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The Power Four => Big Ten => Topic started by: Gigem on July 29, 2026, 05:03:41 PM

Title: OT-80's Movie 64 Team Tournament
Post by: Gigem on July 29, 2026, 05:03:41 PM
I have been thinking about doing this for awhile.  

Given that we are heavily Gen X (b. 1965-1980) on this board, I think this is the perfect venue for this.  

OFFICIAL 1980's MOVIE TOURNAMENT
I'm putting together a 64-movie NCAA-style tournament to determine:
This is not necessarily a tournament to determine the best movie.
It isn't about Oscars, critics, box-office totals, or which film was the greatest work of cinema.
The question is:
The movies were selected using things like:

Movies actually set in the 1980's received a major advantage. Movies set in another historical period generally did not make the field, even if they were released during the decade.
Franchises are generally limited to one representative so the bracket isn't overloaded with sequels.
The tournament will include:
Some of the movies in the field include:

The complete bracket and first-round matchups will be posted next.
Once voting begins, choose the movie that is more 80's—not simply the movie you think is better.

I will be posting up the full 64 field of teams in the next post.  Please refrain from making suggestions until I have the whole field up.  And if there is an unforgettable movie that I somehow missed, let me know and we'll see what we can do.  I just made this list from my own experiences, being born smack dab in the middle of Gen X (1975).  

When voting begins, don't vote for the movie you think is better.
Vote for the movie that is MORE 80's.
Game on.



Title: Re: OT-80's Movie 64 Team Tournament
Post by: Gigem on July 29, 2026, 05:04:36 PM
OFFICIAL 1980's MOVIE TOURNAMENT

THE FOUR REGIONS

🕹️ ATARI REGION
📺 MTV REGION
🚘 DeLOREAN REGION
💇 BIG HAIR REGION

Each region will contain 16 movies, seeded from #1 through #16.
The winner of each region advances to the Final Four, where the tournament will determine:
WHAT IS THE MOST 80'S MOVIE EVER MADE?


Title: Re: OT-80's Movie 64 Team Tournament
Post by: Gigem on July 29, 2026, 05:07:10 PM
First Up:  

🕹️ Atari Region
(1) Ghostbusters (1984)
vs.
(16) Better Off Dead (1985)
(8) Trading Places (1983)
vs.
(9) Major League (1989)
(5) Gremlins (1984)
vs.
(12) Short Circuit (1986)
(4) Beverly Hills Cop (1984)
vs.
(13) Real Genius (1985)
(6) Police Academy (1984)
vs.
(11) Innerspace (1987)
(3) WarGames (1983)
vs.
(14) One Crazy Summer (1986)
(7) Revenge of the Nerds (1984)
vs.
(10) Mr. Mom (1983)
(2) Ferris Bueller's Day Off (1986)
vs.
(15) Look Who's Talking (1989)


Title: Re: OT-80's Movie 64 Team Tournament
Post by: Gigem on July 29, 2026, 05:07:50 PM
Next Region:

📺 MTV Region
(1) Top Gun (1986)
vs.
(16) K-9 (1989)
(8) Coming to America (1988)
vs.
(9) Wall Street (1987)
(5) Big (1988)
vs.
(12) Overboard (1987)
(4) Road House (1989)
vs.
(13) Parenthood (1989)
(6) Lethal Weapon (1987)
vs.
(11) Child's Play (1988)
(3) Batman (1989)
vs.
(14) Colors (1988)
(7) Crocodile Dundee (1986)
vs.
(10) Twins (1988)
(2) The Karate Kid (1984)
vs.
(15) See No Evil, Hear No Evil (1989)


Title: Re: OT-80's Movie 64 Team Tournament
Post by: Gigem on July 29, 2026, 05:08:21 PM
🚘 DeLorean Region
(1) Back to the Future (1985)
vs.
(16) Monster Squad (1987)
(8) The Princess Bride (1987)
vs.
(9) Weekend at Bernie's (1989)
(5) Beetlejuice (1988)
vs.
(12) Stripes (1981)
(4) Predator (1987)
vs.
(13) Honey, I Shrunk the Kids (1989)
(6) Spaceballs (1987)
vs.
(11) Cocktail (1988)
(3) The Terminator (1984)
vs.
(14) Turner & Hooch (1989)
(7) Scrooged (1988)
vs.
(10) Flight of the Navigator (1986)
(2) Die Hard (1988)
vs.
(15) Adventures in Babysitting (1987)


