This is the second in a series of articles where we’ll be covering the Top Films About Fugitives by decade. Films About Fugitives also include Films About Manhunts, Films About People On the Run, Films About Escaped Convicts and Films About Nazi Fugitives. This subgenre also includes Films About Outlaws but generally excludes Outlaws from the Wild West as those are included in a separate subgenre called Western Films About Outlaws.
This second article will cover the Top Films About Fugitives You Haven’t Seen from the 1980’s and you can check out additional articles by decade below:
- Top Films About Fugitives You Haven’t Seen – 1970’s
- Top Films About Fugitives You Haven’t Seen – 1980’s
- Top Films About Fugitives You Haven’t Seen – 1990’s
- Top Films About Fugitives You Haven’t Seen – 2000 – 2022
- Best Recent Films About Fugitives
- Top Films About Nazi Fugitives & Nazi Hunters
- Best Fugitive Films
While the predominant theme of Fugitive Films in the 1970’s dealt with anti-establishment and counterculture issues, the 1980’s primarily dealt with the media exploitation of fugitives and people on the run. Other themes of the decade included Historical Biopics involving fugitives, subgenres such as Fantasy and Sci-Fi utilizing Fugitive-type themes in their narratives and more Comedy-based films about fugitives.
In the 1970’s, Outlaw Blues (1977) was one of the first subgenre films that showed the media’s culpability in celebrating (while exploiting) coverage of a fugitive often turning them into folk heroes. This theme of media’s fascination with fugitives would continue into the 1980’s with The Legend of Billie Jean (1985), Wisdom (1986) and Miles from Home (1988).
Historical Biopics also became popular this decade with Biopics of fugitives including The Pursuit of D.B. Cooper (1981) which was based on the still unsolved mystery of a man who hijacked and then parachuted from Northwest Orient Airlines Flight 305, Bad Blood (1981) which was based on the New Zealand manhunt for fugitive Stanley Graham and the murder spree of fugitives Charles Starkweather and Caril Ann Fugate which inspired multiple subgenre films including Badlands (1973), Stark Raving Mad (1983), Kalifornia (1993) and Natural Born Killers (1994).
The Fantasy and Sci-Fi subgenres also utilized themes of Fugitive Films in The Plague Dogs (1982) and Starman (1984). E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial (1982) was one of the most popular Sci-Fi films of the decade and also utilized ‘fugitive on the run’ themes but isn’t necessarily classified as a subgenre film.
And finally, towards the end of the decade, Comedy-based Fugitive films became popular with Three Fugitives (1989), The Dream Team (1989) and We’re No Angels (1989). Homer and Eddie (1989) was also a film released during this late-80’s fugitive comedy run, but though labeled as a comedy, is more of a Road Trip drama.
Our complete list of Films About Fugitives features over 148+ films from 1971 – 2022. Here you’ll find just about every film involving fugitives, manhunts, escaped convicts, outlaws, people on the run, nazi fugitives and nazi war criminals.
Classic, must-see Films About Fugitives from the 1980’s: The Hunter (1980), Starman (1984), Shoot to Kill (1988), War Party (1988) and We’re No Angels (1989).
Lesser-known and Rare Films About Fugitives from the 1980’s that didn’t make our list: The Pursuit of D.B. Cooper (1981), Bad Blood (1981), Stark Raving Mad (1983), Eddie Macon’s Run (1983), The Hit (1984), Certain Fury (1985), Into the Night (1985), Subway (1985), Wisdom (1986), Miles from Home (1988), Scarecrows (1988) and Three Fugitives (1989).
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Here is our list of The Top Films About Fugitives from the 1980’s You Haven’t Seen:
#10
Running Hot
Plot: A teen convicted of murdering his father escapes from authorities and heads for Arizona with a prostitute.
