Worst2First: My Top Ten Horror Films of the 1980s

Worst2First:
My Top Ten Horror Films of the 1980s

The 1980s - as a whole - was a spectacular time for cinema.  Many films that are considered classics and beloved by millions of people came from that wonderful decade, and it was a special time for horror films as well.  The concept of film franchises really kicked off in the 80s, with a number of household supernatural killers that are still mentioned today were crafted during that time, but horror was much more than just that.  The advent of better special, practical effects gave birth to our darkest nightmares in the most unique ways possible, resulting in memorable moments that have echoed through the decades since. 

Before I get to the top ten, here's those that didn't quite make the list:
#25 - Little Shop of Horrors (86)
#24 - Fright Night (85)
#23 - The Howling (81)
#22 - Killer Klowns From Outer Space (88)
#21 - Cujo (83)
#20 - Children of the Corn (84)
#19 - Beetlejuice (88)
#18 - Pet Sematary (89)
#17 - Gremlins (84)
#16 - They Live (88)
#15 - Cannibal Holocaust (80)
#14 - The Serpent and the Rainbow (87)
#13 - The Fly (86)
#12 - An American Werewolf in London (81)
#11 - Child's Play (88)

And now here's my personal top ten horror films of the 1980s...

**THERE WILL BE NO SPOILERS**

#10

The Fog
1980

John Carpenter followed up his magnum opus "Halloween" with "The Fog," and both have very similar storylines, yet both varying in their scope.  Instead of one unknown Shape stalking babysitters, this time it's an army of pirate ghosts invading a small coastal town on its hundredth anniversary seeking revenge for secrets kept long hidden.  Both feature this immovable object stalking its prey, and both are downright terrifying and brilliantly directed and acted, this time with a bigger ensemble cast including Adrienne Barbeau, Jamie Lee Curtis, Janet Leigh, Tom Atkins and Hal Holbrook.

#9

The Changeling
1980

The haunted house film has been done and re-done near to the point of death, but there's certain haunted house films that prove why they were so successful, and "The Changeling" is one of them.  Part supernatural horror and part engaging mystery, the film centers on a man who moves into a new house and is haunted by the spirit of a young boy who was murdered there, and his frantic search for the truth.  Much like "The Omen," this film also features a well-established, well-respected actor in Oscar-winner George C. Scott, giving added credence to the story, along with an outstanding musical score, truly unnerving cinematography, and pitch-perfect directing.

#8

Evil Dead
1981

Long before directing big-budget spectacles like "Spider-Man" and "Spider-Man 2," Sam Raimi was a relatively unknown director who pinched pennies together to direct "Evil Dead," and the result was a long-lasting legacy of brutally gory insanity that spawned a cult classic franchise and made a household name out of its leading star, Bruce Campbell (or at least household name in the world of horror aficionados).  The story is now typical - group of teenagers go to a cabin in the woods - but here they discover the famed Necronomicon that unleashes unholy hell on the hapless heroes, and the film is filled with balls-to-the-wall visuals and violence, especially that one scene involving a demented tree.  You won't look at a cabin in the woods the same way again.

#7

The Lost Boys
1987

Joel Schumacher's "The Lost Boys" offers a totally 80s take on the vampire genre, where instead of them hiding out and striking in silence, they roam the streets of Santa Carla on loud motorcycles, sporting biker-gang outfits, big hair, and blaring loud rock music as they abduct and kill teenagers for their blood as well as the vampire's own blood-lust.  When a family moves into the town, its up to the younger brother and his two friends to save his older brother from the vampire cult, and maybe have some laughs along the way.  The iconic duo of Corey Haim and Corey Feldman transform what could've been a typical forgettable vampire film and made it something magical, not to mention Kiefer Sutherland's villainous David, which is still hailed as one of cinema's most infamous baddies.

