THE BEST HORROR MOVIES OF THE EIGHTIES


1980-1989

This was a period of innovation and imitation, with many great films from the big studios and a multitude of cheap films based on more popular hits. We would also see a rash of sequels and the indestructible killer which made the films nothing more then 90 minute body counts. We would also see the release of films on cable and video to draw even more viewers in.


American Werewolf in London (1982) Ever been on a trip to a foreign country and everyone is unfriendly. A little backpacking trip for two friends in the British moors turns out to be a nightmare when both are brutally attacked by some crazed monster that is soon killed. With his friend dead, David recovers with the aid of a friendly nurse. Yet he is soon visited by his dead friend who warns him of things to come. With the award winning talents of Rick Baker, John Landis creates a frightening and on occasion funny werewolf movie. Griffen Dunne has a great role as the ever rotting friend of the werewolf to be in what has to be the coolest ghost on record. With its mix of classic horror, great FX, humor and some freaky dream sequences we have a fun and entertaining play on the classic werewolf movie.

Beetlejuice (1988) What if your house was infested by pesky humans who seem to reside in your rightful home. Of course you call a human exorcist. Geena Davis and Alec Baldwin play a newly dead couple who wish to rid their home of a new family who find their attempts at fright funny and cute. Michael Keaton is the comical ghost with the most who answers their call and does more then what is asked. Tim Burton uses his incredible imagination and Danny Elfman’s music genius to create a funny and sometimes frightening movie that packs a little more fright then Ghostbusters but still does not fall completely into all out slapstick. A great play on the haunted house that delivers on both the fright and laughs. Wynonna Rider does a great performance as the semi-suicidal daughter of the current occupants.

Blob, The (1988) The ultimate red menace returns to infest a new town and eats up everything in its path. Rarely does a remake out do the original yet what we have here is an all out effects delight. Kevin Dillan plays the loner teen who has to battle the mega goo before its makes his town into nothing. The effects are what makes this movie better then the original.

Child's Play (1988) I really don’t care for killer dolls since most cannot compete with the Zuni Doll of Trilogy of Terror but Child’s Play does make the grade. Dynamic character villain Brad Dourif plays a voodoo worshipping mass murderer who returns to life as a cute Good Guy Doll named Chucky. Catherine Hicks is a single mom who buys the Good guy doll from a street vender and is delighted when her son, the sickeningly cute Alex Vincent happily accepts. Well Chucky comes to life and wrecks havoc that leaves mom, son and the nice guy cop played by Chris Sarandon to deal with this murderous Teddy Ruxpin-like doll. A big hit with horror fans this film used clever FX and a good cast to overcome its blatant swipes of Trilogy of Terror and a couple of classic Twilight Zone episodes. Only when we see its expected and unwelcome sequels do we learn that creepy dolls make horrible killers, especially when they crack sick jokes. I still say the Zuni Fetish Doll rules!!!!

Creepers (1984) Although I would much prefer to watch the original version of this film titled Phenomena, we here in the states are stuck with a slightly cut version called Creepers. Dario Argento presents yet another of his unique and stylish horror movies. Jennifer Connelly plays an American who is attending a prestigious Swiss boarding school and discovers that a vicious killer is praying on her classmates. Yet we discover that she has something to offer, a unique psychic link to insects that she uses to help track the killer down. Great use of insects make this an entomologist delight. Somewhat underrated but then again Argento never fails to deliver.

Creepshow (1982) Those controversial EC comics come to life again in this funny and gory series of short skits featuring the talents of Adrienne Barbaeu, Ted Danson, Leslie Neilson and Stephen King. The five stories include a murdered father who wants his cake, a man who drowns his former girlfriend and her lover only to face their zombies, a goofy hillbilly who discovers a meteor, a professor who finds a monster in the box and finally an obsessive reclusive Billionaire and his fight with a million roaches. The good choice of actors and Romero’s stylish direction give us a funny and terrifying tale that literally recreates the magic of those little scary comics of the fifties. This movie may have brought about the return of the horror anthology on both television and in the movies. A real tribute that spawned a decent sequel and many more great imitations. Stephen King is excellent as the hillbilly, is he not the goofiest looking guy or what!

Cujo (1983) Stephen King presents a really harrowing tale of a woman and her child trapped in a car with a rabid dog. This classic novel of King’s was well made in this film that turned a lovable family pet into a wild and really mad dog. Great use of camera angles add to the realism of Dee Wallace and Danny Pintauro’s siege at the hands of the St. Bernard. A great film that does not have to rely on excessive gore to be scary.

