Suspect's Top 50 Horror Films [Archive]

TheUsualSuspect

10-25-14, 01:09 AM

I figure I'd join in on the fun. Keep in mind there are still tons of horror films out there I've yet to see. Even...*gasp* some of the classics.

But, until then, here is a list of the 50 horror films I hold in high regard. I tried to keep them to horror as much as I could and leave out the horror comedy flicks. I believe 3 of those made it on my list.

Let's get this show on the road!!!

Suspects Top 50 Horror Films.

50

Friday the 13th (1980)

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v118/layden/fan-art-f13-fan-art-friday-the-13th-alternative-posters.jpg

On Friday The 13th, They Began To Die Horribly, One......By One

A classic slasher flick for the ages. The killer is often mistaken in this film. People believe Jason is the killer in all the Friday flicks, he's not. His mother wields the knife in this one. The deaths were more 'gory' than the other slasher flicks of that time and this series has the biggest body count out of ALL the slashers out there.

Iconic horror film villain......or hero? I don't know about you guys, but I seem to root for Jason every time.

49

You're Next (2011)

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v118/layden/you_re_next_by_purityofessence-d6k4mfy.jpg

Did you remember to lock your door?

I don't know if I wasn't expecting much from this home invasion flick, but it certainly got my attention. A great soundtrack (it's only one song, repeated throughout the film) great death scenes and a nice spin on the heroine victim gives You're Next enough memorable moments to make the list.

Despite an obvious twist, the film paces things out nicely and delivers exactly what the viewers wants each time. Not many people have seen it, so do yourself a favour and catch it.

Captain Spaulding

10-25-14, 03:25 AM

Not a fan of either film, but I'm looking forward to the rest of your list.

Godoggo

10-25-14, 04:29 AM

I keep forgetting to watch Your Next. I'll try to get to that before the horror challenge is over.

I love the first two Friday the 13th movies. Some of the sequels I like too, but the first one is clearly the best with the second not far behind.

The Sci-Fi Slob

10-25-14, 08:31 AM

I think friday the 13th is a little overrated, but You're Next is a great film - should have made my Top 100 really. Good start, Suspect.:up:

cricket

10-25-14, 09:06 AM

I'm a big fan of what Friday the 13th did for horror movies, even if I never loved the movie itself.

I was disappointed in You're Next. I liked it ok, but it didn't stand out for me.

honeykid

10-25-14, 01:20 PM

Nice start with Friday The 13th, TUS. :up: Like most recent horror, I've not seen You're Next.

MovieGal

10-25-14, 01:27 PM

I heard from many friends that I would not like "You're Next" and that was said about several other more current Horror films. I will take my friends advice and not watch it... One said I would be completely pissed off at the end.

rambond

10-25-14, 05:18 PM

In scifi slobs llist hr mentioned triangle as a horror movie it isnt , its a mystery thriller

TheUsualSuspect

10-26-14, 12:11 AM

48

Dawn of the Dead (2004)

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v118/layden/dawn_of_the_dead_ver2.jpg

When there's no room in hell, the dead will walk the earth

Ladies and gentlemen, the introduction of Zack Snyder. Many people thought it was a mistake to remake one of the best horror films of all-time. Yet they did and they managed to pull it off.

Is it as good as the original? Nope. But as pure popcorn entertainment, this remake delivers. The big change is in the speed of the zombies, which some hate, some love. I can take it either way. The slow moving zombies are scarier, but it was refreshing to have an updated take on it after the success of 28 Days Later.

The opening sequence is still one of the best openings to a horror film. Then Johnny Cash comes in, topping it off. People were surprised and took notice to this new young director, who has gone on to tackle bigger things. This is one horror remake that I don't mind watching again and again.

47

Wrong Turn (2003)

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v118/layden/wrong_turn.jpg

It's the last one you'll ever take.

Wrong Turn has spawned several really cheap and terrible sequels. I think they're up to number 5 now? Anyways, I think this film is highly underrated. People seem to gloss over it thinking it's a cheap horror flick with no names and zero thrills. They are wrong. Wrong Turn is tense, thrilling and has no problem offing characters.

On top of that it has good make-up effects and never drags. It feels like a throwback to 70's and 80's horror.

I was really surprised by this flick and I will champion for it any time.

honeykid

10-26-14, 12:27 AM

People seem to gloss over it thinking it's a cheap horror flick with no names and zero thrills.[/CENTER]
No names? She's the only reason I was waiting for this film to come out. :D

http://images2.fanpop.com/image/photos/9400000/Eliza-Dushku-eliza-dushku-9473664-1680-1050.jpg
http://images2.fanpop.com/images/photos/7900000/Eliza-Dushku-eliza-dushku-7970940-1024-768.jpg

They're both really good horror films, though. I was really surprised at how good the Dawn remake was. I adore the original and was fully expecting to hate it. However, after the reviews and seeing the trailer I thought I'd give it a go and it works very well.

Godoggo

10-26-14, 01:05 AM

Two movies I like a lot. DotD is the best thing Snyder has done, I think. I haven't liked anything from him since.

The first Wrong Turn was a scary one. I might watch that tonight.

Captain Spaulding

10-26-14, 02:10 AM

I agree with Godoggo that Dawn of the Dead is the best film that Snyder has made, but I'd still much rather watch the original.

