Top Films of 1983: World Premieres
Top Ten by U.S. Release Date (Updated) // My 1983 Oscar Ballot (Updated)
| 1. | The Ballad of Narayama Dir. Shohei Imamura. With Ken Ogata, Sumiko Sakamoto A+ |
| 2. | Fanny and Alexander Dir. Ingmar Bergman. With Bertil Guve, Ewa Fröling, Pernilla Allwin A |
| 3. | Nostalghia Dir. Andrei Tarkovsky. With Oleg Yankovsky, Erland Josephson A |
| 4. | Silkwood Dir. Mike Nichols. With Meryl Streep, Kurt Russell, Cher, Craig T. Nelson A– |
| 5. | Videodrome Dir. David Cronenberg. With James Woods, Les Carlson, Deborah Harry A– |
| 6. | L'Argent Dir. Robert Bresson. With Christian Patey, Marc Ernest Fourneau, Bruno Lapeyre A– |
| 7. | Carmen Dir. Carlos Saura. With Antonio Gades, Laura del Sol, Paco de Lucia, Cristina Hoyos A– |
| 8. | Born in Flames Dir. Lizzie Borden. With Jean Satterfield, Honey, Flo Kennedy, Hillary Hurst A– |
| 9. | Illusions Dir. Julie Dash. With Lonette McKee, Rosanne Katon, Ned Bellamy, Jack Radar B+ |
Reviews from 1983
★ = Full-Length Review / © = Capsule-Length Review / ★ = Blog/Favorites Review (New Window)
★ Illusions Dir. Julie Dash. With Lonette McKee, Rosanne Katon, Ned Bellamy, Jack Radar B+
★ Rumble Fish Dir. Francis Ford Coppola. With Matt Dillon, Mickey Rourke, Vincent Spano B
★ Silkwood Dir. Mike Nichols. With Meryl Streep, Kurt Russell, Cher, Craig T. Nelson A–
★ Tender Mercies Dir. Bruce Beresford. With Robert Duvall, Tess Harper, Betty Buckley C–
© Zelig Dir. Woody Allen. With Woody Allen, Mia Farrow, Ellen Garrison, Stephanie Farrow B
More Grades from 1983
Unreviewed titles I have seen recently enough to grade
The Big Chill Dir. Lawrence Kasdan. With Kevin Kline, Glenn Close, Tom Berenger C–
Exposed Dir. James Toback. With Nastassja Kinski, Rudolf Nureyev, Harvey Keitel C+
Lianna Dir. John Sayles. With Linda Griffiths, Jane Hallaren, John DeVries, Jo Henderson C+
Mr. Mom Dir. Stan Dragoti. With Michael Keaton, Teri Garr, Ann Jillian, Martin Mull B
Return of the Jedi Dir. Richard Marquand. With Mark Hamill, Harrison Ford, Carrie Fisher B
Sleepaway Camp Dir. Robert Hiltzik. With Felissa Rose, Mike Kellin, Jonathan Tierston D
Something Wicked This Way Comes Dir. Jack Clayton. With Vidal Peterson, Shawn Carson B–
Terms of Endearment Dir. James L. Brooks. With Shirley MacLaine, Debra Winger B
Testament Dir. Lynne Littman. With Jane Alexander, Ross Harris, Lukas Haas, Roxana Zal C–
Also from 1983
The memories are fading, but they're somewhere in my brain
Fair
L'Homme blessé Dir. Patrice Chéreau. With Jean-Hugues Anglade, Vittorio Mezzogiorno
Feh
The Dead Zone Dir. David Cronenberg. With Christopher Walken, Brooke Adams
The Hunger Dir. Tony Scott. With Catherine Deneuve, Susan Sarandon, David Bowie
Still to Come from 1987
Gourmet Prospects:
First Name: Carmen Dir. Jean-Luc Godard. With Maruschka Detmers, Jacques Bonnaffé
The Gold Diggers Dir. Sally Potter. With Colette Laffont, Julie Christie, Hilary Westlake
The King of Comedy Dir. Martin Scorsese. With Robert De Niro, Jerry Lewis, Diahnne Abbott
Merry Christmas Mr. Lawrence Dir. Nagisa Ôshima. With David Bowie, Tom Conti
Monty Python's The Meaning of Life Dir. Terry Jones. With Graham Chapman, John Cleese
El Norte Dir. Gregory Nava. With David Villalpando, Zaide Silvia Gutiérrez, Lupe Ontiveros
The Right Stuff Dir. Philip Kaufman. With Scott Glenn, Ed Harris, Dennis Quaid, Sam Shepard
Sans soleil Dir. Chris Marker. Conceptual essay film on travel and memory in Asia and Africa
Sugar Cane Alley Dir. Euzhan Palcy. With Garry Cadenat, Darling Légitimus, Douta Seck
El Sur Dir. Victor Erice. With Omero Antonutti, Sonsoles Aranguren, Icíar Bollaín, Lola Cardona
