As I get further into the 80s, the amazing films are really ramping up. 1982 brought us First Blood, Poltergeist, Porky's, Star Trek 2: The Wrath of Kon, Rocky 3, Blade Runner, The Thing, and of course, a little film called ET. The year was absolutely stacked with amazing films, but here's a few you may have missed.
The Toy: No, it's not that thing you found in your wife's bedside cabinet. The Toy is a 1982 comedy from director Richard Donner. It's about Jack, played by Richard Pryor, an out-of-work writer that's on the verge of losing his house. Desperate, he takes a job as a janitor in a department store. One night, while working, he runs into Eric, the spoiled son of the store owner. Eric sees Jack playing around in the kids' section and announces that he wants to buy him. The boy's estranged from his father and thinks that by doing something this outlandish, it might get his father's attention. The business owner, Ulysses Bates, played by Jackie Gleason, agrees to pay Jack enough money to save his house as long as he spends the next week as Eric's friend. He moves into the Bates mansion and becomes the brunt of Eric's pranks. Over time, he bonds with the kid, which in turn helps him bond with his father.
The movie paired two comedy legends: Pryor and Gleason. On paper, it seems like it should have been a home run, but for many, it was a missed opportunity. Despite this, the film was meant to show that there are some things money can't buy. During production, Pryor was hospitalized with pneumonia, likely due to air pollution in Baton Rouge. Director Richard Donner vowed never to work in the city again, citing the poor conditions. Nevertheless, The Toy was a fast production, shot over the summer of 1982, and released in theaters on December 10th. It opened at number one at the box office, earning over $47 million on a $17 million budget. Critics weren't impressed, but the film still turned a profit.
Swamp Thing: Swamp Thing is a 1982 superhero film written and directed by Wes Craven. This is possibly one of the most unusual films from Craven's catalog. Swamp Thing follows the story from the comic better than many other superhero films at the time. The movie is about a scientist named Alec Holland, played by Ray Wise. After his lab is sabotaged, he comes into contact with an experimental plant growth formula, which results in his transformation into Swamp Thing. While Ray Wise played Alec, stuntman Dick Durock portrayed Swamp Thing.
Alice Cable, the researcher working with Alec, was played by Adrienne Barbeau. Filming occurred in Cypress Gardens, North Carolina, with a budget of about $2.5 million. Although known for his horror films, Craven's departure into superheroes was ambitious. While shot to be R-rated, the studio released a PG version in the U.S., removing much of the violence and nudity. Despite mixed reviews, it showed Craven's ability to handle a complex production. Swamp Thing's success led to a sequel, several series, and a spiritual successor in 2023.
Eating Raoul: Eating Raoul is a 1982 black comedy written, directed, and starring Paul Bartel. Bartel plays Paul, a wine snob working at a cheap winery who's married to Mary, a nurse often harassed by her patients, portrayed by Mary Woronov. They dream of starting a restaurant, and after accidentally killing a would-be attacker, they begin luring rich perverts into traps to rob them.
The film featured many recognizable faces, such as Robert Beltran and Ed Begley Jr. Made for around $500,000, it earned about $1.1 million at the box office and later became popular on cable. In 1992, it inspired an off-Broadway musical. A sequel was planned but never realized after Bartel's death in 2000.
I, The Jury: I, The Jury is a 1982 crime thriller based on a 1947 detective novel. The film introduced Mike Hammer, played by Armand Assante, a PI pursuing his friend's murderer. Screenwriter Larry Cohen began directing but was replaced by Richard T. Heffron after financial disputes. Subsequently, the film went over-budget and faced distribution challenges, yet Assante's performance received praise.
Tag: The Assassination Game: An action comedy about college students engaged in a mock assassination game that turns dangerously real. Directed by Nick Castle, the film featured performances by Robert Carradine and Linda Hamilton, with Forest Whitaker making his debut. Released in April 1982, it remains a significant entry in 1980s cinema, paving the way for modern games like Laser Tag.