Horror films have been a perennial part of the film industry since the film industry has existed, but it's hard to deny that the horror genre seemed to really begin to get its engine going in the 80s. It was a decade of over-the-top excess, and that was reflected in the quantity and quality of the horror films that were released in the era.
A lot of horror classics were released in the 80s, and many of the most famous horror franchises in the world got their start at that time as well. Among them, of course, there were plenty of movies that came out that didn't get nearly the attention and accolades that they deserved. Hindsight is 20/20, so now some of these movies that seemed awesome at the time have lost a lot of their luster, while others seem to be a lot shinier with age. Let's take a look at some examples of both!
Underrated: Creepshow
Anthology movies are typically really hard to sell to audiences, and it's easy to understand why. Creating a compelling stand-alone story that takes place in about 20 minutes isn't an easy task, and most people are looking for a traditional two hour single narrative when they're watching a film.
However, Creepshow is one of the rare movies that makes the anthology thing really work. The movie is directed by horror movie legend George A. Romero and the screenplay was written by horror writer titan Stephen King, so it's easy to see why this series of horror shorts works so well when so many other attempts at the mini-genre have failed.
Overrated: Friday the 13th
Friday the 13th was a trailblazing movie that obviously spawned one of the most successful horror movie franchises in history, which is why it's painful to admit that the original film feels kind of mediocre in retrospect.
Friday the 13th is one of the OG teen slasher flicks, but now that every nook and cranny of that genre has been explored on film, it's easy to see that Friday the 13th doesn't bring anything particularly unique or original to the table. Friday the 13th is pretty much required viewing for any true horror fan, but any average viewer who is looking for a great horror movie can probably skip it.
Underrated: Christine
Absurdly prolific author Stephen King is arguably the most famous horror creator in history, and a lot of his film adaptations are some of the most well-known and beloved horror movies ever made. However, one adaptation of his stories that never really got its due was the 1983 adaptation of Christine.
Christine is directed by horror legend John Carpenter, and it tells the tale of a 1958 Plymouth Fury that appears to be home to some kind of malevolent, demonic force. When an unpopular teenager named Arnie buys and restores the car in 1978 he becomes obsessed with it, eventually resulting in deadly consequences.
Overrated: Poltergeist
Poltergeist is considered to be an absolute horror classic at this point, but its reputation as a movie seems to be a little overblown. Poltergeist has certainly served as inspiration for a lot of the movies within the haunted house subgenre, but it's also a movie that doesn't seem to know what it wants to be.
It starts off as kind of a slow burn horror movie, but once things get going, they go completely off the rails. The film's attempts to transition from a realistic haunting to something completely over-the-top kind of undermine its narrative, and it makes it even harder to suspend your disbelief.
Underrated: The Lost Boys
Sometimes a film being dated makes it borderline embarrassing to watch, but other times being dated actually works out very heavily in its favor. For anyone who is looking for a classic 80s horror flick to enjoy, there are very few horror movies that are more 80s than The Lost Boys.
Putting that aside, The Lost Boys is a fantastic teen horror comedy in its own right. The movie leans into its more dramatic elements while fully taking advantage of its more comedic moments as well, and it's a truly unmissable vampire movie that very rarely gets its due.
Overrated: Children of the Corn
The concept that is the driving force behind Children of the Corn is definitely a really interesting one, but the story itself doesn't hold up that well and the movie feels painfully dated.
Author Stephen King actually wrote the original draft of the screenplay for this adaptation himself, but the studio opted to go for a more simplified script written by another screenwriter. It's hard not to wonder what the results of Stephen King's original screenplay would have been. A cult of children who overtake their town and kill all of the adults is a wild idea, but Children of the Corn feels like a run-of-the-mill 80s slasher flick.
Underrated: The Thing
John Carpenter's The Thing has followed the trajectory that a lot of horror films have followed in the past. When the movie was initially released it actually received extremely negative reviews, but over time it gained its own cult following and is now considered to be one of the best science fiction/horror films ever made.
However, it seems like The Thing's initial reception may have capped its potential for success in the long run, because while The Thing is now an absolute cult classic, it's also a movie that many people who aren't horror aficionados haven't even heard of.
Overrated: The Fly
Now, don't get us wrong, The Fly is definitely a good movie. However, it's not necessarily worthy of all of the praise that is heaped on it either.
It's a very effective body horror film, but it is also kind of a one trick pony. Watching Seth Brundle slowly transform into a human/fly hybrid is definitely horrifying, but The Fly isn't really a movie you need to watch more than once.
Underrated: The Shining
Is The Shining one of the most universally loved and critically renowned horror movies in history? Yes. Is it an underrated 80's horror movie? Yes! The Shining may be one of the most favored horror movies that has ever been made, but it is one of those extremely rare horror flicks that completely manages to transcend its genre.
A lot of film audiences aren't big fans of horror movies, but it'd be hard to find anyone who could see The Shining and not appreciate what a wonderful movie it is. It's unequivocally the best Stephen King horror adaptation of all time, and it's arguably even one of the best movies ever made, period.
Overrated: Child's Play
Child's Play is one of the rarefied horror movies that has been able to spawn it's own franchise, and it also has the exceptional distinctions of being such a successful franchise that it has soldiered on for more than half a dozen sequels. But the original Child's Play is, to be frank, completely insane. Haunted dolls aren't a completely original idea in horror films, and they actually seem to be pretty on trend at the moment. However Child's Play takes the idea of a haunted doll VERY literally, and it results in a lot of strange and occasionally hilarious moments in the film.