The 1980s did a lot of things well: aerobics, for one thing, music, for another. But arguably the decade’s biggest gift to the ones that came after was its classic horror films. The best '80s horror movies feel just as relevant today as they did nearly 40 years ago, and for good reason: They launched franchises, created tropes that genre films still rely on today, and sparked fear deep into the hearts of their viewers.
While there are many timeless '80s films, this list includes thrillers, serial killer slashers, monster movies, and even some feminist horror films that were ahead of their time. Below, find the best '80s horror movies of all time and where to watch them.
'Aliens' (1986)
James Cameron was a long way from Titanic with this one, but as far as monster movies go, Aliens is one of the best. A true ‘80s horror, the Alien sequel sees the xenomorph baddies (plural) relentlessly stalking their victims, but unlike your tried-and-true slasher, these extraterrestrials are 7-foot-plus tall beings with no eyes and two jaws that have the power to rip you in half. Luckily, there’s badass, gun-toting Sigourney Weaver reprising her iconic role as Ripley to save the day yet again.
'An American Werewolf in London' (1981)
Teen Wolf, this is not. Unlike the goofy Michael J. Fox classic, American Werewolf in London’s furry beastie is genuinely scary—and particularly bloodthirsty. Told from the perspective of the creature (David Naughton), who goes on a killing spree under the full moon in London after being attacked by another just like him, the film is considered a cult classic. Fun fact? According to Rolling Stone, the film’s special effects were so good that they inspired Michael Jackson to hire director John Landis to direct his monster-filled Thriller video.
'Angst' (1983)
Watch this one at your own risk: That’s the message Europe sent when it officially banned this Australian film throughout the country. It’s about as violent as they come, and worse, it’s true: The storyline is based on serial killer Werner Kniesek, who tortured one of his victims for roughly 11 hours before murdering her. And yet, it has earned the elusive 100% on Rotten Tomatoes from critics, who cite its artistic camerawork and narration (“the psychopath” spills everything from his dark deeds to his tragic childhood with the audience), as a reward for those brave enough to watch it.
'Anguish' (1987)
Alice Pressman (Zelda Rubenstein) could give Mrs. Voorhees a run for her money. Her M.O. is stealing people’s eyeballs via her son John (Michael Lerner), whom she hypnotizes into doing her bidding. Though she only appears in the film shown to some theater-going teens within the actual movie, her performance is powerful enough to make the audience hallucinate about their own untimely demise.
'The Beyond' (1981)
If gore is your thing, The Beyond won’t disappoint: There’s enough eye gouging, face-dissolving, and head exploding to fully satiate (though we don’t recommend it for arachnophobes). Originally written in Italian, it’s got a few elements that don’t exactly make sense, but the main idea—that a shuttered old hotel built on the portal to hell is reopened to fatal results—comes through loud and clear.
'The Blob' (1988)
The monster in 1988’s The Blob is, well, a giant pink blob of goo, which doesn’t sound so bad in and of itself. If it manages to envelop you in its sludge, it’s quite another story. This goopy thing has the power to pull its victims through sinkholes (not the kind in the ground, but actual holes of kitchen sinks), melt flesh, and swallow people whole. It also manages to preserve the original 1958’s version 68% Rotten Tomatoes rating—a rare feat for a remake!
'The Burning' (1981)
A “harmless” prank gone wrong? Check. A homicidal maniac taking his vengeance in the place where it all went awry? Check. A group of horny campers ripe for the killing? Check. The Burning ticks off all of your usual ‘80s tropes and then some with its story of camp caretaker Cropsy, who returns to Camp Blackwood sans much of his flesh five years after being burned alive in his cabin by a bunch of unruly teens. Armed with a pair of pruning shears (random, we know), Cropsy exacts his revenge in a manner that takes "graphic" to a whole new level.
