The Scariest Movie of the 1980s Is About a Young Dutch Couple
“You start with an idea in your head, and you take a step… then a second… Soon, you realize you’re up to your neck in something intense, but that doesn’t matter. You keep at it for the sheer pleasure of it. For the pure satisfaction it might bring you.”
The Vanishing (1988) is regarded as the scariest film of the 1980s because of its masterful ability to unsettle viewers without relying on clichés or cheap thrills. It contains psychological depth and haunting realism.
Stanley Kubrick said The Vanishing was the scariest movie he had ever seen and that he had seen it ten times. A Washington Post reviewer noted that one reason the film is so scary is that it doesn’t rely on tropes or jump scares, saying it is “refreshingly free of manipulative scenes involving running bath water, jagged-edge cutlery and bunnies in the saucepan.” In 2022, The Vanishing held an impressive 98% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes.
The Dutch title of the film is Spoorloos, which means Without a Trace. It follows two young people, Rex (Gene Bervoets) and Saskia (Johanna ter Steege), on a road trip to their biking holiday in France. As they drive, Saskia tells Rex about a recurring dream of a mysterious golden egg she had again the previous night. The couple bicker but quickly make up. When they arrive at a gas station, the two bury coins at the base of a tree to signify their friendship, and Rex promises he will always be there for Saskia.
However, Saskia disappears at the gas station. Rex looks everywhere for her and eventually gives up and reports her missing. He is tormented for years by his friend’s disappearance. Finally, the kidnapper contacts Rex and says he will reveal what happened to Saskia, but only if Rex agrees to endure the same fate.
If you’re up for a hyper-realistic horror film, stream The Vanishing on The Criterion Channel or Amazon Video.
