There’s a reason we keep coming back to everything ’80s. It wasn’t just a decade, it was a “blockbuster” decade. Literally.
Before the mid-’70s, summer movies weren’t really a thing. Studios hadn’t yet figured out what a blockbuster season looked like. Then Jaws (buuuh-dum… buuuh-dum…) hit in ’75 and Spielberg (king of the blockbusters) helped crack the code, and George Lucas’Star Warssent the summer movie season into hyperspace in ’77.
And if you think about it, a lot of your favorite ’80s movies (Stand By Me, The Goonies) take place during summer… not exactly a coincidence.
The ’80s Changed How We Watched Movies Forever
Iconic ’80s Freeze Frames
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And then came home video. ’80s kids who were used to waiting for their favorite movies to show up on TV (that was a special event!) could suddenly rent — or even buy — their favorite movies, now able to watch their favorite scenes, pause to make popcorn, or even gander at a particularly salacious moment frozen in time (*cough* Fast Times at Ridgemont High *cough*).
We had way too much fun pulling together our music quiz, “Can You Name These ’80s Music Videos From One Frame?”, that it only made sense to give 1980s movies the same treatment. Did you guess the image at the top of this article? In case you’re wondering — it’s E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial. Let’s see how you do with the rest.
QUIZ: Can You Identify These Awesome ’80s Movies From Just a Single Freeze-Frame?
From a stranded alien trying to phone home to a group of kids on a treasure hunt, see how many of these iconic ’80s blockbusters you can recognize from a single freeze frame.
Gallery Credit: Stephen Lenz
Ready for Round Two? Guess These 1980s Music Videos From One Freeze Frame
How well do you really remember the music videos that defined the ’80s? We’ve grabbed a single freeze-frame from 11 of the decade’s most iconic videos. Scroll slowly and see how many you can name before peeking at the answers.
Gallery Credit: Stephen Lenz