15 cheesy '80s horror movies to watch with your friends

When it comes to cheesy Horror moviesThere was no better decade than the 1980s. The best films of this era kicked things into absolute hyperdrive as excessive gore, outrageous special effects and campy, over-the-top performances became the norm. It was a period when filmmakers experimented with new types of horror movies as directors paid tribute to classics of the past with incredible homages, carved new styles that better represented the social and political anxieties of the time, and pushed audiences out of their Comfort. Zone with some truly terrifying films.

The cheesiest horrors of the 1980s included scary slashers that saw serial killers relentlessly stalk their victims, Hilarious comedy horrors featuring punk rock brain-eating zombiesOr even alien clowns invading Earth. While more serious horrors can make for a terrifying film-viewing experience, when gathered together with a group of friends, a cheesy 1980s horror will usually be the best choice. These are all movies that will be sure to please a group of horror movie fans who are looking to get together to laugh, howl and scream at the screen.

15

Chopping Mall (1986)

Directed by Jim Wynorski

Chopping Mole is a 1986 science fiction horror film directed by Jim Wynorski. Set in a shopping mall, the story follows a group of teenagers who become trapped inside overnight and must survive against a fleet of malfunctioning security robots. The film stars Kelli Maroney and Tony O’Dell, blending elements of horror and satire in a commercial retail setting.

Director: Jim Wynorski
Release date: March 14, 1986
Writers: Jim Wynorski, Steve Mitchell
Figure: Kelli Maroney, Tony O’Dell, Russell Todd, Karrie Emerson, Barbara Crampton, Nick Segal, John Terlesky, Paul Bartel
runtime: 77 minutes

The techno-horror Chopping mall Featured robot security guards turn bad and go on a murderous rampage against the teenage employees of a local shopping mall. As a thrilling mix between the nightmarish shopping mall setting of Dawn of the Dead and the robots vs. humanity themes of The Terminator, Chopping mall was a clever cult classic that satirized the excesses of the United States in the Reagan era. As a clever, tongue-in-cheek, B-movie horror, Chopping mall Is the perfect horror to enjoy with a group of friends.

14

Sleepaway Camp (1983)

Directed by Robert Hiltzik

The 1983 cult classic slasher horror Sleepaway Camp follows Angela Baker (Felissa Rose), an introverted teenage girl who is sent to summer camp years after a traumatizing event deeply affected her. However, she is constantly bullied and abused, and everyone at Camp Arawak begins to die, one by one.

Director: Robert Hillzik
Release date: November 18, 1983
studio(s): Columbia pictures
distributor(s): Columbia pictures
Writers: Robert Hillzik
Figure: Jonathan Tiersten, Mike Kellin, Felissa Rose, Karen Fields, Christopher Collett
runtime: 84 minutes
Budget: $350 thousand

The first entry in the US Slipaway camp Franchise borrowed heavily from other slasher movies viz Friday the 13th While injecting the genre with a healthy dose of cheesy fun. With a simple story about teenagers who are relentlessly pursued by a killer at a summer camp, Slipaway camp Will keep viewers guessing right until the big twist is revealed. While the shocking revelation that the killer, Angela Baker, was born male and mentally damaged due to forced cross-dressing may be uncomfortable when viewed through a modern lens, the appeal of this campy cult classic cannot be ignored.

13

The Stuff (1985)

Directed by Larry Cohen

The Stuff is a satirical horror film directed by Larry Cohen. Released in 1985, the movie revolves around a mysterious, addictive dessert that becomes a nationwide craze. As corporate greed drives its rise, an industrial spy, played by Michael Moriarty, discovers the deadly consequences of its consumption. The film explores themes of consumerism and corporate control, presenting a darkly humorous critique of the food industry.

Director: Larry Cohen
Release date: June 14, 1985
Writers: Larry Cohen
Figure: Michael Moriarty, Andrea Marcovicci, Garrett Morris, Paul Sorvino, Scott Bloom, Danny Aiello, Patrick O’Neal, James Dixon
character(s): David, Nicole, Chocolate Charlie, Col. Spears, Jason, Vickers, Fletcher, postman
runtime: 87 minutes

The stuff is the perfect movie for a group of friends who want to load up on snacks and enjoy some outrageously satirical horror movie cheesy fun. Telling the story of how a delicious, mysterious alien goo becomes the ultimate dessert sensation, The stuff Quickly takes a turn as this otherworldly substance starts to fight back and turn people into zombies. As a hilarious satire of American consumer culture, The stuff was a sharp, funny and thematically-rich viewing experience that will go down as easy as the yummy gooey stuff it depicted.

