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30 Years Later: A 1987 Theatrical Retrospective

By Meagan Navarro on March 10, 2017 @HauntedMeg

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THIS WEEK IN HORROR

2017 marks the 30th anniversary for a lot of horror classics. Box office juggernauts like A
Nightmare on Elm Street 3: Dream Warriors, Predator, or The Lost Boys still elicit just as much fan
enthusiasm now as they did back then. Others may not have accrued the box office numbers, but
instead acquired a fervent cult following on home video. Whether big or small, each horror film
released theatrically on this list has left an imprint on the genre in some way. 1987 marked a year
of iconic villains, amazing franchise sequels, surprising anthologies, a major shift in how we viewed
vampire films, and, of course, glorious practical effects. In order of theatrical release, these horror
films are worth celebrating their major anniversary milestone.

The Stepfather

The major component missing from the 2009 remake was the key that made the 1987 film so
chilling; Terry OQuinn as the titular character. Not only did OQuinns performance earn critical
accolades and award nominations, but it gave lead actress Jill Schoelen nightmares for a week
after filming the final act. Based on the true story of John List, the dark subject matter snowballs into
pure nightmare fuel with OQuinns creepy take on the character. So creepy, that you wont even
notice theres not much gore. The Stepfather first scared audiences 30 years ago in theaters, on
January 23rd.
Curated Content

A Nightmare on Elm Street 3: Dream Warriors

Released in theaters on February 27, this seminal sequel remains one of the best sequels today.
The film was the highest grossing film for the studio that year, and 24th highest grossing film of
1987. Not too shabby. Its 30th anniversary just passed, and in commemoration, Trace nailed
exactly why this sequel is so great.
[Review] 'Get Out' Is An Expertly
Crafted Nightmare
Angel Heart By Jimmy Champane
Get Out is a film all about defying your
expectations. As early as the films haunting-yet-
Do noir films get any darker than Satan? Writer/director Alan Parker explores the noir detective film funny opening scene you think you have whats
going on nailed down. You think its going to be
by way of Satanic occult, keeping the horror scares to a minimum while focusing on the creepy
a film about a bunch of racist white people
journey of Harry Angel, played by Mickey Rourke. Its an effective tactic that builds to a twist that
would make M. Night Shyamalan proud. Atmospheric, well-acted, and full of graphic violence.
Robert DeNiro is prone to overacting in his role as Louis Cyphre, though the scene that sees him
eating a hard-boiled egg may change the way you think about them forever. This occult detective
horror film is now 30 years old as of March 6.

Evil Dead 2: Dead by Dawn

A sequel so iconic that its been known to replace memories of the original film, at least in terms of
tone. Increasing the special effects and injecting slapstick gore makes for the rare sequel that
arguably surpasses its predecessor. Even hard to please critic Roger Ebert gave this sequel a
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favorable review, largely due to the satire. March 13 marks the date that changed how we saw
Ashley J. Williams forever. Audiences still cant get enough; merchandise is still in hot demand.
Weve Seen Footage From Stephen Kings It!
Even a board game based on the movie is currently available for pre-order. I totally want it, too.

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Written by George A. Romero, this anthology sequel isnt nearly as beloved as its predecessor, but Stories to Tell in the Dark With Special Exhibit

its still a worthy sequel nonetheless. With Tom Savini playing The Creep in the wraparound, the
number of Stephen King based segments dropped from five to three due to budgetary constraints. Yes, There Was an Intentional (and Brutal)
Old Chief Woodnhead and The Hitch-Hiker have their detractors, but The Raft proves strong Cannibal Holocaust Tribute in Kong: Skull
Island
enough to hold up the film on its own. The gruesome deaths by the lake blob makes this sequel
long-lasting in memory, even 30 years later as of May 1st.
Do You Remember the Horror VHS Board Game
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The Gate

This PG-13 horror film still holds up as one of the best horror films geared toward a younger
audience; serving as a perfect gateway for those looking to introduce their children to the genre.
Starring Stephen Dorff in his first film role ever, the plot sees two 12-year old boys battling miniature
demons that have emerged from a hole in the backyard. Its a fun concept lead by very likeable
child actors, but the real star of the film is the fantastic special FX. Play your metal records Curated Content
backwards in commemoration of this films anniversary on May 15th.

