Horror Films of the 1980s

If you already like horror movies – and you know who you are, so I won’t ask for an embarrassing show of hands – you probably won’t need John Kenneth Muir’s HORROR FILMS OF THE 1980S to steer you toward movies you’ve never heard of before. Even though the book discusses and reviews more than 325 movies released in the U.S. between 1980 and 1989, you already know to stay clear of PHOBIA, John Huston’s single foray into the abyss of horror.

No, what you want to check the book out for are Muir’s opinions so you can smack yourself on the forehead and holler, “Is this guy out of his fucking mind?!” Just wait until you get to Appendix G, “The Fifteen Best Horror Films of the 1980s.” To borrow the title of an underappreciated horror-historical melodrama from 1973, and now the screaming starts.

I have no problem with John Carpenter’s THE THING clocking in at No. 1. It’s a terrific picture with mechanical special effects that are both old-fashioned and awesome at the same time. But come on, ALTERED STATES, FRIGHT NIGHT and NIGHT OF THE COMET, and not FRIDAY THE 13TH, AN AMERICAN WEREWOLF IN LONDON or RE-ANIMATOR? Is this guy out of his fuc – never mind. I already said that.

Muir provides a solid introduction to the decade in horror, talking about what scared us during the 1980s, why, and how societal anxieties were addressed in horror movies. Students of the genre know that there is always something in the national zeitgeist that serves as the basis for what scares us on film.

“I think Americans have gotten increasingly depressed about what they are and who they are,” Muir quotes Stephen King. “And I think they’ve gotten very, very anxious.”

For example, while mainstream Hollywood gave us perfect-body films like FLASHDANCE and STAYING ALIVE, the merry pranksters from the wrong side of the cemetery were tearing perfect bodies apart in HELLRAISER and THE HOWLING. (And why isn’t HELLRAISER on that 15-best list? Hmm?)

Let’s find out what Muir gives us in each entry by taking a look at one of them. Here’s David Cronenberg’s THE FLY from 1986. (It did make the list, at No. 2. ALIENS is No. 3. Interesting that out of the top four, two are remakes and one is a sequel. Just proves it can be done.)

The book is divided up by years, and within each year, the movies are arranged alphabetically by title. Each film is given a star count to indicate overall quality. THE FLY receives four stars; SILENT NIGHT, DEADLY NIGHT PART 2 gets one-half star. Insert your own sarcastic comment here.

Following is a sampling of the critical response, assuming there was any, at the time of initial release. “Like many of the greatest horror films,” wrote David Denby in New York, (THE FLY) is both repugnant and rapturously beautiful at the same time.” Cast and crew are listed, then a synopsis, then commentary. Page count devoted to each film depends on several factors, but mostly the picture’s importance to the history or future of the genre.

There’s a lot to argue about as the book contains more than 800 pages of text. Ranting is always fun, but with a list price of $59.95, this is a volume you’ll want to check out from the library. –Doug Bentin

Buy it at Amazon.

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