Horror History: Friday, August 2, 1985: The Hills Have Eyes Part II was released in theaters

The hills are once again alive with the sound of screaming in Wes Craven s hugely entertaining follow-up to his own groundbreaking 1977 The Hills Have Eyes. A motocross team on their way to trial a new super-fuel head out across the desert lead by Rachel, who, unbeknownst to the rest of the group, is a survivor of the cannibal clan which menaced the Carter family several years before. Opting to take an ill-advised shortcut across the desert, the busload of youngsters drive straight into the path of the remnants of Rachel s demented cannibal kin – the menacing Pluto, and a hulking, blood-hungry brute by the name of The Reaper. Made by Wes Craven immediately prior to his smash-hit A Nightmare on Elm Street, The Hills Have Eyes Part II diverges from the grim tone of its predecessor in favour of fun action-horror thrills and spills replete with mutants, motorbikes, and – oh yes – dog flashbacks!

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Horror History: Friday, August 2, 1985: Phenomena was released in theaters

A young girl, with an amazing ability to communicate with insects, is transferred to an exclusive Swiss boarding school, where her unusual capability might help solve a string of murders.

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Horror History: Friday, August 2, 1985: Fright Night was released in theaters

Charley Brewster, a high school student, accidentally discovers the true and creepy nature of Jerry Dandrige, his dashing and enigmatic new neighbor; but no one seems willing to believe him.

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Horror History: Friday, June 21, 1985: Lifeforce was released in theaters

A frightening journey into the unknown awaits an Earthbound scout ship when it comes across an alien spacecraft of enormous proportions. Further investigation reveals a roomful of glass coffins containing the bodies of frozen creatures. A terrifying nightmare begins when these life-hungry aliens arise and target the Earth as their new feeding ground. Directed by Tobe Hooper (Poltergeist).

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Horror History: Wednesday, May 22, 1985: Wes Craven’s Chiller debuted on television

Corporate exec Miles Creighton dies, and is cryogenically frozen in the hopes that he can be revived. 10 years later, the procedure is a success, and Miles returns–without his soul.

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Horror History: Saturday, April 27, 1985: Creature was released in theaters

Two crews from competing corporations are sent to Titan (Saturn’s largest moon) to retrieve canisters containing the remains of ancient beings. One by one, the scientists are overcome by a horrifying Creature – a parasite which takes over their bodies.

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Horror History: Friday, April 19, 1985: The Company of Wolves was released in US theaters

A teenage girl in a country manor falls asleep while reading a magazine, and has a disturbing dream involving wolves prowling the woods below her bedroom window.

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Horror History: Friday, January 18, 1985: Ghoulies was released in theaters

When a college student inherits an old mansion he finds he has also inherited its residents–a bunch of slimy, hairy, fanged creatures who’ll do anything for him…even kill.

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Horror History: Friday, January 4, 1985: Too Scared to Scream was released in theaters

Two streetwise detectives try to solve a murder case. They devise a plan to catch the killer, only to find that they themselves have been deceived and are being pursued by the killer.

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Horror History: Friday, December 21, 1984: Don’t Open till Christmas was released in theaters

Somebody with very little Christmas spirit is killing anyone in a Santa suit one London holiday season, and Scotland Yard has to stop him before he makes his exploits an annual tradition.

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Horror History: Friday, December 7, 1984: The Initiation was released in theaters

A long-buried family secret comes back to haunt the present, and a sorority ceremony becomes a real hell night for Kelly Fairchild (Daphne Zuniga of “One Tree Hill” and “Melrose Place”).

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Horror History: Friday, November 16, 1984: Razorback was released in theaters

It’s man against beast as two men hunt a wild razorback boar that has been terrorizing a small, isolated town deep in the Australian Outback,killing kangaroos … and people.

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Horror History: Friday, November 16, 1984: Night of the Comet was released in theaters

A huge comet passes near the earth, vaporizing nearly the whole planet. Only a few teenagers, who were inside a steel movie projection booth, survive–all those outside were turned to dust.

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Horror History: Friday, November 9, 1984: Silent Night, Deadly Night was released in theaters

After his parents are murdered, a tormented teenager goes on a murderous rampage dressed as Santa. A controversial, cult-classic slasher and the perfect antidote to the holiday season.

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Horror History: Friday, November 9, 1984: A Nightmare On Elm Street was released in theaters

In classic horror film genre that launched a movie franchise, a pedophile who was murdered by a lynch mob returns years later in terrifying nightmares of his killers’ teenage children.

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Horror History: Friday, June 1, 1984: The House by the Cemetery was released in US theaters

A young family moves from their cramped New York City apartment to a spacious new home in New England. But this is no ordinary house in the country: the previous owner was the deranged Dr. Freudstein, whose monstrous human experiments have left a legacy of bloody mayhem. Now, someone – or something – is alive in the basement, and home sweet home is about to become a horrific hell on earth.

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Horror History: Friday, April 13, 1984: Friday The 13th: The Final Chapter was released in theaters

After his revival in a hospital morgue, the hockey-masked murderer fixes his vengeful attention on the Jarvis family and a group of hitherto carefree teenagers. Young Tommy Jarvis is an aficionado of horror films with a special talent for masks and make-up. Has the diabolical Jason finally met his match?

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Horror History: Friday, March 16, 1984: Sole Survivor was released in theaters

Before Final Destination, there was Sole Survivor. Directed by Thom Eberhardt (Night of the Comet), This chilling film tells of a young women who is the sole survivor of an airplane crash. Disregarding the warnings from a psychic actress friend, Denise tries to get on with her life, but she has somehow cheated death, and the Grim Reaper sends his minions to bring her to him.

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Horror History: Friday, March 9, 1984: Children of the Corn was released in theaters

Based on the classic short story by Stephen King, Children of the Corn is a longtime horror favorite that has spawned six sequels and many imitations. See how it all started.

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Horror History: Friday, February 10, 1984: The Black Cat was released in US theaters

Italian director Lucio Fulci applies his characteristic touch to the Edgar Allan Poe tale to tell the story of a deranged, wheelchair-bound English psychic who can record the voices of the dead on tape, and apparently possesses the ability to channel evil spirits into the body of his cat — which he then commands to take vengeance on his enemies.

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Horror History: Friday, November 18, 1983: Sleepaway Camp was released in theaters

After a terrible boating accident killed her family, shy Angela Baker is sent to Camp Arawak. Shortly after her arrival a series of bizarre and violent “accidents” begin to claim the lives of various campers.

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Horror History: Friday, November 11, 1983: The Beyond was released in US theaters

Italian horror master Lucio Fulci of supernatural horror. A remote hotel, built over one of the seven gateways to hell becomes a malevolent abyss that begins devouring both the bodies and the souls of all who enter in a frenzy of gory crucifixions, chunkblowing chain-whippings, eyeball impalements, sulphuric acid meltdowns, flesh-eating tarantulas, throat-shredding demon dogs and ravenous zombies.

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