11 Must-See Movies of 1984, a Year of Boundary-Busting Blockbusters (2024)

These 11 must-see movies of 1984 will take you back to the blockbuster era of 40 years ago.

Ghostbusters

Ghostbusters topped the box office in 1984, but it's not on our list of must-see movies of 1984 just because of its popularity. The supernatural comedy is iconic regardless of genre or decade. Bill Murray pops, of course, but he’s just the beginning of the quality cast. We could, and should, shout out Harold Ramis, Sigourney Weaver, Rick Moranis. Honestly? The entire cast of Ghostbusters is worthy of praise, from Bill Murray and Dan Aykroyd to Harold Ramis, Ernie Hudson, Sigourney Weaver, and Rick Moranis.

While the special effects have not aged perfectly, that’s an unreasonable thing to expect from a 1984 movie. There have been sequels, reboots, and legacy sequels, but the original Ghostbusters beats them all.

Beverly Hills Cop

A lot of people are rewatching this one lately thanks to the brand-new Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F, in which the apparently ageless Eddie Murphy returns, four decades later, as Detroit cop (and frequent visitor to the West Coast) Axel Foley.

1984 was the final year in which Eddie Murphy served as a cast member on Saturday Night Live, and it was the same year that he starred in Beverly Hills Cop., his first big hit that didn't pair him with a more established star, like Trading Places and 48 Hrs did. Amazingly, Murphy was only 23 when Beverly Hills Cop came out.

Deftly directed by action-comedy guru Martin Brest, Murphy’s first foray as Axel Foley is a delight. It’s a classic fish-out-of-water story, but the action is not skimped on.

The Terminator

If you have only ever seen Judgment Day, the massive blockbuster sequel to The Terminator directed by James Cameron, you should check out Cameron's original. It’s a very different movie: nasty horror film that is violent, not afraid of nudity, and lo-fi. The Terminator is where the grindhouse meets the multiplex.

It is also, of course, one of the films that helped propel Arnold Schwarzenegger to superstardom. In this film, Schwarzenegger’s size and non-emotive acting are benefits. He’s a horror movie slasher in cybernetic form.

Amadeus

The 1984 Oscar race was, frankly, not especially impressive. It’s the best argument against 1984 as an all-time year when it comes to American movies. From a must-see films perspective, though, the Academy Award should be acknowledged. Thus, we have selected Best Picture winner Amadeus.

Fortunately, the Milos Foreman film is a solid winner, in the top half of Best Picture movies. It’s an unconventional biopic of famed composer Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, and also Antonio Salieri. We’re considering it a dual biopic given that F. Murray Abraham won Best Actor for playing not Mozart, but Salieri.

This is Spinal Tap

The mockumentary was not invented by This is Spinal Tap, but many still consider it the best example of the genre. It also happened to feature Christopher Guest, who went on to became the master of mockumentary with films like Best In Show. (Guest did not direct this one, as that honor went to Rob Reiner.)

This is Spinal Tap focuses on Spinal Tap, a rock trio that has seen better days. It’s endlessly inventive, as a movie has to be when it is helping to define a style of filmmaking. Many musicians rave about the accuracy of the trials and tribulations Spinal Tap goes through.

Yes, this movie, and we feel an obligation to say this, goes to 11.

Romancing the Stone

Robert Zemeckis had a problem. He was a promising wunderkind in the world of film, and an acolyte of Spielberg, but Zemeckis’ first two movies were flops (even though those films, I Wanna Hold Your Hand and Used Cars, are now considered good films.)

Spielberg told his young friend that he needed a hit, and it had to be a work-for-hire gig. Show you can direct a successful film, Bobby, was the message.

Thus, Zemeckis grabbed the script for the adventure-laden romantic-comedy Romancing the Stone. Michael Douglas plays a rogue, because of course he does. He joins forces with Kathleen Turner, a writer of romantic novels who needs a little spice in her life. It was a hit, and Zemeckis got a chance to direct his passion project: A little film called Back to the Future.

A Nightmare on Elm Street

The tentpoles of the American slasher flick? Halloween and Friday the 13th are two of them, two franchises that were born in the 1970s. The third tentpole is A Nightmare on Elm Street, which kicked off a franchise of its own in 1984.

Freddy Krueger is right up there with Michael Myers and Jason Vorhees when it comes to horror baddies. He’s a different type of character, quippy where the other two are, well, silent. Oh, and he murders you in your dreams. That allowed A Nightmare on Elm Street to become a trippier, different sort of slasher flick.

Look for a young Johnny Depp as well, in his debut film role, and a fabulous performance by lead Heather Langenkamp (above).

Purple Rain

Purple Rain is an experience. A Prince experience.

The iconic musician plays a version of himself (The Kid) in this quasi-biopic, quasi-musical. It’s packed with scenes of The Kid and his band playing music, which is obviously smart.

Oh, and the music of Purple Rain is iconic. This soundtrack is where “When Doves Cry,” “Let’s Go Crazy,” and the titular song come from. That’s why this one is a must see.

The Muppets Take Manhattan

Not every Muppets movie is a must see. Muppets in Space, for example, is skippable. In fact, you should absolutely skip it. On the other hand, some Muppets films are worth seeing. For many, and we’re in this camp, The Muppets Take Manhattan is the best of the Muppet movies.

It birthed the Muppet Babies, and it features some of the most-beloved Muppets songs. In fact, from top to bottom, the music in The Muppets Take Manhattan may be the best, though it lacks a “Rainbow Connection” or “Movin’ Right Along.”

If you like these not quite mops, not quite puppets, go on and watch Manhattan be taken.

Gremlins

An alternative Christmas film classic, Gremlins was a huge success for screenwriter Chris Columbus and director Joe Dante. Produced by Steven Spielberg’s Amblin, the movie is now seen as one of the movies that helped pave the way for the introduction of the PG-13 rating. Apparently gross (and awesome) gremlin deaths were too bleak for the young ‘uns out there.

A limited number of famous faces can often be a benefit to horror movies, even horror-comedies. Of course, the true star of Gremlins is, you know, the gremlins. And of course, the mogwai, led by the iconic Gizmo (above).

Dante, a lover of B movies and student of film, was a fine choice for such a movie. The sequel, which is utterly bananas, is arguably even better.

Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom

Raiders of the Lost Ark is great. The first Indiana Jones movie is a classic. In 1984, the second film in the series, Temple of Doom, arrived as a prequel. At the time, it was a huge hit. It’s part of one of the iconic film series of the last 40 years.

Time, though, has not been kind to Temple of Doom. These days, some viewers consider Temple of Doom spotty, and compare it unfavorably to the next Indiana Jones film, Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade.

Indeed, it’s quite dark, and a bit gross. But if you care about blockbusters, and about the evolution of Indiana Jones, Temple of Doom remains a must see.

Liked This List of Must-See Movies of 1984?

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Main image: Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom. Paramount.