Best horror film of the 80s

[Pranzo Oltranzista]

I still have 5 open spots if you want to vote for a different film.

Really tough to put up that selection. I wish I didn't have to include Aliens, but being the sequel to a great horror sci-fi film, and widely popular, I kind of had to. I chose not to include any slasher film, even if Halloween II and Friday the 13th IV might be my all-time favorite - maybe exactly because I would have felt I had to put the first Friday film ahead of a lot of better slashers (The Burning, Happy Birthday to Me, etc.). Most notable omission to me are From Beyond and Santa Sangre, two films I like a lot, but I didn't think they'd get any vote, the second being really borderline horror anyway.

Missing films (and a lot more):

From Beyond
Gremlins
Altered States
Pin
Paperhouse
Tetsuo
Evil Dead Trap
The Hunger
Creepshow / Creepshow 2
Opera
Friday the 13th parts 1 to 8
Halloween parts 2 to 5
Maniac
Phenomena
Fright Night
Child's Play
The Return of the Living Dead
Scanners
The Fog
The Lost Boys
Sleepaway Camp
Pumpkinhead
My Bloody Valentine
Cujo
The Burning
Demons
Pet Semetary
Motel Hell
The Funhouse
Children of the Corn
Stage Fright
Bad Taste
Prince of Darkness
Happy Birthday to Me
Basket Case
Brain Damage
Santa Sangre
The Stepfather
Intruder

The 60s poll is still running, with Psycho taking the lead:
https://hfboards.mandatory.com/threads/best-horror-film-of-the-60s.2728529/

The 70s poll has a 3-way tie with The Exorcist, Alien and Jaws (?!? - come on people):
Best horror film of the 70s

Click to read more...

 

[Trap Jesus]

I would have voted Society if it was on here. I voted The Thing and The Fly though. I'm a sucker for body horror. The Thing to me is the best horror movie ever made.

 

[Pranzo Oltranzista]

I would have voted Society if it was on here. I voted The Thing and The Fly though. I'm a sucker for body horror. The Thing to me is the best horror movie ever made.

I didn't even think of Society (!!!??). Will be added in a second.

 

[Pranzo Oltranzista]

I would have voted Society if it was on here. I voted The Thing and The Fly though. I'm a sucker for body horror. The Thing to me is the best horror movie ever made.

I must have thought it was from the 90s, or really just a brain fart. I love Society. Really tough to go against The Thing, but I couldn't not vote for The Shining (might be the best of all time to me) and Videodrome (such a brilliant and complex mind-f***). I like The Fly a lot, but it's not in my top-4 Cronenberg films I think. Maybe 5th.

 

[Trap Jesus]

I didn't even think of Society (!!!??). Will be added in a second.

Videodrome and Society were a couple body horror classics I watched just last year. I liked Videodrome but I don't think it did much to stand out from Cronenberg's other stuff. Society was just nuts, something I haven't experienced watching a movie in a very long time.

 

[KallioWeHardlyKnewYe]

In a progression that I should have seen coming ... while I chose heart over head in the 60s and then head over heart in the 70s, here heart and head converge on The Thing.

 

[KallioWeHardlyKnewYe]

Looking at this list, there isn't really a dud on it. I'm personally not a big Fulci fan and I rewatched Poltergeist in the last year or so and was shocked at how much it didn't hold up for me, but beyond that this is an impressive and diverse slice of good horror.

 

[Pranzo Oltranzista]

I now realize I also forgot about the Guinea Pig films.... feel free to ask for them if you want to vote for one.

 

[Richard]

The Thing still unnerves me and I've seen it a dozen times...… and.... no CGI

 

[kihei]

I went with The Vanishing and Videodrome, both of which hold up very well.

Recommendations for the 90s: The Kingdom which I thought was a hoot (loved Ernst-Hugo Jaregard and Holger Juul Hansen) and Cronos which was clever and imaginative. In terms of mainline stuff, Arachnophobia was a lot of fun.

 

[Trap Jesus]

Cronos which was clever and imaginative.

Is this your favorite del Toro movie?

 

[member 157595]

I still have 5 open spots if you want to vote for a different film.

Really tough to put up that selection. I wish I didn't have to include Aliens, but being the sequel to a great horror sci-fi film, and widely popular, I kind of had to. I chose not to include any slasher film, even if Halloween II and Friday the 13th IV might be my all-time favorite - maybe exactly because I would have felt I had to put the first Friday film ahead of a lot of better slashers (The Burning, Happy Birthday to Me, etc.). Most notable omission to me are From Beyond and Santa Sangre, two films I like a lot, but I didn't think they'd get any vote, the second being really borderline horror anyway.

