Top 76 Ranked

The Greatest Films of 1984

Essential Cinema Classics and Retro Masterpieces

Explore the best films from a landmark year in cinema. From epic dramas to cult horror and sci-fi hits, discover the ultimate list of timeless favorites.

Draft Best 1984 Movies with friends and our judges will crown a winner!

About Movies in 1984

If you ask a certain generation of moviegoers to point toward the year that defined the modern blockbuster, most will reflexively point to 1977 or 1982. However, 1984 remains the secret heavyweight champion of the decade, a year when the sheer density of cultural touchstones reached a fever pitch. It was a twelve month stretch where the film industry figured out how to balance high art, suburban paranoia, and the birth of the franchise era with surgical precision.

The summer of 1984 alone was a gauntlet of iconic imagery. It gave us Ghostbusters and Gremlins, two films that perfected the delicate chemistry of horror and comedy. These movies were not just hits. They were social phenomenons that changed how studios marketed toys and soundtracks. At the same time, the darker edges of these family friendly adventures led to a pivotal shift in the industry. The intense violence in Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom and the microwave scene in Gremlins famously caused such a stir among parents that Steven Spielberg personally suggested a middle ground rating. Thus, the PG-13 rating was born, forever altering how movies are produced and consumed.

Innovation was not limited to special effects or ratings boards. James Cameron arrived on the scene with The Terminator, a low budget masterclass in pacing and practical effects that turned Arnold Schwarzenegger into a global icon and reshaped the science fiction genre for decades. Meanwhile, Wes Craven revitalized the slasher genre with A Nightmare on Elm Street. By introducing Freddy Krueger, a villain who attacked victims in their dreams, Craven moved horror away from the silent masked killers of the seventies and into a more surreal, psychological territory.

While the blockbusters were booming, the prestige side of the aisle was equally formidable. Milos Forman delivered Amadeus, a lavish and haunting exploration of genius and envy that remains one of the most celebrated biopics in history. On the indie front, Wim Wenders gave us Paris, Texas, a film that captured the loneliness of the American landscape with heart wrenching beauty. Even the comedy genre felt more sophisticated and diverse. We saw the rise of the teen ensemble in Sixteen Candles and the absurdist brilliance of mockumentary filmmaking with This Is Spinal Tap.

Film fans remember 1984 because it felt like a year where everything was firing on all cylinders. It offered the gritty dystopian vision of Orwell Adaptation 1984, the martial arts underdog spirit of The Karate Kid, and the neon energy of Beverly Hills Cop. It was a year that understood audiences wanted to be challenged just as much as they wanted to be entertained. Looking back four decades later, the DNA of almost every modern franchise and cinematic trend can be traced back to this remarkable window of time. It was the year that cinema finally learned how to be everything to everyone at once.

The Complete Rankings

Based on the top picks in drafts on SnakeDrafts

See Top Ten
76
1984 in Places in the Heart (1984)
Places in the Heart
1984

In 1935 rural Texas, recently widowed Edna Spaulding struggles to survive with two small children, a farm to run, and very little money in the bank - not to mention a deadly tornado and the unwelcome presence of the Ku Klux Klan. Edna is aided by her beautician sister, Margaret; a blind boarder, Mr. Will; and a would-be thief, Moze, who decides to teach Edna how to plant and harvest cotton.

Drama
1h 51m
Robert Benton
75
1984 in Ninja III: The Domination (1984)
Ninja III: The Domination
1984

An aerobics instructor becomes a ruthless assassin after being possessed by a slain ninja's spirit, leading to a showdown with a martial arts expert.

Action
Fantasy
1h 32m
Sam Firstenberg
Sho Kosugi, Lucinda Dickey, Jordan Bennett, David Chung
74
1984 in The Muppets Take Manhattan (1984)
The Muppets Take Manhattan
1984

When the Muppets graduate from Danhurst College, they take their song-filled senior revue to New York City, only to learn that it isn't easy to find a producer who's willing to back a show starring a frog and a pig. Of course, Kermit the Frog and Miss Piggy won't take no for an answer, launching a search for someone to take them to Broadway.

Romance
Comedy
1h 34m
Frank Oz
Jim Henson, Frank Oz, Dave Goelz, Steve Whitmire

Draft this topic with friends

Think you'd pick differently? Start a draft with your crew and see who really has the best taste in Best 1984 Movies.

73
1984 in Frankenweenie (1984)
Frankenweenie
1984

When young Victor's pet dog Sparky (who stars in Victor's home-made monster movies) is hit by a car, Victor decides to bring him back to life the only way he knows how. But when the bolt-necked "monster" wreaks havoc and terror in the hearts of Victor's neighbors, he has to convince them (and his parents) that despite his appearance, Sparky's still the good loyal friend he's always been.

Family
Science Fiction
Barret Oliver, Shelley Duvall, Daniel Stern, Joseph Maher
72

Charlene "Charlie" McGee has the amazing ability to start fires with just a glance. Can her psychic power and the love of her father save her from the threatening government agency which wants to destroy her?