Further Research:
À nos amours Dir. Maurice Pialat. With Sandrine Bonnaire, Maurice Pialat, Christophe Odent
All the Right Moves Dir. Michael Chapman. With Tom Cruise, Craig T. Nelson, Lea Thompson
And the Ship Sails On Dir. Federico Fellini. With Freddie Jones, Barbara Jefford, Victor Poletti
Bad Boys Dir. Rick Rosenthal. With Sean Penn, Reni Santoni, Esai Morales, Ally Sheedy
Le Bal Dir. Ettore Scola. With Étienne Guichard, Régis Bouquet, Francesco De Rosa
La Belle Captive Dir. Alain Robbe-Grillet. With Daniel Mesguich, Cyrielle Clair, Daniel Emilfork
Betrayal Dir. David Hugh Jones. With Patricia Hodge, Ben Kingsley, Jeremy Irons, Avril Elgar
The Boys from Fengkuei Dir. Hou Hsiao-hsien. With Chang Chun-fang, Chang Shih, Niu Doze
Brainstorm Dir. Douglas Trumbull. With Christopher Walken, Natalie Wood, Louise Fletcher
Breathless Dir. Jim McBride. With Richard Gere, Valérie Kaprisky, Art Metrano, John P. Ryan
Can She Bake a Cherry Pie? Dir. Henry Jaglom. With Karen Black, Michael Emil
The Case Is Closed Dir. Mrinal Sen. With Anjan Dutt, Mamata Shankar, Sreela Majumdar
Cecilia Dir. Humberto Solás. With Daisy Granados, Imanol Arias, Raquel Revuelta, Eslinda Núñez
A Christmas Story Dir. Bob Clark. With Peter Billingsley, Melinda Dillon, Darren McGavin
Confidentially Yours Dir. François Truffaut. With Jean-Louis Trintignant, Fanny Ardant
Crime and Punishment Dir. Aki Kaurismäki. With Markku Toikka, Aino Seppo, Esko Nikkari
Cross Creek Dir. Martin Ritt. With Mary Steenburgen, Rip Torn, Peter Coyote, Alfre Woodard
Daniel Dir. Sidney Lumet. With Timothy Hutton, Mandy Patinkin, Lindsay Crouse, Edward Asner
Danton Dir. Andrzej Wajda. With Gérard Depardieu, Wojciech Pszoniak, Anne Alvaro
Dark Habits Dir. Pedro Almodóvar. With Cristina Sánchez Pascual, Will More, Laura Cepeda
David Takes a Train Dir. Pál Sándor. With Péter Rudolf, Sándor Zsótér, Katalin Szerb
The Day After Dir. Nicholas Meyer. TV Movie. With Jason Robards, JoBeth Williams
The Death of Mario Ricci Dir. Claude Goretta. With Gian Maria Volonté, Magali Noël
The Dresser Dir. Peter Yates. With Albert Finney, Tom Courtenay, Edward Fox, Zena Walker
Eddie and the Cruisers Dir. Martin Davidson. With Tom Berenger, Michael Paré, Joe Pantoliano
The Eighties Dir. Chantal Akerman. With Magali Noël, Aischa Bentebouche, Katherine Best
Entre Nous Dir. Diane Kurys. With Isabelle Huppert, Miou-Miou, Guy Marchand, Patrick Bauchau
Eréndira Dir. Ruy Guerra. With Irene Papas, Claudia Ohana, Michael Lonsdale, Oliver Wehe
Eureka Dir. Nicolas Roeg. With Gene Hackman, Theresa Russell, Rutger Hauer, Jane Lapotaire
Family Relations Dir. Nikita Mikhalkov. With Nonna Mordyukova, Svetlana Kryuchkova
Fire and Ice Dir. Ralph Bakshi. Animated. Voices of Randy Norton, Cynthia Leake, Steve Sandor
Flashdance Dir. Adrian Lyne. With Jennifer Beals, Michael Nouri, Lilia Skala, Sunny Johnson
The Fourth Man Dir. Paul Verhoeven. With Jeroen Krabbé, Renée Soutendijk, Thom Hoffman
Frida Kahlo and Tina Modotti Dirs. Laura Mulvey & Peter Wollen. Experimental documentary
Gabriela Dir. Bruno Barreto. With Sonia Braga, Marcello Mastroianni, Antonio Cantafora
Gorky Park Dir. Michael Apted. With William Hurt, Lee Marvin, Brian Dennehy, Ian Bannen
Hanna K. Dir. Costa-Gavras. With Jill Clayburgh, Jean Yanne, Gabriel Byrne, Mohammed Bakri
Heart Like a Wheel Dir. Jonathan Kaplan. With Bonnie Bedelia, Beau Bridges, Bruce Barlow
The Last Battle Dir. Luc Besson. With Pierre Jolivet, Jean Bouise, Fritz Wepper, Jean Reno
The Last Pullman Car No Director Credited. Documentary about rail industry labor strike
