The 1980s were a great decade for horror movies. Sure, it is true that the quality of 80s horror movies varied widely, but there were still some bona fide classics released during the decade. Here are ten of my favorites from the decade.
10. An American Werewolf in London (1981)
David Kessler and Jack Goodman travel from the United States to England to learn more about the country. When they arrive in a small town, they go straight to the bar and are warmly welcomed. The situation worsens when Jack asks questions about why the establishment has candles and a pentagon on the wall. When they wake up, they are walking along a deserted road and notice that an animal is following them. Jack is attacked and has his body dislocated, whereas David only has cuts on his face and eyes, which is enough to turn him into a werewolf.
09. The Thing (1982)
A group of American scientists is shocked at their camp in isolated Antarctica when a camp dog is shot from a helicopter. While they are rescuing the wounded dog, the animal begins attacking the scientists and the other dogs, and they quickly realize that the animal can assume the form of its victims. This means that members of the squad can be murdered, and the copy will take their place. As a result, a pilot and a physician must capture the beast before it is too late.
08. Pet Semetary (1989)
Following the death of the Creed household cat, a weird sequence of occurrences unfolds. They gradually understand that an old cemetery in the back of the property may be connected to these incidents.
07. The Evil Dead (1981)
Ashley and a group of friends spend the night in a house in the woods. They discover an ancient book that, when read out loud, brings death to life. The buddies end up releasing a chain of demons, forcing them to fight for their lives or become one of them.
06. Child's Play (1988)
Karen gives Andy, her young son, a very special toy. However, when odd murders begin to occur in the area, exposing the toy's sinister nature, the two must battle for their lives.
05. A Nightmare on Elm Street (1984)
In Wes Craven's famous slasher thriller, a group of Western teens fall victim to Freddy Krueger, a deformed nocturnal mangler who preys on the teenagers in their nightmares and kills them in real life. After examining the occurrence, Nancy suspects that a dark secret concealed by her and her friends' parents may hold the key to solving the riddle, but will Nancy and her lover Glen be able to solve the conundrum before it's too late?
04. The Fly (1986)
Seth Brundle, an eccentric scientist, completes his teleportation gadget and intends to put it to the test on himself. During the procedure, a fly lands on the device, causing it to fuse with the bug without his knowledge. However, he believes the experiment was a success until he notices the fly's cells taking over his body and converting him into a horrific monstrosity.
03. Poltergeist (1982)
Weird and terrifying happenings surround a California family when spirits begin communicating with them via a television screen. When the couple's daughter vanishes, the spirits look benign at first, but quickly turn frightening. To reclaim the girl, the parents seek the assistance of parapsychologists and exorcists.
02. Videodrome (1983)
Max Renn, the owner of a local cable tv channel, photographs tormented and dead victims. Soon after, he learns that the program is named Videodrome, that it is produced in Pittsburgh, and that it is much more than a disturbing exhibition. It's a study that uses television to irreversibly modify people's perceptions, resulting in severe brain damage.
01. The Shining (1980)
Jack Torrance accepts a position as winter caretaker at the remote Overlook Hotel in the Colorado Rockies in the hopes of resolving his writer's blockage. He settles in with his wife, Wendy, and their son, Danny, who suffers from premonitions. Danny's images become more unsettling as Jack is unable to write. When the author discovers the hotel's terrible mysteries, he transforms into a violent madman who terrorizes his family.