Top 10 Teen Movies of the 1980s 

Neh-Bih Sangbong great comment I am a baby boomer so was no longer a teen but enjoyed most of these

batgurrl My parents are also Baby Boomers. I'm a millennial but I grew up in a household full of 70s, 80s, and 90s, teens and young adults who exposed me to 80's culture, music, politics, and movies. I'm a huge John Hughes fan especially his movies. I love 80s classics because they teach us young people life lessons.

shit if it wasn't i'd get up, you'll get up, we'll all get up! it'll be anarchy!

Neh-Bih Sangbong u I was a teen in the 70's and the only Ones I can think of are Carrie Grease Animal House and American Graffiti

breakfast club is over rated

Yeah, they were more original and they didn’t have iPhones

Random Girl at least they were actually aimed towards teens

😀😀🇮🇳🇮🇳......don’t forget 80s music…..😀😀🇮🇳🇮🇳

Now teen movies... Suck

70s too

That's when we should make our own list.

Sameeeeeee!!!!

And grease?!

@@ellabrown9781 Grease released in 1978

In my opinion pretty in pink is better than sixteen candles.

Bailey Greenland As much as I liked the Music those 70s concerts were crazy because of very little Security. People so drunk even loud music didnt wake them up. 1 show we had to wait 2 hours some band wanted to play when it got dark out. On the other hand how do you control 75,000 fans. Did get to see big bands, Aerosmith, Bob Seger, Rolling Stones, Led Zeppelin, Fleetwood Mac, Alice Cooper, even got to see David Cassidy from Partridge Family TV show 1970-1974. David was one of those 70s heartthrops. Lucky guy selling out stadium concerts at age 20. Its to bad he was like all those other 70s Rockers turned to Drugs & Alcohol. Im not fooling millions of girls loved him. He didnt want to do the TV show because he was doing his own concerts. Aside from drugs & Alcohol he played concerts till he was 67 years old. I like at 70s concerts the girls had the hots for Long Hair Rock Stars. I didnt help I was a big Beer Drinker

Me too, would've love to grow up back then

I wish this too

How can you read my mind???? I wang nothknb more thsn that!!

but what about, racism, homophobia, etc?

You'd have to be born in the late 60's to early 70's to be a teen during the best years of the 80's.

spehammond i would love to be born around 1950’s-1960’s. mmM i just wanna be a greaser so bad uGh

Solihtary same but weird to think because that means now we would be 60 or 70 years old.also old people rarely seem happy to me or that they grew up like this soo

Sona A lmaoooo alright

Very well said. My friends and I always say how thankful we are that we know what it’s like to live without being attached to a phone and not be obsessed with social media. Such a different world.

soft hearts, electric souls same

Soulman was sprcial two. Both movies have Thomas C Howell.

It's the best movie in my opinion

Sameeee

same

Seen them all

Heathers is best movie ever

heathers is honestly so underrated ngl

Seen them all

I recommend you the karate kid series

So you probably graduated around 1988 But I was born late 2000's but I wish I was around the 80s it looked cool around those times

Wendi Wasden honestly how they gonna miss weird science

angelirene cuautle have not seen them

angelirene cuautle which ones didn't you know?

No Heathers??