Life Is a Bed of Roses Dir. Alain Resnais. With Vittorio Gassman, Ruggero Raimondi, Fanny Ardant
Local Hero Dir. Bill Forsyth. With Burt Lancaster, Peter Riegert, Fulton Mackay, Denis Lawson
The Lords of Discipline Dir. Franc Roddam. With David Keith, Robert Prosky, G.D. Spradlin
The Makioka Sisters Dir. Kon Ichikawa. With Keiko Kishi, Yoshiko Sakuma, Sayuri Noshinaga
Man of Flowers Dir. Paul Cox. With Norman Kaye, Alyson Best, Chris Haywood, Sarah Walker
The Man Who Loved Women Dir. Blake Edwards. With Burt Reynolds, Julie Andrews
The Man with Two Brains Dir. Carl Reiner. With Steve Martin, Kathleen Turner, David Warner
Miss Lonelyhearts Dir. Michael Dinner. TV Movie. With Eric Roberts, Arthur Hill, Conchata Ferrell
The Moon in the Gutter Dir. Jean-Jacques Beineix. With Gérard Depardieu, Nastassja Kinski
My Brother's Wedding Dir. Charles Burnett. With Everett Silas, Jessie Holmes, Gaye Shannon-Burnett
National Lampoon's Vacation Dir. Harold Ramis. With Chevy Chase, Beverly D'Angelo
Never Cry Wolf Dir. Carroll Ballard. With Charles Martin Smith, Brian Dennehy, Zachary Ittimangnaq
Never Say Never Again Dir. Irvin Kershner. With Sean Connery, Kim Basinger, Klaus Maria Brandauer
Octopussy Dir. John Glen. With Roger Moore, Maud Adams, Louis Jourdan, Kristina Wayborn
One Dealdy Summer Dir. Jean Becker. With Isabelle Adjani, Alain Souchon, Suzanne Flon
The Outsiders Dir. Francis Ford Coppola. With C. Thomas Howell, Matt Dillon, Ralph Macchio
Parsifal Dir. Hans-Jürgen Syberberg. With Armin Jordan, Martin Sperr, Robert Lloyd
Pauline at the Beach Dir. Eric Rohmer. With Amanda Langlet, Arielle Dombasle, Pascal Greggory
The Power of Emotion Dir. Alexander Kluge. With Hannelore Hoger, Alexander Kluge
Psycho II Dir. Richard Franklin. With Anthony Perkins, Vera Miles, Meg Tilly, Rogert Loggia
Reuben, Reuben Dir. Robert Ellis Miller. With Tom Conti, Roberts Blossom, Kelly McGillis
Risky Business Dir. Paul Brickman. With Tom Cruise, Rebecca De Mornay, Joe Pantoliano
Scarface Dir. Brian De Palma. With Al Pacino, Steven Bauer, Michelle Pfeiffer, Robert Loggia
Sheer Madness Dir. Margarethe von Trotta. With Hanna Schygulla, Angela Winkler, Peter Striebeck
Star 80 Dir. Bob Fosse. With Mariel Hemingway, Eric Roberts, Cliff Robertson, Carroll Baker
The Story of Piera Dir. Marco Ferreri. With Isabelle Huppert, Hanna Schygulla, Marcello Mastroianni
Streamers Dir. Robert Altman. With Matthew Modine, David Alan Grier, Mitchell Lichtenstein
The Terence Davies Trilogy Dir. Terence Davies. With Philip Mawdsley, Nick Stringer, Valerie Lilley
Three Crowns of the Sailor Dir. Raul Ruiz. With Jean-Bernard Guillard, Philippe Deplanche
To Be or Not To Be Dir. Alan Johnson. With Mel Brooks, Christopher Lloyd, Anne Bancroft
Trading Places Dir. John Landis. With Eddie Murphy, Dan Aykroyd, Denholm Elliott, Don Ameche
Twilight Zone: The Movie Dirs. John Landis, Steven Spielberg, Joe Dante, and George Miller
Under Fire Dir. Roger Spottiswoode. With Nick Nolte, Ed Harris, Gene Hackman, Joanna Cassidy
Valley Girl Dir. Martha Coolidge. With Nicolas Cage, Deborah Foreman, Elizabeth Daily
Variety Dir. Bette Gordon. With Sandy McLeod, Will Patton, Richard Davidson, Luis Guzmán
The Wall Dir. Yilmaz Güney. With Tuncel Kurtiz, Ayse Emel Mesci Kuray, Malik Berrichi
WarGames Dir. John Badham. With Matthew Broderick, Ally Sheedy, Dabney Coleman, John Wood
Yentl Dir. Barbra Streisand. With Barbra Streisand, Mandy Patinkin, Amy Irving, Steven Hill
Zu: Warriors from the Magic Mountain Dir. Tsui Hark. With Yuen Biao, Mang Hoi, Adam Cheng
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