1985 in film


The following is an overview of events in 1985 in film, including the highest-grossing films, award ceremonies and festivals, a list of films released and notable births and deaths.

Highest-grossing films (U.S.)

The top ten 1985 released films by box office gross in North America are as follows:
RankTitleDistributorBox-office gross
1Back to the FutureUniversal$210,609,762
2Rambo: First Blood Part IITriStar / Carolco$150,415,432
3Rocky IVMGM$127,873,716
4The Color PurpleWarner Bros.$94,175,854
5Out of AfricaUniversal$87,071,205
6Cocoon20th Century Fox$76,113,124
7The Jewel of the Nile20th Century Fox$75,973,200
8WitnessParamount$68,706,993
9The GooniesWarner Bros.$61,389,680
10Spies Like UsWarner Bros.$60,088,980

Context

The year was considered an unsuccessful one for film. Despite a record number of film releases, many films failed at the box office, and ticket sales were down 17% compared with 1984. Industry executives believed the problem, in part, was a lack of original concepts. Films about fantasy and magic failed, as audiences leaned towards science-fiction. Janet Maslin said the fault for this lay partly with Steven Spielberg, who had created such a successful template with films like E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial and Close Encounters of the Third Kind that many fantasy films had imitated them. There was also a saturation of youth-oriented films targeted at those under 18. Executives were not fond of these films, but the financial rewards were too significant to ignore. The few films aimed at older audiences, like Cocoon, were surprise successes. Only Back to the Future and Rambo: First Blood Part II were successful blockbusters, earning more than double the box office of Cocoon. Films offering escapism and pro-America themes like Rambo: First Blood Part II and Rocky IV also fared well.
The glut of youth-targeted films like Return to Oz and The Black Cauldron, and science-fiction comedies like Weird Science, Real Genius, and My Science Project had resulted in a string of failures. Executives said that the films were all very similar and marketed in the same way, offering no variety for audiences.

Events

Palme d'Or :
Golden Lion :
'''Golden Bear :'''

1985 films

By country/region