What do you think?
Rate this book
Horror Films of the 1980s
John Kenneth Muir is back! His Horror Films of the 1970s was named an Outstanding Reference Book by the American Library Association, and likewise a Booklist Editors' Choice. This time, Muir surveys 300 films from the 1980s. From backwards psychos (Just Before Dawn) and yuppie-baiting giant rats (Of Unknown Origin), to horror franchises like Friday the 13th and Hellraiser, as well as nearly forgotten obscurities such as The Children and The Boogens, Muir is our informative guide through 10 macabre years of silver screen terrors.
Muir introduces the scope of the decade's horrors, and offers a history drawing parallels between current events and the nightmares unfolding on cinema screens. Each of the 300 films is discussed with detailed credits, a brief synopsis, a critical commentary, and where applicable, notes on the film's legacy beyond the 80s. Also included is the author's ranking of the 15 best horror films of the 80s.
Muir introduces the scope of the decade's horrors, and offers a history drawing parallels between current events and the nightmares unfolding on cinema screens. Each of the 300 films is discussed with detailed credits, a brief synopsis, a critical commentary, and where applicable, notes on the film's legacy beyond the 80s. Also included is the author's ranking of the 15 best horror films of the 80s.
829 pages, Hardcover
First published March 27, 2007
24 people are currently reading
252 people want to read
About the author
John Kenneth Muir
58 books50 followersJohn Kenneth Muir (born 1969) is an American literary critic. He has written as of 2023 thirty two books, many in the fields of film and television, with a particular accent on the horror and science fiction genres. He has been described as one of the horror genre's "most widely read critics", and as an "accomplished film journalist". He is the creator of the 2023 audio drama Enter the House Between, as well as the new novellas based on the series.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews
January 15, 2009
Here's my favorite line from this book: "This is the exploding head movie to see, if that recommendation carries much weight." That comment is about the movie Scanners, and can pretty much double as my review of this book. IF you're a fan of the genre, you'll enjoy this 800+ page recap of horror movies released in the 1980s. The films are discussed in chronological order and are given star ratings, so you can buzz through the book reading only about the movies that interest you. I enjoyed the discussions of my favorite movies of that era (The Thing, Aliens, The Shining, The Terminator), as well as many movies I've forgotten about, and many others I've never seen that have now maxed out my HOLD list at the library. This 2007 book has several interesting appendices, including memorable ad lines, movies grouped by "horror conventions" such as "It Was a Dark and Stormy Night" and "The Car Won't Start (or Runs Out of Gas)," and another that recommends more recent movies based on what you liked in the 80s, i.e. "If you liked Warning Sign, then try 28 Days Later."
October 28, 2012
A massive tome of a book, this one chronicles the majority of horror films which dominated the movie screens of the 1980s. It is not, however, without its many typos and mistakes. Also, I do question some of the author's opinions and ratings of some of the films herein, but all-in-all it is a wonderful journey to nostalgia for me and my childhood years basically living at the cinema.
June 12, 2019
Countless movie review guides clutter store shelves and for the most part they are all interchangeable, following the same basic template: an alphabetical listing of titles, and sometimes a rating scheme with a number of stars, thumbs, skulls or chainsaws, is accompanied by a brief plot synopsis occasionally sprinkled with snarky critical comments. Horror Films of the 1980s is something different and readers will be pleased by the attention to detail that is lavished on each of the 325 films included.
Author John Kenneth Muir (Horror Films FAQ: All That's Left to Know about Slashers Vampires Zombies Aliens and More) offers a far more thorough approach to the material and his dedication creates a definitive reference book, which is spread over two volumes. The first indication that readers are in for something special arrives in the form of the thoughtful essay "Don't Worry, Be Happy (Or, Be Afraid... Be Very Afraid)", a 15-page introduction that studies the political climate of the 1980s and frames the governmental, socio-economic and military contexts of the decade. President Ronald Reagan is taken to task on several fronts, exposing the hypocritical and contradictory nature of the man and his administration. This study explores how filmmakers reflected the growing fears of society and led to a cinematic trend focusing on the vulnerability of the human body, either fantastically through a popular wave of werewolf films (An American Werewolf in London, Wolfen and The Howling; all 1981), clinically, as in the works of director David Cronenberg (Videodrome, The Fly, Dead Ringers), or through the rise of the slasher film.
You can read ZigZag's full review at Horror DNA by clicking here.
