Horror Movies From the 1980s That Are Completely Unwatchable Today

The 1980s served as a booming decade for the horror genre and resulted in an explosion of slasher films and practical effect creature features. This high demand led studios and independent filmmakers to rush productions into theaters to capitalize on current trends. The result was a significant number of movies that suffered from rushed scripts and severely limited budgets. Many of these films rely on derivative plots or confusing editing that makes them a chore to sit through for modern audiences.

‘Hobgoblins’ (1988)

Rick Sloane directed this low-budget creature feature that attempts to capitalize on the success of the popular ‘Gremlins’ franchise. The plot follows small aliens that crash land and grant people their wildest fantasies before killing them. The puppets barely move and the acting remains incredibly wooden throughout the runtime. Critics and audiences often cite the nonsensical dialogue and flat direction as reasons for its poor reputation. It remains a staple of bad movie discussions due to its sheer technical incompetence.

‘Troll 2’ (1990)

Although released technically in 1990, this film was produced in 1989 and represents the tail end of the 80s B-movie craze. The story concerns a family vacationing in a town called Nilbog where vegetarian goblins try to eat them. None of the actors seem to understand their lines and the costumes look like burlap sacks. The production is famous for having no connection to the original ‘Troll’ movie despite the title. It confuses viewers with its lack of logic and bizarre continuity errors.

‘Jaws: The Revenge’ (1987)

This fourth installment in the shark franchise ignores the laws of physics and biology to bring the shark back for a personal vendetta. The shark follows the Brody family from New England all the way to the Bahamas. Viewers can clearly see the machinery operating the shark in several key sequences. The narrative drags significantly and relies on flashbacks to previous films to pad the runtime. It is often regarded as a franchise killer due to its poor execution and boring script.

‘Ghoulies’ (1985)

This film attempts to mix sorcery with small monster mayhem but spends most of its time on a dull satanic cult subplot. The titular creatures do not appear until late in the movie and have very little screen time. The marketing campaign famously featured a creature in a toilet which created expectations the film could not meet. The pacing is sluggish as the main character wanders around a mansion looking confused. It lacks the energy or fun required to make the silly premise work.

‘Don’t Go in the Woods’ (1981)

This slasher film involves a wild man killing campers in the wilderness with very little explanation or motivation. The cinematography is often out of focus or poorly lit which makes it hard to see the action. Most of the runtime consists of characters wandering aimlessly through the forest before meeting their demise. The audio quality is notoriously bad and makes the dialogue difficult to understand. It stands as a prime example of the oversaturated slasher market producing subpar content.

‘Silent Night, Deadly Night Part 2’ (1987)

The producers of this sequel reused extensive footage from the first film to fill nearly half of the runtime. The main character recounts the events of the original movie in a mental institution before going on his own rampage. The lead actor delivers a performance that is often mocked for its exaggerated eyebrow movements and strange line delivery. The recycling of old scenes frustrates viewers who want a new story. It feels more like a clip show than a feature film.

‘Things’ (1989)

Two friends visit a cabin where they discover mutated creatures born from a womb in the floor. The dialogue is almost entirely dubbed and often does not match the lip movements of the actors. The lighting is so dim that entire sequences are rendered unintelligible to the viewer. The film features a bizarre narrative structure that seems to lack a beginning or an end. It is frequently cited as one of the worst technical achievements in the history of horror cinema.

‘Blood Cult’ (1985)

This movie holds the distinction of being the first shot-on-video feature released to the home rental market. The plot involves a campus killer collecting body parts for a sorcery ritual. The visual quality resembles a home movie and the audio suffers from constant background noise. The acting is amateurish and the pacing moves at a crawl. It demonstrates the limitations of early video technology when applied to feature-length storytelling.

‘Microwave Massacre’ (1983)

A construction worker kills his wife and discovers a taste for human flesh cooked in a giant microwave. The humor falls flat and the gore effects look incredibly cheap even for the time period. The lead performance is lethargic and fails to carry the dark comedy elements. The single location setting becomes repetitive very quickly. Most viewers find the premise wears thin within the first twenty minutes.

