Top 10 Horror Movies From Each Decade - 80's

[spawningblue]

I know lists are done to death, but since this is a bit of a slow period for the horror community I thought why not. And surprisingly I couldn't find anything like this in the search thread so I thought it would be fun. I'm sure some lists will include a lot of the same choices, but I'm also sure that some will include some movies that will encourage others to check them out. Also, I'm curious to see what movies will make the most lists.

Damn this one was the hardest decade to put together. How can you choose only 10? Hell it would be tough choosing 10 slashers form the 80s, let alone 10 horror movies in general. I really hated having to leave off some of the titles that I did, but that is the fun and toughness of top 10 lists. There are always those that deserve to be up there and those that you really want up there. I decided to go with the latter, even if it meant a couple of repeat franchises due to all the awesome sequels to come out in the 80s. So, here goes my list, and I can't wait to see what everyone else has.


Top 10 Horror Movies of the 80's

10. The Changeling (1980)
9. Halloween 3: Season of the Witch (1982)
8. City of the Living Dead (1980)
7. Return of the Living Dead (1985)
6. The Lost Boys (1987)
5. An American Werewolf in London (1981)
4. The Fog (1980)
3. Friday the 13th Part 6: Jason Lives (1986)
2. The Thing (1982)

and my favourite movie from the 80's is...

1. Friday the 13th: The Final Chapter (1984)

I hate putting two movies from the same franchise on this list but what can I say, it is my favourite franchise and just about any movie from it could be on here and deservingly so. Well maybe not part 8, but all of the rest could easier have made it. I chose part 4 because it has the best the series has to offer; great characters, great kills, and it's actually dark and scary at parts. It was tough choosing between this one and part 6 as Lives is such a fun movie with I believe the most kills in the series, but the lack of gore and seriousness made me give the edge to part 4. Oh, and it has Corey Feldman which is also bonus points in my opinion.

[wago70]

10. Terror Train (1980)
9. Day of the Dead (1985)
8. Humanoids from the Deep (1980)
7. A Nightmare on Elm Street (1984)
6. Demons (1985)
5. It Came Without Warning (1980)
4. Scared to Death (1981)
3. The Howling (1981)
2. Friday the 13th Part 2 (1981)

1. Friday the 13th (1980)

[Cujo108]

1: Prince of Darkness
2: The Hitcher
3: Videodrome
4: The Thing
5: Society
6: Black Rainbow
7: Dead & Buried
8: Tenebre
9: Halloween III: Season of the Witch
10: Deadly Blessing

[dickieduvet]

No particular order

The Funhouse
The Burning
Friday The 13th
An American Werewolf In London
Day Of The Dead
Creepshow
The Thing
Hell Night
The Fog
Silver Bullet

[Nailwraps]

1. Friday The 13th
2. Child's Play
3. Phantasm II
4. Hellraiser
5. Hellbound: Hellraiser II
6. Halloween II
7. Psycho II
8. The Evil Dead
9. A Nightmare On Elm Street
10. Puppet Master

[Ash28M]

1. The Shining (1980)
2. The Evil Dead (1981)
3. The Thing (1982)
4. Tenebre (1982)
5. An American Werewolf in London (1981)
6. Santa Sangre (1989)
7. Paperhouse (1988)
8. The Changeling (1980)
9. Opera (1987)
10. A Nightmare On Elm Steet (1984)

[Hatchetwarrior]

1) The Thing
2) Return Of The Living Dead
3) Hellraiser
4) Day Of The Dead
5) The Blob
6) Evil Dead
7) The Shining
8) Monster Squad
9) Lost Boys
10) Halloween II

[Mutilated Prey]

Silent Night Deadly Night
Friday the 13th Part 2
Happy Birthday to Me
The Prowler
The Burning
My Bloody Valentine
The Mutilator
The Beyond
Pieces
Friday the 13th Part 4

I could go on forever.

[MagickPoultry]

10. The Beyond
9. A Nightmare on Elm Street
8. Return of the Living Dead
7. The Evil Dead
6. Day of the Dead
5. The Fly
4. Hellraiser
3. The Thing
2. Friday the 13th: The Final Chapter
1. Re-Animator

[Workshed]

Listed in order from Awesome to Awesome:

The Monster Squad
The Thing
Waxwork
Videodrome
Day of the Dead
Evil Dead II
Halloween II
Inferno
Class of 1984
A Nightmare on Elm Street

Honorable Awesome Mention:

Gremlins

[Hellbilly]

