Blade Runner (1982)
Screenwriter(s): Hampton Fancher, David Webb Peoples

"Time to Die" - A Moving Soliloquy on Life

Play clip (excerpt):

After saving blade runner Deckard (Harrison Ford) from death on a rooftop, replicant Roy Batty (Rutger Hauer) delivered closing thoughts before dying - a moving swan song as he eloquently spoke about his own memories of the distant outposts in space that would be lost forever after his death. His android memories, as a top-of-the-line combat model, spoke of violent and aggressive attacks (attack ships, C-beams) that he presumably witnessed:

I've seen things you people wouldn't believe. Attack ships on fire off the shoulder of Orion. I watched C-beams glitter in the dark near the Tanhauser gate. All those moments will be lost in time like tears in rain. Time to die.

In voice-over, Deckard achieved empathy about the replicant's love of life as he mused:

I don't know why he saved my life. Maybe in those last moments he loved life more than he ever had before. Not just his life - anybody's life. My life. All he'd wanted were the same answers the rest of us want. Where do I come from? Where am I going? How long have I got? All I could do was sit there and watch him die.

Conan the Barbarian (1982)
Screenwriter(s): John Milius, Oliver Stone

"Grant Me Revenge" or "To Hell With You"

Play clip (excerpt):

The muscular thick-accented warrior Conan (Arnold Schwarzenegger) prayed to his god Crom for revenge against Thulsa Doom (James Earl Jones), evil ruler of the snake cult of Set, who had raided his village and murdered his parents when he was a young boy:

Crom, I have never prayed to you before. I have no tongue for it. No one, not even you, will remember if we were good men or bad. Why we fought, or why we died. No, all that matters is that two stood against many. That's what's important! Valor pleases you, Crom, so grant me one request. Grant me revenge! And if you do not listen, then to HELL with you!

Fast Times at Ridgemont High (1982)
Screenwriter(s): Cameron Crowe

A Five-Point Plan to Score With Girls

Lecherous ladies-man Mike Damone's (Robert Romanus) "special five-point plan" of "valuable information" - tips on how to score with girls, told for free to inexperienced, nerdy Mark "Rat" Ratner (Brian Backer):

All right, now pay attention. First of all, Rat, you never let on how much you like a girl. 'Oh, Debbie. Hi.' Two, you always call the shots. 'Kiss me. You won't regret it.' Now three, act like wherever you are, that's the place to be. 'Isn't this great?' Four, when ordering food, you find out what she wants, then order for the both of ya. It's a classy move. 'Now, the lady will have the linguini and white clam sauce, and a Coke with no ice.' And five, now this is the most important, Rat. When it comes down to makin' out, whenever possible, put on side one of Led Zeppelin IV.

First Blood (1982) (aka Rambo: First Blood)
Screenwriter(s): Michael Kozoll, William Sackheim, Sylvester Stallone

"Civilian Life is Nothing!"

Ex-Green Beret Vietnam vet John Rambo's (Sylvester Stallone) final impassioned, preachy speech to Green Beret Col. Samuel Trautman (Richard Crenna), his former commander, about his hostile, unjust reception as a returning Vietnam War Vet:

Nothing is over! Nothing! You just don't turn it off! It wasn't my war! You asked me, I didn't ask you! And I did what I had to do to win! But somebody wouldn't let us win! And I come back to the world and I see all those maggots at the airport, protestin' me, spittin'. Calling me baby killer and all kinds of vile crap! Who are they to protest me, huh? Who are they? Unless they've been me and been there and know what the hell they're yelling about!...For me, civilian life is nothing! In the field, we had a code of honor: You watch my back, I watch yours. Back here, there's nothin'!...Back there, I could fly a gunship, I could drive a tank, I was in charge of million dollar equipment. Back here, I can't even hold a job parking cars!

The Last Unicorn (1982)
Screenwriter(s): Peter S. Beagle

"Where Have You Been?"

Weary, middle-aged Molly Grue's (voice of Tammy Grimes) powerful diatribe at the Unicorn (voice of Mia Farrow), the last unicorn in the world, before offering forgiveness [reminiscient of Ruth Popper's (Cloris Leachman) explosive tirade at Sonny (Timothy Bottoms) in the conclusion of The Last Picture Show (1971)]:

No, can it truly be? Oh! Where have you been? Where have you been? Damn you! Where have you been?...And where were you twenty years ago? Ten years ago? Where were you when I was new? When I was one of those innocent young maidens you always come to? How dare you! How dare you come to me now, when I am this!...If you had been waiting to see a unicorn, as long as I have...It would be the last unicorn in the world that came to Molly Grue. It's all right, I forgive you.

The Last Unicorn (1982)
Screenwriter(s): Peter S. Beagle

"They are MINE!"

Dangerously obsessive King Haggard's (voice of Christopher Lee) long, sublime speech to disguised unicorn Lady Amalthea (Mia Farrow):

I know you! I almost knew you as soon as I saw you on the road coming to my door. Since then, there is no movement of yours that has not betrayed you! A pace, a glance, a turn of the head, the flash of your throat as you breathe, even your way of standing perfectly still. They were all my spies! You made me wonder for a little while but your time is done. The tide is turning. Come and see it. Come here. There, there they are. There they are!

