100 Best ’80s Horror Movies
The latest: Stephen King dug up a cult classic when he wrote the story for Pet Sematary.
Welcome to Camp Rotten! We’ve got lakes for skinny dipping, Necronomicons for candle-lit reading, and your esteemed camp counselors: A finer breed of spurned psychos, unstable writers, and sarcastic undead you’ll never meet. That’s right, wastoid, they’re all here and more in our list of the 86 Best 1980s Horror Movies!
After the 1970s blew the doors open on horror for mass appeal, and New Hollywood directors became, well, Hollywood, the industry started cranking the movies out by the bloody bucketload. During this hallowed decade of spandex and Spandau Ballet, slashers hit critical bloat (Friday the 13th, Sleepaway Camp), as guffaws mixed in with the guts (Return of the Living Dead, Evil Dead 2). Horror directors who made their name in the ’70s, like John Carpenter and Tobe Hooper, put up valiant fights with The Thing and Poltergeist. And when in doubt, Hollywood just twirled the rolodex to that subtle off-white card with Stephen King’s number on it (The Shining, The Dead Zone).
Alright you sportos, motorheads, geeks, zeeks, bloods, dweebies, and head bangers: See who’s really bad with the best scary 1980s movies that did blast ever so bodaciously from the theaters and out your VCR!
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#1
Aliens
(1986)
94%
#1
Critics Consensus: While Alien was a marvel of slow-building, atmospheric tension, Aliens packs a much more visceral punch, and features a typically strong performance from Sigourney Weaver.
Synopsis: After floating in space for 57 years, Lt. Ripley's (Sigourney Weaver) shuttle is found by a deep space salvage team. [More]
Directed By:
James Cameron
#2
A Nightmare on Elm Street
(1984)
94%
#2
Critics Consensus: Wes Craven's intelligent premise, combined with the horrifying visual appearance of Freddy Krueger, still causes nightmares to this day.
Synopsis: In Wes Craven's classic slasher film, several Midwestern teenagers fall prey to Freddy Krueger (Robert Englund), a disfigured midnight mangler [More]
Directed By:
Wes Craven
#3
The Fly
(1986)
94%
#3
Critics Consensus: David Cronenberg combines his trademark affinity for gore and horror with strongly developed characters, making The Fly a surprisingly affecting tragedy.
Synopsis: When scientist Seth Brundle (Jeff Goldblum) completes his teleportation device, he decides to test its abilities on himself. Unbeknownst to [More]
Directed By:
David Cronenberg
#4
Little Shop of Horrors
(1986)
91%
#4
Critics Consensus: Remixing Roger Corman's B-movie by way of the Off-Broadway musical, Little Shop of Horrors offers camp, horror and catchy tunes in equal measure -- plus some inspired cameos by the likes of Steve Martin and Bill Murray.
Synopsis: Meek flower shop assistant Seymour (Rick Moranis) pines for co-worker Audrey (Ellen Greene). During a total eclipse, he discovers an [More]
Directed By:
Frank Oz
#5
Re-Animator
(1985)
90%
#5
Critics Consensus: Perfectly mixing humor and horror, the only thing more effective than Re-Animator's gory scares are its dry, deadpan jokes.
Synopsis: A medical student (Jeffrey Combs) brings his headless professor back from the dead with a special serum. [More]
Directed By:
Stuart Gordon
#6
An American Werewolf in London
(1981)
89%
#6
Critics Consensus: Terrifying and funny in almost equal measure, John Landis' horror-comedy crosses genres while introducing Rick Baker's astounding make-up effects.
Synopsis: David (David Naughton) and Jack (Griffin Dunne), two American college students, are backpacking through Britain when a large wolf attacks [More]
Directed By:
John Landis
#7
The Dead Zone
(1983)
89%
#7
Critics Consensus: The Dead Zone combines taut direction from David Cronenberg and and a rich performance from Christopher Walken to create one of the strongest Stephen King adaptations.
Synopsis: When Johnny Smith (Christopher Walken) awakens from a coma caused by a car accident, he finds that years have passed, [More]
Directed By:
David Cronenberg
#8
Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer
(1986)
89%
#8
Critics Consensus: Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer is an effective, chilling profile of a killer that is sure to shock and disturb.
