The 1980s is a decade widely associated with superb horror films and TV shows, many of which deserve to be revisited now and then.Many horror TV shows during the ’80s fell into the anthology format, which allowed for the creation of more hair-raising stories to be told within each season.Horror anthology seriesalso work well with the bingeing model. Audiences don’t have to invest a great part of their attention and time to drawn out stories. Instead, viewers can easily tune into any episodes they prefer without having missed important details.
However, not every ’80s horror TV show is an anthology. Shows likeBeetlejuiceandWerewolfhave entertaining premises that carry out over a handful of seasons and are easy to binge. A perk of going back and bingeing these series from the ’80s is seeing several influential horror writers, directors, and actors get creative in fictional worlds they aren’t famous for, including Tim Burton directing an episode ofAlfred Hitchcock Presents.
10 Cult Classic ’80s Horror Movies That Don’t Get Enough Credit
The 1980s were full of incredibly underrated horror cult classics that deserve far more recognition for their trailblazing and influential nature.
Freddy’s Nightmares
Cast
Freddy’s Nightmares is an anthology horror series hosted by Freddy Krueger, featuring standalone episodes centered on the residents of Springwood as they encounter supernatural events or fall victim to gruesome fates.
As a spin-off series to thepopular horror franchise,A Nightmare on Elm Street,Freddy’s Nightmarescontinued the titular killer’s attacks. Yet, even though the anthology series is named after the infamous antagonist, he doesn’t appear as the main killer in every episode. In fact, Freddy only acts as the antagonist in eight of the series' episodes.Freddy’s main job is to host the seriesand provide commentary in bumper segments. In line withthe comical character Freddy becameas the film franchise progressed, his commentary is meant to get laughs out of the audience.
Differing from the format of most anthology series,Freddy’s Nightmaresincludes two stories in every episode, with the second story involving a supporting character from the first part. Because there’s a new group of characters in every episode, the methods of killing by Freddy and other antagonists vary and keep audiences invested in what their next moves are going to be.
Beetlejuice
Beetlejuice is an animated television series inspired by Tim Burton’s 1988 film. The show follows the misadventures of Lydia Deetz, a gothic teenage girl, and her mischievous ghost friend, Beetlejuice, in the Neitherworld and on Earth. Voiced by Stephen Ouimette, Beetlejuice’s chaotic antics and Lydia’s resourcefulness create a unique blend of comedy and fantasy. The series aired from 1989 to 1991, garnering critical acclaim for its inventive storytelling and distinctive animation style.
After the success ofTim Burton’sBeetlejuice,the director helped create an animated series based on the characters in the film. There are some slight changes to the character’s personalities, including the comically mismatched friendship between Lydia and Betelgeuse. The amount of humor in the animated version ofBeetlejuiceincreased as the series aired on both Fox and ABC’s schedules aimed toward younger audiences.
Stephen Ouimette manages to do a great job capturing the already cartoonish characteristics of Betelgeuse
Still, there is plenty of offbeat imagery to mimic the scarier parts of the live-action film. Additionally, Michael Keaton is invaluable as the titular character in the film, and it can be difficult for anyone else to step into his shoes and take on the loud, troublesome personality. However, Stephen Ouimette manages to do a great job capturing the already cartoonish characteristics of Betelgeuse with his skill as a voice actor.
8The Hitchhiker (1983-1991)
6 Seasons, 85 Episodes
Containing a heavier eerie tone compared to other shows listed,The Hitchhikeris an anthology series hosted by the mysterious eponymous character. The hitchhiker begins and closes out every episode by introducing the episode’s featured characters who are about to have a frightening supernatural experience. ThoughThe Hitchhikeris categorized as a horror series,there is also more to the TV show that expands it beyond the singular genre.
Mystery and crime aspects are abundant inThe Hitchhiker,which pulls audiences into every episode’s unique storyline. Additionally,The Hitchhikeroriginally aired on HBO before moving to USA Network. Therefore, the anthology series contains a decent amount of unfiltered sexual images and gore in earlier seasons, but it was eventually toned down as the series continued.The Hitchhikeris a unique mystery tale that is worth revisiting for horror fans who enjoy unpacking the suspense themselves.
7Darkroom (1981-1982)
7 Episodes
The short-lived anthology seriesDarkroomfeatured up to three segments in each episode, which saw early performances of actors who’d go on to have notable careers, including Billy Crystal, June Lockhart, and David Carradine. Like any other anthology series,Darkroom’s stories were unrelated to one another, but the inclusion of multiple segments in each episode kept audiences' attention and avoided the risk of certain segments running longer than needed to meet the hour-long runtime.
Aside from the memorable performances and captivating short tales,Darkroomis also praised for its chilling opening sequence. Narrated byDarkroom’s host James Coburn, the title sequence at the beginning of each episode did a great job of making audiences feel trapped within the stories on their screen. Coburn uttered phrases like “You run, but there’s no escape” as images of an enclosed room were shown on the screen, truly immersing audiences into the series' fictional world.
6Werewolf (1987-1988)
2 Seasons, 29 Episodes
Airing on Fox in the late ’80s,Werewolffollows a college student named Eric Cord (John J. York) on his journey to break the curse that’s turned him into the titular creature.Werewolfbears some resemblance to other TV series likeThe FugitiveandThe Incredible Hulk. Each series places its main character in a cat-and-mouse setup. However,Werewolf’s fitting rock soundtrack and likable protagonist had a stronger connection with audiences.