Title: Re: OT-80's Movie 64 Team Tournament
Post by: Gigem on July 29, 2026, 05:08:45 PM
💇 Big Hair Region
(1) Christmas Vacation (1989)
vs.
(16) They Live (1988)
(8) The Lost Boys (1987)
vs.
(9) Weird Science (1985)
(5) Planes, Trains and Automobiles (1987)
vs.
(12) Splash (1984)
(4) RoboCop (1987)
vs.
(13) Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure (1989)
(6) Fast Times at Ridgemont High (1982)
vs.
(11) The Great Outdoors (1988)
(3) Coming to America (1988)
vs.
(14) Iron Eagle (1986)
(7) Child's Play (1988)
vs.
(10) Honey, I Shrunk the Kids (1989)
(2) Batman (1989)
vs.
(15) The Naked Gun (1988)


Title: Re: OT-80's Movie 64 Team Tournament
Post by: Gigem on July 29, 2026, 05:11:43 PM
Before you ask, I know w have some Notable Omissions.  

A few people are probably going to ask why some all-time classic movies aren't in the tournament.
The answer is simple:
This isn't a tournament to determine the greatest movies of the 1980's.
It's a tournament to determine the movie that is the MOST 80's.
A couple of examples...
Star Wars
Yes, The Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi were released during the 1980's.
However, Star Wars belongs to a galaxy far, far away. The movies aren't rooted in 1980's culture, fashion, music, technology, or everyday life. They're timeless science-fiction adventures that could exist outside of any decade.
Raiders of the Lost Ark
Another incredible film, but it takes place primarily in the 1930's.
The same logic applies to movies like Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade. They're fantastic adventure movies, but they don't really capture what it was like to live in the 1980's.
The Rule
Whenever possible, movies that were actually set in the 1980's received a significant advantage.
High schools. Shopping malls. Arcades. Boom boxes. MTV. Walkmans. Big hair. Neon. Station wagons.
Those things are part of what this tournament is celebrating.
That doesn't necessarily make those movies better than Star Wars or Raiders.
It just makes them more 80's.


Title: Re: OT-80's Movie 64 Team Tournament
Post by: Gigem on July 29, 2026, 05:14:02 PM
Bubble Teams / First Four Out

These movies made it all the way to Selection Sunday but ultimately fell just short of receiving an invitation to the Big Dance.

Every one of these movies received consideration, and several were among the final cuts before the bracket was locked.
Think I got one wrong? Make your case. 


Just remember: this isn't a vote for the best movie—it's a vote for the most 80's movie.

Title: Re: OT-80's Movie 64 Team Tournament
Post by: SFBadger96 on July 29, 2026, 05:39:27 PM
Quote from: Gigem on Today at 05:03:41 PM



Movies actually set in the 1980's received a major advantage. Movies set in another historical period generally did not make the field, even if they were released during the decade.
Franchises are generally limited to one representative so the bracket isn't overloaded with sequels.
Some of the movies in the field include:
  • Ghostbusters
  • Back to the Future
  • The Karate Kid
  • Top Gun
  • Ferris Bueller's Day Off
  • Die Hard
  • Batman
  • Beetlejuice
  • Predator
  • Lethal Weapon
  • The Lost Boys
  • Planes, Trains and Automobiles
  • Christmas Vacation
  • Road House
  • Big
  • The Terminator
  • Beverly Hills Cop
  • Gremlins
  • Police Academy
  • WarGames
  • Trading Places
  • Mr. Mom
  • Fast Times at Ridgemont High
  • Revenge of the Nerds
  • Weird Science
  • Short Circuit
  • Coming to America
  • Spaceballs
  • The Princess Bride
  • Scrooged
  • Weekend at Bernie's
  • Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure

The complete bracket and first-round matchups will be posted next.
Once voting begins, choose the movie that is more 80's—not simply the movie you think is better.

I will be posting up the full 64 field of teams in the next post.  Please refrain from making suggestions until I have the whole field up.  And if there is an unforgettable movie that I somehow missed, let me know and we'll see what we can do.  I just made this list from my own experiences, being born smack dab in the middle of Gen X (1975). 

When voting begins, don't vote for the movie you think is better.
Vote for the movie that is MORE 80's.
Game on.




Heavy on the comedies and the dude movies up there, but a few more for your consideration...