Synopsis: Henry (Michael Rooker) is released from prison following his mother's murder. He supplements his job as an exterminator with a [More]
Directed By:
John McNaughton
#9
Evil Dead II
(1987)
88%
#9
Critics Consensus: Less a continuation than an outright reimagining, Sam Raimi transforms his horror tale into a comedy of terrors -- and arguably even improves on the original formula.
Synopsis: The second of three films in the Evil Dead series is part horror, part comedy, with Ash Williams (Bruce Campbell) [More]
Directed By:
Sam Raimi
#10
Santa Sangre
(1989)
88%
#10
Critics Consensus: Those unfamiliar with Alejandro Jodorowsky's style may find it overwhelming, but Santa Sangre is a provocative psychedelic journey featuring the director's signature touches of violence, vulgarity, and an oddly personal moral center.
Synopsis: In Mexico, the traumatized son (Axel Jodorowsky) of a knife-thrower (Guy Stockwell) and a trapeze artist bonds grotesquely with his [More]
Directed By:
Alejandro Jodorowsky
#11
Poltergeist
(1982)
88%
#11
Critics Consensus: Smartly filmed, tightly scripted, and -- most importantly -- consistently frightening, Poltergeist is a modern horror classic.
Synopsis: Strange and creepy happenings beset an average California family, the Freelings -- Steve (Craig T. Nelson), Diane (JoBeth Williams), teenaged [More]
Directed By:
Tobe Hooper
#12
They Live
(1988)
87%
#12
Critics Consensus: A politically subversive blend of horror and sci fi, They Live is an underrated genre film from John Carpenter.
Synopsis: Nada (Roddy Piper), a wanderer without meaning in his life, discovers a pair of sunglasses capable of showing the world [More]
Directed By:
John Carpenter
#13
Gremlins
(1984)
87%
#13
#14
Dead Ringers
(1988)
86%
#14
Critics Consensus: Dead Ringers serves up a double dose of Jeremy Irons in service of a devilishly unsettling concept and commandingly creepy work from director David Cronenberg.
Synopsis: Elliot (Jeremy Irons), a successful gynecologist, works at the same practice as his identical twin, Beverly (also Irons). Elliot is [More]
Directed By:
David Cronenberg
#15
Altered States
(1980)
86%
#15
Critics Consensus: Extraordinarily daring for a Hollywood film, Altered States attacks the viewer with its inventive, aggressive mix of muddled sound effects and visual pyrotechnics.
Synopsis: Respected scientist and psychology professor Edward Jessup (William Hurt) decides to combine his experiments in sensory deprivation tanks with powerful [More]
Directed By:
Ken Russell
#16
The Thing
(1982)
85%
#16
Critics Consensus: Grimmer and more terrifying than the 1950s take, John Carpenter's The Thing is a tense sci-fi thriller rife with compelling tension and some remarkable make-up effects.
Synopsis: In remote Antarctica, a group of American research scientists are disturbed at their base camp by a helicopter shooting at [More]
Directed By:
John Carpenter
#17
The Evil Dead
(1981)
85%
#17
Critics Consensus: So scrappy that it feels as illicit as a book found in the woods, The Evil Dead is a stomach-churning achievement in bad taste that marks a startling debut for wunderkind Sam Raimi.
Synopsis: Ashley "Ash" Williams (Bruce Campbell), his girlfriend and three pals hike into the woods to a cabin for a fun [More]
Directed By:
Sam Raimi
#18
The Shining
(1980)
84%
#18
Critics Consensus: Though it deviates from Stephen King's novel, Stanley Kubrick's The Shining is a chilling, often baroque journey into madness -- exemplified by an unforgettable turn from Jack Nicholson.
Synopsis: Jack Torrance (Jack Nicholson) becomes winter caretaker at the isolated Overlook Hotel in Colorado, hoping to cure his writer's block. [More]
Directed By:
Stanley Kubrick
#19
Beetlejuice
(1988)
83%
#19
Critics Consensus: Brilliantly bizarre and overflowing with ideas, Beetlejuice offers some of Michael Keaton's most deliciously manic work - and creepy, funny fun for the whole family.
