, 1988 by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer. The film earned critical and commercial success. It received six nominations at the 60th Academy Awards, winning three for Best Actress (Cher), Best Supporting Actress (Dukakis), and Best Original Screenplay (Shanley).
September
December 18th September is released. This film is a drama film written and directed by Woody Allen. The film is modeled on Anton Chekhov’s 1899 play Uncle Vanya, though the gender roles are often subverted. Allen’s intention for September was that it be like “a play on film,” hence the great number of long takes and few camera effects. The film does not use Allen as an actor, and is one of his straightforwardly dramatic films. The cast includes Mia Farrow, Sam Waterston, Dianne Wiest, Elaine Stritch, Jack Warden, and Denholm Elliott. Critical response to September was generally lukewarm.
The Last Emperor
December 23rd The Last Emperor is released. This film is an epic biographical drama film about the life of Puyi, the final Emperor of China. It is directed by Bernardo Bertolucci from a screenplay he co-wrote with Mark Peploe, which was adapted from Puyi’s 1964 autobiography, and independently produced by Jeremy Thomas. The film depicts Puyi’s life from his ascent to the throne as a small boy to his imprisonment and “political rehabilitation” by the Chinese Communist Party. It stars John Lone in the eponymous role, with Peter O’Toole, Joan Chen, Ruocheng Ying, Victor Wong, Dennis Dun, Vivian Wu, Lisa Lu, and Ryuichi Sakamoto; who also composed the film score with David Byrne and Cong Su. It was the first Western feature film authorized by the People’s Republic of China to film in the Forbidden City in Beijing. It earned widespread positive reviews from critics and was also a commercial success. At the 60th Academy Awards, it won nine Oscars, including Best Picture, Best Director, and Best Adapted Screenplay. It also won several other accolades, including three BAFTA Awards, four Golden Globe Awards, nine David di Donatello Awards, and a Grammy Award for its musical score.
Broadcast News
December 25th Broadcast News is released. This film is an American romantic comedy-drama film written, produced and directed by James L. Brooks. The film concerns a virtuoso television news producer (Holly Hunter) who has daily emotional breakdowns, a brilliant yet prickly reporter (Albert Brooks), and the latter’s charismatic but far less seasoned rival (William Hurt). It also stars Robert Prosky, Lois Chiles, Joan Cusack, and Jack Nicholson. The film was acclaimed by critics and at the 60th Academy Awards received seven nominations, including Best Picture. In 2018, the film was selected for preservation in the United States National Film Registry by the Library of Congress as being “culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant.”
Empire of the Sun
December 25th Empire of the Sun is released. This film is an American epic coming-of-age war film directed by Steven Spielberg and written by Tom Stoppard, based on J. G. Ballard’s semi-autobiographical 1984 novel of the same name. The film tells the story of Jamie “Jim” Graham (Christian Bale), a young boy who goes from living with his wealthy British family in Shanghai to becoming a prisoner of war in a Japanese internment camp during World War II. The film received positive reviews, but was not initially a box office success, earning only $22 million at the US box office, although it eventually more than recouped its budget through revenues in other markets.
Good Morning, Vietnam
December 25th Good Morning, Vietnam is released. This film is an American war comedy film written by Mitch Markowitz and directed by Barry Levinson. Set in Saigon in 1965, during the Vietnam War, the film stars Robin Williams as a radio DJ on Armed Forces Radio Service, who proves hugely popular with the troops, but infuriates his superiors with what they call his “irreverent tendency”. The story is loosely based on the experiences of AFRS radio DJ Adrian Cronauer. Most of Williams’ performances that portrayed Cronauer’s radio broadcasts were improvisations. The film was released by Buena Vista Pictures (under its Touchstone Pictures banner) to critical and commercial success; for his work in the film, Williams won a Golden Globe Award for Best Actor – Motion Picture Musical or Comedy and was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Actor and a BAFTA Award for Best Actor in a Leading Role. In 2000, the film was number 100 on the American Film Institute’s “100 Years…100 Laughs” list, containing 100 movies considered the funniest in American cinema.
SCREEN TIME WITH SAM 