21 Films No Child Was Allowed to Watch in the 1980s

When you're a kid, you're not allowed to watch / do adult stuff. From watching violent movies or TV shows to listening to certain types of music. As a kid, you're supposed to do everything that is age appropriate. According to Samuel Cole, a writer for MSN.com page Back in Time Today, he's compiled a list of films that no kid could watch in the 1980s

I have seen a lot of these films. I was born and raised in the 1990s and I wasn't even allowed to see most of these movies until I got older. My parents let us watch these films only when me and my sister only were in our teens, figuring we would be too old to have nightmares. Some are straight up scary and even as an adult, I will refuse to watch them. Not out of them being scary, but out of them being gory and gross

1. Poltergeist (1982)

-"They're heeere!" is the most iconic line from this film. Every kid uttered this line, even if they hadn't seen the supernatural thriller about a house built over a cemetery. This movie was rated PG in the days when PG-13 didn't exist. This film was eerie more than scary. It fueled quite a few nightmares, such as the creepy clown doll, the swimming pool filled with skeletons, the guy peeling off his own face in the bathroom. Parents weren't stupid-the rating didn't fool them. They knew this movie would frighten the living daylights out of their kids. It was not the supernatural elements that frightened the children. It was the ordinary items that induced the most terror

2. The Exorcist (1973)

-This was the ultimate not-going-to-happen film throughout the 1980s. Parents refused to let their children watch this film. And to this day, it still holds its reputation for being scary. Most kids only knew about the movie having a girl whose head spun around and who vomited pea soup. This film portrayed what a realistic demonic possession looked like. It became so realistic it was nightmare inducing. Families who were devoutly religious definitely banned this one from being watched. They feared evil spirits would be invited into their homes just by watching it. Even marketing the film gave hints about its forbidden reputation. For many children of the 1980s, their rite of passage into adulthood was watching The Exorcist

3. A Nightmare on Elm Street (1984)

-Despite many kids not seeing this 80s slasher film, they knew the macabre nursery rhyme from the film. "One, two, Freddy's coming for you..." The plot behind the film was simple enough. Fall asleep and Freddy kills you in your dreams. If it was not already bad enough that children were afraid of the dark, this would make it 100% worse. This was practically psychological warfare for any child afraid of the dark. The idea of a heavily burned man with a glove that has razor blades who killed people in their dreams turned this film into a battle between scared kids and parents. Slumber parties were inviting doom when someone would sneak in a VHS copy of the movie. What made Freddy terrifying was his disturbing sense of humor. Unlike his peers Jason Voorhees, who would move silently, Freddy taunted his potential victims. This made him seem more intelligent and also more frightening

4. Friday the 13th (1980)

-Summer camp took on a sinister feeling when this film debuted. When Jason Voorhees started his reign of terror at Camp Crystal Lake, it was a new era in horror. The hockey mask became associated with fear, even with kids who had never seen the film instantly recognized the hockey mask. Parents seen the film as bad. Noting the plot of the film, involving teenagers, romantic activity and violent deaths. The message in the film seemed to be teens rebelling and dying a violent, gruesome death. When this film debuted, many parents canceled plans for their children to go to summer camp, much to the happiness of the children. Most kids knew the plot of the film without even seeing it. A special needs boy drowns at Camp Crystal Lake and comes back from the dead to seek revenge on the camp counselors who did nothing to help him. In the original film, it was Jason's mother doing the slashing and maiming, not Jason himself. But, through repeated versions in the playground, Jason became the sinister figure in the shadows

5. RoboCop (1987)

-Despite the name making the film sound like kid-friendly sci-fi, it was far from that. This was one of the most violent sci-fi films to emerge from the 1980s. One scene featured a businessman getting toxic waste dumped on him. Kids wanted to see the movie because the main character was a police man who was also part robot. When parents found out that the movie had a strict, hard R rating because of strong, graphic violence that made even adults squeamish, this was off limits to kids. The film is set in a dystopian Detroit, feeling too real for adults growing up in the Ronald Reagan era. The most iconic scene is where Officer Murphy is gunned down during a raid, prior to becoming RoboCop