Horror
Science Fiction
1h 55m
Mark L. Lester
David Keith, Drew Barrymore, Freddie Jones, Heather Locklear
71
1984 in Dreamscape (1984)
Dreamscape
1984

In order to diagnose the psychic traumas suffered by his patients, Dr. Paul Novotny gets young Alex Gardner to enter their dreams.

Drama
Science Fiction
1h 39m
Joseph Ruben
70

A rash of bizarre murders in New York City seems to point to a group of grotesquely deformed vagrants living in the sewers. A courageous policeman, a photojournalist and his girlfriend, and a nutty bum, who seems to know a lot about the creatures, band together to try and determine what the creatures are and how to stop them.

Horror
Science Fiction
1h 28m
Douglas Cheek
John Heard, Daniel Stern, Christopher Curry, Kim Greist
69
1984 in The Brother from Another Planet (1984)
The Brother from Another Planet
1984

A mute alien with the appearance of a black human is chased by outer-space bounty hunters through the streets of Harlem.

Comedy
Science Fiction
1h 48m
John Sayles
Joe Morton, Rosanna Carter, Ray Ramirez, Yves Rene
68
1984 in Choose Me (1984)
Choose Me
1984

Several lost-soul night-owls, including a nightclub owner, a talk radio relationship counselor, and an itinerant stranger have encounters that expose their contradictions and anxieties about love and acceptance.

Romance
Comedy
1h 46m
Alan Rudolph
Geneviève Bujold, Keith Carradine, Lesley Ann Warren, Patrick Bauchau
67
1984 in The Bounty (1984)
The Bounty
1984

An idyllic voyage to Tahiti in 1789 turns a crew aboard the H.M.S. Bounty against its captain when they find a tropical paradise.

Action
Drama
2h 12m
Roger Donaldson
66
1984 in Against All Odds (1984)
Against All Odds
1984

Having been cut from his professional football team, down-and-out athlete Terry Brogan is in desperate need of money. Crooked nightclub owner and bookie Jake Wise offers Terry a hefty sum to go to Mexico and find his girlfriend, Jessie Wyler. Terry cannot turn the offer down. When Terry locates Jessie, the two fall in love. Terry reports that he failed to find her, but Jake sends someone else. Terry and Jessie's love must endure unexpected twists.

Crime
Drama
2h 1m
Taylor Hackford
Jeff Bridges, Rachel Ward, James Woods, Alex Karras
65
1984 in Repo Man (1984)
Repo Man
1984

A down and out young punk gets a job working with a seasoned repo man, but what awaits him in his new career is a series of outlandish adventures revolving around aliens, the CIA, and a most wanted '64 Chevy.

Comedy
Science Fiction
1h 32m
Alex Cox
Emilio Estevez, Harry Dean Stanton, Tracey Walter, Olivia Barash
64
1984 in Tightrope (1984)
Tightrope
1984

Wes Block is a detective who's put on the case of a serial killer whose victims are young and pretty women. The murders are getting personal when the killer chooses victims who are acquaintances of Block. Even his daughters are threatened.

Mystery
Thriller
1h 55m
Richard Tuggle
Clint Eastwood, Geneviève Bujold, Dan Hedaya, Alison Eastwood
63
1984 in The Philadelphia Experiment (1984)
The Philadelphia Experiment
1984

Based on an "actual event" that took place in 1943. About a US Navy Destroyer Escort that disappeared from the Philadelphia Naval Shipyard, and sent two men 40 years into the future to 1984.

Science Fiction
Adventure
1h 42m
Stewart Raffill
Michael Paré, Nancy Allen, Eric Christmas, Bobby Di Cicco
62
1984 in Friday the 13th: The Final Chapter (1984)
Friday the 13th: The Final Chapter
1984

After his revival in a hospital morgue, Jason fixes his vengeful attention on the Jarvis family and a group of hitherto carefree teenagers.

Horror
Thriller
1h 31m
Joseph Zito
Judie Aronson, Kimberly Beck, Joan Freeman, Barbara Howard
61

Popular and dashing American singer Nick Rivers travels to East Germany to perform in a music festival. When he loses his heart to the gorgeous Hillary Flammond, he finds himself caught up in an underground resistance movement. Rivers joins forces with Agent Cedric and Flammond to attempt the rescue of her father, Dr. Paul, from the Germans, who have captured the scientist in hopes of coercing him into building a new naval mine.

Comedy
1h 30m
Jim Abrahams
Val Kilmer, Lucy Gutteridge, Peter Cushing, Jeremy Kemp
60
1984 in Best Defense (1984)
Best Defense
1984

An engineer fails to get the bugs out of a tank before an Army officer has to use it in Kuwait.

Comedy
War
1h 34m
Willard Huyck
Dudley Moore, Eddie Murphy, Kate Capshaw, George Dzundza
59
1984 in Cloak & Dagger (1984)
Cloak & Dagger
1984

Davey Osborne is an average 11-year-old boy with an overactive imagination. He spends his days playing video games and pretending to be a spy with his imaginary father-figure, Jack Flack - a substitute for his real father, who is struggling with the recent death of Davey's mother. However, fantasy becomes reality for Davey after he witnesses the murder of an FBI agent, who in his dying breath, gives Davey a mysterious video game cartridge called Cloak & Dagger, which in actuality contains top-secret government information. With the help of his younger friend Kim, the tech savvy Morris, and even a little help from his fictional secret agent mentor, Davey must stay one step ahead of pursuers as he tries to survive a real-life game of espionage in the streets of San Antonio, Texas.

