The 20 Best 80s Horror Movies to Watch Ranked by Scariness
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Over the past few decades, a myriad of horror films has been released across the genre – some better than others, to say the least. But whether you’re interested in the supernatural, blood and guts, psychological horror or anything in between, it’s been done. And while we appreciate a remake of a classic horror movie every once in a while, sometimes it’s better to go straight to the source.
One era where horror classics are a dime a dozen is the 1980s. With the decline of traditional horror characters like Dracula and Frankenstein came the rise of some of the most iconic scary movie characters to this day (we’re looking at you guys, Freddy, Jason and Chucky). Along with them came the increasing popularity of slasher films, psychological horror movies and even comedy-horrors.
With so much rich horror cinema from the decade, there are plenty of movies to watch. That’s why we put together this list of the best 80s horror movies to grace our screens, ranked from least to most scary.
Rankings take into account three main criteria: how creepy it is, how gory it is and how suspenseful it is (i.e., jump scares).
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20 Best 80s Horror Movies to Watch This Spooky Season
Don’t be scared… come take a look.
20. ‘Gremlins’ (1984)
Creepiness: Low Goriness: Low Suspense: Moderate
More of a dark comedy about creepy creatures than a horror film, but a classic nonetheless, Gremlins tells the story of young Billy Peltzer after he is given a strange creature called a Mogwai as a pet. Along with the pet come three crucial rules to follow. When those rules are inevitably broken, a group of mischievous and dangerous gremlins is unleashed on the town, causing havoc. Gremlins blends comedy with horror, offering both laughs and scares.
Another dark comedy, this time with a supernatural twist, is The Witches of Eastwick. In a quiet New England town, three women inadvertently conjure up a mysterious man, Daryl Van Horne, who turns out to be the devil himself. As they fall under his spell, they must eventually band together to fight back against his corrupting influence.
Creepiness: Low to Moderate Goriness: Low Suspense: High
Toeing the line between psychological thriller and horror is Dead Calm, the 1989 film starring Nicole Kidman. The movie follows a grieving couple on a yacht in the middle of the ocean. That might not sound too bad, but when they find a drifting ship with a single survivor who claims his crew was killed by food poisoning, things take a turn, and the couple quickly realizes that this man may not be the person they thought he was.
A cult horror for the ages, Children of the Corn begins when a young couple stumbles upon a rural town where the children, following the orders of a mysterious boy preacher, have killed all the adults and worship a sinister entity in the cornfields. The couple must survive the children’s deadly devotion to “He Who Walks Behind the Rows,” and, boy, is it creepy.
When teenager Charley Brewster discovers that his new neighbor, Jerry Dandrige, is a vampire, he enlists the help of a washed-up TV vampire hunter to stop him. Fright Night combines horror and humor as Charley and his friends confront Jerry, who is determined to keep his dark secret hidden.
Child’s Play is not only a classic 80s slasher film, but it’s also the birthplace of the iconically terrifying doll, Chucky. And it all begins when a dying serial killer transfers his soul into a Good Guy doll named Chucky. Knowing that, it’s no surprise the seemingly innocent toy comes to life and begins a murder spree. Young Andy, who owns the doll, must convince the adults around him of Chucky’s true nature before it’s too late.
When a group of warehouse workers and teens accidentally release a gas that brings the dead back to life, they unknowingly unleash a horde of brain-hungry zombies on the city. Known for its mix of horror and punk humor, this film also popularized the concept of zombies eating brains.
What was once a typical, happy family quickly turns to nightmare when their home is haunted by malevolent spirits that kidnap their youngest daughter. As the supernatural forces grow stronger, the family enlists the help of paranormal experts to rescue the girl from the spirit world. The film is known for its eerie atmosphere and special effects, creating a sense of dread around the everyday setting of the family home.
Creepiness: Moderate Goriness: High Suspense: Moderate
Two American tourists are attacked by a werewolf while backpacking in the English countryside, leaving one of them dead and the other cursed with the lycanthropic affliction. As he transforms into a werewolf under the full moon, the surviving friend must confront his monstrous new reality. The film is known for its mix of horror and dark humor, alongside groundbreaking transformation scenes.
Creepiness: Moderate Goriness: High Suspense: High
A vampire story with a Western twist, this genre-blending film follows a young man who is drawn into a gang of nomadic vampires after falling in love with one of them. He must decide whether to fully embrace his new, violent existence or fight to retain his humanity.
10. ‘Friday the 13th’ (1980)
Creepiness: Moderate Goriness: High Suspense: Moderate
A groundbreaking film for the classic “murdered at sleepaway camp” horror trope, Friday the 13th does not disappoint. A group of camp counselors at Camp Crystal Lake are stalked and brutally murdered by a mysterious killer while attempting to reopen the summer camp, which has a dark past. The film introduced audiences to the iconic character of Jason Voorhees, though his mother is the central villain in this installment. The movie’s brutal kills and suspenseful atmosphere cemented it as a slasher classic.