12

Night of the Creeps (1986)

Directed by Fred Dekker

Night of the Creeps is a 1986 science fiction horror film directed by Fred Dekker. The story follows a group of college students who must fend off a horde of alien-infected zombies. Tom Atkins stars as a hard-boiled detective drawn into the chaos when experiments from decades past resurface, unleashing terror in a small town. The film blends elements of horror and comedy, creating a cult classic in the genre.

Director: Fred Decker
Release date: August 22, 1986
Writers: Fred Decker
Figure: Jason Lively, Tom Atkins, Steve Marshall, Jill Whitlow, Wally Taylor, Bruce Solomon, Vic Polizos, Allan Kayser
character(s): Chris, Ray Cameron, JC, Cynthia, Detective Landis, Sgt. Raimi, Coroner, Brad
runtime: 88 minutes

Night of the Creeps Pays homage to B-movie horrors that mix alien invasion, slasher and zombie tropes together in a cheesy tongue-in-cheek bonanza perfect for a group of friends to watch together. With a 1950s setting, Nights of the Crips Saw college students steal a dead body from a cryogenics labOnly for the undead corpse to be under the control of an extraterrestrial organism. Like a suspense-filled cult classic, watching Night of the Creeps is a strange but engaging film made by a director with a true love for cheesy horror.

11

Ghoulies (1985)

Directed by Luca Bercovici

Ghoulies (1985) follows a young man who inherits an old mansion and inadvertently unleashes a group of mischievous, small creatures while dabbling in the dark arts. The horror-comedy blends supernatural elements with comedic undertones, exploring themes of occult practices and unintended consequences in a unique narrative.

Director: Luca Bercovici
Release date: January 18, 1985
Writers: Luca Bercovici, Jeffery Levy
Figure: Peter Liapis, Lisa Pelikan, Michael Des Barres, Jack Nance, Peter Risch, Tamara De Treaux, Scott Thomson, Ralf Seymour, Mariska Hargitay, Victoria Catlin, Bobbie Bresee, Keith Joe Dick, David Dayan, Charene Cathleen, Brian Conno Bronow, Annie Stocking, Craig Talmy
character(s): Jonathan Graves, Rebecca, Malcolm Graves, Wolfgang, Grizel, Greedygut, Mike, Mark (Todd Boy), Dana, Anastasia, Temptress, Dick, Eddie, Robin, John Graves (as a child), Gully
runtime: 81 minutes

Ancient demons infiltrate the lives of Jonathan Graves and his girlfriend Rebecca in BulliesA satanic horror movie packed with plenty of over-the-top gore. From writer and director Luca Bercovici, Bullies was A page Gremlins tear-off With plenty of 1980s cheese, outrageous fashion and a convoluted plot with occultist secrets. Bullies is the type of horror movie that feels dull when watched alone but becomes truly hilarious when enjoyed with a group of like-minded friends.

10

Maximum Overdrive (1986)

Directed by Stephen King

Written and directed by Stephen King, Maximum Overdrive is a 1986 horror movie about a group of people who are trapped in a truck stop when all the machines in the world, including trucks, cars, and lawn mowers, become sentient and homicidal.

Release date: July 25, 1986
studio(s): 20th century
distributor(s): De Laurentiis Entertainment Group, 20th century
Figure: Emilio Estevez, Laura Harrington, Pat Hingle, Yardley Smith, John Short, Ellen McElduff, Frankie Faison
runtime: 98 minutes
Budget: $9 million

The horror icon Stephen King tried his hand at filmmaking for Maximum overdriveA film he wrote, directed and appeared in Maximum overdrive Widely regarded as a failure, it’s worth watching for King’s cameo alone as an ATM machine hilariously tells him he was a “a** Hole“Another event that made all machines become sentient. Although it may not have been a hit with critics, Maximum overload will have a group of friends howling with laughter together in this adaptation of King’s own short story “Trucks.”

9

The Blob (1988)

Directed by Chuck Russell

The Blob (English: The Blob) is a 1988 science fiction horror film directed by Chuck Russell. The plot revolves around an evil, gelatinous entity that emerges from a meteorite and begins to consume everything in its path in a small American town. As the creature grows larger with each victim, a group of citizens races against time to find a way to stop the unstoppable threat. The film stars Kevin Dillon and Shawnee Smith.

Director: Chuck Russell
Release date: August 5, 1988
Writers: Theodore Simonson, Kay Linaker, Irvine H. Millgate
Figure: Shawnee Smith, Kevin Dillon, Donovan Leitch Jr., Jeffrey DeMunn, Candy Clark, Joe Seneca, Del Close, Paul McCrane
character(s): Meg Penny, Brian Flagg, Paul Taylor, Sheriff Herb Geller, Fran Hewitt, Dr. Meadows, Reverend Meeker, Deputy Bill Briggs
runtime: 95 minutes

While this remake of the 1950s B-movie classic The blob Can’t quite recapture the charm of the original, it certainly upgraded the gore, violence, and cynicism for the 1980s. With a plot surrounding a government conspiracy, viz Man created the blob to use as a biological weaponThis remake echoes the more cynical era of which it was created. While the story of an amoeba-like alien has plenty of cheesy sequences for viewers to enjoy, it also has a clever social commentary that represents the time it came out of.