Adventure
Action
1h 41m
Richard Franklin
Henry Thomas, Dabney Coleman, Michael Murphy, Christina Nigra
58
1984 in Cannonball Run II (1984)
Cannonball Run II
1984

When a wealthy sheikh puts up $1 million in prize money for a cross-country car race, there is one person crazy enough to hit the road hard with wheels spinning fast. Legendary driver J.J. McClure enters the competition along with his friend Victor and together they set off across the American landscape in a madcap action-adventure destined to test their wits and automobile skills.

Action
Comedy
1h 48m
Hal Needham
Burt Reynolds, Dom DeLuise, Dean Martin, Sammy Davis Jr.
57
1984 in Rhinestone (1984)
Rhinestone
1984

After a big-time country singer brags that she can turn anybody in to a country-singin' star, she's out to prove she can live up to her talk when she recruits a cab-driver as a country singer. He's scheduled to sing at a big-time NYC country night club and she puts her ample powers to work in preparing her protege.

Comedy
1h 51m
Bob Clark
Sylvester Stallone, Dolly Parton, Richard Farnsworth, Ron Leibman
56
1984 in Hard to Hold (1984)
Hard to Hold
1984

Jamie Roberts is a rock star living the highlife when he falls for an intellectual child psychologist who only has ears for classical music. Opposites attract, but his jealous ex-girlfriend isn't ready to give up so easily.

Drama
Romance
1h 33m
Larry Peerce
Rick Springfield, Janet Eilber, Patti Hansen, Albert Salmi
55
1984 in The Wild Life (1984)
The Wild Life
1984

Eighties teen romp involving Bill and his new apartment, Jim and his rebellious antics, Tom and his crazy self, and Anita with her older man David.

Comedy
Drama
1h 36m
Art Linson
Chris Penn, Lea Thompson, Eric Stoltz, Jenny Wright
54
1984 in Joy of Sex (1984)
Joy of Sex
1984

Mistakenly believing that she has just weeks to live, teenager Leslie Hindenberg tries to lose her virginity before she dies.

Comedy
Romance
1h 33m
Martha Coolidge
Cameron Dye, Michelle Meyrink, Colleen Camp, Ernie Hudson
53
1984 in Grandview, U.S.A. (1984)
Grandview, U.S.A.
1984

Life in the small town of Grandview, Illinois is one that is just like any other city or town. Tim Pearson, soon to be graduating high school wants to go to Florida to study oceanography. He meets Michelle "Mike" Cody and is attracted to her. She runs the local Demolition Derby place. Ernie "Slam" Webster is one of the drivers in the derby whose wife is cheating on him and wants to later on be with Mike. Tim falls for Mike and a big love triangle is about to happen.

Drama
1h 37m
Randal Kleiser
52
1984 in Breakin' 2: Electric Boogaloo (1984)
Breakin' 2: Electric Boogaloo
1984

The dance crew from "Breakin'" bands together to save a community center from a greedy developer bent on building a shopping center in its place.

Drama
Music
1h 34m
Sam Firstenberg
Lucinda Dickey, Adolfo Quinones, Michael Chambers, Susie Coelho
51
1984 in Breakin' (1984)
Breakin'
1984

A struggling young dancer joins forces with two breakdancers and together they become a street sensation.

Music
Drama
1h 30m
Joel Silberg
Lucinda Dickey, Adolfo Quinones, Michael Chambers, Ben Lokey
50
1984 in Johnny Dangerously (1984)
Johnny Dangerously
1984

An honest, goodhearted man is forced to turn to a life of crime to finance his neurotic mother's skyrocketing medical bills.

Comedy
Crime
1h 30m
Amy Heckerling
Michael Keaton, Joe Piscopo, Marilu Henner, Maureen Stapleton
49
1984 in Falling in Love (1984)
Falling in Love
1984

During shopping for Christmas, Frank and Molly run into each other. This fleeting short moment will start to change their lives, when they recognize each other months later in the train home and have a good time together. Although both are married and Frank has two little kids, they meet more and more often, their friendship becoming the most precious thing in their lives.

Drama
Romance
1h 46m
Ulu Grosbard
48
1984 in Mrs. Soffel (1984)
Mrs. Soffel
1984

Kate Soffel is married to a prison warden in Pittsburgh, and is the mother of their four children. Ed Biddle is a convicted murderer awaiting execution on death row with his brother Jack. When Kate meets Eddie through her Bible readings to the prisoners, she is drawn to him, and they pursue a clandestine relationship. She agrees to help the brothers escape, and begins a treacherous journey with them to freedom in Canada.

Drama
Romance
1h 52m
Gillian Armstrong
47
1984 in Country (1984)
Country
1984

Jewell and Gil are farmers. They seem to be working against the odds, producing no financial surplus. Gil has lost hope of ever becoming prosperous, but Jewell decides to fight for her family.

