The 1980s were a great time for horror movies and a decade filled with undisputed classics and several underrated hidden gems. With advances in special effects and the increased use of animatronics and prosthetics, horror films during this decade could portray horrific images and shocking visuals in ways previously considered unimaginable. This was also the time when horror films really took off and horror films dared to become even more bloody, shocking and violent than was allowed in previous decades.
Some of the greatest horror films ever made were released in the 1980s, when all-time great directors like David Cronenberg, John Carpenter, and Wes Craven really came into their own. The 1980s saw the creation of franchises that continue today and the introduction of horror villains like Freddy Krueger who have become icons of modern popular culture. With films that reflected the social and political anxieties of their time, the 1980s were truly a golden age for horror.
10
The Shining (1980)
Directed by Stanley Kubrick
The 1980s started strong with Stanley Kubrick’s incredible adaptation of Stephen King’s book The Shining Not only was it the best horror of the year, it might also be the best horror film ever made. Jack Nicholson was never more menacing than when he played Jack Torrancethe recovering alcoholic and aspiring novelist who found himself slowly being compelled into murderous violence due to the frightening influence of the spirits of the Overlook Hotel. With infinite symbolism and a good dose of the supernatural, The Shining captured the mysterious essence of King’s book, even if the author himself wasn’t a fan.
From iconic quotes like “All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy” to the killer ad of “Here’s Johnny!” The Shining was a chilling journey into the darkest corners of madness set in a spooky hotel that isn’t as empty as it first seemed. The Shining was genuinely scary, and Shelley Duvall gave one of her best performances as long-suffering wife Wendy, while her son Danny’s clairvoyance added to the intrigue of its lore. The Shining it was an all-time great horror that hasn’t lost any of its power all these decades later.
9
Evil Dead (1981)
Directed by Sam Raimi
Although 1981 saw the release of classics such as An American werewolf in London or the sequel that properly introduced Jason Voorhees in Friday the 13th Part 2was by Sam Raimi The Evil Dead who stood out that year. As a starting point for the franchise that continues today, the first evil Dead the film was much less comedic than the rest of Raimi’s trilogy, as a group of friends were tormented by demonic possession while Ash Williams (Bruce Campbell) was forced to survive an increasingly brutal confrontation.
The Evil Dead it was a true cult classic that laid the foundation for everything that followed. Campbell was perfectly cast as the tenacious and often hilarious hero who will stop at nothing to ensure his own survival in a performance that was so informed by his skill with slapstick that the sequels leaned further on his undeniable comedic genius. The Evil Dead was a low-budget horror film that managed to become popular and helped solidify Raimi’s reputation as a great horror filmmaker.
8
The Thing (1982)
Directed by John Carpenter
It seemed like 1982 audiences and critics didn’t connect with John Carpenter’s film The thing as it received poor reviews and underperformed at the box office. This was the year of Poltergeist and freak showalthough, with the power of hindsight, it is clear that The thing was misunderstood and was actually the best horror release of that year. With a terrifying and unknowable extraterrestrial threat at the center of its story, The thing was characterized by fear and paranoia as trust among a group of American researchers in Antarctica slowly began to wane.
The alien in The thing they could assimilate and then imitate other organisms, meaning that none of the survivors could tell who was still themselves or who was an impostor just waiting for the chance to attack. With themes around the fear of others, The thing It was particularly relevant given the Cold War tensions of the 1980s and the rising fear of mutually assured destruction in the event of a nuclear attack. Although it didn’t receive the love it deserved upon release, The thing has been reappraised as one of the best horror films ever made.
7
Videodrome (1983)
Directed by David Cronenberg
Canadian filmmaker David Cronenberg developed his unique talent for grotesque body horror throughout the 1970s and with the release of Videodrome in 1983 he really started to perfect it. Cronenberg’s alienating cinematic style meant he rarely managed to reach mainstream audiences, and Videodrome It was no different, as it bombed at the box office. However, it built a reputation as a true cult classic, as its techno-surrealist style and deeply psychological themes made it stand out as one of the most successful films of the year.
Videodrome mixed body horror and science fiction as layers of corruption revealed themselves as a man tried to discover the origin of a strange broadcast symbol that was showing unauthorized snuff films. From outrageous hallucinations that highlighted a crumbling sense of reality, the themes of Videodrome addressed the growing dominance that technology was exerting over society in general and the negative impact of allowing him to completely take control. Videodrome is even more relevant today than it was in the 1980s, as it signaled the dark path that technology was taking society down.
6
A Nightmare on Elm Street (1984)
Directed by Wes Craven
The world was introduced to the child killer who murders teenagers in their dreams, Freddy Krueger, in Wes Craven’s 1984 classic. A Nightmare on Elm Street. Although this was known as the film debut of actor Johnny DeppIt was also the beginning of a great horror franchise that had six sequels, a television series and even a crossover, some better than others. However, it’s hard to top the original, as everything that was chilling and great about this series was on full display in the very first film.
