Oh, those were the good old days in the 1980s! In the movies, people could get away with a lot of silly crap, and B-pictures had a golden era. It may seem like a different world today, but it was a lot of fun back then to put the critic’s hat on for a time and just watch movies without condemning them. Every little thing was not considered offensive, and horror lovers were in for a treat because it was an incredible decade in terms of the sheer number of horror films made.
The most successful of these horror films generated sequels faster than you could count a Mississippi, and the era of horror franchises was born. From remakes to reboots, the 1980s produced some of the most beloved films of all time. In this video, we will go back in time and look at some of the genre-defining horror franchises from the past.
A Nightmare on Elm Street (1984)
There was once a murderous psychopath named Fred Krueger, who killed several children with a glove that was fitted with razor blades. After the judge set him free, the angry parents burned him alive. However, this was not the end of his terror reign, but only the beginning.
After a few years, the children of those responsible for killing Fred started having recurring nightmares that involved a burned man wearing a glove with razor blades on his fingers. Nancy is one of those having such nightmares, and when some others begin to die under mysterious circumstances, she realizes that there is something fishy about the man in the dreams. Can she stay awake long enough to draw out the psycho killer into the real world?
Such was the premise, and Wes Craven was the director – the rest they say is history! New Line Cinema was on the verge of bankruptcy before they took one last risk with this movie. The original film was such a success that their finances turned a new leaf and they have nicknamed the house that Freddy built! The opening weekend was enough to make the money back, and the rest were simply massive profits.
It was a horror classic, with an original concept of a serial killer stalking victims in their dreams. The performance by Robert Englund as Fred Krueger was iconic, and the likes of Johnny Depp made their presence felt. The movie was atmospheric and engaging, and there are some scenes shocking enough to make your heart pound harder. The popularity of the movie ensured four sequels in the 80s, and another four were made later. However, the brilliance of the original could never be recreated in the later stories.
Friday the 13th (1980)
In a way, Friday the 13th ushered in the flavor of horror for the 80s, and the first movie took a rather common theme and made it something extraordinary. This is when we were first introduced to the notorious campsite called Crystal Lake. Back in 1957, a boy named Jason drowned in the lake, and a year later two of the camp counselors were mysteriously murdered.
When the camp is reopened after several years, in spite of the warnings of an old man, the same sequence of events repeat itself. The grim past is revisited as a mysterious killer seems to take down victims one after another. Who is this brutal killer, and who will survive his onslaught?
If you learned about the ways most of the horror flicks were made in the 80s, you would be surprised that they did so well. Cast members of Friday the 13th stayed in local hotels, and some even stayed at the campsite in New Jersey where they filmed the movie. The budget wouldn’t get you a stunt team in today’s time, and yet the movie was a smashing hit that shattered many records back in the day.
It kick-started the horror phenomenon in the 80s, and it became one of the most influential horror flicks with several sequels spawning from its success. The special effects looked way too posh for the budget, and the new faces in the cast delivered what was asked of them.
This was the first appearance of the sadistic and vengeful killer, Jason Voorhees, and the entertainment value compensated for the generic narrative. There were around eleven sequels to the original, and while there were some hits and misses, there was no denying the craze surrounding the franchise.
Poltergeist (1982)
A haunted house is one of the commonest themes for a horror movie, but Tobe Hooper made sure that Poltergeist was a unique addition to the premise. A typical suburban family is haunted by the presence of demonic ghosts in their house. The paranormal presence seemed rather innocent at first, moving objects around the house and not really threatening anyone.
However, things get serious very fast, when the youngest daughter of the family simply vanishes into thin air. A team of paranormal investigators moves in to investigate the events, and the true evil nature of the demonic forces in the house is revealed!
Steven Spielberg was mightily impressed with Tobe Hooper’s work in The Texas Chainsaw Massacre, and he hired him for the project. However, there are some rumors that suggest Spielberg took over the direction duties quite often for the movie. In all fairness, some parts of the movie do seem like the handwork of Steven Spielberg. Either way, the end result of this Spielberg-produced horror flick was mind-blowing.
Yes, the film is largely dependent on the typical Hollywood-style spectacle, but the creepy build-up and the realistic storyline work efficiently. Heather O’Rourke is one of the highlights of the cast members, and she essayed the role of a troubled young girl effortlessly. The ghosts shown in the movie are more fascinating than scary, and the special effects are also quite impressive. Two sequels followed in the 80s and another was released in 2015. The follow-ups were not quite as jaw-dropping as the original, but they did decent business because the legacy of the franchise was a brand in itself!
Hellraiser (1987)
The first Hellraiser movie was released in the latter part of the 80s, and it shocked the horror fans with its gruesome content. The shock factor was not necessarily in the gore, but the strange new kind of evil entities that were portrayed – the Cenobites. The story revolves around a man and his wife who move into an old house. It turns out that the man’s half-brother, who also happened to be his wife’s former lover existed in the house in a partially formed state.