Drama
1h 45m
Richard Pearce
Jessica Lange, Sam Shepard, Wilford Brimley, Matt Clark
46
1984 in The River (1984)
The River
1984

Tom and Mae Garvey are a Tennessee farming couple battling violent floods to save their land. In addition to natural disasters, the Garveys fight to stop a selfish land developer and a local corporation from foreclosing on their farm. While Mae stays at home to care for their children and tend to the crops, Tom finds work as a scab at a steel mill to preserve his family's property.

Drama
2h 2m
Mark Rydell
Mel Gibson, Sissy Spacek, Scott Glenn, Billy Green Bush
45
1984 in Runaway (1984)
Runaway
1984

In the near future, a police officer specializes in malfunctioning robots. When a robot turns out to have been programmed to kill, he begins to uncover a homicidal plot to create killer robots... and his son becomes a target.

Science Fiction
Crime
1h 40m
Michael Crichton
Tom Selleck, Cynthia Rhodes, Gene Simmons, Kirstie Alley
44
1984 in Finders Keepers (1984)
Finders Keepers
1984

On the run from the police and a female roller derby team, scam artist Michael Rangeloff steals a coffin and boards a train, pretending to be a soldier bringing home a dead war buddy. He gets more than he bargained for from the train and the coffin.

Comedy
Michael O'Keefe, Beverly D'Angelo, Louis Gossett Jr., Pamela Stephenson
43
1984 in The Bostonians (1984)
The Bostonians
1984

A bored lawyer and a suffragette vie for the attention of a faith healer's charismatic daughter.

Drama
Romance
2h 2m
James Ivory
Christopher Reeve, Vanessa Redgrave, Jessica Tandy, Madeleine Potter
42
1984 in Maria's Lovers (1984)
Maria's Lovers
1984

A World War II prisoner returns home to his childhood sweetheart. However, back home, he discovers that he has to compete to win her love.

Drama
Romance
1h 49m
Andrei Konchalovsky
41
1984 in Thieves After Dark (1984)
Thieves After Dark
1984

A crime story set in Paris about a Bonnie-and-Clyde couple -- how they got together and how they are pursued for a murder they never committed.

Thriller
Romance
1h 38m
Samuel Fuller
Véronique Jannot, Bobby Di Cicco, Victor Lanoux, Stéphane Audran
40
1984 in The Razor's Edge (1984)
The Razor's Edge
1984

An American WWI veteran undertakes a spiritual quest that takes him from Paris to Nepal to the Himalayas and back to his hometown. Upon his return, he discovers he is not the only one who has changed.

Drama
Romance
2h 9m
John Byrum
Bill Murray, Theresa Russell, Catherine Hicks, Denholm Elliott
39
1984 in Sheena (1984)
Sheena
1984

Sheena's parents are killed while on Safari. She is raised by the mystical witch woman of an African tribe. When her foster mother is framed for the murder of a political leader, Sheena and a newsman, Vic Casey, are forced to flee while pursued by the mercenaries hired by the real killer, who hopes to assume power. Sheena's ability to talk to the animals and knowledge of jungle lore give them a chance against the high tech weapons of the mercenaries.

Action
Adventure
1h 57m
John Guillermin
Tanya Roberts, Ted Wass, Donovan Scott, Elizabeth of Toro
38
1984 in Give My Regards to Broad Street (1984)
Give My Regards to Broad Street
1984

When the mastertape of McCartney's latest album is misplaced, he must discover its whereabouts in less than 24 hours or else risk losing his recording company to the lowlife Mr. Rath.

Drama
Music
1h 49m
Peter Webb
Paul McCartney, Bryan Brown, Ringo Starr, Barbara Bach
37
1984 in Where the Green Ants Dream (1984)
Where the Green Ants Dream
1984

The Australian Aborigines (in this film anyway) believe that this is the place where the green ants go to dream, and that if their dreams are disturbed, it will bring down disaster on us all. The Aborigines' belief is not shared by a giant mining company, which wants to tear open the soil and search for uranium.

Drama
1h 40m
Werner Herzog
Wandjuk Marika, Roy Marika, Ray Barrett, Norman Kaye
36
1984 in The Pope of Greenwich Village (1984)
The Pope of Greenwich Village
1984

Charlie and his troublesome cousin Paulie decide to steal $150000 in order to back a "sure thing" race horse that Paulie has inside information on. The aftermath of the robbery gets them into serious trouble with the local Mafia boss and the corrupt New York City police department.

Action
Comedy
2h 1m
Stuart Rosenberg
35
1984 in Comfort and Joy (1984)
Comfort and Joy
1984

Radio host Alan 'Dickie' Bird witnesses how an icecream van is attacked and destroyed by angry competitors. This leads him into the struggle between two Italian families over the icecream market of Glasgow.

Comedy
1h 46m
Bill Forsyth
Bill Paterson, Eleanor David, Clare Grogan, Alex Norton
34

An unknown middle-aged batter named Roy Hobbs with a mysterious past appears out of nowhere to take a losing 1930s baseball team to the top of the league.

