Modern Halloween, with its pumpkins, trick-or-treating, and horror films is a far cry from the festival’s Celtic roots. Despite the fact that the horror genre is often plagued with cheap special effects, wooden acting, and countless B-movies, it has also produced its fair share of masterpieces – from classics such as Nosferatu, Susperia, and Rosemary’s Baby to acclaimed contemporary films like It Follows, Hereditary and The Invisible Man. When it comes to style, though, nothing can beat the horror films of the early ‘80s, and all of the films in this article premiered between 1980 and 1983.

The Thing

John Carpenter’s The Thing is a true classic of the horror genre. Set in a remote, Antarctic research station, the film sees a group of researchers coming into contact with an extra-terrestrial being. What follows is an onslaught of nightmarish special effects that leaves the viewer wondering how on earth they managed it without the help of computers. What’s more, the film is also full of style ideas perfect for the colder months of the year. Kur Russel’s waist-length pilot jacket, for example, is present in more or less every scene, often together with supporting characters in a mix of sweatshirts, turtlenecks, and parkas ready for the freezing Antarctic.

The Shining

To call The Shining a masterpiece is no exaggeration. Director Stanley Kubrick is truly in his essence, and actor Jack Nicholson gives the performance of his career as author Jack Torrance – an author finds himself slowly descending into madness while snowed-in with his family at the supernatural Overlook Hotel. The story is told with such precision and conviction that the viewer can easily forget that they are watching a film. Nicholson is on-form even when it comes to style, in an autumnal mix of tweed blazers, flannel shirts and heavy-knit turtlenecks.

The Hunger

The Hunger is perhaps something of a wildcard here. A character-driven vampire film revolving around a love triangle, it is as much a horror film as it is a romantic drama. With the unwaveringly stylish David Bowie taking the lead, the film’s scenes are guaranteed to contain a number of memorable outfits. The fact that Bowie’s character, whether dressed in a shirt and blazer or in full-on leathers, is always seen with a Cartier Tank adorning his wrist further adds to the film’s high level of style.