The 10 Best Horror Movies of 1980

Ah, the 1980's, perhaps the most beloved decade for horror movies ever and understandably so. While, I personally prefer the 70's (I LOVE the grittiness and boldness of that era!), the 80's is easily, and by far, my second favorite era. A long time ago, I actually did a list of the top of each decade (more or less), but I feel it's time to redo that. So, if you read those pieces (the 80s one, in particular) ignore those and think of this as the TRUE official list by me, Master Gio!

We begin with the first year, with many of these movies being produced or still influenced by the 70's, this is a much more gritty batch of movies that what was to come. You'll see a good amount of Italian horror here and beyond, because, let's face it, they were making the best genre flicks on the fucking planet. So let's get to this list!

Honorable Mentions: 
The Fog
Altered States

Don't Answer the Phone
The Shining 

10. Inferno- The second installment in Dario Argento's Three Mother's Trilogy is one of his most beautiful movies. It is also quite possibly his most incomprehensible. Plot and story are thrown out the fucking window. But, that is fine when the movie, itself, is this wild and over the top. A visually stunning tour-de-force, it also has some great gory kills, an amazing soundtrack, and beautiful women, in other words everything you have come to love and expect in an Argento flick.





9. Don't Go in the House- This mean little psycho slasher has some incredibly strong acting, especially from Dan Grimaldi as the whack-job with a thing for fire. Well, fire and immolating setting beautiful women  with his flame thrower in a steel room that he creates. Disturbing and dark, this one of those early "nasty slashers" that will get under your skin.






8. Doctor Butcher M.D. (AKA Zombie Holocaust)- This wild and fun Italian gorefest combines two of Italy's most popular horror sub-genres, zombies and cannibals. And, it does the later without any of the vile animal killing or more depressing aspects. As a matter of fact, it is an absolute blast to watch. Check out my retrospective on it here.







7. Mother's Day- This early release from Troma Films, from Lloyd Kaufman's own brother Charles Kaufman, is a dark as fuck black comedy mixed with a rape/ revenge and killer hill-billy movie. Three pretty city girls are kidnapped, humiliated, beaten, raped, and one even killed by two cretins and their psychotic mother. It is a very nasty flick with graphic violence and unsavory subject matter. But, it is all well done and worthy of its cult status. I mean, no less an expert than Eli Roth has sung its praises. It also inspired a very different and, in my humble opinion even better remake in 2010.

6. Maniac- William Lustig's controversial, disturbing, and extremely graphic slasher was once condemned as misogynistic crap. But, over time it got recognized as the classic it was meant to be. That never softened its image, though. Joe Spinell gives an amazing performance as the psycho killer who hunts down, brutally kills beautiful women, and scalps them for use with his mannequins. Tom Savini's gore effects are realistic and and along with its dark mood really set itself apart from the stalk and slash movies that were to come.

5. Dressed to Kill- Brain De Palma's mix of psycho horror and erotic thriller ranks among the master's best work in the genre. The exhilarating and violent elevator attack, which was one of the scenes that needed to be cut down to get an R-rating, is one of my favorite scenes in any De Palma flick. Well, acted, sexy, stylish, and bloody, he is at the top his game, before his several missteps to come.






4. City of the Living Dead (AKA The Gates of Hell)- Lucio Fulci's supernatural zombie flick is low on plot but high on style and splatter. A priest hangs himself and opens the gates of hell. The film drips with atmosphere and blood, with at least two scenes that rank among the best gore scenes by anyone (a hot girl barfing up her guts and some weird dude getting a power-drill inside one side of his out the other). Plus, cult favorites Christopher George and the beautiful Catriona MacCall make for very likable heroes. And, sure the ending doesn't make a lot of sense, but this time around you won't care. Trust me!


3. Humanoids from the Deep- This is a wild and bloody monster romp from Roger Corman's production company. In it, sea monsters kill men and rape women for mating purposes. Aside from the dog killings at the beginning, this one is always a blast to watch and something that would NEVER be made today. You can read more of my thought on it here.







2. Cannibal Holocaust- Ruggero Deodato's masterpiece is perhaps the single most controversial horror film in cinema history. And, while yes the real animal violence is utterly repellent and completely deplorable, there is nonetheless a great movie in here. One that haunts you days after you see it and exploits what it also seems to condemn. The definitive and greatest extreme horror movie ever made, I go into further detail about it here.





1. Friday the 13th- One of the most oft-ripped-off horror films in history, this excellent trendsetter is a classic of the genre. Unlike its brain-dead sequels and the wanna-bes it inspired, Sean Cunningham's splatter flick is actually scary and builds suspense excellently. Between its likable characters, good acting, graphic FX by Savini, classic score, excellent climax, and one of the greatest endings in genre history, there is no doubt about it: Friday the 13th is the best horror movie of 1980 and one of the greatest slashers ever fucking made.




