Barely Frightening: 

25 Worst Scary Movies of the 1980s

Ask most horror fans about the genre’s best decade, and the overwhelming majority will likely agree that it’s the 1980s.

But not every movie from the 80s is classic. Even at the high point of horror, movie studios cranked out films that scared no one. Here are 25 of the worst the era has to offer: movies so bad, it’s scary.

Transylvania 6-5000 (1985)

Despite a cast of greats such as Jeff Goldblum, Ed Begley Jr., Carol Kane, and Geena Davis, this spoof about tabloid reporters on a dangerous quest fails as both a comedy and a horror movie.

C.H.U.D. (1984)

C.H.U.D. is more interested in commentary than scares, making for a dull watch.

Amityville II: The Possession (1981)

The film emphasizes scuzzy discomfort over actual scares, making for a dull and unpleasant watch.

Saturday the 14th (1981)

In theory, comedy and horror should work hand in hand. Who doesn’t like a good laugh after a surprising scare? But as Saturday the 14th painfully proves, horror comedy is a hard genre to get right.

The Barbaric Beast of Boggy Creek, Part II (1985)

Instead of ramping up the realism, the movie’s narration and fake-documentary approach make the whole thing feel like a lecture.

Hard Rock Zombies (1985)

The movie’s story of undead rockers and their mind-controlling music earns a few unintentional laughs but never any screams.

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