10 Most Shocking Horror Movie Endings Of The 1980s

Warning! This article contains spoilers for every film listed.

The 1980s were full of horror movie classics, many of which bore some incredibly shocking endings. Of all the decades of filmmaking, the 80s could be considered to be the peak of the horror genre. From the establishment of long-running franchises like the Friday the 13th or Nightmare on Elm Street movies to gripping one-off adaptations like The Shining, it’s safe to say that the decade ushered in a new generation of macabre fanatics with a slew of 80s horror classics.

Part of the reason the horror films of the 80s were so impactful on pop culture was due to their often unbelievable endings. Whether they took the form of a plot twist, an ambiguous conclusion to the narrative, or simply an extremely brutal on-screen kill, many cult favorites to come out in this time period made sure to leave an impact in their closing moments. It’s no wonder the 1980s feature some of the most iconic names in the genre.

10 Angel Heart

1987

More of a neo-noir psychological thriller than a straight-up horror movie, Angel Heart still has plenty of scares to qualify for an underrated terrifier to come out of the 80s. The film follows a New York private detective sent to investigate the disappearance of a colorfully-named singer in New Orleans. Harry Angel ends up getting more than he bargained for when the case leads him down a harrowing series of murders that he quickly becomes caught up in.

The tail end of the film concludes with the stunning revelation that not only is Harry himself the man he’s been sent to look for, but that he’s also been the one committing the grisly murders he’s been investigating the entire time. The twist might seem rote today, but that’s only because so many films since, such as The Mechanist and Secret Window, have followed suit. Expected or not, the final supernatural element Angel Heart introduces at the last second is one last narrative gut punch laid on top of the already shocking reveal.

9 An American Werewolf In London

1981

For whatever reason, compared to the litany of terrifying vampire movies, their folklore siblings, the werewolves, aren’t given as much cinematic love. This could simply be because An American Werewolf in London just might be the most perfect werewolf film ever made, and attempting to replicate its success is a losing battle. Part of its success is due to the brutal ending that hits like a freight train, paying off of the surprisingly gradual setup the film slowly immerses the viewer in.

After David goes on his most brutal killing spree yet in werewolf form, the police are finally able to respond to his threat in time. It’s heartbreaking enough that his consciousness rises to the surface just long enough to realize what’s happening, but seeing the jaw-dropping practical effects morph him back into a human after being shot makes for a jarringly tragic scene. David himself ends up being just a victim of his curse as anyone he’s slain.

8 Threads

1984

Admittedly, Threads toes the line of being a traditional horror movie, perhaps better described as an war drama with post-apocalytpic and disaster elements. That being said, the uneasy conclusion to the harrowing journey of its narrative certainly qualifies it as having one of the most shocking endings to come out of the 80s. Set in an alternate near-future in which the Cold War between the U.S. and U.S.S.R. boiled over, Threads takes a daringly realistic look at life amid nuclear war through the lens of a young couple.

To make matters more nail-bitingly tense than they already are, lovers Ruth and Jimmy are about to become parents, with much of the film’s tension surrounding the fate of the next generation following nuclear armageddon. The ending finally gives a bleak look at a post-collapse society in which language and culture have reverted to an almost medieval level of development. To make matters even more bleak, Ruth’s own daughter ends up having a child of her own, only to be shocked by its appearance.

7 A Nightmare on Elm Street 2: Freddy’s Revenge

1985

The second film to feature slasher hall-of-famer Freddy Krueger and the official start of the long-running Nightmare on Elm Street series, A Nightmare on Elm Street 2: Freddy’s Revenge kicks the terror up a notch with its surprise ending. When a new family moves into Nancy’s old home, teen boy Jesse begins to have nightmares eerily similar to Nancy’s own featuring a certain fedora-wearing serial killer. Blurring the line between dreams and reality even more than its predecessor, A Nightmare on Elm Street 2: Freddy’s Revenge ends on a true bombshell.

Just as it seems that Freddy has been once again defeated with the power of courage, Freddy makes a sudden last appearance on a school bus full of teens. Ripping his way out of a girl’s torso to steer the bus they’re riding on directly into the grave, laughing all the way, Freddy finally makes Jesse’s recurring dream a horrific reality. This bait-and-switch unexpected kill ends the second entry in the Nightmare on Elm Street franchise on a chilling note.

6 Sleepaway Camp

1982

Many 80s horror films do indeed have a disturbing ending, but aren’t especially noteworthy for their finales specifically. The same can’t be said for 1982’s Sleepaway Camp, however, which was catapulted into horror greatness through the sheer impact of its terrifying ending alone. The film is a slasher with a relatively simple premise, featuring a shy girl named Angela who is bullied at a summer camp while a series of gory murders take place.

