The horror genre truly flourished in the 1980s. In an iconic decade that saw the biggest blockbusters, hilarious classic comedies, and the most explosive action movies ever brought to the big screen, horror continued to be a dominant force at the box office, turning out some of the most commercially successful and acclaimed movies in the genre’s history.
From terrifying masked hockey-wearing slasher villains, to haunted hotels and, finally, to shape-shifting extraterrestrial monsters, the ’80s were full of highly rewatchable horror classics.They’re fun, highly memorable, and stand above so many impressive others from this classic era to be some of the most remarkable horror films to see.Let’s honor these cinematic arts by ranking how rewatchable they are.
10’Friday the 13th Part VI: Jason Lives' (1986)
Directed by Tom McLoughlin
Created by American film producerFrank Mancuso Jr.in 1980 as part of the booming slasher craze,The Friday the 13thseries has become one of the most recognized and beloved slasher franchises in the horror genre.The best and most rewatchable of the franchisewasFriday the 13th Part VI: Jason Lives, a delightful, action-packed sequel with a perfect balance of humor and scares. After effectively killing the unstoppable Jason Vorhees at the end ofPart IV: The Final Chapter, a now grown-up Tommy Jarvis (Thom Mathews) accidentally shocks Jason’s corpse with a bolt of lightning while visiting his grave one night, leading him to resurrect as an all-powerful, immortal zombie.
Jason Livesis a ridiculously fun action, horror thrill ride that leaves viewers entertained right from when Jason hacks and slashes his way on screen.With a more significant budget, more considerable, better effects and stunts, and a rock’n theme song courtesy of the legendary Alice Cooper, this impressive sequel was the peak of The Friday the 13th series' dominance in the 1980s.
Friday the 13th Part VI: Jason Lives
WATCH ON MAX
9’The Fly' (1986)
Directed by David Cronenberg
From the visionary mind of directorDavid Cronenberg, 1986’sThe Flyis the ultimate body horror moviethat’ll leave any viewers squirming in their seats. Starring the always fantasticJeff GoldblumandGeena Davis, it follows the tragic story of ambitious scientist Seth Brundle, a genius inventor who unlocks the secret to teleportation. However, when an ordinary house fly accidentally gets transported along with him on his first successful test, Seth horrifyingly realizes his body is slowly being transformed into a horrific human/fly hybrid.
The Flyis a bold, highly disturbing, and grotesque horror masterpiece that’s frightened and amazed audiences for decades with its jaw-dropping, Academy Award-winning special effects.It’s a frightening but also heartbreaking and cautionary tale of what happens when science goes too far. While it might be too repulsive to watch at times, this body horror classic has stood the test of time as one of the genre’s most recognizable and watchable films.
In a daring exploration of science’s potential to alter human life, a brilliant but eccentric scientist develops a technology for teleportation. When he decides to test the device on himself, a tragic error involving a common housefly leads to horrifying consequences. The film chillingly portrays his transformation and the impact it has on his relationship and psyche.
RENT ON PRIME
Directed by George A. Romero
Rounding out his original “Dead Trilogy” with this memorable third installment, directorGeorge A. Romero’sDay of the Deadwas an incredible conclusion to this beloved and iconic zombie horror franchise. StarringLori Cardille,Terry Alexander, and the lateJoseph Pilato, it follows a small group of US soldiers and scientists struggling to cure the current zombie outbreak while surrounded by the undead in an underground bunker facility. When tensions begin to mount between the scientists and the soldiers' deranged new commander, Captain Rhodes (Pilato), they know one spark could threaten to turn them all against each other.
Like its predecessors,Day of the Deadranks among the best in the zombie horror subgenre. It’s a wonderfully violent, gory, and action-packed monster thriller that’s just as good as the others in Romero’s trilogy.Unfortunately,Day of the Deadwasn’t well received upon release compared toNight of the Living DeadandDawn of the Dead. Despite this negative response, the film was a massive box office hit, grossing $30 million and slowly gaining more respect over the years from fans praising the film’s bloody special effects and enjoyable performances. It’s a film that kept zombies in the limelight in the 1980s and continues to be beloved and watched today.