With so many members making these top horror lists, I'm pretty sure you're the first to include Wrong Turn, so :up: for that. It isn't great by any means, but I thought it accomplished what it set out to do and provided some effective thrills, excitement and gore.

hello101

10-26-14, 05:01 AM

I quite liked Wrong Turn as well, often compare it to Jeepers Creepers.

cricket

10-26-14, 10:37 AM

Those are 2 favorites of mine as well, and I totally agree on the beginning of Dawn of the Dead-great ending also.

TheUsualSuspect

10-26-14, 11:52 AM

46

The Sixth Sense (1999)

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v118/layden/The_Sixth_Sense_poster_by_patyczak.jpg

I see dead people

This film changed movies. It's not the first film to incorporate twist endings, but so many films tried to copy the success after this one came out. Unfortunately for me I had the twist ruined for me before I saw the film. That did not impede my enjoyment of it though.

Willis gives a subtle performance and introduced us to Haley Joel Osment. It's one of four horror films to be nominated for best picture. The film makes you want to re-watch it immediately to try and pick up the clues and see if Shyamalan might have cheated anywhere. It works.

Swan

10-26-14, 11:59 AM

THANK YOU for considering The Sixth Sense a horror film. Which it is. Not a f*cking "supernatural thriller".

Sexy Celebrity

10-26-14, 12:27 PM

Godoggo

10-26-14, 12:28 PM

I can see The Sixth Sense being called a horror movie, but it certainly transcends the genre.

The first time I saw it was in Las Vegas. We watched it in the hotel room and then went downstairs to the casino. I didn't think I was scared but then I went into the bathroom and that line came back to me about the hairs standing up on the back of your neck and I freaked. I've never ran out of a bathroom so fast in my life.

It's a fantastic movie. I love when new people get to see it that don't know the twist. The twist doesn't make the movie though; the great story telling and spot on performances do.

honeykid

10-26-14, 01:35 PM

I don't really think of The Sixth Sense as a horror film. I can see why you'd call it that, but it feels more like "drama" to me if you had to put it in a simple category. Mainly because to me it feels like it feeds off people's interest in the supernatural/life-after-death thing. Kind of like Heaven Is For Real but spookier. To me, a horror movie needs to be more... something where the characters have to fear for their own lives. That they might die. And The Sixth Sense doesn't really do that. I suppose since it's a ghost movie, that's good enough to call it "horror" but ghosts are so... they're watered down. All ghosts seem to do is make you afraid. It's so stupid. I want a ghost movie where ghosts walk around and the living people are like, "GET THE F**K OUT OF MY HOUSE!" You know, stick some ghosts in a sassy black lady's home. Her movie won't be considered "horror."

Madea's Haunted House. There's an idea.
I'm sure you have, but have you seen 13 Ghosts? The remake, of course.

I'm completely with SC on this as horror, though. It never occured to me that it was until I lent it to my grandma. I asked her what she thought and she starting going on about how scary it was, that she didn't like it and I know that she doesn't like horror films. I was completely confused.

I also agree with Godoggo about the power of this film being in the storytelling and performances more than the twist, too. I had this figured out almost straight away. However, as it went on, the film convinced me I was wrong and it wasn't until the restaurant scene that it clicked and I thought I was right in the first place. I don't think I've seen this since it came out and I've only seen it twice, but I'm guessing that it'll still hold up today.

Sexy Celebrity

10-26-14, 01:37 PM

I'm sure you have, but have you seen 13 Ghosts? The remake, of course.

Most of it. Years ago. It was a "meh" film to me. Didn't hate it, didn't love it.

cricket

10-26-14, 01:39 PM

I never considered Sixth Sense a horror movie, but it at least is an arguable point. Great movie either way.

Swan

10-26-14, 01:40 PM

You're all brainwashed by the media.

SIXTH SENSE IS A HORROR MOVIE DAMMIT!

cricket

10-26-14, 01:56 PM

Neither Wiki or Imdb lists it as horror. I would've thought it's considered at least part horror.

Swan

10-26-14, 02:00 PM

They're wrong. Listen to Eli Roth's Cabin Fever commentary, he talks about this.

gbgoodies

10-26-14, 08:19 PM

I never thought of The Sixth Sense as a horror movie either, but looking back at it, I can see why it is considered horror. Either way, it's a great movie.

TheUsualSuspect

10-27-14, 01:11 AM

45

The Ring (2002)

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v118/layden/The-Ring-movie-poster.jpg

Before you die....you see the ring

Here we have the first in the Japanese horror remakes that was trendy here in North America and it's the only good one. I can't say anything about the sequel because I did not watch it, but when I saw this in theatres, the girls near me were screaming their heads off when she came out of the television and I witnessed some truly great horror atmosphere in the theatre for the first time.

Naomi Watts is looking for a tape that supposedly kills the viewer 7 days after they watch it. The voice on the other end of the phone still sends chills down my spine. Verbinski's first big hit which really got his career moving. He knew that slow building tension and dread is what would drive the film. The mystery behind it would draw people in. Then attack them with an insane final act just when you think everything is safe.

I would love the watch the original, which is probably scarier given the non-hollywood budget and slickness, but as it stands, The Ring is one of the best horror films out there.

The Sci-Fi Slob

10-27-14, 10:24 AM

You're all brainwashed by the media.

SIXTH SENSE IS A HORROR MOVIE DAMMIT!

It's not a horror, get over it!:rolleyes:

cricket

10-27-14, 10:38 AM

I also think The Ring is excellent, and I also haven't seen the sequel or the original.

honeykid

10-27-14, 11:20 AM

I loved the original, though I've only seen it twice I thought it was extremely effective and created a great atmosphere both times. I've still not seen The Ring.

