From 'Ghostbusters' to 'Gremlins,' was 1984 the most epic summer for movies ever?
The summer of 1984 seemed much like this one, with everyone getting pumped for the Olympics and a presidential election on the horizon. But it was different for one very important reason: a movie season like none other.
Sorry, "Inside Out 2," "A Quiet Place: Day One" and "Despicable Me 4." Especially for those of us who were cramming into busy theaters back in the day, it was banger after banger after banger. Kids wanted to learn karate so they could sweep their bully's legs. Prince had us all wishing we could hop on a purple motorcycle, and Robert Redford was crushing home runs. Some guy had his heart ripped out in an "Indiana Jones" movie! And, heck, "Ghostbusters" and "Gremlins" came out the same day – so take that, "Barbenheimer."
The USA TODAY film crew breaks down the 10 movies that made '84 the best summer ever.
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'Ghostbusters'
“Comedians battle hostile spirits, a Sumerian god and a freaking large marshmallow guy” probably seemed pretty silly on paper back in the day. Instead, “Ghostbusters” became a phenomenon, a gateway to horror for youngsters, a candidate for best comedy ever, and a clever exploration of religion and the supernatural with endless one-liners and double entendres. The exquisite mix of personalities is what really makes it sing: Bill Murray as the smart aleck, Dan Aykroyd the heart and soul, Harold Ramis the oddball brains and Ernie Hudson the likable Everyman, all thrown into an apocalyptic situation with nuclear accelerators on their back. But who else you gonna call? – Brian Truitt
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Where to watch: On demand
'Gremlins'
Hollywood’s cutest creation is undoubtedly Gizmo, the wide-eyed mogwai who accidentally spawns fiendish monsters whenever he gets wet. What’s so gleeful about “Gremlins” is watching total anarchy unfurl onscreen, as the little devils go on a ruinous rampage across a small town on Christmas Eve. But the real comic brilliance is in the movie’s unhinged sequences of gremlins partying at a local tavern and singing along to “Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs.” “Gremlins” doesn’t reach the heights of its even more deranged 1990 sequel, but this summertime oddity did hatch an unexpected holiday classic. – Patrick Ryan
Where to watch: On demand
'Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom'
Frank admission: “Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom” doesn’t hold a candle to the 1981 blockbuster franchise debut, “Raiders of the Lost Ark.” It also wound up criticized for its questionable portrayal of Southeast Asian culture. And there are those dark overtones many have ascribed to director Steven Spielberg’s splitting-with-his-wife (at the time, Amy Irving) state of mind. But all that aside, we still get the Indy goodies: rollicking action, globetrotting locations and, perhaps best of all, the introduction of then 12-year-old Ke Huy Quan as Short Round, who would go on to Oscar glory in 2022’s “Everything Everywhere All at Once.” If you’re looking for happy Hollywood endings, that’s one of the best. − Marco della Cava
Where to watch: Disney+, Pluto TV
'The Karate Kid'
The rousing underdog story was “Rocky” for ‘80s kids, with a hero we could get behind in Ralph Macchio’s bullied teen Daniel LaRusso and a lovable martial arts master in Pat Morita’s Mr. Miyagi. (Wax on, wax off? You bet!) And aside from the Empire in “Star Wars,” there was no more dastardly bunch of baddies than Cobra Kai and blond supervillain Johnny Lawrence (William Zabka). Watching Daniel crane-kick him in the face to win the All-Valley tourney – and become the best around – sent an era of youngsters scrambling for the nearest dojo, and the excellent continuation show “Cobra Kai” has only made the original “Karate Kid” more timeless. – Truitt
Where to watch: On demand
'The Muppets Take Manhattan'
It’s impossible to match the perfection of 1979’s “The Muppet Movie,” but this ingenious sequel is a frog of a different color. The story follows Kermit and the gang as they try to hack it in the Big Apple and mount a Broadway musical. You’ve got all the puns, songs and cameos that you expect from a Muppet film. (Joan Rivers, working a makeup counter with Miss Piggy, is infectiously funny.) But it’s also surprisingly elegiac, as the Muppets confront dashed dreams, faraway friends and saying goodbye. The movie ends with holy Muppet matrimony and a glorious production number if you can even see through the tears at that point. – Ryan
Where to watch: Prime Video, Tubi
'The Natural'
"The Natural" was already an Americana nostalgia fest in 1984 when aging rookie Roy Hobbs strolled into the 1930s dugout of the lowly baseball Knights with a secret past and still-superlative talent. After all, Hobbs is played by strawberry-blonde Robert Redford, then 46 and movie star-stunning in every scene. Hobbs' curmudgeonly manager, Pop Fisher (the immortal Wilford Brimley), begrudgingly lets the new right fielder swing his magic bat to supernatural success. Yes, the drama veers from Bernard Malamud's 1952 novel "The Natural" in the movie's fireworks-filled, life-affirming ending. (Naturally!) If you want a real depressing view of human nature, read the classic book. We'll take ageless Redford happily throwing the ball in a field with golden light − then, now and forever − Bryan Alexander
Where to watch: On demand
'The NeverEnding Story'
Long before “Saturday Night Live” gave us a wishing well for sensitive boys, there was “The NeverEnding Story,” a defining entry in the Sad Boy Cinema canon. The film follows the parallel journeys of two preteens (Barret Oliver and Noah Hathaway) in the real and fantasy worlds, wading through Swamps of Sadness and crusading to defeat The Nothing, a violent storm of despair and cynicism. Yes, there are some weird, wild creatures and one banger of a theme song. But this young-adult adventure thoughtfully tackled the complexity of emotions long before “Inside Out,” and grows even better with age. – Ryan
Where to watch: On demand
'Purple Rain'
Dearly beloved, we're gathered here today to discuss the best movies of the summer of 1984, which was a mighty long time ago. But I'm here to tell you that there is no better musical film than "Purple Rain," an electrifying showcase for the genius artist then known as Prince. There is a dated plot connecting now-immortal songs that highlight the against-all-odds story of The Kid (Prince), struggling in the Minneapolis music scene. At its best, the story features the feud with flashy rival band Morris Day and the Time. But "Purple Rain" is all about the soundtrack, one of the greatest of all time with "When Doves Cry," "Let's Go Crazy" and, of course, the climactic title song. − Alexander
Where to watch: On demand
'Sixteen Candles'
It remains uncanny how the late John Hughes managed to get so much right about the angsty existence of the American teen. One could argue he never did better than in his directorial debut, “Sixteen Candles,” which made stars of Molly Ringwald and Anthony Michael Hall. From Ringwald’s lovelorn protagonist Samantha to Hall’s aptly named The Geek, Hughes captured those painful yet indelible high school years where even a passing glance from a longed-for classmate could make your week. Bonus moments include the funny if now culturally questionable schtick of Gedde Watanabe as Long Duk Dong and appearances by future stars John and Joan Cusack. High school never seemed so fun. − della Cava
Where to watch: Prime Video
'Streets of Fire'
Director Walter Hill’s “Rock & Roll Fable” was a flop compared to some of these other ’84 hits – maybe audiences didn’t know what to do with an action-packed, musical dystopian neo-noir crime drama that was more of an ode to 1950s culture than the Reagan era? The ensuing years thankfully have brought folks around to it as an ultra-cool cult classic, with Michael Paré as an ex-soldier who has to rescue his rock singer ex (Diane Lane) from a gang of bikers led by a very young but scary Willem Dafoe. Come for the great songs (one written by Stevie Nicks, another couple by Jim Steinman), stay for a delicious cocktail of genres that shouldn’t work but completely do. – Truitt
Where to watch: On demand
