The 1980s were, without a doubt,one of the best decades for cinema, witnessing the production of multiple iconic classics that audiences today continue to love. Of the many things that make these films so memorable, their fun and well-written characters are perhaps among the most important elements.When a character is distinctive enough, it usually guarantees that the movie they’re in will be unforgettable.
The ’80s had many characters that nowadays are staples of pop culture. From bulletproof action heroes, like the always-cool John McClane fromDie Hard, to more nuanced characters based on real-life figures, likeAntonio SalierifromAmadeus, these figures defined the decade for years to come. For a broad variety of reasons, these are legendary characters from equally popular movies, earning a place in pop culture and cementing their legacies as icons of the medium.
10John McClane (Bruce Willis)
‘Die Hard’ (1988)
It’s hard to believe thatDie HardwasBruce Willis’s first action movie. It’s far and awayhis best role in the genre, playing an NYPD cop who, on a trip to reconcile with his estranged wife at her LA office, sees his plans upset when the whole building is taken by terrorists. Unexpectedly, he becomes the hostages' last line of defense.
Willis is exceptional as John McClane, the wisecracking cop who single-handedly takes down a dangerous group of terrorists. Funny, charming, and endlessly badass,McClane is an amazing character not because he’s indestructible but because he takes hits and gets hurtyet still finds the strength within himself to get back up and do the right thing. He also served as the archetype for many future one-against-many characters, setting the stage for a new wave of action movies where the average man took center stage.
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9Doctor Emmett Brown (Christopher Lloyd)
‘Back to the Future’ (1985), ‘Back to the Future Part II’ (1989)
InBack to the Future, a high school student is accidentally sent thirty years into the past in a time machine invented by his close friend, the eccentric Doc Brown. A staple of ’80s cinema,Back to the Futureand its first sequel are elevated way beyond their simple premise thanks to taut scripts and great directing byRobert Zemeckis.
Thanks to its memorable ensemble of fun characters,Back to the Futureis remembered asone of the best trilogies of all time.Michael J. Fox’s Marty McFly is an entertaining protagonist with a well-written arc, but it’s arguablyChristopher Lloyd’s Emmett Brown that has left the larger impact on pop culture. Over the course of the first two movies in the series,Doc proves to be a massively funny and entertaining character with compelling motivations and a fun personality. His eccentric yet endearing personality redefined the “mad scientist” trope and ensured him a place in the pantheon of great screen characters.
Back to the Future
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8Sarah Connor (Linda Hamilton)
‘The Terminator’ (1984)
In one of the best instances of a director making a sophomore film infinitely better than their debut,James CameronmadeThe Terminatora sci-fi thriller for the ages. In it, a soldier from 2029 is sent to 1984 to stop an indestructible killing cyborg, which has been programmed to execute a young woman named Sarah Connor, whose unborn child is the key to humanity’s salvation.
Though it would be in 1991’sTerminator 2: Judgment Daythat Sarah would truly cement her place as one of themost iconic action movie heroines, that doesn’t mean that she’s any less of a badass in the original. The film sees the beginning of her arc from a vulnerable would-be victim of fate to an unstoppable action heroine. Watching that journey unfold is one of the many pleasures that come from watchingThe Terminator, and it’s all thanks to Hamilton’s fascinating portrayal.The Terminatormight feature Sarah at her most vulnerable, but Hamilton’s performance keeps her engaging and inspiring, showing hints of the hero she would eventually become.
The Terminator
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7Rick Deckard (Harrison Ford)
‘Blade Runner’ (1982)
Based on a seminal novel by popular sci-fi authorPhilip K. Dick,Blade Runneris about a cop who must pursue and terminate four androids who stole a ship in space and have returned to Earth to find their creator. Though there are multiple different versions of the movie, one thing is constant among all of them:Harrison Ford’s Rick Deckard is a thrilling character.
It’s largely thanks to Deckard’s mysterious nature and engaging philosophical inner conflicts thatBlade Runneris one ofHarrison Ford’s best movies. Though silent and stoic, constantly going through inner dissertations on the morality of his profession,Deckard also has a compelling arc where he learns empathy for all beingsand comes to recontextualize what human nature itself means. It’s an incisive and deeply interiorized performance that makes excellent use of Ford’s best qualities as an actor. Deckard is a badass action hero, but Ford plays him with a palpable and brooding sense of melancholia that makes him all the more interesting.
Blade Runner
6Ellen Ripley (Sigourney Weaver)
‘Aliens’ (1986)
Seven years after the release ofRidley Scott’s classicAlien,James Cameronmade its first sequel,Aliens. Just like the former is remembered as one of the greatest horror movies of all time, so too is the second one often praised as one ofthe best action thrillers ever. StarringSigourney Weaveras heroine Ellen Ripley,Alienssees her trying to re-establish contact with a terraforming colony, where she finds herself thrown in the middle of a battle against the Alien Queen and her offspring.
