Very few things stand the test of time – specifically when it comes to film. Movies are a lot like technology: they’re representative of a specific era or paradigm. If you didn’t live through it, it can be tough to appreciate .
Such is the case for the following moments from classic ’80s films.
At one time, these movies were revered. Nowadays, it’s tough to view them as anything other than pure nostalgia .
Every time Long Duk Dong is on the screen in *Sixteen Candles*.
Not only does the character happen to boast one of the most racist names in the history of cinema, but every time his name is said – a gong is rung.
Mick Dundee’s incredibly offensive homophobic introduction in *Crocodile Dundee*.
Mick Dundee reaches out and grabs the private parts of a female impersonator to see whether or not they are in fact a man.
It’s disgusting to think about how this was once considered humorous.
The entire premise that a stay-at-home dad is somehow shocking in *Mr. Mom*.
The name kind of says it all. What’s even funnier is that at the time, this movie was actually considered to be trail-blazing.
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Now, it’s just nothing more than a reminder of how far we’ve come.
Bill and Ted’s blatant homophobia in *Bill And Ted’s Excellent Adventure*.
Like I said earlier, a lot can change in the span of only a decade. I still remember when the other ‘f-word’ was uttered largely without care or concern.
Hearing it come out of Bill and Ted’s mouths just makes them sound…stupid.
When Dean convinces Joanna that they’re married after she suffers amnesia in *Overboard*.
As if the act of kidnapping wasn’t horrible enough. But Dean’s only rationale for doing it in the first place is so that Joanna will take care of his kids and cook his meals!
What a caveman.
Sex slaves aren’t funny in *Coming To America*.
I still firmly believe that Coming to America is a film worth watching. By no means do I claim that its perfect or without fault.
Akeem’s servants are a great example of what I’m talking about. While they might have got a good laugh at the time, nowadays – it’s just creepy.
Brian bringing a gun to school in *The Breakfast Club*
You sure can tell that this movie was made pre-Columbine.
If Brian had tried to pull that nowadays, he’d have either been killed or locked up for the rest of his life.
The idea that might makes right in *Back To The Future*.
Let’s not forget that Biff was mere moments away from sexually assaulting Lorraine in a parked car. If it weren’t for George, who knows what would have happened.
But is that the act that won her over? No. It was watching George knock Biff out with one punch.
When Lewis tricks Betty into sleeping with him in *Revenge Of The Nerds*.
This is not a joke. In fact, it’s a felony charge and more than likely a few years worth of jail time.
I never understood why this movie was so popular. It makes men everywhere look bad.
An unforgettable dinner in *Indiana Jones And The Temple Of Doom*.
The treatment of Indian people in this film is atrocious.
Every single person of color is reduced to some dark-skinned Disney villain, utterly helpless or deprived of thought entirely.
Howard and Beverley get way to close for comfort in *Howard The Duck*.
I bet you never knew that one of the first Marvel movies ever made was none other than Howard the Duck .
This entire film is pretty painful but nothing compares to watching a sex scene unfold between the very human Beverly and the astonishingly alien Howard.
Every time Chris is mistaken for a Playboy centerfold in *Adventures In Babysitting*.
Don’t forget, Chris is only seventeen in the movie.
The fact that she has a gaggle of gross older men asking whether or not they’ve actually seen her naked is disgusting.
The entire concept of *Soul Man*.
In case you haven’t seen the film, let me summarize it for you:
A rich affluent white kid paints himself in blackface in order to trick his college of choice into giving him a scholarship only reserved for Black students.
No, I’m not kidding.
Venkman trying to seduce his female student in *Ghostbusters*.
Yes, I’ll admit it: watching Venkman shock the male student every time he gets the question wrong is funny.
But when you really start breaking down his motivations for doing so, it paints Venkman as a pretty heavy predator.
Bender harassing Claire in *The Breakfast Club*.
It’s tough to imagine a time when this entire scene WASN’T creepy to people watching it.
If Bender would ask a woman whether or not she was a virgin nowadays, he’d be liable to get his teeth knocked out.
