Tuesday, March 22, 2011

Best 80's Horror Films - Part II


80's Horror Movies - Part II
(1985-1989)

| Part I | Part II |

70's Horror Movies |                                                                                   | 90's Horror Movies |
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100 Movies and Counting...

TOO SCARY 2 WATCH now presents a list of 80's horror films (arranged by year) that we believe may be worth checking out, if you love 80's scary movies like we do. The list (divided into two parts) will continue to be updated as we continue to find more movies that we feel are worthy of adding. So be sure to check out both lists!




Jason, Freddy, Chucky, Pinhead, Pumpkinhead

... We've done our best to create a versatile list pulling from a variety of different horror genres; Cult classics, slashers, monsters, zombie -- we've got good movies, cheesy movies, fun movies, popular movies, underrated movies, remakes, and more! 

It can be argued whether some of the movies on the list belong in the horror genre (depending on how one defines horror) ... nevertheless (with versatility in mind), we've include some that are cult classics, some that are horror comedies, some that are sci-fi action horror, some that are psychological thrillers, along with others that may be open for interpretation.
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Disclaimer

Not all of the movies on the list, in our opinion, are actually good movies, but were chosen to be included for a variety of different reasons. -- Some are staple horror films of the eighties, some are popular horror films of the eighties, some are cult films, some have greatly influenced horror movies of the modern era, while others were remakes or sequels to classic horror films from decades past.

Thanks and enjoy!  
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62. Cat's Eye (1985)

Three short stories by shock-meister Stephen King are linked by a stray cat that roams from one tale to the next in this creepy triptych that begins as Dick (James Woods) tries to quit smoking by any means necessary. Next, we meet Johnny (Robert Hays), an adulterous man who's forced by his lover's husband onto a building's hazardous ledge. Finally, Amanda (Drew Barrymore) is threatened by an evil gnome who throws suspicion on the family cat.

Director: Lewis Teague
Writer: Stephen King
PG-13
94 mins




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63. Day of the Dead (1985)

The third chapter in writer-director George Romero's classic zombie film saga finds a group of scientists and soldiers hiding in an underground bunker to escape a world overrun by the flesh-eating undead. The scientists desperately seek a way to control the zombies, while the military just wants to kill as many of them as possible. But infighting between the two groups takes a backseat when the zombies invade the subterranean facility.

Director: George A. Romero
Unrated
102 mins




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Dèmoni (original title) 

After a mysterious man hands her tickets for a movie screening in a newly renovated gothic theater, Cheryl (Natasha Hovey) and her friend Kathy (Paola Cozzo) decide to attend. But as the slasher flick proceeds, audience members begin turning into homicidal monsters. Soon, the movie theater turns into a macabre nightmare in this spine chiller co-written by director Lamberto Bava and Italian horror maestro Dario Argento, who also produced the film.

Director: Lamberto Bava
Unrated
88 mins



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Nobody believes teenager Charley Brewster (William Ragsdale) when he discovers that his suave new neighbor, Jerry Dandridge (Chris Sarandon), is a vampire. So when the bloodsucker starts stalking Charley, he turns to has-been actor Peter Vincent (Roddy McDowall), famed for portraying a ghoul hunter. Unfortunately for the would-be vampire slayers, Dandridge has set his sights on Charlie's girlfriend in this clever spoof of the horror genre.

Director: Tom Holland
R-Rated
106 mins


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A group of demonic, troublemaking little monsters wreak havoc iin which a young man and his girlfriend explore a house they recently inherited and unwittingly let loose six of the cursed creatures in Ghoulies.

Director: Luca Bercovici
PG-13
81 mins

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aka The Hills Have Eyes 2

Everyone's favorite desert-dwelling mutant cannibals return in this gruesome sequel to the classic drive-in shocker! Years after the original massacre that pitted a suburban family against a band of cave dwellers, traumatized survivors return to the wild on an expedition. When their bus breaks down, the travelers must fight off the hungry savages as they reemerge from the hills in search of dinner! Directed by horror maestro Wes Craven.

Director: Wes Craven
R-Rated 
86 mins

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American and British astronauts on a joint mission exploring an alien spacecraft discover that the vessel contains several seemingly human bodies. But after they're brought back to Earth, they come alive and start turning Londoners into zombies.

