One of the oldest movie genres, horror has been going strong for well over 100 years with every era festering with its own vile villains waiting to terrify us and haunt our dreams. The '30s and '40s had Universal’s Classic Monsters. The '50s and '60s veered towards real-world threats and sci-fi scares. The '70s gave us the first taste of a slasher’s splattering of blood and guts, while more recent times have seen everything from sinister serial killers to possessed play-things that scare us out of our wits.

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But no decade has so effortlessly produced unforgettable horror icons quite like the 1980s. The undisputed prime of the slasher movie with the likes of Jason Voorhees and Freddy Krueger carving up the box office, its influence on horror pop culture reverberates around the world to this day. From machete-wielding madmen to aliens from other outer space, these horror icons still terrify us today.

Jack Torrance – ‘The Shining’ (1980)

image via Warner Bros.

Unlike many others who will appear on this list, Jack Torrance (Jack Nicholson) didn’t get a litany of sequels and spin-offs to make his mark on horror. Taking a job as the Winter caretaker of the ominous Overlook Hotel, his gradual slide into madness makes The Shining one of the most gripping and terrifying horror films ever made.

While the author of the book, Stephen King – who is himself something of a horror icon – didn’t look too favorably on the film, fans of the genre have kept going back to Stanley Kubrick’s film ever since its release. Jack’s infamous axe scene, as well as his pursuit of Danny through the maze, will haunt horror fans for decades to come.

The Predator – ‘Predator’ (1987)

predator
Image via 20th Century Studios

Movie monsters don’t get any bigger than this, the titular villain of 1987’s Predator. The alien antagonist lands in a Central American jungle where it clashes with Dutch’s (Arnold Schwarzenegger) military squad carrying out a covert operation for the CIA.

With cloaking abilities, a plasma cannon, superior strength, and great combat skills, the Predator is able to make short work of most of the soldiers, making itself truly memorable with its knack of collecting trophies of its kills. While Dutch does eventually get the better of the Predator, the terrifying foe left a lasting impression on viewers with its image just as horrifying today as it was back in 1987.

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The Thing – ‘The Thing’ (1982)

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Image via Universal Pictures

Given the Thing’s shapeshifting, assimilating nature, it’s difficult to quantify its standing as a horror icon based on its imagery, but that actually plays a part in what made this movie monster so utterly terrifying. It took out the crew of an Antarctic research station one by one while disguising itself among the survivor’s ranks.

With no one in the film deemed to be trustworthy, audiences went on a heart-stopping journey of terror and suspense as they tried to determine who was human and who wasn’t. While the alien itself can’t be identified, Rob Bottin’s practical effects work throughout The Thing remains unforgettable and has been scaring audiences silly for over 40 years now.

Elvira - 'Mistress of the Dark' (1988)

image via KHJ-TV.

Elvira (Cassandra Peterson) may not be the most terrifying horror icon, but the focus she brought to B-grade horror as the hostess of Movie Macabre during its run through the early 80s cannot be overlooked. “The girl with the enormous… ratings”, as she called herself, was ever ready with her quips full of sarcasm, dry wit, and plenty of sexual innuendoes.

She got her own feature in 1988 with Elvira: Mistress of the Dark, an appropriately pulpy and camp celebration of horror armed with all the irreverent fun the queen of Halloween brought to her TV segments. Peterson still plays the part today and has been wishing “unpleasant dreams” upon her fans for over 40 years.

David – ‘The Lost Boys’ (1987)

image via Warner Bros.

Even when the vampire craze of the early 2010s was at its peak it failed to produce a blood-sucking bad guy as iconic as David Powers (Kiefer Sutherland). A horror hit from 1987, The Lost Boys blended horror, humor, and style to make for pure '80s teen entertainment as a gang of vampires wreaks havoc on a small beach town in California.

While David was ultimately revealed to not be the big bad audiences thought he was, his impact and influence were never tarnished. Not only was David a terrifying villain, but the '80s punk aesthetic he flaunted re-defined what a vampire could be.

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Chucky – ‘Child’s Play’ Franchise

Chucky in Child's Play
image via United Artists.

Many of the horror icons of the '80s were presented as strong silent types. Chucky was a breath of fresh air; something completely different. Coming to life when the soul of a murderer gets trapped in the confines of a child’s plaything, Chucky presented a terrifying, and at times hilarious, spin on the slasher slayer archetype.

With a tongue and a wit that were sharper than his knife, Chucky had no reservations about sending his victims out with a sadistically twisted pun. Chucky only appeared in one film throughout the '80s – 1988’s Child’s Play – but has gone on to appear in a long line of sequels, all of which have seen the deadly doll in fine – and terrifying – form.

Pinhead – ‘Hellraiser’ Franchise

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Image via Cinemarque Entertainment BV

The haunting leader of the demonic Cenobites, Pinhead – as the character has come to be known for obvious reasons – is not only one of horror’s most visually terrifying antagonists but one of its most psychologically disturbing as well. Sent to Earth to retrieve the soul of Frank Cotton, the overt sadomasochism which defines Pinhead has seen him haunt audiences in a way few other villains can.

While originating from Clive Barker’s 1986 novella, The Hellbound Heart, it wasn’t until Barker made Hellraiser the following year that the character became the terrifying villain he continues to be today. The legacy of Pinhead is set to continue too, with HBO about to re-boot the Hellraiser franchise with Jamie Clayton occupying the role made famous by Doug Bradley.

Michael Myers – ‘Halloween’ Franchise

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Image via Universal

The masked mass murderer may have had his first and scariest entry in 1978, but given he appeared in three Halloween films throughout the '80s, it’s difficult to deny he’s one of the decade’s great slashers. An unstoppable force of evil, he seems almost superhuman as he slices and dices his way through the residents of Haddonfield.

While many of the Halloween movies have been lackluster since John Carpenter’s 1978 original, the franchise has been restored to its former glory of late with 2018’s Halloween proving to be a much-needed resurrection. Fans can catch Michael Myers and Laurie Strode (Jamie Lee Curtis) in action one final time with Halloween Ends.

Jason Voorhees – ‘Friday the 13th’ Franchise

Jason-Voorhees
Image via Paramount

With five Friday the 13th movies being made throughout the 1980s, Jason Voorhees is an undisputed king of '80s horror. In fact, he might just be the king of the slasher flick full stop with his hockey mask and machete making him one of the most iconic movie characters of all time.

Interestingly, Jason was never intended to be the main villain, with the first Friday the 13th using his aggrieved mother as the major antagonist. The franchise took flight almost immediately after though. Jason not only became the iconic villain he is today, but also gained advanced strength, regenerative powers, and apparent invulnerability as the franchise has gone on. These alterations have only enhanced Jason’s reputation as one of the most formidable and terrifying horror icons.

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Freddy Krueger – ‘A Nightmare on Elm Street’ Franchise

Freddy Kreuger in A Nightmare on Elm Street
Image via New Line Cinema

Whether fans were loving him for his sadistic wit or shrieking with terror from his savage killings, Freddy Krueger (Robert Englund) dominated '80s horror with a stretch of five movies and even a television show, Freddy’s Nightmares. The evil spirit of a child murderer who was burned alive after evading prison, Krueger is as evil a monster as there is in horror.

Stalking his victims in their dreams, Krueger has kept plenty of terrified moviegoers up at night, with the image of his burnt face, red and green striped sweater, fedora, and his trademark clawed glove not easily forgotten. Freddy was humorous, creative with his executions, and frightfully irrepressible to become the ultimate horror icon of the '80s, and quite possibly the best horror villain of all time.

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