20 Greatest Horror Movies Of The 80s

While the slasher genre was defined in the 1970s with classic movies like John Carpenter's Halloween, it was refined even further in the 1980s. Perhaps the most pivotal movie in helping to reshape the genre was A Nightmare On Elm Street, Wes Craven's iconic movie which introduced the world to Freddy Krueger.

With his burnt skin and knife-covered glove, Freddy Krueger has become embedded in the cultural zeitgeist - and for good reason. Not only is he a terrifying prospect, he's also one of the funniest movie villains of all time (although later entries into the franchise take things a little too far, sacrificing too much horror for too little comedy).

A Nightmare On Elm Street is Craven at his very best, and there are some exceptionally designed set pieces, with the standout sequence featuring a woman being dragged around the walls and ceiling of her bedroom by Krueger's invisible hand still holding up by today's standards. As an added bonus the film also features Johnny Depp in his movie debut.