YOU WANNA SEE SOMETHING REALLY SCARY?
I love horror movies, as you can probably tell. To be honest, though, it’s been ages since I’ve seen a good one. I don’t go for modern things like Saw, and the last decent horror movie I saw was probably The Descent. I also liked The Blair Witch Project more than most people, but I’ve only seen it once, and I’m not sure how it holds up to repeated viewing. Also, I grew up with the legend of the Bell Witch of Tennessee, so it resonated with me on a personal level.
Anyway, I promised you a list of my favorite horror movies, and here it is.
DISCLAIMER: By no means definitive. I am a product of my generation, which means “classic” horror films like Drac, Frankenstein and the Wolfman seemed more quaint and fun to me. That’s why most of these came out during my impressionable years in the 70s and 80s. Sue me.
TEN (10) DEF HORROR FILMS
1. The Exorcist
Pretty much the only horror movie that ever really scared me. Still does. Everything else that follows is more entertaining than actually scary to me, but they’re still good.
2. Return Of The Living Dead
No dis to George Romero, but this is my favorite zombie movie. You’ve got dumb guys, punks, and Linnea Quigley deancing naked in a cemetary. EPIC WIN! Great soundtrack, too.
3. The Thing
There’s lots of good John Carpenter choices for a list like this, but this one is worth highlighting because it’s not only great suspense with everyone trying to figure out who the aliens are, but it’s also a rare example of a remake exceeding the original.
4. Evil Dead 2
Some people might prefer the first Evil Dead film (which I also love), but I like this one more. Sam Raimi really discovered his directorial style here, and it really gives Bruce Campbell a chance to show off.
5. An American Werewolf In London
The first movie to show me that horror films could be intentionally funny and still be scary. I still think this is one of the best werewolf films ever made. It’s still funny, too.
6. Burnt Offerings
The movie that introduced me to both the actress and the concept of Karen Black. With added Oliver Reed! One of yr better “house of evil” movies that gets downright creepy by the end. Underrated.
7. Carnival Of Souls
One of the creepiest ghost movies ever made, and proof that you can make a good horror movie for $33,000. The ending seems a little obvious in retrospect, but only because so many movies since have used it.
8. Fright Night
Sort of does for vampires what An American Werewolf In London did for werewolves. A teenage horror movie buff finds a vampire has just moved in next door and can’t get anyone to believe him, so he hires a washed up actor who used to play a vampire killer. Demented fun, if not that scary.
9. Near Dark
Before Robert Rodriguez and Quentin Tarantino mashed up heist films and vampire movies, Katheryn Bigelow was doing it with vampire films and westerns. It’s a great mix, and action-packed fun. Plus it has the best barroom massacre scene set to a Cramps song. Recommended also for those of you who want to see a very young Adrian Pasdar (a.k.a. Nathan Petrelli).
10. The Abominable Dr Phibes
Any decent horror film list needs something with Vincent Price in it. I’ve always rather liked this one, the story of a disfigured organist turned serial killer who avenges his wife’s death by riffing off the Ten Plagues Of Egypt. It’s great, dark, OTT fun. How can you not like a movie whose tag line is: “Love means never having to say yr ugly”?
Turn out the lights,
This is dF
Anyway, I promised you a list of my favorite horror movies, and here it is.
DISCLAIMER: By no means definitive. I am a product of my generation, which means “classic” horror films like Drac, Frankenstein and the Wolfman seemed more quaint and fun to me. That’s why most of these came out during my impressionable years in the 70s and 80s. Sue me.
TEN (10) DEF HORROR FILMS
1. The Exorcist
Pretty much the only horror movie that ever really scared me. Still does. Everything else that follows is more entertaining than actually scary to me, but they’re still good.
2. Return Of The Living Dead
No dis to George Romero, but this is my favorite zombie movie. You’ve got dumb guys, punks, and Linnea Quigley deancing naked in a cemetary. EPIC WIN! Great soundtrack, too.
3. The Thing
There’s lots of good John Carpenter choices for a list like this, but this one is worth highlighting because it’s not only great suspense with everyone trying to figure out who the aliens are, but it’s also a rare example of a remake exceeding the original.
4. Evil Dead 2
Some people might prefer the first Evil Dead film (which I also love), but I like this one more. Sam Raimi really discovered his directorial style here, and it really gives Bruce Campbell a chance to show off.
5. An American Werewolf In London
The first movie to show me that horror films could be intentionally funny and still be scary. I still think this is one of the best werewolf films ever made. It’s still funny, too.
6. Burnt Offerings
The movie that introduced me to both the actress and the concept of Karen Black. With added Oliver Reed! One of yr better “house of evil” movies that gets downright creepy by the end. Underrated.
7. Carnival Of Souls
One of the creepiest ghost movies ever made, and proof that you can make a good horror movie for $33,000. The ending seems a little obvious in retrospect, but only because so many movies since have used it.
8. Fright Night
Sort of does for vampires what An American Werewolf In London did for werewolves. A teenage horror movie buff finds a vampire has just moved in next door and can’t get anyone to believe him, so he hires a washed up actor who used to play a vampire killer. Demented fun, if not that scary.
9. Near Dark
Before Robert Rodriguez and Quentin Tarantino mashed up heist films and vampire movies, Katheryn Bigelow was doing it with vampire films and westerns. It’s a great mix, and action-packed fun. Plus it has the best barroom massacre scene set to a Cramps song. Recommended also for those of you who want to see a very young Adrian Pasdar (a.k.a. Nathan Petrelli).
10. The Abominable Dr Phibes
Any decent horror film list needs something with Vincent Price in it. I’ve always rather liked this one, the story of a disfigured organist turned serial killer who avenges his wife’s death by riffing off the Ten Plagues Of Egypt. It’s great, dark, OTT fun. How can you not like a movie whose tag line is: “Love means never having to say yr ugly”?
Turn out the lights,
This is dF