Humanoids From the Deep is a fave of mine too. On that note, THAT's something unique about the 80's - it was kind of THE decade of RAPE horror flicks. Like besides HFtD there's also The Entity, The Beast within, Inseminoid, Xtro, Night of the Demon, The Incubus, and Galaxy of Terror. And if you wana go even further back (pre-80's) then there's Multiple Maniacs, Grave of the Vampire, and the original I spit On Your Grave. So, quite an unheralded phenomenon there.
I saw Humanoids From The Deep (by it's alternative title of "Monster" in a social club with my parents when I was about 12. Re-watching it, I realised that it starred Doug McClure from the Land That Time Forgot. However the sexual assault was more than implied, as the movie closes with one of the victims giving "birth" to one of the monsters offspring.
I love 80's horror, but I also liked Lights Out. 8o's horror had such a wide and extreme range of horror. Plus in my opinion it was the heyday of practical effects. Watch " In search of Darkness 1, 2, and 3 to really see how many great movies were made in the 80's. The number is astounding.
Great list, here is my list… 10. Chopping Mall 9. Death Spa 8. Stage Fright (1987) 7. My Bloody Valentine 6. Society 5. The Burning 4. The Stepfather 3. The Slumber Party Massacre 2. Night of the Demons 1. Pieces
All your analyses are so thorough and you don't waste words. I honestly think you're the best horror movie reviewer out there. Can't imagine anyone not enjoying this.
This was a great list. A few more underrated 80s horror films, all from the year 1980, include Terror Train (starring Jamie Lee Curtis), He Knows You're Alone (first film appearance by some guy called Tom Hanks), the criminally underrated Motel Hell, and the beautiful pile of "what exactly did I just watch" known as Happy Birthday to Me.
Gen X’er here, I absolutely ❤ your list. A lot of really good under the radar flicks. You really surprised me with demons. I’ve never heard of rush week but I will definitely seek it out. Very impressed with your knowledge and respect for those genre greats like Barbara Crampton and Tom Atkins. Keep up the great work.
I love your taste in 80’s horror. Especially Night of the Creeps, Demons, and My Bloody Valentine. I remember them and I love them. Especially your number one. The lawnmower scene is awesome!! I’m new to your Channel, but I think you’re awesome.
Teen Witch was my jam when I was but a wee child in late 80s. I thought Robin Lively was just the coolest girl ever! Fun facts: Robin Lively is Blake Livelys older half sister. And the actors who played Brad and Randa are married in real life ❤
Great list! I want to get more into 80s horror, I've watched a bunch last year and discovered some new favourites, like The Thing, The Lost Boys, Halloween 4, A Nightmare on Elm Street 4, Demons, Gremlins (all first-time watches for me 😊)
Hey one of your humble followers here, I believe you love 80's horror? Well I just watched this flick called The Wraith. It has a very young Charlie Sheen in it, and I also recognized the guy playing the sheriff. I liked it and found it interesting. Ok just read the description it's more of an Action Fantasy, my bad lol but it has horror elements? Lol 😊
Funny thing about Night of the Creeps. For me, I watched it growing up but it was recorded from tv on a vhs and it started already in the 80s. I didn’t know about the whole aliens from space part until I bought it on dvd years later.
Just Before Dawn and House on Sorority Row are two I always recommend. Good slashers that came out before the trend took off and they became cheesy. Stage Fright and The Intruder are two that came out towards the later 80s that are also really good
I stumbled across your video randomly. I'm a huge 80s horror movie fan and your choices were some of my favorites, Chopping Mall is the one I mostly tell people about simply because of the exploding head scene. Love the video. Fantastic job!
70s horror is a real standout. It had a gritty realistic quality that most horror doesn't have. If you haven't seen Salo or the 120 Days of Sodom, I dare you to watch it. Being Satan's daughter, you should enjoy it.
Thanks, that was a nice list. Most of them I have heard about or seen on TV ages ago, but definitely also a few hidden gems I never heard about before now. Here are my underrated 80's horror recommendations (in no particular order): Basket Case; The Pit; The Entity; The Hidden; Slugs.
OH! I totally forgot Poison for the Fairies. This really is a must see and a totally unique experience. And while I'm at it, Ken Russel's Lair of the White Worm (with a young Hugh Grant), and the bit more popular (and arguably better) Ken Russel film Altered States. And if you like Basket Case, maybe check out Brain Damage as well. And did you see the Lovecraftian classic From Beyond? Oh, what a decade...
The 80s were the years of excess and it absolutely shows in the horror genre in the best way. Fantastic video as usual! Edit: Near Dark is my top underrated horror film of the 80s. I'm always so surprised at how many people haven't seen it.
Puppet Master, Slugs, Creepshow, The Gate, Phantasm... Bit earlier but i watched first in 80s... April Fools Day, Lair of the White Worm, and Society... Both stand out still to me as being bit strange. For me the 80s definitely was the best horrors, seems were so many, and a lot of practical effects still of course. I'd started collecting Fangoria and Gorezone and flicking throigh those with a school mate who loved his horrors, and would feature older films from 80s too. Plus those early 90s we'd be in the video shop renting 80s VHS, on my mates mum's membership card of course 👌
My favorite 80s slasher movies (excluding the ones from some famous franchises) are: 1) Nightmare Beach (1981) - directed by a great italian director Umberto Lenzi. Very fun with some interesting kills. A masked biker goes on a killing spree during spring break in Florida. 2) Edge of the Axe (1988) - I really like this one. I don't wanna be a spoiler. 3) Hospital Massacre (1982) - also known as X-Ray. 4) Prowler (1981) 5) Slaughter High (1986) - some of the murders are quite gruesome and yet the movie is very fun. 6) Nightmare (1981) - the movie was so controversial in the UK that the distributor received an 18 month prison sentence for refusing to edit one second of violent footage 7) The Initiation (1984) - a shopping mall slasher. 8) Chopping Mall (1986) - another shopping mall slasher. 9) Phantom of the Mall: Eric's Revenge (1989) - another one. 10) Night Screams (1987) 11) Clownhouse (1989) - I was scared by this movie as a kid and scared by clowns... The director is a convicted pa*dophile who actually forced the 12-year old kid (the one who played the main character in the movie) to do... Some really nasty stuff. 12) Nothing Underneath (1985) 13) Graduation Day (1981). If you haven't seen some of them, believe me you should give it a try.
@@HauntedHippie That's great to hear! I seriously gotta join your patreon for updates and all your other bonus content. But excited to hear the amazing stuff you're doing
Great list! Pretty much agree with everything, and I would definitely include Dario Argento's "Phenomena". One of the most underrated of the 90s, "Cemetery Man", just got added to Shudder. And I definitely would enjoy a 90s list in the same style. 🖤
Some underrated 80’s horror movies are Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2, Life-force which Tobey Hooper directed, Phantasm 2, Shocker, My Bloody Valentine, Blood rage, Day of the Dead, From Beyond, Critters, Night of the creeps, The Monster Squad, and probably a few others that I can’t think of at the moment.
I really got into horror fantasy when I was a kid in the 80's. Dolls, A Company of Wolves, and Troll were some of my favorites. So happy you included April Fool's Day! We rented that one from the video store and it is fantastic!
