The Great 80s Kiss-Off

OK, so my argument that Some Kind of Wonderful's Hardy Jenns is the Best John Hughes Villain has been universally defeated by the 80s Nation. I'm not going to take defeat lightly.

Today's argument: The kissing scene between Watts (Mary Stuart Masterson) and Keith (Eric Stoltz) in the same movie is the hottest make-out scene of any 80s flick. Right? ("And we're gonna destroy Lincoln tonight ... alllriiiiight?")

You want a list, don't you? OK...

Top 5 Make-Out Scenes in 80s Movies:

5. THE PRINCESS BRIDE (1987)
The participants: Wesley (Cary Elwes) and Buttercup (Robin Wright Penn)
The location: Outside Prince Humperdinck's castle
Music: "Happy Ending" (Mark Knopfler)
Why it's not No. 1: Any make-out scene narrated by Peter Falk isn't going to win.

4. RISKY BUSINESS (1983)
The participants: Joel (Tom Cruise) and Lana (Rebecca De Mornay)
The location: Joel's living room (and staircase ... and bedroom...)
Music: "Lana" (Tangerine Dream)
Why it's not No. 1: Joel had to pay for it. Ouch.

3. VALLEY GIRL (1983)
The participants: Randy (Nicolas Cage) and Julie (Deborah Foreman)
The location: Backseat of Fred's car.
Music: "Time To Win" (Gary Myrick & The Figures)
Why it's not No. 1: The atmosphere ... Fred chases Stacey around the car while Randy tries to convince Julie he isn't a stalker. Otherwise, it has "Let's make punk rock babies" written all over it.

2. SAY ANYTHING (1989)
The participants: Lloyd Dobler (John Cusack) and Diane (Ione Skye)
The location: In the rain
Music: "In Your Eyes" (Peter Gabriel)
Why it's not No. 1: You can see the whole "You're going to dump me and give me a pen, aren't you?" in Lloyd's face. You need a stopwatch to measure the time from kiss to kiss-off here. Ione, you wench!

1. SOME KIND OF WONDERFUL (1986)
The participants: Watts and Keith
The location: Gas station garage where Keith works
Music: "She Loves Me" (Stephen Duffy)
Why it's No. 1: Spontaneity. Longevity. Music that's -- dare I say? -- classic. Pardon the Journey pun, but lots of lovin', touchin' and feelin'. Throw in the whole "Whoa, I'm suddenly making out with my tomboy best friend who's really a smokin' hot drummer vixen" factor, and dinner is served.

OK, what's your opinion? Am I right or am I right? What other classic 80s scenes do you think belong on the list?

[Thanks to: Filmsite.org, IMDB.com, Somekindofwonderful.org]

Comments

[Johnnycrv]

Not to get all art-house on y'all, but what about the collage of kisses and sensual moments at the end of Cinema Paradiso (1988)? If the symbolism of the moment doesn't get you, how about the soaring musical score, and clip after clip of passionate kissing?

Some Kind of Wonderful remains one of my favorite movies because of the kiss, but I do really love the ending scenes in Sixteen Candles and The Sure Thing. I love that mention of A Room with A View..you just can't forget how hot buttoned up sexuality is.

Nice mention of Three O'Clock High, love that movie! I do appreciate your list, all solid choices however, I would not be true to my adolescent self if I did not make a genuine argument for Sixteen Candles with a truly satisfying ending scene of Jake Ryan (Michael Schoeffling) leaning in very slowly to kiss Samantha-Baker-Davis-Jr (Molly Ringwald). Ah, Jake Ryan. He was the man who I wanted to be kissing before I even had my first kiss. I still do. That kiss is amazing, as soon as you hear the music come on when the car outside the church pulls away, revealing Jake and his red sports car...I would hold my breath until the kissing scene. Why are they sitting on top of a glass table? I have no idea, but I had the urge to do the same thing. Serious Sixteen Candles fan? check out this link: http://www.washingtonpost.com/ac2/wp-dyn/A41194-2004Feb13?language=printer

[Meghan]

I agree with the Watts and Keith kiss being number 1. I get chills everytime I see it and I also love that he put his hands on her hips.

[Paul]

You are ENTIRELY correct.
Nothing can touch that kiss.

[Joyce]

I think some kind of wonderful was THE best kiss, but Sixteen Candles was agreat one too wih Molly Ringwald and some "fine" gentleman. It was at the very end when he came to the church and she decided to not to go tto her sister's reception. She went home with him and they sat on his dining room table and ther was a birthday cake for her and they leaned over and kissed. It was memorable because we waited fo this connection to happen and it is how the movie ended.

[andy]

Yeah, the EMPIRE kiss definitely belongs on the list.

What about Jerry Mitchell (Casey Siemaszko) and his teacher, Miss Farmer, in THREE O'CLOCK HIGH. it's not all that passionate, but the buildup is great, it has a Tangerine Dream score, and he does it just to get sent to detention so he can avoid the fight, but ends up fainting... awesome.

