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The 1980s: 1980–1989
1980–1989 · worldwide, all places
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Reagan and Thatcher cut taxes and unions while AIDS killed with no cure in sight, and Mikhail Gorbachev's reforms slipped out of control until the Berlin Wall fell in November 1989. Japan's asset bubble inflated, Live Aid filled stadiums, and teenagers rented the decade on VHS.
1985 sent Marty McFly back to 1955 and 1989 brought the Wall down. Back to the Future defines the decade's blockbuster grammar, and Call Me by Your Name summers in 1980s Italy with an intensity the decade's multiplexes rarely allowed. Open the 1980s on the StoryTerra map and explore its stories by place.
10 famous stories set in the 1980s
Live snapshot of the top 10 most popular catalogue items (2026-09-05). Click any card to open this entry on the live map.
Browse 1,662 books, 4,307 movies, 100 TV shows and 159 games set in the 1980s (1980–1989).
Back to the Future
Eighties teenager Marty McFly is accidentally sent back in time to 1955 inadvertently disrupting his parents' first meeting and attracting his mother's romantic interest. Marty must repair the damage to history by…
Joker
During the 1980s a failed stand-up comedian is driven insane and turns to a life of crime and chaos in Gotham City while becoming an infamous psychopathic crime figure.
Call Me by Your Name
In 1980s Italy a relationship begins between seventeen-year-old teenage Elio and the older adult man hired as his father's research assistant.
Scarface
After getting a green card in exchange for assassinating a Cuban government official Tony Montana stakes a claim on the drug trade in Miami. Viciously murdering anyone who stands in his way Tony eventually becomes the…
Donnie Darko
After narrowly escaping a bizarre accident a troubled teenager is plagued by visions of a large bunny rabbit that manipulates him to commit a series of crimes.
No Country for Old Men
Llewelyn Moss stumbles upon dead bodies $2 million and a hoard of heroin in a Texas desert but methodical killer Anton Chigurh comes looking for it with local sheriff Ed Tom Bell hot on his trail. The roles of prey and…
Stranger Things
When a young boy vanishes, a small town uncovers a mystery involving secret experiments, terrifying supernatural forces, and one strange little girl.
The Pursuit of Happyness
A struggling salesman takes custody of his son as he's poised to begin a life-changing professional career.
It
In a small town in Maine seven children known as The Losers Club come face to face with life problems bullies and a monster that takes the shape of a clown called Pennywise.
Yakuza 0
The glitz, glamour, and unbridled decadence of the 80s are back! Yakuza 0 is a prequel set in 1988 to the Yakuza series, taking place before the first game. Fight like hell through Tokyo and Osaka with protagonist…
The 10 stories above are just a sample of the 6,228 in the catalogue for this entry. For the live 1980–1989 catalogue, use the button above — or browse the whole 20th century. On the live map you can also filter by the exact time the stories take place — any year, decade or century, from BCE to the future.
Relevant picks from this decade
The Troubles in Belfast: 1958–2000 — Explore the complex and turbulent history of Belfast — from the civil rights movements of the late 1950s through the ethno-nationalist conflict known… Explore The Troubles in Belfast: 1958–2000
Cold War Berlin: 1945–1989 — A city divided by ideology — Berlin during the Cold War was a hotspot of espionage, culture, and tension, inspiring numerous novels and films. The… Explore Cold War Berlin: 1945–1989
Modern Hollywood: 1980–2025 — Contemporary LA as the center of the film industry — known for stories about fame, glamour, and Hollywood's underbelly, from studio satires to… Explore Modern Hollywood: 1980–2025
Apartheid South Africa: 1948–1994 — A dark but pivotal era defined by segregation, resistance, and the fight for freedom, depicted in many powerful stories. The button below opens… Explore Apartheid South Africa: 1948–1994
Soviet Moscow: 1922–1991 — Discover Moscow under Soviet rule, where political tension mixed with cultural resilience — films and books depicting espionage, revolution, and… Explore Soviet Moscow: 1922–1991
Gothic Transylvania — Journey into the misty Carpathians where history and myth intertwine — medieval fortresses, blood-soaked battles, and the legend of Vlad the Impaler… Explore Gothic Transylvania
Keep exploring
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