The Karate Kid

I was so young and impressionable when I first saw this film, that mean't I, along with a generation of similarly aged kids (and a few adults I imagine) grew up with a television, karate schooling...I know kung-fu? No, I know Crane kick...or did...it gets more difficult the older and weightier you get.

So, for the people that refused to see it, lived in a country without TV in the 1980's or were too young and have subsequently seen the remake (I haven't...I just can't)...here's the plot;

Teenage boy (Ralph Macchio) and mum move towns, kid is annoyed. Boy meets sensei (Pat Morita-karate master) who works as the apartment supervisor and starts to take unorthodox lessons. Boy meets girl (Elizabeth Shue). Boy gets into fight with karate bullies and enters a tournament to show em all how it's done...brilliant!

Gross: $90,815,558

Fun Fact: Three direct sequels, two with Ralph Macchio, one with Hilary Swank as the female karate kid and the new remake, with the legend, Jackie Chan and Will Smith's son...I forget or simply don't care what his name is. Pat got the nomination for Best supporting Actor for the Academy Awards.

Hell Night

This 1981 film follows the events of one night at a college fraternity.

Four pledges, two male, two female (yes, that means hanky panky) are challenged to spend the night in an abandoned mansion. That'd be fine, if it weren't for the stories...turns out the previous owner went mad and killed his entire family...thing is, when the police arrived, there was a body missing, he may (you know he is) still be there...muha ha haaaaaaaa!

It's a pretty bad film folks. Really. There's a couple of bits, as there are in most films, but in general it's one of those films best enjoyed when drunk.

Fun Fact: The Exorcist's Linda Blair is where the budget went for this film...sadly, she's awful, as is told by her 1981 nomination for the Golden Raspberry Award-Worst Actress.

The Fly

Be afraid, be very afraid!

This 1980's classic b-movie adaption is one of those few films that takes an established classic and adds it's own cult marker in its re-telling.

A scientist (not mad yet), meets a reporter and convinces her to document his progress in perfecting his teleportation 'pods'. In doing so, Jeff Goldblum and Geena Davis become romantically entangled, leading to an odd relationship and a real need for frequent showers.

Cronenberg and Goldblum are an ideal mesh, a disturbed mind and an eccentic performer, that combined to create a guey, gloppy mess...and I love it!

Budget: $15,000,000

Gross: $60,629,159
Fun Fact: The sequel to this remake starred Eric Stoltz and a rather interestingly re-arranged labrador dog...not bad for a sequel, but not in the same category as The Fly.

Crocodile Dundee

"That's not a knife...THAT'S A KNIFE!!"

Plot: Mick Crocodile Dundee (Paul Hogan) is an Aussie chap. Lives in the outback and wrestles crocs...hence the name. Along comes a reporter from the Big Apple, who's heard of his exploits and wants to write about him. She realises there's more to him than appears and takes him to New York, the first city he's ever been to. They fall in love, yadda yadda yadda.

It sounds moderately amusing, it's more. It's legend in itself. There's even a scene where a kangaroo fires a rifle at game poachers...Awesome!

Budget: $10,000,000

Gross: $328,303,506

WOW!

Fun Fact: Clearly there were sequels...2 not so bad, 3 pretty awful- Mike Tyson even appears in it, tells you how bad it really was.

Predator

He's back, again.

I know Arnie has popped up more than once in this blog, but what can you do?! The fella made great cult films!

Plot: Special forces team and a CIA chap (Carl Weathers- Apollo Creed in all the Rocky films) are dropped in a jungle to do some covert stuff. All would be well, except it seems that an advanced alien race likes to use Earth as a safari/hunting preserve. Cue: big mini-gun (Terminator 2 stylee), rippling muscles (errr, that'd be every Schwarzenneger film) and some nifty (even today) special effects.

When a film spawns two direct sequels and a couple of hybrid spin-offs, you know it's done well.

Budget: $18,000,000

Gross: $98,267,558

Fun Fact: Directed by John McTiernan (Die Hard), this film was originally entitled Hunter and was written as a result of a joke, stating that as Rocky had run out of Earthly fellas to fight, next one ought to be an alien. Joel Silver cast Arnie though...well, Stallone had Rambo. Oh and it was originally Jean-Claude Van-Damme in the alien suit...he said it was too hot though and the fella from Harry and the Hendersons took the role.

Beetlejuice

Before Candyman, there was Betleguese, Betleguese, BETLEGUESE!

Before Helena Bonham-Carter, there was Winona Ryder.

Before Johnny Depp, Tim Burton really liked Michael Keaton (Batman) and they made this rather bizzare film.

Plot: Two folks-the Maitlands, living in an American hamlet, die. A little while later a teenage girl and her big city parents move in to their house and start making changes. All would be fine, except the original tenants are reluctant to leave and decide to haunt the gaff. Turns out the city folk don't scare too easy and the Maitlands are rubbish ghosts (nice bed sheets) so they have to enlist the services of a professional, cue Mr Keaton.

This film is quite possibly one of Burton's best and for the sake of a couple of others, he maybe ought to have stopped here. Sandworms, men with shrunken heads and an awesome soundtrack make for a cult/fantasy/comedy/ghost story that fills all the criteria.

Well worth every minute.

I guilted my girlfriend into buying it for me when I was ill one year...best moaning I ever did.

Budget: $15,000,000

Gross: $73,707,461

Fun Fact: An animated television series ran between 1989 and 1991. There was of course talk of a sequel, Bettlejuice goes Hawaiian. Sadly Batman Returns took pride of place and despite a few attempts, Winona got too old and Burton became obsessed with Johnny.

Friday the 13th

Now this film's got Craaaaazzzziiiiieeeeee written all over it!

Plot: There's a camp for the kiddies in the woods somewhere, the councillors fail to pay attention and a kid drowns. Twenty years later the camp re-opens and a crazy lady starts offing the new councillors.

This is one of the eighties iconic slasher series. Not only did the film spawn eleven sequels (one in 3D-look out for the TV ariel...dangerous) it also crossed over into another famous slasher series-Nightmare on Elm Street. Think Maniac Cop 2 (where a killer cop and a serial killer team up) but better, 'cos you get Jason and Freddy. Admittedly that spin off wasn't fantastic, but to have a franchise that spreads over 30 years is no mean feat.

A remake, like there seems to often be these days was released to moderate success in 2009 (starring one of the lads from the Supernatual TV series).

Budget: $500,000

Gross: $59,700,000

Fun Fact: The Hollywood game, the seven degrees of Kevin Bacon can include this film also.