Director: Tobe Hooper
R-Rated  
116 mins

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A teenager who accidentally committed matricide finds himself being hunted together with his girlfriend and mates by his now crazed father.

Director: Buddy Cooper
R-Rated 
86 mins

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A girl's ability to telepathically communicate with insects subjects her to ridicule, but it may help catch a serial killer at her boarding school. She works with an entomologist who thinks he can use the bugs at each crime scene to solve the crime.

Director: Dario Argento
R-Rated 
110 mins


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71. Re-Animator (1985)

Based on a story by H.P. Lovecraft, this campy send-up that spawned a similarly outlandish sequel follows an egotistical medical student named Herbert West (Jeffrey Combs), who develops a serum that miraculously revives the dead. Together with his obdurate roommate, Dan (Bruce Abbott), and his girlfriend, Megan (Barbara Crampton), West reanimates a corpse -- but he doesn't factor in certain complications.

Director: Stuart Gordon
R-Rated
86 mins



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The freshly risen undead are ready to party in this horror-comedy that finds two employees of a medical supply company unwittingly releasing several zombies from cylinders in which they've been trapped for years. Soon, the local citizenry is forced to deal with a large-scale zombie epidemic as the nasty, brain-eating creatures go on a rampage -- hungry as ever and eager to make up for lost time! Dan O'Bannon (creator of the Alien franchise) directs.

Director: Dan O'Bannon
R-Rated
91 mins

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73. Silver Bullet (1985)

Adapted from author Stephen King's Cycle of the Werewolf, this campy thriller tells of a sleepy American town that's terrorized by extreme sadistic murders. After investigating, the townspeople conclude that the killer's a werewolf. While all the town's inhabitants prepare to lock themselves up at night, Marty Coslaw, a 13-year-old, wheelchair-bound boy, is the only person brave enough to try to track down the mysterious beast.

Director: Daniel Attias
Writer: Stephen King
R-Rated
94 mins



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This campy classic finds Americans gorging on the latest snack sensation: a no-calorie treat dubbed "the Stuff." When it threatens to put ice cream makers out of business, industry tycoons draft a spy to uncover the dessert's secret formula.


Director: Larry Cohen
R-Rated
93 mins


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75. Aliens (1986)

In this acclaimed sequel, the only survivor from the first film, Lt. Ripley (Sigourney Weaver), finds her horrific account of her crew's fate is met with skepticism -- until the disappearance of colonists on LV-426 prompts a team of high-tech Marines to investigate. Ripley travels with the team as an advisor, only to find that her biggest fear has come true. Weaver was Oscar nominated for Best Actress, while James Horner's chilling score also got a nod.

Director: James Cameron
R-Rated
137 mins



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A group of college friends gather together at rich heiress Muffy's (Deborah Foreman) island mansion to celebrate their final year of  school. They soon discover that each has a hidden secret, but as the secrets are revealed, those people end up dead. But are they really dead, or just part of a very cruel April Fool's joke? The hostess supposedly knows what's going on, but maybe she's not the one orchestrating the deaths.

Director: Fred Walton
R-Rated
90 mins

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77. Chopping Mall (1986)

These bargains are to die for! High-tech robots with state-of-the-art firepower have been employed as night watchmen at the Park Plaza Mall. But when an errant bolt of lightning short-circuits the computer switchboard that controls the robots, the mechanical security men turn into rampaging "killbots." Meanwhile, four horny couples are checking out the mattresses after-hours. Little do they know they're about to go from bed to bath … and beyond!


Director: Jim Wynorski
R-Rated
77 mins


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78. Critters (1986)

When a team of Krites -- fuzzy aliens equipped with sharp teeth -- escape from an outer-space prison, they head straight for Earth and land in the quiet, rural town of Grovers Bend, Kansas, where they wreak havoc. As they invade a farm owned by Helen (Dee Wallace) and Brad Brown (Scott Grimes), a pair of extraterrestrial bounty hunters show up to put a stop to the mayhem. Stephen Herek's directorial debut spawned three creepy sequels.

Director: Stephen Herek
PG-13
86 mins




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While testing his teleportation device, scientist Seth Brundle (Jeff Goldblum) accidentally merges his cells with those of a housefly. As his reporter girlfriend (Geena Davis) bears witness, Seth slowly -- and quite disgustingly -- morphs into an insect. David Cronenberg's 1986 remake of the Vincent Price original achieves an unlikely concoction of horror, romance and pathos, thanks largely to Goldblum's strangely touching performance.