InAlien, Ripley was by far the coolest and most interesting of the Nostromo crew, making her survival at the end of the movie deeply satisfying. The sequel ups the ante in every aspect, demanding an even stronger protagonist, and Weaver is more than up to the challenge. With poise and energy,Weaver makes Ripley a true force to be reckoned with, handing out iconic one-liners and leading tense action sequences like a pro. Quite possibly the first modern action female hero, Ripley comes to her own inAliens, creating a timeless icon of the silver screen.
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5Lord Hidetora Ichimonji (Tatsuya Nakadai)
‘Ran’ (1985)
The filmography ofAkira Kurosawa, without a doubtthe greatest Japanese directorwho has ever worked on the Seventh Art, is full of interesting characters. One of the most fascinating is Lord Hidetora, the protagonist ofRan, a period drama inspired by Shakespeare’sKing Lear, where an old warlord retires and hands over his empire to his sons, vastly underestimating how much power will corrupt them and cause them to turn on their family.
Though Kurosawa’s masterpiece certainly draws a lot from the Bard’s work,it ultimately feels like an original work through and through, and Hidetora’s characterization benefits from it greatly. The incredibleTatsuya Nakadaiplays him as an old man full of guilt and regret, watching in horror as the chaos of his creation unfolds without him being able to do anything to control it.Tragic and compelling, morally deplorable yet easy to empathize with, Hidetora is a strong contender for the best character of Kurosawa’s films.
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4Indiana Jones (Harrison Ford)
‘Raiders of the Lost Ark’ (1981), ‘Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom’ (1984), ‘Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade’ (1989)
Though the final two films in the series aremuch more contentious, the originalIndiana Jonestrilogy is probably the most iconic of the ’80s. From the pure sense of adventurous thrill ofRaiders of the Lost Arkto the terrifying and sinister atmosphere ofTemple of Doomto the pulpy charm ofThe Last Crusade,Steven Spielberg’s trilogy has come to define the modern adventure genre.
The titular archaeologist, played by the ever-charming Harrison Ford, is one of the most entertaining action heroes in movie history.Indiana Jones is cool, adaptable, and capable, but also has moments of insecurity, pain, and loss. This vulnerability raises the stakes and makes his adventures a joy to watch, making him a surprisingly relatable figure despite his larger-than-life prowess. More than any other character, Indiana Jones is synonymous with Harrison Ford, becoming a staple of modern cinema and a beloved hero who everyone can root for.
Raiders of the Lost Ark
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3Antonio Salieri (F. Murray Abraham)
‘Amadeus’ (1984)
One ofthe best biopics of all time,Amadeussees an older Antonio Saliericonfined to a mental asylum as he tells the story of his peer and secret rival, the genius musicianWolfgang Amadeus Mozart. Though Mozart himself is an excellently written character in his own right, it’s Salieri, with all the jealousy and resentment boiling inside him, that stands out as the heart and soul ofAmadeus.
F. Murray Abrahamwon an Oscar for his portrayal of Salieri, and deservedly so.He imbues the character with layer upon layer of subtext and complex motivations, making him as much of a complicated villain as a fascinating co-protagonist. He’s petty and hateful, but there’s a riveting complexity to his insecurities and fears that perfectly captures the all-too-relatable feelings of envy and frustration. It’s becauseAmadeusis told through his point of view that the film is able to stand out among all other biopics of its kind.
2Jake LaMotta (Robert De Niro)
‘Raging Bull’ (1980)
Martin Scorsesehas made plenty of biopics throughout his career, but none are as incredible as what some might call the best work of his career:Raging Bull. The film chronicles the life of boxerJake LaMottaand how the bad temper that led him to the top in the ring also destroyed his life outside of it.
Raging Bullis one of thoseclassics that just get better with age, largely thanks to how wonderfully written LaMotta is. Played perfectly byRobert De Niroin what’s not only the best performance of his career but unarguably one of the best of all time,LaMotta is a deeply riveting character. Watching him self-destruct due to his inability to control the anger and violence inside him is some really poignant and tragic stuff, yet De Niro keeps audiences transfixed with his tour de force work. In his hands, LaMotta is a monster, but a far more complicated and nuanced one, a testament to De Niro’s deeply humane performance.
Raging Bull
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1Darth Vader (James Earl Jones)
‘Star Wars: Episode V - The Empire Strikes Back’ (1980), ‘Star Wars: Episode VI - Return of the Jedi’ (1983)
Though he originated in 1977’sStar Wars(now also known asEpisode IV - A New Hope), the bulk of Darth Vader’s complex character arc took place in its two ’80s sequels,The Empire Strikes BackandReturn of the Jedi. It was these films that made him one ofthe best movie villains of all time, the main driving force behind the narrative of not just the original trilogy but the entire Skywalker Saga.
What makes Vader so interesting is that, aside from being mysterious, imposing, and threatening, he’s far from a static villain. His motivations change as the story progresses, as does everything he believes in. With one of the most compelling redemption arcs in the history of cinema,Vader is a character that’s absolutely unforgettable—very likely the most iconic in all of film. With his instantly striking image, menacing breathing, and evasive persona, Darth Vader is the most iconic character from the ’80s and a memorable depiction of complex villainy.