33
1984 in Iceman (1984)
Iceman
1984

A team of Arctic researchers find a 40,000 year-old man frozen in ice and bring him back to life. Anthropologist Dr. Stanley Shephard wants to befriend the Iceman and learn about the man's past while Dr. Diane Brady and her surgical team want to discover the secret that will allow man to live in a frozen state.

Science Fiction
1h 40m
Fred Schepisi
Timothy Hutton, Lindsay Crouse, John Lone, Josef Sommer
32
1984 in All of Me (1984)
All of Me
1984

Just before stubborn millionaire Edwina Cutwater dies, she asks her uptight lawyer, Roger Cobb, to amend her will so that her soul will pass to the young, vibrant Terry Hoskins – but the spiritual transference goes awry. Edwina enters Roger's body instead, forcing him to battle Edwina for control of his own being.

Comedy
Fantasy
1h 33m
Carl Reiner
Steve Martin, Lily Tomlin, Victoria Tennant, Madolyn Smith Osborne
31
1984 in Moscow on the Hudson (1984)
Moscow on the Hudson
1984

A Russian circus visits the US. A clown wants to defect, but doesn't have the nerve. His saxophone playing friend however comes to the decision to defect in the middle of Bloomingdales. He is befriended by the black security guard and falls in love with the Italian immigrant from behind the perfume counter. We follow his life as he works his way through the American dream and tries to find work as a musician.

Comedy
Drama
1h 55m
Paul Mazursky
Robin Williams, María Conchita Alonso, Cleavant Derricks, Alejandro Rey
30

Video game expert Alex Rogan finds himself transported to another planet after conquering the video game The Last Starfighter, only to find out it was just a test. He was recruited to join the team of best Starfighters to defend their world from the attack.

Adventure
Science Fiction
1h 41m
Nick Castle
Lance Guest, Robert Preston, Chris Hebert, Kay E. Kuter
29
1984 in Streets of Fire (1984)
Streets of Fire
1984

Raven Shaddock and his gang of merciless biker friends kidnap rock singer Ellen Aim. Ellen's former lover, soldier-for-hire Tom Cody, happens to be passing through town on a visit. In an attempt to save his star act, Ellen's manager hires Tom to rescue her. Along with a former soldier, they battle through dangerous cityscapes, determined to get Ellen back.

Action
1h 33m
Walter Hill
Michael Paré, Diane Lane, Rick Moranis, Amy Madigan
28
1984 in 2010 (1984)
2010
1984

While planet Earth poises on the brink of nuclear self-destruction, a team of Russian and American scientists aboard the Leonov hurtles to a rendezvous with the still-orbiting Discovery spacecraft and its sole known survivor, the homicidal computer HAL.

Thriller
Science Fiction
1h 56m
Peter Hyams
Roy Scheider, John Lithgow, Helen Mirren, Bob Balaban
27

While hiding from bullies in his school's attic, a young boy discovers the extraordinary land of Fantasia, through a magical book called The Neverending Story. The book tells the tale of Atreyu, a young warrior who, with the help of a luck dragon named Falkor, must save Fantasia from the destruction of The Nothing.

Adventure
Fantasy
1h 37m
Wolfgang Petersen
Noah Hathaway, Barret Oliver, Tami Stronach, Alan Oppenheimer
26

At Adams College, the jocks rule the school from their house on high, the Alpha Beta fraternity. So when a group of socially-challenged misfits try to go Greek, they're instantly rejected by every house on campus. Deciding to start their own fraternity to protect their outcast brothers, the campus nerds soon find themselves in a battle royale as the Alpha Betas try to crush their new rivals.

Comedy
1h 30m
Jeff Kanew
Robert Carradine, Anthony Edwards, Timothy Busfield, Curtis Armstrong
25
1984 in Footloose (1984)
Footloose
1984

When teenager Ren and his family move from big-city Chicago to a small town in the West, he's in for a real case of culture shock after discovering he's living in a place where music and dancing are illegal.

Drama
Romance
1h 47m
Herbert Ross
Kevin Bacon, Lori Singer, John Lithgow, Dianne Wiest
24

New rules enforced by the Lady Mayoress mean that sex, weight, height and intelligence need no longer be a factor for joining the Police Force. This opens the floodgates for all and sundry to enter the Police Academy, much to the chagrin of the instructors. Not everyone is there through choice, though. Social misfit Mahoney has been forced to sign up as the only alternative to a jail sentence and it doesn't take long before he falls foul of the boorish Lieutenant Harris. But before long, Mahoney realises that he is enjoying being a police cadet and decides he wants to stay... while Harris decides he wants Mahoney out!

Comedy
Crime
1h 37m
Hugh Wilson
Steve Guttenberg, Kim Cattrall, G.W. Bailey, Bubba Smith
23

When an alien takes the form of a young widow's husband and asks her to drive him from Wisconsin to Arizona, the government tries to stop them.

Science Fiction
Romance
Jeff Bridges, Karen Allen, Charles Martin Smith, Richard Jaeckel
22

Though she can spin wild tales of passionate romance, novelist Joan Wilder has no life of her own. Then one day adventure comes her way in the form of a mysterious package. It turns out that the parcel is the ransom she'll need to free her abducted sister, so Joan flies to South America to hand it over. But she gets on the wrong bus and winds up hopelessly stranded in the jungle.