Day of the Dead (1985)
WATCH ON PEACOCK
7’An American Werewolf in London' (1981)
Directed by John Landis
Considered the greatest werewolf movie ever made,John Landis’s 1981 dark comedy horror classicAn American Werewolf in Londoncertainly left its mark on the genre. StarringDavid Naughton,Griffin Dunne, andJenny Agutter, it follows an unfortunate American tourist named David Kessler (Naughton), who, after his best friend is viciously murdered and himself left bitten by a mysterious wolf, finds his life turned upside down every full moon as he violently transforms into a bloodthirsty, murderous werewolf. As his body count rises, haunting visions of his best friend and past victims force David to find a way to put an end to his terrible curse before his beastly side can kill again.
An American Werewolf in Londonis a benchmark in state-of-the-art make-up and special effects.It’s a film responsible for pushing the creative limits of its visionary effects' artist, Rick Baker, to create an Oscar-winning and realistic portrayal of a graphic werewolf transformation scene that still looks visually flawless and horrifying today, as it did back in 1981.No matter how many times viewers watch it, this classic werewolf flick still entertains and ranks as one of the best of the decade.
An American Werewolf In London
WATCH ON TUBI
Directed by Sam Raimi
Before creating the highly popularToby McGuireSpider-Mantrilogy, directorSam Ramichanged the horror genre with his unapologetically grotesque and entertaining supernatural horror series,The Evil Dead. In 1987, his second installment,Evil Dead II, was released to wild acclaim and today isconsidered one of the best of the franchise. Starting with a loose retelling of the first movie, it follows the lone survivor, Ash Williams (Bruce Campbell), stuck at the dreaded cabin in the woods along with a new group of unfortunate survivors as the dark forces of the sinister book of the dead threaten to kill them all.
Today,seen as one of the greatest horror comedies of the 1980s,Evil Dead IIthrills audiences with its spectacular laughs, chilling scares, and iconic practical effects. It’s all hammered in by great performances, especially leading star Bruce Campbell, who gave terrific physicality and depth to his demanding role, cementing his character as one of the best in horror history.It’s easily the most rewatchable film in the series and continues to be watched by fans today who laugh and cheer at all its wonderful moments.
Evil Dead II
RENT ON APPLE TV+
5’Poltergeist' (1980)
Directed by Tobe Hooper
You’ll never look at a static screen the same way ever again. From the horrifying mind behindThe Texas Chainsaw Massacre,Invaders from Mars, andLife Force, directorTobe Hooper’s 1982supernatural horror masterpiece,Poltergeist, makes viewers think twice about buying their first home. StarringJoBeth Williams,Craig T. Nelson, andZelda Rubinstein, it follows an ordinary, everyday American family called the Freelings as their ideal California dream home turns into a nightmare when terrifying paranormal disturbances plague them after the youngest child, Carol Anne (Heather O’Rourke), begins communicating with mysterious voices coming from their living room TV.
Poltergeistis the ultimate suburban horror movie, a frightening ghost thriller that’ll make just about anyone paranoid of what might be lurking within their house. With a likable cast, a haunting theme, and some truly iconic and terrifying moments in horror history, it’s easily one of cinema’s most recognizable movies.Whether you’ve seen it once or multiple times, it’s still an enjoyable movie-watching experience in the comfort of your own home. Beware, though, you might not want to watch it alone.
Poltergeist
A remake of the 1982 horror film of the same name,Poltergeistrevolves around the Bowen family, whose home has been invaded by evil, supernatural forces.