What are your choices for the best horror movies of 1980? Let me know in the comments section below. And, keep your eyes open for 1981!

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The Green Inferno

Title: The Green Inferno
Director: Eli Roth
Writers: Guillermo Amoedo and Eli Roth
Cast: Lorenza Izzo, Ariel Levy, Aaron Burns, Kirby Bliss Blanton, Magda Apanowitz, Ignacia Allamand
Year: 2013 (released 2015)
Min: 100

Justine (Lorenza Izzo) a beautiful college freshman becomes interested in human rights, and joins a social activism group led by Alejandro (Ariel Levy). That she thinks he's good looking also weighs in on her decision to join them. She ultimately accompanies them on their trip to the Amazon rain-forest to stop a company from bulldozing down the trees and taking the land from natives. It doesn't take her, and eventually the rest of the group, long to figure out that Alejandro is all bullshit and a douchebag. But, things also turn much worse as their plane crashes as it tries to leave the rain-forest. The survivors are soon taken prisoner by a very hungry, deadly, and savage cannibal tribe.

Though made two years ago, Eli Roth's bloody and loving tribute to Ruggero Deodato's brutal and controversial classick Cannibal Holocaust (loyal horror fans in the know will note that this movie's title is that of the film with a film, found footage flick title of that movie) is finally being released via the folks at Blumhouse. This movie is very different from that company's usual teen horror, though, and though flawed ranks as one of the year's very best horror films.

Those who hate Eli Roth's style of film making won't be won over with this one. It does feature his usual college level humor, which plays oddly against the more serious aspects of the movie. In the beginning the humor works quite well. The stuff between Justine and her pretty friend, Kaycee (Sky Ferreira) works best because it feels real and natural. There is an interesting and, almost, complete tonal shift, once the tribe takes them. The camera, formally shooting in a typical manner and style, suddenly turns jarring and disorienting. It works excellently and this coming from someone who hates it when the camera moves this way. It adds a sense of neo-reality, urgency, and ups the tension to the proceedings. Strangely, Roth decides to add more infantile humor at this point, to break up the tension in the film. This bears varying degrees of success. The pooping scene makes sense to a certain degree of, "well that would happen in real life", but is slightly marred by silly and gross sounds and character reactions. Other moments play out better, still others just leave you saying "what the fuck was Roth thinking?!"

Complementing the realism of the film is the actual real setting and the use of real Peruvian tribes people as the cannibals. I also like that film, like many of the its' Italian counterparts starts off in New York City. It has deeper messages in the form bullshit artists who wish to make a name for themselves exploiting a cause and the deforestation of the Amazons adds a level of profundity beyond it's exploitative nature (not unlike the dichotomy of Deodato's aforementioned classic). One aspect of the film that I did like more than the Italian stuff is that there is no real violence against animals here. In fact, there is an undercurrent of love for animals best summed up by the black leopard shown in the film. In an opposite vein, I which he would've taken the influence of having a better score. I mean this one here ain't bad, but it is generic. Unlike the beautiful score for Cannibal Holocaust. 

The acting is quite good, though. The supporting cast is strong, in particular Levy who just so good at being a despicable asshole in this film. But, it really is Izzo's showcase here. She is the heart of the film, and we are firmly on her side throughout the movie, thank God. I don't think this movie would've worked quite as well, if we weren't. She is excellent and is rapidly making a name for herself in the horror genre. She also happens to be stunningly beautiful. Those eyes! Good God, I maybe in love!

The movie doesn't feature anywhere near the amount of nudity it's Italian counterparts do. Those hoping that such beautiful women as Kirby Bliss Blanton or Magda Apanowicz will bear their flesh will be disappointed. Even the natives don't show naughty bits. But, there is one case of male frontal nudity, and the gorgeous Izzo gets nude as well. Izzo's scene is actually pretty tense and comes closest to matching the sexual violence that some of the nastier Italian films love to showcase. Speaking of nasty KNB's gore is phenomenal. This is the bloodiest studio horror film since the Evil Dead remake. As such, it features dismemberment, implaing, and more, including some wonderfully graphic cannibalism.

In all, I really enjoyed The Green Inferno. It is well worth the wait and is a great mix of fun, intensity, and shock. A sometimes nasty and wonderfully gruesome film, it does have some uneven bits, including an ending that feels tacked on to get us ready for the green lit sequel. But, I still highly recommend it. Not to Roth's haters, but to those who know what to expect from his work and want a bloody ride back to cannibal country. And, let's be honest as people haven't made this kind of movie in ages, it's a long overdue trip for many of us. Thank the gore-gods it's as good as it is here.

