8 Movie Masterpieces From the '80s That Could Never Get Made Today

Movies have reflected the culture, style, and ideas of nearly every single decade since the invention of filmmaking. Some were timeless and transcended their time period to become pinnacles of the entertainment world and are hailed as masterpieces. Others, however, reflect only the decade they came from and are nowadays considered dated or problematic. The 1980s were one such decade filled with powerful films, but we all know they would never have come out today.

In an ever-changing world, not every iconic film can be released the same way today, especially those from the 1980s. While considered one of the most influential and exciting decades in cinema history, the '80s reflected ideas and norms that just wouldn't really fly these days. Whether it's through offensive jokes or stereotypes, or even unconventional filmmaking, some of the best movies we know and love from this memorable decade would have never been approved to make in our current era. The following are eight iconic and beloved '80s flicks that best represent that time, but probably wouldn't be released today.

8 'Gremlins' (1984)

Proving that the '80s were a decade defined by creature features, Joe Dante gave this subgenre a huge boost with Gremlins, his 1984 dark comedy masterpiece that's still riding high as a cultural phenomenon. With hilarious comedy, iconic characters, memorable creature designs, and a perfect blend of genres, Gremlins truly became one of the decade's biggest standouts. So why would it not really be made today? Well, releasing Gremlins the same way wouldn't work, mainly because of how sneaky it was in tricking families into seeing it at the time.

Besides being a rewatchable classic, Gremlins is well known for its controversial violence and dark tone. When it was released, families were outraged by how heavy and even scary some of the scenes got. It was marketed as a family-friendly PG film, but had the elements of an intense horror feature. Not scary enough to warrant an R rating, but also not being well-suited for kids either, ultimately led Gremlins to become one of the reasons why the MPAA created the PG-13 rating. Dante's masterpiece is a rarity in cinema nowadays, a testament to how loose and dark kids' flicks were at the time.

7 'Fast Times at Ridgemont High' (1982)

The '80s were a time to be a comedy fan, as there were hundreds of these movies released, ranging from groundbreaking masterpieces to cult classics. One of the most legendary was Fast Times at Ridgemont High, the 1982 coming-of-age stoner comedy that represented the youthful spirit and high school culture of the time. It's been praised for its iconic lines, amusing jokes, and for launching the careers of its breakout stars, Academy Award winners Sean Penn and Nicolas Cage, and Oscar nominee Jennifer Jason Leigh. But, like with many high school comedies of the '80s, the humor here wouldn't have fit well with modern sensibilities.

From the explicit nudity and sexual humor to the heavy drug use and political incorrectness, Fast Times at Ridgemont High just wouldn't fly with how sensitive some audiences and critics are these days. In today's landscape, it's too touchy to even make high school comedies, and putting the raunchy humor and the explicit content from this film into theaters now would instantly spark controversy. Fast Times at Ridgemont High is an enjoyable classic that has its fans and will likely be enjoyed for decades to come, even though Hollywood has moved on from its type of humor.

6 'Sixteen Candles' (1984)

The late John Hughes captured the voice of a generation in the '80s. Showing the angst and pressures of growing up in high school during this time, nearly every one of his coming-of-age tales has been revered as a masterpiece. 1984's Sixteen Candles is often considered the most beloved film he's ever created, a highly quotable teen comedy about the struggles of family life and the awkward challenges of becoming an adult. It has a lot of charm, warmth, and even uproarious comedy, but it's not without a few issues.

There are some themes and tropes of high school life in this film that have since shown their age and wouldn't work well with modern viewers. And there's no mentioning the controversies with this without addressing the negative Asian stereotyping of the character Long Duk Dong (Gedde Watanabe), whose harmful depiction greatly drags this film's reputation down a lot. Though Sixteen Candles is still cherished these days, many still point out a few problems and offensive moments that can't be ignored.

