Here endeth the lesson: 10 best gangster movies of the '80s
The '80s will never be known as the "Gangster Movie Decade" -- that honor is a tie between the '30s and '90s, I'd wager -- but we didn't do so poorly either.
I caught a trailer of Public Enemies, with Johnny Depp's freshly shaven mug in theaters, over the weekend and frankly wasn't impressed. I'm not saying I stopped watched Depp after 21 Jump Street or anything, but I'd be shocked if we're still talking about this movie three weeks from now.
So instead, I give you a list of 10 movies that we can still talk about 20 years later. No, they're not all great. Some are downright embarrassing. But I'm betting they were made for a fraction of the coin and with half the hype laid out for Public Enemies.
TOP 10 GANGSTER MOVIES OF THE '80s:
10. HARLEM NIGHTS (1989): Eddie Murphy, Richard Pryor. "What if we made love real hard for 35 minutes then drop off into a deep, coma like sleep?"
9. WISE GUYS (1986): Danny DeVito, Joe Piscopo. "I hate this f------g job!"
8. THE COTTON CLUB (1984): Richard Gere, Gregory Hines. "You've got about as much style as a bowl of turnips."
7. JOHNNY DANGEROUSLY (1984): Michael Keaton, Joe Piscopo. "Why you miserable cork-soaker!"
6. ATLANTIC CITY (1980): Burt Lancaster, Susan Sarandon. "It used to be beautiful - what with the rackets, whoring, guns."
5. PRIZZI'S HONOR (1985): Jack Nicholson, Kathleen Turner. "Do I ice her? Do I marry her?"
4. MARRIED TO THE MOB (1988): Michelle Pfeiffer, Matthew Modine. "Everything we own fell off a truck!"
3. ONCE UPON A TIME IN AMERICA (1984): Robert De Niro, James Woods. "I took away your whole life from you. I've been living in your place. I took everything. I took your money, I took your girl. All I left for you was 35 years of grief over having killed me. Now why don't you shoot?"
2. SCARFACE (1983): Al Pacino, Michelle Pfeiffer. "The only thing in this world that gives orders... is balls. "
1. THE UNTOUCHABLES (1987): Kevin Costner, Sean Connery. "You just fulfilled the first rule of law enforcement: make sure when your shift is over you go home alive. Here endeth the lesson."
Relive the music, movies and culture of the greatest decade ever with Times online editor Steve Spears. A teen during the decade, Steve is obsessed with everything from Duran Duran to Journey, John Hughes to John Cusack, and parachute pants to Reaganomics.
E-mail Steve Spears:
Your article was hands down one of the best I read recently. Round of applause and keep up the good work.
Posted by: guntraders | July 06, 2009 at 09:48 AM
My husband and I loved Johnny Dangerously. Joe Piscopo's character was great. "My father did that to me once, ONCE." Classic schlock. Awesome!
Posted by: GAGirl | July 02, 2009 at 12:17 AM
Once upon a time in a America was amazing and worth remembering.
Posted by: Mikes Sumondong | June 30, 2009 at 12:24 PM
"He comes at you with a knife, you pull a gun. He puts one a yours in the hospital, you put one a his in da morgue. And that's the Chicago way, and that's the way you get Capone."
Posted by: kmcg | June 30, 2009 at 07:39 AM
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Posted by: http://guntraders.com | June 30, 2009 at 04:49 AM
The Pope of Greenwich Village with Mickey Rourke and Eric Roberts from 1984 was an awesome movie. 'Charlie, they took my thumb, man!' Should definately be on the list. probably top 5.
Posted by: Bill | June 29, 2009 at 09:10 PM
It isn't a movie but the TV series "Wiseguy" was also a mob/gangster type series from the 80s and it was well done.
Posted by: billyshakes | June 29, 2009 at 07:52 PM
I agree, Steve. Basically, those are the ONLY 10 gangster movies of the '80s, so I didn't have much choice on Nos. 6-10.
Posted by: Spears | June 29, 2009 at 06:57 PM
Big drop-off from 6 to 7 there, bud, but that's the 80s, and a good list.
Posted by: Steve Persall | June 29, 2009 at 06:51 PM
The Untouchables was good in spite of Costner. He kinda ruined it for me. I never humped on the Costner bandwagon, and this movie was the reason why. He was flat and wooden and couldn't hold a candle to his co-stars.
Prizzi's Honor was pretty darned good, as I recall, though I haven't seen it since I saw it then.
Harlem Nights??? Wha? Sorry, that was a flop in more ways than one. It didn't do well at the box office for a reason.
Married To The Mob was awesome. I might bump it up ahead of Once Upon A Time...but it is hard to argue with Sergio Leone.
Posted by: Douglas Arthur | June 29, 2009 at 05:19 PM
And where did Joe Piscopo disappear too?
Posted by: DerekT | June 29, 2009 at 05:14 PM
There was a short clip in the special features of This is Spinal Tap where Derek Smalls shows Marty a clip of a gangster movie he was in.
Posted by: DerekT | June 29, 2009 at 05:13 PM
I would have voted for Goodfellas, but just missed by one year, being released in 1990... bummer.
Posted by: Julie in NC | June 29, 2009 at 04:10 PM
Plus, Once Upon A Time In America had several shots filmed on the beach at Pass A Grille behind the Don Cesar.
Posted by: Kazz | June 29, 2009 at 03:14 PM
Loved "Untouchables." Favorite bit is when Ness throws Nitty off the roof of the courthouse.
"He's in the car."
Posted by: Bassnote | June 29, 2009 at 11:44 AM
I went back and forth on Scarface vs. Untouchables for the No. 1 spot. I feel pretty good about my pick there. I could watch Untouchables every week for the rest of my life. Scarface is a once-a-year type of movie.
Posted by: Spears | June 29, 2009 at 10:33 AM
i have to agree with a lot of the picks. the untouchables is a great movie, with a star making performance by kevin costner. although, i would say silverado is the introduction to the world, but it's the untochables that made kevin a household name. the chemistry between kevin and sean connery is brilliant.
Posted by: CHAD | June 29, 2009 at 10:03 AM