‘Spookies’ (1986)

Production issues plagued this film and resulted in two different movies being spliced together into one incoherent mess. Characters wander through a mansion facing random monsters that have no connection to each other. The tone shifts wildly between serious horror and slapstick comedy from scene to scene. The narrative makes no sense because of the conflicting footage from different directors. It serves as a confusing experience that leaves audiences baffled rather than scared.

‘Death Spa’ (1989)

Paranormal activity haunts a high-tech health club where exercise equipment turns deadly. The plot involves a vengeful spirit possessing the computer system to kill gym patrons. The special effects vary from practical gore to primitive computer graphics that have aged poorly. The dialogue tries to be trendy but ends up sounding dated and awkward. It struggles to balance the supernatural elements with the slasher formula.

‘Munchies’ (1987)

Roger Corman produced this film which features small creatures that multiply when chopped into pieces. The monsters look like stiff rubber puppets and barely articulate during their scenes. The humor relies on bad puns and slapstick that appeals to very young children rather than horror fans. The pacing is slow as the characters spend too much time talking in diner booths. It is a derivative work that lacks the charm of the films it imitates.

‘Friday the 13th Part VIII: Jason Takes Manhattan’ (1989)

The title promises a rampage in New York City but the majority of the film takes place on a boat. Jason Voorhees stalks graduating students on a cruise ship for over an hour before reaching land. The New York scenes were mostly filmed in Vancouver and look nothing like the actual city. The ending involves a confusing toxic waste flood that transforms Jason into a child. Fans often dislike this entry for its misleading title and budget constraints.

‘Rawhead Rex’ (1986)

Clive Barker wrote the screenplay based on his own short story but the film fails to capture the source material’s terror. The monster costume looks like a rubber suit with a fixed expression that limits any fear factor. The setting in rural Ireland provides atmosphere but the direction remains flat. The creature attacks occur in broad daylight which exposes the flaws in the practical effects. It turns a terrifying mythological beast into a generic movie monster.

‘Maximum Overdrive’ (1986)

Stephen King directed this film about machines coming to life and attacking humanity. The tone is inconsistent as it tries to be both a horror movie and a dark comedy. The soundtrack by AC/DC is the only memorable aspect of the production. The acting is over the top and the dialogue is frequently cringe-inducing. King himself has admitted that he was not in the right state of mind during production.

‘The Video Dead’ (1987)

Zombies emerge from a cursed television set to attack a suburban family. The zombies look decent but the characters make irrational decisions that frustrate the viewer. The film breaks its own rules regarding how the zombies operate and how they can be killed. The acting is subpar and the dialogue feels improvised in many scenes. It is a slow-moving film that fails to maximize its creative premise.

‘Neon Maniacs’ (1986)

A group of mutants lives under the Golden Gate Bridge and hunts teenagers at night. The movie never explains who the monsters are or why they are vulnerable to water. The editing creates continuity errors that make the action scenes hard to follow. The ending feels rushed and leaves many plot threads unresolved. It looks like a pilot for a television show that was never picked up.

‘Doom Asylum’ (1987)

A group of friends trespasses in an abandoned asylum inhabited by a killer and a punk band. The film mixes slasher tropes with slapstick comedy that undermines any sense of tension. The dialogue is full of bad jokes that fail to land. The gore effects are exaggerated but look fake due to the bright lighting. It tries too hard to be a cult classic and ends up being annoying.

‘Rock ‘n’ Roll Nightmare’ (1987)

A hair metal band travels to a farmhouse to record new music but faces demons instead. The lead singer wrote and starred in the film to showcase his own music and physique. The demons are clearly puppets and the final confrontation is laughable. The majority of the runtime consists of the band playing their songs in a rehearsal space. It functions more as a vanity project than a legitimate horror movie.

‘Zombie Nightmare’ (1987)

A teenager comes back from the dead to take revenge on the joyriders who killed him. The film stars Adam West as a police captain but he looks bored throughout his scenes. The zombie makeup is minimal and the kills are bloodless. The soundtrack features heavy metal songs that play loudly over the dialogue. It is a tedious revenge story with very little zombie action.

