The 10 Best Horror Movies of 1984

1984 is a year that doesn't have as many quality movies as the years before it, but it still has much to talk about. For one thing it has some legitimate great movies, including at least three or two classics of the genre. One of them, being Wes Craven's finest film, one that changed and influenced the genre in the years to come. It also marks an interesting batch of movies that mix the horror genre with others (you'll find a couple here!), or other genres taking in bits of horror (namely The Terminator and Ghostbusters, both great movies, but neither actual horror films, hence their omission from this list).

Honorable Mentions:
Terror in the Aisles
Firestarter 

10. Death Warmed Up- This New Zealand splatter movie is under seen and underrated but is a rollicking good time. Fast paced and violent, this one is definitely one that gorehounds will totally dig. It hadn't been available since the glory days of VHS (which is where I originally saw it), but thank the gore gods Severin put out a superlative Blu-ray of it.

9. The Company of Wolves- This British flick is a Gothic, horror take on Little Red Riding Hood with werewolves. Coming from Neil (Interview with the Vampire) Jordan this is a beautiful and stylish film with Sarah  Patterson as a teenage Riding Hood.

8. Friday the 13th: The Final Chapter- The best of the first half of the Paramount Friday sequels, this one has Jason come off specially menacing. It's got a great climax, a dancing Crispin Glover to Lion (also known for doing the theme song to The Transformers: The Movie), hot girls, the introduction of Tommy Jarvis (here played by a young Coery Haim), and some great FX by Tom Savini. It is the goriest of the Paramount films (at least in the only available versions), with the best and bloodiest "death" of Jason.

7. Savage Streets- This violent and exciting rape revenge flick throws in some great action on top of the exploitation quota. It also has two scream queens in it, as Linda Blair takes revenge on the scum who rape her deaf-mute sister Heather played by Linnea Quigley. A cult classic that ranks among the best of Blair's work.

6. C.H.U.D.- This minor classic is a very cool and entertaining monster movie. The acting is solid and helps to elevate the movie's quality, as do the C.H.U.Ds themselves. Over the years, this flick has gained an even wider cult status, even being mentioned on several mainstream TV shows.

5. Silent Night, Deadly Night- This well acted, and at times dark, slasher film is better than a lot of its kind. The controversy that it caused only adds to the fun of it. On top of being a great holiday flick, it also gave us a topless Linnea Quigley getting impaled on antlers, an iconic kill in its own right.

4. Ninja III: The Domination- This genre bender is like an 80's greatest hits package in a movie. You get: ninjas, demonic possession, aerobics, and big hair! I actually like this one more as time as passes by, but how can one not love a movie where an evil, dead ninja possesses a hot chick (Lucinda Dickey)? In all this is truly awesome cheese from Cannon Films.

3. The Toxic Avenger- Troma's most iconic film is truly one of their best. Hilarious and ultra-violent, it's a blast to watch. Politically incorrect jokes, splatter galore, hot babes, and nudity abound, setting the precedent for most of the Troma movies to come. Toxie is such a beloved figure and superhero, that despite this movie being an R/ unrated flick, it managed to inspire a fucking kids cartoon, The Toxic Crusaders! That dear friends is 80's as it gets!

2. Gremlins- This amazing horror/ comedy is endearing, scary, cute, violent, imaginative, funny, gory, and heartwarming. How many fucking movies can be described by all those words? Not many, I dare say. The cast does a wonderful job, and Chris Walas, FX are absolutely amazing. Enough, so that every viewing, I have had with this film (since childhood, might I add) has made me wish Gizmo was real. Director Joe Dante fills the flick with enough in-jokes and wonderment to film a whole bunch of movies. To put it more bluntly, this classic is my favorite of all Christmas horror movies, and one of the greatest horror comedies ever made.

1. A Nightmare on Elm Street- Wes Craven's masterpiece, is without a shadow of a doubt, in my mind, the greatest slasher movie ever made. Creepy, scary, gory, and highly original, it is superior to not just its own sequels, but any movie of the same ilk. The acting is extremely strong and Craven's directing is at its most excellent level. It, of course, gave birth to one of the most iconic villains in the genre, Freddy Krueger. This appearance might be his scariest. It also gave us one of the greatest final girls ever in Nancy Thompson bought to life by the beautiful Heather Langenkamp. This is without question, not just the best horror flick of 1984, but one of the greatest horror movies ever made.


What are your guys favorite horror films from 1984? Let me know in the comments section below. And, be sure to check out the preceding year rankings by clicking on the links below.

