The 97 Best Horror Movies of the 1980s | Rotten Tomatoes

(Photo by New Line Cinema/Courtesy Everett Collection)

97 Best ’80s Horror Movies

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! —Alex Vo

Best ’70s Horror Movies | Best ’90s Horror Movies
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200 Best Horror Movies of All Time | Best Horror Movies of 2023
#1

Aliens (1986)
98%

#1
Adjusted Score: 106953%
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]
Starring: Sigourney Weaver, Carrie Henn, Michael Biehn, Paul Reiser
Directed By: James Cameron

#2
#2
Adjusted Score: 99911%
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]
Starring: John Saxon, Ronee Blakley, Heather Langenkamp, Amanda Wyss
Directed By: Wes Craven

#3

Re-Animator (1985)
94%

#3
Adjusted Score: 99908%
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]
Starring: Jeffrey Combs, Bruce Abbott, Barbara Crampton, David Gale
Directed By: Stuart Gordon

#4

The Fly (1986)
93%

#4
Adjusted Score: 100580%
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]
Starring: Jeff Goldblum, Geena Davis, John Getz, Joy Boushel
Directed By: David Cronenberg

#5
#5
Adjusted Score: 94889%
Critics Consensus: A punk take on the zombie genre, The Return of the Living Dead injects a healthy dose of '80s silliness to the flesh-consuming.
Synopsis: When foreman Frank (James Karen) shows new employee Freddy (Thom Mathews) a secret military experiment in a supply warehouse, the... [More]
Starring: Clu Gulager, James Karen, Don Calfa, Thom Mathews
Directed By: Dan O'Bannon

#6
#6
Adjusted Score: 96181%
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]
Starring: Rick Moranis, Ellen Greene, Steve Martin, Vincent Gardenia
Directed By: Frank Oz

#7
#7
Adjusted Score: 95061%
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]
Starring: David Naughton, Jenny Agutter, Griffin Dunne, John Woodvine
Directed By: John Landis

#8
#8
Adjusted Score: 95436%
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]
Starring: Michael Rooker, Tracy Arnold, Tom Towles, Anne Bartoletti
Directed By: John McNaughton

#9

The Dead Zone (1983)
89%

#9
Adjusted Score: 94204%
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]
Starring: Christopher Walken, Brooke Adams, Tom Skerritt, Herbert Lom
Directed By: David Cronenberg

#10

Evil Dead 2 (1987)
88%

#10
Adjusted Score: 95711%
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]
Starring: Bruce Campbell, Sarah Berry, Dan Hicks, Denise Bixler
Directed By: Sam Raimi

#11

Poltergeist (1982)
88%

#11
Adjusted Score: 95587%
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]
Starring: Craig T. Nelson, JoBeth Williams, Beatrice Straight, Dominique Dunne
Directed By: Tobe Hooper

#12

The Evil Dead (1981)
86%

#12
Adjusted Score: 94127%
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]
Starring: Bruce Campbell, Ellen Sandweiss, Betsy Baker, Richard DeManincor
Directed By: Sam Raimi

#13

Gremlins (1984)
86%

#13
Adjusted Score: 93162%
Critics Consensus: Whether you choose to see it as a statement on consumer culture or simply a special effects-heavy popcorn flick, Gremlins is a minor classic.
Synopsis: A gadget salesman is looking for a special gift for his son and finds one at a store in Chinatown.... [More]
Starring: Zach Galligan, Phoebe Cates, Hoyt Axton, Frances Lee McCain
Directed By: Joe Dante

#14

Santa Sangre (1989)
86%

#14
Adjusted Score: 89536%
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]
Starring: Axel Jodorowsky, Blanca Guerra, Guy Stockwell, Sabrina Dennison
Directed By: Alejandro Jodorowsky

#15

Day of the Dead (1985)
87%

#15
Adjusted Score: 90782%
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]
Starring: Lori Cardille, Terence Alexander, Joseph Pilato, Jarlath Conroy
Directed By: George A. Romero