'The Changeling' (1980)
Director: Peter Medak
Notable cast: George C. Scott, Melvyn Douglas, Trish Van Devere
If supernatural horrors are your jam, The Changeling will be right up your alley. It starts like many films in the subgenre: with a recently purchased property that turns out to be haunted by an evil spirit. The backstory is particularly compelling, however, as it turns out that the spirit belongs to a sickly boy who was murdered. Joseph's dad (Melvyn Douglas) needs a child who will make it to 21 to collect an inheritance from his grandfather, and Joseph's illness means he might not be around that long. His solution? To do away with Joseph and adopt another little boy to pass off as the original. Needless to say, Joseph’s spirit is pissed, and he’s ready to show it.
'Children of the Corn' (1984)
Stephen King was on a roll in the ‘80s: More than 10 of his films were adapted for the big screen in the decade, including 1984’s Children of the Corn. If you ask us, it's one of the creepiest. After all, there's nothing quite like driving through the cornfields of Nebraska and stumbling upon a town full of murderous children under the control of a fanatical preacher boy who wants them to kill all adults in the name of a demon, eh?
'Child's Play' (1988)
Ah, Child's Play—the 1988 classic that made parents side-eye their kids’ every baby doll. Centered on a serial killer named Charles Lee Ray who transfers his soul into a talking doll named Chucky to avoid his imminent death, it made once-beloved children’s toys downright ominous. Much to the horror of Chucky’s new owner Andy (Alex Vincent), Ray is still quite adept at killing despite his new 2-foot stature, and far less suspect: After all, he’s “just a doll"... right? 7th Heaven’s Catherine Hicks also stars as Andy’s disbelieving mom.
'Christine' (1983)
Evil dolls? Try evil cars. Christine is a 1958 Plymouth Fury (emphasis on the fury) with a penchant for making bad things happen. Those around the car die mysterious deaths, and now that it’s been restored to its former glory by high school student Arnie Cunningham (Keith Gordon), no one in his inner circle is safe. It’s slightly less sinister than the Stephen King book, in which the car becomes evil when fused with the soul of the serial killer who bought it, but it will still make you think twice before getting in a hot rod.
'Creepshow' (1982)
Before there was Tales from the Crypt, there was Creepshow. Consisting of five short horror stories written for the big screen by Stephen King, this comic book-infused flick has everything from murder to monsters. While some stories are better than others (one is about a man who turns into a plant after coming in contact with a meteor), each one is only about 20 minutes long, and it’s a fun watch that won’t give you too many nightmares.
'Day of the Dead' (1985)
If you were glued to your TV every Sunday for The Walking Dead, direct your attention to the final installment of the George A. Romero-directed Night of the Living Dead series. It’s zombie horror at its finest, with Romero calling the finale film his favorite of the trilogy. “The effects, I think, are my masterpiece,” he declared. Set years after an undead takeover, this one follows a group of surviving scientists as they attempt to find a cure to the plague that has ravaged their world. But the soldiers keeping the zombies at bay aren’t trustworthy, and the doctors are running out of time.
'Dolls' (1987)
We won’t sugarcoat it: Dolls is downright goofy at points, but it was also made in the late ‘80s, so it’s just what you’d expect from a horror flick of the times. Exploring the idea of possessed dolls a full year before Child’s Play hit the theater, it sees a group of people seeking shelter from a storm in an old mansion. The mansion’s inhabitants are elderly toy makers, but theirs are no ordinary toys. These puppets and dolls are full of evil spirits looking to expand their ranks with the souls of other non-savory characters—and not every visitor to the mansion will make it out alive.
'The Evil Dead' (1981)
Pro horror film tip? Don’t isolate yourself in the woods. Pro horror film tip no. 2? Don’t read aloud from a Book of the Dead, lest you accidentally unleash a legion of zombies upon the world. This is the moral of The Evil Dead. Dubbed “profoundly unsettling” by some Rotten Tomatoes reviewers and "disgusting" by others, this one’s not for the faint of heart—or stomach.
'The Fly' (1986)
According to Screen Rant, Jeff Goldblum underwent up to five hours of makeup weighing as much as five pounds per day for his gruesome transformation in this classic mad scientist tale. His troubles begin when his character Seth Brundle attempts to use a teleportation device he has invented. Unfortunately for him, a fly has made its way into the machine with him, fusing his molecular structure with the insect’s upon its run. The body horror is gnarly, but the movie is also full of comedic relief, with some even ranking it higher than the 1958 original.
