There is something truly special about 80s cinema. Unforgettable comedies were produced in sidesplitting droves, and some of the most iconic horror films emerged in this decade as well. Additionally, there were the gloriously gory and hilarious hybrid horror-comedy movies that burst onto silver screens all across the world. Many of these (monster) mash-up films are part of the cinematic conversation whenever the 80s are mentioned, while a slew of these rare gems have been relegated to the sad, dusty, very back of the VHS collection.

Therefore, here are the best 80s horror-comedies that have somehow, tragically been forgotten. While many 80s films have aged in a way that is currently cringe-worthy at best, this selection has only improved with time. Precise practical effects clearly outshine lame CGI; boisterous, outspoken characters outweigh two-dimensional, stale, and safe ones. Whether it’s a more comedic, formulaic film like Once Bitten, or an eccentric, dreary and dark entry such as House, all of these funny and frightening films deserve another viewing…only this time, free of videotape static.

10

‘Killer Klowns from Outer Space’ (1988)

C’mon, you knew these klowns were going to make this list. Murderous clowns from any region are scary indeed…except space. Making them aliens cuts the horror significantly and injects a ton of comedy, as evidenced in this super niche, cult favorite Killer Klowns from Outer Space. Add to this the fact that the clowns kill people in ways that utilize typical circus clownery (pies to the face…except they’re filled with acid) and you’ve got one darkly funny film indeed. Director and co-writer Stephen Chiodo deserves a lot of credit for taking this already bizarre concept and pushing it to the limit (of decency) with a fantastic flourish.

The basic (dumb) story is set in a little Podunk town, where two inquisitive teens, Mike Tobacco (Grant Cramer) and Debbie Stone (Suzanne Snyder), track down a shooting star. They find a spaceship (which naturally looks like a big top circus tent), and in it a bunch of horrific clown aliens, insatiable for human flesh and blood. The clownish creatures are frightening to behold; definite nightmare fuel (especially if you’re already scared of clowns, mimes, court jesters, or fools of any sort).

9

‘Slaughter High’ (1985)

Alas, the much-adored 80s slasher flick. Many of these gore-fests had some humor baked in here and there, but every once in a while a fundamentally funny slasher was unleashed. This is exactly what the writer-director team of George Dugdale, Mark Ezra, and Peter Mackenzie Litten provided the cinematic universe with in Slaughter High (even the title is glorious in its savage simplicity).

Marty (Simon Scuddamore) was a nerd of epic proportions, so naturally he was brutally bullied and tortured by his popular classmates — so much so that one prank went too far and left him horribly disfigured and insane. Cut to five years later, where Marty has decided to host a little class reunion soirée for the bullies led by Carol (the stunner Caroline Munro). As one may suspect, Marty gets his revenge in an absolutely disgustingly gruesome fashion (while donning a creep-tastic jester costume). This is a very satisfying revenge story with some of the most creative kills of the era (possibly the first ceiling fan slashing). It also contains a fun little lesson about bullying: eventually, the bullied kids will rise up and kill you.

8

‘Once Bitten’ (1985)

One of the first films that comedy legend Jim Carrey starred in has somehow become one of the least talked about. This is odd because director Howard Storm‘s guilty pleasure Once Bitten has all the quintessential elements of an archetypical horror-comedy plus a fantastic cast that elevates the material significantly.

Mark Kendall (Carrey) is a randy little virgin who is desperate to… He loves his girlfriend, Robin Pierce (the refreshing, natural beauty Karen Kopins), but he’s about to burst. Mark and his buddy Jamie (Thomas Ballatore) venture out into the night to try to score, and Mark soon becomes entangled with a mysterious woman known as “Countess” (the world’s first supermodel, Lauren Hutton). The Countess is a blood-sucker who must feast on the blood of a virgin to maintain her killer bod, so yada yada yada, Mark soon becomes half-vampire. The rest of the story plays out with now sunlight-averse Mark fighting for his very soul as Robin tries to rescue him. The whole movie just drips with 80s flair — aided in no small part by the Countess’s sassy familiar Sebastian (Cleavon Little) — and has tons of fun set pieces where Carrey gets to (darkly) shine. The prom dance sequence alone makes this well worth watching.

7

‘Night of the Creeps’ (1986)

In keeping with the “big party/dance turned nightmare fiasco” slasher motif perfected inSlaughter High, things go one step further in writer-directorFred Dekker’s slithery sensationNight of the Creeps. However, here, evil comes from beyond: a vial from a vessel deep in outer space lands on earth.