#16

They Live (1988)
86%

#16
Adjusted Score: 92415%
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]
Starring: Roddy Piper, Keith David, Meg Foster, George "Buck" Flower
Directed By: John Carpenter

#17

Beetlejuice (1988)
86%

#17
Adjusted Score: 91528%
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 (Geena Davis) and Adam Maitland (Alec Baldwin) die in a car accident, they find themselves stuck haunting their... [More]
Starring: Michael Keaton, Alec Baldwin, Geena Davis, Jeffrey Jones
Directed By: Tim Burton

#18

Altered States (1980)
86%

#18
Adjusted Score: 90720%
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]
Starring: William Hurt, Blair Brown, Bob Balaban, Charlie Haid
Directed By: Ken Russell

#19

Dead Ringers (1988)
85%

#19
Adjusted Score: 88821%
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]
Starring: Jeremy Irons, Geneviève Bujold, Heidi von Palleske, Barbara Gordon
Directed By: David Cronenberg

#20

The Thing (1982)
84%

#20
Adjusted Score: 92378%
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]
Starring: Kurt Russell, Wilford Brimley, T.K. Carter, Richard Dysart
Directed By: John Carpenter

#21

The Shining (1980)
83%

#21
Adjusted Score: 94373%
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]
Starring: Jack Nicholson, Shelley Duvall, Danny Lloyd, Scatman Crothers
Directed By: Stanley Kubrick

#22

Near Dark (1987)
83%

#22
Adjusted Score: 89777%
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]
Starring: Adrian Pasdar, Jenny Wright, Lance Henriksen, Bill Paxton
Directed By: Kathryn Bigelow

#23

Fright Night (1985)
83%

#23
Adjusted Score: 88694%
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]
Starring: Chris Sarandon, William Ragsdale, Roddy McDowall, Amanda Bearse
Directed By: Tom Holland

#24

Predator (1987)
80%

#24
Adjusted Score: 85222%
Critics Consensus: Predator: Part sci-fi, part horror, part action -- all muscle.
Synopsis: Dutch (Arnold Schwarzenegger), a soldier of fortune, is hired by the U.S. government to secretly rescue a group of politicians... [More]
Starring: Arnold Schwarzenegger, Carl Weathers, Jesse Ventura, Elpidia Carrillo
Directed By: John McTiernan

#25

Videodrome (1983)
83%

#25
Adjusted Score: 88664%
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]
Starring: James Woods, Deborah Harry, Sonja Smits, Peter Dvorsky
Directed By: David Cronenberg

#26

The Lost Boys (1987)
77%

#26
Adjusted Score: 83985%
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]
Starring: Jason Patric, Corey Haim, Dianne Wiest, Barnard Hughes
Directed By: Joel Schumacher

#27

The Fog (1980)
75%

#27
Adjusted Score: 82054%
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]
Starring: Adrienne Barbeau, Hal Holbrook, Janet Leigh, Jamie Lee Curtis
Directed By: John Carpenter

#28

Opera (1987)
90%

#28
Adjusted Score: 91178%
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]
Starring: Cristina Marsillach, Urbano Barberini, Daria Nicolodi, Ian Charleson
Directed By: Dario Argento

#29

The Stepfather (1987)
89%

#29
Adjusted Score: 91734%
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]
Starring: Terry O'Quinn, Jill Schoelen, Shelley Hack, Charles Lanyer
Directed By: Joseph Ruben

#30

Possession (1981)
83%

#30
Adjusted Score: 85912%
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]
Starring: Isabelle Adjani, Sam Neill, Margit Carstensen, Heinz Bennent
Directed By: Andrzej Żuławski

#31
#31
Adjusted Score: 87231%
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]
Starring: Angela Lansbury, David Warner, Sarah Patterson, Graham Crowden
Directed By: Neil Jordan

#32

Alligator (1980)
86%

#32
Adjusted Score: 88385%
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]
Starring: Robert Forster, Robin Riker, Michael V. Gazzo, Perry Lang
Directed By: Lewis Teague

