A great tagline can work wonders for the success of a movie. Perhaps signaling the creativity of the film itself, a great tagline can both impress readers and elicit tantalizing curiosity. A great tagline can prove just as creative as the film itself, and in horror's case, just as scary.

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When it comes to the art of crafting a tagline, few genres benefit as well as horror. A horror movie tagline can be frightening in and of itself, but it can also raise some scary questions that can only be answered by viewing the film. These are the greatest taglines that the '80s had to offer.

Be Afraid. Be Very Afraid.

The Fly itself in David Cronenberg's 1986 remake of The Fly

One of the most iconic taglines in movie history, this one belongs to the David Cronenberg masterpiece The Fly. It's a very simple tagline, but it's also incredibly effective in its eeriness and curiosity. It's a blunt statement - "be afraid". Almost as if there's no choice.

This in turn raises some questions - "Why should I be afraid?", and "What is causing me to be afraid?" The answers, of course, lie within the movie, effectively guaranteeing a large audience.

They're Here.

Heather in front of the TV from the poster of Poltergeist

If there's a better '80s tagline than "Be afraid. Be very afraid", it's this one. Like its competition, this one is both straight and to the point. It only lasts two words, yet it leaves behind a lasting power more influential and tantalizing than taglines five times its size.

Who are "they"? Where did they come from? What does it matter if they're "here"? Is that a bad thing? When combined with the movie's spectral poster, this tagline proves as effective, and as scary, as the film itself.

Sometimes Dead Is Better.

Miko Hughes as Scary Gage in Pet Sematary

Serving as the tagline to the original Pet Sematary, this tagline actually came from the brilliant mind of Stephen King, as it's a quote from the source novel. It was a genius move to turn one of the novel's throwaway quotes into the movie's primary tagline, because it really is brilliant.

It certainly inspires the imagination, making readers question why dead is better and just what the alternative actually is. The answer, as it turns out, is murderous, maniacal two-year-olds.

He'll Tear Your Soul Apart.

The poster of Hellraiser showing Pinhead

Perhaps Clive Barker's greatest work, Hellraiser was released in 1987 to moderate success, grossing $14 million on a $1 million budget. It was preceded by a pretty great, and particularly violent, tagline promising the graphic violence of Pinhead.

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It's not just that he'll tear someone apart, physically. It's that he'll tear their very souls apart, making both the threat and the imagination all the more powerful.

Bolt Your Doors. Lock Your Windows. There's Something In The Fog!

Stevie sits alone in the radio station from The Fog

While it's not one of John Carpenter's more beloved or famous movies, The Fog is nevertheless a worthwhile addition to the horror canon.

It came equipped with a pretty good tagline that, while a little wordy and corny, was nevertheless very effective in conjuring up the imagination. There's obviously something very dangerous in the fog - a mysterious "fog" with a questionable identity and perhaps otherworldly origins. Where did it come from, and just what is in it?

Man Is The Warmest Place To Hide.

The survivors make a plan in The Thing

On the other hand, The Thing could very well be John Carpenter's greatest and most popular accomplishment. The story follows an alien who is unearthed from a scientific team in Antarctica. The alien, or The Thing, then "takes over" its victims and mimics both their appearance and personality.

The movie also came with a great tagline, informing readers that "Man is the warmest place to hide". It's interesting, it's kind of gross, and above all else, it is highly effective.

Sleep All Day. Party All Night. Never Grow Old. Never Die. It's Fun To Be A Vampire.

The Lost Boys vampire gang covered in blood after a feast

Released in 1987, The Lost Boys is a unique film that effortlessly combines a number of genres. It's at once a teen film, a buddy comedy, a coming-of-age story, a "gang" film, and a horror about vampires. The tagline wonderfully conveys the tone of the film itself, promising a sense of fun over horror and frights.

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The frights are obviously there, but the movie always seemed more interested in the "party" atmosphere that the vampires provided.

The Tide Of Terror That Swept America Is Here.

Jack Nicholson going mad outside in the snow in The Shining

The Shining is widely regarded as one of the greatest horror movies ever made - even though it was met with a lukewarm critical response upon its initial release. Critical reception aside, the movie proved quite popular with the movie-going public, as evident by this great and promising tagline.

The movie was released on May 23, 1980 in the United States before making its way overseas the following October. Suffice to say, word had gotten around that the movie was pretty darned scary.

The Dead Have Waited. The Day Has Come.

Joe Pilato screams as zombie arms reach out to him in Day of the Dead

Dawn of the Dead proved a surprising success, and George A. Romero released its long-awaited sequel, Day of the Dead, in 1985. The tagline alone promised that this would be a far darker, more apocalyptic outing than its sometimes-comedic predecessor.

"The day has come" is a very creative way of signaling the end of the world - an apocalypse that is horrifyingly realized in the movie's opening five minutes. Few horror movie taglines are as scary, or as pessimistic, as this one.

His Bite Is Worse Than His Bark. Much, Much Worse.

Cujo covered in blood

Another Stephen King adaptation, Cujo was released in 1983 and did irreparable damage to the reputation of Saint Bernards. The story concerns a mother and her young son who become trapped inside a hot and stuffy car while a rabid dog stalks them from outside.

The accompanying tagline is certainly a little cheesy, but it's still good for conjuring up violent images. It nicely depicts the titular dog as unhinged, uncompromising, and utterly dangerous, and it prepares viewers for the horror they are about to witness.

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