The best year for sci-fi and fantasy movies?
The year that home video gave second life to films that otherwise would have flopped?
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Another factor new to the movie business in 1982 was the emergence of home video.
Cat Peopleis a remake of French-American director Jacques Tourniers uniquely offbeat 1942 cult movie of the same name.
Similar to its source material,Cat Peopleis closer in nature to fantasy than horror.
The initial and subsequent home video releases more than tripledConan The Barbarians theatrical revenues.
It was one of the very first movies ever to make more money on video than in movie theatres.
Just that alone makesConan The Barbarianseminal to not just the genre, but to the movie industry in general.
The movie is still regarded today as a benchmark achievement in the action movie genre.
Horror elements involving and aimed at kids are not common in these kinds of movies.
Usually scary movies are aimed at frightening one specific audience to the exclusion of all others.
Its evidence of the increasingly savvy marketing transformation that Hollywood went through in the 80s.
And, yes, for those of you wondering, that was Ricardos real chest in the movie.
Star Trek IIalso made a big mark on the home video front in a different way.
Copies of the movie were swept off video stores shelves in unprecedented numbers.
ETis one of Spielbergs best crafted films.
It also contains Spielbergs most unapologetic embrace of child-like optimism to date.
While perhaps not enjoying cult status,ETstill undeniably remains a beloved childhood film for an entire generation.
Perhaps more than any other film sinceStar Wars,ETcemented SF/fantasy has a majorly lucrative box office genre.
Well, George Lucas, he aint.
The film opened to disappointing box office and almost universally bad reviews.
It over-simplified or over-explained or even misinterpreted many ofBlade Runners more subtle narrative and thematic elements.
And lets not even get into the tacked-on studio-imposed happy ending.
It gaveBlade Runnera much more suitable introduction to a new generation of fans.
Some of these scenes of tension inThe Thingare very well directed.
It also dates back to a time of a pre-The Dude Jeff Bridges.
For a Disney movie, thats practically a subversive statement about religion.
The story and very nature of the fantasy world are founded on the struggle between good and evil.
The film tells the story of the quest to restore the natural balance between the two.
Such high concepts may account for The Dark Crystals disappointing box office numbers back in 82.
Whatever the case, 1982 was one damned impressive year for the SF/fantasy genre.
