10 Most Overrated '80s Horror Movies
This lot aren't as good as you thought they were.
The 1980s had so many great horror films that weren't appreciated when they came out. John Carpenter's masterpiece, The Thing, was regarded as uncreative trash. Even though They Live's message of consumerism has never been more relatable, critics at the time thought it was forgettable shlock. The Shining was regarded as an atrocious adaptation of Stephen King's novel, even though it's now hailed as arguably Stanley Kubrick's best film.
Nevertheless, these movies have aged like fine wine since they're now regarded as classics. But time isn't always so kind. Despite the fact there are some horror films that were criticised too hardly, there are some "classics" that weren't criticised enough.
Now, to accuse a "classic" of being overrated is a dangerous game. After all, we are instinctively defensive anytime someone suggests a movie that we cherish isn't all it's cracked up to be. But we need to stop looking at certain films with rose-tinted glasses. Sometimes, we only like a film because it has a great character or an iconic scene, which makes us ignore how bad everything else is. If you have any doubts about these movies being considered overrated, give them a rewatch. They may not be as great as you remember.
10. Scanners
Scanners takes place in a world where certain people have developed telekinetic and telepathic powers. One of these psychics, Cameron, is hired by a military company to hunt and kill a dangerous Scanner called Revok who intends to take over the world.
Scanners is an important film because it helped launched David Cronenberg's career and popularised the body horror genre. Also, it goes without saying that it has the best "head explosion scene" in cinematic history.
But just because a movie is significant doesn't mean it's great. Don't get your writer wrong; scanners is very good, but has blatant flaws which its greatest defenders can't deny. Stephen Lack's performance is so woefully robotic as Cameron, it's hard to buy him as... well... a human being who is capable of expressing emotions.
On his travels, Cameron receives help from another scanner called Pierce, played by Robert Silverman. Silverman overpronounces every syllable to such a degree, it's like he's deliberately overacting to counter Lack's underacting. The rest of the actors are fine (and Michael Ironside is delightful as the scene-chewing villain), but these performances stop this pretty solid film from being excellent.