21
1984 in Splash (1984)
1984

A successful businessman falls in love with the girl of his dreams. There's one big complication though; he's fallen hook, line and sinker for a mermaid.

Comedy
Romance
20
1984 in Children of the Corn (1984)
Children of the Corn
1984

A traveling couple end up in an abandoned Nebraska town inhabited by a cult of murderous children who worship a demon that lives in the local cornfields.

Horror
Thriller
1h 32m
Fritz Kiersch
Peter Horton, Linda Hamilton, R.G. Armstrong, John Franklin
19

Harlem's legendary Cotton Club becomes a hotbed of passion and violence as the lives and loves of entertainers and gangsters collide.

18
1984 in Dune (1984)
Dune
1984

In the year 10,191, the most precious substance in the universe is the spice Melange. The spice extends life. The spice expands consciousness. The spice is vital to space travel. The spice exists on only one planet in the entire universe, the vast desert planet Arrakis, also known as Dune. Its native inhabitants, the Fremen, have long held a prophecy that a man would come, a messiah who would lead them to true freedom.

Action
Science Fiction
Kyle MacLachlan, Francesca Annis, Patrick Stewart, Linda Hunt
17
1984 in Body Double (1984)
Body Double
1984

After losing an acting role and his girlfriend, Jake Scully finally catches a break: he gets offered a gig house-sitting in the Hollywood Hills. While peering through the beautiful home's telescope one night, he spies a gorgeous woman dancing in her window. But when he witnesses the girl's murder, it leads Scully through the netherworld of the adult entertainment industry on a search for answers—with porn actress Holly Body as his guide.

Crime
Mystery
Craig Wasson, Melanie Griffith, Gregg Henry, Deborah Shelton
16

After receiving an exotic small animal as a Christmas gift, a young man inadvertently breaks three important rules concerning his new pet, which unleashes a horde of malevolently mischievous creatures on a small town.

Fantasy
Horror
1h 46m
Zach Galligan, Phoebe Cates, Hoyt Axton, Frances Lee McCain
Why it ranks

Joe Dante subverts small-town nostalgia by unleashing a chaotic, anarchic energy that gleefully mocks the commercialism of the holiday season. This creature feature thrives on its tonal instability, veering from Spielbergian warmth to grotesque black comedy with mischievous delight.

15
1984 in Stranger Than Paradise (1984)
Stranger Than Paradise
1984

New York layabout Willie forms an unexpected bond with his young Hungarian cousin Eva when she pays him a surprise visit. Later, Eva moves in with their aunt in Cleveland, and Willie takes his best friend Eddie to see her—a visit that culminates in a strange, eventful trip to Florida.

Comedy
Drama
John Lurie, Eszter Balint, Richard Edson, Cecillia Stark
Why it ranks

Jim Jarmusch defines the cool of the new American underground with this minimalist, black-and-white journey through a bleached-out landscape. Its dry wit and deliberate pacing find an unexpected magnetism in the mundane, signaling the birth of a vital new cinematic voice.

14

A victim of his own anger, the Kid is a Minneapolis musician on the rise with his band, the Revolution, escaping a tumultuous home life through music. While trying to avoid making the same mistakes as his truculent father, the Kid navigates the club scene and a rocky relationship with a captivating singer, Apollonia. But another musician, Morris, looks to steal the Kid's spotlight -- and his girl.

Drama
Music
1h 51m
Albert Magnoli
Prince, Apollonia Kotero, Morris Day, Jerome Benton
13
1984 in A Passage to India (1984)
A Passage to India
1984

Cultural mistrust and false accusations doom a friendship in British colonial India between an Indian doctor, an Englishwoman engaged to marry a city magistrate, and an English educator.

Drama
Adventure
Judy Davis, Victor Banerjee, Peggy Ashcroft, James Fox
12
1984 in A Nightmare on Elm Street (1984)
A Nightmare on Elm Street
1984

Teenagers in a small town are dropping like flies, apparently in the grip of mass hysteria causing their suicides. A cop's daughter, Nancy Thompson, traces the cause to child molester Fred Krueger, who was burned alive by angry parents many years before. Krueger has now come back in the dreams of his killers' children, claiming their lives as his revenge. Nancy and her boyfriend, Glen, must devise a plan to lure the monster out of the realm of nightmares and into the real world...

Horror
John Saxon, Ronee Blakley, Heather Langenkamp, Amanda Wyss
Why it ranks

Wes Craven revitalizes the slasher genre by weaponizing the subconscious, transforming the safety of sleep into a surreal landscape of industrial terror. By introducing a villain who hunts within dreams, the film achieves a hallucinatory intensity that elevates it far above its contemporary imitators.

11
1984 in Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind (1984)
Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind
1984

After a global war, the seaside kingdom known as the Valley of the Wind remains one of the last strongholds on Earth untouched by a poisonous jungle and the powerful insects that guard it. Led by the courageous Princess Nausicaä, the people of the Valley engage in an epic struggle to restore the bond between humanity and Earth.