"Taps" is also a good one from the early 80s starring Timothy Hutton, Sean Penn, and Tom Cruise. It takes place at a boys military academy where a misplaced idealism leads to tragedy. It's a coming of age story that is well written and really covers a lot of emotional and intellectual ground. It's also a deep social commentary with a lot of compelling themes. The teenage characters get caught up in this odd circumstance where the cadets end up taking over the academy in order to save it, but then they run up against a fierce adult world that won't give in to their demands. They respond militarily by seizing the cache of arms and barricading themselves within the property, not out of malice but genuine pride, leading to a growing conflict that they think they have under control but clearly do not. They are good kids trying to follow an ideal of honor that becomes increasingly warped due to a youthful misunderstanding of military ethics along with an inability to fully grasp how their actions are viewed by others outside their insular world. Things happen which create a dangerous Us vs Them dynamic that drives the plot to its frightful conclusion. The leading characters on both sides think they are in the right and so the personal responsibility for what happens gets lost in the mix as everyone is simply caught up in events that seem inevitable. Followers and friends, bureaucrats and generals, all are vocal but largely unable to change the course of events. This mirrors human political history, of course, so the story has an epic quality to it. Lessons are not fully learned until after fates are sealed. The lead cadet, played by Timothy Hutton, could be any kid who is just shy of becoming a fully formed adult. He's virtuous, but his virtue can't keep up with the complexities he has called into being through his misguided leadership. One not-so-good decision sets events in motion that he cannot control despite his seemingly good intentions and multiple chances to resolve the conflict. This character is amazing for his honesty and forthrightness. Under different circumstances, he'd be the hero. His heroic quality shines through in the end, and he is able to redeem himself, but not before others lose their cool and unleash terrible forces that destroy the initial idealism and the innocence of youth. This is a film that draws you completely into its world. Tension builds steadily and things turn on a dime. The kids are always just slightly behind the curve trying to figure out what to do next. The adults are not able to stop the escalation of conflict as they do not relate to the world of the cadets but only see them as mere children having gone mad in daring to take up arms against the proprietors and the authorities. They draw a line in the sand and will only accept a complete surrender. The cadets lack a fully adult perspective on their circumstance, thinking that their academic/militaristic idealism suffices because they are sincere in wanting to preserve their institution, and so they can't resolve this adult dilemma properly before things deteriorate step by step into deadly chaos. They find themselves caught between worlds: youth vs adult, military vs civilian, radical idealist vs conformist, etc. They grow and learn, but not fast enough and not in the right direction. They latch onto an idea which in reality is simply doomed, but they can't see that until the end. In the end, the characters take on heightened roles in the climactic scene and so their individual stories end in a crescendo of finality displaying poignant archetypes. Among the lead cadets there is the Madman/Killer, the Savior/Hero/Leader, and the Everyman/Follower/Best Friend who is left to pick up the pieces and move on. The choices they each made all along the way need not have led to the tragic end, but you get the sense that without realizing it they have unleashed demons, and the demons will take their toll regardless of anyone's intentions. I think it's one of most underrated dramas out there. It's about teenagers, but it's not typical of the teen genre. I saw it in the theater when it came out and was really struck by it. It speaks to anyone who has ever been involved with the military as it raises questions about the military mindset and its role within the larger society. It speaks to men, and young men specifically, as there are no female characters of significance and the themes are decidedly male. Young men have to learn to corral their violent instincts and their will to power while adult men have to father the young by helping them to integrate opposites without going to extremes. There is a point made about the lack of female influence though. The cadet leader lost his mother, so that is a key reveal as he was then raised by his tough military father and is therefore lacking in his care of the younger cadets because he cannot see the perspective of their mothers. Some mothers come to participate in the negotiations and have strong words for the leader. He sees the young boys only as soldiers because he had to "soldier on" as a boy when his father wouldn't allow him to grieve over the loss of his mother and he's only known a military type of life. His boyish insecurity, at a pivotal moment, causes him to cling to a detached virtue of what he thinks is adult, military "honor" rather than a more familial perspective which is called for by the circumstance of young children being involved in his crusade. It's clever writing because this young leader comes off as very real - flawed, but in a perfectly natural way, and just a step or two from being set right by his natural growth as a person. Before he can fully claim his manhood and the mantle of leadership he so desperately seeks, he veers off into what is essentially a display of vanity - which happens to be the opposite of the humble "honor" he's striving for. This is shown subtly through the course of the film if you buy in to the premise that their seizure of the property is reasonable for them. Objectively, it isn't, but the story is told from their perspective so the viewer forgives the radical action hoping to see a good resolution - which is dangled before us from start to finish. So much hinges on the cadet leader and what goes on in his head, and he's always just on the cusp of becoming who he genuinely wants to be. It eludes him until all of his illusions are beat out of him by the ultimately terrible consequences of his actions, but by then he has only one choice left. The story finally resolves when he is called upon to make an unexpected act of genuine self-sacrifice instead of pursuing the illusory self-serving "honor" which he had mistaken for virtue out of his naivete.

True!

Stand by me was a great movie but it wasn't a teen movie more pre teen

Maia 536 I don’t see Dirty Dancing as a “teen” film though.