#6

Poltergeist
1982

When you get the directing talents of Tobe Hooper and the writing prowess of Steven Spielberg, you get one of the most memorable poltergeist films ever made, one that set the standard and every other film has tried to achieve since.  The story follows a young family who unknowingly move into a newly built house constructed over an Indian burial ground, and their spirits are none too happy about it.  The effects and visuals were beyond its time, and included a host of nightmare-inducing villains like spectral ghouls, clamoring trees, and especially that dreaded clown.  The film made a whole generation of people afraid to leave their televisions on in fear of the spirits coming through the "white noise," and included the now-archetypal psychic medium role delivered by the amazing Zelda Rubinstein. 

#5

Hellraiser
1987

Clive Barker is now synonymous with the horror genre, creating his own unique niche in the market and providing truly unforgettable images and villains.  "Hellraiser" is his magnum opus, a film that rivals almost anything set against it, and is filled with bloody violence, horrifying creatures, and even an intriguing concept.  The film centers on sadomasochism that comes through a mythical box known as the Lament Configuration that, once opened, allows the opener to experience a world of pain and pleasure beyond their wildest imagination, but with a price.  That price comes in the form of Pinhead and his Cenobites, creatures from another dimension that only seek to destroy, while also offering deeply theological meanings and concepts that go far beyond any mindless slasher film. 

#4

A Nightmare on Elm Street
1984

Many people don't know this, but "A Nightmare on Elm Street" was loosely based on a true story when Wes Craven read an article about a boy who complained to his parents about his nightmares, and one night he died in his sleep without any known reason.  The film gave birth to one of cinema's most memorable villains in Robert Englund's Freddy Krueger, a maniacal supernatural (who was originally just a man) being that entered the dreams of kids who lived in Springwood, Ohio, and killed them in their sleep.  What sets this apart from other slasher films is the concept that you can never truly escape Freddy's clutches - everyone needs to sleep - and the fact that Krueger himself is such a charismatic baddie with classic quips and one-liners that somehow makes him as endearing as he is frightening, which is all due to England's dedicated performance.

#3

Friday the 13th
1980

There was a time where you'd go to summer camp and never think twice about it - and then "Friday the 13th" came out.  The film was a small, tiny-budgeted film by Sean S. Cunningham that created horror cinema's most unstoppable killing machines in Jason Voorhees, and struck fear in the hearts of any camp counselor since.  When a group of counselors decide to re-open a camp decades after two murders and the drowning of a young boy, they're met with hostile opposition in the form of a faceless killer who stalks and murders them one-by-one.  The film not only included memorable kills and thrills, but also was the launchpad for future breakout star Kevin Bacon, along with the now-seminal violin string score and recognizable two-note repetitive mantra "chi chi chi ma ma ma..."

#2

The Thing
1982

John Carpenter transformed the horror landscape with his memorable "Halloween," but he didn't stop there.  His re-imagining of the 1951 "The Thing From Another World," "The Thing" stands the test of time as a claustrophobic alien horror packed with tremendous performances and practical effects that were beyond its time.  When a team of scientists in Antarctica uncover a strange alien ship, they unknowingly awaken the alien inside, that has the ability to shape-shift into anyone it kills, resulting in a non-stop cat-and-mouse game filled with tension, terror, and thrills.  Carpenter reunited with his "Escape from New York" star Kurt Russell to deliver a film that's memorable, terrifying, and tense from start to finish.

#1

The Shining
1980

Stanley Kubrick was a man who redefined every genre of film he ever directed, and made them completely memorable and impossible to top.  His take on Stephen King's classic novel "The Shining" still stands today as Hollywood's most terrifying films - even if King himself hated it.  Following a family who resides at an abandoned hotel during their off-season, the film finds them under attack from the countless spirits that haunt the place, as they slowly drive the matriarch mad.  Jack Nicholson gives one his best performances as Jack Torrance, as he slowly deteriorates from loving father and husband to a man driven wild by the evil that resides in the hotel.  The film was not only visceral and thought-provoking, but also downright terrifying and unnerving in every sense of the word, and the setting of the Overlook Hotel served as its most deadly character.