80s horror franchises are some of the most famous in the genre, let alone their popularity on a global scale. Some of the most universally known icons of cinema are from 80s horror films, from Jason and Michael Myers to Reagan and Jack Torrence.
In these modern days of nostalgia cash-ins, fan-funded projects, and horror artists, even the most underlooked and fringe horror films get more attention than they ever did upon release. Following the post-launch popularity of John Carpenter’s The Thing years after its theatrical release, films like Zombi, Demons, Society, and Possession are finding dedicated crowds now almost 40 years after their initial runs and box-office failures. While these films may bet recognition from cinema auteurs and genre fanatics, there are still quite a few surface-level antagonists that deserve a lot more attention than they get, whether that means audience recognition, merchandising, or sequels.
10 David (The Lost Boys)
Joel Schumacher’s The Lost Boys was an immediate classic, with its cheesy 80s comedy and outward of-the-time flair. One look is all it takes to determine exactly when the film released, and it takes pride in itself for that.
The film’s foremost main antagonist, David (played by Kiefer Sutherland) is a fantastic adaptation of the classic 80s bully trope, enhanced by his blatant confidence as a vampire. Though he and his group look goofy as ever on a second watch, the way Sutherland portrays a creature of the night is undeniably intimidating, making him an obvious behavioral adaptation of classical vampires into a more modern setting.
9 Satan (Prince Of Darkness)
John Carpenter’s Apocalypse Trilogy, following The Thing with Prince of Darkness and In the Mouth of Madness is underrated in its own right, with only the first of the three gaining widespread popularity. The sequels deserve much more attention, with In the Mouth of Madness being one of the better Lovecraftian films on the market, and Prince of Darkness delivering a genuinely disturbing atmosphere.
The film takes place in a church after a relic containing the essence of Satan begins to leak, providing the scientists and priests studying it with a horrific demonic assault. Paired with cryptic messages from the future and disturbing figures standing outside the windows, it’s hard to deny the vast possibilities when casting the literal devil as an antagonist.
8 Quetzalcoatl (Q)
Larry Cohen, the “king of filmmaking” was an interesting figure with some typical 70s and 80s schlock in his filmography. One of his more intriguing concepts was Q, based off the ancient South American legend of Quetzalcoatl, the winged serpent god. While the film itself is more or less on-par with the rest of his movies, the flying lizard itself is a much more interesting subject.
With the film bordering on kaiju territory, and Q acting almost like Gamera’s Gyaos, a modern reboot could be a fantastic horror movie on par with gritty found-footage films like Cloverfield.
7 Videodrome (Videodrome)
David Cronenberg’s typically provocative filmmaking all culminated with Videodrome, a sleazy UHF of melded flesh and pornography. The titular antagonistic organization of the film is a great representation of “going too far down the rabbit hole” as the protagonist discovers them while searching for the perfect shock-content to keep his indie station afloat, regardless if his disinterest in the subjects at hand. What he finds, however, is something much more menacing and abstract, as his world begins to twist around this VHS tape and the greater power behind it.
With all that it symbolizes, Videodrome is one of the earlier looks at what we now equate to the dark web, a toxic web of intricate conspiracies and shady figures with motives that are nothing if not destructive in nature.
6 Biollante (Godzilla Vs Biollante)
It’s hard to call the Godzilla franchise “underrated” in a lot of ways, but in others it really does deserve a lot more attention than it gets. Aside from the recent Criterion release (which has its own problems in terms of overpricing and fetishizing pretentious film practices) a lot of the classic movies are extraordinarily hard to find and purchase in good quality. HBO did some good in picking up a few of the mid-age movies, including the original and the more popular Versus titles, but it’s still hard to be a newcomer to the kaiju genre without a solid wallet.
Biollante is one of the more interesting kaiju in the series, not only in design (almost reminiscent of Little Shop of Horrors) but also the darker impact it wanted to make on the franchise, with an implication of bioterrorist influences and a literal toxic attitude.
5 The “Witches” (Halloween III)
Halloween III, the ugly duckling of the franchise’s sales, is an underrated film in its own right. Most fans know the story of what was meant to be an anthological series kicked off by Michael Myers and later following new storylines, but at the time audiences wanted nothing but the classic masked killer, and left sour reviews after III went in its own direction.
Since the years have gone by, III has grown in popularity after genre fans gave it a second chance, and it’s genuinely an interesting addition to what became a pretty mundane slasher franchise. Its main antagonist organization is an interesting departure from normally trope-y witch societies, providing a few sincerely disturbing moments.
4 The Rich (Society)
Society combines all the more horrific body horror elements of 80s horror and fuses them (quite literally) into one of the most disgusting productions ever to hit screens. The film follows a boy in his discovery that his rich suburban neighborhood isn’t exactly what it seems, following a reversal of the ages-old saying “eat the rich” in its disturbing climax party scene.
With Screaming Mad George on the production team, Society’s society is one of the more terrifying symbols of classism of the era, and should have gotten a larger audience before more or less falling out of relevancy.
3 Pumpkinhead (Pumpkinhead)
Pumpkinhead is a bit more of a classic 80s slasher, but with a more arcane twist. The story follows a rural man on a downward spiral after a group of tourists accidentally kill his young son in a biking accident. In an attempt to get his boy back, the man strikes up a deal with a local witch, who gives the man what he wants with consequences.
Pumpkinhead itself is a horrific creature, spawned from the man’s ill will towards the out-of-towners, which it then attempts to destroy through classic 80s means. The sequels were generally unfavorable with viewers, and it’d be fun to see the beast come back in some form, even if it’s a reboot.
2 Count Magnus Lee (Vampire Hunter D)
While more viewers are likely familiar with the 2000s remake Bloodlust, the original Vampire Hunter D is a beast of its own, with beautiful concept design and a near flawless visual execution.
Bloodlust is overall the better film, with a more interesting antagonist and a slicker design philosophy, but the original is still a fantastic piece of anime with a lot of originality, mostly due to Yoshitaka Amano’s classic art direction. Its main antagonist, Magnus Lee, is also a fun adaptation of tradition vampire lords with some genuine intimidation.
1 Killer Klowns (From Outer Space)
Killer Klowns is overall a pretty underrated film, likely because most people thought it would be the typical B-movie setup with an on-par execution. What it turned out to be, though, was an absolute pleasure.
Killer Klowns knows what it is, and doesn’t take itself terribly seriously, but at the same time it doesn’t fall victim to most B-horror trends in which directors let their practice fall to the wayside in favor of making a dumb film for clout. The klowns themselves are as funny as they look, with a darkly comedic and often disturbing manner about them.
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