01. Possession (1981)
02. Videodrome (1983)
03. The Shining (1980)
04. The Thing (1982)
05. Santa Sangre (1989)
06. Poltergeist (1982)
07. An American Werewolf in London (1981)
08. Re-Animator (1985)
09. Hellraiser (1987)
10. Angst (1983)

[bachmann]

01. The Thing
02. The Shining
03. The Evil Dead
04. Creepshow
05. A Nightmare On Elm Street
06. Day Of The Dead
07. Friday The 13th
08. The Beyond
09. Fright Night
10. Videodrome

[msw7]

Also in no particular order:
(and lots of close calls with movies that didn't quite make my top ten)

The Thing
Day of the Dead
Return of the Living Dead
Re-Animator
Evil Dead
Evil Dead II
Dressed to Kill
American Werewolf in London
Nightmare on Elm Street
Angel Heart

alternates:
Hellraiser
Fright Night
Frankenhooker
Street Trash
Living Dead Girl

[vampyr789]

1. Evil Dead
2. Sleepaway Camp
3. The Thing
4. Friday the 13th Part 6: Jason Lives
5. Phenomena
6. Nightmare on Elm Stree Part 3: Dream Warriors
7. The Shining
8. Night of the Creeps
9. My Bloody Valentine
10. Hellraiser

this was the hardest list so far o.o

[Body Boy]

So many good ones. Eee. :o

1. Sleepaway Camp (1983)
2. Friday the 13th (1980)
3. My Bloody Valentine (1981)
4. Evil Dead (1981)
5. Evil Dead II (1987)
6. Poltergeist (1982)
7. Friday the 13th Part II (1981)
8. The Burning (1981)
9. City of the Living Dead (1980)
10. Phenomena (1985)

I am probably substituting the bottom half for multiple other possible choices...I feel like I am leaving out so many. :( Dammit

[bloodthrill]

Intruder
My Bloody Valentine
Mother's Day
Friday The 13th Part 3
Night Of The Creeps
Chopping Mall
The Stuff
Hello Mary Lou..Prom Night 2
Sleepaway Camp 2; Unhappy Campers
The Blob '88

[Erick H.]

Another tough call,again,I could come up with another worthy 10 list easily.In no particular order....

The Fog
The Shining
Creepshow
Poltergeist
A Nightmare On Elm Street
Re-Animator
An American Werewolf In London
The Thing
Ghost Story
The Hitcher

[Kim Bruun]

My favourite decade for horror, along with the 70's.

1. Halloween II
2. The Prowler
3. Cujo
4. Friday the 13th
5. Friday the 13th Part 2
6. Poltergeist
7. The Thing
8. Link
9. Sole Survivor
10. Ghost Story

[satans-sadists]

1) The Shining (1980)
2) The Thing (1982)
3) Creepshow (1982)
4) Halloween III: Season of the Witch (1982)
5) The Fog (1980)
6) Day of the Dead (1985)
7) Poltergeist (1982)
8) Phenomena (1985)
9) Q: The Winged Serpent
10) Hell Night (1981)

[DVD-fanatic-9]

Despite its' insane quantity, the 80's (unlike 00-09) is a decade that also turned in some incredible quality.


1. The Evil Dead
2. Videodrome
3. Creepshow
4. Bad Taste
5. Dead Dudes in the House / House on Tombstone Hill
6. Killer Klowns from Outer Space
7. Q the Winged Serpent
8. Opera
9. An American Werewolf in London
10. The Fly


Honorable Mentions:
The Fog
Little Shop of Horrors
Wolfen
Gremlins
Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer
Warlock
Sleepaway Camp
Cat People
A Nightmare on Elm Street
Brain Damage
From Beyond
Poltergeist
The Hunger
Argento's Inferno
Friday the 13th Part VIII: Jason Takes Manhattan
Tenebre
The Shining
Fright Night
Nightmare on Elm Street 3: Dream Warriors
Monster in the Closet
The Howling
Psycho II
Hellraiser
The Return of the Living Dead
Friday the 13th Part VII: The New Blood
Deadly Friend
Night of the Comet
Friday the 13th Part III
Phenomena
The Howling III: The Marsupials
Class of Nuke 'Em High
Just Before Dawn
Basket Case
Christmas Evil / You Better Watch Out
Island of the Alive: It's Alive III
I, Madman
The Dead Zone
The Borrower
Demons 2
Rabid Grannies
Near Dark
The Company of Wolves
Friday the 13th Part VI: Jason Lives
C.H.U.D.
Poltergeist 2: The Other Side
Child's Play
Nightmare City
Pet Sematary
Motel Hell
Hello, Mary Lou: Prom Night II
Nightmare on Elm Street 2: Freddy's Revenge
Psycho III
Evil Dead 2: Dead by Dawn
House
The Boogey Man
The Serpent and the Rainbow
The Beyond
Silent Night, Deadly Night Part 2 (the Troll 2 of the 80's)
Alone in the Dark
Friday the 13th
City of the Living Dead
Ghoulies 2