Director: David Cronenberg
R-Rated
95 mins


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As a child, Tommy (Thom Mathews) killed Jason Voorhees, the demented serial killer whose exploits landed many a corpse at the bottom of Crystal Lake. Years later, Tommy is losing sleep over a nagging question: Is Jason really dead? When Tommy and a friend visit the cemetery to dig up the murderer's grave, they find a well-rested Jason ready to spill blood again. Rocker Alice Cooper sings the title tune, "He's Back (The Man Behind the Mask)." 

Director: Tom McLoughlin
R-Rated
87 mins
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After inventing a way for creatures from the fourth dimension to come into his own world, Dr. Edward Pretorious (Ted Sorel) suffers a gruesome decapitation at the hands of those he brought "from beyond." But authorities suspect his assistant (Jeffrey Combs) is to blame. Barbara Crampton co-stars as a beautiful psychiatrist brought in to help police solve the case in this classic 1980s thriller based on a short story by H.P. Lovecraft.

Director: Stuart Gordon
R-Rated
86 mins
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One of the most notorious films of the 1980s still terrifies. Serial killer Henry serves as mentor to dim-witted fellow killer Otis and as the object of his sister's affections. Trouble is, Henry's heart is too hard for friendship to penetrate. Disturbing, chilling and full of knockout power, this cult classic includes a half-hour interview with writer-director John McNaughton. 

Director: John McNaughton
R-Rated
83 mins
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83. The Hitcher (1986)

Never pick up strangers: That's a lesson Jim Halsey (C. Thomas Howell) will wish he'd learned. While driving from Chicago to San Diego, he picks up hitchhiker John Ryder (Rutger Hauer) but regrets it when he begins to suspect Ryder may be a serial killer. Before Halsey can say, "Get out of my car," Ryder kills again -- and frames him for the murders. With the odds against him, Jim's only ally is truck-stop waitress Nash (Jennifer Jason Leigh).

Director: Robert Harmon
R-Rated
98 mins


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Troubled horror novelist and Vietnam vet Roger Cobb (William Katt), reeling from his recent divorce and the mysterious disappearance of his young son, moves into the strange house left to him by his late aunt and faces even more terror. Hoping to find some peace and quiet so he can write his current book, Roger instead must deal with a nosy neighbor (George Wendt) -- not to mention the house's evil apparitions and monstrous demons.

Director: Steve Miner
R-Rated
92 mins
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In this remake of the classic 50s SF tale, a boy tries to stop an invasion of his town by aliens who take over the the minds of his parents, his least-liked schoolteacher and other townspeople. With the aid of the school nurse the boy enlists the aid of the U.S. Marines. Written by Keith Loh <loh@sfu.ca>

Director: Tobe Hooper
PG
100 mins
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When two fraternity brothers thaw out a corpse from their school clinic, evil slugs from outer space that had been frozen inside the body race across campus, infecting lusty coeds and turning them into flesh-hungry zombies. Now it's up to a chain-smoking former cop (Tom Atkins) to save the whole town from the alien menace. Fred Dekker directs this gleefully campy cult classic that co-stars Jason Lively and Jill Whitlow.

Director: Fred Dekker
R-Rated
90 mins
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87. Poltergeist II: The Other Side (1986)

Scares abound in this spooky pair of sequels as evil supernatural forces continue to haunt Carol Anne Freeling (Heather O'Rourke) and her family. In Poltergeist II, the Freelings move in with a relative but soon discover they're again dwelling on unholy ground. Poltergeist III finds 12-year-old Carol Anne living with her aunt and uncle in Chicago, where a school shrink probing the girl's psyche inadvertently resurrects the malevolent Rev. Kane.

Director: Brian Gibson
PG-13
189 mins

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A small-town disc jockey and an embittered Texas Ranger team up to put an end to the murderous affairs of the Sawyer family in this sequel to the cult favorite. The ranger, whose son was killed in the first movie, is determined to get revenge, and the DJ has a tape that may be vital to his search. The pair follows the killers' trail to a slaughterhouse underneath an abandoned amusement park, which has become the Sawyer family's hideout.