6. The Terminator (1984)

-This film features the most iconic line "I'll be back." This was repeated by kids who had most likely heard it from their parents or other kids who had seen it. The plot of the film was an unstoppable robot capable of violence, who comes from the future. Despite it being simple for retellings on the playground, the film was strongly off limits for kids to see. First and foremost, there is nudity. The first opening scenes show a naked Arnold Schwarzenegger walking into a bar, killing a punk and stealing his clothes in 1984. Parents shuddered at the nonstop violence in the film, noting that the T-800 would not stop, removing any obstacle in its way. James Cameron's film sparked many nightmares about robots disguised as humans. Many adults had anxieties about this film because the idea of technology gone wrong, where technology hunts and kills humans

7. Scarface (1983)

-"Say hello to my little friend!" This is the iconic line from the 1983 film starring Al Pacino. Kids repeated this line without seeing the film or even knowing where it came from. It was not just banned for kids, even the parents were hesitant to watch it. One of the early scenes involves a chainsaw cutting a man to death. This helped set the ultraviolent tone for Brian De Palma's film. The movie features a lot of narcotics, numerous shootings and the foulest language in the world, language that would get kids not only grounded for a month, but probably sent to a seminary / convent. The film glamorized the drug trade as a "get rich quick" scheme and made it seem like selling drugs would get you the best things in life. It was particularly worrisome in the 1980s, when the "Just Say No" movement was up and running. by the 1990s, posters of this film adorned walls everywhere. Even when the film was released in the 1980s, the movie's front cover featured Tony Montana in a white suit holding a gun

8. Revenge of the Nerds (1984)

-Initially, this film was marketed as a group of nerds getting payback against those who wronged them. It was a pretty risque comedy that horrified any parent who was foolish enough to think it was family friendly. There were scenes involving nudity, panty raids and questionable morals involving sexual activity. What the previews didn't show was drug use, explicit nudity and a scene where a character disguises himself in the costume worn by the quarterback to engage in adult activities with a cheerleader. Some would recognize this as a form of sexual assault. For most kids of the 1980s, this film was in the category "watch at your friend's house whose parents don't look at the VHS tapes"

9. Fast Times at Ridgemont High (1982)

-Phoebe Cates emerging from the swimming pool topless while "Moving in Stereo" by The Cars is the most talked about scene. Anytime someone hears "Moving in Stereo" by The Cars and had seen this film instantly thinks of that scene. Young, impressionable eyes were banned from watching this. This movie showed high school as a parent's worst nightmare-sexual activity, drug use, rock music. Aside from the inappropriate topics, it did raise awareness for serious issues like abortion. Sean Penn's character Jeff Spicoli, who was a stoner, orders pizza and has it delivered to class. Most of what went on was from Cameron Crowe doing undercover reporting at a local high school

10. Heavy Metal (1981)

-This animated film combined sci-fi, fantasy and rock music with explicit nudity and explicit violence. Definitely not a Saturday morning cartoon for the kids. Parents initially assumed it was kid friendly from seeing the VHS cover. They would soon be mistaken. The film featured everything, from alien sexual scenes to zombie airplane pilots, all set to a hard rock / metal soundtrack. The animation style was geared for and targeted to adults. It managed to get a legendary status because of its forbidden nature. Many teens in the 1980s found a way to watch this, making it a quest to watch this

11. The Evil Dead (1981)

-This low-budget horror movie by Sam Raimi earned a reputation for sheer, relentless horror. The plot was simple. Five friends staying in a cabin unknowingly release demons. Anything that followed was not simple. The tree scene alone was scary enough to put this on the parental no-watch list. Toss in friends possessed by demons, shovels dismembering people and tons of fake blood, and you have the makings of a video nasty. Despite being primitive by today's standards, it had a simple horror that still resonates with people today. In the sequels, Bruce Campbell's Ash would be the chainsaw-wielding hero. For many kids in the 1980s, it was the ultimate challenge to watch this film, with its scary cover

