‘80s comedies were of a different breed than the comedies of today, and many of them still elicit a healthy amount of laughter. But for every joke that lands, there are several that don’t. Though some of the movies on this list were a product of their time, there are still moments that make us cringe when we look at them through the lens of today.
We’re not trying to point fingers and say we would make these films any differently if given the opportunity, but it’s safe to say that it’s healthy to acknowledge the cringe moments that tell us we’ve come a very long way as moviegoers, and people. So bust out your stylized guide on what kind of behavior you shouldn’t be emulating with this top 10 list of cringe moments from ‘80s comedies.
10No Holds Barred (1989) - Dookie Scene
1989’sNo Holds Barredis an entire cringe-fest from start to finish, but we’ve got to give it a little bit of leeway considering that it’s a WWF movie. But when we say that professional wrestling is cringe by nature, we say it with love, because that’s where most of the charm comes from. In this film, Hulk Hogan’s Rip character rips the door straight off of a car after being kidnapped by a bunch of network goons who want to use his name in their programming.
After ripping off the car door, he yanks the driver out, and starts to “Hulk up,” before quizzically sniffing, and asking “What’s that smell?” But he doesn’t have to wonder for long, because the camerawork reveals that the driver pooped his pants out of fear, and admits that the smell is “dookie.” Listen, we’re not above toilet humor, but this scene really didn’t add anything to the movie other than a healthy dose of cringe.
Related:10 Quintessential Comedy Movies from the 80s You Have to Watch at Least Once
9Leonard Part 6 (1987) - Suggestive Bill Cosby Dialogue
There’s nothing positive that we can really say about Bill Cosby at this point in time, and as the lawsuits and allegations keep rolling in, it’s safe to say that this sentiment will hold true for years to come. But back in the day,Bill Cosby was “America’s Dad,”and he was an unstoppable force of nature during the ’80s on the sitcom front. So when he tried writingLeonard Part 6, an action comedy spy movie that he has since disavowed, it was quickly apparent that he should probably just stick to network television.
While the entirety ofLeonard Part 6was an exercise in poorly executed one-liners, and even worse action sequences, there is one exchange in particular that is extremely problematic considering what we know about Bill Cosby’s off-screen behavior. When it’s revealed that the titular character was separated from his wife, it’s not the separation that causes us to cringe, but the reason why they were separated. In an exchange with his butler, Frayn, Leonard states that he was caught naked in a sauna with a 19-year-old who he was swatting with birch leaves.
ThoughLeonard Part 6is considered by many to be one of the worst movies ever made, it’s safe to say that this one singular exchange did not age well at all.
8The Ice Pirates (1984) - Space Herpes
The Ice Pirateswas a comedic space opera with R-rated content despite its PG rating. In many ways, this film is what you would get if you combinedSpaceballswithPorky’s, but fell flat on the comedic front by leaning into its own jokes just a little too hard. On its own,The Ice Piratescould have been a solidStar Warsparody, and the production was quite good considering the film’s $9 million budget, but the writing wasn’t enough to make this movie a success because its attempts at shock humor ultimately overshadowed the storytelling.
The most notable instance of failed shock humor was when their ship became infested with “space herpes.” Not only were the recurring visuals of said space herpes absolutely disgusting, but the sound design increased the “yuck” element of this movie by a factor of 10. If there was a well-thought-out resolution to this infestation, it could have landed, but unfortunately, there was not, so it didn’t.
7Hot to Trot (1988) - Casual Homophobia
1988’sHot to Trot, starring Bobcat Goldthwait and John Candy, is an equestrian tale that is clearly inferior toSeabiscuit.This movie has a plot as perplexing as its $9 million dollar budget, and centers around Goldthwait’s Fred Chaney, who takes financial advice from a talking horse named Don (John Candy) in his efforts to run the stockbrokerage firm that he recently inherited from his deceased mother.
Throughout the film, we learn that Don can speak several different animal languages, and even talk to the ghost of his father, who has been reincarnated in the form of a seahorse. If what we have already mentioned enough hasn’t made you properly cringe at this point, then we need to talk about the brief exchange that Don has with a “thoroughbred” horse he meets in passing, in which Don calls him the “F-word” without hesitation. If you Google the script, this passing piece of dialogue is not written because it was likely adlibbed, but when you listen to the audio, it makes you wonder if this was left in the final cut by accident, or if the writers actually thought it was funny.
6Howard the Duck (1986) - Implied Sex Scene Between Human and Duck
Howard the Duckwas an animatronic fever dream that crawled soWho Framed Roger Rabbitcould run. That is to say, the animation juxtaposed with live-action was actually kind of cool, and it was clear that George Lucas was onto something with the VFX provided by hisIndustrial Light & Magic Company. But as cool asHoward the Ducklooked with its cutting-edge production, the part that makes us cringe is the romantic through line involving the film’s titular character, and his romantic interest, Beverly Switzler.