Director: Tobe Hooper
R-Rated
100 mins
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Something wicked this way comes. … It's an installment in the Witchboard franchise of films. This time out, a trio of friends fool around with a Ouija board; inadvertently, they contact the spirit of a young boy (an evil one, of course), who proceeds to co-opt their bodies. Guess they should've stuck with Monopoly! Stars Tawny 
Kitaen, Todd Allen, Rose Marie and Stephen Nichols.

Director: Kevin Tenney
R-Rated
98 mins

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Harry Angel (Mickey Rourke), a down-and-out 1950s Brooklyn gumshoe, is hired by shady Louis Cyphre (Robert De Niro) to locate a pop singer who reneged on a debt. Each time Harry makes contact with someone who might know the singer's whereabouts, though, he or she is killed in a horrible, ritualistic fashion. Harry's journey soon leads him to the sweltering, voodoo-filled swamps of Louisiana in search of a Satanic cult. Lisa Bonet co-stars.

Director: Alan Parker
R-Rated
113 mins
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Augustia (original title)

To add to his mother's (Zelda Rubinstein) human eyeball collection, recently fired orderly John (Michael Lerner) goes on a killing spree. While watching the tale unfold on a movie screen, one crazed viewer (Àngel Jové) begins imitating the action by taking the lives of other audience members. Directed by Spanish filmmaker Bigas Luna, this twisted horror film alternates between the two gory slasher stories.

Director: Bigas Luna
R-Rated
89 mins

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When an army of aliens invades Earth intending to sell humans as intergalactic hamburger meat, the New Zealand government calls in an elite team of psychotic assassins. But are these boys brutal enough to tackle the vilest villains in the universe? From director Peter Jackson (Lord of the Rings), it's the ultimate battle of flying guts, splattering brains, exploding sheep and guzzling vomit, and is a favorite for horror comedy fans.

Director: Peter Jackson
Unrated
91 mins

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Join the rotting but amiable Creep as he introduces this anthology of three gruesome tales written by the master of horror, Stephen King. An homage to the works of EC Comics, this wicked sequel takes viewers on one hair-raising roller-coaster ride. The vignettes involve a hit-and-run driver in "The Hitchhiker"; a wooden Indian in "Ol' Chief Wooden Head"; and four friends whose vacation on a secluded lake turns into a nightmare in "The Raft."

Director: Michael Gornick
Writer 1: Stephen King
Writer 2: George A. Romero
R-Rated
92 mins
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When actress Katie McGovern (Mary Steenburgen) is summoned to an isolated estate to rehearse a role for her next film, she finds herself in a strange situation. The film's aging producer never fully explains the extent of her role, and when the man's behavior becomes increasingly suspicious, Katie suspects there's something sinister afoot. With no one around to help her, she must call upon every ounce of her wit and talent to survive.


Director: Arthur Penn
R-Rated
100 mins

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A charming doll collection turns into an unstoppable army of killers in this terrifying tale. When circumstances force a nervous salesman, two pathetic punkers, an obnoxious couple and their daughter to stay with an elderly couple who make and collect dolls, everything seems fine at first. But come nightfall, the dolls decide to get rid of their new houseguests…permanently. Stephen Lee, Guy Rolfe, Hilary Mason and Ian Patrick Williams star.


Director: Stuart Gordon
R-Rated
77 mins

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Stranded in a cabin in the woods, Ash (Bruce Campbell) and his girlfriend accidentally invoke a spell that causes the Evil Dead to rise and kill! As a lone man pitted against hordes of walking corpses, can Ash survive until the safety of sunrise? Thanks to director Sam Raimi's whip-crack direction and Campbell's comedic skills, this cult horror classic produces an improbable blend of hair-raising fear and gales of laughter.

Director: Sam Raimi
Unrated
85 mins
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97. The Gate (1987)

When an old tree is removed from their back yard, Glen (Stephen Dorff) and his sister Al (Christa Denton) find a fascinating stone in the hole left behind. Intrigued, the siblings dig deeper into the hole and unearth a mysterious gate that, unbeknownst to the teens, is a portal to a hellish underworld. Now, with their parents out of town, Glen and Al are left alone to contend with the evil they've released from beneath the earth. 

