my favorite movies of 1984:
(1) Paris, Texas
(2) The Terminator
(4) Purple Rain
favorite of 1984:
(Harry Dean Stanton, Nastassja Kinski, Hunter Carson, Dean Stockwell, Aurore Clément. Directed by Wim Wenders.)
Ebert noticed how Paris, Texas is unlike other movies:
A man [Harry Dean Stanton] walks alone in the desert. He has no memory, no past, no future. He finds an isolated settlement where the doctor, another exile, a German [Bernhard Wicki], makes some calls. Eventually the man’s brother [Dean Stockwell] comes to take him back home again. Before we think about this as the beginning of a story, let’s think about it very specifically as the first twenty minutes of a movie. When I was watching “Paris, Texas” for the first time, my immediate reaction to the film’s opening scenes was one of intrigue: I had no good guesses about where this movie was headed, and that, in itself, was exciting. … We haven’t met the characters before in a dozen other films. … “Paris, Texas” is more concerned with exploring emotions than with telling a story. This isn’t a movie about missing persons, but about missing feelings.
Stream Paris, Texas on the Criterion Channel (with extras including commentary by the director) or Max. If you don’t subscribe to the Criterion Channel, try a free 14-day trial.
2nd favorite of 1984:
(Arnold Schwarzenegger, Linda Hamilton, Michael Biehn. Directed by James Cameron.)
Arnold Schwarzenegger’s role as the Terminator is an example of how compelling an actor can be without saying much: he says fewer than 100 words in this movie. The Terminator is a seemingly unstoppable cyborg, programmed to go back in time and kill Sarah Connor (Linda Hamilton). The action side of this movie, driven by a heartless killing machine, is balanced out by a human side as Sarah struggles to understand what’s happening to her, with the help of a soldier from the future, Kyle Reese (Michael Biehn).
Stream The Terminator on Max (leaving after January 2024) or these sites.
3rd favorite of 1984:
(Talking Heads. Directed by Jonathan Demme.)
Talking Heads was not a normal band, and this is not a normal concert movie.
A Rolling Stone piece on the director, Jonathan Demme, said:
No movie before Stop Making Sense had so pointedly conveyed the thrill of watching artists work together in the same space to create such dynamic, propulsive music. Demme’s cameras captured every smile and every silently exchanged look, putting the viewer right in the thick of the action. Of course, it didn’t hurt that … Talking Heads were at the height of their powers — effortlessly blending punk, funk, New Wave, pop and gospel — but Stop invited us to sit back and marvel at human beings’ seemingly inexhaustible ability to perform such dazzling songs with unfiltered enthusiasm and flair.
Stream Stop Making Sense on Kanopy, the Roku Channel (free with ads), or these sites.
4th favorite of 1984:
(Prince, Apollonia Kotero, Morris Day. Directed by Albert Magnoli.)
Ebert called this “the best rock ’n’ roll debut film since the Beatles made A Hard Days’ Night” (my favorite movie of 1964). At times Purple Rain is silly or over the top. But it has great musical performances by Prince, and a profound message: don’t neglect the songs inside yourself and others.
Stream Purple Rain on these sites.
5th favorite of 1984:
(Woody Allen, Mia Farrow, Nick Apollo Forte. Directed by Allen.)
Stream Broadway Danny Rose on Tubi (free with ads) or one of these sites.
Click here for the full list of my favorite movie(s) of each year from 1920 to 2020.
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