[Lori]

I totally agree with the posts of Jake and Samantha in Sixteen candles, best 80's movie kiss ever, they way he was leaning in to her, just kinda surprised the glass table didn't break under them, j/k

[Claire]

Helena Bonham Carter and Julian Sands in A Room With a View!

[Richard]

No, no, no... while Say Anything is a good choice, the better Cusack choice is the end-scene in "The Sure Thing."

Walter 'Gib" Gibson kissing Alison on the roof of the library while the Ray Charles song 'Just Because' swells up as the credits roll.

Classic kiss.

[Chris]

The music that Jake and Samantha were kissing to in 16 candles was "If You Were Here" by the Thompson Twins. And I think it was the best movie kiss of the 80's.

What about the blazing hot yet somehow innocent scene in "Summer Lovers" when Daryl Hannah/Cathy finally realizes that she is willing to explore a 3-way relationship between herself and her formerly-faithful boyfriend Peter Gallagher/Michael and his new exotic, mysterious lover Valerie Quennessen/Lina? The kiss between the three of them begins as a voyeuristic exploration, and ends with a discovery, a possibility they had not imagined. We're watching them be born as people fully open to life. And of course it doesn't hurt that they're all beautiful, sexy, smart, and tanned beyond belief by the Greek summer sun.

[Erik Sean Montoya]

Han Solo and Princess Leia in the Empire Strikes back, best 80's kiss hands down.

I totally agree. That is an amazing kiss that comes out of nowhere to become a turning point in the whole movie.

I like the Hunger suggestion and how about Raul Julia and the other fellow in Kiss of the Spider Woman?

[Drew]

Steve, you're exactly right this time. The Lloyd/Diane kiss and some other scenes mentioned are all extremely romantic and lovey-dovey, but they lack the intensely sexual heat of the Watts/Keith kiss. The pair are awkward and make wisecracks beforehand, joking that they're just fooling around. Then The Kiss starts slow and nervous at first, building as the pair clutch each other like they are starving and they dissolve in each others' mouths. Watts nearly has an orgasm right there squirming in Keith's lap. Finally she literally tears her mouth off of his because the excitment is so powerful that she has to flee the room to cool down while Keith sputters in befuddled amazement. At that point the audience feels the need to light up a cigarette. Both characters react to what they just experienced with utter confusion, which is more honest and true than teen films usually are, and what made Hughes' films so exceptional. I can't think of any teen movie from any decade that depicts raw adolescent lust with such incandescent vividness and also is real enough to deal with the conflicted emotions that go along with it. Risky Business' kissing scenes were also very hot but Lana was so cool and in control that she is more of a male fantasy wish-fulfillment sex kitten than a genuine character like Watts. Lastly the scene that is really memorable from Say Anything isn't their kissing scene, it's the boombox scene which follows that steals the movie, whereas The Kiss in SOKW is the clear highlight of the movie.

[Bgirl]

Totally agree with Spears about Less than Zero--THAT movie begs for a remake!
I think the hottest would be Valley Girl--not only in Fred's car but the whole montage to "Melt with You," and hot because you know it's forbidden...obviously Romeo and Juliet overtones throughout...

[Karenann]

Stuckinthe80s - It's not the location of the hands (although on the hips as in SKOW is good!)so much but rather it's that he is GRABBING her face, not just touching it. I noticed it in St. Elmo's fire and Pretty in Pink. He must have been afraid they would get away or that he would miss. See what you think...I'm telling you - he is a face-grabber!

[Stuckinthe80s]

KarenAnn -- what's the ideal location for a guy's hands during a kiss?

[Karenann]

on the flip side...anyone ever notice how Andrew McCarthy ALWAYS grabs the face of the girl he is kissing. I LOVE many of his 80's movies, but if a guy ever kissed me like that I'd knock him out!

[mydoppelganger]

I'm going to have to vote for the steamy makeout session in the cave between half-vampires Jason Patric and Jamie Gertz.

[sherrie87]

Dennis Quaid and Ellen Barkin in "The Big Easy"- wow, I remember that their scenes were mighty steamy, at least in my
12th grade eyes back in '87. Very memorable movie, made all the better by Quaid's passable Cajan accent.

[Heather in Ottawa]

While my personal fave is the kiss between Keith and Watts in SKOW, what about the heat from the tongue-sweeping, open-mouthed kiss between Charlie (Kelly McGillis) and Maverick (Tom Cruise) in Top Gun? Try being sixteen years old, on your first date, and having to sit nervously through that kissing scene in a darkened theatre??!!!

[Bassnote]

Thanks for the love Steve.

