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You can always kiss off: Best movie makeout scenes of the '80s



Some Kind of Wonderful

Happy Valentine's Day, '80s Nation. You can celebrate any number of ways. The obvious choice is going back and reliving our Romance in the '80s podcast -- it's so old, I don't even remember what we said. Or you can listen to our darker Anti-Valentine podcast from years ago. Or, if you need a good cry, there's the infamous Breakup Episode. (Boy, you have a black heart if you chose that last option.)

As for me? Life's looking up for ole Spearsy, so I prefer to honor my old list of the Top 5 Makeout Scenes of the '80s. (All the way back from 2007, if you need to know.)

My eternal Feb. 14 thesis: The kissing scene between Watts (Mary Stuart Masterson) and Keith (Eric Stoltz) in Some Kind of Wonderful is the hottest make-out scene of any 80s flick. Right? ("And we're gonna destroy Lincoln tonight ... alllriiiiight?")

You want the actual list, don't you? OK...

Top 5 Make-Out Scenes in 80s Movies:

1princess.jpg5. THE PRINCESS BRIDE (1987)
The participants: Wesley (Cary Elwes) and Buttercup (Robin Wright Penn)
The location: Outside Prince Humperdinck's castle
Music: "Happy Ending" (Mark Knopfler)
Why it's not No. 1: Any make-out scene narrated by Peter Falk isn't going to win.

2risky.jpg4. RISKY BUSINESS (1983)
The participants: Joel (Tom Cruise) and Lana (Rebecca De Mornay)
The location: Joel's living room (and staircase ... and bedroom...)
Music: "Lana" (Tangerine Dream)
Why it's not No. 1: Joel had to pay for it. Ouch.

3valley.jpg3. VALLEY GIRL (1983)
The participants: Randy (Nicolas Cage) and Julie (Deborah Foreman)
The location: Backseat of Fred's car.
Music: "Time To Win" (Gary Myrick & The Figures)
Why it's not No. 1: The atmosphere ... Fred chases Stacey around the car while Randy tries to convince Julie he isn't a stalker. Otherwise, it has "Let's make punk rock babies" written all over it.

4say.jpg2. SAY ANYTHING (1989)
The participants: Lloyd Dobler (John Cusack) and Diane (Ione Skye)
The location: In the rain
Music: "In Your Eyes" (Peter Gabriel)
Why it's not No. 1: You can see the whole "You're going to dump me and give me a pen, aren't you?" in Lloyd's face. You need a stopwatch to measure the time from kiss to kiss-off here. Ione, you wench!

5kiss.jpg1. SOME KIND OF WONDERFUL (1986)
The participants: Watts and Keith
The location: Gas station garage where Keith works
Music: "She Loves Me" (Stephen Duffy)
Why it's No. 1: Spontaneity. Longevity. Music that's -- dare I say? -- classic. Throw in the whole "Whoa, I'm suddenly making out with my tomboy best friend who's really a smokin' hot drummer vixen" factor, and dinner is served.

[Last modified: Monday, February 14, 2011 1:44pm]


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