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The Best Movies of 1983

Originally by Ranker Community

Updated September 4, 2020 11.3k votes 691 voters 17.7k views

List RulesOnly movies released in theaters in 1983.

A list of the best movies of 1983, from highly anticipated sequels like "Return of the Jedi" to instant classics like "A Christmas Story." The '80s were a decade where Hollywood thrived. In were new stars and big blockbusters, and 1983 was no exception. Some the best movies of this year are some of the best teen, coming of age, adventure, comedies, and dramas in history. The films on here are very memorable and had audiences on the edges of their seats, and still pack a punch so many years after they were first released. You shouldn't be too surprised by the movies listed on this list of the top 1983 films.

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Vacation
Chevy Chase, Christie Brinkley
Released: 1983
Directed by: Harold Ramis
National Lampoon's Vacation, sometimes referred to as Vacation, is a 1983 Technicolor comedy... more
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307
105
Scarface
Al Pacino, Michelle Pfeiffer
Released: 1983
Directed by: Brian De Palma
Scarface is a 1983 American crime drama film directed by Brian De Palma, and a remake of the... more
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235
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Trading Places
Eddie Murphy, Jamie Lee Curtis
Released: 1983
Directed by: John Landis
Trading Places is a 1983 American comedy film directed by John Landis, starring Dan Aykroyd... more
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A Christmas Story
Darren McGavin, Melinda Dillon
Released: 1983
Directed by: Bob Clark
A Christmas Story is a 1983 American Christmas comedy film based on the short stories and... more
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Star Wars: Episode VI - Return of the Jedi
Harrison Ford, Carrie Fisher
Released: 1983
Directed by: Richard Marquand
Star Wars: Episode VI - Return of the Jedi is a 1983 American epic space opera film directed... more
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219
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Mr. Mom
Michael Keaton, Christopher Lloyd
Released: 1983
Directed by: Stan Dragoti
Mr. Mom is a 1983 American comedy film directed by Stan Dragoti and written by John Hughes... more
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180
50
Twilight Zone: The Movie
Dan Aykroyd, John Lithgow
Released: 1983
Directed by: Steven Spielberg, George Miller, John Landis, Joe Dante
Twilight Zone: The Movie is a 1983 American anthology science-fiction fantasy horror film... more
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WarGames
Matthew Broderick, William H. Macy
Released: 1983
Directed by: John Badham
WarGames is a 1983 American science-fiction film written by Lawrence Lasker and Walter F.... more
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145
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The Outsiders
Tom Cruise, Nicolas Cage
Released: 1983
Directed by: Francis Ford Coppola
The Outsiders is a 1983 American drama film directed by Francis Ford Coppola, an adaptation of... more
10
183
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Risky Business
Tom Cruise, Megan Mullally
Released: 1983
Directed by: Paul Brickman
Risky Business is a 1983 American romantic comedy film written by Paul Brickman in his... more
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157
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The Dead Zone
Christopher Walken, Martin Sheen
Released: 1983
Directed by: David Cronenberg
This film is a 1983 American horror thriller film directed by David Cronenberg. The screenplay... more
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12
156
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Easy Money
Joe Pesci, Jennifer Jason Leigh
Released: 1983
Directed by: James Signorelli
Easy Money is a 1983 comedy film starring Rodney Dangerfield, Joe Pesci, Geraldine Fitzgerald,... more
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13
109
49
The Right Stuff
Jeff Goldblum, Ed Harris
Released: 1983
Directed by: Philip Kaufman
The Right Stuff is a 1983 American drama film that was adapted from Tom Wolfe's best-selling... more
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163
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Flashdance
Jennifer Beals, Lee Ving
Released: 1983
Directed by: Adrian Lyne
Flashdance is a 1983 American romantic drama film directed by Adrian Lyne. It was the first... more
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114
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Monty Python's The Meaning of Life
John Cleese, Terry Gilliam
Released: 1983
Directed by: Terry Gilliam
Monty Python's The Meaning of Life, also known as The Meaning of Life, is a 1983 British... more
16
122
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Christine
Kelly Preston, Alexandra Paul
Released: 1983
Directed by: John Carpenter
Christine is a 1983 American horror thriller film directed by John Carpenter and starring... more
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82
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Tender Mercies
Robert Duvall, Ellen Barkin
Released: 1983
Directed by: Bruce Beresford
Tender Mercies is a 1983 American drama film directed by Bruce Beresford. The screenplay by... more
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Blue Thunder
Malcolm McDowell, Roy Scheider
Released: 1983
Directed by: John Badham
Blue Thunder is a 1983 action thriller film that features a high-tech helicopter of the same... more
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113
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Never Say Never Again
Sean Connery, Kim Basinger
Released: 1983
Directed by: Irvin Kershner
Never Say Never Again is a 1983 spy film based on the James Bond novel Thunderball, which was... more
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Psycho II
Anthony Perkins, Dennis Franz
Released: 1983
Directed by: Richard Franklin
Psycho II is a 1983 American psychological horror slasher film directed by Richard Franklin... more
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Star 80
Mariel Hemingway, Eric Roberts
Released: 1983
Directed by: Bob Fosse
Star 80 is a 1983 American film about the true story of Playboy Playmate of the Year Dorothy... more
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92
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Terms of Endearment
Jack Nicholson, Danny DeVito
Released: 1983
Directed by: James L. Brooks
Terms of Endearment is a 1983 comedy-drama film adapted from the novel of the same name by... more
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Silkwood
Meryl Streep, Cher
Released: 1983
Directed by: Mike Nichols
Silkwood is a 1983 American drama film directed by Mike Nichols. The screenplay by Nora Ephron... more
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Strange Brew
Max von Sydow, Rick Moranis
Released: 1983
Directed by: Rick Moranis, Dave Thomas
Strange Brew is a 1983 Canadian comedy film starring the popular SCTV characters Bob and Doug... more
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The Man with Two Brains
Steve Martin, Kathleen Turner
Released: 1983
Directed by: Carl Reiner
The Man with Two Brains is a 1983 American science fiction comedy film directed by Carl Reiner... more
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Blue Thunder