#33

The Changeling (1980)
85%

#33
Adjusted Score: 87035%
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]
Starring: George C. Scott, Trish Van Devere, Melvyn Douglas, John Colicos
Directed By: Peter Medak

#34
#34
Adjusted Score: 82753%
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]
Starring: Tomorowo Taguchi, Kei Fujiwara, Nobu Kanaoka, Shin'ya Tsukamoto
Directed By: Shin'ya Tsukamoto

#35

Sleepaway Camp (1983)
81%

#35
Adjusted Score: 83102%
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]
Starring: Felissa Rose, Jonathan Tiersten, Karen Fields, Christopher Collet
Directed By: Robert Hiltzik

#36
#36
Adjusted Score: 81367%
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]
Starring: Catherine Mary Stewart, Kelli Maroney, Robert Beltran, Geoffrey Lewis
Directed By: Thom Eberhardt

#37

Tenebrae (1982)
81%

#37
Adjusted Score: 83051%
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]
Starring: Anthony Franciosa, John Saxon, Daria Nicolodi, Giuliano Gemma
Directed By: Dario Argento

#38

From Beyond (1986)
80%

#38
Adjusted Score: 81288%
Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.
Synopsis: Obsessive scientist Dr. Pretorius (Ted Sorel) successfully discovers a way to access a parallel universe of pleasure by tapping into... [More]
Starring: Jeffrey Combs, Barbara Crampton, Ted Sorel, Ken Foree
Directed By: Stuart Gordon

#39

Dead of Winter (1986)
77%

#39
Adjusted Score: 77476%
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]
Starring: Mary Steenburgen, Roddy McDowall, Jan Rubes, William Russ
Directed By: Arthur Penn

#40

Basket Case (1982)
77%

#40
Adjusted Score: 78938%
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]
Starring: Kevin Van Hentenryck, Terri Susan Smith, Beverly Bonner
Directed By: Frank Henenlotter

#41

The Burning (1981)
77%

#41
Adjusted Score: 77412%
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]
Starring: Brian Matthews, Leah Ayres, Brian Backer, Lou David
Directed By: Tony Maylam

#42

Wolfen (1981)
77%

#42
Adjusted Score: 78825%
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]
Starring: Albert Finney, Diane Venora, Gregory Hines, Edward James Olmos
Directed By: Michael Wadleigh

#43
#43
Adjusted Score: 78611%
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]
Starring: Grant Cramer, Suzanne Snyder, John Allen Nelson, John Vernon
Directed By: Stephen Chiodo

#44

The Hidden (1987)
76%

#44
Adjusted Score: 78423%
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]
Starring: Michael Nouri, Kyle MacLachlan, Ed O'Ross, Clu Gulager
Directed By: Jack Sholder

#45

Phenomena (1985)
74%

#45
Adjusted Score: 75444%
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]
Starring: Jennifer Connelly, Donald Pleasence, Dalila Di Lazzaro, Fausta Avelli
Directed By: Dario Argento

#46

The Howling (1981)
74%

#46
Adjusted Score: 77671%
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]
Starring: Dee Wallace, Patrick Macnee, Dennis Dugan, Christopher Stone
Directed By: Joe Dante

#47
#47
Adjusted Score: 74517%
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]
Starring: Jason Lively, Steve Marshall, Jill Whitlow, Tom Atkins
Directed By: Fred Dekker

#48

Child's Play (1988)
74%

#48
Adjusted Score: 78423%
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]
Starring: Catherine Hicks, Chris Sarandon, Alex Vincent, Brad Dourif
Directed By: Tom Holland

#49

Q (1982)
73%

#49
Adjusted Score: 75390%
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]
Starring: Michael Moriarty, David Carradine, Candy Clark, Richard Roundtree
Directed By: Larry Cohen

#50

The Stuff (1985)
73%

#50
Adjusted Score: 73594%
Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.
Synopsis: A private detective investigates a new consumer taste treat that's absolutely delicious and just possibly lethal.... [More]
Starring: Michael Moriarty, Andrea Marcovicci, Paul Sorvino, Garrett Morris
Directed By: Larry Cohen

