Best Horror Films of the 80s Poll

[Demdike@Cult Labs]

Originally Posted by suziginajackson

But how many of those did you see in the 'proper environment' - ie, a darkened cinema?

Films lose something on television, video, DVD, blu-ray, even when they are watched late at night, with all the curtains closed and in pitch darkness

For me, the best films I have ever seen (i.e at the cinema, on first release) were 'Se7en' and 'Scream'. Both of them made me feel simultaneously dirty (I wanted to get home to have a shower) and elated (I wanted to get another ticket, and go and watch them again straight away)!

Admittedly the cinema is the perfect environment.

Or was.

But with a decent home cinema set up i think its just as good in 2013, as to me, the cinema isn't the place it was twenty years ago.

However i think this is the wrong conversation for this thread. Its about the best environment in which to view a film rather than the actual quality of the film itself.

[Beyond72]

Originally Posted by suziginajackson

Just that, for those of us born after the 80's *cough*, we didn't get to see the film on their first release, and therefore, we cannot gauge just how scary these movies originally were

For example...I personally don't think that 'Psycho' is "the scariest film ever made", because by the time I saw it, it has been usurped by the many, MANY rip-offs I had already seen!

Originally Posted by suziginajackson

But how many of those did you see in the 'proper environment' - ie, a darkened cinema?

Films lose something on television, video, DVD, blu-ray, even when they are watched late at night, with all the curtains closed and in pitch darkness

For me, the best films I have ever seen (i.e at the cinema, on first release) were 'Se7en' and 'Scream'. Both of them made me feel simultaneously dirty (I wanted to get home to have a shower) and elated (I wanted to get another ticket, and go and watch them again straight away)!

When I saw Scream with an audience, during the "Name the killer in Friday the 13th". while everyone around me was saying "Jason" I was the only one saying "Jason's Mum".
So maybe you're onto something after all.

[Demdike@Cult Labs]

Originally Posted by Beyond72

When I saw Scream with an audience, during the "Name the killer in Friday the 13th". while everyone around me was saying "Jason" I was the only saying "Jason's Mum".
So maybe you're onto something after all.

No. it just means you may have survived in the film for five minutes longer, or been killed quicker for being too
clever for the average cinema punter. You know what Craven's like.

I must admit that opening to Scream was absolutely gripping at the cinema, as was Se7en as Suzi previously mentioned.

They were two stand out films from the nineties though and would be in most folks top ten of the decade.

Tank Girl didn't have quite the same effect, which brings me back to it being the quality of the film.

[Beyond72]

Originally Posted by Demdike

No. it just means you may have survived in the film for five minutes longer, or been killed quicker for being too
clever for the average cinema punter.

I just meant while many people (Mainly younger than me and not really fans of 80's slashers) throughout Scream were thinking *Oh this film is so clever* I was thinking *This is soo lame.*

[Demdike@Cult Labs]

Originally Posted by Beyond72

I just meant while many people (Mainly younger than me and not really fans of 80's slashers) throughout Scream were thinking *Oh this film is so clever* I was thinking *This is soo lame.*

Ah right. Totally missed your meaning.

Explains the sarcastic smiley.

[jiraffejustin]

Originally Posted by Demdike

JJ. Are you aware several pics are not showing up in the other thread?

They are all still showing up for me, I don't know what the issue is.

[Beyond72]

Originally Posted by Demdike

Ah right. Totally missed your meaning.

Explains the sarcastic smiley.

While I can't help hating Scream.
(To me it's like a annoying friend who picks out flaws in movies but isn't as funny or as clever as he thinks he is.)

I can understand where Suzi might be coming from, even if I tend to side with you over the age of a film should make no difference. The fact is some people have a harder time than others getting into films which are "dated".
(Just like me having pretty much zero interest in new horror films.)

But I don't want to come across like I know better or something, as we all like or dislike things for all types of reasons.

[jiraffejustin]

With all this discussion of Scream, do you guys want to do the best horror films of the 90s poll after this one? It will be interesting to see if it gets in with the way it seems to polarize the members here.

Of course, we could also do a different poll next if you guys would like. Some I've been thinking about:

70s horror
70s exploitation
80s/90s action
classic horror (1959 and before)
00s horror
and also best horror films of 2012 (this one would take less time, as it would only require a top 5-10)

If you guys have any suggestions, I'd like to hear them as I love projects like this.

[Demdike@Cult Labs]

It would be nice to say go with Horror pre 1950, then maybe 1950's 60's etc.

Obviously the fifties one would only require shorter lists as it was mainly a time for sci-fi up until 1957.

[Beyond72]

70's Horror would be the only other Poll I'd bother with tbh.