Swan

10-27-14, 11:21 AM

It's not a horror, get over it!:rolleyes:

It's a horror, get over it. :rolleyes:

TheUsualSuspect

10-27-14, 12:14 PM

It is horror.

The Rodent

10-27-14, 12:27 PM

It's got ghosts in it.

Even Ghost Dad is a horror. Well, it's horrific.

honeykid

10-27-14, 01:17 PM

Even Ghost Dad is a horror. Well, it's horrific.
I was gonna say... :D

Captain Spaulding

10-27-14, 10:16 PM

The Sixth Sense may not be a horror film in the traditional sense, but I think it's creepier and has a more unsettling atmosphere than most horror films. I don't even believe in ghosts, but The Sixth Sense always makes me feel like I'm being watched afterwards, which is an unsettling feeling. The scene where the boy is in the tent and the ghost shows up is far scarier than most horror films as a whole, so I think it's an excellent inclusion to your list.

The Ring is also very effective at creeping me the hell out. The image of the girl crawling out of the well is incredibly unnerving and I think the idea of a video tape that kills you is a brilliant premise for a horror film. "It's only a movie," you tell yourself, but when you see ***** start crawling through the television screen, well, you don't feel quite as comfortable.

TheUsualSuspect

10-28-14, 12:05 AM

I'm an idiot. I made up a list in word of my top 50....then for some reason thought it was 25.

It just clicked now that I'm numbering the films wrong.

FIXED.

The list continues...

edit - now if a mod can change the title...???

TheUsualSuspect

10-28-14, 12:17 AM

44

REC (2007)

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v118/layden/rec-poster.jpg

One Witness. One Camera

A reporter and her cameraman respond with an emergency crew to an apartment building, but soon find themselves quarantined inside with something....deadly.

One of the found footage entries, that actually has a creative justification as to why the camera keeps running. I caught this film before the horrid American remake came out and it was terrifyingly awesome.

The terror is there, the suspense is there, the dread and horror are there. Unknown actors (to me) made the film feel more authentic with the "found footage" aspect, which is why the remake fails in my opinion.

If only the one poster didn't give away the ending, this could have been higher.

43

Martyrs (2008)

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v118/layden/martyrs.jpg

They did not finish to be alive...

This was a tough watch for me, both times.

A young girl is abused, force fed slop and chained up. She escapes, but is haunted by a ghastly looking demon girl who continue to inflict harm on her. She is sent to an orphanage, where she makes friends with another girl. 15 years later, she seeks revenge on the people that did this to her. What she and her friend end up going through, is more haunting than they imagined.

I didn't know what to expect going in and the film punched me in the gut, hard. The torture, the depravity, the humiliation, everything just struck me as I sat watching this expertly crafted, yet tough to watch experience of a film. I felt dirty afterwards.

The film feels like two films in one and the moment it takes that unexpected turn is when the true horror starts. The real world horror.

Emotionally draining film that gives us no hope for the characters involved. This is a watch once only film, but I decided to watch it twice. Hopefully there won't be a third.

Captain Spaulding

10-28-14, 12:22 AM

Two films I haven't seen but desperately want to.

cricket

10-28-14, 12:29 AM

I can't remember if it was Rec or the remake, Quarantine, that I saw, but whichever one it was, I liked it.

I was disappointed in Martyrs. I loved the first 25 minutes or so, but after that, it felt lame, like I had seen it all before. I think I could potentially enjoy it more with another viewing.

Swan

10-28-14, 12:31 AM

Damn good set there Suspect!

Wolfsbane

10-28-14, 12:45 AM

The Sixth Sense is most definitely a horror film. People think horror has to scare people, it doesn't. The genre has certain themes, ideas, and elements. They can be bloody, mysterious, campy, suspenseful, dramatic, funny, etc.

The Sixth Sense has a lot of themes, ideas and elements that run rampant in horror films. We have a frightened child who sees dead people, they are trying to enter his world and he's terrified of them. They are of supernatural origin. That sounds like the horror genre to me. It's told in a dramatic way, yet there are elements that are scary; such as Marisa Cooper (ha) vomiting poison under the tent, or the image of the people hanging in the hallway.

To the list now:

Rec is indeed one of the better found footage films and I agree about the remake being rubbish.

You're Next was fun for horror fans, Friday the 13th is considered an iconic horror film and Martyrs is hard to stomach.

You should see Ringu, it's more terrifying than the Hollywood version.

As for Wrong Turn...:sick:

TheUsualSuspect

10-28-14, 01:00 AM

42

Frailty (2001)

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v118/layden/frailty.jpg

There are demons among us

A pastor is gifted with the ability to see demons among the living and uses an axe to destroy them.

Bill Paxton's directorial debut is slow burner of religious terror. He needs to direct more films.

The frailty of ones family is at stake when the father believes he can rid the world of demons. One son believes him and helps him, while the other thinks he's crazy. Well, which is it? McConaughey tells the story to an FBI agent, so the film jumps back and forth between the present and the past.

I remember watching this film for the first time and not knowing what I just saw, but knowing that I liked the hell out of it. It's a disturbing tale of a broken family and one crazy man's way of trying to put it back together. The film will have you questioning whether or not the father really can see the demons and that's something to wrestle with during the ending.

Godoggo

10-28-14, 01:10 AM

[REC] is a lot better than Quarantine, but I still like them both. I think I'll put [REC] on now. I couldn't think of anything to watch and that sounds good.