Director: Tibor Takács
PG-13
85 mins

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Clive Barker's directing debut follows the tale of a couple (Andrew Robinson, Clare Higgins) who move into an old house and discovers a hideous creature (Oliver Smith) -- the man's half-brother (and his wife's former lover) -- hiding upstairs. Having lost his earthly body to three demons, the man's been brought back to life by a drop of blood on the floor. Soon, he's forcing his former mistress to bring him human sacrifices to complete his body. 

Director: Clive Barker
R-Rated
93 mins
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A string of cold-blooded murders puzzles diligent Los Angeles detective Tom Beck (Michael Nouri), who can't figure out why regular people keep turning into merciless killers. When mysterious FBI agent Lloyd arrives (Kyle MacLachlan), Beck learns his problem is from another world. Soon, Beck is the human caught in the middle of an extraterrestrial showdown that's playing out on the streets of Los Angeles. Jack Sholder directs this sci-fi cult classic.


Director: Jake Sholder
R-Rated
96 mins

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100. The Lost Boys (1987)

After his brother, Michael (Jason Patric), drinks blood and gets mixed up with a rough biker gang rumored to be a coven of vampires, Sam (Corey Haim) and his two vampire-hunter friends -- armed with garlic and water pistols full of holy water -- try to rid the town of evil. Joel Schumacher directs this cult 1980s classic thriller, which co-stars Kiefer Sutherland, Jami Gertz, Dianne Wiest, Corey Feldman and Edward Herrmann.

Director: Joel Schumacher
R-Rated
97 mins

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101. The Monster Squad (1987)

Dracula, the Wolfman, Frankenstein, the Mummy and Gill Man descend on a tiny town in search of a diabolically powerful amulet. But only 12-year-old Sean (Andre Gower) and his gang of monster-obsessed misfits can save the day in this overlooked 1987 horror comedy. This 20th-anniversary edition also includes new interviews with Gower and co-stars Ryan Lambert, Duncan Regehr, Tom Noonan and writer-director Fred Dekker.

Director: Fred Dekker
PG-13
82 mins

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102. Near Dark (1987)

In the dusty heart of the American southwest, innocent country boy Caleb (Adrian Pasdar) is handily seduced by a beautiful girl (Jenny Wright) into joining a pack of vicious drifters, which turns out to be no ordinary band of outlaws. Soon, Caleb is trapped in a nightmarish world of soulless evil and hellish mayhem that thrives on blood and absolute horror. This original vampire tale, co-starring Lance Henriksen, shocks with a ferocious bite.

Director: Kathryn Bigelow
R-Rated
99 mins

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103. A Nightmare on Elm Street 3: Dream Warriors (1987)

It's been many years since Freddy Krueger's (Robert Englund) first victim, Nancy (Heather Langenkamp), came face-to-face with Freddy and his sadistic, evil ways. Now, Nancy's all grown up; she's put her frightening nightmares behind her and is helping teens cope with their dreams. Too bad Freddy's decided to herald his return by invading the kids' dreams and scaring them into committing suicide. Patricia Arquette and Laurence Fishburne co-star.

Director: Chuck Russell
Writer: Wes Craven
R-Rated
96 mins

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When the leading diva of Verdi's "Macbeth" is run over by a car, her understudy, Betty (Cristina Marsillach), takes over the role. Things go from bad to worse when a madman begins to kill other members of the cast -- and forces Betty to watch. As the police struggle to find the murderer, Betty begins to realize her death will be the final act if they can't locate the killer in time. Dario Argento directs.

Director: Dario Argento
Unrated
107 mins

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105. Predator (1987)

The ultimate hunter meets the ultimate adversary…in the ultimate Collector’s Edition DVD! Arnold Schwarzenegger wages an all-out war against an unseen enemy, a force more powerful and deadly than any on Earth—because the Predator is not of this Earth.


Director: John McTiernan
R-Rated
107 mins

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A cylinder of mysterious, green liquid is found in an abandoned church. It may contain the ultimate evil: an ancient iniquity that longs to escape. Several physicists try to comprehend what's happening and race to save the world, even as they're being turned into zombies one by one. Director John Carpenter fills Prince of Darkness with his trademark mix of horror and humor.