Adventure
Animation
Sumi Shimamoto, Ichiro Nagai, Gorō Naya, Yoji Matsuda
Why it ranks

Hayao Miyazaki’s eco-fable arrives as a fully formed masterpiece of hand-drawn wonder, blending sophisticated political philosophy with breathtaking aerial sequences. It establishes a new high-water mark for animation, proving the medium can carry the weight of epic, world-building morality.

10
1984 in Sixteen Candles (1984)
Sixteen Candles
1984

With the occasion all but overshadowed by her sister's upcoming wedding, angst-ridden Samantha faces her 16th birthday with typical adolescent dread. Samantha pines for studly older boy Jake, but worries that her chastity will be a turnoff for the popular senior. Meanwhile, she must constantly rebuff the affections of nerdy Ted, who is unfortunately the only boy in school who seems to take an interest in her.

Comedy
Romance
1h 33m
John Hughes
Molly Ringwald, Michael Schoeffling, Haviland Morris, Gedde Watanabe
Why it ranks

Molly Ringwald anchors the chaos with a soulful, understated teen angst that instantly transformed her into the definitive face of eighties youth culture. She navigates Samantha’s humiliation with a relatable vulnerability, trading broad slapstick for a quiet expressive maturity that made her John Hughes’s most essential muse. This role established her unique ability to make the mundane struggles of girlhood feel cinematic and deeply significant.

9
1984 in The Karate Kid (1984)
The Karate Kid
1984

New Jersey teen Daniel LaRusso moves to Los Angeles with his mother, and soon strikes up a relationship with Ali. He quickly finds himself the target of bullying by a group of thugs, led by Ali's ex-boyfriend Johnny, who study karate at the Cobra Kai dojo under ruthless sensei John Kreese. Fortunately, Daniel befriends Mr. Miyagi, an unassuming repairman who just happens to be a martial arts master himself. Miyagi takes Daniel under his wing, training him in a more compassionate form of karate for self-defense and, later, preparing him to compete against the brutal Cobra Kai.

Action
Adventure
2h 7m
John G. Avildsen
Ralph Macchio, Pat Morita, Elisabeth Shue, William Zabka
Why it ranks

Pat Morita defies his sitcom roots by infusing Mr. Miyagi with a soulful, weary stillness that grounds the film's martial arts pulp in genuine human pathos. He translates the mentor archetype into something deeply specific and eccentric, securing an Oscar nomination that redefined him as a dramatic heavyweight. It is a masterclass in economy, proving that a sharp glance or a heavy silence can carry more weight than any flurry of punches.

8

New York Times reporter Sydney Schanberg is on assignment covering the Cambodian Civil War, with the help of local interpreter Dith Pran and American photojournalist Al Rockoff. When the U.S. Army pulls out amid escalating violence, Schanberg makes exit arrangements for Pran and his family. Pran, however, tells Schanberg he intends to stay in Cambodia to help cover the unfolding story — a decision he may regret as the Khmer Rouge rebels move in.

Drama
History
2h 22m
Roland Joffé
Sam Waterston, Haing S. Ngor, John Malkovich, Julian Sands
Why it ranks

Roland Joffé delivers a searing, unflinching look at the Cambodian genocide that prioritizes the visceral bond of friendship over traditional war movie tropes. The film’s devastating authenticity and journalistic grit create an immersive experience that is as intellectually demanding as it is emotionally taxing.

7

"This Is Spinal Tap" shines a light on the self-contained universe of a metal band struggling to get back on the charts, including everything from its complicated history of ups and downs, gold albums, name changes and undersold concert dates, along with the full host of requisite groupies, promoters, hangers-on and historians, sessions, release events and those special behind-the-scenes moments that keep it all real.

Comedy
Music
Christopher Guest, Michael McKean, Harry Shearer, Rob Reiner
Why it ranks

This razor-sharp mockumentary dissects the absurdity of rock stardom with such improvisational precision that it effectively killed the pomposity of the genre. It remains a masterclass in deadpan timing, finding the sublime comedy in a band perpetually lost backstage.

6
1984 in Paris, Texas (1984)
Paris, Texas
1984

A man wanders out of the desert not knowing who he is. His brother finds him, and helps to pull his memory back of the life he led before he walked out on his family and disappeared four years earlier.

Drama
2h 25m
Wim Wenders
Harry Dean Stanton, Nastassja Kinski, Dean Stockwell, Hunter Carson
Why it ranks

Wim Wenders captures the soul of the American West with a European eye, turning the desert into a vast canvas of existential longing. Through Robby Müller’s neon-drenched cinematography and Harry Dean Stanton’s silent gravity, the film finds profound beauty in the wreckage of a fractured family.

5

Fast-talking, quick-thinking Detroit street cop Axel Foley has bent more than a few rules and regs in his time, but when his best friend is murdered, he heads to sunny Beverly Hills to work the case like only he can.

Comedy
Crime
1h 45m
Martin Brest
Eddie Murphy, Judge Reinhold, John Ashton, Lisa Eilbacher
Why it ranks

Eddie Murphy delivers a masterclass in improvisational swagger, weaponizing his high-pitched laugh and lightning-fast wit to bridge the gap between streetwise hustler and polished leading man. This is the definitive moment Murphy transformed from a Saturday Night Live standout into a global superstar, proving he could carry a blockbuster on pure, unfiltered charisma alone. He navigates the film with a smirking defiance that makes Axel Foley the ultimate blue-collar disruptor in a land of high-society pretension.