The big reveal at the end of Sleepaway Camp unveils that Angela is actually her long-lost dead brother, Peter, who assumed her identity after his supposed death. While the implications of transgender children being inherently murderous haven’t aged incredibly gracefully, there’s no denying that this sickening reveal is one of the most shocking horror movie endings ever, let alone amid the 80s specifically. From Angela’s haunting slack face to her eerie, blood-curdling scream sounding like something from a wild animal, Sleepaway Camps final moments are unforgettable.

5 Friday The 13th

1980

Of course, Freddy Krueger is far from the only slasher staple to be established during the 80s, with the archetypal strong but silent killer Jason leading the charge on the Friday the 13th series. However, Jason is actually hardly present in the first film, a twist that made its ending insidiously surprising when it first hit theaters in 1980. Set in Camp Crystal Lake (the Summer camp ever a popular habitat of 80s horror slashers), the film focuses on a series of murders that take place targeting the camp’s promiscuous teenage counselors.

For the most part, the film implies that Jason, a little boy who drowned while on the watch of Camp Crystal Lake’s senior staff, has somehow come back to take his revenge. However, the film’s major twist is that it was actually Jason’s mother conducting the murders on his behalf. Jason wouldn’t show up in full force until Friday the 13th Part 2 the following year.

4 Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer

1986

Few films place their audience in the shoes of a horrific killer for as uncomfortably long as Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer. Famously rated “X” by the MPAA, the film stars a young Michael Rooker as the titular serial killer, who finds himself forming an unlikely bond with the sister of his old prison buddy. That being said, the majority of the film is simply a gruesome series of murders committed by Henry and his pal, Otis, leaving little in the way of narrative substance.

That being said, what story there is comes to a climactic boiling point when Otis makes an incestuous attempt at sexually assaulting his sister, leading to his agonizing death at the hands of Henry. Having saved her life, one would imagine that perhaps the naive Becky was able to form some kind of morbid bond with the murderous Henry. The slap-in-the-face of an ending is quick to disprove this notion, having Becky unceremoniously killed by Henry herself not long after.

3 The Shining

1980

Considered one of the greatest scary movies of all time and one of the best adaptations of the works of horror writer Stephen King, despite King’s own protests on Kubrick’s film, The Shining has a firm position as 80s horror royalty. The film revolves around the Torrence family, who agree to be the sole caretakers of the mysterious Overlook Hotel during its off-season in the winter. As father Jack slowly succumbs to the place’s invasive evil presence, it’s up to the frightened Wendy and her son Danny to survive, as Danny unlocks a curious psychic ability.

Despite its ubiquity as a masterpiece of terror, The Shining has a shockingly “happy” ending. Though Torrence succumbs to his violent urges, attempting to murder his wife and child, Danny is able to outsmart him, trapping him in the Overlook’s hedge maze before he freezes to death in the harsh winter environment. Even though Danny and Wendy ultimately live, the sheer unstable menace of Jack Nicholson’s brilliant performance and unexpected victory of his family makes the ending as subversive as it gets.

2 The Vanishing

1988

The Vanishing is far from being a household name, but can’t help but be included in the conversation when it comes to discussing the most horrifically unexpected endings of the 1980s. A psychological thriller coming out of the Netherlands, The Vanishing tells the story of a man who obsessively searches for his missing wife after she suddenly goes missing on a road trip. Things take a turn for the dark when someone comes forth claiming to have information on her whereabouts.

The suspect ends up taunting the widower, goading him into giving himself up in order to find out the truth once and for all. In the end, his curiosity gets the best of him, and he agrees to imbibe a suspicious concoction just for a chance of seeing his wife again. Horrifically, this sees the protagonist end up buried alive, waking up in an underground box as his kidnapper enjoys a relaxing holiday with his family, who are none the wiser to his activities.

1 The Thing

1982

Perhaps the single most influential work to come out of horror mastermind John Carpenter, The Thing wasn’t especially popular when it released, but has since morphed into a true staple of the genre. Taking place in an isolated Antarctic research facility, the crew finds themselves in dire straights when they’re infiltrated by a shapeshifting alien creature. One by one, the researchers are picked off, and in the end, it’s down to just two characters.

What makes the ending of The Thing so brilliant is the sense of unease. In the commotion, it’s easy to lose track of who is infected and who isn’t, with MacReady and Blair both even acknowledging the futility of ever hoping to trust one another. In so few words, The Thing shocks its viewers with its ambiguity and tension, supplying 80s horror movies with one of their most definitive endings.