‘Ghosthouse’ (1988)

An Italian production filmed in the United States involving a haunted house and a creepy clown doll. The plot is a jumbled collection of scenes that do not form a cohesive narrative. The radio signals in the movie emit a high-pitched noise that irritates the audience. The acting is awkward due to the language barrier and bad dubbing. It rips off elements from several other popular horror franchises.

‘House II: The Second Story’ (1987)

This sequel abandons the horror elements of the first film in favor of an adventure comedy. The story involves a crystal skull and time travel within a magical house. The tone is too silly for horror fans and too dark for family audiences. The plot meanders through different dimensions without any real stakes. It feels completely disconnected from the original movie.

‘Creature’ (1985)

A space crew discovers an alien container on one of Saturn’s moons and unleashes a monster. The sets look like industrial factories and the lighting is too dark to see the creature. The plot lifts heavily from ‘Alien’ without adding anything new. The pacing is slow and the characters are interchangeable. It is a forgettable entry in the sci-fi horror subgenre.

‘Galaxy of Terror’ (1981)

Astronauts land on a planet where their worst fears are brought to life by a giant pyramid. The production design is impressive for the budget but the story is bleak and mean-spirited. The characters are unlikeable and spend the movie arguing until they die. The shock value scenes are gratuitous and often repulsive. It is a depressing watch that lacks any redeeming heroes.

‘Inseminoid’ (1981)

An alien creature impregnates a woman on a space station and causes her to kill her crewmates. The film relies on shock value and exploitation rather than suspense. The sets are sterile white corridors that all look the same. The acting is hysterical and the characters scream constantly. It is an unpleasant film that focuses on gross-out concepts.

‘Saturn 3’ (1980)

Two lovers on a space station are terrorized by a robot that develops a lust for the female lead. The robot design is clunky and not frightening. The dialogue is dubbed poorly and the story moves very slowly. The massive budget was wasted on sets that do not enhance the weak script. It is a dull sci-fi thriller that fails to generate any excitement.

‘Rats: Night of Terror’ (1984)

Post-apocalyptic bikers discover a research lab infested with killer rats. The rats are clearly normal rodents that are thrown at the actors by crew members. The characters are stereotypes with terrible costumes and wigs. The dubbing is hilarious and the dialogue makes no sense. The ending features a twist that is infamous for being nonsensical.

‘Burial Ground’ (1981)

Guests at a country villa are attacked by zombies that are awakened by an archeologist. The zombies are played by small adults in masks and look very strange. The film is famous for a subplot involving a mother and her adult-looking son. The gore is extreme but the story is nonexistent. The pacing drags as the characters barricade themselves and wait to die.

‘Graduation Day’ (1981)

A killer targets track team members at a high school to avenge a death during a race. The editing is frantic and uses a stopwatch timer effect that becomes annoying. The acting is wooden and the killer’s identity is obvious. The musical numbers pad the runtime and halt the momentum. It is a generic slasher that disappears into the crowd of similar films.

‘New Year’s Evil’ (1980)

A punk rock host receives calls from a killer who plans to murder someone in each time zone as the New Year strikes. The killer reveals his face early on which ruins the mystery. The pacing is sluggish as the film cuts between the killer and the concert. The kills are tame and lack creativity. It fails to utilize the holiday setting effectively.

‘Hospital Massacre’ (1981)

A woman goes to the hospital for a routine checkup and gets trapped by a killer surgeon. The hospital is impossibly empty and dark for a functioning medical facility. The protagonist makes terrible decisions that keep her in danger. The killer’s motivation is revealed to be a childhood grudge. It stretches a thin premise far beyond its breaking point.

‘Visiting Hours’ (1982)

A feminist journalist is stalked by a misogynistic killer in a hospital setting. The film is mean-spirited and focuses heavily on the killer’s perspective. The suspense is ruined by the lengthy runtime and slow scenes. William Shatner appears in a supporting role but cannot save the film. It is an unpleasant thriller that feels exploitative.

