Decade
1980s Horror
The horror that defined the 1980s — ranked by Crypt Score, from era-defining classics to the deep cuts worth resurrecting.
625 titles
The Lair of the White Worm
›R1988 · Horror, Comedy · 93m · Amanda Donohoe, Hugh Grant, Catherine Oxenberg
When an archaeologist uncovers a strange skull in a foreign land, the residents of a nearby town begin to disappear, leading to further inexplicable occurrences.
Motel Hell
›R1980 · Comedy, Horror · 102m · Rory Calhoun, Paul Linke, Nancy Parsons
Farmer Vincent Smith and his sister Ida run a motel attached to a farm where they capture unsuspecting travelers, bury them alive, fatten them up and then harvest their bodies as ingredients for his famous brand of "smoked meats."
Nightmare at Shadow Woods
›R1987 · Horror, Thriller · 79m · Louise Lasser, Mark Soper, Marianne Kanter
Twins Todd and Terry seem like sweet boys -- that is, until one of them takes an axe to the face of a fellow patron at the local drive-in.
Alone in the Dark
›R1982 · Horror, Thriller · 93m · Jack Palance, Donald Pleasence, Martin Landau
A quartet of murderous psychopaths break out of a mental hospital during a power blackout and lay siege to their doctor's house.
I, Madman
›R1989 · Horror, Thriller · 89m · Jenny Wright, Clayton Rohner, Randall William Cook
A bookshop clerk starts seeing the disfigured killer from her favorite 1950s pulp novels come to life and start killing people around her.
Of Unknown Origin
›R1983 · Horror · 88m · Peter Weller, Jennifer Dale, Lawrence Dane
A man who recently completed rebuilding a townhouse becomes obsessed with a rat infestation until it becomes an interspecies duel.
My Best Friend Is a Vampire
›PG1987 · Horror, Comedy · 89m · Robert Sean Leonard, Evan Mirand, Leeanne Locken Emberlin
Shortly after high school student Jeremy Capello goes on a hot date, he finds he can't stand garlic or see his reflection in mirrors.
UFO Abduction
›NR1989 · Horror, Science Fiction, Thriller · 63m · Tommy Giavocchini, Patrick Kelley, Shirly McCalla
On October 8th, 1983, the Van Heese family gathered together to celebrate the 5th birthday of Michelle, the littlest member of their household. Everything was captured on VHS by Michael McPherson and his new camcorder — including the alien invasion.
Strange Behavior
›R1981 · Science Fiction, Horror, Mystery · 99m · Michael Murphy, Louise Fletcher, Dan Shor
When the teenagers in a small Illinois town start getting murdered, the police chief makes a connection to the mysterious scientific experiments being done at the local university and must stop them before his own son is dragged into the deadly scheme.
Sole Survivor
›R1984 · Horror, Thriller · 85m · Anita Skinner, Kurt Johnson, Robin Davidson
After inexplicably surviving a plane crash, TV station worker Denise tries to get on with her life. She soon learns that she was actually supposed to die in the crash. Death refuses to be cheated and starts sending its minions, people that have recently died, to collect her.
Retribution
›R1987 · Horror · 107m · Dennis Lipscomb, Leslie Wing, Suzanne Snyder
After a depressed artist miraculously survives a suicide attempt, a series of horrific murders leads him to realize he may have been possessed by the vengeful spirit of a murdered gangster.
Trapped
›R1982 · Crime, Adventure, Thriller · 95m · Henry Silva, Nicholas Campbell, Barbara Gordon
A group of college students accidentally see a local redneck kill his wife's lover. A deadly game of cat-and-mouse ensues, with the students trying to escape the area while the killer sets out to eliminate the witnesses who can tie him to the murder.
The Munsters' Revenge
›NR1981 · Comedy, Crime, Family · 96m · Fred Gwynne, Yvonne De Carlo, Al Lewis
The lovable Munster family finds their placid world turned into turmoil by the diabolical Dr. Diablo, the mastermind of an art heist using monster robots, including clones of Herman and Grandpa.
