Best 1980s Teen Movie
Teens of the 1980s were blessed with some of the most memorable coming-of-age films ever made. They were bold, they were brash, and while they varied wildly in tone and subject matter, they defined what teenagers looked and acted like for not only their peers, but for teens (and adults) in generations to come. Forty years later, some of these films are considered critical pop-culture touchstones, while others have found appreciation as cult classics. Gas up the Deloreon and grab batteries for your Walkman, because the Great Pop Culture Debate wants to determine the Best Teen Movie of the 1980s. Films discussed: Ferris Bueller’s Day Off, The Breakfast Club, Sixteen Candles, Pretty in Pink, Fast Times at Ridgemont High, Valley Girl, Heathers, The Lost Boys, Weird Science, The Karate Kid, Footloose, Dead Poets Society, and more!
Join host Eric Rezsnyak and GPCD panelists Bob Erlenback, Karissa Kloss, and Kate Racculia as they discuss 16 of the most iconic films of the 1980s made FOR teenagers, or starring protagonists dealing with teen issues.
Want to play along at home? You can! Find the listener bracket here, make a copy for yourself, and see how your picks match up to the panel's!
To listen to Round 1, showing how we got to the Sweet 16 down from the Top 32, become a Patreon supporter of the podcast today to access the exclusive Part 1 episode.
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Round 2 Match-Ups:
Not a Patreon subscriber? Here’s a quick rundown of all the decisions we made in Round 1.
Match-Up 1: Valley Girl (8) vs. The Lost Boys (4)
Match-Up 2: Weird Science (3) vs. The Karate Kid (2)
Match-Up 3: Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure (1) vs. Footloose (4)
Match-Up 4: Heathers (3) vs. Sixteen Candles (2)
Match-Up 5: The Breakfast Club (1) vs. Better Off Dead (5)
Match-Up 6: Fast Times at Ridgemont High (3) vs. Pretty in Pink (2)
Match-Up 7: Ferris Bueller's Day Off (1) vs. Dead Poets Society (4)
Match-Up 8: Stand By Me (3) vs. The Goonies (2)
Want to play along at home?
Download the Listener Bracket and see if your picks match up with ours!
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Episode Credits
Host: Eric Rezsnyak
Panel: Bob Erlenback, Karissa Kloss, Kate Racculia
Producer: Curtis Creekmore
Editors: Bob Erlenback, Eric Rezsnyak