The Ring is another example of when I think a remake is better than the original. I've seen it so many times now and it still scares the bejesus out of me.

cricket

10-28-14, 01:13 AM

I only saw Frailty fairly recently; that's a very solid horror film.

Captain Spaulding

10-28-14, 02:01 AM

Frailty is a very good movie. Before the recent "McConaissance," it was just about the only movie with Matthew McConaughey that I didn't hate.

The Sci-Fi Slob

10-28-14, 08:19 AM

Frailty, Martyrs and REC are all great films.

honeykid

10-28-14, 01:44 PM

Martyrs I have but haven't seen. I wasn't particularly interested but it made a big splash on the horror circuit around its release. REC is something that's been recommended many times. Maybe one day.

TheUsualSuspect

10-29-14, 10:20 PM

41

Audition (1999)

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v118/layden/Audition-1999-Movie-Poster.jpg

She always gets a part

A widower agrees to screen girls for an audition to be his wife. He falls madly in love with a young woman, who doesn't appear to be what she claims.

Damn you Takashi Miike, I never seem to like your films, but I always seem to be searching for them. Audition, is probably your best effort and one that made me cringe and look away from the screen, something I rarely do.

The film is slow, it likes to take its time setting everything up. Yet, this wouldn't be a Miike film without the absolutely weird and the incredibly violent, which this film has both of.

Miike threw in a quick image or two, that makes the viewer question everything that they've just watched and leaves you wondering what the hell just happened, days after you've seen it.

cricket

10-29-14, 10:30 PM

Audition has been on my watchlist for a long time now.

honeykid

10-29-14, 10:30 PM

I really don't understand the fuss made about this film. I didn't think the ending was good either.

The Rodent

10-29-14, 10:32 PM

It'd be in HK's top 10 if whatserface was in it.

honeykid

10-29-14, 11:28 PM

Now you know that's not true. You're just being silly now. :tsk::D

The Rodent

10-29-14, 11:31 PM

Imagine, HK... a film you hate... Aliens... if Drew played Newt...

honeykid

10-29-14, 11:41 PM

But would newt then be as annoying? I doubt it, so then it'd just be a crap film with a young Drew in it. It'd still have all its other probllems.

Captain Spaulding

10-29-14, 11:50 PM

I didn't particularly like Audition, but at least it's memorable.

TheUsualSuspect

10-30-14, 12:25 AM

40

Near Dark (1987)

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v118/layden/Near-Dark-movie-poster.jpg

...pray for daylight.

Another Bill Paxton entry, this time he's a blood sucking vampire who hates em when the ain't shaved.

When a farmer's son is bitten by a beautiful vampire, he reluctantly joins their group.

Paxton steals the show in this film, he gives a wild and fun performance in a vampire pack led by Lance Henriksen. Bigelow directed this vamp flick and nicely avoids making this "just another vampire film". My one complaint comes with the blood transfusion of an ending, what a bummer to an otherwise, fun vampire film.

39

Night of the Living Dead (1968)

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v118/layden/night_of_the_living_dead_by_markwelser-d2yfam8.jpg

They're coming to get your Barbara

Romero introduced us to the zombie genre we love today. Did he invent zombie movies? Hell no, but he crafted it in such a way that no one can deny he's the king of the genre.

Night of the Living Dead is low budget as hell and not very scary, but it's important. What Romero achieved with so little is inspiring. The film would go on to spawn many sequels, remakes and imitations.

38

Halloween: H20 (1998)

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v118/layden/h20.jpg

20 years ago, HE changed the face of Halloween. Tonight, he's back!

Oh my God, how could he? He didn't did he? Yes he did. H20 is rated higher than Night of the Living Dead. Why? It's not because H20 is the better film, I simply enjoyed it more. Night of the Living Dead is is up there more for the impact and importance it had then anything else.

What could have and should have been the last entry into this series, is ruined by what follows. Resurrection is trash, H20 is good trash.

Halloween: H20 isn't a good film, but as a horror film and as an entry in the Halloween series, it's one of the better flicks.

The best looking Myers since the original, the most intimidating since the original and the most fun since the original. Keep in mind, I haven't seen Halloween II. H20 is fun, the deaths are goofy but Curtis gives it her all here. 20 years later, she has moved on...barely. She still has nightmares and visions of The Shape. Well...he's back. Tracking her down, as he does, and killing those in his way. H20 is pure popcorn entertainment.

cricket

10-30-14, 12:32 AM

Big thumbs up for Near Dark and Night of the Living Dead, the latter I have in almost the same spot as you do.

I can't really comment on H20; I've always mixed the sequels up in all of the longer running series.

Swan

10-30-14, 12:32 AM

First two are great. H20 aint so bad...

The Gunslinger45

10-30-14, 12:38 AM

I LOVE Night of the Living Dead and I liked Halloween H20.

Iroquois

10-30-14, 12:53 AM

I know I stuck Near Dark on my most recent Top 100, but after reading this (http://www.the-editing-room.com/near-dark.html), I'm kind of second-guessing how much I like it. It definitely looks cool but things are at the point where the whole "transfusion" thing is starting to become one of the film's lesser problems.

Mr.Sparkle

10-30-14, 01:05 AM

Near Dark is great, I'm not a fan of NOTLD though....boring.

Captain Spaulding

10-30-14, 01:16 AM

Seeing a vampire film with a western aesthetic is pretty cool, and Bill Paxton stole the show with his "finger-lickin' good" performance, but Near Dark, as a whole, never reached its full potential. Good movie, but kind of disappointing, too.

