Whilst doing a spot of channel surfing the other day, I found myself lured into the 80s classic
Teen Wolf, and I had forgotten just how much I love the so-cheesy-its good basketball montage at the end. It struck me that, even now, theres something so satisfying about seeing a character that were really rooting for overcoming some kind of adversity, or solving a problem, set to the soundtrack of a dodgy power ballad/synth track. So, without further ado, here are five of my favourite montages of the 80s. Prepare to be roused!
1- Teen Wolf
To fill you in, if youre not aware,
Michael J. Foxs character, Scott, has up until now been Wolfing Out which ironically means that not only does he become cool and all the popular kids like him, it also makes him an ace basketball player in the process (kind of like a hairy Michael Jordan). Set to the rousing and unsubtle Win In the End, Scott has realised that the best tactic to deservedly beat the nasty rival school is by working together as a team, without the Wolf, and thus being true to himself and not succumbing to the popular kids vacuous ways. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=30sYk9B4OqU
2- The Karate Kid
This sequence needs little introduction. It is the beginning of perhaps the ultimate overcoming of adversity moment of the 1980s, set to Joe Espositos Youre The Best. I defy you not to punch the air! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iBktYJsJq-E
3- Rocky 4
So, youre in the twilight years of an illustrious career, youve got an upcoming fight against
Dolph Lundgrens badass Russian (whos recently killed your best friend) and youre having a few marital problems- What do you do? Well if youre Rocky Balboa you go for a drive in your Lamborghini for a proper manly mulling of things over. This sequence is so cringe inducing that I love it and it may well even be my pick of the bunch! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dg8RV4h-fAA
4- Rocky 4- Training Montage
Set to the unimaginatively titled Training Montage by Vince DiCola, this is a scene that does exactly what it says on the tin and has probably inspired many a man to wear a check shirt, grow a beard, and go and chop some logs. Neatly juxtaposing images of both opponents preparations, we have Dolph Lundgrens Ivan Drago working out in a state of the art training facility overseen by
Brigitte Nielsens steely gaze (fuck, that would sure scare me into doing sprints!), whilst Rocky makes do with a snowy wilderness and cuts down some trees like a real man. No joke, cheesy as it may be, I actually have this track on my iPod for the gym and it definitely gets me through the last few minutes on the treadmill. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1SUzcDUERLo
5- Scarface
Set to Push It To the Limit by Paul Engemann, this succinct montage charts the rise of Tony Montana in one fell swoop and perhaps, momentarily at least, is responsible for the more impressionable viewer actually contemplating coke dealing as a possible career path. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JEvwQgQPkF0 Thats my pick of the bunch, but please feel free to suggest your own and maybe we can run a part 2 of the list another time. Though, firstly, Im off to go chop some logs and cultivate my beard