In the years since its release, the 1985 horror comedy Home has become a beloved cult classic among fans of the genre. Viewers flock to its strange mix of humor and inventive practical effects. The film doesn’t take itself too seriously, and that’s part of its appeal, and the recent resurgence of interest in Home on streaming platforms and social media introduced him to a whole new audience.
While Home carved out its own space in a decade filled with horror hits, there are plenty of films from the same era that deliver the same chaotic energy. Many horror films of the era promoted creative effects and included comedic elements. For new and old fans looking for the same vibe, there are great cult classic horror films, like Evil death II, which fits the tone perfectly.
Dead Heat brings the Buddy Cop element to horror
For fans of Home looking for horror films to match its playful energy and practical effects, 1988’s Buddy Cop Fusion Ex-ex point is a perfect match. Directed by Mark Goldblatt, Ex-ex point is known among fans of the genre as a fun mix of horror and humor. The film stars Treat Williams and Joe Piscopo, respectively, as detectives. Roger Mortis and Doug Bigelow. Mortis and Bigelow work for the LAPD and investigate a series of jewelry store robberies where the culprits are immune to bullets. Together, the two detectives discover that the robbers are in reality reanimated corpses brought back to life by a mysterious resurrection machine.
23 years ago, this horror series paved the way in Hollywood for independent comics
In 2002, Steve Niles and Ben Templesmith gave horror fans a comic book that paved the way for independent creators to bring their ideas to Hollywood.
Apart from the Piscopo and Williams tracks, Ex-ex point features an all-star cast that fans of the genre will particularly enjoy. The film marks one of legendary actor Vincent Price’s final performances, and the main antagonist is played by prolific actor Darren McGavin. Their presence adds credibility and a classic horror charm that enhances the film’s cult appeal. Since its release, Ex-ex point has amassed a loyal fan base, and it even matches Home in its use of surreal, comical creatures and unpredictable wit that make Home so attractive to viewers.
From Beyond is Campy Horror Fun
The late director Stuart Gordon continued his success with Resuscitator by freely adapting another HP Lovecraft story with From beyond. The film brings back most of the creative team from Resuscitator and brings together Jeffrey Combs and Barbara Crampton. Their creative chemistry gives the film a familiar energy, and their performances add to the chaos that unfolds around the film’s extreme practical effects.
From beyond features some of the best practical effects of the era and used no fewer than four teams to create them. The story follows scientist Crawford Tillinghast, played by Jeffrey Combs, who works alongside his mentor, Dr. Edward Pretorius, on a machine called the Resonator. The device stimulates the pineal gland of the human brain and allows those exposed to it to see creatures living in an alternate dimension. During an experiment, one of the creatures bites Pretorius and he is assumed to be dead. Although impressive, the cast and crew spoke at length about the difficulty of filming. From beyond was due to the amount of effects used on set and the hours of makeup endured by the actors.
Society is a masterclass in body horror
The body horror classic Company was the directorial debut of producer Brian Yuzna, famous for his collaborations with Stuart Gordon. After being filmed in 1988, the film became an instant cult classic in Europe, but its release was delayed in the United States. Billy Warlock plays Bill Whitney, an outsider in his wealthy family and social circle. The somewhat typical setting serves to subvert audience expectations before delving completely into the realms of social commentary and paranoia. Company is a slow burn that eventually becomes one of the most extreme examples of body horror of its time.
Stephen King’s Invisible Sleeper Is the Scariest Depiction of Hell Ever Filmed
This 2007 adaptation of Stephen King’s short story Everything’s Eventual presents a terrifying version of a liminal hell.
The story focuses on Bill discovering that the upper class literally preys on the lower class in grotesque and surreal ways. As the plot develops, Bill’s suspicions are confirmed. He eventually discovers that his own family participates in these rituals after discovering them in the act himself. The climax of Company features a scene that defines the use of practical effects of the 80s. The sequence was created by effects legend Screaming Mad George and his team, and the final scene of Company is often cited by fans of the genre as one of the most inventive and extreme effects sequences ever created.
Evil Dead II is an essential horror-comedy hybrid
Often considered one of the best horror-comedy hybrids of all time, Evil Death II remakes and surpasses the story set up by Sam Raimi’s original film. Initiallythe distribution rights for the first film were sold individually to dozens and dozens of independent studios. In order to legally use footage from the original, Raimi and Robert Tapert would have to contact each studio, many of which had since gone bankrupt, and to get around the legal issues, they decided to re-shoot the necessary footage from the first film. Bruce Campbell returns in Evil Death II like Ash Williams. The plot takes a lot from the original filmrevisiting the isolated cabin, the Necronomicon and the demonic forces unleashed. Despite the familiar setup, the film amps up the horror and comedy. Campbell delivers a memorable physical performance, and the film showcases his over-the-top bar setting and special effects. Evil Death II is also memorable because of its action and Sam Raimi’s camera techniques. The shaky camera and quick zooms are a vital part of what makes the film immersive, creating tension and panic. The combination of Campbell’s performance, special effects and Sam Raimi’s creativity makes Evil Death II one of the best genre-blending films of all time.
Return of the Living Dead turns horror into punk rock party
Directed by Dan O’Bannon, Return of the Living Dead is a perfect example of a horror film that knows how to be fun without losing its edge. The film is self-aware and subverts the typical zombie tropes seen in previous films. It readily embraces its B-movie roots, leading it to become a beloved cult classic that changed the zombie genre forever. The film follows a group of troubled teenagers and warehouse workers, Frank and Freddy, who accidentally release a dangerous chemical. Frank, played by the late James Karen, even gives a backstory, linking it to Night of the Living Dead and highlight the self-referential parodic aspects of the film.
43 years later, John Carpenter can finally answer the world’s biggest question
In 1982, John Carpenter made what many consider to be the greatest horror film ever made. Teasing a return, he can answer his oldest mystery.
After releasing the gas, the dead emerge from the nearby cemetery and wreak havoc. Special effects artist William Stout designed grotesque, highly detailed zombies that remain iconic today. While the film uses humorous dialogues between the living and the dead, the traits of the zombies are terrifying. These are not the slow, lumbering zombies of the past. The living dead in Return of the Living Dead are fast and do not succumb to headshots.
Fright Night pays homage to classic horror
Before Child’s playTom Holland made his directorial debut with the 1985 vampire classic Night of fear. Holland had previously worked as an actor and screenwriter, writing the screenplays for films such as Psycho II. The film stars William Ragsdale as Charley Brewster, a typical teenager who begins to suspect that his new neighbor, Jerry Dandrige, played by Chris Sarandon, is a vampire. After his friends and family dismiss his concerns, Charlie contacts his personal hero and horror TV host, Peter Vincent, played by Roddy McDowall. The character’s name is an ode to genre icons Peter Cushing and Vincent Price.
The majority of the film’s more comedic aspects come from the involvement of Vincent, who uses typical tropes and techniques to discover if Dandridge is in fact a vampire. Night of fear works so well because the humor comes from the characters’ reactions to the supernatural and not from the vampires themselves. Vampires never become a joke. The effects and transformations were some of the best and most gruesome seen at the time. A bit like Home, Night of fear wasn’t afraid to balance its horror with genuine laughs, keeping it all grounded with some truly impressive practical effects.