Let’s Talk Cinema: The 1980s

Alright, time to hop in the DeLorean and set it for 1980. It has been a while since we got to discuss the decades, and finally, now that the funeral of this year’s Oscars is dead and gone, we can turn our attention back to something more fun!

The decade of the ’80s, in terms of Oscars, gave us many questionable choices in winners that I would say haven’t stood the test of time, sort of like this year. But it is always important to remember that every opinion on any film is subjective, no matter how much we criticize and disagree with it. Every year of the Oscars has people who disagree with the choices. There is always someone who disagrees—ALWAYS.

One of my favorite activities we do when discussing the decades is “Rewrite the Oscars.” I think it is my favorite, actually, because it is fun to see how different our tastes are and how different films and performances resonate with each other. So let’s cut the chit chat and get down to rewriting the Oscar winners of the 1980s. We are doing Best Picture, Director, Screenplay, and Acting. Also remember, you are choosing who you would have chosen to win out of the nominees—do not choose winners that weren’t nominated.

Jerm’s Rewrite the Oscars: The 1980s

1980:
Picture – Ordinary People
Director – Robert Redford, Ordinary People
Actor – Robert De Niro, Raging Bull
Actress – Mary Tyler Moore, Ordinary People
Supporting Actress – Eileen Brennan, Private Benjamin
Supporting Actor – Timothy Hutton, Ordinary People
Adapted Screenplay – Ordinary People
Original Screenplay – Private Benjamin

1981:
Picture – Reds
Director – Warren Beatty, Reds
Actor – Dudley Moore, Arthur
Actress – Marsha Mason, Only When I Laugh
Supporting Actress – Joan Hackett, Only When I Laugh
Supporting Actor – John Gielgud, Arthur (terrible choices here)
Adapted Screenplay – On Golden Pond
Original Screenplay – Arthur

1982:
Picture – The Verdict
Director – Sidney Lumet, The Verdict
Actor – Paul Newman, The Verdict
Actress – Meryl Streep, Sophie’s Choice
Supporting Actress – Terri Garr, Tootsie
Supporting Actor – James Mason, The Verdict
Adapted Screenplay – The Verdict
Original Screenplay – Tootsie

1983:
Picture – Terms of Endearment
Director – James L. Brooks, Terms of Endearment
Actor – Robert Duvall, Tender Mercies
Actress – Shirley MacLaine, Terms of Endearment
Supporting Actress – Linda Hunt, A Year of Living Dangerously
Supporting Actor – Jack Nicholson, Terms of Endearment
Adapted Screenplay – Terms of Endearment
Original Screenplay – Tender Mercies

1984:
Picture – Amadeus
Director – Miloš Forman, Amadeus
Actor – F. Murray Abraham, Amadeus
Actress – Sally Field, Places in the Heart
Supporting Actress – Lindsay Crouse, Places in the Heart
Supporting Actor – Haing S. Ngor, The Killing Fields
Adapted Screenplay – Amadeus
Original Screenplay – Places in the Heart

1985:
Picture – The Color Purple
Director – Sydney Pollack, Out of Africa
Actor – Harrison Ford, Witness
Actress – Whoopi Goldberg, The Color Purple
Supporting Actress – Oprah Winfrey, The Color Purple
Supporting Actor – This one is hard, I don’t like any of the choices
Adapted Screenplay – The Color Purple
Original Screenplay – Back to the Future

1986:
Picture – Platoon
Director – Oliver Stone, Platoon
Actor – Bob Hoskins, Mona Lisa
Actress – Sigourney Weaver, Aliens
Supporting Actress – Maggie Smith, A Room with a View
Supporting Actor – Willem Dafoe, Platoon
Adapted Screenplay – A Room with a View
Original Screenplay – Hannah and Her Sisters

1987:
Picture – Moonstruck
Director – Norman Jewison, Moonstruck
Actor – Robin Williams, Good Morning, Vietnam
Actress – Cher, Moonstruck
Supporting Actress – Olympia Dukakis, Moonstruck
Supporting Actor – Vincent Gardenia, Moonstruck
Adapted Screenplay – Fatal Attraction
Original Screenplay – Moonstruck

1988:
Picture – Mississippi Burning
Director – Alan Parker, Mississippi Burning
Actor – Dustin Hoffman, Rain Man
Actress – Glenn Close, Dangerous Liaisons or Jodie Foster, The Accused (both worthy)
Supporting Actress – Michelle Pfeiffer, Dangerous Liaisons
Supporting Actor – Kevin Kline, A Fish Called Wanda
Adapted Screenplay – Dangerous Liaisons
Original Screenplay – Big

1989:
Picture – Dead Poets Society
Director – Peter Weir, Dead Poets Society
Actor – Daniel Day-Lewis, My Left Foot
Actress – Michelle Pfeiffer, The Fabulous Baker Boys
Supporting Actress – Brenda Fricker, My Left Foot
Supporting Actor – Denzel Washington, Glory
Adapted Screenplay – Field of Dreams
Original Screenplay – Dead Poets Society

Now it is your turn. Do your best, or worst, whatever you decide. Have fun!

Be kind, be respectful, and of course…Let’s Talk Cinema!

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By: Jeremy Jentzen
Title: Let’s Talk Cinema: The 1980s
Sourced From: www.awardsdaily.com/2026/03/25/lets-talk-cinema-the-1980s/
Published Date: Wed, 25 Mar 2026 04:06:46 +0000