Synopsis: After Barbara and Adam Maitland die in a car accident, they find themselves stuck haunting their country residence, unable to [More]
Directed By:
Tim Burton
#20
Videodrome
(1983)
83%
#20
Critics Consensus: Visually audacious, disorienting, and just plain weird, Videodrome's musings on technology, entertainment, and politics still feel fresh today.
Synopsis: As the president of a trashy TV channel, Max Renn (James Woods) is desperate for new programming to attract viewers. [More]
Directed By:
David Cronenberg
#21
Fright Night
(1985)
83%
#21
Critics Consensus: Fright Night deftly combines thrills and humor in this ghostly tale about a man living next to a vampire.
Synopsis: Teenage Charley Brewster is a horror-film junkie, so it's no surprise that when a reclusive new neighbor moves next-door, Brewster [More]
Directed By:
Tom Holland
#22
Near Dark
(1987)
83%
#22
Critics Consensus: Near Dark is at once a creepy vampire film, a thrilling western, and a poignant family tale, with humor and scares in abundance.
Synopsis: Cowboy Caleb Colton (Adrian Pasdar) meets gorgeous Mae (Jenny Wright) at a bar, and the two have an immediate attraction. [More]
Directed By:
Kathryn Bigelow
#23
Predator
(1987)
67%
#23
Critics Consensus: Predator: Part sci-fi, part horror, part action -- all muscle.
Synopsis: Dutch, a soldier of fortune, is hired by the U.S. government to secretly rescue a group of politicians trapped in [More]
Directed By:
John McTiernan
#24
The Fog
(1980)
76%
#24
Critics Consensus: A well-crafted return to horror for genre giant John Carpenter, The Fog rolls in and wraps viewers in suitably slow-building chills.
Synopsis: Strange things begin to occurs as a tiny California coastal town prepares to commemorate its centenary. Inanimate objects spring eerily [More]
Directed By:
John Carpenter
#25
The Lost Boys
(1987)
75%
#25
Critics Consensus: Flawed but eminently watchable, Joel Schumacher's teen vampire thriller blends horror, humor, and plenty of visual style with standout performances from a cast full of young 1980s stars.
Synopsis: Teenage brothers Michael (Jason Patric) and Sam (Corey Haim) move with their mother (Dianne Wiest) to a small town in [More]
Directed By:
Joel Schumacher
#26
White Dog
(1982)
94%
#26
Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.
Synopsis: An animal-trainer (Paul Winfield) tries to deprogram an actress's (Kristy McNichol) found dog, trained for racial attacks. [More]
Directed By:
Samuel Fuller
#27
Opera
(1987)
90%
#27
Critics Consensus: The Opera house location gives plenty to work with for director Dario Argento, who hits his decadently bloody high notes here.
Synopsis: A hooded figure forces a young diva (Cristina Marsillach) to watch as he murders performers in a production of Verdi's [More]
Directed By:
Dario Argento
#28
The Stepfather
(1987)
89%
#28
Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.
Synopsis: Jerry Blake (Terry O'Quinn) is a family man, but he happens to have a series of families, with each one [More]
Directed By:
Joseph Ruben
#29
Alligator
(1980)
87%
#29
Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.
Synopsis: A herpetologist (Robin Riker) helps a detective (Robert Forster) track her flushed-away pet, now a king-size mutant called Ramone. [More]
Directed By:
Lewis Teague
#30
The Changeling
(1980)
85%
#30
Critics Consensus: George C. Scott's somber performance gives this haunted house horror a moving soul to go along with its harrowing scares.
Synopsis: Composer John Russell (George C. Scott) is vacationing with his family when a car accident kills his wife and daughter. [More]
Directed By:
Peter Medak
#31
Possession
(1981)
85%
#31
Critics Consensus: Blending genres as effectively as it subverts expectations, Possession uses powerful acting and disquieting imagery to grapple with complex themes.
Synopsis: After Anna (Isabelle Adjani) reveals to her husband, Mark (Sam Neill), that she is having an affair, she leaves him [More]
Directed By:
Andrzej Żuławski
#32
The Company of Wolves
(1985)
85%
#32
Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.
Synopsis: Wolves and werewolves lurk throughout the dreams of young Rosaleen (Sarah Patterson), who imagines that she must journey through a [More]
Directed By:
Neil Jordan
#33
The Burning
(1981)
85%
#33
Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.
