1980s

Explore 532 quotes from the 1980s

We're especially not going to tolerate these attacks from outlaw states run by the strangest collection of misfits, looney tunes, and squalid criminals since the advent of the Third Reich.

Ronald Reagan

More information about this quote

Topic

Terrorism Cold War

Speaker

Ronald Reagan

Medium

Speech

Genre

Political speech

Language

English

Time

1985 1980s 20th century

Authentication Score 2

Citation

Reagan, Ronald. Annual Convention of the American Bar Association. 8 July 1985, Constitution Hall, Washington, DC, USA.

Smoking... Kills you, and if you are killed, you have lost a very important part of your life.

Brooke Shields

More information about this quote

Topic

Smoking Nature of death

Speaker

Brooke Shields

Medium

Congressional hearing

Language

English

Time

1981 1980s 20th century

Authentication Score 3

Citation

Shields, Brooke. Testimony at House of Representatives hearings on cigarette advertising. House of Representatives meeting. 25 June 1981, US Capitol Building, Washington, DC, USA.

We talked into the night. The kind of talk that seemed important until you discover girls.

Stand By Me

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Topic

Talking

Speaker

The Writer

Actor

Richard Dreyfuss

Source

Stand By Me

Medium

Film

Genre

Coming of age (film) Coming of age

Language

English

Time

1986 1980s 20th century

Authentication Score 3

Citation

Stand By Me. Directed by Rob Reiner, Act III Productions, 1986.

Right now, everything is great, everyone is happy, everyone is in love, and that's wonderful. But you gotta know that sooner or later you're gonna be screaming at each other about who's gonna get this dish. This eight dollar dish will cost you a thousand dollars in phone calls to the legal firm of that's-mine-this-is-yours.

When Harry Met Sally…

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Topic

Broken relationships

Speaker

Harry Burns

Actor

Billy Crystal

Source

When Harry Met Sally…

Medium

Film

Genre

Romantic comedy (film) Comedy (film) Romantic comedy Comedy

Language

English

Time

1989 1980s 20th century

Authentication Score 3

Citation

When Harry Met Sally... Directed by Rob Reiner, Nelson Entertainment/Castle Rock Entertainment, 1989.

It happens sometimes. Friends come in and out of your life, like busboys in a restaurant.

Stand By Me

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Topic

Friends

Speaker

The Writer

Actor

Richard Dreyfuss

Source

Stand By Me

Medium

Film

Genre

Coming of age (film) Coming of age

Language

English

Time

1986 1980s 20th century

Authentication Score 3

Citation

Stand By Me. Directed by Rob Reiner, Act III Productions, 1986.

The deadliest weapon in the world is a Marine and his rifle. It is your killer instinct which must be harnessed if you expect to survive in combat. Your rifle is only a tool. It is a hard heart that kills. If your killer instincts are not clean and strong you will hesitate at the moment of truth. You will not kill. You will become dead marines and then you will be in a world of shit because marines are not allowed to die without permission. Do you maggots understand?

Gunnery Sargent Hartman

Full Metal Jacket

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Topic

Marines The military

Speaker

Gunnery Sargent Hartman

Actor

Ronald Lee Ermey

Source

Full Metal Jacket

Medium

Film

Genre

War (film) War

Language

English

Time

1987 1980s 20th century

Authentication Score 3

Citation

Full Metal Jacket. Directed by Stanley Kubrick, Natant/Harrier Films, 1987.

Maybe we both realized that growing up doesn’t have to be so much a straight line as a series of advances and retreats.

The Wonder Years

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Topic

Growing up

Speaker

Narrator (Adult Kevin Arnold)

Actor

Daniel Stern

Source

The Wonder Years

Medium

TV program

Genre

Coming of age (TV) Comedy (TV) Coming of age Comedy

Language

English

Time

1988 1980s 20th century

Authentication Score 3

Citation

"Swingers." The Wonder Years, written by Neal Marlens and Carol Black, directed by Carol Black and Neal Marlens, season 1, episode 2, The Black/Marlens Company and New World Television, 1988.

We plunged into the cornucopia quivering with desire and the ecstasy of unbridled avarice.

Ralphie Parker

A Christmas Story

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Topic

Christmas presents Christmas

Speaker

Ralphie Parker

Actor

Peter Billingsley

Source

A Christmas Story

Medium

Film

Genre

Christmas movie Comedy (film) Christmas Comedy

Language

English

Time

1983 1980s 20th century

Authentication Score 3

Citation

A Christmas Story. Directed by Bob Clark, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, 1983.

In a way, all of us has an El Guapo to face someday. For some, shyness might be their El Guapo. For others, a lack of education might be their El Guapo. For us, El Guapo is a big, dangerous guy who wants to kill us. But as sure as my name is Lucky Day, the people of Santa Poco can conquer their own personal El Guapo, who also happens to be the actual El Guapo!

Three Amigos!

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Topic

Facing one's fears Personal growth

Speaker

Lucky Day

Actor

Steve Martin

Source

Three Amigos!

Medium

Film

Genre

Comedy (film) Western (film) Comedy Western

Language

English

Time

1986 1980s 20th century

Authentication Score 3

Citation

Three Amigos. Directed by John Landis, Orion Pictures, 1986.

Growth for the sake of growth is the ideology of the cancer cell.

Edward Abbey

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Read Arizona: How Big is Big Enough? at hkhinc.com

More information about this quote

Topic

Economic growth Consumerism Environmental destruction Capitalism

Author

Edward Abbey

Source

Arizona: How Big is Big Enough?

