There are good reasons why 1980s horror remains so beloved. Not only were special effects more advanced than in the ’70s, but there are also just a lot more movies to choose from. Thanks to emerging trends and more fully formed subgenres, there was no shortage of horror back then. The wave was so huge that horror hounds are still discovering “new” movies today.
By now, everyone recognizes Friday the 13th and A Nightmare on Elm Street, and titles like The Thing, The Evil Dead, and An American Werewolf in London certainly don’t need any introduction. The ten following ’80s horror movies, on the other hand, aren’t as renowned, yet are still worth a watch. They’re rather overlooked when compared to the decade’s biggest hits and cult classics.
Night of Death! (1980)
Pictured: Night of Death!
The older characters in Raphaël Delpard’s Night of Death! (La Nuit de la mort) sit somewhere between quirky and creepy, well before they start chowing down on their new caregiver. Prior to the feast, the protagonist (Isabelle Goguey) leaves behind her boyfriend (Michel Duchezeau) to become a live-in nurse at a convalescent home in the French countryside. The unwary, would-be victim is actually replacing another nurse, one whose style of sendoff is both surprising and gory. So while the intentions of these cannibalistic codgers are revealed very early on, that doesn’t ever hinder the macabre entertainment. Fans of French holiday horror movie Sheitan are encouraged to seek out this transgressive movie, which often feels like a precursor.
Death Valley (1982)
Pictured: Wilford Brimley, Catherine Hicks, Peter Billingsley and Paul Le Mat in Death Valley.
Several years before Catherine Hicks was fending off killer doll Chucky, she was protecting another kid from danger. Here, Peter Billingsley plays the foil to Stephen McHattie, a serial killer on the loose in a desert town. Three unsuspecting travelers don’t realize the trouble they’re now in after the youngest of them, a precocious boy, accidentally implicates McHattie’s character. And from there Dick Richards’ Death Valley shifts from travelogue to thriller, and becomes an engrossing, cat-and-mouse story.
Julie Darling (1982)
Pictured: Isabelle Mejias in Julie Darling.
Paul Nicholas’ Julie Darling is indeed another “bad seed” story, but now there’s a heavy helping of the Electra complex. This movie’s namesake, who’s played wonderfully by Isabelle Mejias, wants her father’s sole attention, no matter the cost. And Julie’s twisted desire seems satisfied once her biological mother is out of the picture, but her daddy (Anthony Franciosa) has already moved on with another woman (Sybil Danning). Julie Darling often feels like a holdover from the ’70s era of horror, as it’s heavy on the psychodrama. Make no mistake, though; the movie does get violent and sometimes bloody.
Superstition (1982)
Pictured: Superstition.
What looks and acts Italian but isn’t Italian? In this context, the answer would be James W. Roberson’s Superstition. Despite its Italian Horror style and aesthetic, this movie was made in the U.S., albeit by a Canadian production company. Shot in 1981, this witch’s revenge story didn’t see the light of day until four years later. Interestingly, though, Italy screened Superstition first in ’82. So, is the movie’s stateside shelving a sign of bad quality? Not necessarily. It’s atmospheric and nasty. And if nothing else, Roberson’s experience as a cinematographer proved beneficial for this supernatural slasher.
Mr. Wrong (1984)
Pictured: Heather Bolton, Danny Mulheron and John Bullock in Mr. Wrong.
Ghost stories weren’t as common as they were prior to the ’80s, but they also didn’t go away entirely. And in some parts, like New Zealand, the ghosts found their way out of houses and into people’s pre-owned cars. A used Jaguar equals independence for the young and awkward Meg (Heather Bolton), in Gaylene Preston’s Mr. Wrong (a.k.a. Dark of the Night). Initially that purchase feels like a haunted lemon, yet as time goes on, it’s revealed that Meg’s spectral passenger isn’t what she appears to be. The slow-burning Mr. Wrong is recommended for anyone in search of more feminist horror.
The Island (1985)
Pictured: The Island.
Po-Chih Leong is a name associated with the Hong Kong New Wave, although not necessarily because of movies like The Island (Sang sei sin). The filmmaker’s East Asian slice of hillbilly horror is not held in the same regard as his dramas, Hong Kong 1941 or The Wisdom of Crocodiles; nevertheless, this is a fun offering for those who like stories of rural residents preying on vulnerable urbanites. It’s class conflict horror in the vein of Deliverance, although now with a dash of HK slapstick in the mix.
Hunter’s Blood (1986)
Pictured: Lee de Broux, Billy Drago, and Mickey Jones in Hunter’s Blood.
This Southern-fried, American serving of hicksploitation leans more towards the action genre, but there’s no denying its horror qualities, either. In Robert Hughes’ Hunter’s Blood, we have another violent culture clash on our hands as we watch some city folks get mixed up with the dangerous locals. Yeah, the setup is as routine as they come, but sure enough, the movie’s delivery is solid. With a Blu-ray in the works at Synapse Films, Hunter’s Blood will likely be gaining a lot of new fans in the near future.
The Carrier (1988)
Pictured: The Carrier.
The Carrier’s tone can be hard to nail down, and after watching how the movie’s characters act, you would understand why. In Nathan J. White’s story, an already ostracized young man (Gregory Fortescue) becomes patient zero once he’s attacked by a strange, black creature in the night. From there, everything and everyone he touches now dies an agonizing death. The other residents all succumb to mass hysteria as they then try to isolate the cause of this infection, as well as expose the source living among them. Considering the time period, not to mention the theme and moral lesson, naturally, you’d want to peg this movie as an AIDS metaphor. It definitely works that way, in spite of any surface-level shortcomings that undermine the overall execution.
Hell High (1989)
Pictured: Hell High.
Even when on its last legs, the first major slasher cycle didn’t go peacefully at the end of the ’80s. There were still a few death rattles to watch out for, including Douglas Grossman’s Hell High. Yet by showing up late to class, this movie had ample time to whip up something a little different. It digested what the subgenre had to offer up to that point and created a kind of anti-slasher. It’s not your typical, late-’80s round of dead teens, masked murder, and mayhem; the formula is tweaked enough to keep Hell High feeling fresher than many of its contemporaries.
Beyond the Door III (1989)
Pictured: Sarah Conway Ciminera in Beyond the Door III.
Jeff Kwitny’s Beyond the Door III really has nothing to do with its predecessors, seeing as how it’s an in-name-only sequel. This stand-alone movie also goes by Amok Train and Death Train; both titles are a better fit for this story. After being tricked into becoming sacrifices for a ritual held in Yugoslavia, young American travelers (including Mary Kohnert) escape by train; however, said train is possessed and intent on bringing its ill-fated passengers back to complete the ritual. The scenery, locations, and gruesome deaths are all highlights in this vacation gone terribly wrong.
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