#51

Bad Taste (1987)
71%

#51
Adjusted Score: 72178%
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]
Starring: Peter Jackson, Mike Minett, Pete O'Herne, Terry Potter
Directed By: Peter Jackson

#52

Christine (1983)
70%

#52
Adjusted Score: 73251%
Critics Consensus: The cracks are starting to show in John Carpenter's directorial instincts, but Christine is nonetheless silly, zippy fun.
Synopsis: Unpopular nerd Arnie Cunningham (Keith Gordon) buys a 1958 Plymouth Fury, which he names Christine. Arnie develops an unhealthy obsession... [More]
Starring: Keith Gordon, John Stockwell, Alexandra Paul, Robert Prosky
Directed By: John Carpenter

#53

Hellraiser (1987)
70%

#53
Adjusted Score: 74496%
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]
Starring: Andrew Robinson, Clare Higgins, Ashley Laurence, Sean Chapman
Directed By: Clive Barker

#54
#54
Adjusted Score: 72143%
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]
Starring: Andree Maranda, Mitch Cohen, Mark Torgl, Jennifer Prichard
Directed By: Michael Herz, Lloyd Kaufman

#55

Cat's Eye (1985)
69%

#55
Adjusted Score: 71081%
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]
Starring: Drew Barrymore, James Woods, Alan King, Kenneth McMillan
Directed By: Lewis Teague

#56
#56
Adjusted Score: 70912%
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]
Starring: Amanda Donohoe, Hugh Grant, Catherine Oxenberg, Peter Capaldi
Directed By: Ken Russell

#57

Lady in White (1988)
71%

#57
Adjusted Score: 71702%
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]
Starring: Lukas Haas, Len Cariou, Alex Rocco, Katherine Helmond
Directed By: Frank LaLoggia

#58
#58
Adjusted Score: 69503%
Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.
Synopsis: A dying millionaire (Herbert Lom) throws a castle costume party that's a killer.... [More]
Starring: Frank Stallone, Brenda Vaccaro, Herbert Lom, Michelle McBride
Directed By: Alan Birkinshaw

#59
#59
Adjusted Score: 72298%
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]
Starring: Heather Langenkamp, Patricia Arquette, Craig Wasson, Laurence Fishburne
Directed By: Chuck Russell

#60

Scanners (1981)
68%

#60
Adjusted Score: 71781%
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]
Starring: Stephen Lack, Jennifer O'Neill, Patrick McGoohan, Lawrence Dane
Directed By: David Cronenberg

#61

Dead and Buried (1981)
68%

#61
Adjusted Score: 69064%
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]
Starring: James Farentino, Melody Anderson, Jack Albertson, Robert Englund
Directed By: Gary Sherman

#62

The Beyond (1981)
68%

#62
Adjusted Score: 69390%
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]
Starring: Catriona MacColl, David Warbeck, Al Cliver, Veronica Lazar
Directed By: Lucio Fulci

#63

The Funhouse (1981)
67%

#63
Adjusted Score: 68282%
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]
Starring: Elizabeth Berridge, Cooper Huckabee, Miles Chapin, Largo Woodruff
Directed By: Tobe Hooper

#64

Motel Hell (1980)
67%

#64
Adjusted Score: 69152%
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]
Starring: Rory Calhoun, Nancy Parsons, Paul Linke, Nina Axelrod
Directed By: Kevin Connor

#65

Brain Damage (1988)
67%

#65
Adjusted Score: 67506%
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]
Starring: Rick Herbst, Gordon MacDonald, Jennifer Lowry
Directed By: Frank Henenlotter

#66
#66
Adjusted Score: 68101%
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]
Starring: Francesca Ciardi, Perry Pirkanen, Salvatore Basile, Robert Kerman
Directed By: Ruggero Deodato

#67

Demons (1985)
69%

#67
Adjusted Score: 69382%
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]
Starring: Natasha Hovey, Urbano Barberini, Paola Cozzo, Karl Zinny
Directed By: Lamberto Bava