**** out of ****

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Cannibal Holocaust: Still the Ultimate Extreme Horror Film

 

Last night I popped in Cannibal Holocaust for for what is my third viewing of it. Now, this film is never easy to view. Madness – Portrait of a Video Nasty, a Facebook group that every year in October, picks a horror them. You can watch any type of horror movie, but get more points for movies that fit the theme. This year it's films that were boycotted band IE stuff that was on England's video nasties list for example. I knew this one would get me a lot of points, and it had been a while since I visited it. Actually the last time was when I bought the DVD at a Chiller. I have to say I was absolutely repulsed by the film back then and still am. Now, there was a contest for on writing a essay on Cannibal Holocaust, but I never really got the chance to write it. Still, having just revisited this Tuesday night, I felt that it was time for me to write my thoughts.

to watch really. I sort of popped it in because of the fact that I'm part of the

Cannibal Holocaust basically tells the story of a the professor who goes into the Amazons searching for a group of documentary filmmakers. He has to gain the trust of these a cannibalistic tribe who seems scared and uncomfortable that he is there. But, he does, and he gets the film reels back with him to New York. He sits and watches it with the heads of the group which had sent these documentary filmmakers. As they watch the footage still they discover horrifying atrocities that were committed not by the cannibal tribe, but by these filmmakers.

In viewing the movie this time around, I decided that I needed to get rid of the animal violence. Thank God, the DVD gives you that option. I didn't use it upon the first viewing of the disc; which was actually the second time I had seen the movie. I felt it needed to revisit complete and uncut. It was still repellent to me. The violence against animals had bothered me ever since I first saw it on VHS ages ago on bootleg. The image cleaned up for DVD did not make it any better, for me. So this time around and any other time I revisit this film I will always watch the non-cruelty to animals version. Actually, the beginning of the DVD stated that both Robert Kirkman and the director/ writer Ruggero Deodato, had asked Grindhouse to remove it completely, but they wanted the film to be completely uncut. Which I support, it needs to be left up to you just how to watch this film. I never want to see those scenes of animal violence again: the snake, monkey, pig who gets shot, muskrat, etc. I could go on, but the most horrifying scene has to be the turtle getting mutilated. For God sakes, I wish Gamera came out of the water and got them for that.


Let's talk about the movie's merits. Without a shadow of a doubt, Cannibal Holocaust is the ultimate extreme horror film. There isn't any film that comes close to touching it. Yes, I have seen quite a few disturbing films like I Spit on Your Grave, Irreversible, Maniac, Nekromantik 1 and 2, etc. But, even the most extreme of these still don't reach the gut punch that Cannibal Holocaust does. It's a film that stays in your soul and your mind; it never leaves you. The images of horror in this film are truly disturbing. There is, even devoid of the aforementioned real animal violence, a black heart of a film, a movie is as bleak and dark as it could get. An examination of the extremes acts that man is capable of.

Some of the most mind searing scenes in this film include the village getting burned down, the absolutely horrific punishment given to an adulteress, the sequences of rape, the horrific forced abortion, the stake up to the ass and out the mouth, and the truly harrowing climax. By this point, you think you would be immune to the atrocities in it, but no you're not. This movie just pounds you with it's horrors; it gets into your soul in ways that I don't think any other film can.

But, what makes it most interesting perhaps is that it is so well made. The fact, that it isn't just some empty exploitation piece of shit. Yes it's exploitative, and I'll get to that in a bit, but it's horrific mix and dichotomy of beauty and horror that is perhaps best summed up by the gorgeous score the film has. To me, it's one of the most beautiful, soaring scores I've ever heard. And, to think that it's attached to this film, in particular is kinda mind blowing. One of the things of watching this film originally on a shitty video is the movie looked horrible grainy, like a snuff film. But watching it on the DVD, the cleaned up version really shows you that Deadato is a great cinematic film director. He learned his art of neo-realism by working with Roberto Rosellini. Which is clear to see in this movie.

This flick is also innovative in the fact that it's the first found footage film. Unlike movies that would be inspired from it, in particular The Blair Witch Project, not all of Cannibal Holocaust is a found footage film. Basically it's only the stuff in the reels of film. But it doesn't matter, because during those moments of found footage, the film is horrifyingly realistic.

It thankfully features very solid acting from the whole cast everyone who are pitch perfect in it. There is really no humor, aside from a little towards the beginning of the film, but that is soon lost. And, that's good because certainly humor is something that is not wanted or needed in this movie.

Now, I say that this film was exploitative as it does feature some very nice nudity from Francesca Ciardi, who, I guess, adds the other beauty element to this film. She looks great nude. I would call her the most sympathetic out of that whole crew but she's still not really a likable or good person.

