6 Forgotten ‘80s Movies That Deserve To Be Rediscovered on Netflix Now

’80s pop culture fans, rejoice: Netflix has some of the greatest movies of the decade. From Stand by Me to Grave of the Fireflies, the streaming giant contains several films to keep those who love ’80s cinema happy for months on end. It also, however, contains several of the most underrated movies of the decade. From exceptional made-for-television gems that don’t receive nearly enough love nowadays to large theatrical features starring iconic actors, these great ’80s films deserve far more praise.

Thankfully, the fact that they’re on the biggest streaming platform on the planet makes them widely accessible and therefore easy to rediscover and shower with long-overdue appreciation. Whether it’s one of Brad Pitt‘s earliest feature film parts or one of Al Pacino‘s most underappreciated roles of the ’80s, these movies are all worth watching at least once. One can only be grateful that they’re on Netflix, so that they may live on in people’s memories rather than fading into oblivion like many other excellent ’80s films.

1

‘A Stoning in Fulham County’ (1988)

Image via NBC

Directed by Larry Elikann, A Stoning in Fulham County is a television film set in a fictional town in North Carolina, based on the true story of the murder of an Amish baby by a group of teenagers in Indiana in 1979. Starring Ron Perlman and Brad Pitt (though the latter’s screentime is rather limited), it’s one of the best made-for-TV movies of the ’80s. People shouldn’t be fooled by its deplorable 21% audience rating on Rotten Tomatoes: Though admittedly imperfect, it’s actually a pretty solid film.

It’s an emotionally potent and very well-performed dramatic thriller, and even though the depiction of Amish culture isn’t entirely accurate, the story itself packs quite a punch. It’s not a particularly well-made film, nor is it good-looking in the slightest, but deserving of being rediscovered? That it definitely is. If only for watching Pitt and Perlman in one of the least-known credits of both actors, and for experiencing an interesting depiction of a chilling true story, A Stoning in Fulham County is worth watching.

2

‘The George McKenna Story’ (1986)

The George McKenna Story was one of Denzel Washington‘s earliest projects, where he plays a school principal in a tough LA high school looking to rid it of drugs and gangs and restore educational values. Based on a true story, it’s one of the actor’s most essential movies, even if only because it’s the latest made-for-television film he’s participated in. This was before Washington became an international superstar, yet he still gives the role his all, and that alone makes this movie worth rediscovering — even if just by the actor’s most diehard fans.

This is a premise that’s been done and rehashed multiple times throughout the years, and even though The George McKenna Story doesn’t reinvent the wheel in any way, it doesn’t really need to. It’s a pretty solid execution of the premise, done with tons of heart and compassion for its characters. Bolstered by Washington’s towering performance, the film overcomes its predictable nature by delivering scene after scene of pure emotion, all of which have unexpected staying power.

3

‘Strange Voices’ (1987)

Strange Voices is a drama about a family that begins to fall apart when they find out their eldest daughter, Nicole, has schizophrenia. It’s a surprisingly careful, accurate, and hard-hitting portrayal of the condition, considering that it’s an ’80s TV movie, but Strange Voices‘ primary focus lies in the effects that the diagnosis has on Nicole’s family. The cast, led by Nancy McKeon and Valerie Harper, does an outstanding job of making those effects feel believable.It’s a tremendously underrated gem and a testament to how dedicated made-for-TV filmmakers were to bringing attention to critical issues — in this case, mental illness. Strange Voices never feels sensationalistic or exploitative toward Nicole’s condition. It never hits any particularly revolutionary narrative or emotional beats either, but the way it accompanies its protagonist and her family through such a complicated situation nevertheless packs a hell of a punch.

4

‘The Ryan White Story’ (1989)

The Ryan White Story is one of the best made-for-television biopics… perhaps ever? It tells the true story of American teenager Ryan White, who became a national poster child for AIDS in the United States after being expelled from middle school because of his infection. It can sometimes be cheesy, like many great ’80s made-for-TV films used to be, but when it hits, it hits hard. It benefits from having a surprisingly solid cast, including Sarah Jessica Parker, George C. Scott, and an incredible then-12-year-old Lukas Haas in the titular lead role.

At the end of the day, this is still a television melodrama, but one that works unbelievably well thanks to its great cast and John Herzfeld’s direction. It’s yet another ’80s made-for-TV film that boldly brought attention to a timely topic, and even 37 years later, its heart is still very clearly in the right place. It’s a tough, often utterly heartbreaking movie, but an essential watch nonetheless. The world of ’80s made-for-TV movies is well taken care of preservation-wise thanks to Netflix.

5

‘Sea of Love’ (1989)

It’s not only underappreciated made-for-television gems that Netflix has preserved in its catalog: It’s also tremendously underrated theatrical features like Sea of Love. It may not be one of the best neo-noir movies ever, but it sure is one of the greatest of the ’80s — and, by proxy, one of the decade’s most undervalued. Al Pacino plays Frank Keller, a detective investigating a series of murders, who becomes involved with a woman who may be the culprit. Directed by Harold Becker, written by Richard Price, and inspired by Price’s own 1978 novel Ladies’ Man, it’s a thriller that, despite having been a critical and box office success upon release, has nevertheless been mostly forgotten by all but Pacino’s biggest fans.

Anyone with a Netflix subscription who loves neo-noirs, however, really ought to check this one out at some point. Stylish, atmospheric, and irresistibly suspenseful, it’s an ingenious film that perfectly balances a slow-burning pace with a brilliant sense of tension. There aren’t very many ’80s Pacino projects superior to this one, a hypnotic and steamy thriller that’s a blast of fun all throughout, even in spite of an ending that’s nothing if not instantly divisive.

6

‘After Hours’ (1985)

Griffin Dunne as Paul touching the hair of Teri Garr as Julie as she smiles in After Hours

Out of every movie on this list, After Hours is undoubtedly the one where calling it “forgotten” is the biggest stretch. It is, after all, a Martin Scorsese movie that earned its director the Best Director award at the 1986 Cannes Film Festival. However, as far as Scorsese films go, this one’s arguably the auteur’s most underrated work, and calling it a “hidden gem” isn’t exactly inaccurate, either. Passionate cinephiles and diehard Scorsese fans are surely familiar with it, but general audiences with a Netflix subscription would be doing themselves a favor by allowing themselves to rediscover this ’80s neo-noir thriller.

It’s one of the most perfect forgotten thrillers of the ’80s, as well as one of Scorsese’s most unique efforts. It’s no coincidence that, as of today, it’s the director’s most recent film that is not an adaptation or biopic. Full of brilliantly executed dark humor, clever and unexpected bits of surrealism, and extraordinary performances delivered by stars like Griffin Dunne and Catherine O’Hara, it’s a blast of fun from start to finish that deserved a ton more love than it gets nowadays.