Synopsis: At summer camp, some teenagers pull a prank on the camp's caretaker, Cropsy (Lou David). But the joke goes terribly [More]
Directed By:
Tony Maylam
#34
Tenebrae
(1982)
82%
#34
Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.
Synopsis: Visiting Rome on a promotional tour for his new novel, writer Peter Neal (Anthony Franciosa) is pulled into a murder [More]
Directed By:
Dario Argento
#35
Sleepaway Camp
(1983)
82%
#35
Critics Consensus: Sleepaway Camp is a standard teen slasher elevated by occasional moments of John Waters-esque weirdness and a twisted ending.
Synopsis: Bunks and the showers are a mad stabber's beat at a summer camp strictly for teens. [More]
Directed By:
Robert Hiltzik
#36
Killer Klowns From Outer Space
(1988)
79%
#36
Critics Consensus: Killer Klowns from Outer Space's title promises darkly goofy fun -- and more often than not, the movie delivers.
Synopsis: When teenagers Mike (Grant Cramer) and Debbie (Suzanne Snyder) see a comet crash outside their sleepy small town, they investigate [More]
Directed By:
Stephen Chiodo
#37
Night of the Comet
(1984)
79%
#37
Critics Consensus: Valley Girl culture satire Night of the Comet gets lots of mileage out of its slapstick sci-fi zombie approach.
Synopsis: After a rare comet sighting, teen sisters Regina (Catherine Mary Stewart) and Samantha (Kelli Maroney) find that they're among the [More]
Directed By:
Thom Eberhardt
#38
Tetsuo: The Iron Man
(1989)
78%
#38
Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.
Synopsis: A "metal fetishist" (Shin'ya Tsukamoto), driven mad by the maggots wriggling in the wound he's made to embed metal into [More]
Directed By:
Shin'ya Tsukamoto
#39
Basket Case
(1982)
77%
#39
Critics Consensus: While Basket Case definitely delivers all the gonzo gore promised by its cracked premise, it's really set apart by its rich vein of genuine pathos.
Synopsis: Duane (Kevin Van Hentenryck) checks into a sleazy hotel with a wicker basket containing his telepathic Siamese twin. [More]
Directed By:
Frank Henenlotter
#40
Wolfen
(1981)
77%
#40
Critics Consensus: Police procedural meets werewolf flick in Wolfen, a creepy creature feature with a surprisingly profound side.
Synopsis: New York City police investigator Dewey Wilson (Albert Finney) is trying to solve a series of grisly deaths in which [More]
Directed By:
Michael Wadleigh
#41
Dead of Winter
(1986)
77%
#41
Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.
Synopsis: Struggling actress Katie McGovern (Mary Steenburgen) is approached by the mysterious Mr. Murray (Roddy McDowall) and invited to an upstate [More]
Directed By:
Arthur Penn
#42
The Hidden
(1987)
76%
#42
Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.
Synopsis: An FBI agent (Kyle MacLachlan) and a homicide detective (Michael Nouri) hunt the current human host of an orally exchanged [More]
Directed By:
Jack Sholder
#43
Phenomena
(1985)
76%
#43
Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.
Synopsis: An American (Jennifer Connelly) at a Swiss finishing school calls on insects to help a paralyzed scientist (Donald Pleasence) fight [More]
Directed By:
Dario Argento
#44
The Howling
(1981)
76%
#44
Critics Consensus: The Howling packs enough laughs into its lycanthropic carnage to distinguish it from other werewolf entries, with impressive visual effects adding some bite.
Synopsis: In Los Angeles, television journalist Karen White (Dee Wallace) is traumatized in the course of aiding the police in their [More]
Directed By:
Joe Dante
#45
Demons
(1985)
75%
#45
Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.
Synopsis: Patrons (Natasha Hovey, Urbano Barberini) of a sneak preview see others zombie-fied to heavy-metal music in a Berlin theater. [More]
Directed By:
Lamberto Bava
#46
The Prowler
(1981)
75%
#46
Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.
Synopsis: A crazed World War II veteran gets revenge on his ex-girlfriend and her boyfriend, then stalks teens 35 years later. [More]
Directed By:
Joseph Zito
#47
Bloody Birthday
(1981)
75%
#47
#48
The Beyond
(1981)
74%
#48
Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.