 

 

Back in the day, Cannibal Holocaust was not legally available in the US. One would have to watch it on bootleg or the import Japanese laserdisc. Eventually Grindhouse Releasing had a tour of it playing in the theaters, and would release the film on DVD. Over in England, where it was one of the main video nasties, it remains a banned film. The movie has been censored and banned everywhere. It remains a vile must see. But, perhaps not by everyone. It's one of those horror films that while I consider to be one of the finest in the genre; I don't think everyone can handle it. A lot of horror fans think they can deal wit it all, but Cannibal Holocaust is a completely different animal. This is not Saw, Friday the 13th, or even The Evil Dead or Zombie. It just does not fuck around.

As I have, said the animal violence, on its own, could be enough to turn you off. I suppose you could watch this DVD without having to endure that, but it is still the ultimate extreme horror experience. This truly is the movie that, as it quotes itself as being, is "the one that goes too far". Even watching other cannibal films like Cannibal Ferox ( AKA Make Them Die Slowly) can't prepare you for this film. It is truly the genres' sickest, most horrific, utterly disturbing film, but it remains a high watermark in the extreme horror sub-genre. For those of you have never seen it, I'll leave it up your hands on whether you will or won't. For those of you who have, you already know the power of this film. Personally speaking I would love to hear your opinions your thoughts on it. Do you love it, hate it, both? In the end, Cannibal Holocaust is the ultimate classick that has lost none of it's power to revile, sicken, disturb, and shock.

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The 5 Most Disturbing Movies Ever

While movie can entertain by being fun, exciting, sexy, or perhaps be touching or romantic, some films choose not to be any of these things. Instead they aim to disturb, shock, horrify, to get under your skin. These movies stay in one's subconscious well after the film has stopped. They never get easy to watch and probably not the best films to show that hot girl you bought over your house (unless she is into this type of stuff, in which case you may wanna consider marrying her).

The following list includes the five, in ascending order, of the absolute most brain and soul searing of them all:

5. - Memento meets I Spit on Your Grave, this "thinking man's" rape revenge film is notorious and shocking, yet highly respected and rightfully so. Beautifully shot and wonderfully acted, it is all horrifically violent and brutal. And, Monica Belluci's rape scene is as harrowing a scene as they come. A masterpiece that you need to see, but with caution, of course.

4. - It's funny, make-up master Tom Savini hated this film, when it came out. Highly controversial and totally misogynistic, he condemned the film. But, as time passed and it achieved cult status, he went on to do DVD running commentary and such. Whatever the case maybe, Maniac remains one of the nastiest psycho films ever made. What really makes this film so horrific is the fact that it is all told from this sick serial killer's perspective. Savini's realistic, ultra-violent effects consists mostly of violence against women, as this sicko (excellently played by Joe Spindell), who goes around brutally offing women, scalping them, and using their hair as wigs for the mannequins he keeps at home.

3. - Featuring what is inarguably the single, most harrowing rape scene, this movie, perhaps the most well-known rape-revenge film, ever, spawned lots of controversy and uproar. Equally reviled as it is hailed, this movie has been berated as the sleaziest of exploitation by some, but also praised as a feminist empowerment movie, by others. I feel the movie is the later, but the rape scene is never, ever easy to watch. It is unforgettable and stays with you long after the last reel. But, on the plus side, it is because of the brutality of this moment that one cheers Jennifer (Camille Keaton, grand-nice of Buster Keaton) as she exacts her revenge on the scumbag rapists.

2. - This German shocker is some weird combination of art-house film, sleaze, and ultra-gory, low budget horror. A dude and his chick get into necrophilia, but when she leaves him, he continues his downward spiral adding murder to corpse fucking. Extremely graphic and horrifying, the movie manages to repulse like few can. The corpse fucking, extreme gore, and the unforgettable, jaw-dropping ending manage to stay lashed on to your brain. Not for everyone, but recommended to those who dare to thread in this territory.

1. - Now, I consider myself, as hardcore a horror fan as they come. And, I have seen more movies than I can ever count, but despite this all, this remains king. No movie is more shocking, horrific, brutal, nasty, vile, or downright disturbing than Ruggero Deodato's classic of Italian cannibalism. Never, ever easy to watch the movie still shocks and repels no matter what you have seen before hand or how many viewings you give it. The repulsive, reprehensible, and unnecessary, very real violence against animals is it's gravest atrocity. But, even devoid of that, it still is a dark, bleak movie that harbors some of the most nasty images ever put to celluloid. The images of cannibalism, rape, the village being burned, the infamous stake up the ass out the mouth, and the truly nihilistic climax deliver a gut punch that is equivalent to the incredible Hulk, himself, giving it you at full strength. No doubt about it, THIS is THE single most disturbing film, I have ever seen and perhaps ever made.

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