#68

Creepshow (1982)
66%

#68
Adjusted Score: 73361%
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]
Starring: Hal Holbrook, Adrienne Barbeau, E.G. Marshall, Fritz Weaver
Directed By: George A. Romero

#69

Pumpkinhead (1988)
65%

#69
Adjusted Score: 66310%
Critics Consensus: With effects work and solid direction from Stan Winston -- and Lance Henriksen adding welcome gravitas -- Pumpkinhead is a creature feature that stands a cut above.
Synopsis: After his son dies in a hit-and-run accident, Ed Harley (Lance Henriksen) seeks revenge against the teenagers responsible. With the... [More]
Starring: Lance Henriksen, Jeff East, John D'Aquino, Kimberly Ross
Directed By: Stan Winston

#70

Vampire's Kiss (1989)
65%

#70
Adjusted Score: 67214%
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]
Starring: Nicolas Cage, Maria Conchita Alonso, Jennifer Beals, Elizabeth Ashley
Directed By: Robert Bierman

#71

Pulse (1988)
64%

#71
Adjusted Score: 64406%
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]
Starring: Cliff DeYoung, Roxanne Hart, Joey Lawrence, Matthew Lawrence
Directed By: Paul Golding

#72

The Church (1989)
64%

#72
Adjusted Score: 64134%
Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.
Synopsis: Tourists are trapped in a cathedral cursed since the Crusades by the mayhem of German knights.... [More]
Starring: Asia Argento, Hugh Quarshie, Tomas Arana
Directed By: Michele Soavi

#73

The Blob (1988)
68%

#73
Adjusted Score: 69812%
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]
Starring: Shawnee Smith, Kevin Dillon, Donovan Leitch Jr., Ricky Paull Goldin
Directed By: Chuck Russell

#74

The Hitcher (1986)
64%

#74
Adjusted Score: 67464%
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]
Starring: Rutger Hauer, C. Thomas Howell, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Jeffrey DeMunn
Directed By: Robert Harmon

#75

Cat People (1982)
64%

#75
Adjusted Score: 69553%
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]
Starring: Nastassja Kinski, Malcolm McDowell, John Heard, Annette O'Toole
Directed By: Paul Schrader

#76

Friday the 13th (1980)
66%

#76
Adjusted Score: 71756%
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]
Starring: Betsy Palmer, Adrienne King, Harry Crosby, Laurie Bartram
Directed By: Sean S. Cunningham

#77

Inferno (1980)
63%

#77
Adjusted Score: 63868%
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]
Starring: Irene Miracle, Leigh McCloskey, Eleonora Giorgi, Sacha Pitoeff
Directed By: Dario Argento

#78
#78
Adjusted Score: 64716%
Critics Consensus: Although it's occasionally overwhelmed by excessive special effects, The Serpent and the Rainbow draws on a chilling atmosphere to deliver a 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]
Starring: Bill Pullman, Cathy Tyson, Zakes Mokae, Paul Winfield
Directed By: Wes Craven

#79

Society (1989)
64%

#79
Adjusted Score: 64444%
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]
Starring: Billy Warlock, Devin DeVasquez, Evan Richards, Ben Meyerson
Directed By: Brian Yuzna

#80

Street Trash (1987)
62%

#80
Adjusted Score: 62348%
Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.
Synopsis: A case of contaminated alcohol has a debilitating effect on the vagabonds haunting the streets and junkyards of Brooklyn.... [More]
Starring: Mike Lackey, Vic Noto, Bill Chepil, Jane Arakawa
Directed By: James M. Muro

#81

Psycho II (1983)
62%

#81
Adjusted Score: 65251%
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]
Starring: Anthony Perkins, Vera Miles, Meg Tilly, Robert Loggia
Directed By: Richard Franklin

#82
#82
Adjusted Score: 63791%
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]
Starring: Jason Robards, Jonathan Pryce, Diane Ladd, Pam Grier
Directed By: Jack Clayton