4’A Nightmare on Elm Street' (1984)
Directed by Wes Craven
No child or teenager slept well at night in 1984 after witnessingWes Craven’s monumental slasher horror classic,A Nightmare on Elm Street. Starring the always enjoyableRobert Englundas the iconic finger knife-wearing dream demon, Freddy Kruger, the story follows a group of suburban teens forced to stay awake to survive when the vengeful spirit of a deceased serial killer begins stalking them in their nightmares.
Sited as one of the scariest movies ever brought to celluloid,A Nightmare on Elm Streethas and continues to frighten audiences with its creative scares and oh-so-memorable and unique antagonist.The film spawned a successful series witha slew of highly rewatchable sequelsand spinoffs that turned it into the multi-million dollar franchise it is today.
A Nightmare on Elm Street
RENT ON PRIME VIDEO
3’The Shining' (1980)
Directed by Stanley Kubrick
With a long, illustrious career in the film industry, the legendaryStanley Kubrickis responsible for some of the most iconic movies across many unique genres. Arguably,one of his most successful films wasThe Shining, an eerie horror classic constantly talked about and debated to this day. Loosely based on horror authorStephen King’s novel of the same name, it tells of a frustrated writer and father named Jack Torrance (Jack Nicholson) who moves his family out to an isolated mountain hotel to be the caretaker and find some peace and quiet to write his next book. However, as cabin fever sets in and the family begins experiencing odd, supernatural encounters, Jack slowly begins to snap, eventually going on a violent ax-wielding rampage.
Undoubtedly,The Shiningis one of the most iconic horror movies of all time.From the memorable lines and characters, to Jack Nicholson’s eerie, unhinged performance, it’s a film that’s become ingrained in pop culture, constantly referenced and parodied well into the modern age. Along with its complex themes and countless interpretations of its message,The Shiningshows no signs of being forgotten or unwatched anytime soon.
The Shining
2’Aliens' (1986)
Directed by James Cameron
Released in 1986 and directed byJames Cameron,Aliensis an action-packed, explosive, and highly enjoyablehorror sequel done right. Set fifty-seven years after her horrifying encounter with the dreaded alien xenomorphs, the lone survivor, Warrant Officer Ellen Ripley (Sigourney Weaver), awakens from hyper-sleep to find no one believing her incredible story. When the planet she found the aliens on is turned into a thriving terraforming colony, she finds herself roped into going on a dangerous rescue mission to the colony after the inhabitants make deadly contact with the hostile creatures.
How do you make an unimaginably terrifying extraterrestrial monster like the one inRidley Scott’sAlienmore menacing? Well, multiply it by a hundred, of course.Aliensremains a staple of the science fiction horror genre, a perfect blend of action, excitement, and terror that appeases all audiences.It’ll make you cheer and leave you frightened, but no matter what, this movie is an absolute joy to watch many times.
1’The Thing' (1982)
Directed by John Carpenter
We can’t discuss the greatest horror movies ever made today without talking aboutJohn Carpenter’s masterclass in terror and paranoia,The Thing.StarringKurt Russellin his most essential film role, it sees him playing hardy US helicopter pilot R.J. McReady as he leads a desperate group of survivors after their remote Antarctic research outpost becomes infiltrated by a shape-shifting alien parasite capable of imitating other life forms.
Not only isThe Thingthe best horror remake or one of the greatest in the sci-fi genre, but it’s also widely regarded as one of the most significant films in cinematic history.A film that, although initially met with poor reception and low box office results upon release, has since garnered a massive following from fans and critics, who continue to study and praise the film long after its initial run. It’s a beloved 1980s horror classic that anyone can find something new and enjoyable about with every rewatch.
A team of researchers set out to study an alien spacecraft found in Antarctica, where they also discover an alien body on the site. The alien buried in ice is actually alive and has the ability to imitate human form. The group must find a way to distinguish who the real person is from The Thing and stay alive. John Carpenter’s 1982 film is a remake of 1951’s The Thing from Another World and stars Kurt Russel as the hero RJ MacReady.