Director: John Carpenter
R-Rated
102 mins
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aka Stepfather I

In this acclaimed thriller classic, Jerry Blake (Terry O'Quinn) expects only one thing from his family -- perfection -- and when he doesn't get it, he doesn't just get angry, he goes mad: completely, psychopathically, homicidally mad. After brutally dispatching one clan, Jerry sets up shop with a single mom (Shelley Hack) and her brooding teen daughter (Jill Schoelen), who immediately suspects there's something not quite right about her dear old stepdad.

Director: Joseph Ruben
R-Rated 
89 mins


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In this scandalously sexy, eye-popping feast, three bored friends (Cher, Michelle Pfeiffer and Susan Sarandon) can't resist the devilish charms of the new man in town (Jack Nicholson). But the ladies soon discover that there's a surprise in getting what you wish for. Nicholson is intense and funny in his over-the-top performance as Satan.

Director: George Miller
R-Rated
118 mins
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In this remake of the 1958 horror classic, a gelatinous mass invades Earth and starts devouring people in the rural California town of Arborville. As it feasts, the blob grows bigger and bigger -- and threatens to spin out of control. Leading the charge to contain the oozing killer is young Brian (Kevin Dillon), who seeks to impress the lovely Meg (Shawnee Smith). Meanwhile, a government crew arrives on the scene, but its intentions are unclear.

Director: Chuck Russell
R-Rated
95 mins

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110. Brain Damage (1988)

This limited edition of Frank Henenlotter's scare-fest stars Rick Herbst as Brian, a man who befriends a sinister, slithery creature named Aylmer that, when it strikes like a snake, injects a substance that takes its victim on a thrill ride. Brian quickly gets addicted to the feeling, but Aylmer can only survive when fed a ghastly diet of human brains. Will Brian stop at nothing to chase that high? Or will he recognize the folly of his ways?

R-Rated
85 mins


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A chubby toy doll named Chucky becomes an instrument of terror in director Tom Holland's unnerving tale of horror. Before cops gun down a serial killer (Brad Dourif), he invokes a spell that transfers his soul into the body of Chucky -- who ends up as a birthday present for 6-year-old Andy Barclay (Alex Vincent). When a rash of murders ensues, he knows Chucky is the culprit, but neither Andy's mother (Catherine Hicks) nor the police believe him.

Director: Tom Holland
R-Rated
87 mins

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After the death of vampire Jerry Dandridge, Charley (William Ragsdale) has become a well-adjusted college student. Although he pursues coed Alex (Traci Lind), Charley soon falls under the spell of Regine (Julie Carmen). His affections torn, Charley seeks help from Peter Vincent (Roddy McDowall). Peter is the has-been horror-show host from the first film, and soon, Charley, Peter and Alex are battling a coven of nocturnal bloodsuckers.

Director: Tommy Lee Wallace
R-Rated
104 mins
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For Kirsty Cotton (Ashley Laurence), the nightmares never end. Still fresh in her fevered memory are her father's skinned corpse, the evil machinations of her uncle Frank's reanimated body and the unspeakable perversity of the Cenobites. But the worst is yet to come. From beyond the Outer Darkness, from the darkest regions of the imagination comes Hellbound: Hellraiser II. 

Director: Tony Randel
Director: Clive Barker
Not-Rated
93 mins
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An alien band of killer clowns descends from the cosmos to harvest scores of small-town victims, cocooning their prey in cotton candy to eat later. With the extraterrestrials disguised as simple circus workers, the authorities don't suspect a thing. But the joke is on the clowns when two streetwise teens (Grant Cramer and Suzanne Snyder), armed with an ice cream truck, do battle to save their friends in this cult favorite.

Director: Stephen Chiodo
PG-13
86 mins
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115. Lady in White (1988)
aka The Mystery of the Lady in White

When a Halloween prank traps young Frankie Scarlatti (Lukas Haas) in a school coat closet, he witnesses the replay of a girl's death. Narrowly escaping the grip of her unseen killer, Frankie vows to help solve the murder and exonerate a wrongly accused janitor. All the while, the legend of the ghostly lady in white lingers. Writer-director Frank LaLoggia composed the film's musical score and plays the adult Frankie.