Eric has his mission set strongly in his mind, but he never becomes blinded by his pursuit and does his best to keep innocent lives out of his mess.Werewolfdoes include typical supernatural tropes in its narrative, including Eric’s weakness as a werewolf being silver bullets, but unique lore was added in the series as well. Rather than the full moon prompting Eric to shift into a werewolf, it was the pentagram on his hand — slightly differentiatingWerewolffrom the already existing supernatural films and TV shows.
Tales From the Darkside
Tales From the Darkside is an anthology horror series created by George A. Romero, presenting individual short stories with plot twists. It explores themes of horror, science fiction, and fantasy, occasionally incorporating black comedy or lighter elements, offering a diverse range of chilling narratives.
Following the success of his 1982 anthology filmCreepshow, George A. Romero created the anthology horror seriesTales from the Darkside. While Romero’s film is inspired by various EC horror comics from the ’50s,many episodes ofTales from the Darksideare adapted from stories by famous authors. A few notable names include Clive Barker, Michael McDowell, and Stephen King.
Therefore,Tales from the Darksidecovered a wide range of typical horror creatures and elements in its years on air. Due to the series' popularity with audiences, a spin-off film was made, appropriately namedTales from the Darkside: The Movie. McDowell and Romero wrote each of the film’s segments and though it wasn’t as much of a hit with critics,Tales from the Darkside: The Moviedid well at the box office.
Tales From The Darkside: 10 Episodes That Are Still Scary Today
Director George A. Romero created the classic anthology series Tales From The Darkside. Some of its most chilling episodes are still very scary today.
Hammer House Of Horror
Hammer House of Horror is a British television series from 1980 produced by Hammer Films. The anthology consists of thirteen standalone episodes, each delving into various horror themes including witchcraft, haunted houses, and werewolves. The series features British actors such as Peter Cushing and Denholm Elliott, capturing a unique blend of psychological terror and supernatural elements that Hammer Films is renowned for.
DespiteHammer House of Horrorairing for a shorter amount of time compared to other horror TV shows from the decade, the anthology series still managed to pack a decent amount of content in its minimal episodes. Each episode had a runtime of nearly an hour and focused on different horror elements, including serial killers, werewolves, and devil-worshiping. The variety inHammer House of Horror’s storytelling means every type of horror fan is guaranteed to find something they enjoy.
Theepisodes ofHammer House of Horrorare long but are easy to get through as it’s often impossible to look awayfrom the screen. One episode in particular, “The House that Bled to Death,” is regarded by numerous critics as the series' defining episode. “The House that Bled to Death” perfectly captures the master twists and shocking images seen all throughoutHammer House of Horror.
3The New Alfred Hitchcock Presents (1985-1989)
4 Seasons, 76 Episodes
As a filmmaker, Alfred Hitchcock’s specialty was crafting expert levels of suspense and mystery. Among his lengthy filmography, Hitchcock found the time to create and produce the ’50s anthology seriesAlfred Hitchcock Presents. The TV series featured a mixture of stories that highlighted the director’s best skills as a filmmaker. Starting in 1985, NBC premiered an updated version of the ’50s series, most commonly referred to asThe New Alfred Hitchcock Presents.
The ’80s version included a colorized version of Hitchcock as a host. There is a mixture of original stories and remakes of the original stories. Like the first series,The New Alfred Hitchcock Presentsincluded other directors taking on various episodes, including Tim Burton and Burt Reynolds. Aside from the neatly crafted stories in the anthology series,a large part of the joy in tuning in is seeing the number of guest stars. Notable names featured in the ’80s version include Robert Carradine, Joaquin Phoenix, and Lindsay Wagner.
Monsters
Monsters is a horror anthology series that aired from 1988 to 1991, featuring standalone episodes centered around different terrifying creatures and supernatural occurrences. Each episode introduces a unique set of characters who encounter various monsters, ranging from mythical beings to scientific experiments gone awry, providing a mix of horror, suspense, and dark humor.
FromTales from the Darksideproducer Richard P. Rubinstein cameMonsters, an anthology series centered on the titular creatures. Though Rubinstein was happy to see thatTales from the Darksideearned positive reviews from critics, he was discouraged that little was said about the special effects in the series. As a response to his emotions, Rubinstein createdMonsters. Unlike most horror TV shows,Monsterswasn’t consumed with the goal of scaring audiences every episode.
Instead, the stories and featured creatures inMonstersvaried from scary and grotesque to fun and entertaining. The main focus ofMonsterswas on the special effects of the creatures. Dick Smith, a makeup effects artist who had previously worked on films likeThe GodfatherandThe Exorcist, acted as the special effects consultant onMonsters. It’s worth going back and witnessing the creative team’s efforts to create detailed and memorable characters.
Tales From the Crypt
Tales from the Crypt, released in 1989, features the Crypt Keeper as the host, guiding viewers through chilling and entertaining stories inspired by classic E.C. Comics. The anthology encompasses sinister narratives, including a deranged Santa and a couple’s deadly marital vow, blending horror with dark humor.
Tales from the Cryptincluded a larger amount of explicit language and images that weren’t common in other horror TV shows at the time
HBO’sTales from the Cryptis star-studdedand isbased on the EC Comicsseries of the same name.Tales from the Crypttells a lot of the same stories as the comic or other popular EC Comics from that era. Because it aired on HBO,Tales from the Cryptincluded a larger amount of explicit language and images that weren’t common in other horror TV shows at the time.
Thoughthe individual stories in each episode were gripping and suspenseful, as proven by other great horror anthologies of the ’80s, the quality of the series' host is just as important. The Cryptkeeper acts as the host ofTales from the Cryptand is wonderfully voiced by John Kassir. Kassir’s performance as the Cryptkeeper was mostly humorous, providing audiences with a genuine laugh before diving into the darker comedy elements in the rest of the episode.
