Underrated ’80s Horror Movies: 10 Hidden Gems

Giallo icon Dario Argento spent the 1980s working at the top of his game — to the point where even his “minor” works would have been highlights in the careers of lesser directors. “Inferno” had the misfortune of following “Suspiria,” which set a bar for box office success that virtually no film could hope to clear. To make matters worse, it was followed by “Tenebrae,” making it the unloved middle child of Argento’s Three Mothers trilogy. Still, it stands on its own as one of the most visually striking films of the decade. The loose plot follows a young poet whose visit to a used bookstore sends her down a rabbit hole of researching the three mythical spirits who control events around the world. But while it contains quite a bit of exposition for the thematic material that connects it to “Suspiria” and “Tenebrae,” “Inferno” is really just an excuse for Argento to flex his mastery of color. Each neon-tinged shot is masterfully composed, filled with equal amounts of classical gothic horror and ’80s sleaze. A divisive box office bomb upon its initial release, “Inferno” was still a perfect kickoff to one of Argento’s richest decades. —CZ