Missing films (and a lot more):

From Beyond
Gremlins
Altered States
Pin
Paperhouse
Tetsuo
Evil Dead Trap
Creepshow / Creepshow 2
Opera
Friday the 13th parts 1 to 8
Halloween parts 2 to 5
Maniac
Phenomena
Fright Night
Child's Play
The Return of the Living Dead
Scanners
The Fog
The Lost Boys
Sleepaway Camp
Pumpkinhead
My Bloody Valentine
Cujo
The Burning
Demons
Pet Semetary
Motel Hell
The Funhouse
Children of the Corn
Stage Fright
Bad Taste
Prince of Darkness
Happy Birthday to Me
Basket Case
Brain Damage
Santa Sangre
The Stepfather
Intruder

The 60s poll is still running, with Psycho taking the lead:
https://hfboards.mandatory.com/threads/best-horror-film-of-the-60s.2728529/

The 70s poll has a 3-way tie with The Exorcist, Alien and Jaws (?!? - come on people):
Best horror film of the 70s

Is Aliens really a horror film though? The original sure, but Aliens is almost more of a action movie than horror to me. The first movie was far more terrifying and cerebral (and better) IMO.

 

[Blackhawkswincup]

The Golden Age of Horror

Come on how can you not have one Friday the 13th listed?

The list should be 100+ long honestly

 

[Pranzo Oltranzista]

Is Aliens really a horror film though? The original sure, but Aliens is almost more of a action movie than horror to me. The first movie was far more terrifying and cerebral (and better) IMO.

Couldn't agree more. Still, I started these polls by saying I'd go large, and with Psycho and Jaws in the lead for 60s and 70s, it's tough to say anything is out of range (well, Faster p***ycat was!).
Just here, you could argue out a few films. Spoorloos isn't a common horror film, but at least it's a great film. That's my problem with Aliens and Jaws here, even if they were pure horror films, not deserving of the votes IMO!

 

[Spring in Fialta]

Videodrome. Great flick.

 

[Pranzo Oltranzista]

The Golden Age of Horror

Come on how can you not have one Friday the 13th listed?

The list should be 100+ long honestly

Only 30 spots, and I explained why in the opening post. If you want to vote for one, tell me which one and I'll add it.

 

[RobBrown4PM]

Aliens is not really a horror movie, it's a science fiction adventure movie.

 

[RobBrown4PM]

And there the hell is the love for re-animator!

This is a highly uncultured group here that knows nothing of the classics.

 

[Howard Beale]

As a suggestion, for the next polls, could you allow viewing the results without voting?

I haven't watched many horror films, so I prefer not to vote on these, but I'm always interested to see the results.

 

[Blackhawkswincup]

Only 30 spots, and I explained why in the opening post. If you want to vote for one, tell me which one and I'll add it.

I read it but come on

FT13 legacy and impact on 80's horror makes it a must include IMO

Either way like I said the golden age of Horror so we would likely have a list running well over 100 here if we are honest

Maybe we should have a tourney for 80's horror ,, That could be fun

 

[Babe Ruth]

The Golden Age of Horror

Come on how can you not have one Friday the 13th listed?.. list should be 100+ long honestly

I would add Pumpkinhead to that list also. Damn good late 8os horror..

From the list, I take original Elm Street.. and Halloween II would be my runner-up.

 

[Ducks in a row]

Aliens

 

[Pranzo Oltranzista]

As a suggestion, for the next polls, could you allow viewing the results without voting?

I haven't watched many horror films, so I prefer not to vote on these, but I'm always interested to see the results.

Done right now, sorry about that.

I read it but come on

FT13 legacy and impact on 80's horror makes it a must include IMO

Either way like I said the golden age of Horror so we would likely have a list running well over 100 here if we are honest

Maybe we should have a tourney for 80's horror ,, That could be fun

Despite the whiny attitude, I think I understood that you wanted me to add Friday the 13th so you could vote for it. Done.

I would add Pumpkinhead to that list also. Damn good late 8os horror..

From the list, I take original Elm Street.. and Halloween II would be my runner-up.

Halloween II added, good choice.

 

[Pranzo Oltranzista]

This is a highly uncultured group here that knows nothing of the classics.

Or.........

Re-Animator most likely ain't even the best Stuart Gordon horror film in the 80s, but you must be aware of that.

 

[montreal]

so many to chose from, several on the list i haven't seen but from what I have seen,

Hellraiser
A Nightmare on Elm Street
Friday the 13th
The Thing
The Fly
An American Werewolf in London


plus all the Steven King movies

The Shinning
Pet Semetary
Children of the Corn
Cujo
Christine
Creepshow
Silver Bullet
Firestarter