Medium

Essay

Language

English

Time

1984 1980s 20th century

Authentication Score 3

Citation

Abbey, Edward. "Arizona - How Big is Big Enough?" One Life at a Time, Please. Henry Holt and Company, 1988.

Men and women can't be friends because the sex part always gets in the way.

Billy Crystal

When Harry Met Sally…

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Topic

Gender relations Friendship between men and women Sex

Speaker

Harry Burns

Actor

Billy Crystal

Source

When Harry Met Sally…

Medium

Film

Genre

Romantic comedy (film) Comedy (film) Romantic comedy Comedy

Language

English

Time

1989 1980s 20th century

Authentication Score 3

Citation

When Harry Met Sally... Directed by Rob Reiner, Nelson Entertainment/Castle Rock Entertainment, 1989.

Today, you people are no longer maggots. Today, you are Marines. You're part of a brotherhood. From now on until the day you die, wherever you are, every Marine is your brother. Most of you will go to Vietnam. Some of you will not come back. But always remember this, marines die. That's what we're here for. But the Marine Corps lives forever and that means you live forever.

Gunnery Sargent Hartman

Full Metal Jacket

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Topic

Marines The military Individual vs. the collective

Speaker

Gunnery Sargent Hartman

Actor

Ronald Lee Ermey

Source

Full Metal Jacket

Medium

Film

Genre

War (film) War

Language

English

Time

1987 1980s 20th century

Authentication Score 3

Citation

Full Metal Jacket. Directed by Stanley Kubrick, Natant/Harrier Films, 1987.

Surprised, Eddie? If I woke up tomorrow with my head sewn to the carpet, I wouldn’t be more surprised than I am right now.

National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation

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More information about this quote

Topic

Surprise

Speaker

Clark Griswold

Actor

Chevy Chase

Source

National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation

Medium

Film

Genre

Christmas (film) Comedy (film) Christmas Comedy

Language

English

Time

1989 1980s 20th century

Authentication Score 3

Citation

National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation. Directed by Jeremiah S. Chechik, Hughes Entertainment, 1989.

You're on a roll, kid. Enjoy it while it lasts, 'cause it never does.

Wall Street

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Topic

On a roll

Speaker

Lou Mannheim

Actor

Hal Holbrook

Source

Wall Street

Medium

Film

Genre

Drama (film) Drama

Language

English

Time

1987 1980s 20th century

Authentication Score 3

Citation

Wall Street. Directed by Oliver Stone, American Entertainment Partners/American Films, 1987.

You can't be serious!

John McEnroe

To a line judge at Wimbledon.

More information about this quote

Topic

Incredulity

Speaker

John McEnroe

Language

English

Time

1981 1980s 20th century

Authentication Score 3

Citation

McEnroe, John. Quoted in N.Y. Post. 22 June 1981. Originally a comment to empire at Wimbledon tennis tournament. 22 June 1981, London, England, UK.

Your father...was seduced by the Dark Side of the Force. He ceased to be Anakin Skywalker and became Darth Vader. When that happened, the good man who was your father was destroyed.

Obi-Wan Kenobi

Star Wars Episode VI: Return of the Jedi

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Topic

Temptation of evil The Dark Side

Speaker

Obi-Wan Kenobi

Actor

Alec Guinness

Source

Star Wars Episode VI: Return of the Jedi

Medium

Film

Genre

Epic (film) Science fiction (film) Epic Science fiction

Language

English

Time

1983 1980s 20th century

Authentication Score 3

Citation

Star Wars: Episode VI - Return of the Jedi. Directed by Richard Marquand, Lucasfilm Ltd., 1983.

Learning does not consist only of knowing what we must or we can do, but also of knowing what we could do and perhaps should not do.

Umberto Eco

The Name of the Rose

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Topic

Learning Wisdom

Speaker

William

Author

Umberto Eco

Source

The Name of the Rose

Medium

Novel

Language

Italian

Time

1980 1980s 20th century

Authentication Score 3

Original Citation

Eco, Umberto. Il nome della rosa [The Name of the Rose]. Bompiani, 1980.

Current Citation

Eco, Humberto. The Name of the Rose, translated by William Weaver. HarperVia, 2014.

War was always here. Before man was, war waited for him. The ultimate trade awaiting its ultimate practitioner.

Cormac McCarthy

Blood Meridian; or The Evening Redness in the West

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Topic

Man and war War

Author

Cormac McCarthy

Source

Blood Meridian; or The Evening Redness in the West

Medium

Novel

Genre

Western literature

Language

English

Time

1985 1980s 20th century

Authentication Score 3

Citation

McCarthy, Cormac. Blood Meridian; or The Evening Redness in the West. Random House, 1985, ch. 17.

You fell victim to one of the classic blunders, the most famous is, ‘Never get involved in a land war in Asia’ but only slightly less well-known is this: ‘Never go in against a Sicilian when death is on the line!’

The Princess Bride

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Topic

Vietnam War

Speaker

Vizzini

Actor

Wallace Shawn

Source

The Princess Bride

Medium

Film

Genre

Comedy (film) Fantasy (film) Comedy Fantasy

Language

English

Time

1987 1980s 20th century

Authentication Score 3

Citation

The Princess Bride. Directed by Rob Reiner, Act III Communications/Buttercup Films/The Princess Bride Ltd., 1987.

Leadership means making people feel good.

Jean Chrétien

More information about this quote

Topic

Leadership

Speaker

Jean Chrétien

Source

Toronto Star

Medium

Interview

Language

English

Time

1984 1980s 20th century

Authentication Score 1

Citation

Chretien, Jean. Interview. Toronto Star, 7 June 1984.