I keep saying this every time it pops up on one of these lists, but I think Night of the Living Dead is still the best zombie film ever made. Not sure if I've seen Halloween: H20 or not.

Godoggo

10-30-14, 01:43 AM

I like all of those last entries. Near Dark is my favorite of the three.

No other Halloween comes close to the original but H20 is a good slasher film and the acting of Jamie Lee Curtis and Michelle Williams gives it more weight than most of the others.

honeykid

10-30-14, 09:38 AM

+ repped the moment I saw Near Dark in that set. I love that film and I've yet to be that bothered by the ending or all the other things that are wrong with it. But that's love, I guess. Night Of The Living Dead has to be on a list like this. Thankfully, I love that too. I've only seen H20 once, and while I remember virtually nothing about it (Tone Loc as a security guard or something?) my overall feeling is meh.

TheUsualSuspect

10-31-14, 12:12 AM

I've only seen H20 once, and while I remember virtually nothing about it (Tone Loc as a security guard or something?) my overall feeling is meh.

LL cool J....he's on the poster.

TheUsualSuspect

10-31-14, 12:30 AM

37

The Hills Have Eyes (2006)

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v118/layden/hills_have_eyes.jpg

The Lucky Ones Die First...

As mention in Cricket's thread, I really dug this film. Aja manages to create fear and tension by being stranded in the middle of the desert while being watched by radiation freaks.

The film is bloody, with great make up effects that is missing in horror these days. Never seen the original, but I'm content with just seeing this one.

What a sweet tagline too right?

36

Texas Chainsaw Massacre (1974)

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v118/layden/tcm.jpg

Who will survive and what will be left of them?

Credit for having a sweet title, always thought this title rocked.

Anyways, this entry introduces us to the iconic Leatherface, a chainsaw wielding manaic who wears a mask made of human skin. Scary.

The film was shot on an extremely low budget, giving it an almost documentary feel. I felt like I was in that trashy house with them.

God I hate that Franklin character and smile every time he bites it. Has one of the best abrupt endings of all time.

35

Identity (2003)

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v118/layden/identity.jpg

Identity is a secret. Identity is a mystery. Identity is a killer.

The classic Ten Little Indians tale. Identity is a mystery horror that has each character biting the dust one by one in this rain soaked creepy motel.

This film had me glued to it from the get go. I found myself wrapped up in the mystery and loved the execution of both mystery and surprise.

A few good performances here with Cusack and Liotta headlining the film.

Sexy Celebrity

10-31-14, 12:36 AM

38

Halloween: H20 (1998)

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v118/layden/h20.jpg

20 years ago, HE changed the face of Halloween. Tonight, he's back!

Oh my God, how could he? He didn't did he? Yes he did. H20 is rated higher than Night of the Living Dead. Why? It's not because H20 is the better film, I simply enjoyed it more. Night of the Living Dead is is up there more for the impact and importance it had then anything else.

What could have and should have been the last entry into this series, is ruined by what follows. Resurrection is trash, H20 is good trash.

Halloween: H20 isn't a good film, but as a horror film and as an entry in the Halloween series, it's one of the better flicks.

The best looking Myers since the original, the most intimidating since the original and the most fun since the original. Keep in mind, I haven't seen Halloween II. H20 is fun, the deaths are goofy but Curtis gives it her all here. 20 years later, she has moved on...barely. She still has nightmares and visions of The Shape. Well...he's back. Tracking her down, as he does, and killing those in his way. H20 is pure popcorn entertainment.

Should Halloween: H20 have been the last Halloween movie? Probably. I really actually haven't watched Halloween: Resurrection all the way through, but I saw the opening scene where Laurie Strode dies... and it was so horribly done that I just didn't care about ANYTHING ELSE that went on in the rest of the movie. I've seen bits and pieces. I really ought to give it a proper watch. It's the weirdest Halloween movie to me -- even more weird than Halloween III -- and it's mainly weird because of my strange relationship I've had with it.

The Rob Zombie movies are alright to me, though. I'm fine with their existence, but I could live without them.

I DO NOT AGREE with your feelings about H20, though. Most of them, anyway. Yes, it's campy fun. No, it is not the best Halloween movie since the original. And no, it is definitely not the best Michael Myers has looked since the original.

I don't hate H20. I loved this movie to death when it first came out. I saw it twice at the movies -- the second time was at a drive-in theater. But I quickly realized it wasn't THAT great.

It's horribly too short (even for my standards!) and the whole thing just comes off as looking really goofy and dumb -- which brings me to Michael's mask -- which I think looks idiotic. Bearable, but idiotic.

Halloween 4 and Halloween 5 are so much better.

Halloween II is better. I love Halloween II. You must see it. The original, that is, not the Rob Zombie film.

Captain Spaulding

10-31-14, 07:19 AM

Love The Hills Have Eyes and The Texas Chain Saw Massacre. Identity was middling.

The Sci-Fi Slob

10-31-14, 09:09 AM

Near Dark is a classic. Halloween H2O and Identity are both underrated in my opinion. And I agree with Sexy - Halloween Reserrection is turd. :)

honeykid

10-31-14, 01:25 PM

LL cool J....he's on the poster.
Ah, yes. That's right. I wasn't paying attention to the poster and, like I said, that one scene is about all I can remember from the whole film. Is JLC running along a rooftop or something?

