During the 1980s, the horror genre reached a fever pitch. Audiences were craving new and terrifying cinematic experiences and directors and production houses were coming up with iconic movies to satisfy this hunger. Legendary slasher franchises like A Nightmare on Elm Street and Friday the 13th were born in the 1980s. Sci-fi horror hybrids like John Carpenter’s The Thing and David Cronenberg’s The Fly redefined what was possible on the big screen. And who could forget the unfiltered thrill of watching movies like Fright Night and The Lost Boys?
With so many instantly recognizable titles and classics dominating the decade, it’s easy to forget the numerous other frightening films of the ‘80s that unfortunately flew under the radar. They were either a little too weird, a little too obscure, or simply overshadowed by their successful peers. This list shines the spotlight on 10 ‘80s horror movies that people have not heard much about, but they’re cult classics either way.
10
‘Celia’ (1989)
A psychological thriller that remains undiscovered by many, Celia is set in the 1950s rural Australia, where young Celia Carmichael is plagued by disturbing visions. The movie opens with the tragic death of her grandmother and Celia discovering the corpse, which sets the stage for her disillusionment. It doesn’t help that her parents don’t let her play with the neighbors’ kids. Resorting to isolation, Celia finds herself growing obsessed with mysterious creatures.
An Overlooked Australian Gem
Celia is a unique horror movie that combines psychological elements with unsettling coming-of-age themes. Directed by Ann Turner, and anchored by a stunning performance from Rebecca Smart, it weaves a hypnotic take around a young girl, her surroundings, the darker aspects of her childhood, and her eventual descent into darkness. Despite its intriguing storyline and surreal imagery, Celia failed to achieve widespread acclaim.
9
‘Stage Fright’ (1987)
Directed by Michele Soavi, Stage Fright is an Italian slasher horror that takes place in a secluded theater. The plot goes like this: a group of actors are rehearsing for a new musical when one of them, Alicia, sprains her ankle and rushes to the nearest hospital, which happens to be a mental asylum. On her way back, a psychopathic killer escapes from the establishment and is locked in the theater with the rest of the crew.
Stands Out in the Slasher Genre
Stage Fright takes one masked maniac intent on picking the characters off one by one and escalates the suspense and tension gradually. The climax features a brilliant showdown between the relentless murderer and the final girl. But that’s not all that makes this slasher a must-watch. The well-executed direction, inventive death scenes, eerie atmosphere, and stylish visuals, all add to its fast-paced and horrifying experience.
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8
‘Anguish’ (1987)
- Release Date
-
November 10, 1987
- Runtime
-
86
- Cast
-
Zelda Rubinstein
, Michael Lerner
, Talia Paul
, Àngel Jové
, Clara Pastor
, Isabel García Lorca
Anguish, directed by Bigas Luna, is a genuinely clever Spanish-produced horror movie that leaves behind the concept of reality and fiction. It follows John, an optometrist’s assistant whose controlling mother uses hypnosis to compel him to commit murders. The film takes a meta turn when it’s revealed that this is actually a movie being watched by an audience in a theater. They’re disturbed by the violence on screen, and it doesn’t help that a real-life killer is targeting them all.
Visually Stunning Meta Horror
Offering a singular cinematic experience, this mind-bending horror is worth watching because of its innovative storytelling and psychological depth. The visuals are unsetting, and the camerawork is dizzying, which creates an evocative atmosphere. But it’s Luna’s direction that effectively combines the film-within-a-film concept with real-world terror, adding layers of richness and appeal to the film.
7
‘The Gate’ (1987)
- Release Date
-
April 21, 1987
- Runtime
-
86 minutes
- Cast
-
Christa Denton
, Stephen Dorff
, Louis Tripp
, Kelly Rowan
, Jennifer Irwin
, Deborah Grover
, Ingrid Veninger
, Linda Goranson
, Scot Denton
, Sean Fagan
, Carl Kraines
, Andrew Gunn
, Andrew Gunn
A refreshing demonic horror that refuses to cut down on the gore, The Gate centers around two young boys, Glen and Terry, who discover a portal-like thing in Glen’s backyard and accidentally open the gate to Hell. As hordes of tiny, grotesque creatures emerge from the hole to the sinister underworld, their suburban neighborhood falls under the threat of supernatural events. The boys must find a way to close the gate before the darkness consumes everything.