Great list! I grew up in the 80's and it is my favorite era for lots of things, especially music and horror. With that said, I had never heard of Rush Week. I will need to check it out.
Best underrated 80s Horror movies for me... 10) Phantasm II 09) Invaders from Mars 08) Night of the Comet 07) The Gate 06) The Fly 05) Killer Klowns from Outer Space 04) Deadly Friend 03) Demons 02) The Blob 01) Night of the Creeps Some might not be so underrated but if you was not around in the 80s you might not have seen them. My favorite 80s Horror movies Honorable mention *Aliens *The Lost Boys * A Nightmare in Elm Street 3 *Dawn of the Dead *Friday the 13th part 4 10)The Evil Dead 09)Silver Bullet 08) Friday the 13th 07) Poltergeist 06) Halloween 4 05) Return of the living Dead 04) Hellraiser 03) The Shining 02) The Thing 01) A Nightmare on Elm Street
Great list here’s mine…. 1: ANGUISH (1987) 2: STREET TRASH (1987) 3: DOLLS (1987) 4: NEXT OF KIN (1982) 5: SANTA SANGRE (1989) 6: HELLO MARY LOU: PROM NIGHT II (1987) 7: THE STUFF (1985) 8: EVIL DEAD TRAP (1988) 9: PSYCHO II (1983) 10: THE ENTITY (1982) I mean I could go on forever the 80’s was the greatest I’ve done a top 50 A tier list Top 50 B tier list and top 50 C tier list in Letterboxed. That’s how strong the decade was.
80's era is the best horror era, it's just filled with classics. I discovered horror films with Poltergeist, Day of The Dead and Evil Dead, so yeah 80's feels special! Then I dove into indy films. Can't wait for a 90's video! I remember seeing a flick about a group of tourists going to Mexico, with a possessed woman locked in a room, and zombies in a cave by the ending. Saw it when I was just a kid and I've been looking for that film for YEARS without finding anything. It definitely felt 90's and it got stuck in my mind for some reason. Love your content by the way. ✋🍻
Fun list Kylie! I have a love-hate relationship with 80s horror.. I love the "mindless slashers" and the overall vibes of the genre in the decade.. I just personally have never been a fan of the "gross" special effects despite how impressive they are, which is why I never really cared for the OG Evil Dead films for example.. One underrated and ultimately forgotten film is Little Monsters (1989).. it's more geared towards kids, but it's actually pretty scary and messed up for a kids film, I loved it when I was younger.. it also has a cool and unique aesthetic.. it stars Fred Savage, Howie Mandel, Daniel Stern and Ben Savage.. Now this film is truly underrated, I might've mentioned it here before, but it's called Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer.. now I'm officially not recommending it to really anyone here only because it has one scene that is literally one of the most disturbing ever, no hyperbole, but it's ultimately not gratuitous and serves a purpose, it's just too extreme and realistic.. but besides that it's an exceptionally well made film.. it's based on serial killer Henry Lee Lucas.. it's ultimately a character study done in a gritty and artistic manner.. it only had a 100K budget but it feels like a million dollars, the director sure made the best of whatever resources were available.. it premiered in 1986 but was too controversial.. it did the film festival circuit throughout the 80s until Roger Ebert saw it in 1989 and gave it a positive review which garnered the film attention.. studios were interested but the MPAA rated it X and wouldn't give it an R rating.. Ebert "fought" for the film.. it was finally released in theaters in 1990.. Michael Rooker's debut and he's incredible.. Tom Towles and Tracy Arnold are great too.. it's a respected and critically acclaimed film with lots of merit, but it's grimey with bad vibes the whole way through, so once again I'm not saying that it's a must see, but it's a true horror film and it's underrated and from the 80s, so it seems appropriate to bring it up lol.. hope you had fun and all is going well with your project!
Vestron Video put out a collector's Blu of Little Monsters, and I am sad to report that it did not still work for me... but holy cow was this ever a formative movie for me. I feel like it absolutely shaped my personality. I remember being legitimately sad as a child that I couldn't live in the world of this movie. If nostalgia alone could save a movie for me, this would be in my top 10 for sure. I'm thrilled that it still has its fans though!
@@kroagw06 I haven't seen it in ages although I'll watch some clips on RUclips once in a blue moon.. but yeah it's an extremely nostalgic one for me too!
Stephen King's Silver Bullet has to be one of the most underrated 80s horror movies. It's a fun and great horror movie and one of the best Werewolf movies, in my opinion. Everybody talks about American Werewolf in London and The Howling but hardly anyone mentions Silver Bullet and I prefer it over both The Howling and American Werewolf in London.
As one of the Olds that grew up in this era, I'm always interested in how younger generations appreciate these films. You did a great job with these selections. "Thrill me."
Yes! This is so rad to shout out some underrated gems of the 80s! Definitely a solid list for anyone who needs more 80s horror in their life after watching the basics. I was born in the 90s so it’s not like I really grew up with these movies but I watch a lot of horror docs/countdown lists and it always seems to be the movies from the 80s that are the most fun and iconic. I’m with you in that I was born in the wrong generation too hahaha 80s movies definitely had the best real practical effects and there must’ve been some magic in the air to have a decade of iconic horror characters basically take over the world and replace the previous generation of monsters (Frankenstein, Dracula, etc.) Plus I have the trilogy of In Search of Darkness, which is all about the 80s horror! All three are in shudder and each entry is over 5 hours long! Just shows how much there is to talk about them! I highly recommend them and they’re all steaming on shudder! Plus All the movies on your list are spotlighted in them too! Thank you again for making another 80s centric horror list! Hate to say that the boomers are right but the 80s truly will never die! Hope you do more underrated lists in the future! Also, Tom Atkins said that night of the creeps is his favorite role! His best lines are “thrill me”, “it’s miller time!” And “I’ve got good news for you girls, looks like your dates are here” “What’s the bad news?” “They’re dead!”
Another film worth mentioning - though I'd argue it's more underseen than underrated - is _Angst_ from 1983. It's a German film, and it's absolutely excellent. I'd go as far to say that it's one of the most chilling, disturbing horror film of all time.
I haven’t watched most of these films but I’m so hyped to check : demons , April’s fool day and chopping mall . YESSS for the mention to the stepfather . My second fave from this decade . Although I still think the 2010s is the best decade . I love how the 80s really gave a meaning to vfx practical effects . Excited for the 90s version of this
I feel like The Stepfather (1987) and Lifeforce as both two very underrated 80s horror movies i mean well Lifeforce is starting to get more attention I'm starting to see more RUclipsrs cover Lifeforce but The Stepfather (1987) barely anyone talks about this movie either on RUclips or anywhere else and this movie is great: Edit: oh shit you just mentioned The Stepfather well I'm an idiot 😂
Demons was the first international horror I ever watched and it's one of the greatest movies when it comes to makeup . I'm actually surprised with the fact that Hollywood hasn't done a remake 😅 I'm super curious for you to experience the 70s because I believe is a more psychological decade ?
"The Stepfather" has what I feel is arguably one of the more quietly chilling line deliveries in an '80s psychological horror/thriller/drama, when our stepfather slips up while speaking to someone on the phone, his wife hearing him refer to himself by one of his earlier identities. At which point, he has that moment of brain fog, asking himself "Who am I here?" Having been a teenager during the last half of the '80s, yes, there are a slew of underrated gems. Goofy, good-time slaughter-fests, or moody and atmospheric (I'm looking at you, "Ghost Story"), and on and on.
