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1984 Horror Movies

American Horror Story: Let's Mine These 1984 Horror Movies For Clues About Season 9

Ryan Murphy has unveiled the theme of American Horror Story's ninth season, and I'm more excited than Freddy Krueger at an insomnia convention. The next batch of episodes is titled 1984, and the teaser features a terrified young woman clad in her finest '80s sweater — I can smell the fear and Aqua Net from here. She's fleeing someone who seems to be sporting all the key characteristics of the iconic slasher villain: heavy boots, a trench coat, a ski mask with a confusingly placed ponytail, and of course, a gigantic knife. This Big Bad could be played by Olympic superstar and cast newcomer Gus Kenworthy, but why would Murphy chose to hide that beautiful face under a mask?

It's clear season nine will be an homage to the slasher movies of the '80s, but which ones? Upon first glance, the woodsy teaser is highly reminiscent of Friday the 13th, but the first movie in that series was released in 1980 (the fourth movie in the decades-long franchise, ironically titled Friday the 13th: The Final Chapter, did come out in 1984). There's also Sleepaway Camp, the cult classic with a twist ending, but that one came out in 1983. If the villain is giving you Leatherface vibes, you may be surprised to find out that Texas Chainsaw Massacre came out an entire decade before, in 1974. Meanwhile, the original Halloween was released four years after, in 1978.

We're sure the new season will be pulling inspiration from all the classic horror hits from the '70s and '80s, but just in case, we've rounded up a handful of the biggest horror movies of 1984. Let's see what we can glean about American Horror Story: 1984!

Image Source: Everett Collection

1. A Nightmare on Elm Street

Though it wasn't a mainstream hit at the time — it was only the No. 40 movie of the year, with a box office take that puts it behind The Muppets Take Manhattan — A Nightmare on Elm Street has the longest-lasting legacy of any 1984 horror film. It's the first time we meet Freddy Krueger, one of horror's most iconic villains, as he terrorizes a group of suburban teens.

Given American Horror Story's first teaser, Murphy already appears to duplicating the "crazed killer stalks attractive teens" formula. Then again, the teaser is probably more of a thematic clue than actual footage from the new episodes. (Historically, FX releases American Horror Story teasers by the handful before a new season, but none contain scenes from the episodes until an official trailer comes out.)

Image Source: Everett Collection

2. Children of the Corn

Based on Stephen King's short story of the same name (you can read it in the Night Shift collection), Children of the Corn features a young couple that stumbles into a nightmare while travelling through a rural town in Nebraska. The town has been taken over by children, who have ritualistically killed all the adults in the belief that the sacrifices will yield a successful crop of corn.

By today's horror standards, the original Children of the Corn might be considered more laughable than terrifying, but there are still genuinely chilling moments. You've got Courtney Gaines as Malachai, gripping onto a beaten Linda Hamilton as Vicky, screaming, "Outlander, we have your woman!" There's young John Franklin making his film debut as the disturbingly intense leader of the children, Isaac, and there are biblical themes throughout the movie that add unexpected depth to the otherwise silly plot.

You know who loves subtle (and not-so-subtle) nods to the Bible? Ryan Murphy.

Image Source: Everett Collection

3. Gremlins

Remember how I said A Nightmare on Elm Street wasn't very successful at the box office? Meet 1984's fourth most popular movie: Gremlins. (For the record, it's sandwiched in between Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom and The Karate Kid.) Another film that spawned several subpar sequels, Gremlins follows a teen who receives a strange pet from his father. The fluffy new friend comes with a few specific directions, and when those rules aren't followed, the cuddle bug turns into a tiny monster and multiplies.

What's notable about this film is how swiftly the tone changes. One minute you're watching a family-friendly Christmas movie about a boy and his cute new pal, the next minute you're watching the kid's mom liquify an alien-like monster in a blender. It gets real gnarly, real fast. Might Murphy bait-and-switch us into feeling like this season isn't that scary, only to pull the rug out from under us?

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4. C.H.U.D.

Will season nine include any Cannibalistic Humanoid Underground Dwellers? Honestly, let's hope not. C.H.U.D. is a one-two punch of science fiction and horror, featuring a group of humanoid monsters who live under the streets of New York City and prey on the homeless population. Oddly enough, C.H.U.D. has already been referenced in pop culture this year: Jordan Peele included a VHS copy in the opening scene of Us, citing his personal connection to the film.

Murphy could be reaching for similar themes of how the "have-nots" of society are marginalized and forced to pick on the scraps of the privileged. Or he could just include some freaky monsters who feast on people.

Image Source: Everett Collection

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5. Silent Night, Deadly Night

Back to slashers! This holiday-themed horror film features a twisted antagonist in Billy, a man scarred by his violent past and driven to mass homicide. As a child, Billy witnessed the murder of his parents on Christmas Eve, was subsequently subject to abuse in a Catholic orphanage, and years later, dons a Santa suit to carry out some vicious murders.

Like Gremlins, Silent Night, Deadly Night has some genuinely shocking scenes. People are shot, stabbed, nearly raped, hammered to death, killed by way of bow and arrow, impaled with antlers, and more. This pattern of uniquely hostile kills might be something that Murphy is inspired by — let's just hope he leaves the antlers out of it.

Image Source: Everett Collection

6. Firestarter

Like Children of the Corn, Firestarter is based on a work by Stephen King and features a young girl turning on the adults in her life. Nine-year-old Drew Barrymore is the star of the film as Charlie, who has the ability to start fires with her mind.

While it is classified as a horror movie, Charlie isn't a typical villain. Her powers are the result of an experiment that her parents participated in before she was born, and though she is eventually forced to use them, she doesn't do so for the sake of chaos. In many ways, Charlie is a victim of circumstances beyond her control, and if anyone loves a complex villain, it's Ryan Murphy.

Image Source: Everett Collection

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