The cringe inHoward the Duckcomes in the form of sexual tension that is peppered throughout the film, but comes to a head when Howard and Beverly get into bed with each other. Though we never see them actually commit the act of sexual intercourse during the scene in question, it’s obvious that it was considered by the writers at some point. And given the film’s ending, it’s safe to say that an off-screen romance did occur, just not on the silver screen.
5Raising Arizona (1987) - Diaper Robbery Scene
So far on this cringe list, we’ve talked about the jokes that have been made in poor taste that make us suck on our teeth and think to ourselves, “There’s no way they actually committed this atrocity on film.” We wanted to quickly talk aboutRaising Arizonabecause not all cringe is bad. In fact, of all the movies on this list,Raising Arizonaholds up surprisingly well, and proves to us that theCoen Brothers know how to tell an amazing story, no matter how absurd.
The scene we want to talk about is the convenience store robbery scene in which H.I. McDunnough (Nicolas Cage) holds up the clerk at gunpoint, so he could support Nathan Junior, the infant he and Edwina kidnapped from Nathan Arizona. McDunnough flees the scene of the crime, ready to count his cash, but quickly remembers that he needs to procure diapers.
So what does he do? He runs back into the store, pantyhose still on his head, and snags a pack of Huggies before running for his life. At this point, the clerk is brandishing a shotgun, and ready to take him out. Legendary scenes like this remind us of why we watch movies in the first place, because given McDunnough’s characterization up to this point inRaising Arizona,it’s believable. But we cringe because he could have easily gone anywhere else but the scene of the crime to grab some diapers.
4Grease 2 (1982) - Bunker Scene
Grease 2is a film that is rife with sexual innuendo, and considering that most of the lead actors are well into their 30s despite the fact that they’re portrayinghigh school studentsis enough reason to dismiss this film entirely. But believe it or not, this was a common practice in the ’80s and ’90s, so we can’t really blame a movie for being a product of its time. Given the sexual nature ofGrease 2,however, there are some glaring problems that we need to highlight.
The scene in question is what we’ll refer to as the “bunker scene,” in which Louis locks himself inside a bunker with Sharon, his love interest. He’s hoping to go all the way with her, but she’s reluctant to oblige, to say the least. So what does Louis do? In the typicalGreasefashion, he busts out into song and dance, singing “Let’s Do It for Our Country.” It’s also worth mentioning that his buddies are hanging around outside the bunker, so they can listen in on the potential sexual escapades. In other words, we have entrapment, coercion, and eavesdropping in this scene, and it’s not a good look.
3Revenge of the Nerds (1984) - Talent Show
Revenge of the Nerdsis considered by many to be an iconic ‘80s raunchy college movie, and in many ways it is. But despite its adoration, certain aspects of this movie are totally cringe worthy, and make us glad that the ‘80s are long behind us. In order to win the Greek Games, and the respect of the university, the nerds bust out the big guns at the talent show with a musical number that utilizes their technological expertise.
Through the fog machines, and the computerized music, we see Poindexter, donning liberty spikes, playing a blistering electric violin solo, and they immediately win the crowd over. But in hindsight, this scene is almosttoo‘80s for the ‘80s. It comes off as if the writers threw a dart atRockers Teen Magazineand said, “This is what people think are cool,” before shooting the scene. But we’re willing to give this scene a pass becauseRevenge of the Nerdswas both a commercial and a critical success.
Maybe we’re being just a little bit cynical with this entry, but in 2023, we wonder if this scene could have been dialed back just a little bit in an effort to make the film a little more timeless.
Related:Best College Movies of All Time, Ranked
2Big (1988) - Fraternizing in the Office
Listen, we’re not denying thatBigis a timeless classic, but we have to talk about the romance between Josh and Susan for a second. Knowing thatTom Hanks’ Josh is actually a 13-year-old living in a grownup’s body, it’s hard to ignore the fact that he and Susan are forming an adult relationship. Considering that Susan doesn’t know Josh is actually a kid, we’re willing to give a little bit of leniency here, but at the end of the day, we have to acknowledge that this particular office romance is just a little bit uncomfortable.
1Porky’s (1981) - Shower Peeping
We think it goes without saying that you need to respect a woman’s privacy, andPorky’sviolates this unspoken law of the universe in a predatory way. Not only do Tommy, Billy, and Pee Wee spy on several girls when they’re showering, Tommy eventually exposes himself to the girls, which is a crime. We know that the 1980s were a different time, and thatPorky’sis a raunchy college film, but validating this kind of behavior tells young audiences that this is the appropriate way to act when you go off to college.
Luckily for the naked co-eds, coach Beulah Balbricker is nearby, and she teaches Tommy an important life lesson by giving him a hearty tug that will hopefully make him think twice about peeping on unsuspecting women again.