Fun fact actually a lot of 80s slashers were heavily influenced/ copied a lot of Giallo films/ Italian horror movies such as Friday the 13TH is literally a blatant copy of Mario Bavas 70s Giallo film “A Bay of Blood” sometimes F13 even copies that movie shot for shot.
In addition to what an amazing villain Jerry is in The Stepfather, I think Stephanie's an underrated and complex final girl. She's troubled and gets in fights and is a general hot mess.
Graduation Day 1981 is a very underrated slasher. Very low budget but some pretty deep themes of grief and abuse. The low budget definitely shows at times and the kills/effects are not great, but it did fool me through most of the movie. So if it was able to do that, it must have been doing something right.
I was thinking of movies to recommend you but I’m gonna recommend a director for you: Brian DePalma. He’s a member of the move brats and has influenced people like Tarantino, but even though some say he his movies are more like thrillers, he’s definitely made horror movies. Dressed to kill is the first one I recommend. Came out in 1980 and many people say it feels like an American giallo! DePalma swears he’s never seen argentos movies but us horror fans can totally spot the similarities! Great minds you can say haha Blow out is a great one about a sound engineer, played by John Travolta, who gets mixed up in a murder case and tries to do detective work with his sound equipment that recorded the murder. There’s this great running joke of him trying to get a good scream for a horror movie he’s working on but can’t lol Also, if you want to dip your toes into some 70s horror, I recommend these 70s DePalma films: Sisters, The Fury, and Phantom of the Paradise. The latter one isn’t too much horror but it’s a rocking musical film but doesn’t have any musical numbers or anything like that, still awesome! Highly recommend! And of course we already know DePalma is a horror great just for directing Carrie, but he even made another psychic horror right after Carrie with The Fury! You could say it’s a spiritual sequel. My mom even thought it was a Stephen King story but King had nothing to do with the Fury lol it tricked her! Hahaha I think DePalma has made such a career for himself that he may even be worthy of a deep dive! Like I mentioned, some of his movies are not all horror but he’s definitely one to get into from a filmmakers perspective. Some of his later movies aren’t great at all but checking out his 70s and 80s films shows how a respectable director can make good horror.
Night of the Creeps had an alternate ending (which they would usually show on TV or cable, for some reason) look it up, it's pretty cool... Also side note: back in the 80's they were big into retro 50's stuff, which you'll notice in many films and tv shows produced in the 80's... Same way how back in the 90's there was a huge retro explosion for 70's films/stuff, and everyone was going to thrift shops to buy bell bottoms etc. These days everything is 80's (and some 90's) it's a continuous cycle.
Mary Waronov (Chopping Mall) is another actress of note because of her Andy Warhol origins and rejection of mainstream cinema. Look into her more I would suggest. Also, my underrated 80s choice is Terror At Tenkiller. its like Friday the 13th took a bunch of sleeping pills. It's really not great but i absolutely love it because of it's hazy summer vibe. I'm sure you can appreciate the vibes. AND, it's not Tom Atkins in Halloween 3 its Stacy Keach. They are like identical its weird lol.
Kudos for putting Demons on the list. A few months back I was able to see the film with Claudio Simonetti on stage playing the score over at the Redford in Detroit! The same theater in the beginning of the movie It Follows! Also the same theater Evil Dead premiered ❤
Great list of some gems. If you haven't seen them - Hell Night (with Linda Blair), Phantom of The Mall, and Hard Rock Zombies are some more lesser known 80's horror.
I was a kid in the 80s and horror was all we talked about on the playground (mostly lying about movies we hadn't really seen). First time I saw Night of the Creeps and The Toxic Avenger was on USA's Up All Night! and fell in love. Another Troma movie I saw there for the first time was Class of Nuke' EM High. If you have not seen definitely worth a watch. Thanks for your channel and these trips down memory lane. Does my heart good to see young people so tapped in to good and fun horror and still have an appreciation for physical media.
The 80's were the best time to be a teen! Slumber Party Massacre 2 is my favorite of the Slumber Party Massacre movies, Love the Killer Guitar! : ) Chopping Mall is such a fun movie! The Toxic Avenger is such a fun movie, and he is such a Pain in the Arse for one woman! : ) Demons is such a fun movie with a true Red Hairing! : ) Choosing Night of the Creeps as #1 is so cool, "Thrill Me!" : )
Great vid Kylie. John Carpenter is my favourite filmmaker. He did 8 films in the '80s. The horror films are: The Fog, The Thing (a classic), Prince of Darkness and They Live. They Live is a critique of capitalism, Reaganism. Just to go on a bit of a rant: the global warming crisis is directly caused by capitalism/a true horror film. And the people to blame for the climate crisis R the 1 percent. Really a fraction of 1 percent. Through their lifestyles (the likes of Elon Musk, Bill Gates, Taylor Swift own private jets), their investments (Bill Gates has billions "invested" in oil) and the fact that they determine government policy that keeps capitalism going... and thus heading the world toward a true horror film.
Near Dark is a criminally underrated 80s horror movie. Crazy how the director (Kathryn Bigelow) would go on to win an Oscar for The Hurt Locker 20+ years later. Same goes for Peter Jackson's early work. Before LOTR (which he also won an Oscar for) he started in horror (I'm including Dead Alive/Brain Dead despite it coming out in 1992).
Point Break is the only Kathryn Bigelow film that I've seen, it's obviously not horror, but it's still a classic... and Heavenly Creatures and The Frighteners are the only Peter Jackson films I've seen, but Heavenly Creatures (1994) is a really good one, it's a mish-mash of genres, but horror is definitely one of them! It's such a unique and original film, also got an Oscar nom for best original screenplay..
Tom Atkins is the shit. NotC was always my favorite roll of his too. He’s such a badass in that one. The rap in Teen Witch is one of the funniest cringe moments ever
i was born in 2005 so im a fan of modern horror movies (the style, the acting) and never been a fan of older movies. i havent seen many old movies either. but i'll def watch some of those, seems like a great list!
Will have to watch this later, but seeing April Fools Day poster there on the thumb is a good sign, very memorable film for me. Late 80s and early 90s I watched so many 80s horrors when I was house sitting or just with that mate. So many, was good times
Great list Kiley. Demons is a great movie and Demons 2 must be the inspiration for Evil Dead Rise as its also set in a high rise apartment block. Two movies i remember watching and enjoying in the 80s are Evilspeak Mausoleum. I've not seen them since then so they might not be as good as i remember.
For me, the ultimate underrated '80s horror movie is Maximum Overdrive. I say that because Stephen King, the man responsible for it, downplays and disowns it, but I think it's damn near perfect for what it is. It's only trying to be exactly what it's sold as... and that's a movie where machines come to life and indiscriminately kill people. To me, it feels close in-tone to one of King's legitimate movie masterpieces, Creepshow. Pure comic-book fun. I'm calling this a "popcorn and chili-dog flick" because it has that kind of fun, drive-in vibe. This isn't nostalgia talking either because I didn't even see this movie until a few years ago. It's just a full-blown blast.