I really liked 2 of the last 3. I don't think I have to say which one I don't like, do I?

cricket

10-31-14, 11:32 PM

I have Hills Have Eyes near where you do so obviously I love it.

I also love TTCM, but I need to see it again soon because I think I'll love it even more now.

I really enjoyed Identity but wasn't crazy about the ending.

TheUsualSuspect

11-01-14, 11:47 PM

34

Eden Lake (2008)

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v118/layden/eden-lake-movie-poster-2008-1010451667.jpg

A weekend by the lake, with views to die for.

A tense thriller with horrific results. I watched this film on a whim, which stars a pre-famous Fassbender.

A couple go to a lake in the woods for vacation, but run into trouble with a group of kids who love to cause trouble. What comes next is something nightmares are mad of. Brutal filmmaking that will tear down any hope you have for a happy ending. I put Eden Lake up there with Martyrs in terms of disturbing me to no end.

33

1408 (2007)

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v118/layden/1408-1.jpg

The Dolphin Hotel invites you to stay in any of its stunning rooms. Except one.

1408 sends chills down your spine with so little. No blood and guts needed in this ghost story. Based on a short story by King, 140 is one scary haunting flick. The film starts off with subtle scares, then continues to amp it up.

It's a one man show with Cusack keeping us glued to the screen. I applaud the filmmakers for giving us a great fake out too.

honeykid

11-01-14, 11:55 PM

Wow. All this love for 1408 lately. Maybe one day I'll have to watch it again. There again, as it's an adaption of a King story, I don't think it'll change my mind.

Still not seen Eden Lake despite owning it for years. :D

TheUsualSuspect

11-02-14, 12:00 AM

32

Slither (2006)

http://i43.photobucket.com/albums/e356/SLiTHERGrant/MySpace%202/JamesPhotosPosters3090002.jpg

What's Gotten Into You?

I was a fan of James Gunn before he got the Guardians gig. Slither is hilariously entertaining from start to finish.

One of the hardest genre's to pull off is horror comedy because the two are varied genres. The best ones pull it off flawlessly. Slither is one of those films.

With great practical effects that walk the line of gross, Slither is stellar entertainment.

31

Ginger Snaps (2000)

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/5/5a/Thegingersnapsfilmposter.jpg/220px-Thegingersnapsfilmposter.jpg

They don't call it a curse for nothing

A wonderful Canadian horror film. One of the better werewolf tales and it works perfectly with the theme of female puberty. I absolutely love the title and recommend it to people who want something a tad different from their horror films.

The sequel was pretty lacklustre in my opinion. I like how the themes shifted to drug issues, but it lost some kick in that shift. The 3rd one, I've yet to see.

honeykid

11-02-14, 12:24 AM

Obvious + rep from me for Ginger Snaps. Not only one of the, very few IMO, good werewolf films, one of the best. The third one is OK and you get the sisters again, but it's a different feel from either of the other two. It feels like a genre mix that doesn't quite work as well as I'd have liked, but I quite like it.

Didn't like Slithers. Just didn't work for me. Maybe the cast, maybe the feel, maybe it was just the wrong day?

The Rodent

11-02-14, 12:32 AM

Nice to see some of my faves getting some love.

HK, I found Slither to be a pretty clever nod to 50's B... kinda like Tremors. I see Slither as the film Eight Legged Freaks wants to be (think I said something similar in my reviews about ELF).

Ginger Snaps is a top film too. I had the trilogy in one of my lists, think it was in my Marathons List. Got a feeling the first film made my Top 10s Of The Genres as well.

dadgumblah

11-02-14, 01:22 AM

Good entries, Suspect! Near Dark is awesome stuff and Halloween H2O is one of my favorites of the series. The first classic is my favorite, followed by Halloween II, then H2O. Rep+ to Sexy Celebrity for liking the original Halloween II.

Have only seen a bit of The Hills Have Eyes. I've seen the original and it was pretty great, so I really want to see all of the remake.

Of course, The Texas Chainsaw Massacre belongs on any horror list. And Suspect, I love the image you posted of the van with the dead armadillo in the foreground. That was so cool I almost missed the blood smeared on the van, which is straight out of the movie and was a nice touch.

I liked Identity and loved the cast and the acting.

I loved Slither, what with all the comedy and gags (the puke kind). Plus, it has Elizabeth Banks in it! :love:

Have only seen the third entry in the Ginger Snaps series, but I want to see the others. Plus, it has Katharine Isabelle in it. :randy:

Great list so far, Suspect.

Godoggo

11-02-14, 02:08 AM

Has anyone (besides someone who just doesn't like horror at all) ever not liked Ginger Snaps? It's one of the few movies I can't remember anyone complaining about.

The Rodent

11-02-14, 02:17 AM

I'm sure honeykid actually hates it.

Godoggo

11-02-14, 02:22 AM

I doubt it. I'm fairly certain he'd let us know if he did. :)

cricket

11-02-14, 08:54 AM

I couldn't agree more with Eden Lake and Ginger Snaps; they were both nice surprises for me.

I almost watched 1408 a couple days ago after seeing it on Derek's list. I'm definitely going to watch it now.

Slither is on my watchlist.

TheUsualSuspect

11-02-14, 10:15 AM

30

Friday the 13th: The Final Chapter (1984)

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v118/layden/art-jason-2-fan-art-friday-the-13th-alternative-posters.jpg

Three Times Before You Have Felt The Terror, Known The Madness, Lived The Horror. But This Is The One You've Been Screaming For.