Midnight Offerings
›NR1981 · Horror, TV Movie · 100m · Melissa Sue Anderson, Mary Elizabeth McDonough, Patrick Cassidy
Vivian has magic powers. She doesn't hesitate to save her boyfriend David from failing in school by murdering teachers. However, David has gotten tired of her and is putting his charm on a new girl in school, Robin. Robin discovers that she also has magic powers, and before long the two girls clash violently.
Critters
›PG-131986 · Comedy, Horror, Science Fiction · 86m · Dee Wallace, M. Emmet Walsh, Billy Green Bush
Carnivorous aliens arrive unannounced at a Kansas family farm; two intergalactic bounty hunters soon follow, determined to blow them off the planet.
Lifeforce
›R1985 · Horror, Science Fiction, Action · 102m · Steve Railsback, Peter Firth, Frank Finlay
A race of space vampires arrives in London and infects the populace, commencing an apocalyptic descent into chaos.
Silver Bullet
›R1985 · Horror · 95m · Gary Busey, Everett McGill, Tovah Feldshuh
The small city of Tarker's Mills is startled by a series of sadistic murders. The population fears the work of a maniac, but sightings of a mysterious, hairy creature soon spread. People lock themselves up at night, but there's one boy who's still outside…
My Bloody Valentine
›R1981 · Horror, Thriller · 90m · Paul Kelman, Lori Hallier, Neil Affleck
Twenty years after a Valentine's Day tragedy claimed the lives of five miners, Harry Warden returns for a vengeful massacre among teen sweethearts gearing up for another party.
Pumpkinhead
›R1988 · Fantasy, Horror · 86m · Lance Henriksen, Jeff East, John D'Aquino
When a group of teenagers inadvertently kill his only son, Ed Harley seeks the powers of a backwoods witch to bring the child back to life.
The Stuff
›R1985 · Horror, Science Fiction, Comedy · 86m · Michael Moriarty, Andrea Marcovicci, Garrett Morris
Amalgamated Dairies hires David Rutherford, an FBI man turned industrial saboteur, to investigate a popular new product called “the Stuff,” a new dessert product that is blowing ice cream sales out of the water. Nobody knows how it’s made or what’s in it, but people are lining up to buy it. It's got a delicious flavor to die for!
Warlock
›R1989 · Horror, Fantasy, Action · 103m · Julian Sands, Lori Singer, Richard E. Grant
In 17th century New England, witch hunter Giles Redferne captures an evil warlock, but the conjurer eludes death with supernatural help. Flung into the future, the warlock winds up in the 1980s and plans to bring about the end of the world. Redferne follows the enchanter into the modern era and continues his mission, but runs into trouble in such unfamiliar surroundings. With the help of a young woman, can Redferne finally defeat the warlock?
The Funhouse
›R1981 · Horror · 95m · Elizabeth Berridge, Cooper Huckabee, Kevin Conway
Rebellious teen Amy defies her parents by going to a trashy carnival that has pulled into town. In tow are her boyfriend, Buzz, and their friends Liz and Richie. Thinking it would be fun to spend the night in the campy "Funhouse" horror ride, the teens witness a murder by a deformed worker wearing a mask. Locked in, Amy and her friends must evade the murderous carnival workers and escape before it leaves town the next day.
Night of the Demons
›R1988 · Horror, Comedy · 90m · Cathy Podewell, Alvin Alexis, Amelia Kinkade
When partygoers at a deserted funeral home decide to have a séance on Halloween night, they awaken something evil with a thirst for blood.
Phantasm II
›R1988 · Action, Horror, Science Fiction · 97m · James Le Gros, Reggie Bannister, Angus Scrimm
Mike, after his release from a psychiatric hospital, teams up with his old pal Reggie to hunt down the Tall Man, who is at it again. A mysterious, beautiful girl has also become part of Mike's dreams, and they must find her before the Tall Man does.