The 1980s were the golden age of horror. With the advent of the slasher genre thanks to classic franchises such as halloween, Friday the 13thas well as A Nightmare on Elm Street, the era paved the way for such horror, which mixed fright, blood, excesses, and sometimes laughter. Thanks to VHS, directors were no longer limited by budget. This opened the door for many aspiring horror story artists to use home video to distribute their creative, low-budget, and sometimes controversial films. To celebrate this glorious era of horror, the Criterion Channel will air thirty classic 80s horror films from thirty different directors to celebrate the spooky season. The entire event starts on October 1st.

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Curator Clyde FollyThe series will give viewers a taste of everything the 80s had to offer in terms of horror, from established directors such as John Carpenter, Dario Argento, Tobe Hooperas well as David Cronenbergwho used all the best special effects in their films, to low-budget maestro like Frank Henenlotter. There’s also a real mix of horror types here, with creature traits, slashers, psychological horror, artsy experimental films, and just plain bizarre films. None of the major franchises make this list, but there are plenty more unique and great games to chew on this Halloween season.

As for major directors, most of them, with the exception of Cronenberg and his classic Scanners, are featured by some of their lesser known films. Carpenter, for example, is represented Prince of Darknesslesser known part of it Apocalypse trilogy, which also features classic Thing as well as In the mouth of madness. These are the stars of the late great Donald Pleasence as a priest who is joined by a group of graduate students to investigate a strange container in a church, only to open it and accidentally release a liquid incarnation of Satan himself onto Earth. Inferno was chosen from Argento’s catalog, which is fair due to the supernatural horror that has been in the shadows for a long time Suspiria. Others included in the list are by Hooper. Fun, Katherine BigelowX Almost dark, Michael MannX Fortressas well as Paul SchroederX cat people among others.

The rest of the list features lesser-known or low-budget horror films that have become cult classics over time, as well as some just plain weird movies like Brian Yuznagrotesque body horror Society. Henenlotter Basket Case as well as Amy Holden JonesX Pajama Party Massacre are a pair of low-budget films that would go on to create their own franchises. One of the most interesting additions is Robert BirmanX vampire kiss, which is best known as one of the most classic examples Nicolas Cage replaying with some particularly memorable freakouts. Add some creature features like Larry CohenX Clue: Winged serpent and fleshy white eye on Donald Kammel and there is something here for everyone.

The Criterion Channel will start airing movies on October 1st in anticipation of Halloween (although Tony ScottX Hunger will be available November 1). Watch the trailer for the series here and check out the full list of films included below.

80s horror series on the Criterion channel:

  • InfernoDario Argento, 1980
  • The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Miss OsborneValerian Borovchik, 1981
  • Dead and buriedGary Sherman, 1981
  • House near the cemeteryLucio Fulci, 1981
  • FunTobe Hooper, 1981
  • Strange behaviorMichael Laughlin, 1981
  • WolfenMichael Wadley, 1981
  • ScannersDavid Cronenberg, 1981
  • road gamesRichard Franklin, 1981
  • FanEd Bianchi, 1981
  • Basket CaseFrank Henenlotter, 1982
  • Immediate relativesTony Williams, 1982
  • cat peoplePaul Schroeder, 1982
  • Clue: Winged serpentLarry Cohen, 1982
  • Pajama Party MassacreAmy Holden Jones, 1982
  • FortressMichael Mann, 1983
  • HungerTony Scott, 1983
  • Henry: portrait of a serial killerJohn McNaughton, 1986
  • HiddenJack Sholder, 1987
  • Prince of DarknessJohn Carpenter, 1987
  • white eyeDonald Cammel, 1987
  • Almost darkKatherine Bigelow, 1987
  • VanishingGeorge Sluiser, 1988
  • brain damageFrank Henenlotter, 1988
  • Dream DemonHarley Cockeliss, 1988
  • A dropChuck Russell, 1988
  • Lair of the White WormKen Russell, 1988
  • Vampire KissRobert Bierman, 1989
  • SocietyBrian Yuzna, 1989
  • Tetsuo: Iron ManShinya Tsukamoto, 1989