‘Humongous’ (1982)

Teens shipwrecked on an island are hunted by a giant deformed man. The lighting is so dark that the viewer can barely see the characters or the killer. The plot is a standard formula with no surprises. The kills happen off-screen or in shadows to hide the budget. It is a boring entry in the backwoods slasher genre.

‘The Final Terror’ (1983)

Forest rangers and campers face off against a wild survivalist in the woods. The film sat on a shelf for years before being released and it shows. The picture quality is muddy and the sound is muffled. The story is generic and the characters are forgettable. It wastes a cast that includes several future stars.

‘Mountaintop Motel Massacre’ (1983)

An elderly woman who runs a motel goes insane and starts killing her guests. The film tries to be atmospheric but ends up being dull and dark. The characters are unlikable and bicker constantly. The kills are creative but the special effects are crude. It feels like a very cheap production with little artistic merit.

‘Killer Workout’ (1987)

People at a fitness club are murdered with a giant safety pin. The movie features endless montages of women doing aerobics to fill time. The plot is barely there and the twist ending is confusing. The acting is soap opera quality at best. It is more of an exercise video than a horror movie.

‘Splatter University’ (1984)

A sociology teacher at a catholic university is targeted by an escaped mental patient. The film is grainy and looks like it was shot on a home camera. The acting is amateur and the dialogue is stilted. The kills are bloody but the special effects are unconvincing. It is a gritty and ugly film that lacks entertainment value.

‘Boardinghouse’ (1982)

This supernatural horror film was shot on video and features telekinetic powers and a haunted rental property. The visuals are distorted and the colors are oversaturated. The plot is incoherent and involves strange comedy sketches. The acting is bizarre and the direction is nonexistent. It is often considered one of the weirdest and worst films of the decade.

‘Fatal Games’ (1984)

Students at a sports academy are killed with javelins and other equipment. The characters take steroids and act aggressively toward each other. The film tries to have a message about drug use but fails. The nudity is gratuitous and the violence is mean. It is a generic slasher that offers nothing new.

‘Twisted Nightmare’ (1987)

Teenagers win a trip to a camp where they are killed by a beast that is connected to their past. The film rips off ‘Friday the 13th’ almost scene for scene. The monster suit is impressive but the rest of the movie is terrible. The lighting is too dark to see the action. It is a forgettable clone of better movies.

‘Blood Diner’ (1987)

Two brothers run a diner and collect body parts to resurrect an ancient goddess. The humor is crude and the gore is over the top. The film is a loose remake of ‘Blood Feast’ but lacks the charm. The acting is manic and the plot is nonsensical. It is a loud and messy film that exhausts the viewer.

‘Slaughter High’ (1986)

A victim of a prank returns to his high school reunion to kill his tormentors. The actors playing high school students are clearly in their thirties. The kills involve acid baths and electrified beds. The tone is mean and the characters are all terrible people. It is a standard revenge slasher with no surprises.

‘Sorority House Massacre’ (1986)

A sorority sister has visions of a killer who escapes an asylum to hunt her down. The plot borrows heavily from ‘Halloween’ and uses similar music cues. The acting is flat and the suspense is lacking. The pacing is slow as the characters talk endlessly. It is a generic low-budget slasher that fades from memory quickly.

‘Hard Rock Zombies’ (1985)

A heavy metal band is killed by a conservative town and resurrected as zombies. The film tries to be a comedy, horror, and musical all at once. The plot wanders and includes Nazis and gnomes for no reason. The runtime is too long for such a thin premise. It is a chaotic mess that fails to be funny or scary.

‘Video Violence’ (1987)

A couple opens a video store in a town where the locals make snuff films. The movie was shot on video and looks very cheap. The acting is terrible and the violence is realistic but disturbing. The meta-commentary on horror fans falls flat. It is a grim and ugly movie that is hard to watch.

Have you suffered through any of these movies or do you actually have a soft spot for some of them? Share your thoughts in the comments.