The thrilling and utterly physical experience of watching a great horror movie is timeless and goes back to the earliest silent pictures. With the advent of new motion-capture techniques and more realistic props and gore in the 1980s, the horror genre was plunged into a golden age of terror-inducing films. Using the films released in the ’70s as a sort of springboard for innovation, the ’80s broke new ground in special effects, costuming, set design, acting, and direction. It's within this decade that great directors such as John Carpenter, David Cronenberg, and James Cameron built cinematic masterpieces which have continued to shape the genre for years to come. Compared to earlier decades, we see creators starting to take risks and trailblaze new directions within the genre which would affect horror for decades.
However, one notable attribute of ‘80s cinema is the prevalence of genre compilations, or mash-ups. This is the combination of multiple genres within in one film, complimenting each style with a new, distinct feel. This stylistic choice led to the creation of some very unique films, such as Ghostbusters, Predator, Beetlejuice, and Gremlins. Many of these movies have comedic or action elements throughout. Ignoring these excellent but not-strictly horror films allows us to focus on the most heinous, disturbing, and truly horrifying films of the 1980s.
10 A Nightmare on Elm Street
This frightful and instantly popular flick features a young Johnny Depp and Heather Langenkamp who, under the direction of the great Wes Craven, have haunting misadventures with the murderous dream-spirit, Freddy Krueger. This blade-wielding, fedora-wearing child murderer is now one of the most iconic characters of the horror genre. The acting, set design, makeup, and uniquely chilling story all work to make A Nightmare on Elm Street one of the most horrific, interesting and influential movies of the ’80s.
9 The Thing
Realism is obviously incredibly important when trying to invoke fear when watching a film, but the problem comes when trying to depict something which doesn't exist in the natural world. John Carpenter’s The Thing finds incredible success in somehow creating realism with unreal, disturbing things; the superb special effects, in conjunction with the utterly unique and desolate Arctic setting, make for a great horror movie. The story strikes fear with its surprisingly tense examination of American researchers stranded in a research base with shape-shifting extraterrestrials. Additionally, the music from Ennio Morricone is epic and grim, the perfect compliment to this haunting film (which is receiving another update, this time a promising one from Blumhouse).
8 Poltergeist
Directed by Tobe Hooper and co-writtern by Steven Spielberg (whose typical focus on childlike wonder is ever-present here), Poltergeist is a crowd-pleasing supernatural horror film, and one of the few frightening movies to not be rated R (after Spielberg and Hooper appealed to the MPAA for a PG rating; Spielberg would help form the PG-13 rating two years later). Focusing on a suburban family whose daughter is abducted by poltergeist, the juxtaposition of childhood innocence and demonic spirits invokes a sense of unease, making an already unsettling story even more frightening. Perhaps even more disturbing is the fact that four cast members of the franchise have died young and mysteriously, prompting many (including documentary filmmakers) to wonder if there is a 'Poltergeist curse.'
7 Aliens
Aliens may add some elements of science fiction to the original's classic set-up, but it is an action-packed horror film at heart, with terrifying creatures and riveting suspense throughout nearly the entire film. James Cameron, a master of sequels, adds a dose of novelty while still maintaining the essence of Ridley Scott's original film-- Ripley (played by the irreplaceable Susan Sarandon) fends off monstrous aliens while trying to protect her crew (including a young child, who amplifies the stakes). A surprisingly tender meditation on motherhood doesn't strip the film of it's absolute horror throughout several now-legendary sequences, and the all-around cinematic quality of the film ensures Aliens remains one of the scariest movies of the ’80s.
6 Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer
Starring the great Micheal Rooker and directed by John McNaughton, this incredibly disturbing serial killer horror will make sure you lock your doors at night. Loosely based on the serial killer Henry Lee Lucas, the film follows a man named Henry and his friend Otis as they kill strangers for fun and videotape their murders. Unlike other films on this list that rely on supernatural or extra-terrestrial elements, Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer, preys upon our very real fear of encountering an unhinged sociopathic killer. The film was heavily censored and banned for years, earning an 'X' rating from the MPAA, "some said the film was too violent and disgusting to be endured," as Roger Ebert wrote in his review. Deadly serious and practically traumatizing, the film is frightening for how truly, artfully messed-up it is. The story has recently been explored again by Netflix, but is nowhere near as authentic, gruesome, and unsettling.
5 Prince of Darkness
John Carpenter secures another spot on this list with this incredibly scary and gross story. Prince of Darkness is a lesser-known Carpenter film, but has been receiving critical reassessments and still packs a punch, following a group of teenagers who discover a mysterious object in an abandoned church. They accidentally release an evil force upon the world which has the ability to possess humans, and as the darkness spreads throughout the world the group must grapple with the existential mistake they have made. Prince of Darnkess has good acting, set design, and costuming, but where this movie really shines (along with Carpenter's typically excellent music and special effects) is in its strange theology and the horrific, Satanic mythology which is gradually revealed. This 'demonic apocalypse' tale has all the makings for a great horror movie.
4 The Shining
Possibly one of the most well-known and respected horror films of all time, Stanley Kubrick’s The Shining continues to be enjoyed more than four decades after its release. Throughout the film, Kubrick creates some incredible images which have left a lasting impression on popular culture-- a large hotel hallway is soaked in a tidal wave of blood, a young boy grumbles "Redrum," and a screaming woman is trapped in a bathroom while an ax-wielding Jack Nicholson is trying to break down the door. The film is packed with details (which are meticulously documented in the great documentary Room 237), which makes rewatching it easy and enjoyable. This delirium-inducing film successfully capture the essence of 80’s horror with artistry, paranoia, and plenty of blood.
3 Cannibal Holocaust
The controversial film Cannibal Holocaust explores the edges of what is acceptable content, with a documentary crew capturing the lives of indigenous peoples living in the Amazon rainforest discover much more than they bargained for in what is arguably the first found-footage horror film. The film was seized by Italian courts shortly after release and the director, Ruggero Deodato, was charged with obscenity. He was later charged and dismissed of murder after rumors that the killings on screen were actually real. Cannibal Holocaust was banned in the United States as well as other countries for gratuitous and graphic gore, sexual violence, and cruelty to animals. Gaining notoriety for its controversy and censorship, the movie is an ugly, grotesque cinematic landmark which still frightens today.
2 Hellraiser
The terrifying Hellraiser, brilliantly adapted by director Clive Barker from his own novella The Hellbound Heart, follows the story of couple Kirsty and Larry as they move into Larry’s childhood home. Kirsty soon finds her brother-in-law in a weird way, partially resurrected and somewhere between life and death. She starts to carry out murders for him in order to heal his body and save him from terrifying, demonic beings that want to take him back to their underworld. Nothing is lost in the translation from text to screen, with every unique detail fleshed out (sometimes literally). Incredibly scary characters and riveting storytelling prompted several sequels (and even a video game) and made this one of the most frightening 80’s horror films. A remake with a female Pinhead character is in the works and has been generating lots of excitement.
1 Evil Dead
Evil Dead follows a group of five friends as they travel to a cabin in the woods-- classic set-up, but game-changing results thanks to excellent special effects, ironic acting, and a truly unique cinematic perspective. In the cellar of the cabin, the friends find an Egyptian book of the dead and a tape recorder belonging to a deceased archeologist; the recording unleashes a human-possessing demon who forces the friends to fight for their lives. Sam Raimi's breakthrough film introduced the beloved Bruce Campbell to the world, and went on to inspire an entire media franchise including subsequently adored movies, television, comic books, and video games, with the new Evil Dead Rise coming to HBO Max this year.