'The Fog' (1980)
Halloween director John Carpenter and Jamie Lee Curtis teamed up once more on 1980’s The Fog. The plot is unique: A ship belonging to a wealthy owner is deliberately wrecked by six men who use the boat’s riches to find their coastal town. 100 years later, on the city’s anniversary, a mysterious fog has rolled in over its residents, bringing the ghost ship and its vengeful spirits along with it. The graphics are laughably retro (it was nearly 40 years ago), but hey, who doesn’t love a good ghost story?
'Friday the 13th' (1980)
As far as iconic slasher films go, the Friday the 13th franchise is right up there with Halloween and A Nightmare on Elm Street: There’s not a horror film junkie alive who doesn’t instantly recognize the image of a sinister figure in a bloody hockey mask. Never mind that it doesn’t appear in the original film, since (spoiler alert), it’s not Jason Voorhees who's out for (literal) blood at Camp Crystal Lake, but his mother, the vengeful Pamela Voorhees (Betsy Palmer). Her motive? Getting even with every randy camp counselor to set foot on the property, since Jason's counselors were too busy doing the deed when he was drowning to save him.
'Fright Night' (1985)
Director: Tom Holland
Notable cast: Chris Sarandon, Roddy McDowell, Amanda Bearse
Super scary, this is not, but the special effects alone make it worth a watch. (The cast’s transformations took up to 18 hours.) The main vampire in this teen scream is a high schooler's (William Ragdale) creepy neighbor (Chris Sarandon), who winds up hellbent on sinking his fangs into the meddling kid's neck.
'The Funhouse' (1981)
Sharing the same director as Poltergeist, Tobe Hooper, The Funhouse follows the formula set forth by many of the decade’s other scary movies: A psycho killer targets a group of teenagers and obliterates their ranks until only a final girl is left. But this one has a carnival as its setting, and honestly, isn’t everything just a little bit better when there are rides involved?
'Halloween II' (1981)
There’s no denying the fact that Halloween II isn’t quite as good as its 1978 predecessor. Even co-writer John Carpenter, who directed the original, acknowledged, “We’re remaking the same film, only not as good.” Still, Carpenter and co. managed to come up with enough twists and turns—like how survivor Laurie Strode (Jamie Lee Curtis), is actually (gasp!) Michael Myers’s sister—that the sequel became a central part of the franchise. The confined setting of the medical facility where Strode is recovering also adds an element of terror, seeing as how she can barely walk from her injuries and Michael is seemingly everywhere she tries to escape.
'Hellraiser' (1987)
Even if you’ve never watched Hellraiser, you’re probably familiar with the film’s ultra-creepy character of Pinhead: an otherworldly being with, well, pins sticking out from nearly every pore in his face. (Okay, that’s an exaggeration, but still: It’s unsettling.) And he’s not even the worst of this flick’s monstrous bunch! Poor protagonist Kirsty (Ashley Laurence) has to deal with her (un)dead evil uncle Frank (Sean Chapman), who no longer has skin after being torn apart by hooked chains and has designs on killing her to restore his flesh.
'The Hitcher' (1986)
Any true crime junkie knows you should never pick up a stranger on the side of the road, lest you become a headline. But Jim Halsey (C. Thomas Howell) missed the memo, and now he’s stuck with a murdering psychopath (Rutger Hauer) as his passenger. Though he narrowly escapes, an accident puts him back in the killer’s path—and he’s s fixed his sights on Halsey. This one’s more action than suspense, but if you love a nonstop thrill, buckle up.
'House' (1985)
Roger Cobb (William Katt) is a horror author living an actual nightmare, with his son having disappeared into thin air and his aunt dying by suicide in the old house where it happened. But when he takes it upon himself to investigate the manor where it all went down, he finds more than he bargained for. (Levitating garden tools, anyone?)
'The House on Sorority Row' (1982)
No bad deed goes unpunished: That’s the lesson a group of seven sorority sisters quickly learn after playing a prank on their strict house mother that results in her accidental death. Someone knows what they did and is out for revenge—and they won’t stop until they get it. Bonus points for this film’s clever nod to the 1960 classic Psycho.
