10 movies that perfectly exemplify '80s low-budget horror

"The biggest and best movies are always backed by a substantial budget" is a sentiment that you will never hear from the horror crowd. Even though a finely polished horror experience with big-name actors and expensive effects can be nice, there is a lot of quality content to be found by looking at b-movies, or even z-grade cinema. These movies have often pushed the genre forward in fascinating ways compared to their big-budget counterparts; you can argue The Evil Dead with its budget of $375k is just as influential as The Shining with its 19 million dollar budget.

Out of all the eras of low-budget horror, the '80s perhaps had the biggest hits and were the most beloved and influential time period for horror movies. Of course, the availability of VHS during the 1980s helped a lot of these productions find footing in the home video market, but many filmmakers still pushed for excellence, wanting to reach new audiences outside the theater system. These 10 movies exemplify some of the best low-budget horror from the '80s.

1. Hellraiser (1987)
2. Class of Nuke 'Em High (1986)
3. TerrorVision (1986)
4. Basket Case (1982)
5. Evil Dead Trap (1988)
6. Blood Diner (1987)
7. Mystics in Bali (1981)
8. Re-Animator (1981)
9. Evil Dead (1981)
10. Slime City (1988)