Open up your hearts … and we don’t mean that figuratively. Scream Factory’s Love Is In The Scare sale is back and is as grody as ever with a spinetingling lineup of ‘80s favorites to choose from!
This year, our M.O. was simple: assemble a collection that unlocks the memories of what made you fall in love with movies. For some, that means Friday night in front of the TV watching a killer robot movie. For others, the smell of store-bought popcorn and the taste of a now-defunct cola. The ‘80s were a monumental decade that ushered in a wild new era of cinema. Join us in celebrating everything '80s and see what we've got on offer during Love Is In The Scare!
The sale ends on Friday, Feb. 23rd at 11:59pm (PT), so add your favorites to your cart and see which '80s masterpieces your friendly neighborhood Shout! team thinks you shouldn't miss.
ROAD GAMES (1981) - Ben S.
Australian director Richard Franklin and Ozploitation screenwriting legend Everett De Roche were both obsessed with Hitchcock when they undertook this homage to the Master of Suspense set on the endless sunbaked highways of the outback. But Road Games is a far, far better film than the logline “Rear Window … in a truck!” would ever lead you to believe.
Stacey Keach stars as “Quid,” an eccentric, exhausted long haul driver with financial aspirations of big overtime bucks and intellectual pretensions of a beat-poet loner. And the occasional sleep-deprived hallucination.
As hitchhikers start turning up dead across the country, Quid realizes that he might have a bead on valuable info about the killer’s identity…or maybe he’s going mad, and it’s actually him! Scream Queen Jamie Lee Curtis pops up as a charming but imperiled traveler who manages to teach Quid a thing or two about life and love, even if he acts like he’s seen it all.
Outstanding performances by everyone in the small cast and a great score by Mad Max/Road Warrior composer Brian May round out this unique take on a classic thriller that I’m so glad we have in the Shout! collection.
BIG TROUBLE IN LITTLE CHINA (1986) - Mindy K.
As a latchkey kid, I watched every horror movie on cable TV. Buckets of blood? Bring it on. Zombies eating brains? Oh, that’s fun. An unstoppable serial killer? I’m in! But no other ‘80s film resonated more with me than Big Trouble In Little China. It’s a perfect blend of sci-fi, comedy, and horror. I also connected with it so much because of all the Asian representation on screen. It’s one of the few (if not only) American films from the ‘80s where Asians are the majority of characters. As an Asian-American kid, it was exciting to see people who looked like me on the screen as villains, heroes, and everything in-between. Thanks, John Carpenter!
TERROR IN THE AISLES (1984) - Joey G.
When I tell you there’s a film from the ‘80s that boasts an all-star cast of Clint Eastwood, Jeff Goldblum, Sigourney Weaver, Lon Chaney Jr., and Boris Karloff – among many others – it’s not because I’ve been spray-painting indoors again.
I’m talking about Terror In The Aisles, the horror documentary which showcased the most memorable scenes from some of the most popular horror films up to that point. Hosted by Donald Pleasence and Nancy Allen from the dimly-lit confines of a packed movie theater, Terror In The Aisles plays like a proto version of Bravo’s popular The 100 Scariest Movie Moments.
Despite being little more than a glorified clip show, the film managed to pull in over $10M at the box office, securing its place in cult history as one of the more experimental outings during the oversaturated slasher craze that was in full swing at the time.
STARMAN (1984) - Matt A.
What comes to mind when you hear the name John Carpenter? More than likely you’re thinking classic horror. No judgement there, Halloween is of course a masterpiece. Or maybe you’re more in the sci-fi world thanks to They Live and The Thing. Again, you’re not wrong. What you probably aren’t immediately thinking of is romance. Yes, the man who is more known for terrorizing us made a compelling and beautiful sob story in Starman. If that is turning you off, hear me out.
While I did say above that this is a romance movie, that’s really selling it short. It has tons of elements that showcase Carpenter’s strengths. The film begins ominously with an unidentified flying object being shot down over rural Wisconsin. Inside this object is an extraterrestrial being who, thanks to advanced genetic technology, is able to essentially create a clone of the recently deceased Scott Hayden (Jeff Bridges) with Scott’s body acting as a host. This frightens Scott’s widow Jenny (Karen Allen) and what follows is an amalgamation of several film genres that Carpenter and his two leads weave through wonderfully. We have a road trip, as the Starman/Scott needs to get to Arizona in 3 days to get picked up, or else he will die. We have several comedic moments as our Starman’s unfamiliarity with Earth culture results in some truly laugh out loud moments. And with the government hot on the couple’s trail, we are gifted with some breathtaking action sequences including both car and helicopter chases. It’s all presented so well, with incredible photography, sound effects, and a score that conveys so much emotion it may just leave you in tears. Karen Allen’s performance as the tragedy-stricken Jenny is one of her best, as she gradually softens to her visitor, explaining what love and life mean to her. Bridges showcases what makes him so beloved, and consequently it takes no time at all for our fear of his character to transform into being charmed by his curiosity and reverence for living. It’s no surprise his performance was nominated for both an Oscar and a Golden Globe.
