Summary

• The 1980s saw the evolution of horror cinema, as the genre found its voice and took established tropes to their limits.
• The best horror movies of the 1980s are considered among the greatest films of all time, combining genres like sci-fi, fantasy, drama, and comedy.
• From iconic Western horror films to obscure Italian giallo and Asian horror cinema, these movies make a strong case for the '80s being the best decade in horror.

The best 1980s horror movies represent a special era in the evolution of the genre. This is because contemporary horror cinema developed exponentially from the '60s through the '80s. While the very foundations of modern horror were set in the '60s and '70s, it can be said that it was in the '80s when the genre truly found its voice.

Like the best horror movies of the 1970s, the genre's greatest films of the 1980s are also considered among the greatest films of all time period. In the '80s, new horror films took established horror tropes to their limits, which heavily involved other genres like sci-fi, fantasy, drama, and even comedy. The low-budget aesthetic established in the '70s was upheld by the so-bad-they're-good horror B-movies of the '80s. From the most iconic Western horror films ever to the more obscure Italian giallo and Asian horror cinema from the era, the best '80s horror movies make a strong argument for why it might be the best decade in horror.

20 Children Of The Corn (1984)

Release Date: 1984-3-9 | Director: Fritz Kiersch

Cast: Peter Horton, Linda Hamilton, John Franklin, Courtney Gains

Based on a short story by Stephen King, Children of the Corn took the evil child horror trope to new heights. Apart from launching the Children of the Corn movie franchise, this formative supernatural '80s slasher is notable for the performance of John Franklin as Isaac, a nine-year-old boy who forms a murderous religious cult. Isaac and his followers worship and do the bidding of He Who Walks Behind the Rows, a malevolent spirit who pushes the small Nebraska community's children into committing violent acts against all adults. A pivotal film for the evil child horror trope/subgenre, Children of the Corn dives deeply into religious zealotry, human frailty, and sacrifice.

19 Motel Hell (1980)

Release Date: 1980-10-18 | Director: Kevin Connor

Cast: Rory Calhoun, Paul Linke, Nancy Parsons, Nina Axelrod

Motel Hell is an iconic dark comedy based on the true story of the cannibal Karl Denke. It revolves around the secret recipe for Farmer Vincent's delectable sausages — human meat sourced from the nearby Motel Hello. From how Farmer Vincent processes his meat to perfection in his secret garden, to the hilarious moments that break the otherwise palpable tension, Motel Hell deserves its status as one of the most important cult comedy-horror films from the '80s. Despite its thick air of satire, the film's terrifying premise still makes Motel Hello one of the scariest horror movie hotels ever.

18 Halloween III: Season Of The Witch (1982)

The supernatural sci-fi horror Halloween III: Season of the Witch is both lambasted and celebrated for how it departs starkly from the slasher genre, which the previous Halloween movies helped establish. In fact, it's infamous for being the only Halloween movie to not feature the iconic Michael Myers. Centered around an evil corporation's plan to use Halloween masks in order to sacrifice children during the festival of Samhain, the film is a surprisingly successful combination of folk horror and science fiction. Halloween III added a layer of mystery to the otherwise predictable franchise, the overall cultural influence of which was greatly expanded by this formative '80s sci-fi horror.

17 Pumpkinhead (1988)

Release Date: 1989-1-13 | Director: Stan Winston

Cast: Lance Henriksen, John D'Aquino, Jeff East, Kerry Remsen

The Pumpkinhead movie franchise began with special effects whiz Stan Wilson's directorial debut, which introduced the titular monster. After a grieving father seeks the aid of a witch to avenge his son's death, a ritual of blood magic gives rise to Pumpkinhead, a grotesque, misshapen demon bent on revenge. As the creature wreaks havoc, Pumpkinhead explores themes of guilt and the consequences of seeking retribution. Known for its practical effects and atmospheric tone, Pumpkinhead has earned a cult following as an early folk horror fable that set high new standards for creature features.