The Predator

The highest grossing genre film of the year belonged to an Arnold Schwarzenegger starring sci-fi
action flick that saw his character facing off against an elite hunter with a moral code from outer
space. Upon initial theatrical release on June 12th, critics werent so kind though theyve long since
changed their tune. Spawning sequels, crossover films, comics, novels, and games, perhaps its
only fitting that the franchise is about to come full circle just over thirty years later. Shane Black,
who portrayed the geeky Hawkins in the original, is set to release a sequel that he wrote and
directed next year. Whether good or bad, it wont matter; well always have the original, quotable
lines, vicious kills, and all.

Blood Diner

This wacky horror comedy is full of camp and heart, following a plot that sees two brothers
collecting body parts to resurrect ancient goddess Shitaar. I should probably mention that these two
brothers are screwballs and rely on the guidance of their smarter uncle, a talking brain in a jar.
Originally conceived as a sequel to Herschell Gordon Lewis Blood Feast, it was revamped as a
standalone B-horror prior to production. Jackie Kongs movie is so over the top is humor and gore
that its hard not to love, and Shitaars revival doesnt disappoint. Given a limited theatrical release
on July 10th, count yourself lucky if you caught this one on the big screen.

The Lost Boys

Released in the thick of summer on July 31st, this horror comedy shifted the perception of what a
vampire movie could be. In short; fun. The original screenplay was conceived more as a Goonies
type of vampire movie featuring cub scouts, but we can thank Joel Schumacher for refusing to sign
on unless he could change the characters to teenagers. It worked. The group of vampires lead by
Kiefer Sutherlands David may not have been scary, but boy were they cool. The success of this
film rests largely on the talented cast, right down to the saxophone guy.

The Monster Squad

Stan Winston creature effects, a classic monsters team up, the discovery that The Wolfmans gots
nards, and kids who love monsters, whats not to love? Ive long outgrown the demographic this
horror-comedy is aimed toward, and I still want membership to the club. Upon the films August
14th release, initial success was lacking. But, like most genre films, it found a huge following on
home video. Rewatch for Jonathan Gries take on The Wolfman that feels in line with Universals
original, and Tom Noonans performance as Frankensteins monster will break your heart. Bogus!

From a Whisper to a Scream

Also known as The Offspring, this horror anthology marked the last horror film role for Vincent Price.
Well, unless you could screwball horror-comedy Dead Heat. Price plays a town historian who relays
tales of horror to a visiting reporter. Its a deliberately paced anthology comprised of four segments
all spanning various time periods within the same town. Price also reportedly hated the film, and
perhaps its depraved subject matter is to blame. Necrophilia, mutant babies, gory FX, and more
keeps this anthology worth revisiting. Its 30th anniversary coincides with its September 4th
theatrical release.

The Curse

Directed by actor David Keith, this joint Italian/American production adapted H.P. Lovecrafts The
Colour Out of Space. Produced by Ovidio G. Assonitis (Beyond the Door) and Lucio Fulci (The
Beyond), the film centers around young Wil Wheatons character, and also stars his real life sister
Amy in one of her only acting credits. While the acting is terrible, and the plot is full of
inconsistencies, theres a lot of gross out effects once the meteorite crash lands on the farm.
Mutated farm folk, puss-filled chicken eye sockets, and liquefying corpses almost makes up for the
cheesy acting. Originally released in theaters on September 11 under the title The Farm, it was
changed to its current, more memorable title upon home video release.

Hellraiser

Based on Clive Barkers novella The Hellbound Heart, the studios felt that title was more
appropriate for a romance than a horror film. So Barker offered to name the film Sadomasochists
from Beyond the Grave. Luckily, the title didnt stick, though it did give indication of the trouble
Barker would have with MPAA censorship prior to its September 18th theatrical release. The rest,
though, is horror history. Iconic Cenobites, hellish puzzle boxes, and a long-running franchise thats
threatened to reboot for years has made the last 30 years fly by for this favorite.

Near Dark

The recent loss of Bill Paxton is devastating, but perhaps the silver lining is that this underrated flick
will find a larger audience. Not the first beloved vampire film released this year, but the first to
forego a light-hearted sense of humor for a more visceral approach. Katheryn Bigelows take on a
vampire story went straight for the jugular. While there are numerous great performances, Bill
Paxton once again steals the show. As John Squires rightly pointed out, Bill Paxtons character
introduction is the stuff of legend. Though it turns 30 on October 2, this one is worth celebrating
now.

