20 Greatest Horror Movies Of The 80s
14. Near Dark
If Chris Sarandon brought a suave and debonair quality to the vampire concept in Fright Night, the cast of Near Dark take things in a different direction, crafting their gang of bloodsuckers as a band of cool outlaws stalking the dead of night as if plucked from a twisted Western.
Directed by Katheryn Bigelow, Near Dark is the kind of hard boiled horror movie rarely seen these days; a wild ride through the dark of night which feels deliberately rough around the edges which takes its horror roots seriously. Utilising a bigger budget than many horror films of the decade it's also exceptionally well shot, adding to the overall stylishness of the piece.
It's also an interesting companion piece to James Cameron's Aliens, reuniting Bill Paxton, Lance Henriksen and Jenette Goldstein, with Paxton standing out in one of the best performances of his early career as the completely psychotic and unhinged vampire Severen.