12. Cujo (1983)

-The idea of a family dog being rabid is the stuff of nightmares. It was the basis for the Stephen King novel Cujo. A mother and son were trapped in their Ford Pinto by a rabid St. Bernard. Parents often had no problem with their children reading Stephen King novels. They drew a hard line at seeing the film versions of the books. The power of the film came from the plausibility it showed. Nothing supernatural, just a dog with rabies and a broken down car. Families with large dogs especially forbade Cujo being watched in their house. Even after children merely heard about the film and didn't see it, they started checking their dogs for signs of rabies. The scenes in the car, which could induce claustrophobia, where Dee Wallace and her son start to become dehydrated while Cujo is on the attack, created high tension that was simply too much for younger viewers. What made the film even scarier is the realistic idea that this could actually happen with a rabid dog

13. Gremlins (1984)

-This was a strange movie. It was marketed with toys, but scared the living daylights out of children. Creatures turning into murderous monsters  after midnight was the shock that caught many parents off guard. They thought it was a family friendly movie. Not so much. Many scenes caught parents off guard. The microwave scene. The blender scene. The attack of the Christmas tree. These scenes helped earn the film a PG-13 rating. Parents took their young children to see this film in the theatres, thinking it was involving cute and cuddly creatures. They were in for a rude awakening for the horror-comedy beast that would follow close behind. The most shocking scene was where Kate explains why she hates Christmas. Her father was dressed as Santa Claus to surprise her family. He came down the chimney as Santa does, but halfway down, he slipped and fell, broke his neck and died instantly. This scary and sad story partially explained why an entire generation who managed to see it was traumatized

14. The Texas Chainsaw Massacre (1974)

-The title alone is enough to get put on the parental blacklist. Despite being released in the 1970s, Tobe Hooper's horror film maintained a spooky, forbidden status even into the 1980s with the most horrifying reputation. The film had a documentary-style feel and look to it, along with claims of being "based on a true story" made parents especially suspicious about its nature. The character Leatherface and his cannibalistic family represented horror in rural areas that felt too real for suburban families. Strangely, the film contains little or no graphic violence. The film's true power lies suggested violence and the overall atmosphere. The dinner scene, which involves a captured girl being tormented by the family, created such psychological horror that no gore scene could hope to match. For many children of the 1980s, even the VHS box art was enough to induce nightmares

15. Blue Velvet (1986)

-This surreal film, directed by David Lynch, explored the dark underside to the American white picket fence lifestyle. Parents who came across this thought it was a mystery or thriller film. They shut it off with lightning speed when Dennis Hopper's character Frank Booth appeared. He was huffing gas and engaging in a bizarre sexual violence with a woman. The dream-like quality of the film along with disturbing imagery made it inappropriate for younger eyes on various levels. Isabella Rossellini's character is a vulnerable woman named Dorothy Vallens. She is forced into sexual servitude to save her son, who's been kidnapped. This made for scenes that were too complex for children to understand. This film was a representation of art-house horror that had many parents concerned not just about the content but also the tone. Lynch's films tended to lean towards worlds where morals were ambiguous, where darkness hides within people and lives that seem completely normal. The psychological aspect behind this made this film and many of his films far more scary that straight gore and horror

16. An American Werewolf in London (1981)

-John Landis combined horror with comedy in this film. It tells the tale of an American tourist who gets turned into a werewolf. Parents were not stupid. They would not be fooled by the humor in the film. The scene that put this film on the parental blacklist was the transformation scene because of its agonizing realism. The special effects, thanks to Rick Baker, showed a man transforming, painfully, into a werewolf without camera cuts and shadows. Bones cracked, skin stretched, hair sprouted in full view, creating horror that was far too intense for young eyes. The dream sequences, which feature Nazi monsters, simply added another layer to this nightmare. The film featuring a decaying ghost named Jack, who seems to appear more and more decayed as the film progresses, scared younger viewers who caught glimpses of the film. The idea of a man keeping his sense of humor while also decaying created a nightmare in the minds of most people