The wife started to bring him human sacrifices, which helped him complete his body, but there are some demonic beings that are pursuing him for escaping their sadistic world! The Cenobites, led by Pinhead, stalk their prey and Kirsty Lawrence, the daughter of the clueless man, finds a way to negotiate with the otherworldly creatures.
We don’t know whom to appreciate more, Clive Barker the writer and director, or Doug Bradley, the man who redefined the idea of a horror villain with his portrayal of Pinhead. His performance added a new dimension to this awesome movie, and he was so caught up in the role under all that makeup that he did not realize that most of the crew did not recognize him in real life!
The budgetary allowance was rather limited, and by the end of the movie, the quality of the special effects dips significantly. Even with such shortcomings, the film is regarded as a horror classic, and it went on to spawn a successful franchise. The list of four films and six straight-to-home video movies is a long one, and some of these efforts actually lived up to the glorious days of the original.
The concept of the Cenobites certainly struck a chord with the audience, and these former humans turned into monstrous, sadistic, creatures of hell became a phenomenon in pop culture. If you haven’t watched a Hellraiser movie yet, you don’t know what you are missing out on!
Demons (1985)
Italian horror and Dario Argento go hand in hand, and Demons was a project produced by this veteran filmmaker. The movie surprised the audience with a bizarre storyline, in which a group of people is invited to the opening of a new movie theatre.
A horror flick is being shown on screen, and it starts to get significantly more violent with time. Suddenly, some members of the audience start to transform into bloodthirsty demons, and the others are stuck in a hellish situation, struggling to survive. The entire theatre is transformed into a gory carnival, and you will watch in horror as you witness the slaughter unfold before you!
If you can handle some serious violence and gore, this movie will be right up your alley. This trash classic is Italian horror cinema at its finest, and the film launches a visceral assault on your senses right from the word go. After a brief build-up, the narrative heats up to scenes that are morbid and gruesome, and the boundaries are certainly pushed with this effort. From eyeballs being ripped out to necks being snapped to decapitations, there is nothing that the gorefest doesn’t show.
The narrative is set in one location, and the claustrophobic fear that it induces in the viewer works wonders for the movie. The story is fast-paced, and you will get no time to look away as the mayhem takes place. It had a sequel released shortly after the original, and later, another sequel was rewritten and released titled The Church. Is this an intelligent film made to be a work of art? It certainly isn’t! But, for those who are looking for a night of mindless entertainment, this can be just the right movie to tune into.
Halloween (1978)
Many of you must be wondering what Halloween is doing in this list because the first Halloween film came back in 1978. However, John Carpenter’s seminal slasher series actually became a full-blown franchise in the 80s, when sequels kept coming one after another. We wouldn’t say that all of them were up to the standards, but between the horror fans, no one was keeping a count!
The events of the original movie give you a spine-chilling prologue, where a six-year-old boy named Michael Myers murders his elder sister on a Halloween night. After being locked away for 15 years, he breaks free while being transferred for a court date. He comes back to his old town, and it is about to be another murderous Halloween night after all these years.
John Carpenter was a huge fan of Alfred Hitchcock, and this film was his tribute to the maestro filmmaker. However, he did not have the blessing of a decent budget, and the filming process had to be wrapped up within a meager $300,000. It soon set the box office on fire with almost $47 million in revenue. Apparently, when he was in college, John Carpenter visited a psychiatric hospital and met a child who had a bone-chilling stare.
This inspired him to frame the character of Michael Myers, and together with his creepy mask and ridiculous mannerisms, he became a classic horror villain. The cast was put together nicely, and the likes of Jamie Lee Curtis were impressed with their performances. The success prompted a series of sequels and reboots, and the Halloween franchise comprises thirteen movies altogether, with the latest release last year. Yes, most of the sequels aren’t half as good as the original, but it became a brand that horror fans cherished.
The Evil Dead (1981)
Ash and his girlfriend Linda head into the woods with three other friends to spend a vacation in a remote cabin. They find the place to be in surprisingly good shape, and after exploring the cabin they find a strange book and tape recordings in the basement. When they make the mistake of reading out from the evil text, they release a malevolent force that is dedicated to killing them all. One by one, they are possessed, and finally, it is up to one last survivor and his efforts to escape from this sinister place.
Sometimes, classics have unsaid stories behind them that very few remember. The Evil Dead wouldn’t have been possible without many such unspoken sacrifices by the cast and crew, and particularly astonishing support from Bruce Campbell. After the director ran out of money halfway through the movie, Bruce put up his family property as collateral so that Sam Raimi could finish shooting for the movie, and this made the director so grateful that he credited Bruce as a co-producer.
The miserable budget meant that many crew members lived in the cabin, which was used as the film’s set. It came down to the point, where they had to burn furniture to stay warm! Finally, all these efforts bore fruit, and the movie went on to become a cult classic in horror cinema. The plot is not exactly the deepest or most unique, but the gore level is simply off the charts.
