5 Forgotten Thrillers From the '80s That Have Aged Perfectly

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David is a Senior Editor at Collider focused primarily on Lists. His professional journey began in the mid-2010s as a Marketing specialist before embarking on his writing career in the 2020s. At Collider, David started as a Senior Writer in late 2022 and has been a Senior Editor since mid-2023. He is in charge of ideating compelling and engaging List articles by working closely with writers, both Senior and Junior, as well as other editors. Occasionally, David also reviews movies and TV shows and writes episode recaps. Currently, David is also writing his second novel, a psychological horror satire that will, hopefully, be picked up for publication sometime next year.

The 1980s were a curious time for cinema. Following the apparent creative paradise that was New Hollywood, where filmmakers and artists got great freedom to explore numerous genres, topics, and techniques, the '80s went back to a more standardized and commercialized approach largely driven by studio control. Not all was terrible; in fact, quite the opposite. Sci-fi was largely shaped by the success of Star Wars, fantasy saw a rebirth through classics like The Neverending Story, and the period drama reached its peak with gems like Amadeus and Dangerous Liaisons.

The thriller also thrived during the decade, although the '80s were a period of change for the genre. Following the grittier, more confrontational movies of the '70s, the '80s took the thriller into new territory. New subgenres emerged, notably of the erotic kind, with classics like Body Heat and Fatal Attraction, and within the larger action genre with the arrival of Die Hard. Not all of the decade's thrillers have had the same luck with mainstream audiences, and many have been unfairly sidelined. This list will discuss a few thrillers from the '80s that have aged like fine wine, making them worthy of being rediscovered by modern audiences. These movies are captivating, balancing tone and purpose as few others can.

5 'Gloria' (1980)

Few creative partnerships in Hollywood history have been as interesting or as fruitful as that of John Cassavetes and Gena Rowlands. The husband and wife collaborated in many movies, perhaps most notably the seminal 1974 psychological drama A Woman Under the Influence. One of their most underrated collaborations is Gloria, the 1980 crime thriller about the titular character, the former girlfriend of a gangster, on the run from the mob to protect a young boy who may or may not have dangerous information.

At the time, and like most of the couple's movies together, Gloria received glowing reviews but attracted little interest from mainstream audiences. However, time has been nothing but kind to this genre-defining effort from one of cinema's most incisive auteurs. Compared to the rest of Cassavetes' oeuvre, Gloria is far more approachable, probably the director's most commercial offering. Yet, it remains insightful, sharp, biting, and pleasantly indulgent, a pulpy affair with a unique approach to the genre. Rowlands is truly outstanding in the lead role, tough and gritty yet irresistible, a star turn the likes of which we seldom see nowadays. Everything about Gloria works; even John Adames' infamous performance, which earned him the first-ever Razzie Award for Worst Supporting Actor, has gotten better with age, if only because his prickly work only enriches Gloria's overall tone.

4 'The Long Good Friday' (1980)

Harold Shand with his hands raised in surrender in The Long Good Friday

The late, great Bob Hoskins was one of his generation's most underappreciated stars. During the 1980s, Hoskins made several classics, from Mona Lisa, for which he received his only Oscar nomination, to Who Framed Roger Rabbit, a classic that gets better by the day. However, arguably his strongest work came in 1980 with John Mackenzie's gangster thriller The Long Good Friday. Set in the late '70s, the film sees Hoskins as Harold Shand, a Cockney crime boss looking to legitimize his business by convincing American businessmen to invest in his real estate project. However, he'll soon face a mysterious threat from within his organization.

Like the all-time best gangster movies, The Long Good Friday understands that such a story needs a commanding, larger-than-life performance at its center. Hoskins more than delivers, with a ferocious, sinister tour de force that rivals the work of Cagney and De Niro within the genre. He's the engine that keeps the film going, a human tornado devastating through precise and purposeful violence. Complementing him is the iconic Helen Mirren, and the two make for one of the crime genre's greatest pairings. The Long Good Friday is clever, wickedly and morbidly funny, and ultimately haunting, painting a powerful picture of the changing mood as Britain left the '70s behind to enter a new, more corporate decade. Today, it stands as a foundational entry in the modern crime genre's canon and one of the best British movies in cinematic history.

