PopHorror Let's Get Scared
The latchkey kids were the ones who were free to roam without their parents worrying, and if you DID make them worry, forget it; you’d be toast. Feral kids know too well that we were up late watching HBO or “USA’s Up All Night.” They showed off movies I got into, and many were terrible—I mean wrong.
Let’s drop into a fun list of some films that molded the feral kids at a time when the horror industry was booming.
10. Sleepaway Camp (1983)
Sleepaway Camp is the 80s version of the game Clue. It’s one big “whodunnit” movie, and I love it! I love it for the social awkwardness. It’s hard getting out of the house because of anxiety. However, I can attend the horrorcon with no issues. I just had to gain the courage to go. Felissa Rose is such a kind person!
9. Dawn of the Dead (1978)
I know it was one of the greatest movies I have seen at the time. Again, my parents weren’t around much; you had two options: hide in your house or play outside. Some of us didn’t want to be outside. I got out of it with a million zombie movies. It caused chaos in my brain because, as a kid, I was super into zombie movies. They have taken all the enjoyment out of zombies, but that’s why I Lived in the past. It was my first movie watch with a lot of gore. I became a fiend after this. I started following the work of guys like Greg Nicotero and Tom Savini. They became vital in my life, trying to figure out how they made the gory scenes. So thank you.
8. Return of the Living Dead (1985)
Yes, it’s here too. The movie is a given that it would be on this list. I would have never gotten into this stuff without this movie. It is beautiful nostalgia to watch this over and over. I still do, to be honest. The premise is fantastic, the story is original, and you can laugh at all the terror. It’s just an iconic moment in horror history. I still love all this campy stuff. It puts me in a good mood. Reality is dumb. I am glad. We all have a place here.
7. 976-Evil
It may be a vague memory, but I am sure it will be there. I used to watch this movie every weekend with my family. None of these were appropriate for us, but we loved them anyway. It was a different time. Big Box companies have made horror a different genre. 976 Evil was one of the movies I have a lot of memories of, and they are good ones. This movie is a treasure to this day. I watch it once every other month, and it keeps the joy.
6. Faces Of Death (1978)
Admit it, this was a feral treasure. We have all watched this movie at a certain point, maybe just for shock value. Some scenes were fake, and we knew that; however, there were a lot of real deaths, too. What a time to be alive! The movie still receives negative reviews. Did we think it would be any different? I am not going to put the trailer here for obvious reasons. Find it in the link above.
5. Demons 2 (1986)
I can never say anything but good things about this treasure. I still remember the first time seeing the cover art, and I was sucked right in; it wasn’t long after this that I weirded my family out so much that some people wouldn’t let me stay over anymore just because of a passion. Demons 2 will always be in my top 5 movies of all time.
4. The Toxic Avenger (1984)
There wasn’t anything as cool as Melvin! Feral kids love this; it was our introduction to what we love. This movie will always be in my top ten. I have loved it ever since I became a horror fan. It was so obscene for 7-year-olds, but once again, it’s kind of the way things worked back then. I love Toxie and Lloyd Kaufman. Legends just hit us with a brick once in a while.
3. Night of the Demons (1988)
It’s another legendary movie. It didn’t break any barriers; it was just incredible. It’s also another one in my personal top ten movies. How did we get away with watching these? Our parents were gone most of the time, and we raised ourselves. We repaid them by watching some racy horrors as they worked hard for us. Meh, I turned out fine.
2. Fright Night (1985)
It’s a lot more interesting than the Lost Boys. When the vampire craze started, I was already well-seasoned, and I didn’t understand why they bled glitter. Fright Night focuses on the idea that you should stay in your lane. It’s much like the Are You Afraid of the Dark episode, where the vampire family moves next door.
1. Michael Jackson Thriller (1983)
I couldn’t help but include this on the list. It is what got me into horror, and then came another name on the list. Return of the Ling Dead and Thriller coincided for me. As a MJ fan from a young age, I believe that this video and song were the big reasons why my cousin and I went down the horror slide, and I’m still here carrying on that legacy.
Thanks for reading through this list. I hope these movies helped influence you or triggered a memory. Some are common, and some aren’t. But here they are—the movies for the feral generation.