Do you want some of not too known 80's horror films? Ok...some hidden gems: THE BOOGEYMAN (1980)...THE CHILDREN (1980)...PHOBIA (1980)...IT CAME WITHOUT WARNING (1980)...THE GODSEND (1980)...THE PIT (1981)...SUPERSTITION aka THE WITCH (1982)...NIGHTMARES (1983)...MORTUARY (1983)...THE STUFF (1985)
Great list Kylie! Chopping Mall is good fun. I recommend Intruder (1989) and Maniac Cop (1988) - both great late 80s slashers if you haven't already seen those
So, I'm old. I've seen all of these films, and I must agree MBV is one of the greatest. You did, however, get me with Rush Week, so congrats. You stumped a Gen Xer in our own decade. Nice.
I grew up in the 80s, and this is a solid list. There's actually a couple I haven't seen!! Recs for you: White: Melody of Death. This is a 2011 S Korean horror film about a Kpop girl group who finds an old video of an unreleased song. If course the song is cursed. If you haven't seen Train to Busan, watch it now. It is tied at first place as my favorite zombie film. Last for S Korea is The Host. Fantastic creature feature.
Humanoids from the Deep - They remade this in 1996 as part of Roger Corman Presents on Showtime. The original was better. April Fool's Day - I LOVE this movie. Despite the horror elements, it makes me wish that I had known people like this, and participated in group weekend getaways. Because if you remove the horror, it looked like they would have had a really enjoyable time. Chopping Mall - Love the movie, hate the title. They should have stuck with Killbots. The Stepfather - I think the best scene of the movie is when he gets confused over what name he's using, his new wife jogs his memory by saying his current name, he smiles contentedly, then bashes her in the face with the phone, calmly hangs it up, and asks if she's alright. O'Quinn does a fantastic job of playing a psycho. Night of the Creeps - Is there really any question about his best line? "I've got good news and bad news girls. The good news is your dates are here. The bad news is, they're dead."
if you haven't watched "Witchery" that's a great 80's "underated gem" ,imo. it also has an older linda blair. that movie messed me up when i was a kid lol.and American Gothic as well, if you haven't heard of it. love that your number 1 was "Night Of the Creeps" such an amazing film not many ppl speak of. also, im new to your channel so i might have missed if you have done this already.... any vids/opinions on "The Puppet Master" franchise? or The Amityville Horror Franchise? great vids, always entertaining to watch
I'd highly recommend Society if you haven't seen it already. Also a great satire of regan's america. The climax near the end is definitely something to say the least lmao
Yeah, I hope you do this for every decade. I added 3 of these to my Letterboxd. Teen Witch, Rush Week and The Stepfather. I've heard of The Stepfather movies before though. I've seen the rest. I need to rewatch Night of the Creeps and The Toxic Avenger though. Some '80's horror movies I haven't mentioned before : The Gate - Traumatised me as a child Killer Workout - Best '80's exersice horror that I've seen The Brain - If Videodrome was dumber and trashier haha Deathstalker 2 - A dark fantasy movie with some cool horror scenes. It's funny, spooky and Monique Gabrielle plays two wildly different roles. I think she's great. Also you can just skip the first one. I liked the first one but just barely. Deathstalker 2 is waay better! It's also a reboot. And it's directed by Jim Wynorski who directed Chopping Mall. Recently watched this and loved it! It's more of a parody of a fantasy movie than an actual fantasy movie. Very self-referencial humor. Marvel didn't invent "Marvel humor" they just stole it from old movies like these. It's literally the same humor. And main guy Deathstalker (It's his actual name!) is basically Star Lord. He's a charming rogue who just wants to be famous. I'm convinced James Gunn ripped this movie off for Guardians of the Galaxy. They are so freaking similar. Shudder just put the first two Deathstalker movies up. The second one is the one you want though.
Bruh the whole time I was watching this list I was like where is “ Night of the creeps” and there it was at umber 1 😍 agreed! Also maniac cop is underrated 80s horror in case you haven’t seen it. Great list and content 🔥
I'd certainly agree that the 80's were the best decade for horror movies, but while I'll readily admit that it's completely subjective, when you factor in the phenomenal action, sci-fi, fantasy, and martial arts movies (Robocop, Bladerunner, Aliens, Arnie's output, Jackie Chan's heyday etc etc) you're going to have a very hard time convincing me that there was ever a single better decade in the history of cinema. Truly a glorious time.
I agree the 80s had the BEST horror movies
My favorites 70 , 80 and 90
I personly think Dolls (1987) is another underrated 80s horror movie, watch it if you haven't already
That was legit the first ever horror movie I’ve watched
Humanoids From the Deep is a fave of mine too. On that note, THAT's something unique about the 80's - it was kind of THE decade of RAPE horror flicks. Like besides HFtD there's also The Entity, The Beast within, Inseminoid, Xtro, Night of the Demon, The Incubus, and Galaxy of Terror. And if you wana go even further back (pre-80's) then there's Multiple Maniacs, Grave of the Vampire, and the original I spit On Your Grave. So, quite an unheralded phenomenon there.
I saw Humanoids From The Deep (by it's alternative title of "Monster" in a social club with my parents when I was about 12. Re-watching it, I realised that it starred Doug McClure from the Land That Time Forgot. However the sexual assault was more than implied, as the movie closes with one of the victims giving "birth" to one of the monsters offspring.
I love 80's horror, but I also liked Lights Out. 8o's horror had such a wide and extreme range of horror. Plus in my opinion it was the heyday of practical effects. Watch " In search of Darkness 1, 2, and 3 to really see how many great movies were made in the 80's. The number is astounding.
80s was my favorite Era of horror films. I was a little kid in the 80s.
Great list, here is my list…
10. Chopping Mall
9. Death Spa
8. Stage Fright (1987)
7. My Bloody Valentine
6. Society
5. The Burning
4. The Stepfather
3. The Slumber Party Massacre
2. Night of the Demons
1. Pieces
BIG props for Pieces and Death Spa.
Chopping Mall is so much fun and I love Night of The Demons..great list some classics
Death Spa deserves some attention, nice
My bloody valentine is a great movie
Love my Bloody Valentine. Watch it every Valentine's Day. I am with you on Night of the Creeps being #1. Tom Atkins is awesome. "Thrill Me!"
The Blob. The Fly. The Thing
The holy trinity of 80s remake perfection.
Definitely.
All your analyses are so thorough and you don't waste words. I honestly think you're the best horror movie reviewer out there. Can't imagine anyone not enjoying this.
Not to mention you're drop dead gorgeous.
This was a great list. A few more underrated 80s horror films, all from the year 1980, include Terror Train (starring Jamie Lee Curtis), He Knows You're Alone (first film appearance by some guy called Tom Hanks), the criminally underrated Motel Hell, and the beautiful pile of "what exactly did I just watch" known as Happy Birthday to Me.
I love your picks! If you’re looking for any more underrated 80s horror I HIGHLY recommend “Just Before Dawn.”
Noted!
Gen X’er here, I absolutely ❤ your list. A lot of really good under the radar flicks. You really surprised me with demons. I’ve never heard of rush week but I will definitely seek it out. Very impressed with your knowledge and respect for those genre greats like Barbara Crampton and Tom Atkins. Keep up the great work.