Creepiness: High Goriness: Moderate Suspense: High
This psychological horror film revolves around a woman’s unraveling mental state after her husband returns from a long trip. As their relationship deteriorates, it becomes clear she is hiding a dark secret, which spirals into a disturbing mix of possession, obsession and monstrous transformation. The film’s surreal and unsettling imagery is matched by intense performances that leave a lasting impression. Plus, the fact that the film was banned in the UK and edited heavily in the US shows just how scary it really is.
8. ‘A Nightmare on Elm Street’ (1984)
Creepiness: Moderate Goriness: High Suspense: High
In this slasher classic directed by Wes Craven, a group of teenagers is terrorized in their dreams by the sadistic Freddy Krueger, a disfigured killer who wields a bladed glove. As Freddy’s attacks escalate, the teens realize that if they die in their dreams, they die in real life. A Nightmare on Elm Street blends surreal dream sequences with gruesome kills, cementing Freddy as one of horror’s most iconic villains.
Creepiness: Moderate Goriness: High Suspense: High
After a traumatic encounter with a serial killer, a TV reporter is sent to a remote mountain resort to recover, only to discover the area is home to a colony of werewolves. As she uncovers the truth, the full moon brings out the beast within.
6. ‘The Shining’ (1980)
Creepiness: High Goriness: Moderate Suspense: High
Based on Stephen King’s novel, The Shining follows Jack Torrance (played by Jack Nicholson), a writer and recovering alcoholic, who takes a job as a winter caretaker at the isolated Overlook Hotel. As the winter storm traps his family inside, Jack slowly loses his grip on reality, leading to a terrifying descent into madness, influenced by the supernatural forces within the hotel. His son, Danny, has psychic abilities, or “the shining,” which allow him to witness the horrors hidden within the hotel’s history, adding another layer to this well-crafted horror story.
Creepiness: High Goriness: High Suspense: Moderate
In this body horror masterpiece directed by David Cronenberg, scientist Seth Brundle’s teleportation experiment goes horribly wrong when his DNA merges with that of a housefly. As he slowly mutates into a grotesque human-fly hybrid, his body and mind deteriorate, leading to tragic consequences. The film is both terrifying and poignant, with an emphasis on graphic body transformations and science fiction elements.
Creepiness: Moderate Goriness: Very High Suspense: High
A group of friends retreat to a remote cabin, where they accidentally unleash an ancient evil after reading from the Necronomicon, the Book of the Dead. Possessions, grotesque violence and demonic horrors ensue as the group fights for survival against supernatural forces. The film, directed by the iconic Sam Raimi, is renowned for its relentless pace, disturbing imagery and use of practical effects. Not to mention it’s excessive blood and gore.
Set in a remote Antarctic research station, The Thing follows a group of scientists who encounter a shape-shifting alien that can mimic any living organism. As paranoia sets in, the group turns on each other, unsure of who is human and who has been taken over by the alien. John Carpenter’s direction, combined with groundbreaking practical effects, creates an atmosphere of dread and intense body horror.
Creepiness: High Goriness: Very High Suspense: High
A man accidentally opens a portal to a hellish dimension in Hellraiser. By solving an ancient puzzle box, he summons the sadistic Cenobites—otherworldly beings led by the iconic Pinhead. The Cenobites, who derive pleasure from extreme pain and suffering, subject Frank to horrific tortures in their dimension. The film’s twisted themes of desire, pain and horror are brought to life through graphic depictions of violence and torture, making it one of the most notorious films of its time.
Creepiness: Very High Goriness: Very High Suspense: Very High
This seriously disturbing slasher film follows Frank Zito, a deeply troubled man who stalks and murders women in New York City.
Haunted by childhood trauma, he scalps his victims and uses their hair to decorate mannequins, creating a disturbing display that will stay in your mind long after the credits roll.
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What are the scariest horror movies made in the 1980s?
Some of the scariest horror movies from the 1980s include 'Maniac', 'Hellraiser', 'The Thing' and 'The Evil Dead,' among many others.
What kinds of horror movies were most popular in the 1980s?
The 1980s saw the rise in slasher horror movies, thanks to iconic characters like Chucky, Freddy Kreuger and Jason Voorhees.
Who are some of the most iconic horror movie directors from the 1980s?
Many of the 1980s horror films that are still popular today were directed by the likes of Wes Craven (A Nightmare on Elm Street), David Cronenberg (The Fly), Sam Raimi (The Evil Dead) John Carpenter (The Thing) and Sean Cunningham (Friday the 13th).
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