KBZ’s Take: This film is very hard to find despite starring Eric Stolz. While the ‘on the run’ story isn’t groundbreaking and a bit bland, the budding relationship between Stolz and Monica Carrico is very well done. It’s only worth checking out by fans and completists of the subgenre – if you can find it.
Where to Stream / Buy: N/A
#9
Dog Day
Plot: A criminal shows up at a farmhouse with the law on his heels and several million dollars in his possession.
KBZ’s Take: Dog Day has quite a few similarities with the classic film Prime Cut (1972). Both films feature Lee Marvin, Marvin running through lush fields of wheat and graphic violence. However, where Prime Cut is a classic film of the Films About The Mob, Gangsters and Mafia subgenre, Dog Day is a very weird oddity in the Fugitive subgenre.
Marvin was in poor health during filming and it shows. This French film attempts to be a Gangster on the run action film but ultimately fails. However, it succeeds as one of the most bonkers and strangest Fugitive subgenre films. If you like Quentin Tarantino films, you’ll likely enjoy this as well. It’s not as good as most Tarantino films but has the requisite weird characters and ultraviolence. Recommended for fans of the subgenre.
Where to Stream / Buy: https://tubitv.com/movies/502468
#8
Kansas
Plot: A young man returning home for a wedding crosses paths with a drifter who turns out to be a violent bank robber and finds himself involved in the robber’s plans.
KBZ’s Take: One of the lesser-known films of both Andrew McCarthy and Matt Dillon’s careers, Kansas is also an underrated film within the Films About Fugitives subgenre. While it’s a bit predictable and doesn’t have the ‘on the run’ action of similar films, it’s buoyed by the suspense of McCarthy’s character getting ‘found out’ by the local townspeople and Dillon’s increasingly psychopathic tendencies. Recommended for fans of the subgenre.
Where to Stream / Buy: https://amzn.to/3SSHfP3
Plot: After a psychopath murders a man who was on his way to a job as a deputy sheriff in a small California town, he assumes the deputy’s identity and arrives in town to start his new job. What he doesn’t know is that the recently appointed sheriff and his mistress are plotting to murder her evil husband – and blame it on the new deputy.
KBZ’s Take: Similar to the previous film on our list, Kansas (1988), The Killing Time is about hidden identities. The difference with this film is that it’s much more of a Neo Noir film and the line is blurred between ‘good’ and ‘bad’ characters. It also has enough twists in its plot to keep you engaged which makes it a recommendation for fans of the subgenre.
Where to Stream / Buy: https://tubitv.com/movies/684169
Plot: Average Texas teen, Billie Jean Davy, is caught up in an odd fight for justice. She is usually followed and harassed around by local boys, who, one day, decide to trash her brother’s scooter for fun. The boys’ father refuses to pay them back the price of the scooter. The fight for fair is fair takes the teens around the state and produces an unlikely hero.
KBZ’s Take: Though this film is about fugitives on the run, it’s much more about fighting back against the justice system. It’s also one of the most notable films of the decade that explored the media’s role in sensationalizing fugitives.
While the film was targeted towards teenagers at the time (and features more than enough teen angst throughout), it’s one of the better films of the decade that explores a justice system that favors the wealthy. It’s developed a cult following over time and is a film that every subgenre fan should check out.
Where to Stream / Buy: https://amzn.to/3mx9JSc
Plot On the run from the police, Cameron (Steve Railsback) crashes the set of a Hollywood war movie. When he inadvertently causes a stunt man’s death, the film’s manipulative director, Eli Cross (Peter O’Toole), decides to shelter Cameron from the cops if he steps in as the daredevil’s replacement. Though the arrangement seems like a good deal, it soon becomes a perilous position, with the situation only complicated when Cameron falls for the movie’s lead actress, Nina Franklin (Barbara Hershey).
KBZ’s Take: The Stunt Man is a film we debated putting on this list. While it’s about a fugitive (Steve Railsback), the film is ultimately about a ruthless film director (Peter O’Toole) and his utter disregard for human life in pursuit of the ultimate shot. While the threat of the fugitive being found out (as the new stunt man) underlies the film, it’s much more of a Film About The Film Industry and a good one at that.