Glad you enjoyed!
I love your taste in 80’s horror. Especially Night of the Creeps, Demons, and My Bloody Valentine. I remember them and I love them. Especially your number one. The lawnmower scene is awesome!! I’m new to your Channel, but I think you’re awesome.
Glad to have you!
Teen Witch was my jam when I was but a wee child in late 80s. I thought Robin Lively was just the coolest girl ever!
Fun facts: Robin Lively is Blake Livelys older half sister. And the actors who played Brad and Randa are married in real life ❤
Oh whaaaaat
@@HauntedHippie Yuuuuup! My mind was blown by both of those 🤯
Great list! I want to get more into 80s horror, I've watched a bunch last year and discovered some new favourites, like The Thing, The Lost Boys, Halloween 4, A Nightmare on Elm Street 4, Demons, Gremlins (all first-time watches for me 😊)
amazing! so happy to hear it!
Hands down my favorite underrated horror movie of the 80’s is “The Changeling”. A slow burn ghost story with a creepy atmosphere and fantastic acting
I need to see a 90’s video no question ! Fantastic video Kiley I do need to start checking out older horror movies no doubt .
Hey one of your humble followers here, I believe you love 80's horror? Well I just watched this flick called The Wraith. It has a very young Charlie Sheen in it, and I also recognized the guy playing the sheriff. I liked it and found it interesting. Ok just read the description it's more of an Action Fantasy, my bad lol but it has horror elements? Lol 😊
The Wraith is such a cool and fun movie!
@@shallendor Yeah it was, I need to own it lol.
Funny thing about Night of the Creeps. For me, I watched it growing up but it was recorded from tv on a vhs and it started already in the 80s. I didn’t know about the whole aliens from space part until I bought it on dvd years later.
Just Before Dawn and House on Sorority Row are two I always recommend. Good slashers that came out before the trend took off and they became cheesy.
Stage Fright and The Intruder are two that came out towards the later 80s that are also really good
I agree with all these recs.
New here. 80s horror lovers and experienced these movies are usually Gen Xer’s. We aren’t boomers… love your work.
Very true!
I stumbled across your video randomly. I'm a huge 80s horror movie fan and your choices were some of my favorites, Chopping Mall is the one I mostly tell people about simply because of the exploding head scene. Love the video. Fantastic job!
Welcome!
70s horror is a real standout. It had a gritty realistic quality that most horror doesn't have. If you haven't seen Salo or the 120 Days of Sodom, I dare you to watch it. Being Satan's daughter, you should enjoy it.
Thanks, that was a nice list. Most of them I have heard about or seen on TV ages ago, but definitely also a few hidden gems I never heard about before now. Here are my underrated 80's horror recommendations (in no particular order): Basket Case; The Pit; The Entity; The Hidden; Slugs.
OH! I totally forgot Poison for the Fairies. This really is a must see and a totally unique experience. And while I'm at it, Ken Russel's Lair of the White Worm (with a young Hugh Grant), and the bit more popular (and arguably better) Ken Russel film Altered States. And if you like Basket Case, maybe check out Brain Damage as well. And did you see the Lovecraftian classic From Beyond? Oh, what a decade...
The 80s were the years of excess and it absolutely shows in the horror genre in the best way. Fantastic video as usual!
Edit: Near Dark is my top underrated horror film of the 80s. I'm always so surprised at how many people haven't seen it.
I love that you included Christmas Evil!!
Black Christmas, Silent Night Deadly Night, and Christmas Evil are my unofficial Christmas horror trilogy.
Black Christmas is awesome!
Puppet Master, Slugs, Creepshow, The Gate, Phantasm... Bit earlier but i watched first in 80s... April Fools Day, Lair of the White Worm, and Society... Both stand out still to me as being bit strange.
For me the 80s definitely was the best horrors, seems were so many, and a lot of practical effects still of course.
I'd started collecting Fangoria and Gorezone and flicking throigh those with a school mate who loved his horrors, and would feature older films from 80s too. Plus those early 90s we'd be in the video shop renting 80s VHS, on my mates mum's membership card of course 👌
Phantasm 🫶
My favorite 80s slasher movies (excluding the ones from some famous franchises) are:
1) Nightmare Beach (1981) - directed by a great italian director Umberto Lenzi. Very fun with some interesting kills. A masked biker goes on a killing spree during spring break in Florida.
2) Edge of the Axe (1988) - I really like this one. I don't wanna be a spoiler.
3) Hospital Massacre (1982) - also known as X-Ray.
4) Prowler (1981)
5) Slaughter High (1986) - some of the murders are quite gruesome and yet the movie is very fun.
6) Nightmare (1981) - the movie was so controversial in the UK that the distributor received an 18 month prison sentence for refusing to edit one second of violent footage
7) The Initiation (1984) - a shopping mall slasher.
8) Chopping Mall (1986) - another shopping mall slasher.
9) Phantom of the Mall: Eric's Revenge (1989) - another one.
10) Night Screams (1987)
11) Clownhouse (1989) - I was scared by this movie as a kid and scared by clowns... The director is a convicted pa*dophile who actually forced the 12-year old kid (the one who played the main character in the movie) to do... Some really nasty stuff.
12) Nothing Underneath (1985)
13) Graduation Day (1981).
If you haven't seen some of them, believe me you should give it a try.
Great list! Loved this! And yes I hope you do more underrated movie lists. Also hope things have been doing well with your short horror film.
Weekend one went great! Will be updating the patrons this week
@@HauntedHippie That's great to hear! I seriously gotta join your patreon for updates and all your other bonus content. But excited to hear the amazing stuff you're doing
Great list! Pretty much agree with everything, and I would definitely include Dario Argento's "Phenomena". One of the most underrated of the 90s, "Cemetery Man", just got added to Shudder. And I definitely would enjoy a 90s list in the same style. 🖤
Some underrated 80’s horror movies are Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2, Life-force which Tobey Hooper directed, Phantasm 2, Shocker, My Bloody Valentine, Blood rage, Day of the Dead, From Beyond, Critters, Night of the creeps, The Monster Squad, and probably a few others that I can’t think of at the moment.
You should be a metal head
Big big props for Blood Rage!
@@jaydoubleu3419I listen to a few mostly from the 80’s and I noticed Sammi Curr from Trick or Treat definitely underrated
@@kroagw06it’s a good one
@@dantecarpenter6202 it’s coming out on bluray this spring I hope
Trick or Treat 1986
I really got into horror fantasy when I was a kid in the 80's. Dolls, A Company of Wolves, and Troll were some of my favorites. So happy you included April Fool's Day! We rented that one from the video store and it is fantastic!
70s. Uncut 'Cannibal Holocaust'. You will need a whole show just for this one movie. The music, the content, the message and the court case.
Great list! I grew up in the 80's and it is my favorite era for lots of things, especially music and horror. With that said, I had never heard of Rush Week. I will need to check it out.
Best underrated 80s Horror movies for me...
10) Phantasm II
09) Invaders from Mars
08) Night of the Comet
07) The Gate
06) The Fly
05) Killer Klowns from Outer Space
04) Deadly Friend
03) Demons
02) The Blob
01) Night of the Creeps
Some might not be so underrated but if you was not around in the 80s you might not have seen them.