Probably my favourite Friday film and the introduction of Tommy Jarvis. This friday flick has memorable kills, just the right amount of horror and camp and Crispin Glover.

Without a doubt, among the best in the series.

cricket

11-02-14, 10:29 AM

I like all the Friday the 13th movies, but I've got them all mixed up.

Sexy Celebrity

11-02-14, 10:37 AM

Love that picture you used for Friday the 13th: The Final Chapter. This movie was on my last "100 Movies in No Particular Order" list. Storywise, I think it kind of sucks. But there's a brutalness to it that's memorable and stands out from the other Friday films.

TheUsualSuspect

11-02-14, 11:12 AM

29

The Mist (2007)

http://www.soundonsight.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/mist11.jpg

Fear Changes Everything

Wow, when I first watched this my jaw was on the floor from that depressing ending. Darabont agreed to make the film with Dimension only under the condition that no matter what, they wouldn't change the scripted ending. They agreed.

I think it took balls to make that ending and I applaud Darabont for doing it. I would advise people to watch this film as he originally intended it, which would be in black and white. It adds to the b-movie feel, makes the mist seem even more menacing and the poor cgi creatures less funny.

28

IT(1990)

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v118/layden/it_by_purityofessence-d4bqpgp.jpg

Your every fear - all in one deadly enemy

My wife (yup, I get to say that now) refuses to watch this film based on her Coulrophobia. I first saw this when I was a kid and Pennywise terrified the crap out of me...he still does.

Tim Curry rocked it as Pennywise, as he usually does when he disappears under make-up for a role.

The giant spider at the end is a little lame, but the fear this movie has instilled in people is undeniable.

27

Session 9 (2001)

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/b/bf/Session_nine.jpg/220px-Session_nine.jpg

Fear Is A Place.

Hmm, all three of these films deal with fear and all three seem to nail it in different aspects. Session 9's fear comes from the atmosphere that abandoned mental asylum.

Shot on digital, it brings a different look and feel to a traditional horror film. Obviously for budget reasons, but I wonder how the film would have looked and felt had it been shot on film?

Slow building tension and fear produces amazing results. This film isn't about being in your face, it's about making you feel uncomfortable.

christine

11-02-14, 11:13 AM

Just caught up on your list TUS. Rep from me specially for - The Sixth Sense, Rec, Fraility, Night of the Living Dead, Identity, The Hills Have Eyes and 1408 . I'm not a fan much of the Hallow'een and Friday 13th films. I'd much rather have creepy films than slasher ones.
Good list :)

edit: oops you've posted at the same time as me so more rep due for The Mist - superb film, great ending. IT is good too . Not seen Session 9, but sounds interesting

TheUsualSuspect

11-02-14, 11:36 AM

26

The Changeling (1980)

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/4/4d/Changeling_ver1.jpg/220px-Changeling_ver1.jpg

...an experience beyond total fear.

I watched this film based on a recommendation from a Mofo user. For the LIFE of me, I can't remember who it was, I wanna say Miss Vicky, but it could have been someone else, it was definitely female. It was most likely in my one a day movie review thread as well, but I'm too busy to go looking.

But damn, thanks for that recommendation. This Canadian haunting flick is scary and so well done. Haunted house flicks today pale in comparison. They rely on the same old trick of someone walking past the camera and with heightened music. This film goes a different route, a scarier one.

Other than the laughable opening sequence where he can't open a phone booth door, this film is great.

25

The Conjuring (2013)

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/1/1f/Conjuring_poster.jpg

"Based on the true case files of the Warrens"

James Wan is an excellent director who knows the horror genre inside and out. He expertly crafts a tense and suspenseful haunted house flick with The Conjuring. Again, the best scary films build the terror slowly and this film does it in spades.

The wife was terrified from the trailer for crying out loud. The clapping game, which is an excellent use of sound for the terror, had her hiding under the covers.

cricket

11-02-14, 11:40 AM

Love The Mist, It, and The Conjuring.

Session 9 and The Changeling are long time members of my watchlist.

Sexy Celebrity

11-02-14, 12:15 PM

Has anyone (besides someone who just doesn't like horror at all) ever not liked Ginger Snaps? It's one of the few movies I can't remember anyone complaining about.
Never seen it, but it's never interested me enough to.

honeykid

11-02-14, 11:24 PM

I'm sure honeykid actually hates it.

Nope. It's on my 100. I helped built that bandwagon.

Captain Spaulding

11-03-14, 12:23 AM

Everyone and their mother is including Ginger Snaps on these lists. Guess I should finally give it a watch sometime soon since I've had it recorded for ages.

Big fan of the The Mist, and I even haven't seen the black-and-white version, although the DVD I own contains both versions. Eden Lake is very underrated. Slither was enjoyable. Not a fan of 1408 or It, although both have their moments. Haven't seen The Conjuring, The Changeling or Friday the 13th: The (Not So) Final Chapter.

I watched Session 9 a few days ago and enjoyed it. It's cool to see it on your list. More people should watch it.

The Sci-Fi Slob

11-03-14, 07:08 AM

This list just keeps getting better. The Mist is the best Stephen King horror adaptation after The Shining. The Conjuring is the best haunted house film in 15 years. Eden Lake is a very underrated and disturbing British gorefest. Slither is a fun horror comedy. In fact, almost all of these films were on my Top 100 list. :)

TheUsualSuspect

11-03-14, 04:40 PM

24

The Descent (2005)

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/d/d5/Descentposter.jpg

When you're trapped 2 miles underground there are many ways to lose your mind...Claustrophobia. Disorientation. Isolation. Paranoia. Terror.