Synopsis: Gruesome deaths occur when a woman (Katherine MacColl) inherits a hotel that is one of seven gateways to hell. [More]
Directed By:
Lucio Fulci
#49
From Beyond
(1986)
74%
#49
Critics Consensus: Though it sacrifices some depth in its characterizations, From Beyond stands as a stunningly grotesque Lovecraft adaptation with a dazzling blend of chilling effects and brainy, cosmic horror.
Synopsis: Obsessive scientist Dr. Pretorius (Ted Sorel) successfully discovers a way to access a parallel universe of pleasure by tapping into [More]
Directed By:
Stuart Gordon
#50
Night of the Creeps
(1986)
74%
#50
Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.
Synopsis: Fraternity pledges (Jason Lively, Steve Marshall) pull a prank with a frozen body and let sluglike creatures loose on campus. [More]
Directed By:
Fred Dekker
#51
Christine
(1983)
74%
#51
Critics Consensus: The cracks are starting to show in John Carpenter's directorial instincts, but Christine is nonetheless moody, macabre fun.
Synopsis: Unpopular nerd Arnie Cunningham (Keith Gordon) buys a 1958 Plymouth Fury, which he names Christine. Arnie develops an unhealthy obsession [More]
Directed By:
John Carpenter
#52
Bad Taste
(1987)
73%
#52
Critics Consensus: Peter Jackson's early low-budget shocker boasts a disgusting premise - aliens harvesting humans for fast food - that gives the budding auteur plenty of room for gross-out visuals and absurd cleverness.
Synopsis: Gun-toting assassins try to wipe out a group of aliens that wants to use humans in New Zealand for food. [More]
Directed By:
Peter Jackson
#53
The Masque of the Red Death
(1990)
73%
#53
Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.
Synopsis: A dying millionaire (Herbert Lom) throws a castle costume party that's a killer. [More]
Directed By:
Alan Birkinshaw
#54
Q
(1982)
72%
#54
Critics Consensus: Q's campy charms may be lost on audiences who want their monsters frightening, but a game cast and lovingly retrograde visual effects give this kaiju romp some majesty.
Synopsis: A fleeing gangland flunky (Michael Moriarty) finds the New York nest of Aztec deity Quetzalcoatl, the man-eating flying serpent. [More]
Directed By:
Larry Cohen
#55
Hellraiser
(1987)
71%
#55
Critics Consensus: Elevated by writer-director Clive Barker's fiendishly unique vision, Hellraiser offers a disquieting - and sadistically smart - alternative to mindless gore.
Synopsis: Sexual deviant Frank (Sean Chapman) inadvertently opens a portal to hell when he tinkers with a box he bought while [More]
Directed By:
Clive Barker
#56
The Toxic Avenger
(1984)
71%
#56
Critics Consensus: A silly and ribald superhero spoof, Toxic Avenger uninhibited humor hits more than it misses.
Synopsis: A 98-pound nerd (Mark Torgl) from New Jersey lands in a vat of toxic waste and becomes a benevolent monster [More]
#57
Dead and Buried
(1981)
71%
#57
Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.
Synopsis: A small-town sheriff (James Farentino) and his wife (Melody Anderson) investigate a slew of murders committed against the local townspeople [More]
Directed By:
Gary Sherman
#58
The Return of the Living Dead
(1985)
70%
#58
Critics Consensus: The Return of the Living Dead is a gleefully grotesque horror-comedy, though its broad performances and cheap thrills sometimes detract from its sharper moments.
Synopsis: When foreman Frank (James Karen) shows new employee Freddy (Thom Mathews) a secret military experiment in a supply warehouse, the [More]
Directed By:
Dan O'Bannon
#59
Scanners
(1981)
69%
#59
Critics Consensus: Scanners is a dark sci-fi story with special effects that'll make your head explode.
Synopsis: Scanners are men and women born with incredible telepathic and telekinetic powers. There are many who exercise the benefits of [More]
Directed By:
David Cronenberg
#60
Brain Damage
(1988)
69%
#60
Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.
Synopsis: A boy (Rick Herbst) grows addicted to psychedelic jolts from an eel-like brain-eating monster called Elmer. [More]
Directed By:
Frank Henenlotter
#61
The Blob
(1988)
69%
#61
Critics Consensus: The Blob can't replicate the B-movie charms of the original, though its fast pace and gory thrills pack enough of a punch to make it a worthwhile update.
