Ahh, the 80s. There will never be another cinematic era as indulgent, as sexy, as red-hot, and utterly badass as the decade of oiled biceps and barrel-chested Americana that gave birth to some of cinema’s greatest hits.
In our new JoBlo series, Loving the 80s (which you can watch embedded above), we explore deep into the Betamax crates and dig up what made Hollywood stars like Sylvester Stallone, Arnold Schwarzenegger, and Jean-Claude Van Damme (and many others) into genre icons that, to this day, have yet to be superseded.
What Is Loving the 80s?
The 80s weren’t just a decade… they were a statement. A time of bigger heroes, louder explosions, and movies that didn’t just entertain: they defined an era. From muscle-bound icons and unforgettable villains to the neon-soaked worlds and practical spectacle that made it all feel real, this was cinema at its most unapologetic. Across this 10-episode limited series, we dive into the action, the stars, and the cultural moments that turned the 80s into the golden age of larger-than-life filmmaking. So whether you grew up on these movies or you’re discovering them for the first time… this is your way back.
Why 80s Action Heroes Changed Cinema
Now, if the 70s was the era of gritty, ground-level anti-heroes like Travis Bickle or The Warriors, the 80s is where movies shifted toward aspirational, larger-than-life heroes—the kind that defined action cinema for decades.
This was the era of Cold War paranoia, a masculinity crisis, and Reagan-era power fantasies that leaned into high-octane escapism. Audiences weren’t looking for realism anymore—they wanted myths. Walking, talking American myths.
The Holy Trinity
This episode digs into perhaps the most classic rivalry in modern Hollywood history – Stallone vs Schwarzenegger, but adds in a third element: JCVD. While Stallone was mastering the recipe of the 80s training montage, Arnold was defining Hollywood hard-body standards, and Van Damme was perfecting the often-imitated split kick pose. And in this episode, we’re breaking down exactly how these Mount Rushmore action heroes became legends.
Keep Watching
So check out the episode above and get ready for the next episode (which drops in two weeks) where we’re going to talk about the second wave of action heroes in 80s cinema with actors like Chuck Norris, Dolph Lundgren, and Michael Dudikoff.
The side of 80s cinema saw lower budgets but higher imagination and ushered in the “working class” underbelly of the decade.
Let us know what you think of our new series in the comments – and long live the 80s!
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