7 Unusual Horror Movies from the 80s You May Have Overlooked

      Casey Chong showcases a collection of strange 80s horror films you might not have encountered…

      The 1980s were a remarkable era for horror films, largely due to practical effects that enabled filmmakers to use plenty of gore, latex makeup, and animatronics, regardless of their budgets. The advent of VHS also allowed filmmakers outside the studio system to explore low-budget horror more freely. While this decade spawned iconic horror franchises like Halloween, Friday the 13th, and A Nightmare on Elm Street, along with notable classics like The Howling and Poltergeist, there are numerous lesser-known titles worth exploring, especially for genre enthusiasts. Here are seven strange 80s horror films that may have slipped past you…

      **Society (1989)**

      Imagine being from a wealthy family but telling your therapist you don’t trust them. That’s the predicament of Bill (Billy Warlock), a teenager who grows increasingly paranoid about his parents and sister. His fear intensifies when his sister’s ex-boyfriend (Tim Bartell) produces an audio tape capturing Bill’s family engaging in a bizarre, incestuous orgy.

      This film marked the directorial debut of Brian Yuzna, known for producing cult B-movie favorites like Re-Animator and From Beyond. Yuzna cleverly merges dark humor with social commentary, revealing the hidden secrets of a seemingly perfect wealthy family. The revelation of these secrets unfolds gradually, reflecting Bill’s escalating anxiety as he seeks the truth.

      Yuzna incorporates body horror elements, especially in the surreal and grotesque third act, culminating in a disturbing "shunting" ritual that serves both as an expression of the genre and a metaphor for the exploitative nature of the upper-class elite.

      **The Lift (1983)**

      Dutch director Dick Maas gives a unique European twist to American-style sci-fi horror with The Lift. The film centers on a high-rise elevator in Amsterdam that acts as a deadly force, killing individuals in various ways, including an unfortunate victim getting decapitated when caught between the doors.

      Despite its absurd premise, Maas maintains a focus on the eerie atmosphere, opting for minimal gore and violence. He adopts a deliberate pacing akin to a murder mystery, with Huub Stapel portraying technician Felix Adelaar, who investigates the mysterious deaths connected to the lift. The film also explores themes of technological failure and corporate greed, balanced by Maas’s dry humor.

      **Video Violence (1987)**

      Long before the V/H/S horror anthology series emerged, Gary Cohen’s low-budget film, Video Violence, utilized a VHS camcorder to critique society’s media obsession. The plot revolves around a video store owner who grows suspicious of the town's residents for their preference for renting violent horror films over mainstream comedies. After discovering a mysterious snuff film dropped at his store, he becomes increasingly engulfed in paranoia as more such videos surface.

      The grainy visual style contributes to an unsettling ambiance, supplemented by gore and violence. Though rough around the edges, the film offers a surreal blend of exploitation horror, dark comedy, and social commentary on how violent media desensitizes viewers.

      **The Laughing Dead (1989)**

      Writer-director Somtow Sucharitkul, credited here as S. P. Somtow, creates a wild ride in The Laughing Dead, merging supernatural and exploitation horror with a vibe similar to Evil Dead. The story follows a group led by the disgraced priest, Father O’Sullivan (Tim Sullivan), on a misguided archaeological trip to Mexico, where they encounter the deranged Dr. Um-tzec (played by Sucharitkul in a wildly exaggerated performance) intent on unleashing chaos with occult rituals.

      The film features a colorful cast, including two quirky New Age students. Its over-the-top horror delivers ample blood and gore to satisfy genre fans, with memorable visuals including an unexpected “basketball” scene and a chaotic finale overflowing with eccentric imagery.

      **Pledge Night (1988)**

      What if National Lampoon’s Animal House were infused with a slasher twist? Directors Paul Ziller and writer-producer Joyce Snyder present Pledge Night as a story of two halves. The first half depicts pledges enduring a series of humiliating hazing rituals during Hell Week at a fraternity, with sadistic pranks reminiscent of Animal House’s anarchic humor. The second half transforms into a slasher film featuring an undead antagonist named Acid Sid, portrayed by Will Kempe. He seeks revenge on the fraternity members in grotesquely humorous ways, even possessing one of them to become a deranged killer.

      **The Boogey Man (1980)**

      In this film, the embodiment of evil is not a typical monster, but rather a sinister mirror. Written and directed by Ulli Lommel, the movie includes a prologue where young siblings Willy and Lacey witness their mother and her boyfriend, who has a peculiar fetish for wearing stockings over his face. A murder occurs, and years