(bold for it would be a crime to leave it off):
ET
The Empire Strikes Back
When Harry Met Sally
Heathers
Rocky IV
Moonstruck
Say Anything
Friday the 13th
Nightmare on Elm Street
Poltergeist
Goonies
The Breakfast Club (or Pretty in Pink--probably can't have both)
Dirty Dancing
Do the Right Thing
Adventures in Babysitting
Steel Magnolias
St. Elmo's Fire
Terms of Endearment
Desperately Seeking Susan
Sudden Impact (Dirty Harry's entry for the decade)
Firefox
Raising Arizona
The Big Chill
Rain Man
Bull Durham
Field of Dreams
A View to a Kill (James Bond with Duran Duran in the Silicon Valley!?!)

Historical, but soooo 80s (I don't know how you can do a list of quintessentially 80s movies without these, like Batman, Spaceballs, and the Princess Bride):
Raiders of the Lost Arc
Dead Poet's Society
The Color Purple
Platoon
Stand By Me
Young Guns

Christmas Vacation over the original is a bold call.

Title: Re: OT-80's Movie 64 Team Tournament
Post by: Gigem on July 29, 2026, 05:43:23 PM
Wait, there was a mistake in the seeding.  I had so many movie on my list, and so many "bubble teams" that I must've accidentially mixed some of them up.  

ET is definitely on the list, as is Harry Vs Sally.  Let me see if I can fix that.  
Title: Re: OT-80's Movie 64 Team Tournament
Post by: SFBadger96 on July 29, 2026, 05:46:15 PM
If you're including Spaceballs, how can you omit its source material, including Empire?
If you're including the Princess Bride, how can you exclude Raiders of the Lost Arc?
If you're including Batman, how can you exclude...well, that one is a little more alt history, but...ok, the rest of my historical ones can fall off.

I haven't perused your entire brackets to be sure, but my bolded choices are pretty big omissions. 


Also, I love this, and the work you put into it.
Title: Re: OT-80's Movie 64 Team Tournament
Post by: Gigem on July 29, 2026, 05:46:30 PM
Please don't vote yet until I fix the seeding.  

And while I'm doing that, I'll take some more suggestions.  
Title: Re: OT-80's Movie 64 Team Tournament
Post by: MikeDeTiger on July 29, 2026, 05:50:10 PM
Quote from: SFBadger96 on Today at 05:46:15 PM
Also, I love this, and the work you put into it.

Seconded.  It will be tomorrow before I can really dig into this, but I love this idea and will try to vote.
Title: Re: OT-80's Movie 64 Team Tournament
Post by: SFBadger96 on July 29, 2026, 05:53:25 PM
Ok, I'll narrow my suggestions down:
ET
The Empire Strikes Back
When Harry Met Sally
Heathers
Rocky IV
Moonstruck
Say Anything
The Breakfast Club
St. Elmo's Fire
The Big Chill
Rain Man
Title: Re: OT-80's Movie 64 Team Tournament
Post by: utee94 on July 29, 2026, 06:06:46 PM
I mean, Empire Strikes Back is absolutely one of the greatest movies of the 80s, but I don't really consider it to be an 80s movie.  Any more than I consider original Star Wars to be a 70s movie.  Just happens to be when it came out.

When Harry Met Sally, on the other hand, might be one of the most quintessential 80s movies there is.  The clothes, the hairstyles, the settings, the Sharper Image, the WAVE at a football game...
Title: Re: OT-80's Movie 64 Team Tournament
Post by: ELA on July 29, 2026, 06:08:12 PM
Lost Boys musical is part of our NYC trip this weekend
Title: Re: OT-80's Movie 64 Team Tournament
Post by: betarhoalphadelta on July 29, 2026, 06:11:18 PM
@Gigem (https://www.cfb51.com/index.php?action=profile;u=1706) best way to do this is to open individual voting threads. Gonna be crazy to try to tabulate the votes via copy and paste and then when we all start arguing over shit... 

Just suggesting it so you don't drive yourself nuts. 
Title: Re: OT-80's Movie 64 Team Tournament
Post by: iahawk15 on July 29, 2026, 07:29:20 PM
First of all, I'm so not trying to shit all over your thing. This is a major undertaking and blowback is inevitable.

That said, what in that actual fuck? Breakfast Club isn't the #1 seed overall seed? Sixteen Candles isn't even in the field??? St. Elmo's Fire??? Honey, I Shrunk the Kids is listed twice. What makes Christmas Vacation (which I love!) an 80's movie, much less a #1 seed? Mannequin not in the field? Doesn't John Hughes own 2-3 of the 4 #1 seeds by default?

Again, not trying to be mean, but dude...