80's Draft: Discussion - Page 2

These first three picks are exactly what will make this draft so interesting. Good show, gents. (And thanks for not taking my #1 yet. Which I'll leave to Strax. Cause he's an asshole like that.)

Me. But it would be like top 5 for the decade for me and I do legitimately love it.

Evil Dead 2 is essentially a glossy remake of a gritty gory cheap DIY horror flick conceived at the end of the 70's. It's motto is more more more. Wretched excess with a shiny new coat that found it's audience on home video.
Is there a better example of the entirety of cinema in the 80's?
I think not.

With the Chosen, I'm going to do a line for the studio in addition to drafter, year, round, etc. I thought it might be fun, especially with the 80s being "triumph of the studios" and all, as well as the adolescence of the indie era. I'll do the best research I can, but if I make a mistake, let me know.

Useless fact I learned from Wikipedia: Evil Dead II was written while Raimi was living with the Coens, Frances McDormand, Kathy Bates, and Holly Hunter.

So far, so predictable. Not that they're not good picks, but I can't foresee any shocks until day 2. Maybe even round 2.

SITCOM!

I almost went with the idea of eschewing the big names and just going with 10 films that define the decade for me, so I totally dig going with Evil Dead 2.

I figured most people would be battling for the same titles, so my list is going in the complete opposite direction. Last draft I was bumping heads with Kirby. I'm definitely interested to see where Dre and Strax go, though I suspect they'll be mostly foreign films.

Well, they have to at least have had a theatrical release in the US, so that somewhat limits the options. Although yeah, I'm looking forward to just how over the map this will go.

I'm going to sound dumb again but having never played this what exactly is the criteria for who has the best draft and what not. Considering I'm last group day two it probably won't matter much in my case but I thought i would ask.

There's not really a "best" draft. It's all subjective. As the drafts take shape people begin to talk about and champion their favorite drafts to that point, then at the end we keep doing the same thing.

Of course, I had the best 70's draft, but that's beside the point.

Not really, there are dozens of foreign films released in the US each year. Even if they didn't hit wide release, a showing in NY or LA counts in this draft, but I can name a handful of foreign films that are worthy of my list right now.

It's whatever you want it to be. It can be a best of list, a favorites list, a theme list, whatever. Often though, your list will be shaped by what others have already drafted. And while some people will chose films in order of rank (eg., they pick their #1 choice first), I often consider which films I absolutely have to grab now or else someone else may snag it vs. which films I may prefer better but will be able to slide through to later rounds. Of course, it sucks when you wait on something and someone picks it. All in all, it's just a fun game of defend your choices in the discussion thread and smack talk everyone else.

The problem is that the US release date of 4 of my 5 foreign picks is outside the timeframe. If it's like that for me, I can't imagine where Dre and Strax will go with that.

Sounds like the right game-plan, I guess.

I'm going for a collection of films that capture the times; what they meant. And make for an interesting festival. (The overall tone will depend on whether my thematic top choice is available)

So next time slot is up now and no Kevin yet.

A technical question: Do we stick to the custom of just going on? Or do you people wanna wait for Kevin?

I went, but I doubt my choice will fuck up anyone's shit.

I picked Blow Out because, for me, it's the best (American) film of the ‘80s, so I couldn’t just let it slip away. Blow Out, I’d argue, is De Palma’s true masterpiece, his finest testament to Hitchcock. One of De Palma’s main problems is that sometimes his technical ostentation overshadows his plot and characters. Sure, the set pieces are grand, but the sum of their parts feels oddly hollow. But in Blow Out, Travolta is playing the quintessential Hitchcock protagonist, the man who knows too much against the world. This recognizable plight, in addition to De Palma’s refined camerawork, combine to form not just a textbook guide on how to shoot suspense but an entertaining, human thriller. While it’s not a pick that most people would think to make so early, it’s also quintessentially ‘80s: a genre movie at heart, it transcends its trappings due to an auteur’s deft hand (re: Raiders of the Lost Ark, The Thing, Evil Dead 2). And its thematic trappings of genre, conspiracy, and urban paranoia would echo all American films of the decade.