Synopsis: In a tiny California town, high school students Brian (Kevin Dillon), Meg (Shawnee Smith) and Paul (Donovan Leitch) discover a [More]
Directed By:
Chuck Russell
#62
A Nightmare on Elm Street 3: Dream Warriors
(1987)
68%
#62
Critics Consensus: A Nightmare on Elm Street 3: Dream Warriors offers an imaginative and surprisingly satisfying rebound for a franchise already starting to succumb to sequelitis.
Synopsis: During a hallucinatory incident, young Kristen Parker (Patricia Arquette) has her wrists slashed by dream-stalking monster Freddy Krueger (Robert Englund). [More]
Directed By:
Chuck Russell
#63
Friday the 13th
(1980)
68%
#63
Critics Consensus: Rather quaint by today's standards, Friday the 13th still has its share of bloody surprises and a '70s-holdover aesthetic to slightly compel.
Synopsis: Crystal Lake's history of murder doesn't deter counselors from setting up a summer camp in the woodsy area. Superstitious locals [More]
Directed By:
Sean S. Cunningham
#64
Cat's Eye
(1985)
68%
#64
Critics Consensus: An effective if knowingly silly Stephen King anthology that combines comedy and terror.
Synopsis: Stephen King tales follow a cat into a smokers clinic, onto a penthouse ledge and into a girl's (Drew Barrymore) [More]
Directed By:
Lewis Teague
#65
The Stuff
(1985)
68%
#65
Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.
Synopsis: A private detective investigates a new consumer taste treat that's absolutely delicious and just possibly lethal. [More]
Directed By:
Larry Cohen
#66
Lady in White
(1988)
67%
#66
Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.
Synopsis: Locked in the cloakroom after school as a Halloween prank, Frankie (Lukas Haas) meets the ghost of a young neighborhood [More]
Directed By:
Frank LaLoggia
#67
The Witches of Eastwick
(1987)
67%
#67
Critics Consensus: While devotees of John Updike's novel may want to put a hex on George Miller's cartoonish and effects-laden adaptation, Jack Nicholson lends enough decadent devilry to make this high-concept comedy sizzle.
Synopsis: Three small-town friends, Alexandra (Cher), Jane (Susan Sarandon) and Sukie (Michelle Pfeiffer), each having lost the man in their lives, [More]
Directed By:
George Miller
#68
Psycho II
(1983)
67%
#68
Critics Consensus: Although it can't hold a cleaver to the classic original, Psycho II succeeds well enough on its own merits to satisfy horror fans.
Synopsis: Two decades after the original murders at the Bates Motel, Norman Bates (Anthony Perkins) completes his treatment at a mental [More]
Directed By:
Richard Franklin
#69
The Funhouse
(1981)
67%
#69
Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.
Synopsis: Rebellious teen Amy (Elizabeth Berridge) defies her parents by going to a trashy carnival that has pulled into town. In [More]
Directed By:
Tobe Hooper
#70
Creepshow
(1982)
66%
#70
Critics Consensus: It's uneven, as anthologies often are, but Creepshow is colorful, frequently funny, and treats its inspirations with infectious reverence.
Synopsis: A compendium of five short but terrifying tales contained within a single full-length feature, this film conjures scares from traditional [More]
Directed By:
George A. Romero
#71
The Lair of the White Worm
(1988)
66%
#71
Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.
Synopsis: On a farm owned by Eve Trent (Catherine Oxenberg) and her sister Mary (Sammi Davis), young archaeologist Angus Flint (Peter [More]
Directed By:
Ken Russell
#72
The Hitcher
(1986)
65%
#72
Critics Consensus: Its journey is never quite as revelatory as it could be, but The Hitcher stands as a white-knuckle vision of horror, bolstered by Rutger Hauer's menacing performance.
Synopsis: While transporting a car from Chicago to San Diego, Jim Halsey (C. Thomas Howell) picks up a hitchhiker named John [More]
Directed By:
Robert Harmon
#73
Cannibal Holocaust
(1980)
65%
#73
Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.
Synopsis: A professor (Francesca Ciardi) finds the remains of a film crew in the Amazon and brings the camera footage back [More]
Directed By:
Ruggero Deodato
#74
Inferno
(1980)
65%
#74
Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.
