13 horror films of the 1980s that you've got to watch this Halloween - from Ken Russell to Dario Argento

• Halloween 2024 is fast upon us, with the spooky season no doubt leading to people starting to organise halloween get togethers.
• Perhaps instead of going out to a halloween party, a night at home with friends and some scary movies is on the cards?
• Benjamin Jackson, deep in ‘80s nostalgia lately, makes his suggestions of 13 horror movies from that era you might consider this Halloween.

What was your favourite era of horror? For many, they’ll suggest the late ‘70s to early ‘80s with regards to a defining period in the world of scary movies.

I would agree also; the ‘80s saw the rise of the slasher monster through Freddy Krueger and (eventually) Jason Voorhees, while the world of zombie horror was still being explored before it rose back from the dead in recent years thanks to both Zack Snyder and AMC’s The Walking Dead.

But away from the horror movie icons such as Freddy, Jason, Michael and Leatherface, there were some other fantastic inclusions that sometimes may get overlooked due to their influence on the genre. Everyone bores of Friday the 13th, but at the time it was a watershed moment for the genre.

So in keeping with the omens that surround Halloween, I’ve picked 13 horror movies that you might want to check out this Halloween - from utter gorefests and carnage to more nuanced, psychological takes, all of which are available to stream on Netflix, Prime Video or Apple TV+.

A word of warning though; there may be spoilers ahead.

13 horror films from the 1980s you’ve got to watch this Halloween

Return of the Living Dead (1985)

When George A Romero and John Russo parted ways after the success of Night of the Living Dead, Russo kept the rights to the “Living Dead” name. While Romero went on to create the seminal classic Dawn of the Dead, Russo’s take on a follow up was wholly different.

Return of the Living Dead was a comedy horror that could be considered part of the splatstick movement, but was one of the best zombie horrors to emerge from the boom of walking dead pictures.

It’s punk rock horror; from the music to the characters and the blackened sense of humour throughout - despite one cast member’s moments in later years, the film still holds up as an utter classic and one that doesn’t shirk the scares for laughs.

The Burning (1981)

Another slasher film after the success of John Carpenter’s Halloween in 1978 and Mario Bava’s proto-slasher Bay of Blood in 1971, The Burning takes the idea of a campfire tale and adds liberal amounts of blood to the equation - thank you, Tom Savini.

The premise follows all the hallmarks of another slasher film released a year before; campers being stalked by a mysterious killer with a grudge against anyone and everyone associated with the campsite. The film became infamous after appearing on the DPP list, notably for its set-piece rafting killing spree.

Creepshow (1982)

A dream collaboration for fans of both horror movies and horror literature, Creepshow was an anthology of stories written by Stephen King (pre Maximum Overdrive) and directed by George A Romero with an impressive cast included.

Of the ghoulish tales that unfold are that of patricide, bugs, jilted lover and an incredibly over-the-top performance from King himself playing a character that just could not help but touch a meteorite he really shouldn’t have.

The Blob (1988)

While horror movies fans were shocked in the late ‘50sover a rolling mass of gelatine invading a movie cinema,the 1988 take was far more visceral, taking elements of the body horror genre alongside those of extraterrestrial threats.

The film had several stunning set-piece in terms of kills, all grisley and enough to put you off jelly for a few days. It also featured a young Kevin Dillon after his startling role as Bunny in Platoon, while the film in some circles has been considered an allegory for the AIDS epidemic in the ‘80s.

An American Werewolf in London (1981)

The wonderfully macabre tail… sorry… tale of an American tourist suffering from the effect of lycanthropy after a walk in the British countryside was hallowed for its special effects, which still hold up to this day.

The film, directed by Jon Landisa year after the smash hit The Blues Brothers, has become for horror movie fans a rite of passage; a classic folklore set in a modern (for the time) setting.

Perhaps its appeal comes from the transformation of David Kessler (our hero) being a nod to the ails of going through puberty. Almost the same themes as another classic werewolf movie that came out years later - Ginger Snaps.

Tenebrae (1982)

Another film that ended up on the DPP list, Tenebrae was Dario Argento’s nasty piece of giallo with an American author investigating a spate of murders after the release of his latest book. As is typical of the giallo style, the whodunnit aspect is matched by the stylized violence and a twist at the end that lends credence to the English translation of the film - darkness.

Bad Taste (1987)

Long before he was winning awards with Lord of the Rings,Sir Peter Jackson was creating practical effects in the oven of his parent’s home.Bad Taste is a splatstick that put Jackson on the map, taking the premise of a government agency in charge of defending New Zealand from extraterrestrial threats - as the aliens arrive in a small town in Aotearoa to harvest humans for their planet’s favourite fast food franchise. Poignant indeed.

Society (1987)

Speaking of poignant horror, have you ever felt that you were completely alien to your family and their social circles? Almost as if you’re not really human - or perhaps, your family are the ones that are the problem. Brian Yuzna’s film is part comedic commentary on the excesses of ‘80s materialism, but with the horror of a clandestine group of the “elite” and their debauched party where anything - including shuntings - goes.

Halloween 3: Season of the Witch (1982)

“But Benjamin,” I hear you say, “you said no horror movie icons - Halloween is a Michael Myers franchise!” Oh but contraire, my horror movie friends - this was the one film in the series that didn’t centre around Haddonfield’s biggest villain.

Instead, Halloween 3 follows the desperate chase to stop a television show airing which leads to the grisly demise of thousands of children wearing halloween masks in the name of Samhain. Though at the time it was not well regarded, the film and its commentary once again on materialism has over the years been given a glowing series of retrospectives, becoming a cult film.

Demons (1985)

One of the nastiest films on the list and yet one that did not appear on the DPP’s list. Demons is the slice of action and horror to sit around with friends with popcorn and try not to gag at the level of violence on show.

The premise is claustrophobic also; a bunch of people at a midnight screening of a horror film/documentary, when suddenly a prop turns one hapless audience member into the titular monster - and similar to zombie movies, one attack from an infected leads to more and more as desperation sets in how to escape the sealed up cinema.

The House by the Cemetery (1981)

There will no doubt be debate which Lucio Fulci movie I included on the list, with The Beyond released in 1981 still considered a landmark moment in euro horror. But instead, my suggestion is his other 1981 film, The House by the Cemetery.

Why? Well - spoiler alert, I loved the utterly bleak ending and its existential themes regarding the afterlife and spirits. Plus the gore factor is what you would expect from someone many consider “the poet of the macabre.”

Evil Dead II (1987)

A personal favourite of mine and the good time horror film that I always suggest to people. The Evil Dead was another film that was (unfairly) placed on the DPP list, but no such problem occurred with the sequel.

In fact, Raimi decided with the bigger budget to reshoot aspects of the first film to set up the narrative for the remainder of the movie. Cue deadites, the incomparable Bruce Campbell as cinema icon Ashley Williams and a host of gore offset by moments of sheer, Three Stooges style slapstick.

It is a defining moment in the subgenre of splatstick.

The Lair of The White Worm (1988)

A slice of British horror based on Bram Stoker’s novel of the same name,The Lair of the White Worm saw first time cinematic outings for the likes of Peter Capaldi and Hugh Grant, while Amanda Donohoe titillates as the femme fatale of the film.

The film was directed by British heavyweight Ken Russell; no stranger to the horror genre after the release of Altered States in 1980, but perhaps more well known to audiences for his highly controversial work The Devils, starring Oliver Reed and Vanessa Redgrave, back in 1971.

Will you be checking out any of our writers recommendations during the Halloween season this year? Have you seen any of the films before and agree or disagree with his picks? Let us know your recommendations by leaving a comment down below.