Thrilling and Chilling
The Gate is as weird and wild as it is entertaining. As a horror movie from the ‘80s, it combines classic creature-feature elements with a coming-of-age narrative and captivates as a whole. The practical effects, imaginative designs, the parade of demons, and the shock they deliver are all surprisingly scary. Directed by Tibor Takács, the movie is a joint production between American and Canadian creators.
6
‘Slaughter High’ (1986)
Slaughter High
- Release Date
-
November 14, 1986
- Runtime
-
91 minutes
- Cast
-
Caroline Munro
, Simon Scuddamore
, Carmine Iannaccone
, Donna Yeager
, Gary Martin
, Billy Hartman
, Michael Safran
, John Segal
, Kelly Baker
, Sally Cross
, Josephine Scandi
, Mark Ezra
, Dick Randall
, Jon Clark
Slaughter High follows a group of former high school misfits, once the faces behind a cruel April Fools Day prank, who find themselves invited to their now-abandoned alma mater for a class reunion. But instead of being an ordinary nostalgic affair, the reunion turns out to be a trap set by Marty, a bullied student who seeks revenge by systematically hunting his tormentors down one by one.
Offers an Oddly Good Time
Directed by George Dugdale, Mark Ezra, and Peter Litten, Slaughter High is a quintessential ’80s slasher that features several plot twists and darkly comedic undertones, all of them driving the plot towards a satisfying, blood-soaked finale. Set within the school building, the movie’s campy dialogue and over-the-top death scenes are probably what earned it a niche status. It received a mixed response and the limited release made it a forgotten horror flick.
5
‘Sole Survivor’ (1984)
Sole Survivor
- Release Date
-
March 16, 1984
- Runtime
-
85 minutes
- Cast
-
Anita Skinner
, Kurt Johnson
, Robin Davidson
, Caren L. Larkey
, Andrew Boyer
, Daniel Bryan Cartwell
, Brinke Stevens
, Al Valletta
, Toni Lawrence
, Leon
, Richard Bosworth
, Peggy McClure
, Roberta Kay
, Kathleen Blyth
, Steve Krause
, Dominic Manano
, Randy Stripling
, Laurie Wendorf
, Rudy Challenger
, Brian Ann Zoccola
, Linda Rose
, Cynthia Weislogel
, Jennifer Sullivan
, Wendy Dake
Directed by Thom Eberhardt in his feature film debut, Sole Survivor follows Denise Watson, a television commercial producer who is the only person to survive a mysterious plane crash. But as she tries to move on with her life, Denise finds herself haunted by visions and feels an ominous presence trying to get her. She also starts seeing other dead passengers as zombie figures.
Unique Spin on the “Final Girl” Trope
A slow-burning chiller that keeps the suspense going for a really long time, Sole Survivor stands out because it explores survivor’s guilt and juxtaposes the theme with twisted supernatural horror. The movie unfolds at a stunning pace but like a puzzle and Anita Skinner’s traumatized protagonist anchors the brooding scenes as well as the more poignant ones with ease. The subtle, low-key, cerebral elements make it a must-watch.
4
‘Vampire’s Kiss’ (1988)
Vampire’s Kiss
- Release Date
-
June 2, 1989
- Runtime
-
103 Minutes
- Cast
-
Nicolas Cage
, MarÃa Conchita Alonso
, Jennifer Beals
, Kasi Lemmons
, Bob Lujan
, Elizabeth Ashley
, Jessica Lundy
, Marc Coppola
Vampire’s Kiss is a dark comedy horror that centers on Peter Leow, a high-strung Manhattan literary agent who is having a very, very bad day. After a one-night stand with a beautiful woman named Rachel, Peter is convinced that he has been turned into a vampire. He showcases erratic behavior and vampire-like traits, such as avoiding sunlight and craving blood. He even becomes delusional enough to put on fake vampire teeth and attack people.