My favorite 80s Horror movies
Honorable mention
*Aliens
*The Lost Boys
* A Nightmare in Elm Street 3
*Dawn of the Dead
*Friday the 13th part 4
10)The Evil Dead
09)Silver Bullet
08) Friday the 13th
07) Poltergeist
06) Halloween 4
05) Return of the living Dead
04) Hellraiser
03) The Shining
02) The Thing
01) A Nightmare on Elm Street
Great list here’s mine….
1: ANGUISH (1987)
2: STREET TRASH (1987)
3: DOLLS (1987)
4: NEXT OF KIN (1982)
5: SANTA SANGRE (1989)
6: HELLO MARY LOU: PROM NIGHT II (1987)
7: THE STUFF (1985)
8: EVIL DEAD TRAP (1988)
9: PSYCHO II (1983)
10: THE ENTITY (1982)
I mean I could go on forever the 80’s was the greatest I’ve done a top 50 A tier list Top 50 B tier list and top 50 C tier list in Letterboxed. That’s how strong the decade was.
Big props on that Psycho II inclusion!
80's era is the best horror era, it's just filled with classics. I discovered horror films with Poltergeist, Day of The Dead and Evil Dead, so yeah 80's feels special! Then I dove into indy films. Can't wait for a 90's video! I remember seeing a flick about a group of tourists going to Mexico, with a possessed woman locked in a room, and zombies in a cave by the ending. Saw it when I was just a kid and I've been looking for that film for YEARS without finding anything. It definitely felt 90's and it got stuck in my mind for some reason. Love your content by the way. ✋🍻
Trick or Treat-1986
Marc Price
Happy Birthday to Me- Mellisa Sue Anderson
Deadly Friend-Kristy Swanson
Killer Clowns From Outer space
Fun list Kylie! I have a love-hate relationship with 80s horror.. I love the "mindless slashers" and the overall vibes of the genre in the decade.. I just personally have never been a fan of the "gross" special effects despite how impressive they are, which is why I never really cared for the OG Evil Dead films for example..
One underrated and ultimately forgotten film is Little Monsters (1989).. it's more geared towards kids, but it's actually pretty scary and messed up for a kids film, I loved it when I was younger.. it also has a cool and unique aesthetic.. it stars Fred Savage, Howie Mandel, Daniel Stern and Ben Savage..
Now this film is truly underrated, I might've mentioned it here before, but it's called Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer.. now I'm officially not recommending it to really anyone here only because it has one scene that is literally one of the most disturbing ever, no hyperbole, but it's ultimately not gratuitous and serves a purpose, it's just too extreme and realistic.. but besides that it's an exceptionally well made film.. it's based on serial killer Henry Lee Lucas.. it's ultimately a character study done in a gritty and artistic manner.. it only had a 100K budget but it feels like a million dollars, the director sure made the best of whatever resources were available.. it premiered in 1986 but was too controversial.. it did the film festival circuit throughout the 80s until Roger Ebert saw it in 1989 and gave it a positive review which garnered the film attention.. studios were interested but the MPAA rated it X and wouldn't give it an R rating.. Ebert "fought" for the film.. it was finally released in theaters in 1990.. Michael Rooker's debut and he's incredible.. Tom Towles and Tracy Arnold are great too.. it's a respected and critically acclaimed film with lots of merit, but it's grimey with bad vibes the whole way through, so once again I'm not saying that it's a must see, but it's a true horror film and it's underrated and from the 80s, so it seems appropriate to bring it up lol.. hope you had fun and all is going well with your project!
Vestron Video put out a collector's Blu of Little Monsters, and I am sad to report that it did not still work for me... but holy cow was this ever a formative movie for me. I feel like it absolutely shaped my personality. I remember being legitimately sad as a child that I couldn't live in the world of this movie. If nostalgia alone could save a movie for me, this would be in my top 10 for sure. I'm thrilled that it still has its fans though!
@@kroagw06 I haven't seen it in ages although I'll watch some clips on RUclips once in a blue moon.. but yeah it's an extremely nostalgic one for me too!
@@BB13131313 I think part of why I never liked Monsters Inc. was because of Little Monsters. Monsters Inc. is like the rich man’s Little Monsters 😅
Stephen King's Silver Bullet has to be one of the most underrated 80s horror movies. It's a fun and great horror movie and one of the best Werewolf movies, in my opinion. Everybody talks about American Werewolf in London and The Howling but hardly anyone mentions Silver Bullet and I prefer it over both The Howling and American Werewolf in London.
As one of the Olds that grew up in this era, I'm always interested in how younger generations appreciate these films. You did a great job with these selections. "Thrill me."
Yes! This is so rad to shout out some underrated gems of the 80s! Definitely a solid list for anyone who needs more 80s horror in their life after watching the basics.
I was born in the 90s so it’s not like I really grew up with these movies but I watch a lot of horror docs/countdown lists and it always seems to be the movies from the 80s that are the most fun and iconic. I’m with you in that I was born in the wrong generation too hahaha
80s movies definitely had the best real practical effects and there must’ve been some magic in the air to have a decade of iconic horror characters basically take over the world and replace the previous generation of monsters (Frankenstein, Dracula, etc.)
Plus I have the trilogy of In Search of Darkness, which is all about the 80s horror! All three are in shudder and each entry is over 5 hours long! Just shows how much there is to talk about them! I highly recommend them and they’re all steaming on shudder! Plus All the movies on your list are spotlighted in them too!
Thank you again for making another 80s centric horror list! Hate to say that the boomers are right but the 80s truly will never die! Hope you do more underrated lists in the future!
Also, Tom Atkins said that night of the creeps is his favorite role! His best lines are “thrill me”, “it’s miller time!” And
“I’ve got good news for you girls, looks like your dates are here”
“What’s the bad news?”
“They’re dead!”
You called it with that last line!! So classic
@@HauntedHippie that was Tom’s favorite line too! So iconic!
Another film worth mentioning - though I'd argue it's more underseen than underrated - is _Angst_ from 1983. It's a German film, and it's absolutely excellent. I'd go as far to say that it's one of the most chilling, disturbing horror film of all time.
Demons and Demons 2 are one of my all time favourites 🥶
- Return of the living dead franchise is super underated for zombie films
I haven’t watched most of these films but I’m so hyped to check : demons , April’s fool day and chopping mall . YESSS for the mention to the stepfather . My second fave from this decade . Although I still think the 2010s is the best decade . I love how the 80s really gave a meaning to vfx practical effects . Excited for the 90s version of this
I feel like The Stepfather (1987) and Lifeforce as both two very underrated 80s horror movies i mean well Lifeforce is starting to get more attention I'm starting to see more RUclipsrs cover Lifeforce but The Stepfather (1987) barely anyone talks about this movie either on RUclips or anywhere else and this movie is great: Edit: oh shit you just mentioned The Stepfather well I'm an idiot 😂
I love Lifeforce. But, who doesn't love naked, space-vampires.
Demons was the first international horror I ever watched and it's one of the greatest movies when it comes to makeup . I'm actually surprised with the fact that Hollywood hasn't done a remake 😅 I'm super curious for you to experience the 70s because I believe is a more psychological decade ?