16 The Company Of Wolves (1984)

Release Date: 1984-9-21 | Director: Neil Jordan

Cast: Angela Lansbury, David Warner, Micha Bergese, Sarah Patterson

A surreal retelling of The Little Red Riding Hood, The Company of Wolves is a gothic folk horror film that shifts between reality and the fantastical dreams of a teenage girl. The movie unravels across four stories and three generations, exploring the evolution of werewolves and related folklore through dreamlike, nightmarish visions. While The Company of Wolves isn't a well-known '80s horror film, it has garnered praise for its atmospheric storytelling and imaginative approach to the classic fairy tale. Celebrated for featuring some of the most gorgeous cinematography in horror, The Company of Wolves remains one of the best werewolf movies of all time.

15 Hellraiser (1987)

Release Date: 1987-9-10 | Director: Clive Barker

Cast: Andrew Robinson, Clare Higgins, Ashley Laurence

Clive Barker's Hellraiser revolves around a mysterious puzzle box that opens a gateway to a sadomasochistic realm inhabited by demonic beings known as Cenobites. When a man inadvertently opens the box, he unleashes these otherworldly entities, leading to a nightmarish and gory ordeal — featuring some of the best set pieces in body horror history. Hellraiser is celebrated for its innovative blend of horror and dark fantasy, exploring themes of desire, pain, and base human instincts. An intense and classic '80s horror gore fest, Hellraiser is particularly iconic for Doug Bradley's performance as the Cenobite known as Pinhead, one of the greatest demonic villains in 20th century cinema.

14 Friday The 13th (1980)

There are plenty of horror movies about killers in youth summer camps, and it all started with Friday the 13th. This first of the Friday the 13th movies birthed the summer camp horror subgenre at Camp Crystal Lake, following a group of teenage camp counselors who fall victim to a mysterious killer. The movie is known for its suspenseful atmosphere, gruesome kills, and the iconic introduction of Jason Voorhees. Friday the 13th isn't a perfect movie, but it nonetheless had a significant impact on horror cinema, particularly for how it established tropes that continue to define the modern slasher subgenre

13 Suddenly At Midnight (1981)

Release Date: 1981-7-17 | Director: Ko Young-nam

Cast: Kim Young-ae, Yoon Il-bong, Lee Ki-seon

A biologist and his wife hire a new housemaid, a beautiful young woman who is also the daughter of a deceased shaman priestess who died in a fire. As the South Korean erotic horror Suddenly at Midnight (aka Suddenly in the Dark) unfolds, the wife receives disturbing visions of the housemaid and her husband, especially after she discovers a strange wooden doll that the housemaid has brought into their home. Suddenly at Midnight is a wild combination of tragic romance, sheer paranoia, and the classic creepy killer doll concept, for which it notably predates Child's Play by several years.

12 Street Trash (1987)

Release Date: 1987-9-16 | Director: J. Michael Muro

Cast: Mike Lackey, R. L. Ryan, Vic Noto

Street Trash is a dirty and ugly '80s horror movie that only a cult following could love. Set in a decaying urban environment, Street Trash follows the chaos that ensues when a liquor store owner discovers and sells an old and spoiled stash of cheap booze. Anyone who drinks the poisonous booze painfully melts away into goo, which comes in a variety of bright colors. Street Trash is celebrated for its over-the-top gore, black humor, and social commentary on homelessness and urban decay. A rare example of a melt movie, Street Trash is an underrated cornerstone of '80s dark comedy and cult horror cinema.

11 Wicked City (1987)

Release Date: 1987-4-25 | Director: Yoshiaki Kawajiri

Cast: Yūsaku Yara, Toshiko Fujita, Ichirō Nagai, Mari Yokoo

Yoshiaki Kawajiri's Wicked City is a stylish combination of horror, sci-fi, and fantasy. The horror anime movie follows the exploits of two agents of the Black Guard, an organization tasked with protecting humanity from the demonic creatures of the Black World. As they navigate dangerous alliances with peculiar mystics and demons, Wicked City explores themes of trust, betrayal, and the boundary between worlds. Known for its explicit content, stylistic animation, and great world-building, Wicked City draws inspiration from Japanese folklore, dark gothic fantasy, and noir storytelling.