8

Puppet Master (1989)

Directed by David Schmoeller

Puppet Master is the first film in the Puppet Master franchise and was released in 1989. Directed by David Schmoeller and starring Paul Le Mat, the film sees a series of murderous puppets controlled by a psychic trying to take revenge on his associates .

Director: David Shmueler
Release date: October 12, 1989
studio(s): Top pictures
distributor(s): Top pictures
Writers: David Shmueler
Figure: Paul Le Matt, William Hickey, Robin Frates, Jimmy F. Skaggs, Irene Miracle
runtime: 90 minutes
sequel(s): Doll Master: The Least Rich, Being Elmo: A Doll’s Journey
Budget: $600 thousand

The direct-to-video cult classic Doll master had enough cheesy thrills to inspire an entire franchise with five sequels, a litany of prequels, and even spin-off movies. Like the story of psychologists who use Egyptian magic to animate puppets and seek revenge against their colleagues, the outrageous horror included Nazi spies, secret conspiracies and many terrifying 1980s horrors. This is one to watch with a crowd and will especially appeal to those who enjoy the Play child’s play Movies.

7

The Slumber Party Massacre (1982)

Amy Jones

Russ Thorn with a blood covered power drill.

The Slumber Party Massacre Featuring, as the title suggests, a group of teenagers who find themselves on the receiving end of an escaped power-wielding killer intent on killing them. As a parody of the slasher genre, director Amy Jones and writer Rita Mae Brown imbued the film with a lot of humor, both intended and unintentional, that made it stand out during its time. As a cult hit that grossed $3.6 million against its mere $220,000 budget (via AFI), The Slumber Party Massacre was a fun-filled film that spawned an entire horror franchise.

6

TerrorVision (1986)

Directed by Ted Nicolau

TerrorVision is a 1986 science fiction horror comedy directed by Ted Nicolaou. The film follows the Futterman family, who inexplicably tune their satellite into a signal from a distant planet. The transmission brings a monstrous alien into their home, resulting in chaotic and darkly humorous events. The movie stars Diane Franklin, Gerrit Graham and Mary Woronov, blending campy visual effects with a satire of consumerism and suburban life.

The comedy horror TerrorVision featured a monstrous mutant called a hungry beast sent to Earth after it picked up on the Putterman family television satellite. Like a truly terrifying creature, the three kids try to tame the beast before it goes on a hungry, all-consuming rampage. With plenty of shock value and an off-putting oozing alien monster, TerrorVision Would make the perfect midnight movie for a group of friends Looking for so-bad-it’s-good horror to laugh, scream and scream with.

5

Fright Night (1985)

Directed by Tom Holland

When teenage Charlie Brewster discovers that the newcomer to his neighborhood is a vampire, he turns to actor Peter Vincent, who played a vampire hunter on a TV horror show, for help dealing with his undead neighbor Jerry’s thirst for blood.

Release date: August 2, 1985
studio(s): Columbia pictures
distributor(s): Columbia pictures
Figure: Roddy McDowall, William Ragsdale, Amanda Burse, Chris Sarandon, Stephen Geoffreys, Jonathan Stark
runtime: 106 minutes
sequel(s): Fright Night Part II, Fright Night 3
Budget: $9 million

The supernatural horror Scary night is written and directed by Psycho II And Play child’s play Writer Tom Holland. Telling the story of a teenager who believes that the guy in his neighborhood is secretly a vampire, this campy and clever film combines horror and humor to create a fantastic cult classic packed with over-the-top, gross-out visuals. As a 1980s horror that perfectly encapsulated everything that was great about that decade of cinema, Scary night Will have some friends howling with laughter While others tremble with fear, depending on their sense of humor.

4

Return of the Walking Dead (1985)

Directed by Dan O’Bannon

Return of the Living Dead (English: Return of the Living Dead) is a 1985 horror comedy directed by Dan O’Bannon and starring Clue Gulger, Thom Mathews, James Karen and Don Calfa. The plot revolves around medical supply store clerk Frank and his apprentice Freddy, who accidentally release a deadly gas that revives the dead in a nearby cemetery. Soon the city is invaded by a horde of hungry zombies, which Frank and Freddy have to fight for their own survival.

