Framing Pfeiffer in the ‘80s

As you might remember, thanks to this post, my cover article in the current issue of Cinema of the ‘80s magazine is an eleven-page deep dive into Michelle Pfeiffer’s 1980s films. In that piece, I look at how she developed into the Michelle Pfeiffer we know and love today. That was her first decade in film, and while she started as an unknown in 1980, she finished the eighties as one of the world’s biggest movie stars, plus as a two-time (and counting) Oscar-nominee. It was quite a decade for Michelle, filled with several excellent performances that rank among her best work.

Writing that piece earlier this year put me in a “Pfeiffer in the eighties” kind of mood that hasn’t wavered since. Then again, I’m always in a “Pfeiffer in the eighties” kind of mood. This time out, I thought it would be fun to take a tour of Michelle’s 1980s roles, from the short-lived 1980 television series B.A.D. Cats all the way through to the 1989 film that earned her rave reviews and a stack of awards, including a Golden Globe, The Fabulous Baker Boys. This tour will be in one-shot form—one stunning shot from each of her films (or TV series/movies) each of which capture the essence of Michelle onscreen.

In the eighties, directors like Patricia Birch, Brian De Palma, Jonathan Demme, and Steve Kloves realized they were gifted with an exquisite canvas in Michelle Pfeiffer’s face. The following shots are prime examples of just how much the camera loved that exquisite face.

Rather than clutter up the flow, and because I want the images to speak for themselves, I’ll be listing the film and TV titles in order after the screenshots.

1. B.A.D. Cats (1980)

2. The Hollywood Knights (1980)

3. Falling in Love Again (1980)

4. Enos (1980)

5. Fantasy Island (1981)

6. Callie & Son (1981)

7. Splendor in the Grass (1981)

8. The Children Nobody Wanted (1981)

9. Charlie Chan and the Curse of the Dragon Queen (1981)

10. Grease 2 (1982)

11. Scarface (1983)

12. Into the Night (1985)

13. Ladyhawke (1985)

14. One Too Many (1985)

15. Sweet Liberty (1986)

16. Great Performances: Tales from the Hollywood Hills: Natica Jackson (1987)

17. Amazon Women on the Moon (1987)

18. The Witches of Eastwick (1987)

19. Married to the Mob (1988)

20. Tequila Sunrise (1988)

21. Dangerous Liaisons (1988)

22. The Fabulous Baker Boys (1989)