Great Montages of the '80s
10-29-12, 02:23 PM
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Great Montages of the '80s
I watched the Monster Squad and Rocky 3 over the weekend. Both films with excellent montages (you know quickly cut sequences set to music that usually depicts the characters learning or preparing for some battle or the characters' rise to fame). The '80s truly were the decade of the musical montage. The director of Monster Squad even says during the commentary that he regrets the montage because it dates the film so much and that ever since seeing Team America and it's funny montage song he laughs at the scene.
It got me thinking about the history of the '80s montage.
What was the first film to have one? The first Rocky might be the prototype.
What were the best montages? I nominate Ghostbusters.
And please list all the great '80s montages you can think of.
It got me thinking about the history of the '80s montage.
What was the first film to have one? The first Rocky might be the prototype.
What were the best montages? I nominate Ghostbusters.
And please list all the great '80s montages you can think of.
Last edited by Mabuse; 10-29-12 at 02:29 PM.
10-29-12, 02:37 PM
#3
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Re: Great Montages of the '80s
Rocky (1976) was definitely one of the first, although I don't know if it was THE first. I mean, if you want to get technical, you could call the ending of The Godfather (1972) a montage...but I'm not sure that's what we're looking for here.
I think my favorite Rocky montage is in the second film (1979).
I think my favorite Rocky montage is in the second film (1979).
10-29-12, 02:46 PM
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Re: Great Montages of the '80s
The montage sequence goes back to the earliest days of film.
Rocky is from the mid 70's, and is a traditional montage as opposed to the 80's variety. That type of training montage had been around long before 'Rocky'.
Don't know the first proper 80's montage in a film, but I bet I've seen it.
Rocky is from the mid 70's, and is a traditional montage as opposed to the 80's variety. That type of training montage had been around long before 'Rocky'.
Don't know the first proper 80's montage in a film, but I bet I've seen it.
10-29-12, 02:50 PM
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Re: Great Montages of the '80s
Short and sweet.
<iframe width="420" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/AuEzVfWXk20" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>
<iframe width="420" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/AuEzVfWXk20" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>
10-29-12, 03:02 PM
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Re: Great Montages of the '80s
The montage sequence goes back to the earliest days of film.
Rocky is from the mid 70's, and is a traditional montage as opposed to the 80's variety. That type of training montage had been around long before 'Rocky'.
Don't know the first proper 80's montage in a film, but I bet I've seen it.
Rocky is from the mid 70's, and is a traditional montage as opposed to the 80's variety. That type of training montage had been around long before 'Rocky'.
Don't know the first proper 80's montage in a film, but I bet I've seen it.
I don't think Rocky's montage is traditional. I can't think of any montages before Rocky that are like an '80s montage. Maybe some earlier sports films.
10-29-12, 03:05 PM
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Re: Great Montages of the '80s
Check out Super Fly, it even has a credit for the "montage" (can't remember the name) near the middle of the film, which is actually just a bunch of dissolves of various still shots set to one of Curtis Mayfield's awesome songs. Like a lot of the movie, the cheapness of the production shows here, the first time I saw it a had to smile, it was so naive.
For a great send-up of the 1980s style montage, check out Wet Hot Americal Summer; although some people hate the movie, I found its intentional mash-ups of different comic styles, from slapstick to Andy Kaufman absurdity, to be brilliant.
For a great send-up of the 1980s style montage, check out Wet Hot Americal Summer; although some people hate the movie, I found its intentional mash-ups of different comic styles, from slapstick to Andy Kaufman absurdity, to be brilliant.
10-29-12, 03:39 PM
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Re: Great Montages of the '80s
Wikipedia points out the classical predecessor of today's training montage was the "newspaper" and "train" montage. Where they show a newspaper press and the headlines come spinning out at the viewer or when they layer lots of shots of trains chugging around to depict travel.
Now the fact that the people behind 'Rocky' made countless sequels that all hinged around getting to 'Rocky's training again to the music' in every sequel certainly developed that theme to an excessive degree, but if the first Rocky film had been left as an Oscar winning standalone American classic, that impact would not have been cemented in the American consciousness. It was the repetition in the sequels that became increasingly focused on retreading aspects of the first film like 'remember how you all liked Rocky training in the first film? HERE he trains EVEN HARDER to a new song!'. It was all studio sequel and marketing crap that developed that theme, not the original film. You could say the series of sequel films influenced the 80's montage, there's no doubt about that.
10-29-12, 04:08 PM
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Re: Great Montages of the '80s
So Doctor, what was the first '80s montage? I'll admit that Rocky doesn't exactly meet every criteria to be an '80s style montage, for one thing it doesn't use a pop song, so then what film really started it?
10-29-12, 05:27 PM
#18
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Re: Great Montages of the '80s
The opening of Rocky III (1982) may have started it ("Eye of the Tiger"). Then again, Flashdance (1983) had some influence as well. These were some of the first "montage as music video" that I remember seeing on screen.
10-29-12, 05:57 PM
#19
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Re: Great Montages of the '80s
Although, technically the whole movie is a music video/montage:
<iframe width="560" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/1SUzcDUERLo" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>
<iframe width="560" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/1SUzcDUERLo" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>
10-29-12, 06:34 PM
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Re: Great Montages of the '80s
Dr Mabuse and his truncated namesake in an internet smackdown. Who shall prevail?
10-30-12, 12:53 AM
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Re: Great Montages of the '80s
Teen Wolf had at least 3 I can think of.
Others that come to mind...
Over the Top
Revenge of the Nerds
Valley Girl
Summer School
Rad
Tuff Turf
Vision Quest
Others that come to mind...
Over the Top
Revenge of the Nerds
Valley Girl
Summer School
Rad
Tuff Turf
Vision Quest
10-30-12, 11:46 AM
#24
Senior Member
Re: Great Montages of the '80s
From one of the best buddy cop movies of all time...
<iframe width="420" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/q3WJbJp0s-A?rel=0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>
Not so much a montage but still..
<iframe width="560" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/TARIHO0R2fw?rel=0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>
<iframe width="420" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/q3WJbJp0s-A?rel=0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>
Not so much a montage but still..
<iframe width="560" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/TARIHO0R2fw?rel=0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>
