Warning! This article contains spoilers for every film listed.The 1980s were full ofhorror movieclassics, many of which bore some incredibly shocking endings. Of all the decades of filmmaking, the 80s could be considered to be the peak of the horror genre. From the establishment of long-running franchises like theFriday the 13thorNightmare on Elm Streetmovies to gripping one-off adaptations likeThe Shining, it’s safe to say that the decade ushered in a new generation of macabre fanatics with a slew of80s horror classics.
Part of the reason the horror films of the 80s were so impactful on pop culture was due to their often unbelievable endings.Whether they took the form of a plot twist, an ambiguous conclusion to the narrative, or simply anextremely brutal on-screen kill, many cult favorites to come out in this time period made sure to leave an impact in their closing moments. It’s no wonder the 1980s feature some of the most iconic names in the genre.
10Angel Heart
1987
More of a neo-noir psychological thriller than a straight-up horror movie,Angel Heartstill has plenty of scares to qualify for an underrated terrifier to come out of the 80s. The film follows a New York private detective sent to investigate the disappearance of a colorfully-named singer in New Orleans. Harry Angel ends up getting more than he bargained for when the case leads him down a harrowing series of murders that he quickly becomes caught up in.
The tail end of the film concludes with the stunning revelation that not only is Harry himself the man he’s been sent to look for, but that he’s also been the one committing the grisly murders he’s been investigating the entire time. The twist might seem rote today, but that’s only because so many films since, such asThe MechanistandSecret Window, have followed suit. Expected or not, the final supernatural elementAngel Heartintroduces at the last second is one last narrative gut punch laid on top of the already shocking reveal.
9An American Werewolf In London
1981
For whatever reason, compared to the litany ofterrifying vampire movies, their folklore siblings, the werewolves, aren’t given as much cinematic love. This could simply be becauseAn American Werewolf in Londonjust might be the most perfect werewolf film ever made, and attempting to replicate its success is a losing battle. Part of its success is due to the brutal ending that hits like a freight train, paying off of the surprisingly gradual setup the film slowly immerses the viewer in.
After David goes on his most brutal killing spree yet in werewolf form, the police are finally able to respond to his threat in time. It’s heartbreaking enough that his consciousness rises to the surface just long enough to realize what’s happening, but seeing the jaw-dropping practical effects morph him back into a human after being shot makes for a jarringly tragic scene. David himself ends up being just a victim of his curse as anyone he’s slain.
8Threads
1984
Admittedly,Threadstoes the line of being a traditional horror movie, perhaps better described as an war drama with post-apocalytpic and disaster elements. That being said, the uneasy conclusion to the harrowing journey of its narrative certainly qualifies it as having one of the most shocking endings to come out of the 80s. Set in an alternate near-future in which the Cold War between the U.S. and U.S.S.R. boiled over,Threadstakes a daringly realistic look at life amid nuclear war through the lens of a young couple.
To make matters more nail-bitingly tense than they already are, lovers Ruth and Jimmy are about to become parents, with much of the film’s tension surrounding the fate of the next generation following nuclear armageddon. The ending finally gives a bleak look at a post-collapse society in which language and culture have reverted to an almost medieval level of development. To make matters even more bleak, Ruth’s own daughter ends up having a child of her own, only to be shocked by its appearance.
7A Nightmare on Elm Street 2: Freddy’s Revenge
1985
The second film to feature slasher hall-of-famer Freddy Krueger and the official start of the long-runningNightmare on Elm Streetseries,A Nightmare on Elm Street 2: Freddy’s Revengekicks the terror up a notch with its surprise ending. When a new family moves into Nancy’s old home, teen boy Jesse begins to have nightmares eerily similar to Nancy’s own featuring a certain fedora-wearing serial killer. Blurring the line between dreams and reality even more than its predecessor,A Nightmare on Elm Street 2: Freddy’s Revengeends on a true bombshell.
Just as it seems that Freddy has been once again defeated with the power of courage, Freddy makes a sudden last appearance on a school bus full of teens. Ripping his way out of a girl’s torso to steer the bus they’re riding on directly into the grave, laughing all the way, Freddy finally makes Jesse’s recurring dream a horrific reality. This bait-and-switch unexpected kill ends the second entry in theNightmare on Elm Streetfranchise on a chilling note.
6Sleepaway Camp
1982
Many 80s horror films do indeed have a disturbing ending, but aren’t especially noteworthy for their finales specifically. The same can’t be said for 1982’sSleepaway Camp, however, which was catapulted into horror greatness through the sheer impact of its terrifying ending alone. The film is a slasher with a relatively simple premise, featuring a shy girl named Angela who is bullied at a summer camp while a series of gory murders take place.
