Classic ’80s: Poltergeist I-III
POLTERGEIST (1982) The Freeling family are living a blissful existence until their California tract home is invaded by malevolent spirits, turning their American dream into a nightmare. In a clever twist, the ghosts use the family’s television sets to enter…
Cat People, Nightmare, and Tales from the Quadead Zone
Cat People – 1982, US, 118m. Director: Paul Schrader. Nightmare – 1981, Italy/US, 98m. Director: Romano Scavolini. Tales from the Quadead Zone – 1987, US, 62m. Director: Chester N. Turner. CAT PEOPLE (1982) Virginal Irena, orphaned as a child, travels…
Contamination, Death Ship, and Fatal Games
Contamination – 1980, Germany/Italy, 95m. Director: Luigi Cozzi. Death Ship – 1980, Canada/UK, 93m. Director: Alvin Rakoff. Fatal Games – 1984, US, 88m. Director: Michael Elliot. CONTAMINATION (1980) (AKA: Alien Contamination) A cargo ship filled with egg-like spores drifts into…
Splatter University Part II: More ’80s Campus Slashers
Fatal Pulse – 1988, US, 87m. Director: Anthony J. Christopher. Streaming: YouTube Hell High – 1987, US, 84m. Director: Douglas Grossman. Streaming: Arrow The Initiation – 1984, US, 97m. Director: Larry Stewart, Peter Crane. Streaming: Arrow, Tubi Return to Horror…
Splatter University: A Short Guide to ’80s Campus Slashers
The Dorm That Dripped Blood – 1982, US, 88m. Director: Stephen Carpenter, Jeffrey Obrow. Streaming: N/A The House on Sorority Row – 1982, US, 91m. Director: Mark Rosman. Streaming: AMC/Prime, Shudder, Tubi Sorority House Massacre – 1986, US, 74m. Director:…
My Top 20 of the ’80s
AN AMERICAN WEREWOLF IN LONDON (1981) John Landis followed up his one-two punch of Animal House and Blues Brothers with this superlative horror-comedy about American backpacker, David (David Naughton), who, while hiking the English moors, is cursed with turning into…
’80s horror-com Girlfriend from Hell is a treasure
There were a lot of horror comedies in the ’80s and ’90s. For me, none attain the charm, likability, and pure laugh-out-loud moments like 1989’s Girlfriend from Hell. Although it had its premiere at the Houston Film Festival in April,…
VHS Horror Part 2: Cannibal Campout, Video Violence, and Woodchipper Massacre
Cannibal Campout – 1988, US, 88m. Directors: Tom Fisher, Jon McBride. Streaming: Tubi Video Violence – 1987, US, 90m. Director: Gary P. Cohen. Streaming: Tubi Woodchipper Massacre – 1988, US, 80m. Director: Jon McBride. Streaming: Tubi CANNIBAL CAMPOUT (1988) A…
Blood Hook, Curse of the Blue Lights, Horror House on Highway Five, and Slaughterhouse Rock
Blood Hook – 1987, US, 92m, 111m (extended cut). Director: Jim Mallon. Streaming: Tubi Curse of the Blue Lights – 1988, US, 93m. Director: John Henry Johnson. Streaming: N/A Horror House on Highway Five – 1985, US, 88m. Director: Richard…