Horror: 244

Maximum Overdrive (1986) is an American horror film written and directed by Stephen King. On June 19, 1987, as the Earth crosses the tail of a rogue comet, Rhea-M, previously inanimate machines suddenly come to life; insults are hurled by an ATM at a customer and a bascule bridge rises during heavy traffic, causing vehicles to plummet into the river or crash into each other. Pandemonium spreads as machines worldwide begin attacking humans. At a truck stop outside Wilmington, North Carolina, employee Duncan Keller is left blinded when gasoline sprays into his eyes from a pump. The waitress Wanda June is injured by an ...

Critters (1986) is an American science fiction comedy horror film directed by Stephen Herek in his directorial debut. On an asteroid prison, a group of dangerous aliens known as Krites plan an escape and hijack a ship, prompting the warden to enlist two shape-changing bounty hunters, Ug and Lee. The duo’s mission: track the Krites to Earth. Using satellite television transmissions to study life on Earth, Ug takes on the form of rock star Johnny Steele. Meanwhile, Lee remains undecided and keeps his blank, featureless head. In rural Kansas, the Brown family gathers for breakfast as they send off teenage daughter ...

Aliens (1986), a science fiction action film, was written and directed by James Cameron. As the second film in the Alien franchise, it serves as a sequel to the 1979 science fiction horror film Alien. After destroying her ship, the Nostromo, to escape an alien creature that massacred her crew, Ellen Ripley enters a state of stasis for 57 years aboard an escape shuttle. Upon being rescued and debriefed by her employers at Weyland-Yutani Corporation, they express doubt about her claims of alien eggs on exomoon LV-426. This is due to the fact that a terraforming colony now occupies the area. When ...

The American black comedy slasher film, The Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2 (1986), was co-composed and directed by Tobe Hooper, with a screenplay by L.M. Kit Carson. While on their way to the Dallas Cotton Bowl for the Texas-OU football game, two high school seniors named Buzz and Rick encounter a pickup truck on a desolate stretch of Texas highway. In their drunken state, they use their car phone to harass radio DJ Vanita ‘Stretch’ Brock live on air. Despite her attempts to get them to hang up, Stretch is forced to keep the line open. Suddenly, Leatherface appears ...

Friday the 13th Part VI: Jason Lives (1986) is an American slasher film written and directed by Tom McLoughlin. After being released from the hospital, Tommy Jarvis goes back to Crystal Lake, now known as Forest Green. Along with his friend Allen Hawes, he plans to finally confront his fears and put an end to his nightmares of Jason Voorhees, the mass murderer he killed in part 4. During a thunderstorm, they visit Jason’s grave to cremate his body. However, Tommy has a flashback of their last encounter and in a fit of rage, impales Jason’s body with a metal fence post. But when two lightning bolts strike the ...

Psycho III (1986) is an American slasher film, and the latest installment in the Psycho franchise. It continues the story one month after the events of Psycho II, where Norman Bates still operates the Bates Motel and keeps Emma Spool’s corpse in his home. At this time, Norman is also struggling with the disappearance of Spool, who claimed to be his real mother before her death. With their growing concern for her whereabouts, Norman’s former boss Ralph Statler and local authorities begin investigating. Meanwhile, Duane Duke, a desperate musician short on cash, is offered a position as assistant manager at the motel. In addition, journalist ...

The film Cat’s Eye (1985), directed by Lewis Teague and written by Stephen King, is an American anthology horror thriller that consists of three tales. While the first two are based on short stories from King’s 1978 collection Night Shift, the third is a unique addition to the film. Each story revolves around a traveling cat, as well as Drew Barrymore, who has minor roles in the first two and a major role in the third. The stray tabby cat finds refuge in ...

Day of the Dead (1985), an American post-apocalyptic zombie horror film, follows a group of survivors years after the events depicted in Dawn of the Dead. The world has been overrun by zombies, with very few societal structures remaining. In a secure underground missile bunker located in the Everglades, a team of scientists and soldiers work together. While the scientists search for a cure to the zombie pandemic, the soldiers protect them. This team includes Dr. Sarah Bowman, her lover Private Miguel Salazar, radio operator Bill McDermott, and helicopter pilot John. Together, they leave their underground base and travel to Fort Myers in hopes of finding other ...

Friday the 13th: A New Beginning (1985) is an American slasher film directed by Danny Steinmann. After defeating Jason Voorhees in Part 4, Tommy Jarvis is haunted by nightmares and ends up being sent to various psychiatric hospitals. Eventually, he winds up at the Pinehurst Halfway House, run by Dr. Matt Letter and his assistant Pam Roberts. There, he meets a group of other teenagers, including Eddie and Tina, Jake, Violet, Robin, Joey, and Reggie who live under the watchful eye of their cook, George. Unfortunately for them, their neighbor Ethel does not approve of their behavior and Matt forbids them from ...

A Nightmare on Elm Street Part 2: Freddy’s Revenge (1985) is a supernatural slasher film directed by Jack Sholder and written by David Chaskin. The Walshes have recently moved into Nancy Thompson’s former home, five years after the apparent defeat of Freddy Krueger. Their teenage son, Jesse, experiences a terrifying dream where he is pursued by Krueger, who is driving a school bus. Upon waking up, Jesse blames the nightmare on the unusually hot room. Later at school, Jesse hangs out with his friend Lisa, towards whom he has romantic feelings but is too shy to ...