[The Chaostar]

1. The Shining
2. Dead Ringers
3. The Thing
4. Evil Dead
5. Tenebre
6. Videodrome
7. An American Werewolf In London
8. Inferno
9. The company of wolves
10. The Beyond

Left out

The Howling
Dead Zone
Brain Damage
Psycho III

Worst

It's gotta be The Howling II

[DVD-fanatic-9]

Wow, so many masterpieces...
I completely disagree. I think there were very few masterpieces. However, the bar for the average was set so high that the 80's will be forever remembered by real horror fans as probably the most entertaining decade. Many movies came close to greatness but every last one of them had a significant flaw.

Except Bad Taste - which isn't perfect but I can't find a flaw. I know there's one there. But I can't find it.

[snowbeast323]

1. Friday The 13th
2. The Shining
3. A Nightmare On Elm Street
4. Halloween III
5. Sleepaway Camp
6. The Evil Dead
7. Silent Night. Deadly Night
8. Fright Night
9. Creepshow
10. Curtains

[Shlockjock81]

In no special order:

A Nightmare on Elm Street
The Burning
Evil Dead
Halloween II & III
Maniac
Tenebre
Phenomena
Inferno
The Thing

[X-human]

10) Bad Taste (1987) / Meet the Feebles (1989)
09) Dead & Buried (1981)
08) Night of the Werewolf (1980)
07) Day of the Dead (1985)
06) The Evil Dead (1981) / Evil Dead II (1987)
05) Brain Damage (1988)
04) The Fly (1986)
03) The Shining (1980)
02) The Thing (1982)
01) Videodrome (1983)

I'd put my top 5 against anything any other decade can throw at me.

[bigwes15]

Incredibly hard to put together just 10 for the incredible 80's, the best decade for horror by far in my opinion. I will give it a shot regardless!!
1. Madman (Am I the only one to put this on the list so far?? For shame, guys.)
2. Friday the 13th
3. Friday the 13th 2
4. Silent Night Deadly Night
5. Halloween 2
6. Nightmare on Elm Street
7. The Fog
8. Prince of Darkness
9. Halloween 4
10. Fright Night
My sincere apologies to The Howling, My Bloody Valentine, Sleepaway Camp, Ghost Story, Pet Sematary, Day of the Dead, The Thing, American Werewolf in London, and countless others from the greatest decade.

[spawningblue]

Yeah this decade was the hardest for me. I could have easily did a Top 25 and filled it with great horror films. That is why this list went up last, had so much trouble narrowing it down. And then when I got to like 15 it became almost impossible.

[dave13]

damn its hard to make any original choices on this list....

10. The Beyond
9. City of the Living Dead
8. Dead Ringers
7. Re-Animator
6. Opera
5. The Thing
4. The Fly
3. An American Werewolf in London
2. Videodrome
1. The Shining

[Christ75]

So much to choose

- The Shining
- Fright Night
- An American Werewolf in London
- The Fly (remake)
- Evil Dead 2
- Opera
- Silver Bullet
- A Nightmare on Elm Street
- Friday the 13th The Final Chapter
- Hellraiser II
- Poltergeist
- Basket Case

love also:
Hellraiser
Pet Sematary
The Howling
The Evil Dead
Inferno
Tenebre
Nightmare on Elm Street 3: Dream Warriors
C.H.U.D.
Poltergeist 2: The Other Side
Friday the 13th Part VI: Jason Lives
Child's Play
Day of the Dead
Halloween 2
Halloween III
The Fly 2
House
Prince of Darkness
Christine
The Lost Boys
Cujo
Children of the Corn
Monkey Shines
Possession
Shocker
Sleepaway Camp 2

not really horror movie but close:
Dressed to Kill
Videodrome
Invaders From Mars
Creepshow
Gremlins
The Thing
Leviathan
Lifeforce
Dead Heat

[Ash28M]

Here are your 80's leaders so far.

Most 10 ten votes...

