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The Films of 1983

Trivia, Word Search, and a Quiz

On February 11, the Rolling Stones release Let's Spend the Night Together, which becomes the band's highest grossing concert film. Later in the year, Richard Pryor's fourth and final live performance concert film Here and Now is released, earning the lone comedian roughly five times the amount taken in by the rock 'n roll quartet.

Here's some more trivia from the world of cinema in 1983:

  • Actresses born this year include Kate Bosworth, Emily Blunt, Kate Mara, and Mila Kunis.
  • The Canadian musical science fantasy Rock & Rule becomes the first animated film to use computer graphics
  • Return of the Jedi becomes the first film shown in theaters featuring the newly-developed THX Sound System.
  • Alan Ruck, Clancy Brown, and Ally Sheedy all make their film debuts in the coming-of-age crime film Bad Boys, as do John Cusack, Andrew McCarthy, and Virginia Madsen in the comedy-drama Class. Other first timers include Matthew Modine in the romantic-comedy Baby It's You, Rick Moranis in the SCTV-casted comedy Strange Brew, and Kevin Pollak in the historical drama The Right Stuff.
  • Dying this year is David Niven, who won Best Actor for Separate Tables (1958). Also dying is comic-actor Slim Pickens, who famously rides a falling atomic bomb at the end of the satirical Dr. Strangelove (1964). George Cukor, who directed Cary Grant, Katharine Hepburn, and James Stewart in the classic romantic comedy The Philadelphia Story (1940), also dies this year at age 83.

1983 Films Word Search

The films in the following two word searches were films released in 1983. Just like all the films on this page (unless otherwise noted).

The first word search is easy: 20 film titles hidden in a small 22 × 20 letter grid. The second is more challenging: 36 film titles in a large 34 × 32 letter grid.

So load your printer with standard 8.5" × 11" paper, download, hit print and start solving. Our PDF files print out beautifully and are always free to download on our site.

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More Word Searches

These word search puzzles are on particular films from 1983. They each have 36 terms hidden in a large 34 × 32 letter grid.

Risky Business Valley Girl National Lampoon's Vacation Trading Places

10 Question Quiz on 1983 Films

How well do you know what came out on the Silver Screen in 1983? Take our quiz and find out. There's no time limit and no scoring. Just have fun!

1. Which actor's performance was entirely cut from The Big Chill, which depicts a group of thirty-somethings who reunite for the funeral of a friend who commits suicide?

A. Jeff Goldblum
B. Kevin Kline
C. Kevin Costner
D. William Hurt

2. What type of character does Matthew Broderick play in WarGames?

A. Hacker
B. Soldier
C. Reporter
D. Diplomat

3. Dan Aykroyd and Eddie Murphy plan to bankrupt the billionaire Duke brothers in Trading Places by trading a particular commodity. What is that commodity?

A. Corn
B. Wheat
C. Soybean oil
D. Frozen orange juice

4. The biographical drama Silkwood stars Meryl Streep, Kurt Russell, and Cher. Where is it set?

A. Nuclear facility
B. Fashion boutique
C. Ski resort
D. FBI headquarters

5. In the comedy Mr. Mom, Joan is the sexy neighbor who hits on the stay-at-home Jack, played by Michael Keaton, while his wife is at work. Which actress plays Joan?

Hint: she played Bo Peep in Babes in Toyland (1961) and like Charles Bronson, she speaks Lithuanian fluently.

A. Lynda Carter
B. Ann Jillian
C. Terri Garr
D. Goldie Hawn

6. What was the business that teenager Tom Cruise manages in Risky Business?

A. Kidnapping
B. Drug dealing
C. Prostitution
D. Embezzlement

7. Which of the following is NOT a character in The Outsiders?

A. Sodapop
B. Ponyboy
C. Slinky
D. Two-Bit

8. In order to better get into his character as an edgy Hollywood punk for Valley Girl, a young Nicolas Cage did what while not on set?

A. Begged for change
B. Lived in his car
C. Sold drugs
D. Shoplifted

9. Debra Winger, Shirley MacLaine, Jack Nicholson, Danny DeVito, and Jeff Daniels all star in Terms of Endearment. Who was the other big name actor who filmed his part in three days during a break from filming Footloose (1984)?

A. Dennis Quaid
B. Chris Penn
C. Kevin Bacon
D. John Lithgow

10. Which action star directed John Travolta in his effort to reprise his role as disco king Tony Manero in Staying Alive?

A. Clint Eastwood
B. Sylvester Stallone
C. Mel Gibson
D. Burt Reynolds

Want more? We have another page on the cinema of 1983

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