U did not just say dirty dancing is one of the... good... "teen" movies of the 80s. See this is why we actually don't want to be in the 80s... saying that I'm British... god I don't want to go back to the 80s, I mean Queen and alot of Punk was great. Freddy Mercury was alive, great movies. But I'd probs be in poverty or getting bombed

LordOfThe Flightless I didn’t even realize that, but honestly. The 80s and 90s were good eras when it came to films, songs, and many more things industry wise, but it was also a bad period. Especially how in the 90s gang violence flew up so high. The 80s, drugs was practically just as worst with other things. Good time period the industry, but bad for everything else.

LordOfThe Flightless now that you had me thinking, I don’t want to say that I wish I was born in the 80s, lmao.

I love Can't Buy Me Love.

Hiding In My Apartment: Documenting My Life Marie VERY underrated, I feel like I don’t hear people talk about it as much as it deserves

yep

I adore Dirty Dancing 🎶

hiii! um very random but there's a movie which I don't know the name of. the characters wear uniforms and have a wand. the lead couple is very famous. it's definitely from the 1980s-1990s. can you please tell me the name of the movie?

I was born in 1976 I remember all these movies

YES

Kevin O lucky

Can’t buy me love is off the chain. “ just kiddin bro!! Who could beat a night of chips, dips and dorks “ haha. That was Seth green who said that. You’re welcome

YESSS THE OUTSIDERS IS THE BESTTT!!!!

Olivia Bros I actually prefer Dirty Dancing but Footloose is good too

both way better than Nightmare On Elm St

No mention of Karate Kid either. Although I never really looked at Dirty Dancing as a teen movie.

Oh, yeah! I forgot about those being teen movies. Since most of the actors and actresses were in those movies were in their 20's playing teenagers. Still have yet to see Dirty Dancing, but loved Footloose.

Also, Hairspray...I guess that was more of a musical than a teen movie.

I don't have a particular favorite of the bunch but I agree.

*whole.

John Hughs certainly captured what it was to be a teenager in the 1980's.

TRUE

Agreed.

hiii! um very random but there's a movie which I don't know the name of. the characters wear uniforms and have a wand. the lead couple is very famous. it's definitely from the 1980s-1990s. can you please tell me the name of the movie?

@@sundarivenkatraman3433 I have no clue sorry. I tired looking it up. Was it maybe Teen Witch? Idk I’ve never seen it.

@@beccaiskenough17 thank you for looking it up! means so much. have a good day :)

From Claire's POV and That's not really teen, I'd say more coming of age.

I may be young but I really didn’t like Stand By Me

they're 12 though, so not actually teens

YESSS THE FACT ITS NOT ON THIS LIST MAKES ME WANT TO DIE!!!!

THAT MOVIE IS SO UNDERRATED ITS MY FAVORITE♥️

JulyN78 I know, it's such a good movie, and it often gets overlooked in lists like this one!

I know I love the Outsiders

EXACTLY I LOVE THEM

I also love the outsiders so far since I'm reading the book

How is nightmare on em on the list at all

it's actually Williams

That's Williams

Robin Wilson is my niece.

Wilson ..lmao

In my country in Asia the teens back then created Dead Poets Clubs all over. The movie had so much impact!

EXACTLY

I'm thinking the person who wrote this probably wasn't alive in the 1980s, and is just ranking the ones that aged the best for subsequent generations. To be fair, if I were to make a "Top films of the 1940s" I'd be doing the exact same thing. For people who were alive it was "the" teen star making movie and really proved you could get people to go see movies about teen problems.

ratherbedeadthancool stand by meeeeee

10. Risky Business 9. Dead poets society 8. Heathers 7. A nightmare on Elm street 6. Say Anything 5. Fast times at Ridgemond high 4. Ferris Buellers day off 3. Sixteen Candles 2. Back to the future 1. The breakfast club Also really good: Stand by me, Pretty in Pink, dazed and confused and more 😘

@@sophieshuttleworth9608 Technically, Dazed and Confused is a 90s movie...about 70s teens.

Is that how much it was in the 80's? Heck, I'd be seeing a lot more movies if I was growing up back then. Now, the movies are $9.50 to see one and half the time they're crap.

There are still a lot of dollar cinemas where I'm living in Texas. There was one I used to go to in Norwalk, California (near LA). Check around.

@@pwieland3934 That is awesome!!! I'll definitely have to check around and see how far away I am to a dollar cinema, but I am willing to guess a long way.