3 'Deathtrap' (1982)

Michael Caine as Sidney and Christopher Reeve as Clifford together in an office in Deathtrap (1982)

Sir Michael Caine has a rich career in the crime thriller genre, largely powered by groundbreaking movies like The Ipcress File and Get Carter. Among his most underappreciated efforts, however, is 1982's Deathtrap, co-starring the late Christopher Reeve. The film follows Sidney Bruhl (Caine), a once-celebrated playwright who hasn't had a major hit in years. When a promising student, Clifford Anderson (Reeve), hands him a promising manuscript in the hopes he can revise it, Bruhl instead plots to kill Anderson and claim the manuscript as his own.

Caine has always excelled at playing these types of dark, quietly vengeful men slowly succumbing to their worst instincts, and Deathtrap is yet another example. Tightly constructed and handsomely staged, the film is a classic thriller that blends psychological chills with pulpy thrills to deliver a solid entry into the genre. Deathtrap explores classic themes — ambition, envy, rage, and the perils of an artistic mind left to its devices. However, what it lacks in originality it more than makes up for in thrills. Caine and Reeve are a great match, neither exactly righteous, both playing off the other's anger. However, it might be three-time Tony winner Irene Worth, as Bruhl's eccentric psychic neighbor, who ultimately walks away with the film.

2 'Dead of Winter' (1987)

Mary Steenburgen in dead of winter (1987)0

The late Arthur Penn was a defining figure of New Hollywood, credited with initiating the whole movement through his seminal 1967 crime saga Bonnie and Clyde. Penn worked well into the '90s, but his last true gem was 1987 Dead of Winter, starring Oscar winner Mary Steenburgen. The plot follows struggling actress Katie McGovern (Steenburgen), who is approached by a mysterious man for a screen test in an upstate New York mansion. However, Katie soon realizes the whole affair is an elaborate plot to involve her in a blackmail scheme.

When it comes to genuinely underrated thrillers, few can compete with Dead of Winter. Dismissed upon its original release and outright ignored today, the film is a pulpy '80s gem that has gone ignored for far too long. The main reason to watch is Steenburgen, who's playing three roles and delivers 110% on each. Indeed, she single-handedly keeps Dead of Winter riveting, even when the screenplay isn't doing her any favors. The exposition is quite clumsy, but even those shortcomings seem great today, quaint examples of the type of '80s sensibilities we seem to be starving for in 2026. Ultimately, Dead of Winter is silly, but it's also aware of it, resulting in a self-aware thriller that thriller fans will surely love.

1 'Sea of Love' (1989)

Al Pacino with a cigarrette on his lips looking at a man in sea of love

Following his star-making and outright legendary run throughout the '70s, Al Pacino slowed down in the '80s, making only five movies. Two of them, Cruising and Scarface, were instant cult classics that have now become icons of the decade, and the other two, Author! Author! and Revolution, are more infamous than anything. The fifth one, Sea of Love, is perhaps the most forgotten of the five, which is a shame, considering it's a moody and well-crafted thriller boasting one of Pacino's best performances of the decade.

The film follows troubled New York City detective Frank Keller (Pacino) as he tracks down a serial killer who's using personal ads in a magazine to target his victims. However, things get complicated when he falls for one of his chief suspects, Helen Cruger (Ellen Barkin). Sea of Love thrives on the electrifying chemistry between Pacino and Barkin, with the film playing to both of their strengths. Pacino is in fine form as the burnt-out, restless detective obsessing with his latest case, while Barkin sizzles as a femme fatale who constantly toys with both Pacino and the audience. Sea of Love is suspenseful but also indulgent, never trying to bite more than it can chew. It's messy, but it can ultimately finish the crossing line with its head held high, resulting in a superior thriller that hits all the right notes.