re: Somewhat obscure 80s movies that deserve to be watched again..

both '79, but close enough

Terror Train

Slasher set on a train starring Jamie Lee Curtis. Set during a frat party on a real working train during Halloween, the killer changes into the victims costumes throughout the movie.

Also starring Anthony Sherwood (Airwolf), Vanity (The Last Dragon) and Oscar winner Ben Johnson (The Last Picture Show) w/an extended appearance by David Copperfield. This was director Roger Spottiswoode's first film who went on to direct films such as Tuner and Hooch and Tomorrow Never Dies.

The cinematographer was John Alcott who is best known for his work with Stanley Kubrik on 2001: A Space Odyssey, A Clockwork Orange, Barry Lyndon (winning an Oscar), and The Shining as well as also being the cinematographer on other films such as Greystoke: The Legend of Tarzan, No Way Out, and The Beastmaster.




Hell Night

Another slasher set during Halloween starring Linda Blair. Set at a mansion they believe to be abandoned Blair and 3 others are supposed to spend the night as part of a fraternity/sorority initiation. The actives plan on playing pranks to scare the pledges but soon everyone is instead fighting for their lives.

Also starring Peter Barton (Friday the 13th 4, The Young and the Restless, Sunset Beach) and former pro tennis player and World Poker Tour commentator Vincent Van Patten. Director Tom DeSimone was an on again off again porn director who is also known for the women in prison movies Prison Girls, The Concrete Jungle, and Reform School Girls.

The executive producer was Chuck Russell who also produced Back To School and Collateral and went on to direct films like A Nightmare on Elm Street 3 The Dream Warriors, The Blob (1988), The Mask, and Eraser. Frank Darabont was a PA on this movie which is how he met Russell leading to him writing both Nightmare on Elm Street 3 and the remake of The Blob.




Fright Night Part 2

The mostly forgotten and extremely hard to find sequel to the original hit brings back William Ragsdale and Roddy McDowall. Charlie is now in college and seeing a shrink who has convinced him the vampire Jerry Dandrige from the first movie was really a human serial killer. Soon enough however he realizes vampires are real and he again teams up with Peter Vincent to battle the vampires on his college campus.

Also starring Traci Lind (My Boyfriend's Back, The Class of 1999, 1990 film version of The Handmaid's Tale), Julie Carmen (Gloria, In the Mouth of Madness), and Jon Gries (Uncle Rico in Napoleon Dynamite, Taken 1-3). It was directed by Tommy Lee Wallace who did special effects for Halloween and The Fog, wrote Amityville II: The Possession, was the second unit director on Big Trouble In Little China, and wrote/directed films such as Halloween III and the tv mini series It.

Roddy McDowall loved the role so much he set a meeting to discuss a third film with Carolco Pictures chairman José Menéndez. The movie had an initial limited release in the US but unfortunately José Menéndez's sons Lyle and Erik murdered him along with his wife which ended attempts at a wide release and any planned future film.

Nothing In Common

Jackie Gleason's last film

Tom Hanks really showing his dramatic acting chops for the first time

All this thread really does is just remind everyone how much digital photoshop-like programs ruined movie posters.

That Fright Night art work is stunning.

Megaforce

And for early 90s Emilio... Try this one:

Great movie