5 'Heathers' (1989)

Heathers is a 1989 dark comedy cult classic that's steadily gotten more amazing with every rewatch. A brilliant mix of crime-thriller suspense and hilarious comedy, there's nothing much else like this flick, as it's now one of the best and most iconic coming-of-age films of its time. From Winona Ryder and Christian Slater's tremendous star power to the darkly unique premise, there's much to enjoy from it, but there's no looking past the fact that its portrayal of teen violence would not go well with some audiences today.

It's become touchy these days, showing violence in teen or high school movies, and Heathers is certainly not for those who are deeply troubled by this subject. It would be nearly impossible to show everything that goes on in this film in today's society, as it delves into some really heavy topics like murder and revenge. While not for everyone, Heathers is still very unique and worth watching, so long as the violence and heavy subject matter won't turn you away.

4 'Back to the Future' (1985)

There's no denying that Robert Zemeckis's Back to the Future is the ultimate sci-fi comedy of the 1980s. A legendary film with iconic characters and quotable lines, it has become ingrained in cinema history and still gets better with age. So why does it appear on this list? Well, no '80s film is perfect, and there are some notable concerns here that slightly affect its reputation.

While it's very comedic and lighthearted for the most part, it's not hard to see that the film does get a little heavy at times, with moments where a character is shown to be a peeping tom, and there's a scene with sexual assault that's never explicitly shown. And there's, of course, the fact that the incest moment between Marty (Michael J. Fox) and his young mother Lorraine (Lea Thompson) is uncomfortable and would clearly never appear in a modern film these days. Despite these issues, Back to the Future is still a masterpiece. It's just that not everything that happened in this film would work if it were made today.

3 'Airplane!' (1980)

Jim Abrahams, David Zucker, and Jerry Zucker created history with 1980's Airplane!, the spoof masterpiece that is widely considered one of the funniest comedies of all time. It's timelessly hilarious, featuring some of the most iconic and highly quotable lines ever brought to the silver screen. Its humor is truly one of a kind, and there's no denying its impact on the comedy world. Unfortunately, we'll never get a comedy such as this in today's world.

Though the comedy in this film doesn't truly cross the line, some of the jokes and stereotypes would never appear in a film today. From the "Jive Talking" scenes to Captain Oveur's (Peter Graves) uncomfortable questions to the little boy Joey (Ross Harris), these iconic moments are undeniably hilarious but might have trouble being shown in modern theaters. Despite its bold humor, Airplane! is still an incredible piece of comedy history that needs to be experienced.

2 'Once Upon a Time in America' (1984)

The influential Western filmmaker Sergio Leone created his last masterpiece with 1984's Once Upon a Time in America, a nearly four-hour-long gangster epic about the violent world of organized crime and a critique of the American dream. With flawless cinematography, expert writing, and incredible performances, it truly is one of the most compelling crime films in history. But it is a bold and shocking film, one that can deeply unnerve anyone who watches it.

Hardly any violent gangster film is without controversy, but Once Upon a Time in America ranks pretty high on the list of the most controversial for having some explicit and appalling content. It has child deaths, bloody murders, and a very graphic sex act scene, making the film very uncomfortable to watch at times. Once Upon a Time in America is hailed for its bold approach and gripping story, but it's not for everyone, and there is no chance that with some of its content, that film would ever come out these days.

1 'Come and See' (1985)

Last is arguably one of the greatest war movies ever made. Elem Klimov's Come and See is the ultimate anti-war story, a raw and powerful film that doesn't sugarcoat anything about war's destructive capabilities and is unflinching in showing violence. Set on the Easter Front of WWII, it follows a young soldier experiencing the true horror of war as he sees what the Nazis are doing to his people. There are explicit murders and war crimes depicted, and it's all made to look as realistic as possible.

It's the realism and appalling acts committed by the characters on screen that make Come and See such a controversial film. It was also a physically and emotionally taxing film shoot that took a lot out of the cast and crew to create. From filming brutal weather conditions and actual animals being killed on screen to firing live ammunition above actors' heads, they just don't make films this dangerous to create these days, and the tactics used to make it certainly would have faced opposition if anyone tried to make it now. Ultimately, Come and See takes the final spot on this list as one of the greatest masterpieces of the 1980s that would never be made today.