'The Howling' (1981)
TV reporter Karen White (Dee Wallace) can’t catch a break. First, she’s stalked by a serial killer named Eddie (Robert Picardo). Then, she’s sent to a countryside colony where they try to seduce her husband (Christopher Stone) before he’s attacked by a werewolf. (Stay with us here.) Somehow, it all links back to Eddie, the creepo who started it all, and Karen will be forced to go up against him only this time in beast form. With some comedy sprinkled throughout, it’s not all doom and gloom, but the werewolf transformations are seriously creepy.
'Killer Clowns from Outer Space' (1988)
Sure, “alien clowns” don’t exactly have a chest-pounding ring, but something about the little cotton candy-like cocoons these creatures keep their victims in before drinking their blood through a straw is downright horrifying. If you're scratching your head, allow us to explain: Essentially, this movie is about a group of evil circus dwellers who descend upon the unsuspecting town of Crescent Cove before picking its residents off, one by one. Overall, it’s less gory, and more camp, keeping it right in line with the ‘80s era that spawned it, but it still gives us goosebumps.
'Lady in White' (1988)
This film may be full of ghosts, but the living are truly terrifying in this harrowing tale. Frightening though her presence may be, the spirit that begins appearing to young Frankie Scarlatti (Lukas Haas) is a benevolent one who simply wants someone to solve her murder and bring her killer to justice. But unbeknownst to Frankie, her killer's identity is a little too close to home for comfort.
'The Lost Boys' (1987)
So far, we’ve covered serial killers, possessed dolls, and undead pets, which leads us to our next ghoul: vampires. But not just any vampires: ‘80s vampires. We’re talking full-on mullets, earrings, and belly shirts. Add in the two Coreys (that’s Haim and Feldman, natch) as vampire hunters on a mission to destroy the undead gang they’ve uncovered, and you’ve got one of the decade’s most beloved horror films. This one's also highly watchable for those who are scared easily. (Think The Goonies, but with fangs.)
'Maniac' (1980)
When it comes to horror movies, some get your adrenaline going with a suspenseful pop-up or two and some continue to scare the living daylights out of you long after they’ve ended. Maniac falls squarely in the latter camp. Reportedly inspired in part by Son of Sam murders that took place in the 1970s, its main character is a deranged serial killer named Frank Zito (Joe Spinell) who makes a habit of scalping the women he encounters in 1980s New York as a means for dressing up his mannequins.
'My Bloody Valentine' (1981)
My Bloody Valentine certainly lives up to its name. In fact, according to Paste, roughly eight to nine minutes of violence and gore had to be cut from the film for it to pass for an “R” rating. It’s centered on a (Valentine’s Day) dance that strikes a sore spot for the film’s suspected killer since he was left trapped at work in an exploding mine while his supervisors attended the dance. Now that there’s talk of bringing it back, the murders that occurred shortly after the mining incident have resumed, with human hearts being left behind as the killer’s calling cards.
'Near Dark' (1987)
icture vampires, only they’re cowboys: That’s the jist of Kathryn Bigelow's Near Dark. Unlike the Interview with a Vampire types who slink around in dark alleys, these rope and ride. They also venture into speakeasies, which is where human Caleb (Adrian Pasdar) encounters (undead) Mae (Jenny Wright), who turns him into one of her own before the night is through. He’s not particularly cut out for murder and mayhem, though, and with the help of his family, he just might manage to escape this gang of “night riders.”
'A Nightmare on Elm Street' (1988)
The OG A Nightmare on Elm Street, which stars a 21-year-old Johnny Depp, may have been released four decades ago, but let us just say: It still holds up. (The Library of Congress agrees—it was selected as one of 25 additions to the National Film Registry in 2021 for its “cultural, historic or aesthetic importance.”) Its big bad, Freddy Krueger (Robert Englund), is a ghoul with a burned face and a glove of knives for fingers that can kill you in your dreams, and he terrifies like none other. After watching him slice and dice his victims to pieces, we predict this film will make you seriously hesitant to fall asleep—particularly after hearing the final line of its now-iconic nursery rhyme, which ends, “9, 10, never sleep again…”
'Pet Sematary' (1989)
When will people learn that messing with an ancient burial ground is never a good idea? Louis Creed (Dale Midkiff) finds out the hard way after taking his deceased son Gage (Miko Hughes) to the one behind his home and burying him there to bring him back from the dead. The new Gage isn’t quite himself; he’s dead set on killing his former family. The king of horror himself, Stephen King, also appears in the film version of his 1983 book.
