The Email of Sleazy 80's Movies

Original Title: Sleazy 80's Movies

Original Date Sent: January 17, 2012

Sent to: An inquisitive friend who happened to be a film neophyte.

Context: This friend had recently seen Drive and really enjoyed it. We got to talking about the mood of the film and how it had been influenced by a number of sleazy 80's sex thrillers. When I learned that he was unfamiliar with the genre I offered to write him an email. And by "offered" I mean that I told him that I would be sending him an email. One note: At this time I hadn't yet seen Paul Schrader's Cat People. That movie would definitely be on this list. First of all, it's practically a porno. Second, it has a level of cocaine-fueled 80's insanity that puts it right next to Cruising as far as asking the question, "how the hell did this movie get made?" I mean, it's about people who turn into panthers when they have sex and can't turn back until they kill someone. I want this movie to be remade with Colin Farrell ASAP. Anyway, I'm going to go work on that while you guys read the rest of the list.


...These movie are much more fun though. I picked movies that all had a similar vibe - that slick veneer over a gritty plot. Several of the directors have been nominated for, and even won, Academy Awards. Many of the actors and writers are in the same boat. So these aren't crappy movies that are sleazy by necessity. These are master craftsman who have decided to wallow in the seedy depths of sex, drugs, and crime.

To Live and Die in L.A. (1985) dir. William Friedkin - Critics labelled this as a trashy big screen version of Miami Vice. It has since gone on to be considered a cult classic. The story revolves around two Secret Service agents hunting down a counterfeiter. It's a very simple-sounding scenario that could have been made in any decade (this could have easily starred Tyrone Power in the '40's or Ryan O'Neal in the 70's). The difference is in the way that this movie is shot. You really feel like you're entering the underworld. The sexual content and the violence are still semi-shocking 25 years later. And even though much of the film is moody and cerebral, there is also an out-of-this-world car chase that is my personal favorite of all time.

Manhunter (1986) dir. Michael Mann - This is sort of an informal companion piece to the previous film. Despite having a different director, different source material, and different production crew, this really has an almost identical feel. The link between the two is star William Petersen (best known for his later work on CSI). This was later remade as Red Dragon (yep, it's a Hannibal Lecter movie). But while Red Dragon focuses more on the relationship between the FBI agent and the world's most famous fictional cannibal, this is much more about the FBI's search for the serial killer. Like To Live and Die in LA, this is a film experience that is mostly based on mood (a mood later employed by Drive). However, this also has a big action scene that rivals anything else from the decade in style and intensity.

Body Double (1984) dir. Brian De Palma - De Palma made a lot of sleazy movies in the 80's - Scarface, Dressed to Kill, Blow Out. But his sleaziest by far is Body Double. It revolves around murder, porno, and voyeurism. There is a long segment of the movie that is set to Frankie Goes to Hollywood's camp classic "Relax" which is played in its entirety (in fact, it's an extended version). The plot has elements of Rear Window but is so much more bizarre. The key is to not take this movie too seriously. If you can get past the cheesy opening and Melanie Griffith's purposely ridiculous character, you'll be able to really enjoy the movie. Besides, there is a ton of nudity to help things along.

American Gigolo (1980) dir. Paul Schrader - This movie has a famous nude scene. Unfortunately, it involves Richard Gere. That being said, this movie has some real attitude. I'm a really big Paul Schrader fan. He tends to write movies about loners who are forced into extreme situations (Taxi Driver is his most famous script). As the title suggests, this movie is about a gigolo (an American one, at that). Gigolo + murder + 80's = Awesome. The opening montage alone is worth a spot on the Netflix queue. Oh, and the way I usually sell this movie to friends who are film buffs is that it features a young Bill Duke (with hair!) playing a gay pimp. If you know who Bill Duke is, you're now really excited to see this movie.

Cruising (1980) dir. William Friedkin - Oh boy. What does one say about Cruising? Actually, I've said quite a bit about it. I love this movie beyond words. I love this movie so much that I wrote a feature length script with Fidel Castro playing the lead role. I love this movie so much that I have forced girlfriends to watch my favorite parts. Al Pacino plays a New York City cop who goes undercover in the gay rough trade (that is, leather bars) underground. I am amazed that this movie was made at all, and the talent involved is staggering. Not only Pacino and Friedkin, but the other above-the-liners and the who's who of character actors. You wanted atmosphere, this movie has it. It also has some of the most unintentionally funny lines in movie history. I regularly quote this movie with the other New York guys. I recommend that you sit back and bask in the bizarre insanity of this movie. If nothing else, it's memorable.

Thief (1981) dir. Michael Mann - Okay, back to serious movies. Reviews of Drive tended to relate it to a few different past films: To Live and Die in LA (discussed earlier), Le Samourai (a French movie that I'll write about in a future email), and Thief. Thief stars James Caan as a thief. Not like a pickpocket (though there is a great movie called Pickpocket) or a guy who steals Porches (though there's a really bad Charlie Sheen movie about that). He's a guy that does heists. And he's really good at it. His personal life...not so much. But he's really good at heists.

After Hours (1985) dir. Martin Scorsese - This is probably the least sleazy movie on the list. An office drone goes out for a late dinner, meets a girl, and finds himself on a Kafka-esque journey through the streets of Soho. It touches on many of the things that make sleazy 80's movies great: drugs, prostitution, underground music, violence. It just doesn't revel in them the way some of the other films on this list do. But wait! If it doesn't revel in sin, why is this movie even on the list? Because it shares the bold cinematic style, the unsettling atmosphere, and the pulsing music of the other films. Plus, it's super underrated, especially in the Scorsese canon.

That should be enough to get you started.