Blockbuster
Robocop 1987
First overall pick. Verhoeven, Peter Weller; nobody else at the table had it in their top four.
The Big Picture · Draft
The 1987 Mega-Movie Draft With Quentin Tarantino and Roger Avary!
July 26, 2022/ 148 min/ Sean Fennessey · Amanda Dobbins · Chris Ryan · Quentin Tarantino · Roger Avary
Quentin Tarantino and Roger Avary join Sean, Amanda, and Chris for a five-way snake draft of 1987 across six categories, from Robocop to Babette's Feast.
30 films across 1 segment.
AI-generated This episode was transcribed and analyzed with AI models. The matches aren't perfect — expect the occasional misheard title or a link to the wrong film.
The 1987 Movie Draft drafting the movies of 1987
Roger Avary
Oscar Nominee
Hope and Glory 1987
John Boorman's autobiographical account of the London Blitz. His second-favorite Boorman film after Excalibur.
Drama / Action
River's Edge 1987
Tim Hunter, from Neil Jimenez's script; Crispin Glover and Keanu Reeves. Premiered at the same Sundance as Reservoir Dogs.
Quentin Tarantino
Horror / Exploitation
Evil Dead II 1987
One of his four "real" picks for the year; compares its impact to Godard's Breathless.
Comedy
Three O'Clock High 1987
Phil Joanou's directorial debut; a flop at the time that he still calls one of the great directorial debuts he'd ever seen.
Oscar Nominee
Wall Street 1987
Oliver Stone, Michael Douglas's Best Actor win; ranks it behind JFK among Stone's films.
Blockbuster
The Secret of My Success 1987
Michael J. Fox's first movie after Back to the Future; picked partly for editor Paul Hirsch.
Wildcard
Crazy Love 1987
Dominique Deruddere's Bukowski anthology film, referred to on the show by its US release title, Love Is a Dog from Hell.
Chris Ryan
Comedy
Raising Arizona 1987
The Coen Brothers; the Nicolas Cage monologue over Carter Burwell's score. Tarantino says it would've been his own first pick, but let Chris have it.
Drama / Action
Lethal Weapon 1987
Mel Gibson and Danny Glover; a sentimental pick from when he started watching "quasi-adult" movies.
Horror / Exploitation
Prince of Darkness 1987
John Carpenter's quantum-physics horror movie, made alongside They Live.
Blockbuster
The Untouchables 1987
De Palma, fresh off a Rewatchables rewatch; the Ennio Morricone opening credits.
Wildcard
Straight to Hell 1987
Alex Cox's punk Western with Joe Strummer, shot by Tom Richmond (later Tarantino's Killing Zoe DP).
Amanda Dobbins
Blockbuster
Fatal Attraction 1987
Adrian Lyne; the group debates and rejects putting it in horror instead.
Oscar Nominee
Moonstruck 1987
Cher and Nicolas Cage; argues it predates the modern rom-com template set later by When Harry Met Sally.
Wildcard
Dirty Dancing 1987
Patrick Swayze and Jennifer Grey; also would have been her Oscar-nominee backup pick.
Sean Fennessey
Drama / Action
Full Metal Jacket 1987
Kubrick; the first new Kubrick film he saw on opening night having already known his work.
Oscar Nominee
The Princess Bride 1987
Rob Reiner, from William Goldman's script; Andre the Giant, Mandy Patinkin.
Horror / Exploitation
Near Dark 1987
Kathryn Bigelow's vampire film with Bill Paxton; the one pick that genuinely stings Tarantino to have lost.
On the board, undrafted honorable mentions
Can't Buy Me LoveLess Than ZeroNo Way OutMatewanExtreme PrejudiceHello Mary Lou: Prom Night IIThe Garbage Pail Kids MovieNadineIshtarSammy and Rosie Get LaidThe StepfatherWhite of the EyeWalkerA Better Tomorrow II
Also mentioned raised along the way
In passing Superman IV: The Quest for PeacePlanes, Trains and AutomobilesOutrageous Fortune3 Men and a BabyThe Great OutdoorsThe Living DaylightsDragnetThe Last EmperorMy Life as a Dog
Not films filtered out: TV, games, ads
TV Miami ViceCrime StoryThe Gladiator
Ads FIFA World Cup Launch EditionBoar's HeadFanDuelWhite ClawAmerican Express Business Cash
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