'Poltergeist' (1982)
The only thing creepier than a film about a malevolent ghost? A film about a malevolent ghost whose production is cursed. This film gets an added layer of creepiness because of the rumored plague on its cast and crew. Tragically, the young girl who starred in the first movie, Heather O’Rourke, died after filming, as did Dominique Dunne, the actress who played her older sister. The evil preacher (Julian Beck) who starred in the film’s sequel also died shortly after filming, as did Will Sampson, who played Taylor the shaman. And those skeletons that surround Diane (JoBeth Williams) after she’s dragged into the family pool? Williams later revealed that they were real.
'Possession' (1981)
A lot is going on in Possession: You’ve got a wife (Isabelle Adjani) exhibiting some disturbing behavior (like hiding a tentacled creature in a bathroom and murdering anyone who comes near it), a paranoid husband (Sam Neill) who’s becoming increasingly violent, and a whole lot of dopplegänger partner swapping. It’s grotesque, bizarre, and thought-provoking, with many viewing it as an allegory for a dissolving marriage. Whatever your take on it, however, it’s undeniably unnerving: so much so that it was banned in the U.K. and heavily edited in the U.S.
'Prom Night' (1980)
Two years after making her big screen debut in 1978’s Halloween, scream queen Jamie Lee Curtis continued her horror reign with Prom Night. Unlike Halloween, her character of Kim Hammond isn’t being stalked by the psychopathic killer who’s taking out her classmates, but her boyfriend Nick (Casey Stevens) is—and she’s not letting him go without a fight.
'The Prowler' (1981)
Director: Joseph Zito
Notable cast: Vicky Dawson, Christopher Goutman
A slow burn, this is not: The Prowler begins with poor Rosemary and her new boyfriend Roy being attacked with a pitchfork by her spurned ex-lover on the night of the big graduation dance. (Talk about a fragile male ego!) Cut to the same dance 35 years later, and the body count is piling up. That’s not to say this film rushes through the death scenes, however. Rather, its special effects were crafted through painstaking efforts by Tom Savini, known for his work in Maniac, Friday the 13th, The Burning, and more, making each one a mini horror masterpiece.
'Pumpkinhead' (1988)
Look, the ‘80s were goofy, okay? That’s the only explanation for this strange but sufficiently scary creature that looks… nothing like a pumpkin. (If you ask us, the local witch who helps to resurrect it is the creepier ghoul.) Still, the beast gets the job done once it’s summoned by a mourning father named Ed (Lance Henriksen) whose son has just been killed in an accident with a group of local teens. This beast offers up a wee bit more than Ed bargained for, and now, he’s got to find a way to end its reign of terror without ending up a target.
'Puppetmaster' (1989)
Two words: homicidal marionettes. Puppetmaster’s cast of miniature villains had horror buffs entranced by this cult classic. (Seriously, they have their own action figures.) Sure, they're bad guys and all, but they’re also kind of… awesome. One throws up leeches onto her victims, another has a power drill for a skull, and the leader has a hook and a knife for hands. (Charming, no?) Somehow, you wind up rooting for them, particularly when they turn on the manipulative human that has brought them back to life after he mistreats one of their own.
'The Serpent and the Rainbow' (1988)
Do you know how you'll randomly remember scary scenes at different points of your life that send a chill down your spine and keep you up at night? Yeah. That's this movie. Based on an anthropologist (Bill Pullman) who travels to Haiti during the country's revolution to acquire the secret of an ancient voodoo spell that turns victims into zombies, this film is considered one of director Wes Craven’s more underrated works.
