Halloween Special: 1980s Horror Rewind

Looking back at 13 fright flicks that deliver chills, nostalgia and expert cinematography and visual effects that enhance the moody thrills.

David E. Williams

American Cinematographer

The following baker’s bloody dozen of horror films from the 1980s include iconic examples of the genre and cult-classic favorites, but all benefit from imaginative and exemplary camerawork to bring their horrific visions to the screen. This nightmare fuel also demonstrates the elastic nature of the genre, which has its well-known visual tropes that double as a set of rules made to be broken in the name of setting the proper tone for the twisted tale at hand.

Click through to examine each title in greater detail.

Photographing Stanley Kubrick’s The Shining
John Alcott, BSC details his collaboration with the director while making the classic 1980 horror yarn.

Photographing The Thing
Dean Cundey, ASC discusses the making of director John Carpenter’s 1982 sci-fi horror classic.

The Chill Atmosphere of Fright Night
“The genesis of the script grew out of my idea to make the vampire movie contemporary.”

Eerie Effects for Lifeforce
A look into the laser technology and lighting practices that made this 1985 sci-fi horror film possible.

Laszlo Kovacs, ASC and Ghostbusters
The cinematographer details some of the challenges of working on his first massive special-effects laden movie.

Photography on Poltergeist II: The Other Side
Andrew Laszlo, ASC describes shooting the follow-up to one of the most famous ghost stories in cinematic history.

The Fly — New Buzz on an Old Theme
Mark Irwin, ASC, CSC details his experience working with frequent collaborator David Cronenberg on this horror masterpiece.

The Return of the Living Dead: A Comic Strip
Writer-director Dan O’Bannon, production designer Bill Stout and director of photography Jules Brenner bring the spirit of 1950s horror comics to the big screen.

Chopping Mall: Robots on Rampage!
Cinematographer Tom Richmond, ASC recalls working with the Killbots, where shopping costs you an arm and a leg!

Blue Velvet — Small Town Horror Tale
Fred Elmes, ASC lent a distinct photographic style to David Lynch’s disturbing tale of an unsettling underworld.

Third Round for an Ongoing Nightmare on Elm Street
Roy H. Wagner, ASC films the return of Freddy Krueger as he battles The Dream Warriors.

Predator Dispenses Invisible Terror
Director of photography Don McAlpine, ASC, ACS discusses his work on the sci-fi action feature, involving remote locations and complex effects.

Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer — Charlie Lieberman, ASC
The cinematographer details his devious visual approach to this all-too-realistic take on terror.