8 Underrated Movies From the 1980s You Owe an Apology

The 1980s gave us legends. These eight score high on movie.guru and still trail the decade's big hits on IMDb. Time to say sorry.

Number one made $329.8M worldwide and still gets no respect.

1. 8
   The Fly (1986)7.5

   Jeff Goldblum's finest hour, and the least-voted film here.

   A reported $9M to $15M budget, 82% on Rotten Tomatoes, Metacritic 81. Audiences gave it a B CinemaScore. A B. For Goldblum at his absolute strangest.
2. 7
   The Evil Dead (1981)8.2

   Cheap, scrappy, rough around the edges, and still better than most.

   Just $2.4M domestic, yet 86% on Rotten Tomatoes and an 8.2 movie.guru score. The acting is stiff. Bruce Campbell makes you forgive it.
3. 6
   The Blues Brothers (1980)8.3

   Critics shrugged. Audiences were right.

   Metacritic gave it a 60. Audiences rank it above 96% of movies. James Brown and Cab Calloway in one film, and critics wanted a tighter plot?
4. 5
   Big (1988)8.5

   IMDb rating Big a 7.3 is a clerical error.

   98% on Rotten Tomatoes, an A CinemaScore, $151.9M worldwide on a reported $18M budget. Tom Hanks plays a kid better than most kids do.
5. 4
   When Harry Met Sally... (1989)8.9

   The best rom-com of the decade, and IMDb just shrugs.

   A+ CinemaScore, 90% on Rotten Tomatoes, an 8.9 movie.guru score. IMDb voters settle on 7.7. Billy Crystal and Meg Ryan earned a better grade.
6. 3
   The Elephant Man (1980)9.3

   David Lynch's best film, and too few people have seen it.

   A 9.3 movie.guru score and an A+ CinemaScore, but just $26M domestic. John Hurt and Anthony Hopkins play it with total restraint. It's heavy, so pick your night.
7. 2
   Das Boot (1981)9.7

   The best war movie of the 1980s. Not close.

   A 9.7 movie.guru score, highest on this list, 98% on Rotten Tomatoes, and just $10.9M domestic. It's tense and cramped on purpose. Watch it anyway.
8. 1
   Who Framed Roger Rabbit (1988)9.1

   A $329.8M hit can be underrated. This is the proof.

   96% on Rotten Tomatoes, a 9.1 movie.guru score, an A CinemaScore. IMDb gives it a 7.7. Bob Hoskins selling every scene next to cartoons deserves more.

$741.63 says the first comment insists a $329.8M hit can't be underrated, and loses.

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