A Reel 40: June of 1984

This month marks the 40^th anniversary of four classic films released in June of 1984. 

 

Beaming in first would be the third feature film in the STAR TREK franchise: STAR TREK III: THE SEARCH FOR SPOCK. Serving as the second part of a three-film arc that began with the towering WRATH OF KHAN (1982), THE SEARCH FOR SPOCK would pick up the pieces with the surviving crew of the famed Starship Enterprise setting out on a dangerous, off-the-grid mission to save their friends. Directed by Leonard Nimoy, THE SEARCH FOR SPOCK would reunite the famed Enterprise crew, along with Christopher Lloyd and John Larroquette as two Klingon bastards. The magnificent score would be provided by the late great James Horner. On release, THE SEARCH FOR SPOCK would be a hit with critics, and would finish as the ninth-highest grossing film of the year. 

 

Busting in theatres just a week later was the born-to-be-classic GHOSTBUSTERS. Directed by Ivan Reitman and sporting the iconic cast of Bill Murray, Harold Ramis, Dan Aykroyd, Sigourney Weaver, Rick Moranis, Ernie Hudson, and Annie Potts, GHOSTBUSTERS would be a critical and financial hit, finishing as the highest grossing film of the year and earning two Oscar nominations; including Best Original Song for Ray Parker, Jr. 

 

Hatching in the same week as GHOSTBUSTERS was GREMLINS. Directed by Joe Dante, GREMLINS followed young Billy who receives a strange yet cute creature as a pet, only to have it reproduce into thousands of terrible gremlins who unleash hell on the town. Produced during a time when combining comedy and horror was popular, GREMLINS would finish as the fourth-highest grossing film of the year, and would win Best Horror Film at the Saturn Awards. 

 

Kicking in next would be THE KARATE KID. Directed by John G. Avildsen, KARATE KID followed a young Daniel (Ralph Macchio), who moves to a new California town and befriends Mr. Miyagi (Pat Morita), who teaches him karate to help defend himself against a karate-school full of bullies. Based on the autobiography of screenwriter Robert Mark Kamen, THE KARATE KID would finish as the fifth-highest grossing film of the year, and Pat Morita would be nominated for Best Supporting Actor. 

 

Also releasing in this month would be Sergio Leone’s ONCE UPON A TIME IN AMERICA, Walter Hill’s STREETS OF FIRE, the spy-comedy TOP SECRET!, the Tom Hanks sex-comedy BACHELOR PARTY, along with THE CANNONBALL RUN II, and CONAN THE DESTROYER. 

 

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In recent years, this Blogger has written several times about the release strategies of studios today (even pre-pandemic), where films are released weeks apart. Compared to today, June of 1984 is an amazing month to look at, when we had four…four goddamn films that were destined to become classics releasing within weeks of each other. STAR TREK III was an emotional blast, GHOSTBUSTERS and THE KARATE KID would become cultural icons, and GREMLINS, which despite not lasting long as a franchise, is still fondly remembered today. This was a huge month; it busted, it kicked, it grew...and it was one to remember.