Dead Zone, The (1983) We all wish we could see the future and thanks to a nearly fatal accident we have a man who has that power. In what I feel is one of the best adaptations of a Stephen King novel, Christopher Walken portrays a man who wakes from a long coma to the horror that he can view the death of those he meets. Johnny Smith soon meets a political candidate who he sees starting the global apocalypse. The unique gore and fright of David Cronenburg is noticeably absent in this movie that relies more on the viewers knowledge that he is indeed a doomed soul and our hope he can prevent the inevitable. Filmed in a snowy backdrop that makes it look like a Saturday Evening Post setting. This is a great movie that seems to be hidden away by Kings more flashy and more crappy gore movies. Check it out!

Evil Dead II (1987) Not quite a sequel, more of a remake with better FX and way funnier gags. The story is the same, a group of students visit a lone cabin and discover an ancient Sumarian Book of the Dead. Transforming each one into creepy zombies and releasing even more zombies from below. When all else seems to fail we leave it to the dynamic and very funny Bruce Campbell as Ash, the Demon Killer! Ash takes charge and with a nifty chainsaw hand and a trusty sawed off shotgun tackles the Zombie menace tooth and nail. This very silly remake boasts even better gore effects and many downright funny scenes. More of a parody then a horror film, The Evil Dead 2 is that rare sequel that is way better then its source film. A must see for those who like Zombie movies. Followed by an even more campy sequel, Army of Darkness.

Evil Dead, The (1983) Well lets see, we have a lonely cabin, a group of generic overage teens, a really creepy dark forest and a ancient Sumerian book that summons the very demons of hell…. Gotta love Sam Raimi! With a very low budget and a group of very unknown Detroit actors Sam Raimi was able to create this great and scary horror classic that just kept coming and did not fail to deliver in the gore department. The real star was Bruce Campbell as the intrepid Ash who would later appear in the subsequent Dead movies. This is a standard zombie movie that has each member falling prey to the zombie menace and with the great use of film angles and creepy sound FX we have a minor horror classic. Literally an EC comic book come to life.

Fly, The (1986) In usual Cronenburg form we have another remake of a classic horror movie that uses a lot of sex and gore in its interpretation. Jeff Goldblum plays Seth Bundel, a loner scientist who invents a machine that can teleport matter ala Star Trek. Geena Davis is a reporter who falls for him. The inevitable happens and the intrepid scientist soon develops a whopping appetite and an insatiable sex drive. Little does he realize that his DNA is being altered to that of the fly that rode with him. The results are eye popping, as he literally falls apart and drops body parts all over the place. Cronenburg delivers a great film with incredible FX and a show stopping metamorphosis that has to be seen. Easily his best and most grotesque film he even makes a brief cameo as a gynecologist in a nightmare sequence. You really feel sorry for Seth and wonder if his lover will give birth to a baby larvae….

Fright Night (1985) Remember all those creature features that had goofy hosts and showed cheesy horror movies. Well Tim Holland does and uses this theme for his vampire movie. A curios teen spies on his new neighbor, who has a nack for bringing home the slutiest and most exotic woman, yet we never see them leave. Of course no one believes his stories and when he confronts the vampire, played by Chris Sarandon, he is again dismissed. So he turns to Horror has been Roddy McDowell who at first scoffs his story but then later confronts the menace. Frightnight was a welcome change from the usual gore fliks, great actors and some great FX turn this simple vampire movie into an exciting show with a great climax. Good nod to character geek Stephen Geoffrey’s who plays his best friend. Good show!

Hellraiser (1987) Imagine a world that is neither Heaven or Hell, what sort of creatures would inhabit this netherworld. Clive Barker's first movie is a major triumph in Horror and his evil creatures called Cenebites are very much the true stars of this film. In the beginning a young man is holding a ritual as he plays with a strange puzzlebox which resembles a rubiks cube. The Lament Configuration as it is called summons the very demons of another dimension and his soul is literally ripped to pieces. Shortly after a married couple is moving into the house of the dead man, it is learned that he is the brother to the unfortunate victim. When a minor accident results in blood falling to the floor we discover that it revives the man and we learn that his sister in-law is actually his lover. He convinces her to seduce men so he can have their blood to help revive his body. Yet this ploy does not fool the Cenebites, who have made it known that no one escapes their world with their soul intact. Hellraiser is both highly gruesome and interestingly complex in its character development and use of creative scenery. This is a very frightening movie that creates a mood of fear and lust in the world of the Cenebites were pain is an aphrodisiac and suffering is eternal. The main Cenebite Pinhead is harsh and unsympathetic, he is merely the warden to the world of the Lament Configuration. Followed by 3 uneven sequels.

