10 Best B-Movie Horrors From The '80s

The term B-Movie was coined to mean "secondary picture" during Hollywood's golden age, and living up to their name these flicks would be played after the feature audiences actually came to see. Thus, they were made with less money, fewer notable stars and received no promotion.

As time went on however, the term has come to encompass so much more, becoming as much of an aesthetic sensibility as it is a marker of limited financial support or studio backing.

Glorious B-Horror flicks like Plan 9 From Outer Space, The Creeping Terror and The Blob would give rise to an entire sub-genre of quick and messy pictures defined by questionable special effects, hammy acting and melodramatic scores. These weren't negatives though - in fact they ensured audiences embraced B-Movie culture and had a good time diving into the schlock.

As the horror genre developed it only added more fodder for the B-Movie art form. The 1970s was riddled with delightfully camp knock-offs of The Exorcist and by the dawn of the 80s, with the rising popularity of the slasher sub-genre, conditions were primed for the B-Horror fun to peak.

So, take a ride with me through me through zombies, aliens, slashers and monsters as we dig into the best B-Movie horrors from the 1980s.

Joseph Ellison's Don't Go in the House missed its target audience by about a year. This dark grindhouse flick follows the path of similar 1970s Psycho-inspired movies, and likely would've played well at drive-ins on double features.

The movie tells the story of Donny Kolher, an awkward outcast severely burned by his sadistic mother as a child. After her death, Donny takes his rage at her out on women by burning them alive with a flame thrower.

Originally titled The Burning, copyright claims from Mirimax Films halted distribution. Consequently, when House finally made it to the screen, it was lost in the booming slasher movie market full of similarly-titled "Don't" movies.

What a shame it is, as this low budget shocker manages to keep the viewer engaged with a fascinatingly bleak tale of child abuse and its consequences. Character actor Dan Grimaldi shines in his debut role as he tackles some dauntingly psychotic scenes, and we can't help but feel sympathy for this murderous soul as he struggles to cope after all he's been through.

The film also boasts some very impressive special effects, with characters being set-alight and mercilessly charred during some incredible in-camera shots. All of this coupled with a bleak grey atmosphere and a rambling old mansion makes for a B-movie with surprising depth.