figure, John Gielgud won an Oscar, as did the
theme song.
Atlantic City(Cine Neighbor/France 3 Cinema/
Planfilm/SDICC/Selta Films/Paramount; dir.
Louis Malle) An aging mobster (Burt Lancaster)
who fears he has lost his touch falls for a casino
croupier (Susan Sarandon). Inspired by Malle’s
direction and John Guare’s script, Lancaster gives
one of his best performances.
Body Heat(Ladd Company/Warner Bros.; dir. Law-
rence Kasdan) A mediocre lawyer (William Hurt)
in a small Florida town is manipulated by a femme
fatale (Kathleen Turner) into murdering her rich,
older husband (Richard Crenna). Screenwriter
Kasdan’s first directorial effort was one of the
most satisfying tributes to film noir, made a star of
Turner in her first film, and featured a moody
score by John Barry.
Chariots of Fire(Allied Stars/Enigma Productions/
Twentieth Century-Fox; dir. Hugh Hudson) The
conflicting personalities of a devout Christian run-
ner (Ian Charleson) and a Jewish sprinter (Ben
Cross) are examined at the 1924 Olympics in Paris.
With an outstanding performance by Ian Holm as
a coach, the film won four Oscars, including Best
Picture and Colin Welland’s original screenplay.
Heaven’s Gate(United Artists; dir. Michael Cimino)
The decade’s most notorious box-office failure
depicts a range war between immigrant settlers
and cattle barons. The film was blamed for end-
ing the creative freedom given directors during
the previous decade and for crippling United Art-
ists.See alsomain entry.
Modern Romance(Columbia; dir. Albert Brooks) A
neurotic film editor (Brooks) breaks up with his
girlfriend (Kathryn Harold) and does whatever
he can to try to forget his troubles. An additional
problem is his attempt to salvage a weakly con-
ceived science-fiction film. One of Brooks’s most
satisfying comedies,Modern Romanceshows the in-
fluence of Woody Allen.
On Golden Pond(Associated Film Distribution/
IPC Films/ITC Films/Universal; dir. Mark Ry-
dell) A daughter (Jane Fonda) and her crusty fa-
ther (Henry Fonda) come to an understanding
during a summer at their New England cottage.
Henry Fonda won an Oscar for his final film,
and Katharine Hepburn, as the mother, won her
fourth and last. Ernest Thompson also won for
his adaptation of his play.See alsomain entry.
Prince of the City(Orion/Warner Bros.; dir. Sidney
Lumet) As withSerpico(1973), Lumet bases his ex-
amination of corruption in the New York Police
Department on an actual case. A Manhattan de-
tective (Treat Williams) becomes an outcast for
breaking his department’s so-called code of si-
lence.
Raiders of the Lost Ark(Lucasfilm/Paramount; dir.
Steven Spielberg) The first film about archaeolo-
gist/adventurer Indiana Jones (Harrison Ford) is
a large-scale version of the low-budget movie seri-
als of the 1930’s and 1940’s. It won four Oscars.See
alsomain entry.
Reds(Paramount; dir. Warren Beatty) Beatty’s long-
time dream project about John Reed, the only
American buried in the Kremlin, focuses equally
on his radical political activism during the Rus-
sian Revolution and his turbulent romance with
fellow journalist Louise Bryant (Diane Keaton),
involving a love triangle with playwright Eugene
O’Neill (Jack Nicholson). Interspersed through-
out the film are interviews with those who knew
the couple and the period. The epic film won Os-
cars for Best Director, Best Supporting Actress
(Maureen Stapleton as Emma Goldman), and
Best Cinematography (Vittorio Storaro).1982
Blade Runner(Ladd Company/Warner Bros.; dir.
Ridley Scott) A cop (Harrison Ford) in 2019 Los
Angeles deals with runaway androids. Scott’s vi-
sionary blend of science fiction and film noir has
been highly influential, gaining considerably in
reputation since its release.See alsomain entry.
Diner(MGM/United Artists; dir. Barry Levinson)
Levinson’s first nostalgic look back at the Balti-
more of his youth finds six young men in 1959 tak-
ing their first awkward steps into adulthood. The
impressive cast includes Mickey Rourke, Daniel
Stern, Kevin Bacon, Steve Guttenberg, Tim Daly,
Paul Reiser, and Ellen Barkin, in her first film.
E.T.: The Extra-Terrestrial(Universal; dir. Steven
Spielberg) Spielberg’s distinctive blend of sci-
ence fiction, fairy tale, family drama, and coming-
of-age tale was one of the most popular and be-
loved films of the decade and won four Oscars.See
alsomain entry.
Fast Times at Ridgemont High(Universal; dir. Amy
Heckerling) The decade’s most popular and in-
fluential teen sex comedy is notable for its cast:1076 Entertainment: Major Films of the 1980’s The Eighties in America