Hello Mary Lou: Prom Night 2

Originally written and filmed as The Haunting of Hamilton High, Samuel-Goldwyn Company
purchased the film and marketed it instead as a sequel to 1980 slasher Prom Night. Its a move that
likely hurt the film upon its October 16 theatrical release, but personally, its what caused me to fall
in love with the series for the first time. Written by Ron Oliver, this sort of sequel is a clear love-letter
to the genre; each character is named after well-loved genre directors. The vengeful ghost of prom
queen Mary Lou Maloney is iconic, and the film is worth revisiting for the weird rocking horse scene
alone.

The Hidden

Director Jack Sholders sci-fi/horror/action mashup didnt exactly take the box office by storm when
released on October 20th, but its a solid film that earned positive critic reviews and has since gone
on to amass a cult following. The concept sees an alien parasite hiding in human hosts as it
commits a violent crime spree across Los Angeles, transferring hosts often when the body wears
out. An alien cop with a personal vendetta must team up with a human detective while in pursuit.
The alien cop, also sporting human skin, is played by Kyle MacLachlan, who clearly translated
some of his character quirks to FBI Agent Dale Cooper in David Lynchs Twin Peaks just two years
later. Considering that Twin Peaks is getting a revival series later this year, that makes one more
reason to revisit this underrated gem.

Prince of Darkness

Released in theaters on October 23, John Carpenter took on a possession/supernatural horror film
the way only John Carpenter can; by infusing the supernatural elements with theoretical physics
and atomic theory, complete with the trademark synth soundtrack. When a mysterious cylinder full
of green liquid is discovered beneath an old church, a research team and a priest must team up to
prevent the coming of the Anti-God. The fantastic cast is led by Donald Pleasance and Victor
Wong, and includes a fun cameo by Alice Cooper as a street Schizo with a penchant for bugs. Look
for weird green liquid possessions, Satanic zombies, and a unique mythology wrapped in a
metaphysics bow. Definitely not the Carpenter flick with the most wide stream appeal, but its an
amazing classic regardless.

Whats your favorite 1987 horror film?

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THE MONSTER SQUAD THE PREDATOR THE STEPFATHER TRENDING

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30 Comments Bloody Disgusting ! Login

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THGrimm 20 hours ago

'87 has always been one of my favorite years of horror for Monster Squad and Lost
Boys alone, but I didn't realize one of my other all time favorites, Hellraiser, was also
released that year! A few flicks on this list I haven't seen, but I definitely have to.
What a great year.
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1 Reply Share

Simon Allen 21 hours ago

Prince of Darkness ....what an underrated classic .
That film just builds and builds until it hits screaming point .
And now I need to see Monster Squad again .....love that movie it's so cute .
It's funny that two best in franchise movies came out that year .....Elm Street 3 and
Evil Dead 2 .

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Worst Case Ontario a day ago

Solid list, quite a few are some of my personal favorites, i.e. Dream Warriors, Prince
Of Darkness, Monster Squad, and Evil Dead 2. But where the shit is Slumber Party
Massacre 2 and Doom Asylum?!

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Wade Markey 2 days ago

I saw The Curse in 1987 at the theatre with my father in Indiana and it was not called
The Farm. It was indeed called the Curse.
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bastard1765 2 days ago

Where is Bad Taste? Come on guys, it's Peter Jackson's debut film.
Reply Share

LastCubScout 2 days ago

I'm a fan of Stuart Gordon's "Dolls." That was a fun creepy flick from 1987.
Reply Share

Devon Lutzenberger > LastCubScout 17 hours ago

Definitely a good movie!
1 Reply Share

Carl Chrystan 3 days ago

Honourable mentions: Street Trash and The Video Dead.
Reply Share

Devon Lutzenberger > Carl Chrystan 17 hours ago

Hell yeah!!! Video Dead was a horribly-acted mess of a movie but it was
glorious.
Reply Share

Cure4Humanity 3 days ago

One of few things that made me happy about being born in 87, some great horror
flicks that arrived with the year of my birth.
1 Reply Share

MarsupialRebellion > Cure4Humanity a day ago

Same here :)
Reply Share

MpB 3 days ago

The Predator? Come on, dudes. Don't make that mistake. You're better than that.
Reply Share

Jason Dixon 3 days ago

Scary how some of these Iconic movies still are part of my life from Pin head on my
home screen to the lost boys sound track ,classics all around
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oh_riginal 3 days ago

Ah, good ol' The Lost Boys... the 2nd movie I ever remember seeing in a movie
theater (the 1st was Aliens, a year earlier).

