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The Movies of 1983

Trivia, Word Search, and a Quiz

On May 25, Return of the Jedi is released. This is the final movie in the original Star Wars trilogy, and just like the previous two installments of the sci-fi franchise, it easily becomes the highest grossing movie of the year. In fact, its box office take is nearly three times as much as the second ranked movie, the classic tearjerker Terms of Endearment. However, apparently this wasn't enough money. According to Lucasfilm, Return of the Jedi has never gone into profit.

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

  • Chris Hemsworth was born this year. So were actors Jesse Eisenberg, Adam Driver, and Jonah Hill.
  • The biographical The Terry Fox Story becomes the first television movie ever made for a cable network (HBO).
  • Amy Irving's supporting role in Yentl becomes the first performance to be nominated for two opposing awards, the Oscar and the Razzie.
  • Actors Bronson Pinchot and Curtis Armstrong make their big screen debuts in the coming-of-age comedy Risky Business, as do Matthew Broderick and Kiefer Sutherland in the lesser-known Max Dugan Returns. Other debuts include Crispin Glover in the sex comedy My Tutor, John Goodman in the action-thriller Eddie Macon's Run, Kelsey Grammer in the techno-thriller WarGames, and Rob Lowe in The Outsiders, which had an impressive cast of future stars.
  • Gloria Swanson, leading actress of the silent era and star of the film noir masterpiece Sunset Boulevard (1950), dies at age 84. Robert Aldrich, who directed Bette Davis and Joan Crawford in What Ever Happened to Baby Jane? (1962), as well as an extraordinary ensemble cast in The Dirty Dozen (1967), also dies this year.

1983 Movies Word Search

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

The first word search is easy: 20 movie titles hidden in a small 22 × 20 letter grid. The second is more challenging: 36 movie 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 movies from 1983. They each have 36 terms hidden in a large 34 × 32 letter grid.

Return of the Jedi Flashdance WarGames A Christmas Story

10 Question Quiz on 1983 Movies

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. How many F-words, or one of its derivatives, are spoken in Al Pacino's Scarface?

A. 174
B. 207
C. 382
D. 402

2. What can be seen in almost every scene in Francis Ford Coppola's Rumble Fish?

A. Dolls
B. Knives
C. Rain
D. Smoke

3. Where is William Hurt's mystery thriller Gorky Park supposedly set?

A. Vietnam
B. Soviet Union
C. Argentina
D. New York City

4. What does 9-year-old Ralphie Parker want for Christmas in Bob Clark's holiday classic A Christmas Story?

A. Silly Putty
B. Red Ryder BB Gun
C. Lionel Train
D. Erector Set

5. The McKenzie brothers of the Canadian-American comedy Strange Brew is played by Rick Moranis and Dave Thomas of SCTV fame. What are the first names of their characters?

A. Bob and Doug
B. Bill and Ted
C. Jake and Elwood
D. Wayne and Garth

6. Besides starring in Bad Boys and having an uncredited cameo in Risky Business, Sean Penn had a role in another 1983 movie. Which movie is this?

Hint: The title begins with the letter S.

7. What is the subject of Christine?

A. Tropical storm
B. Rock groupie
C. Mother Christmas
D. Possessed car

8. In National Lampoon's Vacation, where does Clark Griswold take his family for their yearly getaway?

A. Walley World
B. Pete's Playland
C. Milly Mountain
D. Corny Island

9. Flashdance was inspired by the real-life story of Maureen Marder who sold the rights to her story to Paramount for $2,300. The movie would eventually gross over $200 million worldwide. What city is she from?

A. Chicago
B. Pittsburgh
C. Miami
D. Toronto

10. What comedy duo stars in Still Smokin?

A. Laurel and Hardy
B. Cheech and Chong
C. Amos and Andy
D. Abbott and Costello

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

Explore other years in the world of cinema

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