Movie posters are something we take for granted in our current age. Digital photography and technology have come a long way, making it easier than ever for designers to come up with something fast, and without much work. Artwork designs in the 1980s however, took a lot of time, patience, and effort. The results were extraordinary.

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Like the films they were based on, movie posters in that decade were born from the brains of highly creative and imaginative people. These are ten of the most iconic of the 1980s, ranked by their pop culture impact, as well as their creativity. Each one is a fitting tribute to an unparalleled decade.

10 Purple Rain Wasn't Just A Movie, But A Phenomenon

The original 1980s poster for Purple Rain

Prince decided to jump from music into acting during the 1980s with the classic film Purple Rain, and it took both worlds by storm. He brought his signature talent for music-making to the big screen and melded two worlds together in a way that only figures like Elvis Presley had succeeded in doing.

The result was a pop culture phenomenon that reshaped the music scene overnight. Purple Rain became a cult classic, and its signature title tune became one of the most iconic Prince songs ever created, while the album sold like gangbusters. It's a testament to the impact Prince had on the music world.

9 Airplane Made Crazy So Much Fun

The original 1980s poster for Airplane

David and Jerry Zucker kicked the 1980s off with the madcap Airplane!, a movie that made no sense, but had audiences rolling with laughter in the aisles. So ridiculous was the premise that it threw conventional wisdom out the door in favor of goofy jokes and set pieces. Not once did it take itself seriously, thank goodness.

The film is notable for bringing together an eclectic cast of otherwise fine actors to make total fools of themselves, just for the fun of it. It worked, and the Zucker brothers would go on to court success with similar films through the '80s and '90s. The poster design sums up the tone of the film better than any caption could ever hope for.

8 Gremlins Mixed Horror With Humor To Create A Timeless Christmas Flick

The original 1980s poster for Gremlins

Creativity was at an all-time high during the 1980s, and nothing was off the table. That's how Gremlins came to be; a tale about a strange creature known as a Mogwai that just so happened to sport some unfortunate physiology. The result was a dark comedy of epic proportions as the small town of Kingston Falls was overrun by creatures straight out of a nightmare.

The film was notorious for its graphic violence and gore, which later led to the creation of the PG-13 rating. Still, for all its bleakness, Gremlins is still a hilarious, yet twisted Christmas film with a lot of laughs. This iconic poster design is a hint of what's to come, and it was enough to spark audience intrigue leading up to its release.

7 A Nightmare On Elm Street Introduced A New Brand Of Horror For 80s' Audiences

The original 1980s poster for A Nightmare On Elm Street

The 1980s was the decade of teen horror, and A Nightmare On Elm Street led the charge. The brainchild of director Wes Craven, this franchise started out on a high note by introducing a killer character that would go on to become the face of horror movies until this very day.

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The poster is every bit as ominous and frightening as it needs to be, with Freddy's bladed glove hovering over the head of a female victim laying in her bed. The look of sheer terror in her eyes, mixed with the malevolence of a faceless Krueger is the perfect mix of symbolism for a poster.

6 E.T. Is One Of The Most Endearing Movies About Friendship Ever Made

The original 1980s poster for E.T.

Steven Spielberg was on a hot streak in the 1980s, and this incredible poster for E.T. was proof that he had a lot to deliver in terms of creativity. It's a simple poster that reveals just enough to tantalize audiences without giving away too much of the alien visitor premise, or the creature in question.

E.T. would go on to become one of Spielberg's signature classics, thanks to its blend of heartwarming drama, nail-biting tension and hilarious laughs. Few films can match the wonder, the spectacle and the imagination of E.T., though they should try.

5 Blade Runner Was A Cult Classic Way Ahead Of Its Time

The original 1980s poster for Blade Runner

Ridley Scott had already made a name for himself with a string of excellent works that culminated with 1979's sci-fi horror classic Alien. With his pedigree as a director firmly established, Scott decided to tackle another ambitious project that only his keen eye could possibly develop to full fruition -- Blade Runner.

Audiences weren't prepared for what they saw, and it would take a few more years before Blade Runner became accepted as an influential phenomenon in sci-fi filmmaking. This poster captures only a snippet of the grandiosity and sheer weight of the movie's astonishing future-noir visuals, and it's one of the best of the 1980s.

4 Escape From New York Was Bleak, Nihilistic, & Fun To Watch

The original 1980s poster for Escape From New York

John Carpenter introduced audiences to the character of Snake Plissken in this classic action thriller that predicted New York becoming a lawless wasteland prison. It's a mixture of bleak future sci-fi, mixed with traditional 1980s action stereotypes that defined the decade.

The poster design is incredible, summing up the film's premise without giving too much away. The prominent use of the decapitated Statue of Liberty is the single-best representation of the American icon since Planet of the Apes, and it works perfectly here.

3 Indiana Jones Was A New Kind Of Hero For An Entirely New Generation

The original 1980s poster for Raiders of the Lost Ark

Raiders of the Lost Ark made history cool again, and it did so by putting a University professor at the forefront of all the action. Hot off Star Wars, actor Harrison Ford was given another iconic role as the swashbuckling Doctor Henry Jones, a guy who spends his off-hours raiding ancient tombs for secret artifacts, whilst dodging deadly traps.

In this first film, he runs afoul of the Third Reich which is in search of the famed Ark of the Covenant. Though it takes extreme liberties when it comes to historical accuracy, that's not the point. Raiders of the Lost Ark is all about fun and adventure, and this poster was designed to attract audiences by putting Indiana Jones at the forefront.

2 Back To The Future Helped Define An Entire Decade

The original 1980s poster for Back to the Future

During the 1980s, nobody was cooler than Michael J. Fox, who played the fun and relatable Marty McFly in Back to the Future. This was a movie that took the concept of time travel into wild new territory and solidified the DeLorean as the defacto cool car of the 1980s, next to the Lamborghini Countach.

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This poster is about as perfect a representation of the film as possible, and it helped draw huge crowds to the premiere. The clever use of scorching tire tracks, mixed with McFly glancing at his watch were elements that summed up the film, without giving away too much of the plot. It still has a place in the rec room of every movie buff, even today.

1 The Empire Strikes Back Turned Star Wars Into A Sci-Fi Linchpin

The original 1980s poster for Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back

Yes, the original Star Wars did spark a worldwide phenomenon, but The Empire Strikes Back is what made it stick for the long haul. Bigger, better and more notorious than its predecessor, this second film swapped the swashbuckling adventure motifs of the original film, in favor of a darker and more mature storyline.

All this, without sacrificing a bit of fun. The Empire Strikes Back is perfect, from top to bottom. Audiences rave about it to this day, and it's widely regarded as the best Star Wars film ever made. The incredibly detailed and amazing poster design was a perfect fit for the film and one that still stands the test of time today.

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