Top Five Horror Films of the Eighties

1980s' best horror flicks, from zombies to The Thing!

May 11, 2009

In the 1980s, horror movies enjoyed a renaissance due to creativity of the directors and effects people, the state of the country, and renewed interest in the genre.

Most lists focusing on the best horror films of an entire decade are going to be different than the next. There will be various reasons for why one movie makes one list, but not another. This list attempts to corral the top five horror films of the eighties based on this sequence of criteria.

Some movies would score high in one category, but not as well in the others. A few of those films on the "just missed" list are Stan Winston's wonderful Pumpkinhead, Clive Barker's creepy Hellraiser, Tobe Hooper's Poltergeist, Fright Night, The Lost Boys, and Fred Dekker's awesome (and soon to be released to DVD) Night of the Creeps. There are cult favorites not included on the list, not because they're not good films, but because there is only room for five. Number six would probably be An American Werewolf in London, for instance.

5) Return of the Living Dead - Director Dan O'Bannon's cult magnum opus, about zombies who overrun a town. This movie kind of defines the decade in terms of splatter, effects, and the combination of horror and comedy so prevalent at that time. Embodies the "feel" of an eighties film.

4) The Shining - OK, so Stephen King wasn't madly in love with Stanley Kubrick's vision of King's book. Still, it stands the test of time, with Uncle Jack Nicholson's eerie turn, strange and unique visuals, and a style that would be copied relentlessly to much less success over the next twenty years. Recently released to Blu-ray.

3) The Evil Dead - Sam Raimi's low budget splatter-piece that introduced genre fans to fanboy hero Bruce Campbell. Campbell, as Ash, is lasciviously abused onscreen by undead creatures, some of whom used to be his friends. Strange, unique, and extremely influential film.

2) A Nightmare On Elm Street - Wes Craven's most iconic creation, and one of horrordom's most beloved characters, Freddy Krueger makes his debut in this dark, scary flick. Robert Englund snarls and slinks his way to a fan favorite performance, and the phenomena of Freddy is born. Creepy and effective to this day.

1) John Carpenter's The Thing - The master's best film of the eighties also doubles as one of the decades most popular, often cited as the best horror film of all time. Rob Bottin's mind blowing effects and the nightmarish setting make this one of the most memorable horror movies ever made. The "Norris Creature" is one of the most popular monsters of the decade, despite the limited screen time. Originally bombed at the box office amidst height of the feelgood gigantic hit E.T., but found renewed life on Home Video. If you haven't seen this film...well, what are you waiting for?

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