At times, things get so over the top that you would be in shock to think that this could actually release for the public. The blood never really stops flowing and this film thrives on extreme violence. There is a comical side to the narrative that people appreciate, and this really is independent raw filmmaking at its finest.
The acting is not refined, but trust us when we say that you wouldn’t be looking for acting skills in the first place. It went on to become a franchise with four feature films and a television series, and Evil Dead Rise is an upcoming addition to the series that still has a lot of hype around it!
Gremlins (1984)
Creature horror was one of the salient features of 80s cinema, and Gremlins was the cherry on top. The original movie told the story of Billy, a young boy, who gets an adorable furry pet called Mogwai from his father. However, the creature came with some warnings, and the owner was never supposed to violate some of the fundamental guidelines of owning it. Billy, of course, is not the most responsible kid in town, and he completely disregards the guidelines.
The Mogwai has to be kept away from bright light, never be fed after midnight, and never be made wet. When the rules are broken all hell breaks loose and the town witnesses an insane level of distraction. Some terrifying minuscule creatures are spawned, and the horrible reign of the Gremlins begins!
The director Joe Dante rates Gremlins 2 as superior to the original, but we find both equally exhilarating. It is hard to believe that the film was shot on the backlot of the studio, and there was no budget for extravagant special effects. Even then, the movie looks appealing, and the silly storyline is handled with care to deliver maximum entertainment.
The greatest success of Gremlins was how it managed to engage both comedy and horror elements through the narrative. The direction is efficient and it is helped by a funny and inventive script. One of the highlights of the movie would have to be the cute creatures and some ugly, green, and slimy Gremlins later on.
In a way, this film is a homage to early monster movies and it certainly left a lasting impact on the minds of the audience. It was followed by a sequel titled Gremlins 2: The New Batch, and it is one of the better sequels that you will come across. An animated Gremlins series is supposed to be one of the eagerly awaited upcoming projects, and it might be a good idea to revisit the old ones before it releases!
Child’s Play (1988)
Welcome to the notorious world of Chucky, who is a dreaded serial killer with knowledge of voodoo rituals. This allows him to escape death every now and then, and he can transfer his soul into a doll. During one such tricky situation, when he was being chased by a cop, the serial killer shifts his soul into a doll named Chucky. Soon, a young boy becomes the owner of this possessed doll. The killer has no intentions of stopping his killing spree, and no one believes the little boy about the haunted doll until it is too late. Now, the child’s mother and the young boy must fight for their lives against a sinister, malevolent spirit!
The movie had to brush aside some controversies because some people claimed that the concept would incite violence in young boys and girls. However, from an entertainment point of view, this is an absolutely flawless effort. It is surprisingly creative and genuinely scary at times. Visually, the movie is slick and suitably ominous, and the special effects are nicely handled as well.
The script has some witty moments, and the sarcastic one-liners offer some comic relief amidst all the terrifying stuff. The director handles the old idea of a killer doll with some innovative freshness, and the narrative never seems dull. Some of the kill scenes are a bit too unsettling, and the movie is atmospheric from the very beginning. The franchise grew bigger than anyone ever imagined.
As of today, Child’s Play has six sequels, a TV series, a remake, and even video games and comic books. Chucky became one of the popular horror icons, and merchandise, especially the dolls sold like hotcakes. With time, the films became campier and campier in nature, but the second and fourth movies were worth the legacy of the series.
Predator (1987)
The 80s were known for the unique brand of horror movies, and it was also known for Arnold Schwarzenegger blowing our minds with some kickass performances. Predator happens to be one such sci-fi horror flick that has the muscular hero in the lead, and he is up against one of the deadliest enemies in fiction! The story follows a rather simplistic premise, where a team of special force commandoes is out in a Central American jungle on a rescue mission.
However, they soon discover that their mission has a far greater headache, as an extraterrestrial warrior seems to be stalking them meticulously. One by one, the members are methodically hunted by this strange alien hunter, who seems to be way too advanced for the primitive weapons of the commandoes. Is there a way to defeat this invincible Predator and get out of the forests alive?
These were the good old times when the actors actually took the trouble of shooting in real locations and facing the hostilities of the environment for the sake of the movie. For this movie, the cast and crew had to deal with leeches, reptiles, and other creepy crawlies. Besides, the weather conditions were extreme, and it was either too hot and humid or too cold.
The efforts certainly paid off because this film became one of the timeless classics that set new standards for the sci-fi horror genre. The suspense was uncanny and even with a simplistic plot, every scene was well-planned out for the powerful impact. The effects are out-of-the-world, especially for the times, and Stan Winston deserves all the credit for his hard work.
To add to things, you get some mind blowing action scenes, and some gory bits to please the gorehounds. The brand value of the Predator franchise needs no introduction. It has spawned three direct sequels, and an upcoming prequel is creating quite a buzz. Besides, there have been novels, video games, comic books, and an entire universe of Predator-related stuff.
The 80s were indeed magical times, and there are many other amazing horror franchises apart from the ones we explored. Do let us know in the comments below which one is your favorite from the Golden era of horror cinema.