1. The Thing (1982) (17)
2. The Evil Dead (1982) (13)
3. The Shining (1980) (12)
4. Nightmare on Elm Street (1984) (11)
5. An American Werewolf in London (1981) (9)
5. Day of the Dead (1985) (9)
7. Friday the 13th (1980) (8)
7. Videodrome (1982) (8)
9. Hellraiser (1987) (6)
9. Halloween II (1981) (6)
9. Creepshow (1987) (6)
12. The Fog (1980) (5)
12. The Beyond (1981) (5)
12. Re-Animator (1985) (5)
12. Friday the 13th Part 2 (1981) (5)
12. Halloween III: Season of the Witch (1982) (5)
12. Poltergeist (1982) (5)
18. Phenomena (1985) (4)
18. Tenebre (1982) (4)
18. The Fly (1986) (4)
18. Return of the Living Dead (1985) (4)
18. My Bloody Valentine (1981) (4)
23. Friday the 13th: The Final Chapter (1984) (3)
23. Evil Dead II (1987) (3)
23. Sleepaway Camp (1983) (3)
23. The Burning (1981) (3)
23. The Blob (1988) (3)
23. City of the Living Dead (1980) (3)
23. Fright Night (1985) (3)
23. Opera (1987) (3)
23. Inferno (1980) (3)
23. Silent Night Deadly Night (1984) (3)

1st Place Votes..

The Shining (1980) (4)
Friday the 13th (1980) (3)
The Thing (1982) (2)
The Evil Dead (1982) (2)
Friday the 13th: The Final Chapter (1984)
Prince of Darkness (1987)
Re-Animator (1986)
Possession (1981)
Sleepaway Camp (1983)
Halloween II (1981)
Videodrome (1982)
Madman (1982)

2nd Place Votes..

The Thing (1982) (3)
Friday the 13th Part 2 (1981) (2)
Videodrome (1982) (2)
The Shining (1980) (2)
Friday the 13th (1980) (2)
The Hitcher (1986)
Child's Play (1988)
The Evil Dead (1982)
Return of the Living Dead (1985)
Friday the 13th: The Final Chapter (1984)
Sleepaway Camp (1983)
The Prowler (1981)
Videodrome (1982)
Dead Ringers (1988)

3rd Place Votes

The Thing (1982) (4)
The Shining (1980) (2)
Creepshow (1982) (2)
Friday the 13th Part 6: Jason Lives (1986)
The Howling (1981)
Videodrome (1982)
Phantasm II (1988)
Hellraiser (1987)
The Evil Dead (1982)
My Bloody Valentine (1981)
Cujo (1983)
Nightmare on Elm Street (1984)
An American Werewolf in London (1981)


(X-human I only took the first film from your number 6 and 10 as I'm only accepting 10 films)

[Kolpitz]

1.) Evil Dead II: Dead by Dawn
2.) Poltergeist
3.) The Shining
4.) A Nightmare on Elm Street
5.) Fright Night
6.) The Thing
7.) Day of the Dead
8.) The Return of the Living Dead
9.) An American Werewolf in London
10.) Videodrome

[eric_angelus]

1. Re-Animator
2. A Nightmare on Elm Street
3. Friday the 13th Part 2
4. The Howling
5. Fright Night
6. Return of the Living Dead
7. The Evil Dead
8. Creepshow
9. The Nest
10. Videodrome

[maskull]

1. An American Werewolf in London
2. Near Dark
3. Wolfen
4. My Bloody Valentine
5. The Lost Boys
6. Friday the 13th: A New Beginning
7. Silver Bullet
8. Fright Night
9. A Nightmare on Elm Street
10. The Thing

[RickB]

Friday The 13th
Friday The 13th Part 2
Friday The 13th Part 3
Friday The 13th The Final Chapter
A Nightmare On Elm Street
Child's Play
Child's Play 2
Halloween II
My Bloody Valentine
Slumber Party Massacre

Honorable Mentions:

A Nightmare On Elm Street 3: Dream Warriors
Silent Night Deadly Night
Happy Birthday To Me
Cujo
An American Werewolf In London
The Howling
The Lost Boys
Silver Bullet
Slaughter High
Sleepaway Camp

[indrid13]

Here in no order...


Prince of Darkness
Halloween II
The Thing
Day of the Dead
The Prowler
Tenebre
Videodrome
The Shining
Happy Birthday to Me
My Bloody Valentine

[spawningblue]

Friday The 13th
Friday The 13th Part 2
Friday The 13th Part 3
Friday The 13th The Final Chapter
A Nightmare On Elm Street
Child's Play
Child's Play 2
Halloween II
My Bloody Valentine
Slumber Party Massacre

Child's Play 2 is actually 1990.

[MarkWarner]

In no order:

The Thing
The Evil Dead
Evil Dead 2
The Shining
A Nightmare On Elm Street
Halloween III
Halloween 4
Creepshow
Day Of The Dead
The Fog