In the wake of Halloween (1978), Friday the 13th (1980) and A Nightmare on Elm Street (1984), scary American films of the 1980s frequently revolved around serial killers (aka "slashers") of one sort or another, but in Europe the boundaries for horror movies were much looser. Without a strict ratings system in place, filmmakers felt free to feature more outrageous doses of nudity and, especially, explicit violence.
Yet the spirit of 1980s European horror movies went far beyond blood and sex. Filmmakers were also pushing the boundaries of narrative logic and stylistic extravagance. Here are a few examples, all containing terrific, wild energy typical of of the horror films made on the other side of the pond during the decade.
Hellraiser (1987)
British-writer-turned-filmmaker Clive Barker adapted his own novella for his directorial debut, replete with a huge variety of bloody, horrifying imagery. The story of a puzzle box that, when opened, leads to an unimaginable realm of pain and torture inspired multiple sequels and proved to be highly influential, mixing fantastic creatures and weird landscapes with more mundane human concerns.
Phenomena (1985)
Dario Argento directed and Jennifer Connelly, just 14 years of age, starred in this bizarre yet entrancing tale of a nasty chimp, swarming insects and a series of murders at a Swiss boarding school. With Donald Pleasance. The movie was cut by some 20 minutes and retitled Creepers for its theatrical release in the U.S.
Demons (1985)
The U.S. trailer for this Italian-made horror movie has classic narration, starting with the bold statement: "The preview you are about to watch is for a movie that is unlike any you have seen before." Lamberto Bava, son of master filmmaker Mario Bava, directed this richly imaginative movie set at a movie theater, invaded by a host of terrifying monsters.
The Beyond (1981) Note: NSFW
A woman inherits a hotel, only to discover that one of its unadvertised features is a doorway to Hell. Horrible things happen to hapless people, and then they become zombies. Lucio Fulci directed. Be advised that the trailer is NSFW (Not Safe for Work).
Anguish (1987)
And now for something really different. With bold Spanish filmmaker Bigas Luna at the helm, the film moves swiftly from dream to reality and then back again, often without warning. Zelda Rubinstein (Poltergeist) encourages her son Michael Lerner to express himself violently after he loses his job, resulting in considerable carnage and even more bizarre imagery.
Lifeforce (1985)
Although it's not strictly an all-European thriller, this entry certainly displays the typical flourishes of the period. Adapted from British writer Colin Wilson's 1976 novel The Space Vampires, the movie version was a product of the Golam-Globus production company. Director Tobe Hooper, flush with success after Poltergeist, came on board to direct. The U.S. theatrical edition was 15 minutes shorter than the international version. As this clip demonstrates, the movie, set in and around London, features a stormy sense of wild abandonment. As teenage boys who've seen the entire movie can testify, the movie also features the lovely ballerina-turned-actress Mathilda May, who gave a brave performance as a space vampire, entirely without the benefit of a wardrobe; in other words, she's naked throughout!
