Modern horror is often lost in a sea of bad CGI and cutaways. The art of practical effects isn't entirely extinct, but the days of every horror movie relying on them are long gone. The 1980s were truly the pinnacle of practical effects, puppeteering, and animatronics. From grizzly murders, to monsters never before seen on the silver screen, there are countless movies that still impress to this day. This list highlights the best of the decade.
5 Nightmare on Elm Street 3: Dream Warriors (1987)
Making a sequel to an iconic movie is a tough task. Making a sequel that can actually compete with the original is even harder. Time and time again, they've proven to be nearly impossible to nail, as was the case with A Nightmare on Elm Street 2: Freddy's Revenge. Thanks, in part, to the incredible special effects, this would not be the case with Nightmare on Elm Street 3: Dream Warriors. This movie is not only a great sequel; it's a great movie on its own. It's even considered by some to be the best in the franchise.
The third film in the franchise tells the story of Kristen Parker (Patricia Arquette), who has the power to pull people into her dreams. She's visited by Freddy Krueger (Robert Englund), and after barely surviving his attack, she's admitted into a mental hospital. The only problem? All the other patients have been dreaming about Freddy, too.
There are countless classic kills in this movie that utilize some incredible practical effects. From the scene where Jennifer Caulfield (Penelope Sudrow) has her head thrown into a sentient TV controlled by Freddy, to a giant worm like version of Freddy Krueger, nearly consuming Kristen Parker whole. Each death in this movie is memorable and exciting. Nightmare on Elm Street 3: Dream Warriors will be celebrating its 35th anniversary this year. There's never been a better time to give this movie a chance.
4 Day of the Dead (1985)
George A. Romero teaming up with legendary make-up artist/special effects technician Tom Savini almost guaranteed this film to be an all-time great in the practical effects department. It would not be a let-down.
A follow-up to the 1978 classic Dawn of the Dead, Day of the Dead is about a group of survivors camped out in an old mining facility after the zombie apocalypse has spread worldwide. Dr. Sarah Bowman (Lori Cardille) leads a group of scientists looking for a cure, but a battalion of soldiers led by captain Henry Rhodes (Joseph Pilato) grows increasingly impatient, and increasingly violent.
Unlike some other entries in this list - this movie is a dark and dreary treatise on the worst parts of humanity, with the zombies merely serving as a backdrop. The gore and practical effects are handled similarly. They're realistic, even to this day, and leave that same feeling of shock that hit audiences back in 1985. George A. Romero was given a choice by producers; cut the film to ensure an R rating, or cut the budget in half. The film would go on to be released as 'Unrated' and despite losing half of its budget, Romero and team created a zombie masterpiece. It's among his best.
3 The Blob (1988)
There was a trend in the 1980s of taking old black and white horror movies and remaking them for modern audiences. These remakes were darker, more violent, and, in the case of The Blob - better. There may even be another remake on the horizon. It just goes to show that audiences can't get enough of a murderous blob monster.
The original film seems like a light comedy in comparison to this movie. It's gnarly, visceral, and mature. The Blob itself is something to fear as it kills and liquefies its prey. There are many grotesque and impressive kills, but it would turn out that the most iconic one was also one of the most difficult to shoot. There's a scene near the start of the movie where Paul Taylor (Donovan Leitch) is being consumed by the Blob. It's one of the most violent and iconic scenes of the movie. Makeup artist Tony Gardner is quoted in an article by Film School Rejects, saying, "Donovan spent a day in this horrible rig... He sat on a small seat mounted on a rolling platform, leaning forward. His body was encased in a translucent pink fiberglass shell, except where his head stuck out past the neck and an area where his right hand was exposed.”
The magic of cinema is making difficult, technical work become invisible, so audiences can focus on what's happening on screen. The only thing that audiences were thinking about during this scene was how terrifying it was.
2 The Thing (1982)
John Carpenter is a master of horror. He's proven this time and time again throughout his career, since he broke onto the scene with Dark Star in 1974. He's directed 20 movies that have become classics, such as Halloween and Big Trouble in Little China. However, it was his 1982 classic, The Thing, that would go one to be one of the best films he'd ever make.
Inspired in part by the works of H.P. Lovecraft, The Thing is grounded in cosmic horror with one of the most iconic creatures of all time. It's a story of a group of scientists working at a research station in Antarctica, who start to doubt each other, and themselves, as a creature who can change forms, terrorizes them in the inescapable icy hell. It's a mad story of paranoia and shock.
The effects, of course, are considered to be some of the best of all time. The ever-evolving Thing is constantly changing forms as it becomes more and more grotesque and inhuman. There's a scene that works as an homage to the chest burster scene in Alien, and even manages to top it. It utilizes a mixture of makeup and animatronics that still look incredible to this day.
1 The Fly (1986)
As incredible as every other entry on this list is; it's simply impossible to beat David Cronenberg's The Fly. It's the perfect assembly of drama and horror. Mystery and excitement. This film has it all. Not to mention the effects, which were created by the incredible Chris Walas. It would go one to win the Academy Award for Best Make-Up.
Jeff Goldblum plays Seth Brundle, a scientist who has invented a controversial but exciting device that transports matter between two spaces. Seth decides to test it on himself, but doesn't realize that a fly has made its way into one of the machines. Slowly, their DNA starts to blend together and Seth becomes a horrifying monster of his own creation.
The slow transformation that Seth goes through is the main reason this film is number one on this list. It's horrifying and eerily effective even to this day. There are some scenes in this movie that are not for the faint of heart. Production wasn't easy, either. In fact, it almost never hit theaters at all. Initially, the movie had trouble getting off the ground, as finding talent behind the screen and in front of it proved more difficult than producers had hoped. Eventually, after a family tragedy took the initial director off the project, David Cronenberg and Jeff Goldblum stepped in. It's impossible to imagine it without them. After all these years, it's still one of the best David Cronenberg movies.