Best Films of the 80's

Genre Noir Publisher Taschen External Links Taschen Site

There are, at times in history when all forms of Art contain a certain recognizable unity. However the 80's did not fit this mould. I cannot think of a time period where there was more contrast. The juxtaposition between film and music alone was of a monumental proportion. In Taschen's new release Best Films of the 80's, one is immediately struck by the diversity displayed in this synopsis. This may be a result of many factors. Maybe it's just the massive palette of films explored in the book. Or maybe the music was just plain bad.

What we have here is an almost definitive encyclopedia of one decade of expression through the medium of film. The book is full of facts, lush pictures from all types of movies and the necessary tools to discover the movies we all may know and those we do not. Each film is represented with an almost mug shot analytical diagram. The plethora of photos from the scenes in the movies alone is enough merit to buy the book. The writing is at times objective and at others isn't. This only adds to the enjoyment and interest of the reading. Even though this book represents a time that has passed, it is put together in a way that is hip and enticing.

One moment I'm reading about cheesy looking action packed superstar Kurt Russell pumped up in Escape From New York and the next moment it's some Arty film noir tragic romance movie from Italy. Well, you get the point. And you always know the batting stats of each film involved. This includes the year, the length, and many other appreciated idiosyncratic details that would definitely be overlooked by your average moviegoer. Let us not forget the man at the reigns of this project Jurgen Muller who has achieved not only putting together a decade of artistic creation in film, but allows us more knowledge of cinema in doing so.