Synopsis: A young man (Leigh McCloskey) returns from Rome to his sister's (Irene Miracle) satanic New York apartment house. [More]
Directed By:
Dario Argento
#75
Cat People
(1982)
65%
#75
Critics Consensus: Paul Schrader's kinky reimagining of Cat People may prove too grisly and lurid for some audiences, but its provocative style and Natassja Kinski's hypnotic performance should please viewers who like a little gasoline with their fire.
Synopsis: In this sensual and violent horror tale, Irena Gallier (Nastassia Kinski) has a dark family secret, one that resurfaces dramatically [More]
Directed By:
Paul Schrader
#76
Child's Play
(1988)
64%
#76
Critics Consensus: Child's Play occasionally stumbles across its tonal tightrope of comedy and horror, but its genuinely creepy monster and some deft direction by Tom Holland makes this chiller stand out on the shelf.
Synopsis: Gunned down by Detective Mike Norris (Chris Sarandon), dying murderer Charles Lee Ray (Brad Dourif) uses black magic to put [More]
Directed By:
Tom Holland
#77
Society
(1989)
64%
#77
Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.
Synopsis: A Beverly Hills teen (Billy Warlock) discovers his parents are part of a gruesome orgy cult for the social elite. [More]
Directed By:
Brian Yuzna
#78
Vampire's Kiss
(1989)
64%
#78
Critics Consensus: He's a vampire! He's a vampire! He's a vampire!
Synopsis: The life of white-collar New Yorker Peter (Nicolas Cage) seems to revolve solely around making as much money and sleeping [More]
Directed By:
Robert Bierman
#79
The Church
(1989)
64%
#79
Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.
Synopsis: Tourists are trapped in a cathedral cursed since the Crusades by the mayhem of German knights. [More]
Directed By:
Michele Soavi
#80
Pulse
(1988)
64%
#80
Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.
Synopsis: A boy (Joey Lawrence) tries to warn his father (Cliff De Young) and stepmother (Roxanne Hart) about their unsafe household [More]
Directed By:
Paul Golding
#81
Dark Night of the Scarecrow
(1981)
63%
#81
Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.
Synopsis: Small-town vigilantes led by the mailman (Charles Durning) do not get away with killing a local simpleton. [More]
Directed By:
Frank De Felitta
#82
Something Wicked This Way Comes
(1983)
63%
#82
Critics Consensus: True terror and typical Disney wholesomeness clash uncomfortably in Something Wicked This Way Comes.
Synopsis: Mr. Dark (Jonathan Pryce) brings his traveling carnival to a small Midwestern town and grants wishes, for a price. [More]
Directed By:
Jack Clayton
#83
Prince of Darkness
(1987)
63%
#83
Critics Consensus: Prince of Darkness has a handful of chillingly clever ideas, but they aren't enough to put John Carpenter's return to horror at the same level as his classic earlier outings.
Synopsis: Poking around in a church cellar, a priest (Donald Pleasence) finds an otherworldly vial filled with slime. Frightened, he brings [More]
Directed By:
John Carpenter
#84
Motel Hell
(1980)
63%
#84
Critics Consensus: Eerie and satirical, Motel Hell has no vacancy when it comes to low-brow horror gags.
Synopsis: Vincent Smith (Rory Calhoun) and his sister Ida (Nancy Parsons) run a rural hotel, but they earn most of their [More]
Directed By:
Kevin Connor
#85
House
(1985)
63%
#85
Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.
Synopsis: A mounted fish moves, household objects levitate, and monsters haunt a troubled novelist (William Katt). [More]
Directed By:
Steve Miner
#86
The Entity
(1982)
62%
#86
Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.
Synopsis: Single mother Carla Moran (Barbara Hershey) is raped and attacked by an invisible force. She begins therapy with Dr. Phil [More]
Directed By:
Sidney J. Furie
#87
The Serpent and the Rainbow
(1988)
62%
#87
Critics Consensus: Although it's occasionally overwhelmed by excessive special effects, The Serpent and the Rainbow draws on a chilling atmosphere to deliver an intelligent, politically informed story.
