a recent bout of insomnia found me plopped in front of the tv watching– for the first time– purple rain, the 1984 musicama (dramsical?) starring our little purple prince. as i said, i couldn’t sleep, there wasn’t much else on, and i was inspired by symbolina’s halftime appearance at the super bowl. besides, it seems like a seminal film for my generation, and i’d never seen it. while mildly entertaining, let me assure you: it didn’t hold up well.

but i then started thinking… 1984 was 23 years ago. i was eight. that was before miami vice pastels, before kid and play’s flat tops, before color me badd and their funny-looking suits, before 90210 and brandon’s v-neck sweaters. would any movie from 1984 really stand up?

let’s look at the top 10 from that year:

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