Horror classic The Shining returns to the big screen this week as we get the chance to see Jack Nicholson and Shelley Duvall's great performances again.
So to celebrate the release of the movie we take a look at some of the best horror films that were released during the eighties - and boy were there some good ones.
- The Shining (1980)
It seems only right that we start with The Shining as one of Stanley Kubrick's greatest movies was released in 1980.
From start to finish The Shining is an incredibly intense watch that draws in the audience frame by frame.
This is a movie that really did pave the way for future horror movies and Nicholson delivered a knockout performance that is one of the greatest horror turns of all time.
The Shining is a movie that is packed with disturbing and iconic imagery and it is far from your average horror movie.
- An American Werewolf In London (1981)
An American Werewolf In London was a comedy horror that saw John Landis in the director's chair and the likes of David Naughton, Jenny Argutter and Griffin Dunne on the cast list.
This is a great blend of comedy and horror - hard to believe that Landis was just nineteen when he penned the first draft for this movie - and it really does manage to find that balance between the two.
The metamorphoses is still one of the greatest scenes in this genre while the rampage through central London is also a bit of a visual treat.
An American Werewolf In London is scary and violent but also funny and a lot of fun as Landis put a new spin on a familiar tale.
- The Thing (1982)
In 1982 John Carpenter returned to the director's chair for The Thing, which was based on Who Goes There? by John W. Campbell.
The movie celebrates its 30th anniversary this year and it remains a real must see for horror fans of all ages.
Carpenter has always been a master of suspense and with this movie he continued that tradition as he created an atmosphere of claustrophobia, paranoia and fear.
Over the years the movie has gained a cult following and it remains one of Carpenter's best and most powerful movies.
- A Nightmare On Elm Street (1984)
Wes Craven is another master of the horror movie and in 1984 with A Nightmare On Elm Street he created one of the greatest horror characters of all time... of course I am talking about Freddy Krueger.
Robert Englund's creation remains one of the most terrifying in the horror genre - although he has been diminished a little with all of the awful sequels and remakes that have come over the years.
But the original is a highly imaginative and scary horror movie that preyed on archetypal fears and exploiting them.
A Nightmare On Elm Street remains one of the great horror movies and it is still has scary today as it was when it was released.
- Hellraiser (1987)
We may have had a whole host of Hellraiser movies since the first film hit the big screen back in 1987 but the first is always the best.
The movie was based on the novella The Hellbound Heart by Clive Barker, who made his directorial debut with this movie.
let's face it this is a downright creepy piece of work and offers plenty of scares and gore.
Granted it may not be everyone's cup of tea but it is incredibly atmospheric and tense - not the mention it has provided this genre with some really iconic images.
The Shining is re-released into cinemas 2nd November
FemaleFirst Helen Earnshaw
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