Synopsis: In a time of social and political unrest in Haiti, anthropologist Dennis Alan (Bill Pullman) travels to the torn country [More]
Directed By:
Wes Craven
#88
Swamp Thing
(1982)
62%
#88
Critics Consensus: Unabashedly campy -- often to its detriment -- Swamp Thing is not without its charms, among them Adrienne Barbeau as the damsel in distress.
Synopsis: On the verge of a breakthrough in his quest to wipe out world hunger, altruistic botanist Dr. Alec Holland (Ray [More]
Directed By:
Wes Craven
#89
Day of the Dead
(1985)
61%
#89
Critics Consensus: Day of the Dead may arguably be the least haunting entry in George A. Romero's undead trilogy, but it will give audiences' plenty to chew on with its shocking gore and scathing view of society.
Synopsis: The living dead regroup above while humans (Lori Cardille, Terry Alexander, Joseph Pilato) sweat it out below in a Florida [More]
Directed By:
George A. Romero
#90
Cujo
(1983)
60%
#90
Critics Consensus: Cujo is artless work punctuated with moments of high canine gore and one wild Dee Wallace performance.
Synopsis: In this tale of a killer canine, man's best friend turns into his worst enemy. When sweet St. Bernard Cujo [More]
Directed By:
Lewis Teague
#91
Twilight Zone: The Movie
(1983)
60%
#91
Critics Consensus: Twilight Zone: The Movie suffers from the typical anthology-film highs and lows -- thankfully, the former outnumber the latter.
Synopsis: This tribute to the beloved supernatural TV show has four episodes. In the first, racist Bill Connor (Vic Morrow) is [More]
#92
Dolls
(1987)
60%
#92
Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.
Synopsis: A group of motorists, including young Judy Bower (Carrie Lorraine), her horrible father (Ian Patrick Williams), her evil queen of [More]
Directed By:
Stuart Gordon
#93
April Fool's Day
(1986)
60%
#93
Critics Consensus: April Fool's Day takes a decent stab at deconstructing the slasher genre, but an underwhelming story keeps it from really sinking in.
Synopsis: When a group of college students decides to spend spring break at the secluded island estate of their wealthy classmate, [More]
Directed By:
Fred Walton
#94
Waxwork
(1988)
60%
#94
Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.
Synopsis: College students (Zach Galligan, Deborah Foreman, Michelle Johnson) trapped in a wax museum meet Count Dracula and the Marquis de [More]
Directed By:
Anthony Hickox
#95
Pet Sematary
(1989)
58%
#95
Critics Consensus: Pet Sematary is a bruising horror flick that wears its quirks on its sleeves, to the detriment of its scare factor.
Synopsis: Doctor Louis Creed (Dale Midkiff) moves his family to Maine, where he meets a friendly local named Jud Crandall (Fred [More]
Directed By:
Mary Lambert
#96
Lifeforce
(1985)
58%
#96
Critics Consensus: Brazenly strange and uneven in its execution, Lifeforce is an otherworldly sci-fi excursion punctuated with off-kilter horror flourishes.
Synopsis: When a space mission involving American and British astronauts encounters an alien craft, the humanoids within are brought aboard the [More]
Directed By:
Tobe Hooper
#97
The Monster Squad
(1987)
56%
#97
Critics Consensus: A fun '80s adventure with a slightly scary twist, The Monster Squad offers tween-friendly horror with just enough of a kick.
Synopsis: Members (Andre Gower, Robby Kiger) of a monster fan club meet Count Dracula, Wolfman, Frankenstein, the Mummy and Gill Man. [More]
Directed By:
Fred Dekker
#98
My Bloody Valentine
(1981)
56%
#98
Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.
Synopsis: Friends defy the rules of a legendary murderer and discover he is real when they start celebrating Valentine's Day. [More]
Directed By:
George Mihalka
#99
#99
Critics Consensus: A Nightmare on Elm Street 4: The Dream Master marks a relative high point in this franchise's bumpy creative journey, although the original remains far superior.
Synopsis: Grotesque Freddy Krueger (Robert Englund) gives some more suburban teenagers something to dream about. [More]
Directed By:
Renny Harlin
#100
Maniac Cop
(1988)
56%
#100
Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.
Synopsis: Two New York policemen (Tom Atkins, Bruce Campbell) and a policewoman (Laurene Landon) search for a killer in uniform who [More]
Directed By:
William Lustig