Director: Frank LaLoggia
PG-13
112 mins

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Larry Cohen writes and William Lustig directs this chiller about a psycho in a police uniform who's terrorizing New York City with a series of random slayings. Lt. McCrae (Tom Atkins) believes a real cop is behind the spree and fingers young Officer Jack Forrest (Bruce Campbell). When McCrae becomes the killer's next victim, Forrest and an undercover vice cop (Laurene Landon) strike out on their own to solve the case and clear Forrest's name.

Director: William Lustig
R-Rated
85 mins


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Quadriplegic law student Allan Mann (Jason Beghe) gets in-home care from Ella, a supersmart monkey injected with human brain tissue. Initially, it's a dynamite relationship -- until she starts anticipating Allan's thoughts and acting out his subconscious desires. Horror veteran George Romero wrote and directed this 1988 chiller, which co-stars Joyce Van Patten, Stanley Tucci and Janine Turner.

Director: George A. Romero
R-Rated
113 mins
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118. Night of the Demons (1988)

Director Kevin Tenney's tale centers on a group of hormonal teeny-boppers who turn a creepy old house into party central and unknowingly unleash an ancient demon who chooses very bloody Marys as his drink of choice. All the old reliable stereotypes are represented in this ghoulish blood-fest: the arrogant ex-boyfriend, the hero, the jerky new love interest. Alas, most of them become fodder for the demon. It's his night, after all. 

Director: Kevin Tenney
R-Rated
90 mins

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119. Pumpkinhead (1988)

Seeking revenge on the city teens who inadvertently killed his only child, small-town shopkeeper Ed Harley (Lance Henriksen) enlists a local witch to unleash the titular demon on the adolescents. When Pumpkinhead's otherworldly rage goes too far, Ed has a change of heart and tries to save the youngsters he wanted to punish but he's lost control of the fiend. This 1989 horror film marks the directorial debut of special-effects whiz Stan Winston.

Director: Stan Winston
R-Rated
87 mins

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Anthropologist Dennis Alan (Bill Pullman) goes to Haiti in search of a mysterious voodoo powder that turns the living into semi-conscious zombies. But as Alan comes closer to unlocking the mystical drug, natives turn his life into a nightmare. He enlists the help of a doctor (Cathy Tyson), but their smarts are hardly a match for the black magic they're up against. Horror master Wes Craven directs this creepy tale based on a novel by Wade Davis.

Director: Wes Craven
R-Rated
98 mins

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121. They Live (1988)

In this consumer culture parody, professional wrestler "Rowdy" Roddy Piper plays an unemployed working stiff who inadvertently finds a pair of sunglasses that allow him to see the world as it truly is. Billboards carry subliminal messages such as "Submit to Authority," and yuppies are actually aliens who are bent on subduing the human race. Before you can say, "Die, yuppie scum!" Piper grabs a gun and starts blasting.

Director: John Carpenter
R-Rated
94 mins

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122. Watchers (1988)

In this consumer culture parody, professional wrestler "Rowdy" Roddy Piper plays an unemployed working stiff who inadvertently finds a pair of sunglasses that allow him to see the world as it truly is. Billboards carry subliminal messages such as "Submit to Authority," and yuppies are actually aliens who are bent on subduing the human race. Before you can say, "Die, yuppie scum!" Piper grabs a gun and starts blasting.

Director: John Hess
R-Rated
91 mins

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Complete with a crew of intrepid explorers, the vessel DeepStar Six sets sail on a daunting mission to establish a top-secret nuclear Navy base on the ocean floor in this 1989 thriller starring Greg Evigan, Miguel Ferrer and Nancy Everhard. But as the courageous team works to finish its near-impossible task, they inadvertently disturb a terrifying alien life form that could kill them all at any moment.

R-Rated
105 mins

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In director Ivan Reitman's commercially successful sequel, the fearless Ghostbusters -- Venkman (Bill Murray), Ray (Dan Aykroyd), Egon (Harold Ramis) and Winston (Ernie Hudson) -- find themselves out of business after waging a war on slime that cost New York City millions. The guys are forced to find new careers but ultimately reunite when an ancient tyrant targets Venkman's ex-girlfriend (Sigourney Weaver) and her infant son.


