The Top Ten Underated Gems of the Genre

by Johnathon Newcomer

1. The Fog (1980) - A moody ghost story almost reads like an EC comic from the '50s. A moody atmosphere, electronic John Carpenter score, and seasoned veterans of the genre (Adrienne Barbeau, Jamie Lee Curtis, Janet Leigh, Hal Holbrook, Tom Atkins, Charles Cyphers, and Nancy Loomis) make this one of the best horror films in recent memory.

2. Tourist Trap (1979) - The cover and a brief synopsis make this seem like a "Texas Chainsaw" rip-off, but there's more... WAY MORE. Superior scare scenes, the classy Pino Dinaggio score, and a truly disturbing ending make this one a bona fide fright-fest.

3. Psycho II (1983) - How dare they take Hitchcock's masterpiece and turn it into a slasher franchise? Don't be quick to judge. In many ways, this is almost better than the original classic. Norman Bates' is more fleshed out and more of a main character in this one. Some well-directed scare scenes, some black humor, Hitchock homages, and a truly wicked twist ending make this one a candidate for Best Sequel. Followed by the artsy, well-crafted yet totally inferior "Psycho III."

4. Halloween III: Season of the Witch (1982) - What? No Michael Myers? That doesn't make this a bad horror movie. The '80s was the year that John Carpenter and Co. made some of the most wickedly original horror films from "The Thing" to "Prince of Darkness." While this film wasn't exactly penned by Carpenter himself, you can definitely see his impact in this truly entertaining '80s B-movie. Featuring androids, witchcraft, and a commentary on American culture of media and consumerism. The political elements are accompanied with gross out moments of gore and creepy crawlies. Plus, we have John Carpenter's signature electronic score that has been duplicated many times in '80s horror films.

5. Terror Train (1980) - The classic slasher revenge plot is well-executed in this classy shocker. Relying on mood and suspense rather than gore, this Jamie Lee Curtis vehicle is full of great scares, beautiful cinematography, a terrifying final chase, and an ending that makes up for the revelation of the killer in the first five minutes of the film.

6. Prom Night (1980) - Follows the same formula that made "Terror Train" a top-notch shocker, only this one is accompanied by above-average acting and a shockingly sad ending.

7. Hell Night (1981) - This Linda Blair headlined slasher is better than it looks. Combining Hammer horror with '80s Dead Teenager Flick, we get a very enjoyable horror picture that is criminally referred to as simply another '80s body count film.

8. Dressed to Kill (1980) - Often labeled as a "Psycho" rip-off, it really is a slasher flick if you think about it - but it is directed with a finer craftsmanship. The museum sequence is the real treat for fans of filmmaking: this brilliantly acted, directed, and composed sequence makes this a superior psycho thriller. The second half is almost like "Friday the 13th" in the big city with a killer chasing a beauty with a blade. But under Brian De Palma's superb direction, it's alright.

9. Night of the Creeps (1986) - Really all you can say about this entertaining horror/comedy is that it combines '50s sci-fi, teenage slasher, and Romero zombie films into one fun-filled ride that is enough to make a horror fan cream his jeans.

10. Christine (1983) - Movie snobs dismiss this film for it's ridiculous plot of a killer car. But Stephen King, John Carpenter, and actor Keith Gordon execute it brilliantly with convincing performances, some well-crafted scares, and another iconic Carpenter score.