"The Stepfather" has what I feel is arguably one of the more quietly chilling line deliveries in an '80s psychological horror/thriller/drama, when our stepfather slips up while speaking to someone on the phone, his wife hearing him refer to himself by one of his earlier identities. At which point, he has that moment of brain fog, asking himself "Who am I here?"
Having been a teenager during the last half of the '80s, yes, there are a slew of underrated gems. Goofy, good-time slaughter-fests, or moody and atmospheric (I'm looking at you, "Ghost Story"), and on and on.
Interestingly enough, they actually filmed The Stepfather in 1985 but didn't release it until 1987.
Fun fact actually a lot of 80s slashers were heavily influenced/ copied a lot of Giallo films/ Italian horror movies such as Friday the 13TH is literally a blatant copy of Mario Bavas 70s Giallo film “A Bay of Blood” sometimes F13 even copies that movie shot for shot.
In addition to what an amazing villain Jerry is in The Stepfather, I think Stephanie's an underrated and complex final girl. She's troubled and gets in fights and is a general hot mess.
Graduation Day 1981 is a very underrated slasher. Very low budget but some pretty deep themes of grief and abuse. The low budget definitely shows at times and the kills/effects are not great, but it did fool me through most of the movie. So if it was able to do that, it must have been doing something right.
The 80s will never die great list of 80s horror movies
I was thinking of movies to recommend you but I’m gonna recommend a director for you: Brian DePalma. He’s a member of the move brats and has influenced people like Tarantino, but even though some say he his movies are more like thrillers, he’s definitely made horror movies.
Dressed to kill is the first one I recommend. Came out in 1980 and many people say it feels like an American giallo! DePalma swears he’s never seen argentos movies but us horror fans can totally spot the similarities! Great minds you can say haha
Blow out is a great one about a sound engineer, played by John Travolta, who gets mixed up in a murder case and tries to do detective work with his sound equipment that recorded the murder. There’s this great running joke of him trying to get a good scream for a horror movie he’s working on but can’t lol
Also, if you want to dip your toes into some 70s horror, I recommend these 70s DePalma films: Sisters, The Fury, and Phantom of the Paradise. The latter one isn’t too much horror but it’s a rocking musical film but doesn’t have any musical numbers or anything like that, still awesome! Highly recommend!
And of course we already know DePalma is a horror great just for directing Carrie, but he even made another psychic horror right after Carrie with The Fury! You could say it’s a spiritual sequel. My mom even thought it was a Stephen King story but King had nothing to do with the Fury lol it tricked her! Hahaha
I think DePalma has made such a career for himself that he may even be worthy of a deep dive! Like I mentioned, some of his movies are not all horror but he’s definitely one to get into from a filmmakers perspective. Some of his later movies aren’t great at all but checking out his 70s and 80s films shows how a respectable director can make good horror.
Night of the Creeps had an alternate ending (which they would usually show on TV or cable, for some reason) look it up, it's pretty cool... Also side note: back in the 80's they were big into retro 50's stuff, which you'll notice in many films and tv shows produced in the 80's... Same way how back in the 90's there was a huge retro explosion for 70's films/stuff, and everyone was going to thrift shops to buy bell bottoms etc. These days everything is 80's (and some 90's) it's a continuous cycle.
Not a boomer, but I agree. The 80s was packed full of horror creativity and legendary horror films. I was born in 1980.
Mary Waronov (Chopping Mall) is another actress of note because of her Andy Warhol origins and rejection of mainstream cinema. Look into her more I would suggest.
Also, my underrated 80s choice is Terror At Tenkiller. its like Friday the 13th took a bunch of sleeping pills. It's really not great but i absolutely love it because of it's hazy summer vibe. I'm sure you can appreciate the vibes.
AND, it's not Tom Atkins in Halloween 3 its Stacy Keach. They are like identical its weird lol.
Kudos for putting Demons on the list. A few months back I was able to see the film with Claudio Simonetti on stage playing the score over at the Redford in Detroit! The same theater in the beginning of the movie It Follows! Also the same theater Evil Dead premiered ❤
Brain damage,neon maniacs,black roses, frankenhooker, phantom of the mall Erica revenge. are some cool 80’s horror
Demons is a great mix of crazy and arty vibes. It also has a well used needle drop with Accept's Fast as a Shark.
Great list of some gems.
If you haven't seen them - Hell Night (with Linda Blair), Phantom of The Mall, and Hard Rock Zombies are some more lesser known 80's horror.
Some good picks. Company of Wolves is an underrated horror from the 80s I'd say. Rewatched it recently, bit of a gem.
I was a kid in the 80s and horror was all we talked about on the playground (mostly lying about movies we hadn't really seen). First time I saw Night of the Creeps and The Toxic Avenger was on USA's Up All Night! and fell in love. Another Troma movie I saw there for the first time was Class of Nuke' EM High. If you have not seen definitely worth a watch. Thanks for your channel and these trips down memory lane. Does my heart good to see young people so tapped in to good and fun horror and still have an appreciation for physical media.
The 80's were the best time to be a teen!
Slumber Party Massacre 2 is my favorite of the Slumber Party Massacre movies, Love the Killer Guitar! : )
Chopping Mall is such a fun movie!
The Toxic Avenger is such a fun movie, and he is such a Pain in the Arse for one woman! : )
Demons is such a fun movie with a true Red Hairing! : )
Choosing Night of the Creeps as #1 is so cool, "Thrill Me!" : )
Slumber party massacre 2 is a fav of mine, love the fun cheesiness of it
Great vid Kylie. John Carpenter is my favourite filmmaker. He did 8 films in the '80s. The horror films are: The Fog, The Thing (a classic), Prince of Darkness and They Live. They Live is a critique of capitalism, Reaganism.
Just to go on a bit of a rant: the global warming crisis is directly caused by capitalism/a true horror film. And the people to blame for the climate crisis R the 1 percent. Really a fraction of 1 percent. Through their lifestyles (the likes of Elon Musk, Bill Gates, Taylor Swift own private jets), their investments (Bill Gates has billions "invested" in oil) and the fact that they determine government policy that keeps capitalism going... and thus heading the world toward a true horror film.
The 80s to horror is what the renaissance was to art.
TOP THAT! Yes, please, more underrated movies! How about Night of the Demons (1988)? Linnea Quigley!
Also, "Trick or Treat" which I LOVE!
Demons I & II are top notch cult classic! And the 80s is the best era of horror movies.
Near Dark is a criminally underrated 80s horror movie. Crazy how the director (Kathryn Bigelow) would go on to win an Oscar for The Hurt Locker 20+ years later.
Same goes for Peter Jackson's early work. Before LOTR (which he also won an Oscar for) he started in horror (I'm including Dead Alive/Brain Dead despite it coming out in 1992).
Point Break is the only Kathryn Bigelow film that I've seen, it's obviously not horror, but it's still a classic... and Heavenly Creatures and The Frighteners are the only Peter Jackson films I've seen, but Heavenly Creatures (1994) is a really good one, it's a mish-mash of genres, but horror is definitely one of them! It's such a unique and original film, also got an Oscar nom for best original screenplay..
The 80s is my favorite decade of horror, and I’m a 2000s kid! Something about the 80s I just adore!