Director: Dan O’Bannon
Release date: August 16, 1985
Writers: Dan O’Bannon
Figure: Thomas Mathews, Linnea Quigley, Clu Gulager, James Karen, Beverly Randolph.
runtime: 91 minutes
sequel(s): Return of the Living Dead Part II, Return of the Living Dead 5: Rave to the Grave
Budget: $4 million

Alien Writer Dan O’Bannon’s directorial debut, The return of the living deadHolds the honor of originating the idea of a brain-eating zombie and was a very influential film for the comedy horror subgenre. With engaging punk rock energy and a healthy dose of 1980s cheese, The return of the living dead was a hit at the box office That spawned four sequels. As a modern, original and truly hilarious film that pays tribute to George A. Romero’s Living Dead series, this is truly a must-watch for 1980s horror lovers.

3

Evil Dead II (1987)

Directed by Sam Raimi

Evil Dead II (English: Evil Dead II) is a horror comedy film directed by Sam Raimi, continuing the story of Ash Williams. After arriving at a secluded cabin with his girlfriend, Ash faces evil forces unleashed by an archaeologist’s recording of chants from the Book of the Dead, leading to chaotic and supernatural events.

Director: Sam Raimi
Release date: March 13, 1987
studio(s): Renaissance paintings
distributor(s): De Laurentiis Entertainment Group
Writers: Scott Spiegel
Figure: Bruce Campbell, Sarah Berry, Dan Hicks, Cassie DePaiva, Ted Raimi, Denise Bixler, Richard Domeier, John Picks, Lou Hancock, Snowy Winters, Sol Abrams, Josh Baker, Scott Spiegel, Thomas Kidd, Mitch Kantor, J. Preston Robertson, J. Preston Robertson. Griffith, Tony Ellwood, Gary Jones, David Goodman, Greg Nicotero, Sam Raimi, Tom Sullivan, Robert Tapert, John W. Walter
runtime: 84 minutes
Budget: $3.6 million

While Sam Raimi made horror history with the release of his excellent debut low-budget horror Evil Dead In 1981, only six years later did he really crack the code with the quasi-sequel-remake Evil Dead IIwhich retold the story with a heavy focus on humor, slapstick comedy, and A truly career-defining performance from Bruce Campbell as Ash Williams. Evil Dead II was the movie that made the franchise a true cult favorite, and its legacy has been carried forward by its sequels, reboot series, and even spin-off TV series, Ash vs Evil Dead.

2

Killer Clowns from Outer Space (1988)

Directed by Stephen Chiodo

A satirical horror film from the 1980s, Killer Clowns from Outer Space comes from the Chiodo Brothers; What takes place in a town that is terrorized by foreign “clowns” who kill its inhabitants by turning them into cotton candy and drinking their blood. When Mike Tabak and Debbie Stone are enjoying a romantic evening in Lover’s Lane, they notice a strange object falling to the ground, a strange circus tent. From that tent come out “clowns”, aliens with only one goal in mind – murder. Mike and his friends will band together to stop the menacing killer clowns before their town is wiped out and the “circus” stays forever.

Director: Steven Chiodo
Release date: May 27, 1988
Writers: Stephen Chiodo, Charles Chiodo
Figure: Susan Snyder, Michael C. Siegel, Grant Kramer, John Vernon, John Allen Nelson, Peter Likasi
runtime: 88 minutes
Budget: $2 million

Just based on the name alone, it is clear that Killer clowns from outer space Would make the perfect movie for a group of horror movie-loving friends to all watch together. With a story featuring alien clowns invading Earth, this cult classic uses practical effects to present dark goofy fun packed with outrageous 1980s cheesy energy. with equal parts horror and humor, Killer clowns from outer space was a cult classic That more than delivered on the high expectations set by its title.

1

Re-Animator (1985)

Directed by Stuart Gordon

1985’s Re-Animator is a feature-length film based on HP Lovecraft’s short story, Herbert West – Reanimator. The release of horror and comedy follows a man who spends time trying to create a reagent that will purify the dead.

Director: Stuart Gordon
Release date: October 18, 1985
Writers: Stuart Gordon, William Norris, Dennis Paoli
Figure: Jeffrey Combs, Bruce Abbott, Robert Sampson, David Gale, Barbara Crampton
runtime: 84 minutes
sequel(s): Re-Animator: Evolution
Budget: $900 thousand

The cheesy 1980s horror to beat them all is Stuart Gordon’s Re-AnitmarThe greatest of all HP Lovecraft adaptations. With a healthy dose of humor, some truly terrifying horror and amazing special effects, it’s no surprise that Re-animator Has stood the test of time, and almost 40 years since it was first released, it remains a classic. Re-animator Perfectly encapsulates 1980s cheesy horror movies, but it’s also such an excellent film that it ticks all the right boxes by any metric and will surely please any group of horror fans trying to decide to watch together.

Source: AFI

15 Chopping Mall (1986)

Directed by Jim Wynorski

14 Sleepaway Camp (1983)

Directed by Robert Hiltzik

13 The Stuff (1985)