He then explained why he had captured all the unicorns in the world, to make him happy:

They are MINE! They belong to ME! The Red Bull gathered them for me one-by-one and I bade him drive each one into the sea! Now, they live there. And every tide carries them within an easy step of the land. But they dare not come out of the water. They are afraid of the Red Bull. I like to watch them. They fill me with joy. The first time I felt it, I thought I was going to die. I said to the Red Bull, 'I must have them! I must have all of them, all there are! For nothing makes me happy but their shining, and their grace.' So, the Red Bull caught them. Each time I see the unicorns -- MY unicorns -- it is like that morning in the woods, and I am truly young, in spite of myself!

Liquid Sky (1982)
Screenwriter(s): Slava Tsukerman, Anne Carlisle, Nina V. Kerova

"You Wanted to Know Where I'm From?"

Drug-dealing, mean lesbian girlfriend Adrian (Paula E. Sheppard) dared to have intercourse with bisexual, face-painted coke-addict and New Wave punk model Margaret (Anne Carlisle) in this science-fiction cult-classic oddity, after being warned that she might die: "Adrian, just stay away from me, I'm a killer...I don't want you...cause I'm killing all the people that I f--k"...Don't do it Adrian!" But Adrian insisted: "These good people want to see me f--k you" - and as predicted, she disintegrated after orgasming. Margaret admitted: "I kill with my cunt" and then began turning off all the lights in the room. She started a long monologue about who she was, while applying flourescent makeup in blacklight. She described her traditional upbringing and how she came to New York to be a model, where she was taught or molded to fit into norms - with her view that being "fashionable" (and androgynous) was just as bad as being traditional:

You wanted to know where I'm from? I'm from Connecticut, Mayflower stock. I was taught that my prince would come, and he would be a lawyer, and I would have his children. And on the weekends we would barbecue. And all the other princes and their princesses would come, and they would say: 'Delicious, delicious.' Oh, how boring. So I was taught that I should come to New York, become an independent woman. And my prince would come, and he would be an agent, and he would get me a role, and I would make my living waiting on tables. I would wait - till thirty, till forty, till fifty. And I was taught that to be an actress, one should be fashionable, and to be fashionable is to be androgynous. And I am androgynous not less than David Bowie himself. And they call me beautiful, and I kill with my cunt. Isn't it fashionable? Come on, who's next? I'll take lessons. How to get into show business: Be nice to your professor. Be nice to your agent. Be nice to your audience. Be nice. How to be a woman: Want them when I want you. How to be free and equal: F--k women instead of men, and you'll discover a whole kingdom of freedom. Men won't step on you anymore. Women will. So come on, who's next? Who wants to teach me? Come on, teach me. Are you afraid? You're right, because they're all dead. All my teachers.

Poltergeist (1982)
Screenwriter(s): Steven Spielberg, Michael Grais, Mark Victor

The Unseen Spirits

The spellbinding monologue by eccentric Tangina (Zelda Rubinstein) about Carol Anne's (Heather O'Rourke) relation to the unseen spirits that had pulled her into their sphere:

There is no death. There is only a transition to a different sphere of consciousness. Carol Anne is not like those she's with. She's a living presence in their spiritual, earth-bound plane. They're attracted to the one thing about her that's different from themselves. Her life-force - it is very strong. It gives off its own illumination. It is a light that implies life and memory of love and home and earthly pleasures, something they desperately desire but can't have anymore. Right now, she's the closest thing to that, and that is a terrible distraction from the real light that has finally come for them. Do you understand me?

These souls who for whatever reason are not at rest are also not aware that they have passed on. They're not part of consciousness as we know it. They're in a perpetual dream state, a nightmare from which they cannot wake. Inside this spectral light is salvation - a window to the next plane. They must pass through this membrane with friends who are waiting to guide them to new destinies. Carol Anne must help them cross over, and she will only hear her mother's voice. Now, hold onto your selves. There's one more thing - a terrible presence is in there with her. So much rage, so much betrayal. I've never sensed anything like it. I don't know what hovers over this house, but it was strong enough to punch a hole into this world and take your daughter away from you. It keeps Carol Anne very close to it and away from the spectral light. It lies to her. It says things only a child can understand. He's been using her to restrain the others. To her, it simply is another child. To us, it is the Beast. Now let's go get your daughter.

Rocky III (1982)
Screenwriter(s): Sylvester Stallone

"There Is No Tomorrow!"

Former boxing rival Apollo Creed (Carl Weathers) trained Rocky Balboa (Sylvester Stallone) for a rematch to box against his aggressive opponent, James "Clubber" Lang (Mr. T), after his trainer Mickey Goldmill (Burgess Meredith) died during the first match and Rocky was knocked out in the second round. Creed urged Rocky to regain his fighting spirit:

Watch it now, watch it. Now, remember, he's got two hands, right? Damn, man, what the hell ya doing? This guy will knock you on your ass....You wanna live in the hospital for five weeks this time? You thought I was tough? This chump will kill you....Come on, come on, get your head on your shoulders, man.

Think about the fight! Think about the fight! Clubber Lang's in here, he's tryin' to hurt you, Rock! He's tryin' to hurt you! Okay, here it comes. Jab. He's jabbin'. He's jabbin'. He's tryin' to hurt you! You gotta fight him! You gotta move! (flashbacks to the previous fight)...He's hookin'. He's hookin'. He's hookin'! Damn, Rock, come on! What's the matter with you?...

Rocky replied: "Tomorrow. Let's do it tomorrow."

Apollo screamed back:

There is no tomorrow! THERE IS NO TOMORROW! THERE IS NO TOMORROW!