Director: Ivan Reitman
PG
108 mins

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125. Intruder (1989)

It's late evening the night before a local supermarket goes out of business, and the night crew is busy sweeping up. But things won't stay quiet for long: Register girl Jennifer (Renee Estevez) has an insane ex-boyfriend who's just been sprung from prison, and he's returned to win her back ... at any cost! Soon, the night crew starts dying one by one (talk about a checkout line!). Costars Bruce Campbell and Sam Raimi. Scott Spiegel directs. 

Director: Scott Spiegel
R-Rated
83 mins

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Perched on the hull of a wrecked Soviet freighter, a team of deep-sea miners (including Hector Elizondo, Ernie Hudson and Daniel Stern) -- led by head oceanographer Steven Beck (Peter Weller) -- comes face to face with a mutant creature that's the product of a failed genetic experiment. As Beck's crew members begin to disappear one by one, the flesh-eating monster lurks below the surface -- and the divers left alive are scared to death.

R-Rated 
98 mins

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127. Parents (1989)

In this horror-comedy set in the stuffy 1950s, Michael has everything his 10-year-old heart could desire, including a great dinner every night. Soon he questions where all the leftovers come from and discovers his parents are cannibals! 


Director: Bob Balaban
R-Rated 
81 mins

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128. Pet Sematary (1989)

Dr. Louis Creed's (Dale Midkiff) family moves into the country house of their dreams and discover a pet cemetery at the back of their property. The cursed burial ground deep in the woods brings the dead back to life -- with "minor" problems. At first, only the family's cat makes the return trip, but an accident forces a heartbroken father to contemplate the unthinkable in director Mary Lambert's horror film based on a novel by Stephen King.

Director: Mary Lambert
Writer: Stephen King
R-Rated
103 mins

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In director David Schmoeller's taut chiller, perverse master puppeteer Andre Toulon (William Hickey) harnesses the power of ancient Egyptian magic to breathe life into his crew of marionettes, who morph into demonic killers. Many years later, a group of modern psychics looking for clues to explain a mutual friend's mysterious suicide end up trapped in a creepy hotel stalked by Toulon's miniature assassins. Paul Le Mat also stars.

Director: David Schmoeller
R-Rated 
89 mins

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Frightmeister Wes Craven (A Nightmare on Elm Street) creates a new boogieman in Horace Pinker (Mitch Pileggi). All the electric chair does to Horace is turn him into a high-voltage phantom that haunts Jonathan (future director Peter Berg), the boyfriend of the girl he gruesomely murdered (there's also a psychic link between the two). Michael Murphy and Heather Langenkamp (of the original Nightmare on Elm Street) co-star.

Director: Wes Craven
R-Rated 
109 mins
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Suburban teenager Bill Whitney (Billy Warlock) seems out of step, even more so than most kids his age. When his sister's boyfriend (Tim Bartell) introduces him to an underground society, Bill discovers a disturbing world of carnal expression, cannibalism and other dark desires. This disturbing tale of escape from the normal was the debut film for director Brian Yuzna (Bride of Re-Animator).

Director: Brian Yuzna
R-Rated 
99 mins
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In 17th century Boston, a warlock (Julian Sands) escapes death and magically leaps 300 years into the future, where he searches in Los Angeles for the three parts of the Devil's Bible that will unmake the world. Meanwhile, the witch hunter (Richard E. Grant) who brought him to trial -- aided by one of the warlock's victims (Lori Singer) -- is in hot pursuit to stop his heartless path of violence and foil his destructive plans.

Director: Steve Miner
R-Rated 
103 mins
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Our Top Ten 80's Horror Films (Arranged by Year)









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Great 80's Horror Films Site:
http://www.welove80'shorrormovies.com

Synopsis' taken from:
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The Mothman 

5 comments:

Drew Grimm Van Ess said...

Great list! Night Of The Demons is fantastic. It's everything 80's horror was made of and rolled into one movie. Scary,gory,funny,bad acting,nudity/sexuality. It's a good watch.

Anonymous said...

wow all great movies...I have watched all but The Night of the Demons and The Fly..Heard The Fly was gross..have to watch Night of the Demons

The Mothman said...

I actually haven't seen The Night of the Demons in a while. It may be time for me to check that one out again.

That and Peter Jackson's Bad Taste!

Jaysix said...

Man, it's like being in a video store in the 80s/early 90s. Tremendous list !

The Mothman said...

Thanks Jaysix.

Those were some fun times!

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