If you love your horror with a side of odd campiness, the 1980s was the golden era for such films. The decade was particularly fond of a unique sub-genre that married horror with science fiction, often featuring some kind of alien entity causing chaos on Earth. These films were buttered with a heavy spread of sci-fi elements that sometimes leaned into the absurd.

The ’80s taught us to fear the stars and laugh at the monsters

From remakes of classic to original cosmic horrors, the ’80s offered a variety of films where the terror came not just from the dark corners of planet earth, but also from the far reaches of outer space.

Here are ten movies that will transport you back to a time when alien invasions were as much about the spectacle and special effects as they were about the scream-inducing setups.

The Blob, 1988

“Wait a minute, hockey season ended months ago.” The bad boy rebelling without a cause, the homecoming queen dating the jock, and parents who just don’t understand—the Blob is full of 80s clichés, but the awesome special effects make up for these tropes.

In this gooey 80s movie, a gelatinous blob inside a meteorite crashes in the small town of Arborville. As the blob begins to consume anyone in its path, growing larger with each victim, the town’s inhabitants must find a way to survive. The Blob is a gooey remake that takes the 1950s sci-fi classic and drenches it in an 80s-style bucket of horror.

Nights of the Creeps, 1986

Campy, and a little bit over the top, this horror of the eighties didn’t take itself too seriously, and that was for the better. The movie starts off on an alien spaceship, where an alien who can’t seem to keep his mouth closed throws a container out of an airlock that lands on earth. Why did he do it? No one knows. But if he didn’t, then there wouldn’t be a movie, so there’s that. Anyway, it so happened that the container contains some slug-like creatures that turn anyone it enters into a zombie.

Invasion of the Body Snatchers, 1978

(We’re cheating a bit with the date.) Oh, the horror of realizing that your neighbor might not be throwing out weird garbage because they’re a secret artist, but because they’re now an alien pod person. The ultimate gaslighting extravaganza, this remake takes the creeping paranoia of the ’50s original and slaps it with a glossy ’70s sheen. And yes, it counts for the ’80s list because the existential dread it induced definitely rolled over into the next decade.

The Thing, 1981

Imagine being stuck in Antarctica, which is already a nightmare dressed like a snowman, and then finding out the guy next to you might be an alien ready to turn you into slush with a carrot on top. John Carpenter’s frosty fright fest is a terror in claustrophobia and practical effects that’ll make you side-eye every person you encounter. Trust no one, question everything, and, for goodness’ sake, don’t pet the dogs.

E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial, 1982

Break out the Reese’s Pieces, because how could we forget the story of a lost little alien who just wants a space Uber? Spielberg might have been aiming for heartwarming, but, come on now, the idea of a small, wrinkly creature hiding in your closet is just unsettling. E.T. made everyone wish for a benevolent alien friend, proving that not all cosmic interlopers want to turn us into pod people or replicate our organs. Because all he wanted to do was “phone home.”

Predator, 1987

Nothing says ‘party crasher’ like an alien who turns up uninvited to your jungle warfare party and starts picking off your friends for sport. With muscles, mud, and one-liners, this movie took the’most dangerous game’ to new, extraterrestrial heights. The Predator didn’t just hunt Arnold Schwarzenegger; it hunted its way right into our ’80s action-loving hearts.

Critters, 1986

These little monsters roll into town, and they’re not here for the local diner’s blue-plate special. They’re here to eat everything else, including the occupants. Think of them as the less-cute, more ravenous version of E.T., with a penchant for chaos and destruction. This B-movie hit every low-budget, high-entertainment trope that makes 80s film entertaining.

Cocoon, 1985

Not all aliens come to Earth to devour or destroy. Some just want to soak in your pool and recharge their life force. A heartwarming tale of senior citizens finding new zest for life thanks to some extraterrestrial intervention in their swimming schedule. It’s like a spa day, but for your lifespan. Who said aliens couldn’t be thoughtful?

They Live, 1988

John Carpenter strikes again with part sci-fi, part societal critique, and all sunglasses. When a regular Joe discovers a pair of magical glasses that reveal the world’s ruling class as skull-faced aliens, consumerism and capitalism get punched in the face—literally. Remember, kids, obey, consume, and never trust a politician who looks too perfect on a billboard.

Communion, 1989

Based on Whitley Strieber’s own alleged encounters with aliens, this film takes us on a trip down the rabbit hole of alien abduction without the comfort of a return ticket. Christopher Walken plays the lead, bringing a level of intensity to the screen that’s only matched by the aliens’ disturbing fascination with human psychology. It’s eerie, unsettling, and will make you think twice about looking out your bedroom window at night.

 80s horror filmmakers had one motto: Why let reality ruin a good alien invasion? From slimy extraterrestrials in suburbia to frostbitten terror at the ends of the Earth, these films taught us to laugh in the face of cosmic horror and keep an eye on the stars—just in case. Just remember that, in the world of campy horror, everyone’s invited, but not everyone’s leaving.