+1

Jackie Goodall agreed, NoES is more of a horror film and BTTF is more a SciFi movie.

ABSOLUTELY AGREE

Good call

For sure!

Absolutely ❤

ljanee64 Dazed and Confused should be on here

Shayla Knight dazed and confused is from the 90s

Jazz I hate how everyone forgets can't buy me love

That's my favorite movie

They didn't forget Can't Buy Me Love, it was mentioned in the video. I thought it made #10 but I'm not going to go back to check. I also wouldn't put it in top 10. Better movies weren't mentioned at all.

Jazz The Breakfast Club is overrated

@@harrambou9468 Hey! The Breakfast Club is one of the best movies of all time, and it helped me when I was suicidal. So if you wanna fight me, then fight me!

I AGREEEEEEE

YES STAND BY ME SUCH AN OVERLOOKED CLASSIC

And Footloose!!

Omg the end of that movie killed me !!

Ese maniquí! Ya lo quisiera!

I used to love Mannequin as a child, I recently rewatched it, that’s a pretty sick and weird movie

I still watch Secret Admirer once in awhile lol

Hahahaha add the Outsiders Conan series red Sonja , blood sport. But damn bro u hit all of My favorites. I used to live Monster Squad cuz my names Rudy just like the cool ass kid on there “kick him in the nards! WolfMan has Nards!!”

Had to come back and Add Lucas And 3 o clock high!!

Back to future🤩

Kayla Blair Colgan me too. I wAtched fast times at ridgemont, the breakfast club, Ferris buellars day off, sixteen cAndles, Pretty In pink and back to the future.

Preach

Johnny Fountains Fuck You.

I'm a 2000's kid and I love all 80's teen drama's.

Kayla Blair Colgan you're not a 90s kid if you were born in 97 lol

Paulo Victor Mascarenhas don’t forget don’t tell mom the babysitters dead and the mummy!

Well, the mummy isn’t a teen movie but it’s still good🤔

So many...

Isaac Martinez Chavez Seconded, love all of those flicks! They just don't make teen movies like they used to.

Nehir Akın I agree. Top 3

I agree, it's in a class of its own.

EXACTLY

Movie made me depressed af

Yea idk how you put Dead Poet's Society on the list and have it that low. If its on the list then it needs to be higher. But its not what I consider a teen movie. Robin Williams was the star of the movie.

Love Dirty Dancing

I'm surprised Karate Kid and Dirty Dancing ween't even mentioned. Those still hold a strong spot in pop culture, even kids today know those movies.

There not really teen movies

@@tennisthelegend I would disagree. Stand by me is 100000% and Lost Boys is directed to teens.

yesssss!

School ties

Andria Kimble True it’s really good

Very true.

Andria Kimble true, very true

agreed

the only time i got excited this whole vid was when they showed the outsiders for a good 5 seconds

xXGhoulishNinjaTurtleXx I scrolled down to the comments to see if anyone else noticed it haha

I just saw it on number 7...

xXGhoulishNinjaTurtleXx ig it’s just that good lol

Also Jami Gertz!

Correction Elisabeth Shue

i had a huge crush on her and ally sheedy in the breakfast club. they were my first gay crushes😂

Not Bad. I Like Shannon Tweed more better, lol

Elisabeth Shue is good as well, phoebe Cates. Never forget Christina Applegate. She's still beautiful

Roqulikuhhurricane9 one of my favs

Corey Haim was raped on that set. I'll never watch it.

Arizona Husky yup!

I agree!

Trueeeee

I guess it would have been too much Molly Righwald on the list...idk. I've never seen Pretty In Pink, but have seen The Breakfast Club and Sixteen Candles and of the 2 I liked The Breakfast Club better.

sportsygirl8 you should watch pretty in pink!! It’s my favorite

I was born in 1987. I think it was the best time of 80s. For... Music, movies... everything. I heard that.

When you said Porky's that reminded me of one of the characters in that movie had a recurring role on M*A*S*H and played Col. Flagg and if you've watched M*A*S*H then you'd know why I thought of Col. Flagg played by Edward Winter. Col. Flagg was a spy for the US Army and he was really nuts, which always surprised me they never gave him a dishonorable discharge.

rageyb yes, Flashdance!

God I love those movies and I was born in 96

rageyb I love the legend of Billie Jean.

St Elmo's fire is my favorite movie