4

A former Prohibition-era Jewish gangster returns to the Lower East Side of Manhattan over thirty years later, where he once again must confront the ghosts and regrets of his old life.

Drama
Crime
Robert De Niro, James Woods, Elizabeth McGovern, Treat Williams
Why it ranks

Sergio Leone’s sprawling, melancholic swan song rewrites the American gangster myth through a haze of opium and regret. Its non-linear poetry and Ennio Morricone’s haunting score elevate a tale of betrayal into a monumental meditation on the corrosive nature of time.

3

Disciplined Italian composer Antonio Salieri becomes consumed by jealousy and resentment towards the hedonistic and remarkably talented young Salzburger composer Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart.

History
Music
2h 40m
Miloš Forman
F. Murray Abraham, Tom Hulce, Elizabeth Berridge, Simon Callow
Why it ranks

Miloš Forman transforms the period biopic into a breathlessly kinetic battle of wills, pitting Salieri’s divine mediocrity against a Mozart who is both vulgar brat and heavenly vessel. It is a decadent, auditory triumph that reimagines historical rivalry as a visceral struggle between talent and genius.

2

After losing their university jobs, three parapsychologists start a ghost-catching business in New York City and uncover a supernatural threat that could destroy the world.

Comedy
Fantasy
Why it ranks

A rare alignment of high-concept spectacle and cynical comedic energy, this film balances its supernatural stakes with a sharp, blue-collar pragmatism. It succeeds by treating its absurd premise with just enough grounded levity to let the chemistry of its ensemble shine through the slime.

1

In the post-apocalyptic future, reigning tyrannical supercomputers teleport a cyborg assassin known as the "Terminator" back to 1984 to kill Sarah Connor, whose unborn son is destined to lead insurgents against 21st century mechanical hegemony. Meanwhile, the human-resistance movement dispatches a lone warrior to safeguard Sarah. Can he stop the virtually indestructible killing machine?

Action
Thriller
Arnold Schwarzenegger, Michael Biehn, Linda Hamilton, Paul Winfield
Why it ranks

Arnold Schwarzenegger transforms his limited emotional range into a lethal asset by delivering a robotic, stone-faced turn that prioritizes physical presence over dialogue. He weaponizes a terrifying stillness and mechanical precision to create a nightmare of industrial efficiency. This performance dismantled his image as a mere bodybuilder and cemented his status as a global icon capable of anchoring a franchise through sheer charisma and menace.

FAQ

Frequently Asked Questions

Everything you need to know about this list and SnakeDrafts

"The Terminator," directed by James Cameron, is ranked #1 due to its groundbreaking blend of action, thriller, and science fiction that helped redefine the modern blockbuster. Its innovative special effects, compelling storytelling, and Arnold Schwarzenegger's iconic role cemented its status as a cinematic milestone in 1984.

1984 is considered a landmark year because it balanced high art with commercial appeal, featuring a diverse range of films from epic dramas like "Amadeus" to cult classics like "A Nightmare on Elm Street". This year also marked the rise of major franchises and genre-defining movies that shaped the future of cinema.

One surprising inclusion is "Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind," an influential anime film by Hayao Miyazaki, which broadens the list beyond Hollywood. Meanwhile, some notable 1984 releases, like "Gremlins," are omitted, emphasizing this listicle's focus on cultural and critical impact over box office alone.

The list showcases a rich variety of genres, from the comedic fantasy of "Ghostbusters" to the historical drama of "Amadeus" and the horror classic "A Nightmare on Elm Street." This diversity illustrates 1984’s cinematic versatility, catering to a wide spectrum of audiences and tastes.

"Ghostbusters," directed by Ivan Reitman and ranked #2, was pivotal in blending comedy and fantasy with mainstream appeal. Its memorable cast, quotable dialogue, and innovative special effects contributed significantly to the era's pop culture landscape and solidified its place among 1984’s greatest films.

Miloš Forman's "Amadeus" earned critical acclaim for its lush portrayal of composer Mozart’s life, winning multiple Academy Awards. Its rich historical detail, compelling narrative, and powerful performances make it a standout drama on the 1984 list.

"The Terminator" notably launched Arnold Schwarzenegger as an action star, while James Cameron earned recognition as a visionary director. Similarly, "The Karate Kid" helped establish Ralph Macchio as a leading young actor, and "Ghostbusters" boosted the popularity of its ensemble cast.

These films add depth and sophistication to 1984’s cinematic landscape, with Wim Wenders' "Paris, Texas" offering poignant, introspective storytelling, and Sergio Leone's "Once Upon a Time in America" delivering an epic crime drama masterpiece. Their inclusion highlights the year’s balance between commercial hits and critically acclaimed art films.
Join Thousands of Drafters

Think You Can Pick Better?

Challenge your friends, make your picks, and let AI + human judges decide who has the best taste!

Download on the App StoreGet it on Google Play