I’m probably one of the few people who didn’t go see Top Gun when it originally opened in theatres in 1986. Yes, it was a blockbuster, yes it had a great soundtrack, and it had, you know, that guy. But not every movie is a good fit for every person. That’s why we’ve decided to post a list of some of the great films released in the 1980s that a lot of people overlooked during their original theatrical releases. Most, if not all, are readily available to buy in physical format or on any number of streaming services.

  • Alligator (1980) John Sayles writes and Lewis Teague directs this horror classic.
  • The Beyond (1981) Lucio Fulci directs this batshit crazy movie about… about…
  • Big Business (1988) Bette Midler and Lily Tomlin star as switched-at-birth twins who reunite.
  • The Blob (1988) Screenplay by Frank Darabont & Chuck Russell, and directed by Russell.
  • Blow Out (1981) Brian De Palma’s taut thriller starring John Travolta and Nancy Allen.
  • Brazil (1985) Monty Python’s Terry Gilliam co-writes and directs this epic starring Jonathan Pryce.
  • The ‘Burbs (1989) Tom Hanks and delightfully underused Carrie Fisher in Joe Dante’s creepy comedy.
  • The Changeling (1980) One of the best ghost stories ever filmed.
  • C.H.U.D. (1984) Cannabalistic Humanoid Underground Dwellers. Need we say more?
  • Clue (1985) The delightful Tim Curry co-stars with Madeline Khan and a great ensemble cast.
  • Day of the Dead (1985) George A. Romero’s third LD movie; intense, claustrophobic, unnerving.
  • Dead & Buried (1981) Alien’s Dan O’Bannon & Ronald Shussett wrote and directed this little-known shocker.
  • Demons (1985) Lamberto Bava’s first of two in a series; nonsensical bloody hijinks in a movie theatre.
  • Dolls (1987) Stuart Gordon is gone, but his legacy lives; Dolls is deceptively light but intense.
  • Eating Raoul (1982) Paul Bartel’s little-known black comedy about how to pay the bills.
  • Fitzcarraldo (1982) Werner Herzog’s epic, set in Peru, about how to move a steamship over a mountain.
  • The Fog (1980) John Carpenter’s gorgeous ghost story, a worthy successor to his epic Halloween.
  • From Beyond (1986) Stuart Gordon strikes again with this outrageous story of parallel worlds.
  • Full Metal Jacket (1987) Stanley Kubrick’s brutal war epic deserves your attention.
  • Hellraiser (1987) Clive Barker writes and directs this bloody classic, from his own novella, The Hellbound Heart.
  • Hellraiser II (1988) An equal, not just a sequel, H2 expands upon the original film’s concepts with pastiche.
  • How to Get Ahead in Advertising (1989) A hilarious black comedy about an advertising exec and his two heads.
  • The Hunger (1983) Look for lots of billowing curtains in this art-house horror film from Tony Scott.
  • Killer Klowns from Outer Space (1988) More comedy than horror, these klowns aren’t kidding…they’re killing!
  • The King of Comedy (1982) Martin Scorsese’s comedy about celebrity, with Robert De Niro and Sandra Bernhard.
  • The Lady in White (1988) Frank LaLoggia’s moving ghost story ranks as one of the best – don’t miss it!
  • The Last Emperor (1987) Bernard Bertolucci’s sprawling epic about China’s Pu Yi, China’s last emperor.
  • Lifeforce (1985) Tobe Hooper succeeds with this story of intergalactic vampires arriving on earth.
  • Lust in the Dust (1985) Divine’s second last movie, and one of the funniest. With Lainie Kazan. Hilarious!
  • Maurice (1987) This sombre adaptation of E.M. Forster’s 1971 novel; a gorgeous gay history lesson.
  • Merry Christmas, Mr. Lawrence (1983) David Bowie & Ryuichi Sakamoto star in this unsettling war drama.
  • My Beautiful Laundrette (1985) Stephen Frears’ tale of interracial gay love and unhappy relatives .
  • My Bloody Valentine (1981) One of Canada’s best horror efforts hasn’t lost any of its heart or spark.
  • Nightmare on Elm Street 3: Dream Warriors (1987) The best in the series, before Freddy became a comedian.
  • One Dark Night (1982) Director Tom McLoughlin’s little known horror gem with Meg Tilly and E.G. Daily.
  • Polyester (1981) John Waters’ unexpected hit comedy stars Divine. With or without Odorama, it’s a blast!
  • Q: The Winged Serpent (1982) Larry Cohen’s most intriguing films with a great performance from Michael Moriarty.
  • The Quiet Earth (1985) New Zealand takes a post-apocalyptic world with only one…two…three people left alive.
  • Raging Bull (1980) Everybody knows about Raging Bull. But have you seen it lately? You should.
  • Re-Animator (1985) Stuart Gordon’s best work, adapted from the works of H.P. Lovecraft.
  • Repo Man (1984) Director Alex Cox’s cult action/thriller is still inspiring sequels and spin-offs. See the original.
  • Return of the Living Dead (1985) Dan O’Bannon (Alien, Dead & Buried) writes and directs this horror comedy hit.
  • Santa Sangre (1989) Alejandro Jodorowsky’s cult film is too complex to explain in one line. Music by Simon Boswell.
  • Scenes from the Class Struggle in Beverly Hills (1989) A lovely swan song from director Paul Bartel.
  • Shock Treatment (1981) A follow-up to the escapades of Rocky Horror’s Brad & Janet; a great, twisted musical.
  • Society (1989) Brian Yuzna directs this body horror classic about a strange cult for affluent families.
  • Stop Making Sense (1984) One of the best concert films ever.
  • Strange Behaviour (aka: Dead Kids) [1981] Co-written with Bill Condon, Michael Laughlin’s minor classic has legs.
  • Strange Invaders (1983) Look up! Another fantastic “little” film from Michael Laughlin.
  • The Stuntman (1980) Peter O’Toole and Jessica Harper. That should be enough for most of you.
  • The Thing (1982) Still inspiring after all these years, John Carpenter’s remake has legs, and arms, and…?
  • Videodrome (1983) David Cronenberg skewered fledgling Toronto network CityTV in his body horror classic.
  • Withnail & I (1987) A surprisingly intense and yet tender dark comedy about two blokes in need of shelter.
  • Wolfen (1981) Albert Finney stars in this little-known urban werewolf tale with Gregory Hines.