Best Investigation movies of 1980s

Actors : Gregg Henry, Deborah Shelton, Melanie Griffith, Craig Wasson,
Directors : Brian De Palma,

A young actor's obsession with spying on a beautiful woman who lives nearby leads to a baffling series of events with drastic consequences.

Actors : Grace Jones, Roger Moore, Tanya Roberts, Christopher Walken,
Directors : John Glen,

An investigation of a horse-racing scam leads 007 to a mad industrialist who plans to create a worldwide microchip monopoly by destroying California's Silicon Valley.

Actors : Ellen Barkin, Al Pacino, Michael Rooker, John Goodman,
Directors : Harold Becker,

A detective investigating a series of murders becomes involved with a woman who may be the culprit.

Actors : Jeffrey Kramer, Donald Pleasence, Jamie Lee Curtis, Charles Cyphers,
Directors : Rick Rosenthal,

While Sheriff Brackett and Dr. Loomis hunt for Michael Myers, a traumatized Laurie is rushed to hospital, and the serial killer is not far behind her.

Actors : Bruce Dern, Carrie Fisher, Tom Hanks, Corey Feldman,
Directors : Joe Dante,

An overstressed suburbanite and his fellow neighbors are convinced that the new family on the block are part of a murderous Satanic cult.

Actors : Cher, Kurt Russell, Meryl Streep, Craig T. Nelson,
Directors : Mike Nichols,

A worker at a plutonium processing plant is purposefully contaminated, psychologically tortured and possibly murdered to prevent her from exposing worker safety violations at the plant.

Actors : Cliff De Young, Diane Venora, Bryan Brown, Brian Dennehy,
Directors : Robert Mandel,

A movie special effects man is hired to fake a real-life mob killing for a witness protection plan, but finds his own life in danger.

Actors : Clint Eastwood, Patricia Clarkson, Liam Neeson, Evan C. Kim,
Directors : Buddy Van Horn,

Dirty Harry Callahan must stop a sick secret contest to murder local celebrities, which includes himself as a target.

Actors : Eileen Brennan, Tim Curry, Madeline Kahn, Christopher Lloyd,
Directors : Jonathan Lynn,

Six guests are invited to a strange house and must cooperate with the staff to solve a murder mystery.

Actors : Danielle Harris, Donald Pleasence, Ellie Cornell, George P. Wilbur,
Directors : Dwight H. Little,

Ten years after his original massacre, the invalid Michael Myers awakens and returns to Haddonfield to kill his seven-year-old niece on Halloween. Can Dr. Loomis stop him?

Actors : Christopher Lambert, Sean Connery, Roxanne Hart, Clancy Brown,
Directors : Russell Mulcahy,

An immortal Scottish swordsman must confront the last of his immortal opponent, a murderously brutal barbarian who lusts for the fabled "Prize".

Actors : J.L. Reate, Charlotte Lewis, Eddie Murphy, Charles Dance,
Directors : Michael Ritchie,

A private detective specializing in missing children is charged with the task of finding a special child who dark forces want to eliminate.

Actors : Josette Simon, Denzel Washington, Wabei Siyolwe, Kevin Kline,
Directors : Richard Attenborough,

South African journalist Donald Woods is forced to flee the country, after attempting to investigate the death in custody of his friend, the black activist Steve Biko.

Actors : Albert Finney, Diane Venora, Gregory Hines, Edward James Olmos,

A New York cop investigates a series of brutal deaths that resemble animal attacks.

Actors : Mandy Patinkin, Terence Stamp, Kevyn Major Howard, James Caan,
Directors : Graham Baker,

In 1988, Earth makes the first contact with an alien civilization. In 1991, these aliens, known as Newcomers, slowly begin to be integrated into human society after three years of quarantine.

Actors : Hal Holbrook, Julianne Phillips, R. Lee Ermey, Chevy Chase,
Directors : Michael Ritchie,

After receiving an inheritance in Louisiana, Los Angeles reporter Irvin Fletcher heads to the Belle Isle plantation where he gets himself into hilarious trouble.

Actors : Wood Moy, Peter Wang, Marc Hayashi, Laureen Chew,
Directors : Wayne Wang,

Two cabbies search San Francisco's Chinatown for a mysterious character who has disappeared with their $4000. Their quest leads them on a humorous, if mundane, journey which illuminates the...

Actors : Madeleine Stowe, Meg Tilly, Harvey Keitel, Jack Nicholson,
Directors : Jack Nicholson,

The sequel to Chinatown (1974) finds Jake Gittes investigating adultery and murder... and the money that comes from oil.

Actors : Judge Reinhold, Ronny Cox, Eddie Murphy, Jürgen Prochnow,
Directors : Tony Scott,

Axel Foley returns to Beverly Hills to help Taggart and Rosewood investigate Chief Bogomil's near-fatal shooting and the series of "alphabet crimes" associated with it.

Actors : Chris Sarandon, Alex Vincent, Catherine Hicks, Brad Dourif,
Directors : Tom Holland,

A single mother gives her son a much sought after doll for his birthday, only to discover that it is possessed by the soul of a serial killer.