As a unique blend of classic slasher horror movie tropes and more fantastical elements, the way A Nightmare on Elm Street combined the threat of murder with a surreal dream world gave it a unique appeal. As a killer who visited his victims in their dreams, Freddy was a threat unlike anything ever seen in mainstream films and, as a result, became a true horror icon. Like a film that walked the fine line between the imaginary and the real, A Nightmare on Elm Street was an original horror that captured the often traumatic experience of adolescence.
5
Reanimator (1985)
Directed by Stuart Gordon
The comedy-horror Reanimator may be the greatest HP Lovecraft adaptation of all, as it perfectly captured the spirit of his 1922 short story, “Herbert West – Reanimator.” Starring Jeffrey Combs as Herbert West, Reanimator told the story of a medical student who discovered how to reanimate the dead in a bloody story that mixed the classic horror of Frankenstein with the aesthetics and humor of the best horror of the 1980s. With deadpan delivery, Combs gave his all in this happier version of Lovecraft’s original story.
Reanimator was a campy and entertaining horror film in the truest sense of the word and led to several sequels including Reanimator’s Bride in 1990 and Beyond the Reanimator in 2003. With an incredible soundtrack that even paid homage to Alfred Hitchcock’s classic soundtrack Psychopath, Reanimator was a real treat for horror movie lovers, as it leaned into the genre’s legacy while also feeling wholly original. Like a fun and scary movie, Reanimator surpassed other great films of 1985as Scary night and Day of the Dead.
4
The Fly (1986)
Directed by David Cronenberg
David Cronenberg managed to improve on the original when he remade the 1956 B-movie horror classic The flya sci-fi horror classic based on a short story by George Langelaan. With Jeff Goldblum as the brilliant but eccentric scientist Seth Brundle, The fly leaned into Cronenberg’s penchant for body horror when an experiment gone wrong meant he slowly transformed into a terrifying fly-human hybrid creature known as a Brundlefly. With horrible images, The fly deservedly won an Oscar for Best Makeup.
The fly has gained an important place in popular culture and has been parodied countless times, as in The Simpsons‘ “Treehouse of Horror VIII”, when Homer used a matter transport machine that swapped his head for that of a fly. Until The fly slogan, “Be afraid. Be very afraid,” has become so well known that many may not realize that it originated from the commercialization of this film. With an undeniable legacy, The fly it was the perfect encapsulation of Cronenberg’s unique style that made him a true original in the world of horror.
3
Predator (1987)
Directed by John McTiernan
Horror films can span many different genres, as they often combine elements of comedy, fantasy, science fiction, or in the case of Predatoraction films. This action horror starring Arnold Schwarzenegger led to an entire franchise, as humans faced off against highly skilled extraterrestrial creatures known as Yautja. By taking on the action hero persona that Schwarzenegger developed in films like Command and mixing that with the horror of a seemingly unstoppable alien enemy in the jungle, Predator it was a claustrophobic classic with impressive special effects for the time.
Part science fiction, part horror, part action, Predator managed to successfully reconcile its mix of genres to produce a tense, engaging and highly entertaining film. While Schwarzenegger gave one of his best performances as Dutch Schaeferwhose utterances of verses like “go to choppa!”In cinema history, Carl Weathers also deserved praise for his effective performance as CIA agent Dillon. While the Predator the franchise had many other great moments to come, it never got better than the 1987 original.
2
They Live (1988)
Directed by John Carpenter
Director John Carpenter made some of his greatest work during the 1980s, and one underrated release was the biting satire They live. As a mix of action, comedy, science fiction and horror, They live was an effective deconstruction of 1980s neoliberalism that took strong aim at the Reagan economy, the increasing commodification of culture, and the divisive politics of the time. They live tells the story of a wanderer named Nada (Roddy Piper) who discovers special sunglasses that allow him to see the ruling class for what it really is: aliens manipulating the status quo through subliminal messages.
They live was a clever satire that showed the desire of those in power to manipulate people into consuming, creating, and conforming to serve the interests of elite aliens, pulling strings behind the scenes. While They live was criticized at the time of its release For its heavy-handed messages and subversive social commentary, this was also the exact reason why it has endured so well as an effective time capsule of the era in which it was produced. With a powerful message about the dehumanizing effects of an increasingly fractured world, the scariest thing about They live that was how accurate it was.
1
Begotten (1989)
Directed by E. Elias Merhige
The 1980s ended with great horror films, including the excellent Stephen King film adaptation. Pet Cemetery and cult favorites like Puppet Master. However, the honor of best horror of that year has to go to the experimental classic Generateda silent horror film that chillingly explored creation myths in Christian mythology, Celtic mythology, and Slavic paganism. Originally conceived as a work of experimental theater Generated made for challenging viewing and it certainly won’t be for everyone, but those who connect with it will do so deeply.
With stunning photography and visual imagery, Generated was an avant-garde cinematic work that reached a much wider audience in the 21st century due to its widespread availability online. Like a beautiful and challenging work of art by E. Elias Merhige, Generated the haunting, dreamlike aesthetic was notably unsettling in a way that made it stand out as wholly original. While it will likely push fans of more conventional horror films out of their comfort zone, Generated also proved that horror movies it doesn’t need to follow any predetermined filmmaking rules to be truly effective.