Author John Kenneth Muir (Horror Films FAQ: All That's Left to Know about Slashers Vampires Zombies Aliens and More) offers a far more thorough approach to the material and his dedication creates a definitive reference book, which is spread over two volumes. The first indication that readers are in for something special arrives in the form of the thoughtful essay "Don't Worry, Be Happy (Or, Be Afraid... Be Very Afraid)", a 15-page introduction that studies the political climate of the 1980s and frames the governmental, socio-economic and military contexts of the decade. President Ronald Reagan is taken to task on several fronts, exposing the hypocritical and contradictory nature of the man and his administration. This study explores how filmmakers reflected the growing fears of society and led to a cinematic trend focusing on the vulnerability of the human body, either fantastically through a popular wave of werewolf films (An American Werewolf in London, Wolfen and The Howling; all 1981), clinically, as in the works of director David Cronenberg (Videodrome, The Fly, Dead Ringers), or through the rise of the slasher film.
You can read ZigZag's full review at Horror DNA by clicking here.
September 24, 2018
Here's the John Kenneth Muir drinking game I came up with:
1) Every time Muir says a horror movie in the '80s was a metaphor for AIDS, take a drink. Take an extra drink if the release date of the movie precedes the recognition of the disease conditions which eventually became known as AIDS (say, anything before 1982).
2) Take a drink every time Muir complains about George W. Bush (oh, for the days when W. was as low as the presidency had sunk!).
3) Take a drink for every time Muir mentions the quality of a sex scene or how attractive a particular topless women is in a way that makes you vaguely uncomfortable.
Having said that, the first two chapters put forth some interesting analysis of the genre as a whole over the course of the decades, and the capsule film reviews provide some good detail about nearly every major horror film released in the U.S. market. I could see this being a reference work I'd go back to, and I'll probably check out his volumes on other decades in the genre once I've had a chance to recover from reading this one.
1) Every time Muir says a horror movie in the '80s was a metaphor for AIDS, take a drink. Take an extra drink if the release date of the movie precedes the recognition of the disease conditions which eventually became known as AIDS (say, anything before 1982).
2) Take a drink every time Muir complains about George W. Bush (oh, for the days when W. was as low as the presidency had sunk!).
3) Take a drink for every time Muir mentions the quality of a sex scene or how attractive a particular topless women is in a way that makes you vaguely uncomfortable.
Having said that, the first two chapters put forth some interesting analysis of the genre as a whole over the course of the decades, and the capsule film reviews provide some good detail about nearly every major horror film released in the U.S. market. I could see this being a reference work I'd go back to, and I'll probably check out his volumes on other decades in the genre once I've had a chance to recover from reading this one.
May 11, 2024
This is the quintessential book on horror films of that legendary decade. Well, I'm a bit balanced as I lived my formative years in that decade but here you'll find everything that was hip back in the days. You'll read about the films year by year starting with 1980. The most iconic horror is waiting for you: Blood Simple (road movie horror), Lifeforce (sexiest alien vampire ever), Nightmare (my favorite is Dream Warriors with the legendary Dokken song), The Hitcher, Friday 13th, Angel Heart (best devil, hottest voodoo sex scene), The Lost Boys (loved that song Lost in the Shadows, the cover is referring to that movie), Predator (Arnie and Carl Weathers), Halloween and so many more. At the end you'll get all kind of lists, memorable ad lines (we quoted many of them at school) and recommended viewing. I was a regular at the video rental back then and watched most of the movies featured here, some for several times. What a decade. It didn't get better. Period. Highly recommended!
March 10, 2019
What was initially intended to be exclusively indulged as a time-waster and occasional distraction from work proved to be a rich, insightful breakdown of the trends which defined a decade of horror films, and which continue to do so to this day.
Highly recommended for anyone curious, as Muir’s appraisals of films - even when I disagree strongly with them - are always insightful and frequently revelatory.
Highly recommended for anyone curious, as Muir’s appraisals of films - even when I disagree strongly with them - are always insightful and frequently revelatory.
September 10, 2020
A great read. The only negative aspect is Muir's constant mispelling of the names of certain actors (Vigo Mortenson instead of Mortensen) and characters (Hannibal Lector instead of Lecter). Apart from that, I found it a really comprehensive and entertaining review of the horror films made in my favourite decade.
August 25, 2019
An absolutely indispensable tome.
perhaps
December 30, 2022Our library copy was being discarded for condition, so I snagged it and gave it to my boyfriend. I think he liked it more than any of the actual Christmas presents I bought him! 😅
October 24, 2013
I love the 80's! It was my time to shine and this is why I love this book! Having been a fan of the 1980's and always a fan of horror films, I love how Muir takes the poltical and social climate of this decade and explains why it was so important to the filmakers. Filled with trivia, plots, interviews and social commentary this book is a must for movie buffs!
February 29, 2012
Your standard encyclopedia of horror film, though it does go a little more in depth than others I've read.
Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews