Five Terrifying Horror Films from the 80s

The 1980s were a golden age of horror, with films from the era birthing the tropes we know and love. The 80s also introduced us to the classic horror icons Freddie Krueger, Mike Myers, and Jason Vorhees, who have been stealing sleep from audiences for the last four decades.

With the fourth season of Netflix’s Stranger Things due to come out this year, we thought we’d go into the inspiration for the show – the quintessential sci-fi horror flicks of the era.

Here are just some of the many classics that shaped the genre in the 80s – all must-watches for fans of fear.

Director: James Cameron

Cast: Sigourney Weaver, Bill Paxton, Carrie Henn

Picking up where Ridley Scott left off in 1979’s Alien, James Cameron’s sequel maintains the suffocating tension of the original while upping the ante on action, horror and alien ass-kicking. Ellen Ripley (Sigourney Weaver), a beloved action heroine battle-hardened from her first alien encounter, investigates a mysteriously deserted colony with a rugged crew of space marines. As the sole survivor of her previous expedition, she knows all too well the terrors that await them.

With the film celebrating its 30th anniversary this year, you might think that Aliens would be considered tame by modern standards, however, with the lights low and the room silent, the jump-scares and what’s-around-the-corner suspense, coupled with ghoulish H.R. Giger designs, Aliens still reigns as true nightmare fodder. Don’t forget to breathe.

Director: John Carpenter

Cast: Kurt Russell, Keith David, Wilford Brimley

John Carpenter’s reimagining of the 1951 horror sci-fi, Thing From Another World is an unsettling take on the ‘big monster’ trope, capitalising on the tension brought about by physical isolation, mistrust and fear.

A US research station in Antarctica comes under attack from a Norwegian research base, and when the American crew fly to Norway to investigate, they find everyone either missing or dead. They soon encounter ‘The Thing’ – a body-snatching, shape-shifting alien force that can take over human bodies and other living objects, and no-one is safe.

There’s something highly disturbing about ice-locked isolation, and the pressure is truly felt as trust peels away from each member of the crew. At times, it seems like these scientists are a couple of sandwiches short of a picnic – constantly coming unstuck in situations that have the audience screaming ‘It’s behind you!’ – but really, that’s half the fun.

Director: Sam Raimi

Cast: Bruce Campbell, Ellen Sandweiss, Ted Raimi

Sam Raimi’s low-budget feature film debut, Evil Dead, is one of those rare, perfect genre films that still holds up today. Starring the irreplaceable Bruce Campbell as Ash, Evil Dead combines terrifying gore with the blackest of black humour, in a balance that is so difficult to achieve.

Beginning with a ‘cabin in the woods’ setup, five friends take off on a holiday retreat away from civilisation, and wind up unwittingly releasing a malevolent force all too eager to dispose of them in a myriad of violent ways. The suspense is overwhelming at times; a noticed silence may highlight a quickened pulse thumping in your ears. It is one of the closest depictions of a night terror ever put to screen and is a must for those who love a good fright, however, to say it is not for everyone is the understatement of the century.

Director: Tobe Hooper

Cast: Heather O’Rourke, Dominique Dunne, JoBeth Williams

Co-written and produced by Stephen Spielberg and released in the same year as E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial, Poltergeist was a great tormentor of early-80s horror fans. An all-American family is visited by a ghost that at first appears harmless. However, the rot sets in when the youngest daughter vanishes nowhere to be found.

The rather benign exposition lulls viewers into a false sense of security, with the first act embracing the audience before dismantling any security felt with excruciating patience. The film rolls with thrilling purpose, snatching jump-scares and screams more often than expected.

Director: David Lynch

Cast: Isabella Rossellini, Dennis Hopper, Laura Dern

For those desensitised by gore, CGI and special effects, true horror lies in the psyche. And this is where David Lynch reigns supreme. His 1986 psychological horror, Blue Velvet makes for very uncomfortable viewing, pulling no punches as it explores the theme of small-town secrets to its most harrowing limits.

Although Lynch describes the film as a work of satire, no amount of cutting to moments of farce dulls the realities of brutal sexuality, violent hallucination and unsettling exposure of the devils behind closed doors. There’s a lot to be said for a film that provokes the audience to laugh again and again, only to disallow it every time.

Lynch was nominated for the Best Director Oscar for Blue Velvet in 1987; though it’s no surprise he didn’t get the nod – the film pushes away all but the most dedicated and strong-stomached.

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