Puppets In Disguise
Look: I want to live in a world where it’s perfectly normal that bears and frogs and pigs and whatevers are walking around and talking and no one thinks it’s weird, especially since they’re made of felt and plastic. But I really want to live in a world where they can dress up as humans and all the actual humans are like, “Seems legit!”
[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ksBE53CIT8E]
Misplaced Musical Numbers
Why did they randomly start rapping in Teen Witch? Who cares, it’s amazing. (And don’t forget about the Babysitting Blues.)
[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bwwk9__2qIM]
Summer Camp
On the one hand, you have Meatballs and Poison Ivy, proving that summer camp could be wacky and fun. On the other hand, there’s Friday the 13th and Sleepaway Camp. (Don’t forget about that other classic ’80s movie trope: transphobia.)
[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9Mkl9rtttog]
Martial Arts Competitions Held in Anonymous Asian Countries
To be fair, Bloodsport, the most obvious example to use this plot device, takes place in Hong Kong. But do not discount the hilariously awful Gymkata, which follows an Olympic gymnast who acts as a spy in the fictional country of Parmistan, where a deadly martial arts game (conveniently called “The Game”) takes place. Sure.
[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nR_WJ-SjctM]
Body-Switching
Freaky Fridaying is a classic cinematic device, but it got super ’80s with Vice Versa starring Judge Reinhold and Fred Savage.
[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zGibIaY7MSY]
Cross-Dressing
Way before Mrs. Doubtfire, there was the preposterous Just One of the Guys, where a high school journalist sets out to prove that she can overcome her sexist peers and, well, never mind the message, because she eventually shows her boobs, obviously. Think of it as a Victor/Victoria for horny teens.
[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u6hDf5cCUJw]
Creepy Animatronic Animals
Ewoks may have stolen our hearts, but they also paved the way for Howard the Duck. George Lucas, you have so much to answer for.
[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ow9cLss8HXE]
Bullies
The ’80s really were just a decade-long It Gets Better video starring Anthony Michael Hall. Seriously, the bullying was really severe back then!