Firestarter (1984), an American science fiction thriller horror film, is based on Stephen King’s novel of the same name. Andy McGee and Vicky Tomlinson participated in an experiment during their college years, where they were given a dose of LOT-6, a low-grade hallucinogen. While others suffered from severe side effects, Vicky and Andy gained telepathic powers; she can read minds and he can control others’ thoughts and actions. However, this ability sometimes causes nosebleeds due to its strength. Currently married, the couple has an eight-year-old daughter named Charlene ‘Charlie’ McGee who ...

Based on the 1977 short story by Stephen King, Children of the Corn (1984) is an American supernatural horror film set in Gatlin, Nebraska, where a failed corn crop drives the townspeople to turn to prayer for a bountiful harvest. However, young Isaac Chroner uses this opportunity to lead the children of Gatlin into a cult centered around a violent deity named ‘He Who Walks Behind the Rows’. Along with his right-hand man Malachai, Isaac orchestrates a horrific rebellion against the adults of the town, using them as sacrifices. Among the few children who did not participate in these gruesome acts are siblings ...

Friday the 13th: The Final Chapter (1984), an American slasher film directed by Joseph Zito and produced by Frank Mancuso Jr., follows the aftermath of Jason Voorhees’ apparent death. As police clean up and take his body to the morgue, the unexpected occurs – Jason revives and murders two people before escaping. The next day, a group of teenagers, including Paul, Sam, Sara, Doug, Jimmy, and Ted, embark on a weekend trip to Crystal Lake. On their way, they encounter Pamela Voorhees’ tombstone and later pick up a hitchhiker who soon meets her demise at the ...

An American supernatural slasher film, A Nightmare on Elm Street (1984), was written and directed by Wes Craven and produced by Robert Shaye. After waking from a terrifying nightmare in which she is attacked by a disfigured man with a blade-fixed glove in a boiler room, teenager Tina Gray discovers mysterious slashes on her nightgown. The next day, her best friend Nancy Thompson and Nancy’s boyfriend, Glen Lantz, offer comfort as they reveal their own nightmares from the previous night. While staying at Tina’s house when her mother is away, Nancy also admits ...

Based on Stephen King’s Children of the Corn, Disciples of the Crow (1983) is a brief film that follows a couple traveling through a small Oklahoma town. To their horror, they discover the town has been taken over by children. These children belong to a disturbing cult that worships a raven god and has killed all adults in town while attacking any outsiders.

Tales from the Darkside (1983–1988), created by George A. Romero, is an American anthology horror TV series that first aired in October 1983 with a pilot episode. It was later picked up for syndication in September 1984 and ran for four seasons until July 1988. Each episode was a unique short story with a plot twist, originally airing late at night on Tribune Broadcasting. The show explored the genres of horror, science fiction, and fantasy, and sometimes incorporated elements of black comedy or lighthearted themes. In October 2012, reruns began airing in the UK on Horror Channel. On ...

Cujo (1983) is an American horror film directed by Lewis Teague and based on Stephen King’s novel of the same name. The story follows the Trenton family – Vic, Donna, and their young son Tad – as they encounter Cujo, a friendly St. Bernard, while getting their car repaired at the home of mechanic Joe Camber. Despite initial concerns about Cujo being aggressive, the family gets along well with him. Meanwhile, tensions rise in Vic and Donna’s marriage when Vic learns of Donna’s past affair with her high school ex-boyfriend, Steve Kemp. As Cujo ...

The American supernatural horror film Christine (1983), directed and co-scored by John Carpenter, is based on Stephen King’s novel of the same name. It follows the impact of a classic red and white 1958 Plymouth Fury named Christine on the lives of Arnie Cunningham, his friends, family, and teenage enemies. This car seems to have a mind of its own and a possessive personality that negatively influences Arnie. In 1957, at a Detroit car factory, the Fury shuts its hood on a worker’s hand and later kills another worker for dropping ash on its seats. Twenty years ...

Psycho II (1983), a psychological slasher film directed by Richard Franklin and written by Tom Holland, follows the story of Norman Bates after he is released from a mental institution 22 years after his infamous killing spree. Despite Lila Crane’s protests, Norman is deemed mentally sound and moves back to his old home near the Bates Motel, where he starts working at a nearby diner. After Mary, a waitress, becomes homeless and Norman offers her a place to stay at his home. Despite warnings from Dr. Bill Raymond, who advises against it, Norman hires Mary. However, ...

The Boogeyman (1982) is a short movie based on Jeff C. Schiro’s adaptation of Stephen King’s suspenseful tale by the same name. The setting is Dr. Harper’s office, where distraught father Lester Billings shares the tragic loss of his three children over the span of several years. His first two children passed away under inexplicable circumstances – one from crib death and the other from convulsions – while in their individual bedrooms. Each time, the only similarities were the children crying out ‘boogeyman!’ before being left ...