A Century of Horror
1980s
The Boxer’s Omen
This movie will make you care more about a skeleton bat trying to walk than most movies will make you care about their protagonists in two whole hours.
A classic in the wizard-battle genre (see Roger Corman’s The Raven), The Boxer’s Omen follows a Hong Kong gangster whose brother is paralyzed after a cheap shot at a boxing match. When he goes to get revenge, he finds that he’s the reincarnated spirit of a guy who broke up a team of black magicians.
Crazy goop, zombies, spider stingers, this movie’s got it all!
Sundown: The Vampire in Retreat
A truly terrible title is hiding one of the goofiest, most fun little trifles I can imagine.
A horror-comedy-Western with about 3 main plots too many (but what would you cut?!) David Carradine as Dracula being forgiven by Jesus, Bruce Campbell as a slapstick descendent of Van Helsing, the premise of True Blood 20 years early, stop-motion bats, M. Emmet Walsh decapitating a dude, and a most rousing Western score that single-handedly raises the entire project a half star.
Alone in the Dark
The movie features a collection of great murderous creeps all with their own special interests (you’ve got an arsonist, a child molester, a killer vet with PTSD and a serial killer who never reveals his face) who escape from their insane asylum to track down and terrorize their new therapist.
Donald Pleasance plays a their former therapist as a Bizarro Dr. Loomis in this hidden gem, where instead of being an insane criminal psychologist convinced that the only thing to do with Michael Myers is put him down like a dog, he's a permissive liberal who excuses everything his murderous patients do and gets killed trying to soft talk them down.
Directed by Nightmare on Elm Street 2’s Jack Sholder with a surprising amount of verve!
Also Recommended
Manhunter, VIdeodrome, Re-Animator, The Fly, Lady in White, Slumber Party Massacre II, The New Kids, Monkey Shines, Sleepaway Camp, Sleepaway Camp 2, Friday the 13th Part 2, The Evil Dead, Of Unknown Origin, Evil Dead 2, Day of the Dead, The Blob, Night of the Comet, Demons 2, The Hidden, Lair of the White Worm, Psycho III, The Monster Squad, The Return of the Living Dead, Mr. Vampire, Firday the 13th Part 3, Elvira Mistress of the Dark, Amsterdamned, Phenomena, The Howling, The Thing, THe Witches of Eastwick, An American Werewolf in London, Poltergeist, Opera, Critters 2, Ghouslies 2, My Bloody Valentine, The Seventh Curse, Firday the 13th Part V: A New Beginning, The Fog, Fright Night, Hellraiser, Tenebre, Hello Mary Lou: Prom Night 2, From Beyond, Vamp, Night of the Demons, Creepshow, The Lost Boys, Cellar Dweller, Dead & Buried, House, Scanners, Basket Case, A Nightmare on Elm Street, TerrorVision, Doom Asylum, Psycho II, Dolls, The Shining, Nightmare on Elm Street 3: Dream Warriors, Alligator, Dead Heat, Prince of Darkness, Critters, Munchies, The Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2, Cat’s Eye, Maniac Cop, Razorback, Ghoulies, Fiday the 13th Part 8: Jason Takes Manhattan, Friday the 13th Part 7: The New Blood, Friday the 13th Part 6: Jason Lives, Friday the 13th: The Final Chapter, The Uninvited, Blood Rage, Phantom of the Mall: Eric’s Revenge, The Nest, Q: The WInged Serpant, Near Dark, Happy Birthday to Me, Nightmare on Elm Street 2: Freddy’s Revenge, Hellraiser 2, Intruder, Cutting Class, Spookies, The Slumber Party Massacre, The Church, Child’s Play, Inferno, The Mutilator, Chopping Mall, The Stepfather, Stepfather 2, Creepshow 2, Killer Klowns from Outer Space, Society, The Midnight Hour, Motel Hell