🖤 The Purr Purr Press Halloween Movie Series
- Stephanie Garcia
- Oct 17
- 6 min read
Week 3: The B-Side Collection: 80's Cult Horror Movies
Welcome to The B-Side Collection, where we dig up these 80s cult horror movies that slipped through the cracks but still left their mark. These weren’t the big theater releases or the ones everyone talked about at school — these were the late-night treasures 💛 that appeared out of nowhere.
If you were lucky, you caught one on TV while flipping through channels late at night. And if you were really lucky, you scrambled to find a blank VHS (or recorded over a family wedding — oops 😬) just to capture it before it disappeared forever.
These movies lived in the shadows — some exciting, some creepy, some funny, and some that creep under your skin or give you goosebumps. They inspired quotes we still use, gave a few of us a lifelong fear of clowns 🤡, maybe even led us to listen to a little Alice Cooper, and of course, a lot of nostalgic rewatches.
They’re imperfect, full of character, and absolutely unforgettable. So grab your snacks, settle in, and let’s rewind together to the late-night magic ✨ of The B-Side Collection.
🧛♂️ The Monster Squad (1987)
One of my all-time favorites. This is one of those movies we grew up watching in our house — and still do. It’s funny, spooky, and full of heart. The camaraderie between the kids is what makes this movie work. They tease each other while taking down Dracula and his crew, and you can’t help but want to be part of it. I would’ve joined that squad in a heartbeat.
There are so many fun scares: the mummy in the closet, the first time we see Wolfman turn — all those perfect, creepy little moments that stick with you. And then there’s Rudy, riding in on his bike with those dark shades and that cool confidence — total hero moment. Definitely one of my first movie crushes 😍 when I was a kid.
From EJ’s famous “Wolfman’s got nards!” to Phoebe calling out the boys (“Don’t be chicken-shit!”), to Frankenstein’s sweet “Bogus,” this movie is pure monster-kid gold. It’s a perfect mix of scares, laughs, and that 80s magic that never fades.
🍿 Popcorn (1991)
This movie was always MIA — it just popped up out of nowhere. I can’t even remember when I first saw it, but I know it was late at night, probably during the USA Up All Night block (which is a whole other story… or blog 🤔). Every time it aired, it felt like finding buried treasure, because who knew when it would show up again?
A group of film students put on a horror movie marathon 🎥 in an old theater, but someone’s stalking them — and not just on screen. The main character keeps having these strange, vivid dreams that might be connected, or maybe something even darker. It’s creepy, clever, and gives total “movie-within-a-movie” energy that I love.
It’s one of those films that feels like a love letter to horror itself — the late nights, the jump scares, the popcorn spills, and that uneasy feeling that someone might be watching 👀 from the back row. It’s weird, eerie, and criminally underrated — the kind of hidden gem that The B-Side Collection was made for.
🎪 Killer Klowns from Outer Space (1988)
Talk about nostalgia. This one is campy, colorful, and completely in a league of its own — creepy clowns turning people into cotton-candy cocoons and hauling them off to their flying-saucer-circus-tent spaceship. It’s ridiculous, it’s clever, and I absolutely love every second of it.
From popcorn 🍿 that hatches into little monsters 👹 to glitter flying everywhere when a Klown gets hit, every detail is delightfully over-the-top. The sets are bright and surreal, the costumes are insane in the best way, and the creativity never lets up. The Dickies’ theme song seals it — a perfect slice of neon-soaked 80s energy that sticks in your head for days.
And that little Klown? I think I’ve seen this movie so many times that he’s actually started to grow on me. It’s the kind of film that makes you laugh, cringe, and grin all at once — funny, freaky, and full of that charming late-night magic that only an 80s B-movie can pull off.
☄️ Night of the Comet (1984)
Another nostalgic gem. The 80s hair, clothes, slang, and insults — absolute perfection. It even stars the chick from Weekend at Bernie’s 😆! Two sisters wake up on New Year’s Day after a comet passes and realize everyone’s gone.
The bright colors, the sets, the chaos — I love it all. That glowing radio station with its neon lights, the empty streets, the mall — it’s all so Valley Girl meets apocalypse, and I’m obsessed. The mall scene feels like a dream: big hair, loud music, and two sisters having the time of their lives in an empty world. Dancing, laughing, shooting mannequins — apocalypse who? The world’s ended, and they’re still dancing through it — good for them.
It’s spooky, it’s funny, and somehow it still feels comforting. Comet movies always creeped me out as a kid because, honestly, it could happen. But this one makes the end of the world look oddly fabulous — leg warmers, teased hair, and all.
🧪 Prince of Darkness (1987)
Okay, okay — I know. Another John Carpenter movie. But I can’t help it! I grew up being both terrified and fascinated by his films. The opening music and slow-burn tension hooked me right away. I don’t remember exactly when I first saw it, but I do remember being completely freaked out as a kid 😳 — and honestly, it’s only gotten creepier over time.
It’s one of those movies where you can just feel something is off from the start. That green goo, the eerie church, the quiet whispers — it all builds this heavy, uneasy atmosphere that sticks with you. The anxiety just keeps climbing until you’re holding your breath without even realizing it.
And then, out of nowhere, Alice Cooper shows up! He can be my Frankenstein anytime ♥️. If you’re a Carpenter fan, you’ll spot a few familiar faces from his other films too. Prince of Darkness is dark, unsettling, and so good at getting under your skin. The ending still creeps me out — every single time.
🎭 Bonus Reel
Before we wrap up this week’s marathon, we’ve gotta give a special shout-out to The Rocky Horror Picture Show. Sure, it’s not an ’80s B-movie — but its midnight-movie spirit paved the way for every campy, glitter-covered gem that followed. It’s the crown jewel of B-movies—glitter, fishnets, chaos, and pure midnight magic. The costumes! The callbacks! The sheer commitment to being gloriously weird.
It might not be in this week’s lineup, but it’s forever part of the late-night DNA that inspired The B-Side Collection. I’ve had the soundtrack on repeat—especially “Science Fiction/Double Feature,” my forever favorite. 🎵
“Michael Rennie was ill, the Day the Earth stood still…”
Somehow that line says it all—an ode to the strange, the nostalgic, and the wonderfully weird. And to that, I say… dammit, Janet. 🖤
🕯️ Coming Up
That concludes our Week Three lineup. I hope you got a few scares and laughs out of this batch — I definitely did.
Next week, we’re trading comets for cauldrons. So get your coven together, grab your broom, and pour your favorite brew 🥂. We’re heading straight into the magic hour, where the magic gets a little mischievous and the nights feel a little more enchanted. Stay tuned for The Coven Collection, where we trade popcorn for potions and dive right into the spell-book of cinema.
🎧 Creepshow Mixtape Part 2: Now Screaming
Before you go, there’s one last surprise rolling after the credits. 💀
I’ve created a second Halloween playlist featuring tracks from some of my favorite scary-movie soundtracks like The Craft, An American Werewolf in Paris, and Demon Knight. It’s moody, mischievous, and made for midnight listening.
Find it on Spotify and press play if you dare — perfect for late-night drives, pumpkin carving, or summoning your inner ’90s movie witch. 🖤🎵
And don’t forget to revisit the original Creepshow Mixtape Part 1 — the one that started it all. Because every good scare deserves a sequel. 🎬
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