The 10 Best Horror Movies of 1980
The 10 Best Horror Movies of 1981
The 10 Best Horror Movies of 1982
The 10 Best Horror Movies of 1983

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SILENT NIGHT (2012)

My review of the re-imaging of the infamous holiday slasher is now up on best-horror-movies.com. Check it out here: http://www.best-horror-movies.com/review?name=silent-night-2012-review

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The 5 Best Christmas Horror Movies Ever

Before I start this list, let me begin by saying that Nightmare Before Christmas is not on this list. I mention this because I have seen a couple of horror websites have that film listed it as part of their Holiday list of films. While, I love that movie and it does show a definite love for all things goth and horror, I do not believe it to be a horror film. If I had a included it, it would have ranked in at number three.

OK, on to the list. I love horror films and Christmas, and so I REALLY love horror films that deal with Christmas. Why enjoy some sweet, nice movie with a bunch of bullshit happy feelings, when you can see a film filled with killer monsters, gore, murder, psychos, hot chicks, alcohol abuse, nudity, etc. Really! Makes no sense to me! Anyways, I hope this list helps you with some real quality holiday viewing!

5. - I am probably gonna get a lot of heat for listing this film, but so what? Yes, it is no where near the masterpiece the original was, but taking it as it's own film and judging it as simply a slasher film, this movie works. The plot is basically the same, a group of sorority babes are terrorized by a killer. But, there are many changes through out the film, enough so to stand on it's own and separate it from the original. Sure it ain't the smartest movie ever made, but films in this sub-genre rarely are. The back story given to Billy is both sleazy and silly. But, for the sake of this movie it does work. It moves at a nice pace, features a truly impressive cast of beautiful girls (including Final Destination 3's lovely Crystal Lowe who gets nude) and, in the unrated cut, some really nice bits of gore. I also liked the fact that the movie is set-up in a way where one does not know who the "final girl" will be; thus making for a who the fuck will die and who will survive bit of terror. In all. it is good, brain dead fun.

4. - A recent addition to the Christmas horror film, this suspenseful and well acted horror-thriller is a welcome, albeit over looked and underrated film. Still, I have seen more and more good reviews to this one pop-up, so hopefully it is catching on. A rather simple plot, really, a beautiful girl (Rachel Nichols) is the last to leave the NYC office building she works at. She finds herself locked inside of it and terrorized by the psychotic parking lot attendant (Wes Bentley) who has a sick obsession with her. Well plotted and directed the movie has some pretty intense moments and some very shocking bits of graphic gore. The chemistry between the the two leads is great and the lovely Ms. Nichols has, what maybe, the most amazing cleavage in horror film history.

3. - The most controversial and infamous of the list (although a couple of these movies have had their fair share of controversy) this nasty little slasher film had closed minded housewives protesting the movie upon it's release. It only helped in getting the film more attention and thus giving it a cult following way after it's initial release. Kid sees a crook dressed as Santa kill daddy and mommy (whom he makes sure to rip open her blouse and get topless before slitting her throat) and believes Santa punishes the naughty. When, he grows up he whacks bad kids while wearing a Santa outfit. The movie does a good job at using Christmas style decorations as creepy props and has a rather mean-spirited and "that's so wrong" feel to it. The acting is good enough and the plot is fairly well done for this type of film. It also features a nude Linnea Quigley, whose death on antlers is one of her career best, and some other rather unforgettable moments.

2. - One of the things that make this movie so great is that was made before horror hits like Halloween, When a Stranger Calls, or Friday the 13th. The simple story of a group of sorority sisters being terrorized by an unknown killer works because of many factors. First off the acting of the all involved is great, and unlike so many slasher films, it makes us care for the characters. Margot Kidder's classic role of the drunken hottie inspires many a memorable moment. The film is also very suspenseful and has some thoroughly creepy moments. And, while there are some violent deaths, like Halloween or The Texas Chainsaw Massacre, it is very restrained in it's blood spillage. The final shot ranks as one of horror's creepiest moments, ever.

1. - Kid gets a cute and cuddly creature for Christmas. But, he has to follow the rules in order to take care of him. Of course, they are broken and all hell breaks loose when killer, little monsters are unleashed on the town. At the time it came out it caused lots of controversy thanks to it's graphic violence (for a PG rated film!) and, along with Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom, it helped give birth to the PG-13 rating. But, as is typical with the horror genre, it also inspired a shitload of little monster movies that ranged form good (Critters) to terrible (Hobgoblins, The Ghoulies movies, etc. But, this movie worked because with Joe (The Howling) Dante in the director's chair the movie manages to be funny, scary, cute, touching, highly enjoyable, and violent (see the various gory deaths of the evil little gremlins). Plus, the cast is great and the characters wonderful. And, how can you not have a crush on Phoebe Cates? This film holds such a special place in my heart, as it was perhaps the first horror film, I was totally obsessed with. That and to this very day, I wish I had a pet Gizmo! He is so damn cute!

Anyway, I wish all my readers HAPPY HOLIDAYS!

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Now playing: Spinal Tap - Christmas With the Devil
via FoxyTunes

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