Our collector’s edition Blu-ray is a fantastic presentation of this underrated part of Carpenter’s filmography, with a wonderful video transfer, DTS-HD MA 5.1 audio, and new interviews with John Carpenter and Jeff Bridges exclusive to this release. Now’s the perfect time to add it to your collection.
DEADLY FRIEND (1986) - Emily H.
Wes Craven, known for his inventive takes on the teenage experience in films like A Nightmare on Elm Street and Scream, brought that creativity to new heights in the 1985 sci-fi thriller Deadly Friend. A specific scene in the film involving a basketball will leave just as lasting an impression as any of Freddy Krueger's blood-drenched theatrics.
The story revolves around Paul (Matthew Laborteaux), a teenage prodigy who constructs a robot named BB. BB communicates solely by repeating its name in different tones. Paul befriends his neighbor Samantha (Kristy Swanson), who seeks refuge from her abusive father by spending time with Paul and his mother, Jeannie (Anne Twomey). When Samantha falls into a coma, Paul implants BB's microchip into her brain, reviving her. However, Samantha's revived state is marred by mechanical behaviors and an eerie demeanor.
While the film draws parallels to Weird Science and Robocop, its core theme delves into the dark territory of a young boy meddling with life and death, stripping his friend of agency. Deadly Friend is as much a tragedy as it is a horror, exploring complex emotions amidst its seemingly far-fetched premise. You can laugh at the explosive physical effects and dramatic makeup, but you’ll still walk away thinking about the choices this young man made and what you might do in a similar situation. The Scream Factory Blu-ray includes a poignant new interview with actress Kristy Swanson, offering insights into her experience working with Wes Craven and reflecting on the film's enduring impact and connection with the fans.
CYBORG (1989) - AJ M.
Sure, it’s not really horror. But there are some legitimately frightening aspects of Albert Pyun’s video store classic. From its gruesome visions of a dystopian future to its depiction of flat-tops as a broader fashion statement, Cyborg is a terrifically nostalgic snapshot of late ‘80s action. It was a golden age for jacked-up, greased-down heroes like Jean-Claude Van Damme. Blending martial arts action with heightened fears of a technologically-integrated society, it’s only natural that Cyborg takes place in a cyberpunk wasteland that feels like Philip K. Dick as translated by a Mad Max marauder.
Reportedly conceived as a live-action sequel to Masters Of The Universe, the film’s sprawling production design whisks us from the desolate ruins of a corpse-strewn metropolis to the boggy savannas of the American South amidst a deadly plague that has wiped out a large swath of the population. The only cure rests in the hands of a sentient android named Pearl (Dayle Haddon) on the run from Fender Tremolo (Vincent Klyn), a ruthless tyrant who aims to put a stranglehold on it. That is, until a mercenary named Gibson Rickenbacker (Van Damme) intervenes, seeking vengeance against Fender for brutally slaying his lover.
Cyborg serves up a fistful of fun that hits on so many beloved action movie tropes of the time. Bad guy with vague motives? Check. Evil henchmen wearing mesh? Check. A 1-on-1 showdown against someone who’s really good at twirling bladed objects? Check. Not to mention one of the all-time great, highlight reel splits of JCVD’s long and distinguished career. Who cares that it’s not horror; this cult classic flat-out rocks. And I’m not just saying that because every character is named after a guitar.
HALLOWEEN II (1981) - Daisy A.
Love is in the scare, and maybe even in the air, for Michael Myers. However, it seems that it is unrequited from his forever victim Laurie Strode. While Halloween II does not completely follow the classic themes from Halloween, it is still a good slasher film with the usual amount of gore one expects from John Carpenter and Rick Rosenthal. It starts off right where Halloween ended and takes you on another blood-filled run. Myers creates an atmosphere that is inhumane and demonic, with a feeling that he is always watching you even when not physically there. This is a must-see classic amongst the many fantastic Halloween sequels.
PRINCE OF DARKNESS (1987) - Mark D.
The only reason Prince Of Darkness isn’t my favorite John Carpenter film is because the legend also made Halloween and The Thing. But many will tell you it is his best and it’s easy to see why. Combining Carpenter’s charmingly weird philosophy/pseudoscience (what if not only was evil an element of physics but the Devil himself was too?) with an inescapable sense of dread (they don’t call this, The Thing, and In The Mouth Of Madness his “Apocalypse Trilogy” for nothing), the film casts a dark spell early on that never lets go. Spending much of its first half gathering disparate parts to build its eerie mystery, the second half switches to a constant parade of large sequences filled with brilliant special effects that flip from fun to scary and back again on a dime.
Indifferently received at the time, those of us who have made it regular October viewing can attest it is a film as powerful as it is strange. Carpenter was at the height of his powers and crafts all of the above with some of his most accomplished visuals, including what I consider the best single shot in all of horror at the end of the climax, and he composes one of his most haunting scores. This film is a masterpiece that demands to be seen in the best way possible, which is why I always reach for Shout!’s 4K UHD edition. The haunting ending will stick with you long after the disc ends.
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Have we convinced you to add any of these films to your haul from our Love Is In The Scare sale?