'The Shining' (1980)
Stanley Kubrick couldn’t have set the bar for incredible ‘80s horror films much higher than he did when he directed The Shining. Based on Stephen King’s book of the same name, it stars Jack Nicholson and the late, great Shelley Duvall as a young couple who move to the isolated Overlook Hotel in the Rocky Mountains. It’s more unsettling than jump-out-of-your-skin scary. That said, there's still plenty to up the horror ante. (Think: creepy twins, elevators full of blood, ghost parties, and a really disturbing bathtub scene.) Most frightening? The rapid deterioration of Nicholson's character Jack from a loving husband and father into Charles Grady, the property’s previous caretaker who murdered his wife and child with an axe.
'Sleepaway Camp' (1983)
In Sleepaway Camp, a group of unsuspecting campers is picked off one by one by a homicidal maniac. Sounds familiar, doesn't it? While Sleepaway Camp undoubtedly draws inspiration from OGs like Friday the 13th, its jaw-dropping conclusion is 100 percent original (and unexpected). If you’re the type who can always guess the killer, this little B horror film will put your whodunnit skills to the test and then some.
'Slumber Party Massacre' (1982)
One of the few films on the list to boast a female director, The Slumber Party Massacre has been lauded as a feminist horror movie for depicting its party-going subjects as real people. (Imagine that!) Make no mistake: Filmmaker Amy Holden Jones doesn’t skimp on the bloodshed. (It wouldn't have "massacre" in the title if she did.) Escaped mass murderer Russ Thorn (Michael Villella) still wreaks plenty of havoc on Trish’s (Michele Michaels) high school gathering with his weapon of choice: a supercharged power drill.
'Stage Fright' (1987)
In a deadly case of life imitating art, a group of theater performers who are enacting a play about a serial killer named the Night Owl falls prey to a real live murderer who has assumed the fictional killer’s identity. It’s on the campy side and the outfits are peak '80s (we’re talking full leotards over tights), but that’s all part of the fun of this Italian slasher flick.
'The Thing' (1982)
“Horror” is probably the genre you would least closely associate with Kurt Russell. But years before he and Goldie Hawn fell in love onscreen in Overboard, Russell was wrangling with an extraterrestrial organism able to imitate its victims' DNA in John Carpenter's The Thing. Set in the middle of absolute nowhere (literally, though, it's in Antarctica), this film's special effects are plenty ‘80s-worthy, and it’s a good pick if you’re looking for a reprieve from the usual "psycho killer with a knife" scenario.
'The Vanishing (1988)
What if you and your significant other stopped at a gas station, your partner went inside for drinks, and just never came back out? That’s the premise of this Dutch horror film, which was released overseas under the title of Spoorloos (Without a Trace) in 1988. Exploring the psyche of a kidnapper (Bernard-Pierre Donnadieu) as he unburdens himself of his crimes to the missing woman’s boyfriend (Gene Bervoets), the film is more disconcerting than gory, with a truly terrifying ending that will leave you ill at ease.
'Videodrome' (1983)
If you’ve ever been more disturbed by something you’ve seen on TV than an actual scary movie, you’re basically familiar with the plot of Videodrome. The iconic David Cronenberg movie follows the plight of fictional television station president Max Renn (James Woods). After ordering an unlicensed program for his seedy channel that shows people being tortured and murdered, he finds out that the footage is real. The program's purpose? To kill off its sex and violence-obsessed audience members via a malignant brain tumor that inexplicably begins to grow in its viewers. This has some heavy themes, but it’s also got Blondie’s Debbie Harry, so we’ll take our chances.
'The Watcher in the Woods' (1980)
Bette Davis and Kyle Richards? Um, count us in? This one’s not particularly spine-tingling in the slasher sense (it is Disney, after all), but it offers plenty of suspense as protagonist Jan (Lynn-Holly Johnson) attempts to uncover what happened to the teenager who went missing from the abandoned chapel behind her house 30 years prior. It’s also highly nostalgic for those entranced by its mystery growing up, cementing its place in cult classic history.
'Waxwork' (1988)
Years before the 2006 House of Wax remake, there was Waxwork. (Eat your heart out, Paris Hilton.) The plot is similar: College students visit a wax museum where morbid curiosities abound—some are fatally real. Before long, the museum puts out a few new displays that look similar to some students who recently entered its doors.
