The Most Underrated Action Movies of the 1980s
Written with Clint Eastwood in mind, this story of a loner Texas Ranger going up against David Carradine’s drug lord and gun runner Rawley Wilkes saw Norris play against type. Director Steve Carver pushed Norris to grow his beard out and present a more disheveled, less pristine, persona. That, along with the film’s El Paso setting, allowed Carver to lean into the stylings of Sergio Leone to create a kung fu western. Norris and Carradine added an extra level of authenticity to the fight scenes, culminating in a final showdown that both actors refused to use stuntmen for. A solid hit, the film opened new doors for the actor and, in time, would prove the inspiration for Walker, Texas Ranger.
The Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai Across the 8th Dimension (1984)
Screenwriter W. D. Richter enlisted the talents of novelist Earl Mac Rauch to create a screenplay based around one of Rauch’s characters, Buckaroo Banzai, and it shows. A vividly imagined and densely plotted action comedy, full of hilarious quirks and colorful characters, The Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai Across the 8th Dimension is a bit of everything: science fiction, action, comedy, romance, and musical thrown in for good measure.
Peter Weller stars as Dr. Buckaroo Banzai, a polymath, physicist, neurosurgeon, test pilot, and rock star who, with the help of his bandmates and entourage, sets out to save the world from inter-dimensional aliens. Weller oozes charisma but is ably supported by a cast of characters that includes the likes of Ellen Barkin and a young Jeff Goldblum. John Lithgow also puts in a demented turn as the film’s big villain Lord John Whorfin.
There’s undoubtedly a lot going on, which might explain why it ended up making back less than half its production budget, but stick with it and The Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai Across the 8th Dimension makes for a memorable watch that holds up to repeat viewings and features the coolest end credits ever put to film.
To Live and Die in L.A. (1985)
To Live and Die in L.A. was probably William Friedkin’s last truly great film, unless you happen to be a fan of Killer Joe’s demented fried chicken shenanigans, of course. It’s not a surprise the movie gets overlooked though, given the caliber of Friedkin’s work before it, but To Live and Die in L.A. holds its own among this best, thanks to star turns from Willem Dafoe and William Petersen and a car chase to rival The French Connection.
Based on a novel penned by ex-Secret Service agent Gerald Petievich, who also co-wrote the screenplay, Petersen plays Richard Chance, a Secret Service agent not afraid to break the rules in his pursuit of Dafoe’s malevolent counterfeiter criminal Eric Masters, who murdered his partner. Gritty, cool and entirely unpredictable, To Live and Die in L.A. might have divided critics upon release but its standing has only grown over time.
