Horror Films from the best year ever.

1988. It was a fantastic year. Why you ask? Because not only was it the year I was born, but it also produced some Horror Movies that were pretty awesome and, well, some that weren't. In this article I will go over five films that were, in my opinion, good from the best year on Earth!

We'll start off with my favorite film from that year.

Hellbound: Hellraiser II

This is the first film on the list because I love the Hellraiser series. Growing up as a kid, everyday after school, my dad would be watching the Sci-Fi channel. It was a daily occurrence, sometimes there would be shows, other times there would be movies. If it wasn't for the Sci-Fi channel, I would have never seen Hellraiser, or a slew of other movies. In Hellraiser II, we learn a bit of back story on the mysterious pinhead from the first film. Also, it picks up with Kirsty Cotton again, a bit of time has passed and she is in a psychiatric hospital. All is not what it seems, as we learn that the doctor of the institute has been collecting Cenobite artifacts for years, and took Kirsty in to get what he ultimately wanted. Though, I think he gets more than what he bargained for!

Now, those of you who have watched the Hellraiser films, or read the novels, know that it isn't your typical horror flick. It isn't filled with too many jump scares, nor does it rely on a monster that kills everyone. Instead, it is a film that makes us the monsters. I'll be honest, when I was a kid, I loved the films because they were bloody and didn't scare me too much. Only after watching them when I was a bit older, did I understand the concept. Those of us who are driven by our desires are the ones who become the true monsters. Pinhead was never the true monster, he was just the ultimate punishment in those pursuits. What made him scary though, was that he did not discriminate against who opened his box, to him, everyone that opened it was his target. That is why I love the Hellraiser films, as well as most of Barker's other works, it turns us into the monsters.

Pumpkinhead

The reason that this film stands out is because it is a fantastic horror flick that most of you probably have not seen. It is also the first film that Stan Winston directed. That's right, the same Stan Winston that brought us Predator, The Terminator, The Thing, and those dinosaurs in Jurassic Park to life.

What makes Pumpkinhead a great film, is the whole premise of “Be careful what you wish for.” Ed Harley is a father who leaves his son alone one day while going out on an errand. When he returns he finds his son is dead, accidentally killed by a group of teenagers. He then seeks out a witch. The witch tells him that she cannot bring his son back from the dead. He then opts to seek revenge. She tells him about a creature who would do his bidding and kill those responsible for his son's death. He digs up this disfigured corpse, and with a ritual, brings Pumpkinhead to life! The witch failed to tell him that when Pumpkinhead killed, he would see it as if he was the one committing the murder. Near the end of the film I'm sure that Ed is regretting his decision to seek revenge. Definitely go check it out if you've never seen it before!

The next film on the list is:

A Nightmare on Elm Street 4: The Dream Master

The reason this is on the list is because, well, who doesn't love the Elm Street films?! This might not be the best from the franchise, but it is the one that came out in the best year ever! What I enjoy most from this installment of Elm Street is that is directly picks up from where Elm Street 3 left off. It does not leave you wondering what happened to the previous characters. We learn that they are living seemingly normal lives, going to school, and they stay in touch. Rarely does cinema show you what happens after a seemingly happy ending, even if they did leave a hint at a sequel. Definitely a good Freddy film though, it always puts one on edge, hoping the cast doesn't fall asleep, because Freddy's Coming For You.

Who can forget the next film on the list:

Killer Klowns from Outer Space

This film, if you have a fear of clowns, should be on your watch list. It is so comical, that after watching it, your fear of clowns should subside. Sure the clowns do clown things and kill people by “clowning around”, such as pranks, making shadow puppets, getting cotton candy all over, and even having a balloon dog chasing people! This is a horror movie that needs to be watched, if not for the humor, then for the awesome songs that play EVERYTIME the clowns show up. You'll get the soundtrack stuck in your head.

The last film I'll throw in this list is:

Child's Play

That's right, one of the best and most iconic horror villains, was born in the best year ever! Voiced by the same actor in each film, Brad Dourif. Only six actors have played the same horror character six times, it should be no surprise this list has three. (Brad Dourif, Douglas Bradley, and Robert Englund). Last year I did a marathon of all the Child's Play films with my wife, and watching a movie after a few years, you pick up on things. Whoever came up with the concept of turning a creepy doll into a serial killer struck it rich. This iconic film will make you think twice about buying those creepy dolls for your kids or grand kids, and maybe you'll buy one for your enemies kids instead. Just make sure that a notorious serial killer was killed in the toy store you bought it from! The reason I enjoy this film is because it toys with you. In the beginning of the film they do a good job at making you question if the Good Guy doll was really possessed, or if the kid was a little serial killer in the making. Definitely a film worth re-watching if it has been a while. It holds up well and you might pick up on a few things too that you might not remember.

This is my list and some reasons why I like these movies from 1988. Feel free to share your opinions, or if you agree or disagree. Also, I hope it inspires you to write about movies from the year that YOU were born. Thanks for reading, and Happy Halloween!