The big reveal at the end ofSleepaway Campunveils that Angela is actually her long-lost dead brother, Peter, who assumed her identity after his supposed death. While the implications of transgender children being inherently murderous haven’t aged incredibly gracefully, there’s no denying that this sickening reveal is one of the most shocking horror movie endings ever, let alone amid the 80s specifically. From Angela’s haunting slack face to her eerie, blood-curdling scream sounding like something from a wild animal,Sleepaway Camps final moments are unforgettable.
5Friday The 13th
1980
Of course, Freddy Krueger is far from the only slasher staple to be established during the 80s, with the archetypal strong but silent killer Jason leading the charge ontheFriday the 13thseries. However, Jason is actually hardly present in the first film, a twist that made its ending insidiously surprising when it first hit theaters in 1980. Set in Camp Crystal Lake (the Summer camp ever a popular habitat of 80s horror slashers), the film focuses on a series of murders that take place targeting the camp’s promiscuous teenage counselors.
For the most part, the film implies that Jason, a little boy who drowned while on the watch of Camp Crystal Lake’s senior staff, has somehow come back to take his revenge. However, the film’s major twist is that it was actually Jason’s mother conducting the murders on his behalf. Jason wouldn’t show up in full force untilFriday the 13th Part 2the following year.
4Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer
1986
Few films place their audience in the shoes of a horrific killer for as uncomfortably long asHenry: Portrait of a Serial Killer.Famously rated “X” by the MPAA, the film stars a young Michael Rooker as the titular serial killer, who finds himself forming an unlikely bond with the sister of his old prison buddy. That being said, the majority of the film is simply a gruesome series of murders committed by Henry and his pal, Otis, leaving little in the way of narrative substance.
That being said, what story there is comes to a climactic boiling point when Otis makes an incestuous attempt at sexually assaulting his sister, leading to his agonizing death at the hands of Henry. Having saved her life, one would imagine that perhaps the naive Becky was able to form some kind of morbid bond with the murderous Henry. The slap-in-the-face of an ending is quick to disprove this notion, having Becky unceremoniously killed by Henry herself not long after.
3The Shining
Considered one of the greatest scary movies of all time and one of the best adaptations of the works of horror writer Stephen King, despiteKing’s own protests on Kubrick’s film,The Shininghas a firm position as 80s horror royalty. The film revolves around the Torrence family, who agree to be the sole caretakers of the mysterious Overlook Hotel during its off-season in the winter. As father Jack slowly succumbs to the place’s invasive evil presence, it’s up to the frightened Wendy and her son Danny to survive, as Danny unlocks a curious psychic ability.
Despite its ubiquity as a masterpiece of terror,The Shininghas a shockingly “happy” ending. Though Torrence succumbs to his violent urges, attempting to murder his wife and child, Danny is able to outsmart him, trapping him in the Overlook’s hedge maze before he freezes to death in the harsh winter environment. Even though Danny and Wendy ultimately live, the sheer unstable menace of Jack Nicholson’s brilliant performance and unexpected victory of his family makes the ending as subversive as it gets.
2The Vanishing
1988
The Vanishingis far from being a household name, but can’t help but be included in the conversation when it comes to discussing the most horrifically unexpected endings of the 1980s. A psychological thriller coming out of the Netherlands,The Vanishingtells the story of a man who obsessively searches for his missing wife after she suddenly goes missing on a road trip. Things take a turn for the dark when someone comes forth claiming to have information on her whereabouts.
The suspect ends up taunting the widower, goading him into giving himself up in order to find out the truth once and for all. In the end, his curiosity gets the best of him, and he agrees to imbibe a suspicious concoction just for a chance of seeing his wife again. Horrifically, this sees the protagonist end up buried alive, waking up in an underground box as his kidnapper enjoys a relaxing holiday with his family, who are none the wiser to his activities.
1The Thing
Perhaps the single most influential work to come out of horror mastermind John Carpenter,The Thingwasn’t especially popular when it released, but has since morphed into a true staple of the genre. Taking place in an isolated Antarctic research facility, the crew finds themselves in dire straights when they’re infiltrated by a shapeshifting alien creature. One by one, the researchers are picked off, and in the end, it’s down to just two characters.
What makes the ending ofThe Thingso brilliant is the sense of unease. In the commotion, it’s easy to lose track of who is infected and who isn’t, with MacReady and Blair both even acknowledging the futility of ever hoping to trust one another. In so few words,The Thingshocks its viewers with its ambiguity and tension, supplying 80shorror movieswith one of their most definitive endings.
