Life In The 1980s

1980s Film

The 1980s, known as an image driven decade, was a time full of new technology. The new technology of the 80s transformed the way movies were made and seen by viewers. The decade was a time of transformation in both technology and film.

Because of the fundamental changes in standard living during the 1980s, Americans enjoyed many transformations in technology and their way of life. Although it was available in the 1970s, cable television became standard for most American households. ESPN, Nickelodeon, and MTV became especially popular for people looking for entertainment. The videocassette recorder (VCR) allowed Americans to record television shows and watch them according to their own schedule and view feature films in the privacy of their own homes. (“Life in the 1980s”) But perhaps one of the greatest changes in American lifestyles of the 1980s was the personal computer. Introduced in 1977 by Apple, the personal computer allowed quick word processing, management of personal

Films in the 80s were less experimental and original, but more formulaic. (Dirks) Director Steven Spielberg became especially popular with the film “E.T.”. The movie took American movie audiences by storm during the summer of 1982. (“Spielberg and Lucas”) It went on to become the biggest moneymaker in Hollywood history. Steven Spielberg and George Lucas were both very successful during the 1980s. Their films are filled with a sense of timeless fantasy, high adventure, and great special effects. (“Spielberg and Lucas”) Both of them breaking box office records, their movies continued to pander to the tastes and desires of young people, as well as adults. With successes like Return of the Jedi (1983), Ghostbusters (1984), and Back to the Future (1985) many of the blockbusters during the decade were well-constructed films with strong characters and plots not entirely built upon their special