50 Best Horror Films from the '80's

[BoyScoutKevin]

In response to the other thread . . .

If some years were better than others. And if some horror filmmakers went to the well, one too many times, especially towards the end of the decade. The decade of the '80's is still one of the most underappreciated by horror fans. As proof, here is a list of fifty horror films from that decade.

1980
Alligator
The Changeling
Dressed to Kill
The Fog
Friday the 13th
Motel Hell

1981
An American Werewolf in London
The Evil Dead
The Howling
Wolfen

1982
Basket Case
Creepshow
Hellraiser
Poltergeist
Q
The Thing
Tenebre

1983
The Dead Zpne
The House of Long Shadows
The Hunger
The Shining
Sleepaway Camp

1984
The Company of Wolves
Firestarter
Gremlins
Night of the Comet
Nightmare on Elm Street

1985
Cat's Eye
Fright Night
Lifeforce
Re-animator
The Toxic Avenger

1986
Aliens
The Fly
Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer
The Hitcher

1987
Bad Taste
Evil Dead II
Hellraiser
Near Dark
Predator
The Stepfather

1988
Brain Damage
Child's Play
Killer Klowns from Outer Space
Lair of the White Worm
Opera

1989
Meet the Feebles
Pet Sematary
Pumpkinhead

[lester1/2jr]

It's an obscure one, but Hell High from 1989 was quite good.

[sideorderofninjas]

Night of the Creeps...

[RCMerchant]

Some personal favorites not mentioned...

. Fulci's City of the Living Dead aka the GATES of HELL (1980)
.MOTHER'S DAY (1980) If you haven't seen it...you should. Not what you would expect!
.COMBAT SHOCK (1984) Depressing? Yes. Horrofiying? Defintly! I CANNOT RECOMMEND THIS MOVIE ENOUGH!!!! aka American Nightmare
.Argento's PHENOMENA (1983)
.Lamberto Bava's DEMONS (1885)
.HUMUNOIDS from the DEEP (1980)
.RETURN of the ALIEN's DEADLY SPAWN (1983) Ultra low budget....so what? A classic!
.MANIAC (1980) If a horror movie means horrifying...then this definitly fits the bill! Joe Spinelli is terrifying and totally beliveable!
.DEAD and BURIED (1981) Am I the only person who likes this movie?
     Here's the opening scence...
  [youtube=425,350] http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5EyMD0pDSnQ
.

[AnubisVonMojo]

.RETURN of the ALIEN's DEADLY SPAWN (1983) Ultra low budget....so what? A classic!

Hey RC, have you seen The Abomination yet? If you enjoyed Deadly Spawn's low budget alien slug monster motif, I think you might get a kick out of The Abomination too. 

[RCMerchant]

.RETURN of the ALIEN's DEADLY SPAWN (1983) Ultra low budget....so what? A classic!

Hey RC, have you seen The Abomination yet? If you enjoyed Deadly Spawn's low budget alien slug monster motif, I think you might get a kick out of The Abomination too. 

No I hav'ent even heard of it! So I just popped over to you tube to see if there were any goodies...YIKES!
Yup...I gotta see the whole thing-thanks!
(I discover new stuff on this board all the time...! ) 

[Texdar]

Return of the Living Dead has to be on this list!

And RCMerchant, I really like Dead and Buried as well.

[voltron]

Just Before Dawn deserves a mention. Even though it was influenced (probably) by Friday the 13th, it's a suprior film.

[Him]

I'm not a fan of horror films, but just the same my vote goes to Poltergiest as the best horror film of the 1980s.

[trekgeezer]

How come nobody ever puts The Boogens on one of these lists?  I'm usually not much of a horror fan but i  like this movie for some reason.

[Allhallowsday]

ONE DARK NIGHT (1983)

[BoyScoutKevin]

How come nobody ever puts The Boogens on one of these lists?  I'm usually not much of a horror fan but i  like this movie for some reason.

It's now on the list, trekgeezer. Along with every other films mentioned. Of course, which makes it more than fifty films, and I was trying to hold myself to just fifty to match the thread about the fifty worst horror films of the '80's. Anybody else want to add anything to the list?

[JaseSF]

Videodrome.