Where to Stream / Buy: https://amzn.to/3Jfdm8o
Plot: Snitter (John Hurt) and Rowf (Christopher Benjamin) are two dogs trapped in a lab where they are repeatedly abused for testing purposes. One day, they accidentally find a way to unlock their cages and escape. In the wild, they must struggle to survive with the help of their guide, the Tod (James Bolam), a fox. Despite their hopes for a better life, they are discouraged by the increasing lack of food and vicious rumors the government is spreading that they carry the plague.
KBZ’s Take: The only animated film on our list and one of the most depressing to watch. Be warned, this is not an animated film for kids. Similar to Watership Down (1978), this is an animated film with very dark themes including animal experimentation and torture.
The film is based on a novel of the same name by Richard Adams and has classic themes of the subgenre – the dogs escape a facility, are on the run and are hunted by humans. While the animation isn’t groundbreaking, the story of dogs as fugitives and their difficulties ‘on the run’ are unique and shouldn’t be missed by any fans of the subgenre.
Where to Stream / Buy: https://amzn.to/3kQfXfI
#3
The Hunter
Plot: Bounty hunter is being hunted by a killer.
KBZ’s Take: Steve McQueen is to Action Chase Films what Robert DeNiro is to Gangster and The Mob Films – they are kings of their respective subgenres. While not a classic subgenre film like Bullitt (1968), The Hunter features a classic chase sequence in a Chicago parking garage. Unfortunately, it was McQueen’s last film as he died shortly after filming, but it’s still one of the best films of the subgenre and of McQueen’s storied career.
Additional Lists: Top Chase Films You Haven’t Seen #6
Where to Stream / Buy: https://amzn.to/3ijLAwr
Plot: When a cunning murderer vanishes into the rugged mountains of the Pacific Northwest, pursuing FBI agent Warren Stantin must exchange familiar city streets for unknown wilderness trails. Completely out of his element, Stantin is forced to enlist the aid of expert tracker Jonathan Knox. It’s a turbulent yet vital relationship they must maintain in order to survive… and one that becomes increasingly desperate when Knox’s girlfriend Sarah becomes the killer’s latest hostage!
KBZ’s Take: This is one of the best action-themed films of the entire subgenre. Led by Sidney Poitier and Tom Berenger, the film focuses on law enforcements pursuit of a fugitive. While the plot can be a bit predictable (especially if you’ve seen quite a few films of the subgenre), the film excels during the pursuit scenes over mountainous terrain. They are not only some of the most thrilling scenes of this subgenre, but of any Thriller or Action genre film. Highly recommended film.
Where to Stream / Buy: https://amzn.to/3Jd7Ymm
#1
War Party
Plot: One hundred years after the Battle of Milk River, both sides agree to reenact it. The cavalry are supposed to shoot blanks & the Indians weren’t supposed to fight back….
KBZ’s Take: One of the most underrated films of the entire subgenre and also one of the most difficult to find. This forgotten film of the late 1980’s stars Kevin Dillon and Billy Wirth as Native Americans that go on the run after a battle reenactment between Union Calvary and Blackfoot Warriors goes wrong.
While the film focuses on the pursuit of the Native American fugitives throughout the film, it also highlights some unique themes – specifically racism towards Native Americans and their pursuit of equal justice. Some of these same themes and transgressions against Native American are similarly explored in the current (and popular) Yellowstone spinoff television series 1923.
As we mentioned, the film is hard to find and doesn’t seem to have ever been converted to DVD or Blu-Ray. Hopefully one day War Party will have a proper HD transfer. Until then, it’s even worth watching a VHS quality version of the movie as it’s one of the best films of the subgenre that should not be missed.
Where to Stream / Buy: https://youtu.be/hVPsyugobr0
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