#83
#83
Adjusted Score: 65020%
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]
Starring: Donald Pleasence, Jameson Parker, Victor Wong, Lisa Blount
Directed By: John Carpenter

#84

Swamp Thing (1982)
60%

#84
Adjusted Score: 63520%
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]
Starring: Louis Jourdan, Adrienne Barbeau, Ray Wise, David Hess
Directed By: Wes Craven

#85

Dolls (1987)
60%

#85
Adjusted Score: 60556%
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]
Starring: Ian Patrick Williams, Carrie Lorraine, Carolyn Purdy-Gordon, Guy Rolfe
Directed By: Stuart Gordon

#86
#86
Adjusted Score: 63825%
Critics Consensus: The 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]
Starring: Vic Morrow, John Lithgow, Kathleen Quinlan, Scatman Crothers
Directed By: John Landis, Steven Spielberg, Joe Dante, George Miller

#87

Cujo (1983)
59%

#87
Adjusted Score: 63285%
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]
Starring: Dee Wallace, Danny Pintauro, Daniel Hugh Kelly, Christopher Stone
Directed By: Lewis Teague

#88
#88
Adjusted Score: 59825%
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]
Starring: Paul Kelman, Lori Hallier, Neil Affleck, Keith Knight
Directed By: George Mihalka

#89

House (1985)
57%

#89
Adjusted Score: 57488%
Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.
Synopsis: A mounted fish moves, household objects levitate, and monsters haunt a troubled novelist (William Katt).... [More]
Starring: William Katt, George Wendt, Kay Lenz, Richard Moll
Directed By: Steve Miner

#90
#90
Adjusted Score: 57800%
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]
Starring: Andre Gower, Robby Kiger, Stephen Macht, Duncan Regehr
Directed By: Fred Dekker

#91

Lifeforce (1985)
56%

#91
Adjusted Score: 58401%
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]
Starring: Steve Railsback, Peter Firth, Mathilda May, Patrick Stewart
Directed By: Tobe Hooper

#92

The Gate (1987)
40%

#92
Adjusted Score: 40037%
Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.
Synopsis: When Al (Christa Denton) and Glenn's (Stephen Dorff) parents (Deborah Grover, Scot Denton) leave town for the weekend, Al uses... [More]
Starring: Stephen Dorff, Christa Denton, Louis Tripp, Kelly Rowan
Directed By: Tibor Takacs

#93

Maniac Cop (1988)
56%

#93
Adjusted Score: 56593%
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]
Starring: Tom Atkins, Bruce Campbell, Laurene Landon, Richard Roundtree
Directed By: William Lustig

#94
#94
Adjusted Score: 59013%
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]
Starring: Robert Englund, Lisa Wilcox, Rodney Eastman, Danny Hassel
Directed By: Renny Harlin

#95

Critters (1986)
50%

#95
Adjusted Score: 54491%
Critics Consensus: While Critters ekes out some fun from a game cast and screwball tone, the titular monsters fail to deliver the credible menace that makes a creature feature satisfying.
Synopsis: When strange fuzzy creatures from outer space arrive on a farm, the Brown family -- Jay (Billy Green Bush), Helen... [More]
Starring: Dee Wallace, M. Emmet Walsh, Terrence Mann, Billy Green Bush
Directed By: Stephen Herek

#96
#96
Adjusted Score: 55214%
Critics Consensus: Hellbound: Hellraiser II retains the twisted visual thrill of its predecessor, although seams in the plot are already starting to show.
Synopsis: Confined to a mental hospital, young Kirsty Cotton (Ashley Laurence) insists her supposedly dead father is stuck in hell, controlled... [More]
Starring: Clare Higgins, Ashley Laurence, Kenneth Cranham, Imogen Boorman
Directed By: Tony Randel

#97
#97
Adjusted Score: 44868%
Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.
Synopsis: A newsman (Christopher George) and a prematurely buried woman (Katriona McColl) confront the living dead in Massachusetts.... [More]
Starring: Christopher George, Catriona MacColl, Janet Ågren, Antonella Interlenghi
Directed By: Lucio Fulci