CAST
BRUCE CAMPBELL, EMBETH DAVIDTZ, MARUC GILBERT, IAN ABERCRMBIE, RICHARD GROVE

DIRECTED BY
SAM RAIMI

The last film in Sam Raimi’s Evil Dead trilogy is also the wackiest, with demon slaying hero Ash (Bruce Campbell) stuck in the middle ages with no way home and soul eating demons out for his flesh.

The manic violence of the first two Evil Deadfilms is toned down for a more adventure/fantasy element, yet Raimi’s direction and Campbell’s spirited performance make up for it.

CAST
ALEC BALDWIN, GEENA DAVIS, JEFFREY JONES, MICHAEL KEATON, CATHERINE O’HARA, WINONA RYDER

DIRECTED BY
TIM BURTON

Released back when director Tim Burton’s shtick was considered fresh and groundbreaking, Beetlejuice blended Burton’s offbeat humour and love for the macabre in his telling of a recently deceased couple (Alec Baldwin and Genna Davis) trying to spook a yuppie family out of their home.

Enter resident trouble maker and “bio-exorcist” Beetlejuice, played with infectious comic lunacy by Michael Keaton who stole the show and became a superstar...for a while.

CAST
COREY HAIM, JASON PATRIC, COREY FELDMAN, JAMIE GERTZ, KIEFFER SUTHERLAND, DIANE WIEST

DIRECTED BY
JOEL SCHUMACHER

Proving that not all teen vampire movies suck, The Lost Boys successfully blended comedy and horror, and looked good while doing so.

Launching the careers of Jason Patric and Kieffer Sutherland, and featuring the debut of ‘80s fixture Corey’s Feldman & Haim, The Lost Boys cleverly utilised teen issues such as peer pressure with classic vampire conventions to make for a one of a kind horror movie. Two recent sequels of lacklustre quality followed.

CAST
JEFF DANIELS, JOHN GOODMAN, HARLEY JANE KOZAK, BRAIN McNAMARA, JULIAN SANDS

DIRECTED BY
FRANK MARSHALL

Directed by Spielberg cohort Frank Marshall and starring Jeff Daniels and John Goodman, this creepy crawly tale of man-killing spiders infesting a small town will hit a nerve with spider lovers and haters alike, with the witty comedy and nicely structured thrills of Arachnophobia making for a constantly entertaining flick.

CAST
WILLIAM RAGSDALE, CHRIS SARANDON, AMANDA BEARSE, STEPHEN GEOFFREYS, RODDY McDOWALL

DIRECTED BY
TOM HOLLAND

Essentially a 1980s version of Rear Window but with vampires, Fright Night was an effective horror film which brilliantly made fun of vampire conventions while becoming a solid entry in the sub-genre.

William Ragsdale starred as a horror buff who happens to live next door to a lothario vampire (Chris Sarandon). When no one believes him he turns to TV vampire slayer Peter Vincent (Roddy Macdowall) for help. Directed and written by Tom Holland, Fright Night still holds up very well in an over saturated market which included an unnecessary remake.

Satirical humour and excellent monster makeup sit comfortably together, and Chris Sarandon plays one evilly seductive vampire.

CAST
GENE WILDER, PETER BOYLE, MARTY FELDMAN, TERI GARR, MADELINE KAHN, CLORIS LEECHMAN

DIRECTED BY
MEL BROOKS

When parody king Mel Brooks set his eyes on the Frankenstein legend, only hilarity could ensure.

The forever great Gene Wilder starred as the grandson of Dr. Frankenstein (or should I say, “Frank-en-steen”), who at first refuses to be a part of his family’s reputation for bringing back the dead, only to give into his destiny and create his own monster played by the late Peter Boyle.

As can be expected from a Mel Brooks movie much silliness follows, but it is silliness of the highest quality with their version of Broadway classic “Puttin’ on the Ritz” a highlight.

CAST
BRUCE CAMPBELL, SARAH BERRY, DENISE BIXLER, DAN HICKS, KASSIE DEPAIVA, TED RAIMI

DIRECTED BY
SAM RAIMI

Sequel to the hardcore horror movie The Evil Dead saw the nastiness continue but this time infused with slapstick comedy madness.

Lord of the B movie and king of chins Bruce Campbell returned as tortured hero Ash, taking on demonic spirits and possessed monsters while stuck in an isolated cabin. Campbell’s bravura performance is a thing of horror/comedy beauty, and would make him an icon to all horror fans in his portrayal of the chainsaw wielding, “boomstick” operating hero.

Sam Raimi’s innovative , balls to the walls direction marked him as a talent to watch. Years later he would break box office records with his Spider-Man trilogy.

CAST
NICK FROST, SIMON PEGG, KATE ASHFIELD, LUCY DAVIS, DYLAN MORAN, BILL NIGHY

DIRECTED BY
EDGAR WRIGHT

The first film from the Brit geek comedy trinity of Nick Frost, Simon Pegg and Edgar Wright was also a loving ode to the zombie movies of George Romero, done with cheeky comedy and bloody violence.

Pegg played Shaun, a down and out salesman who is on the outs with his girlfriend (Kate Ashfield) and has to deal with the crude behaviour of his slacker best mate Ed (Nick Frost). When a zombie infestation threatens to literally tear them all apart, Shaun and Ed take matters into their own hands with many a zombie feeling the wrong end of the cricket bat. 

As well as being quite the funny movie, Shaun of the Dead also succeeds in scaring the crap out of its audience, thank to Wright’s hyper kinetic direction which keeps viewers on their toes while having them in stitches.

CAST
DAVID NAUGHTON, JENNY AGUTTER, GRIFFIN DUNNE, JOHN WOODVINE

DIRECTED BY
JOHN LANDIS

There has been many a werewolf movie, yet none can match the pure brilliance which is An American Werewolf in London.

Directed by John Landis, the film starred one time disco wonder David Naughton and the underrated Griffin Dunne as American tourists David & Jack who are attacked by a savage beast while trekking across the Yorkshire moors

David survives but soon finds out he is now a werewolf, a realisation that comes to life in a still frightening and awe inspiring transformation scene which won SFX icon Rick Baker his first of many Oscars. A clever blend of horror and witty comedy follows, along with some nicely created dream sequences and tongue in cheek soundtrack.

CAST
DAN AKROYD, BILL MURRAY, HAROLD RAMIS, ERNIE HUDSON, RICK MORANIS, SIGOURNEY WEAVER

DIRECTED BY
IVAN REITMAN

If you are looking for the best combination of spooks and laughs, then Ghostbusters is the movie for you.

Starring a career defining Bill Murray, the film followed a group of unemployed parapsychologists (Murray, Dan Akroyd and Harold Rammis) in their new business venture as ghost removalists during a time of heavy supernatural activity in New York City.

Conceived by Akroyd (whose initial over the top first draft was taken down a few notches by co-writer Ramis and director Ivan Reitman),  Ghostbusters managed to juggle witty comedy, well paced ghost story and special effects to make for an entertaining blockbuster, complete with giant Marshmallow Man.

Icing on the cake was Murray’s dry, improvisational style, which made his scientist turned spook catcher Dr. Peter Venkman a joke cracking hero unlike no other.

A re-watchable and forever quotable classic, a third film is supposedly in development. Hopefully they will learn from the sequel and decide against it.