I think it's a fantastic film and worthy of any draft, but now I'm curious to see what else you have; my guess is BO would've made it to the middle rounds.

Personally, I was just worried that someone like Dre would grab it before I got to my 2nd pick. Drafting so early puts me in an odd position, because while I get one of the first picks, my next pick doesn't come for awhile. By then a lot of the underrated (yet undeniable) films will be gone.

From here on out, I'll pick the best films I feel are available at the time. Maybe I'll draft to theme, which is pretty easy in my case. We'll see, I didn't really prepare a list.

Brazil going so fast is great.

Sorry for the lateness, but work got around my neck. That said, I'm fairly envious of all the picks so far. I love the Evil Dead 2 pick.

Blow Out is a worthy choice, probably my favorite De Palma. You took a stand, grabbed some overlooked greatness. Kudos, fine pick.

Ahh, Brazil. Can´t do anything wrong with Brazil.

And Blow Out is a fantastic movie but I would have thought that it lasts longer. But I can understand your reasoning. Your theme will be interesting to shape up though Anthony.

Trust me, Strax and I were talking about grabbing Blow Out yesterday. When he sees that, he'll blow a gasket. I've got three top choices remaining, though my guess is Diva will take one. Of all people.

Brazil was my first choice. But I knew it wouldn't make it to tomorrow.

I've got a second choice that was almost my first choice, ready to bust out. God, I hope it makes it.

Titsticks!

Seriously....damn. But, still, great pick. The best in fact.


Cackburgers.

Though my other 4 remain....*for now*.

BLOW OUT was a really awesome choice. No way it should fall out of the top twenty.

Wish I could like BRAZIL.

Blow Out was certainly in my top ten. Best choice so far.

Brazil is another fine selection, though there's always something about Gilliam that makes me admire more than love.

Raiders gives Spielberg back to back first selections. I'd say Jaws was a better first pick, though... even in the stronger decade.

The first three picks are like a shotgun enema to my top 10 list. Fucking hell, folks. Stop reading my mind.

I agree, I feel like this makes me a short bus riding film lover. I "enjoyed" the film and appreciate the production value and what not but I just can't get that into it.

Though anybody who hasn´t at least one of those in his top ten for this draft is highly suspicious and I consider them a terrorist.

I feel like I should say that I'm not taking the BLOW OUT pick to task. Great film and great pick.

Anyway, so far my top picks are safe *knock on wood*

There went my third choice. I have a feeling my top 2 will go today.

You guys are just lucky I'm not in here snatching up Jean Claude Van-oh..

Am I allowed in here?
Blow Out is a really under-appreciated gem. Nice to see others agree. I'm not as amazed to see Evil Dead 2 and Brazil go so soon, but still surprised. Great choices all around.

I'm mad I didn't sign up for this now. I always say "Next time I will" when the drafts are concerned, then I never do. Well, next time I will.

Brazil was my "head" option for my first pick. Agonized over it all morning. It's a fantastic, visionary film, but it doesn't hold the place in my heart Raiders does.

Blow Out could be considered to be the Gary Cole of this draft round.

Hey, fuck you again for stealing Cole you bastard!

Hey, just proving Americna superiority over our neighbors to the north.

Looks like the "Day 1"ers of this draft are the "Day 2"ers of the last draft, if you get my drift. Pick it up, people!

So without giving away my pick, I have a question about which websites to trust regarding release dates. My top choice has differing dates on wikipedia and imdb.

Yeah Jonathan, it seems to me as well that some people just did not realize it starts today looking at the people drafting and posting in this thread.

Next slot is right around the corner. (Though I secretly and hideously hope most people will forget so I can sneak in my pick tomorrow morning...)

From what I remember from last draft IMDb was fair game and considered legit. Does one validate your pick while the other invalidates it? That would suck since you have about 15 minutes till your slot comes up.

Yeah and IMDB doesn't.

Edit: Fuck it, I'm gonna go with it. If Kirby disqualifies it, so be it.

I've had some release date issues as well. Not just the winter of '89 releases, but a few that apparently never got a stateside release in any decade, let alone the 80's.

Next time, baby.