Nicolas Cage’s Wild Transformation
Best known for Nicolas Cage’s delirious and over-the-top performance, Vampire’s Kiss is a horror-comedy that could only have emerged from the anything-goes spirit of ’80s cinema. Some of the scenes are so unhinged and downright mad that one forgets they’re watching something terrifying. But at the same time, Peter’s psychological breakdown draws a line between reality and insanity that’s fascinating.
3
‘Next of Kin’ (1982)
Next of Kin
- Release Date
-
April 30, 1982
- Runtime
-
89 minutes
- Cast
-
Jacki Kerin
, John Jarratt
, Alex Scott
, Gerda Nicolson
, Charles McCallum
, Bernadette Gibson
, Robert Ratti
, Vince Deltito
, Tommy Dysart
, Debra Lawrance
, Kristine Marshall
, Simon Thorpe
, David Allshorn
, Alan Rowe
, Matt Burns
, Isobel Harley
, Eunice Crimp
, Irene Hewitt
, Myrtle Woods
, Vic Gordon
, Peter Lord
, John Bishop
, Mitchell Faircloth
, John Strahan
, Nora Toohey
Next of Kin is an Australian horror film set in an old, rural rest home called Montclare, which a woman named Linda inherits from her deceased mother. When she moves into the house, Linda finds her mother’s diary and learns about the downright terrifying events that occurred in the estate. The more she reads, the more these events are recreated.
Chilling Mystery in an Old Estate Home
Despite being publicly praised by Quentin Tarantino and holding a 100% approval rating based on nine critics reviews on Rotten Tomatoes, Next of Kin woefully flew under the radar in the ‘80s. The movie is directed by Tony Williams, who combines the plot’s slow-burning suspense with genuinely terrifying scares. The strong performances, particularly by Jackie Kerin as Linda, and the film’s unique take on haunted house tropes made it a cult favorite.
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2
‘The Funhouse’ (1981)
- Release Date
-
March 13, 1981
- Runtime
-
96 Minutes
- Cast
-
Elizabeth Berridge
, Shawn Carson
, Jeanne Austin
, Jack McDermott
, Cooper Huckabee
, Largo Woodruff
, Miles Chapin
, David Carson
The Funhouse begins with what’s supposed to be a fun, if slightly spooky, night out at the carnival for a group of curious teenagers. But the pranks and the fun soon take a deadly turn when the friends witness a murder and get trapped in the funhouse. They’re stalked by a deformed carnival “freak,” who won’t stop until he’s gotten each of them.
Mines Creepiness From a Carnival
An old-school slasher that makes the most of its carnival setting, The Funhouse has some hidden twists and turns that make it all the more exhilarating. Like the fact that the stalking monster is under the control of his sadistic father and that the funhouse is a labyrinth of misleading clues. The unsettling vibe and the excellent performances from the young cast couldn’t save the film from being overshadowed by more famous works of the year.
1
‘Just Before Dawn’ (1981)
Just Before Dawn
- Release Date
-
November 27, 1981
- Runtime
-
90 Minutes
- Cast
-
George Kennedy
, Mike Kellin
, Chris Lemmon
, Gregg Henry
, Deborah Benson
, Ralph Seymour
, Katie Powell
, John Hunsaker
The final film on the list to get blindsided by the bigger horror franchises of the ‘80s is Just Before Dawn. A slasher film, it centers on a group of friends that venture into a remote, wilderness-laden mountain area for a camping trip. They’re simply enjoying their getaway when the friends find themselves targeted by a pair of deranged backwoods killers.
A Tense and Atmospheric Thriller
Just Before Dawn is paced really well. It’s the ideal example of how a backwoods horror can benefit from a gripping storyline and atmospheric direction. Speaking of which, Jeff Lieberman makes sure the viewers are entirely immersed in the claustrophobic nightmare and the desperate battle for survival. Despite it all, the movie did not gain enough recognition and became a true forgotten classic.
This story originally appeared on Movieweb