I think Molly Ringwald & Judd nelson from Breakfast Club should be on the list. I loved the way Judd was leaning in for more, but Molly denied him. The ultimate tease. Simple Minds' Don't You (Forget About Me) playing behind it was classic.

as for what Igor said above: "Catherine Deneuve and Susan Sarandon in "The Hunger". No comments."

To quote Monty Python: "SAY NO MORE!! Wink Wink, Nudge Nudge, Know what I mean?!"

[Sara Hall]

Nice list Steve! Absolutely dead on with number one and two. The Watts and Keith kiss is amazing! The hands on the hips still gives me shivers!!! Yum!

[Spears]

Aww, Bassnote. You know we love you! You had good suggestions. I think the Modine-Fiorentino scene belongs on some list -- maybe best "older woman, younger man" sex scene list. It reminds me of the Topy Gun scene between Cruise and McGillis. Not a ton of kissing, but a lot of something else.

[Igor Vorobej]

few, not mentioned above:

• Interracial kiss between Ahnuld and Maria Conchita Alonso in "The Running Man".
John Parr's "Restless Heart" makes this one really memorable.

• "Out Of Bounds": Anthony Michael "i'm-not-a-geek-anymore" Hall and Jenny Wright.
I know, nothing special here, but that kiss was really touching.

• Linda Hamilton and Michael Biehn in "The Terminator":
"- Was there someone special?
- Someone?
- A girl. You know.
- No. Never.
- Never?.."
Outstanding and unforgettable with Brad Fidel's "Love Theme".

• Catherine Deneuve and Susan Sarandon in "The Hunger".
No comments.

• Kiss of Melanie Griffith and Craig Wasson in "Body Double" with FGTH's "Relax" in background.
Hot and pornographic!

• Teenage boy kissing mature woman -- Sylvia Kristel and Eric Brown in "Private Lessons".
Hot! Hot! Hot!

• Gorgeous Sybil Danning and Eric Brown in "They're Playing With Fire".
Same as above, even hotter.

• Sandra Prinsloo and Marius Weyers in "The Gods Must Be Crazy".
It's more like 70's movie but what a cute kiss it was!

• Meredith Salenger and Corey Feldman in "Dream A Little Dream".

• King Kong and Lady Kong in "King Kong Lives".
Every giant ape has a right to kiss another giant ape.

• All James Spader and Kim Richards kissing in "Tuff Turf".
"What do you do when opposites attract?"

• "Innerspace": The "transmitting" kiss between Meg Ryan and Martin Short.
Strong feelings can change physics!

• Sylvester Stallone and Darlanne Fluegel in "Lock Up".
Don't know why, but I like it.

• Pamela Gidley and Josh Brolin in "Thrashin'"

[colleen]

What about Sixteen Candles Jake and Samantha at the end of the movie, sitting on the table across the cake and kissing. Classic 80's moment-soooo romantic. Good music can't remember who the group was though. Anyone? Anyone?

[Johnny B. Goode]

I'm going to go with Robby and Julia on the plane, in The Wedding Singer. Yes, I know the movie wasn't made in the '80s, but it was set in the '80s and totally celebrated the '80s, so I think it should qualify for this discussion.

And any time a guy basically blows off Billy Idol and his hints of a recording contract to kiss a girl, you know it's serious.

Steve, you know I'm right about this.

[Bassnote]

This has nothing to do with the fact that Steve completely DISSED my other suggestions, but I have to side with Say Anything. Lloyd Dobler was the man, and Diane Cort was hot; brains and beauty. And, the Peter Gabriel tune added so much class.

[Elle]

I agree with the number one on the list. For single scenes, that particular make out scene is definitely the best. When I first saw it, I remember getting all giddy when Keith and Watts first kissed. And I think the music is perfect in there, and helps the scene out a lot.

With respect to your opinion... No way Say Anything loses out to Some Kind of Wonderful... Are you kidding me? I know we are just talking about one scene, but you have to take into account the entire movie to some degree...

The "breaking up with me with a pen" line still gives me chills. And the scene with the boombox, his overcoat, early morning dew, and sunrise outside her window.. Oh man. That's good stuff. Made me buy an overcoat back in the day...

[Andy fan]

Andrew McCarthy and Ally Sheedy in St. Elmo's Fire.

[Spears]

Linda Fiorentino looks like she's choking back vomit in that scene!

As for Less Than Zero, I can't bear to watch it anymore.

[Bassnote]

What about Andrew McCarthy and Jamie Gertz in Less Than Zero? Very hot scene. I also vote for Linda Fiorentino & Matthew Modine in Vision Quest.

If you did a list of the weirdest make out scenes, you would have to put Lea Thompson and Howard The Duck at the top of the list.

Great list, Steve. It's about time gave some props to this movie!

[Dr John]

Well Joel and Lana did light it up..but hey the girl was a pro..Guess Lloyd and Diane get my vote ( Ione would be rather inspiring to say the least )