WOW, I did not realize that so many great horror movies had come out in this same
year! I think I've found an excuse to have a 1987 marathon... just need to get my
hands on a few of these that I don't have yet.

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Carla Davis 3 days ago

I'm glad to see Hello Mary Lou getting some love. How do we get it on Blu-Ray?
Reply Share

DS Ullery 3 days ago

This takes me back. A personal favorite of mine also released in 1987 was a shlocky
little B sci-fi/ horror flick titled The Kindred. The film was no masterpiece by any
stretch, but it was actually an eectively creepy "genetic experimentation gone
terribly wrong" story. There were some wonderfully slime drenched practical creature
F/X and the film can boast both a deliriously over the top performance from Rod
Stieger in his final scene and Amanda Pays as a fish woman. The Kindred was one of
dozens of horror films to pop up on my radar during the 1980's thanks to my
subscription to Fangoria. Like a great many of those flicks, it lasted barely two weeks
at the local cinemas before vanishing into relative obscurity.
I think that's what I miss the most about the 1980's: Being aware of those lesser
known, lower budgeted B horror movies like The Kindred , The Outing, Killer Party,
etc., finding out where they were playing and going to catch a Saturday afternoon
matinee before they disappeared. They didn't have to be award winning classics.
They were just fun. That's still my favorite decade for cinema.

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Simon Allen > DS Ullery 21 hours ago

LOVED The Kindred so much !!!
Stieger chews the scenery to an insane degree and I was a huge Amanda
Pays fan even though she is a terrible actress. Great practical eects for the
time on a no budget movie.
To this day my mates and I call Kinder Eggs ..."Kindred" eggs in honour of this
 movie . LOL

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Wil McMullen 3 days ago

Shit... Im getting up there in age... Lol! I remember going to see Creepshow 2,
Predator, Hellraiser, The Lost Boys, Prince of Darkness & Elm St 3 that year, all of
them at the theaters that used to be on 42nd street in times square. Movies were $5
a pop back then

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Cure4Humanity > Wil McMullen 3 days ago

You were lucky to have the experience then. I was born that year.
Reply Share

Jimmy Cthulhuhan 4 days ago

Never really thought about it before, but apparently this was the best year ever for
me. Creepshow 2, ED2, and Prince of Darkness... all among my top 10 horror faves.

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Flu-Like Symptoms 4 days ago

 While I love both Creepshow flicks (I don't count the abomination that ripped o the
name in 2006), Part 2 has always been the one that has endeared stronger in my
heart over the years.

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2 Reply Share

Munchie 4 days ago

87 is almost as good as 85. I think Prince of Darkness might be my fave from that
year.
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Creepshow 4 days ago

Jaws: The Revenge - The smelly kid in the Class of '87.
1 Reply Share

Munchie > Creepshow 4 days ago

Other kids tolerate him because he does armpit farts.
1 Reply Share

gene wells 4 days ago

well Blood Diner of course! I got to assist in wardrobe and had 4 extra scenes in it
haha!
Reply Share

Aaron King 4 days ago

Prince of Darkness is by far my favorite horror film of '87! I also want to add The
Believers to the list.
1 Reply Share

Stefan Heikel 4 days ago

No shock that I would become a huge horror fan as 1987 is my birth year!
Reply Share

Jesse Hammer 4 days ago

Every Fangoria cover and fold-out poster from that year just danced through my
head. Thanks for the flashback.
2 Reply Share

Elizabeth 4 days ago

I never realized how many of my all-time favorite movies came out that year. Now I
want to have a 1987 marathon night.
1 Reply Share

DannX68 4 days ago

Seen 13, like 9 of them. Prince of Darkness was sary as fuck the first time I saw it :O
Reply Share

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