Humanoids from the Deep (1980) Roger Corman presents a really terrifying film that combines The Creature from the Black Lagoon with Jaws. A small fishing town is besieged by these really creepy looking fishmen that have suddenly taken to land and want to mate with the local woman. It seems some company dumped chemicals that screwed their DNA. As silly as it is sounds this is a terrifying film that boasts some cheap but well used special makeup effects. A drive in delight, I must warn that the closing scene may not be suitable for pregnant woman, I mean it!

Nightmare on Elm Street, A (1984) When I first saw the preview to this horror classic it scared the hell outta me. A disfigured bogeyman haunts and murders the children of the people who had stalked and murdered him a generation before. The daughter of the sheriff discovers the trend and tries to stop this evil menace. Robert Englund would forever be associated with the stripped shirt, fedora hat and trademark finger knives. This movie was well made and boasted some great special effects, the gore not too bad and the story was top notch. Wes Craven put his full energy into this classic and helped create a horror legend. Unfortunately with its sequels we would end up with a comical and sarcastic killer. Avoid the countless sequels and stick with Cravens masterpiece.

Poltergeist (1982) Steven Spielburg created what had to one of the best Ghost Stories of the 80's. Making use of state of the art special effects and the acting talents of Craig T Nelson and JoBeth Williams we are presented one of the most frightening PG movies ever made. A family in a upscale middle class neighborhood find themselves living with a playful spirit. At first the ghost plays gags and simple tricks, yet the real terror begins when researchers arrive to study the phenomena. In one the best scenes we see the late Heather O'Roorke kidnapped by the Television as her frantic parents are besieged by a most evil series of ghosts. It turns out the house was built on an ancient Indian Burial ground and the developers knew all about it. The climax is both terrifying and intense, boasting top notch visuals and allot of ghostly terror. Surprisingly there is not blood or gore, an ironic note to Director Tobe Hooper who was best known for directing The Texas Chainsaw massacre. Although Spielburg wanted a tamer story we get a good blend of both terror and suspense in this classic. Tragically a curse is believed to have fallen on this movie series, in each movie and its subsequent sequel their were tragic deaths involving its stars. Whether their is a parallel or if is just coincidence, we have a truly frightening and engaging story that will forever remain a classic of the Horror genre.

Q (1982) As absurd as it looks this is a great movie. Larry Cohen directs what may be called an homage to the classic King Kong and the great Ray Harryhausen. A series of grisly deaths baffles authorities and a petty thief stumbles upon the lair of the title creature. The creature is an winged serpent described in the bloody rituals of Aztec legend Quetzacoatl. The monster has made a nest in the Chrysler building and has a major showdown with the police in the exciting climax. The movie is full of hoky FX and funny dialogue, yet it is still a very cool movie. Most unique is its use of stop action photography making it look like a King Kong baddie.

Re-Animator (1985) There seems to be a rule that no Lovecraft story can be made right. Ironically what is considered his most benign series of stories translates into what may be the best made movie based on any Lovecraft story. Herbert West arrives at Miskatonic University with a weird green fluid and an attitude that would put fighter jocks to shame. He moves in with a fellow student and they work together on his hideous experiments. Unfortunately West has made a quick enemy, the evil Dr X, who wishes to take full credit for West’s discovery. West soon dispatches him and revives his dis-embodies head. Big mistake! The evil doctor then goes about trying to take out West and kidnap the lovely deans daughter. Re-Animator is a really weird film, no question it was an instant cult classic when it was released. The movie boasts some of the most gory and funny scenes, yet still remains an intense and shocking horror film. The scenes involving the dis-embodied doctor are worth the price of admission and the dialogue is priceless. What are they going to do, Embalm us! I must warn you to avoid the R rated version as it is cut and slashed worse then any body in this movie.

Thing, The (1982) Many recall the classic movie The Thing From Another World, a great Sci Fi film of the cold war era. John Carpenter does it better this time, following the original story of William Campbell Who Goes There more closely. We have what may be the goriest and most FX ridden film of the 1980’s. An Antarctic Expedition finds a frozen package in the burned out remains of a Norwegian Station. Thawing it out, they discover a really creepy looking body that looks kinda human. Yet the creature is still alive and pissed off, taking the form of first the dogs and then members of the crew. In the classic friend or foe scenario we find these men fighting each other trying to determine who is or is not human. The creature is the real star, an indescribable mass that is closer to Lovecraft’s Cthulu monster then anything ever attempted. The ending is somewhat confusing as we may or may not have seen the last of the creepy crawly. The film is riddled with homage’s to the classic movie and some somewhat funny scenes involving the creature. A real scary film that really outdoes its protégé. Beware, there are many prints available including a crappy cut up version that has an annoying voice over which is very much unnecessary.


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