We have a confession to make. Even in the age of on demand TV and streaming services such as Netflix, we still like to purchase a TV guide at Christmas and highlight the shows we want to watch or record. Are we on our own? These days of course every channel is listed in one publication, but back in the 1980s we had to purchase both the Radio and TV times!


This year we’ve scoured through a UK TV Guide so you don’t have to, in an attempt to bring you the definitive list of classic 80s films that are being shown throughout the Christmas period.

Please do post a comment letting us know how many of these films you’ve seen, which is your absolute favourite, and which you’ll be sitting down to watch again during the festive period!

[rtk_adunit_top]

December 22nd

We begin our festive film rundown with the news that on December 22nd you’ll be able to take a trip down under to watch the brilliant Crocodile Dundee(6.10pm, Channel 4). And if one film isn’t enough then on New Years Eve you can also tune into the sequel, Crocodile Dundee 2! (New Years Eve, 7pm, Channel 4). But whilst you wait for the sequel to air, why not also catch the brilliant Flight of the Navigator(12.45pm, Film4).

[rtk_adunit_middle]

Christmas Eve

What better way to spend time with your family on Christmas Eve than to watch the classic that is Santa Claus: The Movie(3.25pm, ITV). And if you’d prefer something a bit scarier, after you’ve put your stockings out for Santa make sure you tune into Gremlins(9.30pm, ITV).

[rtk_adunit_bottom]

Boxing Day

Once the glut of inferior ‘modern’ films being shown on Christmas Day are out of the way, you can settle down for a bit of classic 80s swashbuckling action on Boxing Day with Raiders of the Lost Ark(1.25pm, BBC1). And note that all of the Indiana Jones films are being shown over the festive period, so make sure you also watch Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom(December 27th, 1.30pm, BBC1) as well as Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade(December 28th, 1.15pm, BBC1). The fourth one is being shown too but don’t watch that…

[rtk_adunit_top]

Also on Boxing Day is Short Circuit(9.20am, Channel 4), as well as legendary Dirty Dancing(10pm, Channel 5), which we know that many of you are big fans of and will happily watch over and over again!

[rtk_adunit_middle]

December 30th

Christmas is over and you’re fed up of your relatives, so once you’ve sent them home you can phone home and watch everyone’s favourite alien, E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial(2.45pm, Channel 5).

[rtk_adunit_bottom]

New Years Eve

Whilst you’re getting ready for your New Year’s Eve celebrations (or getting ready for a night in if you have kids), you can enjoy a couple of classic 80s films. First there is the brilliantly camp Flash Gordon(11.10am, Channel 4).

[rtk_adunit_top]

Later at night there’s also the time hopping antics of Marty McFly in Back to the Future(11.35pm, Film4). Incidentally, if you want to complete the trilogy you can also watch Back to the Future Part II(New Years Day, 4.15pm, Film4), and Back to the Future Part III(January 2nd, 4.50pm, Film4). Great Scott!

[rtk_adunit_middle]

New Years Day

And for a feast of 80s movie goodness just switch on your TV on New Years Day after your hangover has cleared. First there’s the criminally underrated Splash(1.25pm, Channel 4), followed by Tom Hanks again in Turner & Hooch(3.40pm, Channel 4).

[rtk_adunit_bottom]

Also on New Years Day, 5Star are having something of an 80s movie marathon in the afternoon. They start off with The NeverEnding Story(12.55pm, 5Star), which we can’t watch ever again due to the horse sinking into the swamp giving us nightmares! They follow that up with Honey I Shrunk the Kids(2.50pm, 5Star) and round it off with the brilliant The Goonies(4.45pm, 5Star).

[rtk_adunit_top]

January 2nd

Christmas may be over and the New Years celebrations may have ground to a halt, but it doesn’t have to mean an end to your 80s movie watching. Make sure you tune into Willow(11.35am, Channel 4), which is one of our favourite films from when we were a kid.

[rtk_adunit_middle]

January 3rd

Our festive 80s movie guide is drawing to a close, but we have time to draw your attention to one more classic film before we leave. If you’ve never seen it before (or even if you have), make sure you take the time to tune into The Princess Bride(12.15pm Channel 4).

[rtk_adunit_bottom]

That’s it for this year! Be sure to share this post with your friends and family so they too can see which classic 80s films are available for them to watch this Christmas!