17. Hellraiser (1987)

-First and foremost, this movie is gory to the nines. British director Clive Barker made this nightmarish film about interdimensional demons who have a fondness for chains, hooks, creative torture. The iconic puzzle box from the film, called the Lament Configuration, was ensured, by parents, to stay out of young hands. Pinhead became one of the most iconic figures of horror. The film explored the idea of pleasure and pain crossing boundaries that even other horror films didn't cross. The scene where a man with no skin is resurrected, using blood from his own brother, creates disturbing images. Families who were devoutly religious definitely objected to this movie, especially the concept of demons and the underworld. What made this film particularly forbidden and put on the parental no-watch list is the strong sexual undertones. This film suggested that pain and pleasure go hand in hand in rather macabre ways. This adult concept, combined with graphic gore and violence and disturbing imagery, guaranteed that kids would only hear whispered descriptions of the Cenobites, rather than seeing them with their own eyes

18. Porky's (1981)

-This teenaged comedy is risque is so many ways. The film's plot centered on teenaged boys trying to lose their virginity. This definitely kept it off the family movie night. The most iconic scene of the film is where boys spy on naked girls showering through a hole in the wall. Parents were fearful of this Canadian-made film because they feared it would give their sons ideas about how to see girls naked and render their daughters as nothing more than objects to ogle. It was set in the 1950s, but it reflected the sexual attitudes of the 1980s. It included juvenile humor that most adults would object to. The humor was raunchy, and the constant sexual jokes made this movie get put on the parental blacklist. This film ensured parents were on high alert, despite being the highest grossing movie of 1982. This film represented everything a conservative parent feared most: teenaged rebellion

19. The Thing (1982)

-John Carpenter, the director of the highly successful film Halloween, directed this remake of the classic horror film. For many young viewers, the special effects from Rob Bottin, which showed human bodies transforming and molding together, was the stuff of nightmares. The scene where the characters were getting their blood tested, the spider-head scene, the defibrillation of the chest, each one contained the fuel for nightmares. Parents who wanted their kids to get sleep kept this film hidden. The Antarctic isolation made viewers feel isolated as well, increasing the horror. This remained the only film 1980s-era kids were not allowed to watch

20. Mad Max 2: The Road Warrior (1981)

-The post-apocalyptic world of Mad Max showed a future filled with violence. Where gasoline had higher value than human life. Parents worried about their young children seeing this brutal film. There were car chases featuring real stunts with people actually at risk of being thrown from vehicles at high speed. The realistic danger, along with the gruesome violence and ominous world view, ensured this film was in the adult world, on the parental no-watch list. The one character that particularly disturbed parents was the feral child who communicated only through growls and killed with reason. Despite being tame by today's standards, the mohawk-wearing punks, leather-clad bikers and casual violence represented everything a conservative feared most about counterculture inspirations. The hockey mask worn by one of the characters predates the Friday the 13th character Jason. This hockey mask wearing character found its way on to lunch boxes, despite the work of parents trying to keep it away from their kids

21. Alien (1979)

-"In space, no one can hear you scream!" If you're a kid watching this film, which combines horror and sci-fi, screaming might be the first thing you do. Despite being released in 1979, Ridley Scott managed to terrify children of the 1980s who did manage to see it. The adult-only status came from the scene where John Hurt's character goes into convulsions as the alien burst forth from his ribcage. Parents had no concerns about Star Wars, but they drew the line at Alien, despite both being set in space. H.R. Giger, who designed the creature for the film, had designed it to not only be scary, but deeply disturb all who saw it on the deepest levels. The film is set in a space ship, feeling claustrophobic at times. Escape was impossible, and it mirrored some children's feelings of helplessness when confronted with adult problems they were not ready to process yet