Night of the Creeps is maybe the most fun I’ve had watching an 80’s horror movie. Aliens, zombies and Tom Atkins. What more could I ask for?
Tom Atkins is the shit. NotC was always my favorite roll of his too. He’s such a badass in that one.
The rap in Teen Witch is one of the funniest cringe moments ever
Like why does it randomly become a musical
i was born in 2005 so im a fan of modern horror movies (the style, the acting) and never been a fan of older movies. i havent seen many old movies either. but i'll def watch some of those, seems like a great list!
Will have to watch this later, but seeing April Fools Day poster there on the thumb is a good sign, very memorable film for me. Late 80s and early 90s I watched so many 80s horrors when I was house sitting or just with that mate. So many, was good times
Someone mentioned Happy Birthday to Me. So good, definitely recommend.
I'm not sure if they are underrated or not but Fright Night and The Hazing were 2 of my favorites. Worth checking out if you haven't seen them.
Great list Kiley. Demons is a great movie and Demons 2 must be the inspiration for Evil Dead Rise as its also set in a high rise apartment block. Two movies i remember watching and enjoying in the 80s are
Evilspeak
Mausoleum. I've not seen them since then so they might not be as good as i remember.
For me, the ultimate underrated '80s horror movie is Maximum Overdrive. I say that because Stephen King, the man responsible for it, downplays and disowns it, but I think it's damn near perfect for what it is. It's only trying to be exactly what it's sold as... and that's a movie where machines come to life and indiscriminately kill people. To me, it feels close in-tone to one of King's legitimate movie masterpieces, Creepshow. Pure comic-book fun. I'm calling this a "popcorn and chili-dog flick" because it has that kind of fun, drive-in vibe. This isn't nostalgia talking either because I didn't even see this movie until a few years ago. It's just a full-blown blast.
Do you want some of not too known 80's horror films? Ok...some hidden gems: THE BOOGEYMAN (1980)...THE CHILDREN (1980)...PHOBIA (1980)...IT CAME WITHOUT WARNING (1980)...THE GODSEND (1980)...THE PIT (1981)...SUPERSTITION aka THE WITCH (1982)...NIGHTMARES (1983)...MORTUARY (1983)...THE STUFF (1985)
Booby Trap was off the Killer Klowns EP, an absolute bop but i believe it didnt feature in the movie.
Great list Kylie! Chopping Mall is good fun. I recommend Intruder (1989) and Maniac Cop (1988) - both great late 80s slashers if you haven't already seen those
Glad to know i knew some of these already being the weird horror kid in high school back in 2015 who obsessively looked for horror movies
“The good news is your dates are here. The bad news is they’re dead”
!!!
I personally would love to see you do a franchise deep dive of the 4 stepfather movies. Terry O Quinn gives Jack Nicholson a run for his money!
So, I'm old. I've seen all of these films, and I must agree MBV is one of the greatest. You did, however, get me with Rush Week, so congrats. You stumped a Gen Xer in our own decade. Nice.
Oo hope you check it out!
great picks!!! 70s horror is dope, defo looking forward to that!!
The Toxic Avenger was filmed in the town I live in. I have watched it many times.
Two good horror movies i think you guys should give it a try would be Brainscan 1994 and VideoDrome 1983
The 80's were the best decade for movies altogether.
Slaughter High is one you should check out from the 80’s!
I grew up in the 80s, and this is a solid list. There's actually a couple I haven't seen!!
Recs for you: White: Melody of Death. This is a 2011 S Korean horror film about a Kpop girl group who finds an old video of an unreleased song. If course the song is cursed.
If you haven't seen Train to Busan, watch it now. It is tied at first place as my favorite zombie film.
Last for S Korea is The Host. Fantastic creature feature.
Train to Busan is the gold standard indead
Humanoids from the Deep - They remade this in 1996 as part of Roger Corman Presents on Showtime. The original was better.
April Fool's Day - I LOVE this movie. Despite the horror elements, it makes me wish that I had known people like this, and participated in group weekend getaways. Because if you remove the horror, it looked like they would have had a really enjoyable time.
Chopping Mall - Love the movie, hate the title. They should have stuck with Killbots.
The Stepfather - I think the best scene of the movie is when he gets confused over what name he's using, his new wife jogs his memory by saying his current name, he smiles contentedly, then bashes her in the face with the phone, calmly hangs it up, and asks if she's alright. O'Quinn does a fantastic job of playing a psycho.
Night of the Creeps - Is there really any question about his best line? "I've got good news and bad news girls. The good news is your dates are here. The bad news is, they're dead."
if you haven't watched "Witchery" that's a great 80's "underated gem" ,imo. it also has an older linda blair. that movie messed me up when i was a kid lol.and American Gothic as well, if you haven't heard of it. love that your number 1 was "Night Of the Creeps" such an amazing film not many ppl speak of. also, im new to your channel so i might have missed if you have done this already.... any vids/opinions on "The Puppet Master" franchise? or The Amityville Horror Franchise? great vids, always entertaining to watch
I would like to add Cheerleader Camp, The Midnight Hour, Vamp and Maniac Cop. Thanks for a great list!
to be a kid in the 80s watching these films in theaters 🥹
The driller killer is still the funniest slasher/ killer of all time.😂😂 Hilarious.
I'd highly recommend Society if you haven't seen it already. Also a great satire of regan's america. The climax near the end is definitely something to say the least lmao
Yeah, I hope you do this for every decade. I added 3 of these to my Letterboxd. Teen Witch, Rush Week and The Stepfather. I've heard of The Stepfather movies before though. I've seen the rest. I need to rewatch Night of the Creeps and The Toxic Avenger though.
Some '80's horror movies I haven't mentioned before :
The Gate - Traumatised me as a child
Killer Workout - Best '80's exersice horror that I've seen
The Brain - If Videodrome was dumber and trashier haha
Deathstalker 2 - A dark fantasy movie with some cool horror scenes. It's funny, spooky and Monique Gabrielle plays two wildly different roles. I think she's great. Also you can just skip the first one. I liked the first one but just barely. Deathstalker 2 is waay better! It's also a reboot. And it's directed by Jim Wynorski who directed Chopping Mall. Recently watched this and loved it! It's more of a parody of a fantasy movie than an actual fantasy movie. Very self-referencial humor. Marvel didn't invent "Marvel humor" they just stole it from old movies like these. It's literally the same humor. And main guy Deathstalker (It's his actual name!) is basically Star Lord. He's a charming rogue who just wants to be famous. I'm convinced James Gunn ripped this movie off for Guardians of the Galaxy. They are so freaking similar. Shudder just put the first two Deathstalker movies up. The second one is the one you want though.
oo those sound right up my alley thank you!
Bruh the whole time I was watching this list I was like where is “ Night of the creeps” and there it was at umber 1 😍 agreed! Also maniac cop is underrated 80s horror in case you haven’t seen it. Great list and content 🔥
I'd certainly agree that the 80's were the best decade for horror movies, but while I'll readily admit that it's completely subjective, when you factor in the phenomenal action, sci-fi, fantasy, and martial arts movies (Robocop, Bladerunner, Aliens, Arnie's output, Jackie Chan's heyday etc etc) you're going to have a very hard time convincing me that there was ever a single better decade in the history of cinema. Truly a glorious time.