Neil Marshall's underground horror flick is frightening. Without a doubt, one of the scariest films of the last ten years.

The film is extremely claustrophobic and Marshall uses this to his advantage to create suspense and holds off on seeing the "crawlers" until late in the film.

Marshall is one of my favourite directors and I eagerly look forward to everything he does.

23

Black Christmas (1974)

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/9/98/Black_christmas_movie_poster.jpg/220px-Black_christmas_movie_poster.jpg

If this movie doesn't make your skin crawl... It's on TOO TIGHT

One of the first horror films I got on DVD. A tepid remake came out in 2006 and took the story in a weird route, but this classic Canadian horror film is the one to see.

One of the original "slasher" films that predates Halloween by four years. Am I weird that I watch this every year around Christmas time?

22

Night of the Living Dead (1990)

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/6/65/Notld1990.jpg/220px-Notld1990.jpg

There IS a fate worse than death.

Make-up guru Tom Savini tackles the iconic horror zombie film with great affect. I seem to be in the minority when I prefer the remake over the original.

When people talk about great zombie films, they include Dawn of the Dead, the original Night of the Living Dead and a few others. Yet this one never gets mentioned, which is a shame because it is entertaining!!!

21

Halloween (1978)

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/8/87/Halloween_cover.jpg/220px-Halloween_cover.jpg

The night HE came home...

Carpenter's slasher film inspired countless others to follow in its footsteps. Stalking babysitters, a masked giant of a man, a giant butcher knife. Seems terrifying.

Carpenter loves to score his films, and Halloween is one of the best horror scores out there. I don't know what else to add that anyone already hasn't on these boards.

cricket

11-03-14, 05:26 PM

4 great ones, TUS; I only saw Black Christmas for the first time this year. I can't believe I didn't know about it sooner.

Simseboy

11-03-14, 09:16 PM

I just saw Halloween recently, it definitely lived up to the hype!

honeykid

11-03-14, 09:38 PM

The Descent has been on a lot of these lately. I like it, but this it works better before the horror. The other three are stone cold classics and great films, too.

Wolfsbane

11-03-14, 11:37 PM

Ballsy to put the NOTLD remake above the original.

This list seems to have some variety, the classics like Halloween and Black Christmas, along with some stuff I honestly would love it if more people saw: Session 9 and Ginger Snaps.

Captain Spaulding

11-04-14, 01:33 AM

I think HK and Cricket just proved that they only skim over these lists. Unless they really are big fans of the Night of the Living Dead remake.

Anyways, The Descent is a great horror flick. Black Christmas, despite the countless imitators, maintains its creepiness and tension; oh, and Margot Kidder = :love: Halloween isn't one of my favorite horror movies, but I respect it and Carpenter's score is classic.

I watched the Night of the Living Dead remake as a kid; I remember liking it, but that was probably because I was a kid and I liked zombies. I don't remember if it was actually a good movie or not.

honeykid

11-04-14, 02:13 AM

Yeah, I noticed after Wolfbane's post that I'd not seen it was the remake. :facepalm: The remake was good but, yeah, it's not great and it's obviously not the classic version. I didn't read any of what TUS wrote in that post. Sorry, it's not been a good day.

the samoan lawyer

11-04-14, 08:33 AM

Great last set TUS. I prefer the original NOTLD but the remake is still a good watch. Absolutely love The Descent.

cricket

11-04-14, 10:05 AM

Ahhh yea I thought Night of the Living Dead was the original, but I also like that one.

The Sci-Fi Slob

11-05-14, 09:52 AM

The Night of the Livng Dead remake and The Descent are underrated. Halloween speaks for itself, and I haven't seen Black Christmas.

Mr.Sparkle

11-08-14, 05:35 PM

You ever gonna finish this? It's kinda pointless now that it's PAST Halloween.

dadgumblah

11-08-14, 10:32 PM

Suspect, you've continually added some great flicks to the list: Session 9 is really underrated and a great, tension-filled flick. I think David Caruso finally reached the potential he showed on NYPD Blue. I only watched a few episodes of CSI:Miami but he seemed too comical for me in that show. Loved Session 9.

Also Rep+ for The Changeling, The Conjuring, The Descent. I loved the remake of Night of the Living Dead better than the original. I just loved them making Barbara tough. Patricia Tallman is great in this, as is horror regular Tony Todd (Candyman).

And you've got Halloween this far back?! Wow, I can't wait to see what's next. :eek:

Godoggo

11-08-14, 10:40 PM

You ever gonna finish this? It's kinda pointless now that it's PAST Halloween.

No, it isn't. I like horror all year round as do a lot of us.

The Descent is great. Halloween is to slasher films as Jaws is to shark movies as far as I'm concerned. Yes, I do think it's that good. :)

TheUsualSuspect

11-10-14, 11:53 PM

20

The Exorcist (1973)

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/7/7b/Exorcist_ver2.jpg/220px-Exorcist_ver2.jpg

Nobody expected it, nobody believed it, and nobody could stop it. The one hope, the only hope: THE EXORCIST

This film had a lot of hype to live up to. The SCARIEST FILM OF ALL-TIME people would tell me. Well, it isn't, but damn is it one good horror flick.

The atmosphere sells the film for me, more so than the performances or makeup effects, which are both great, but it's just something about that ROOM that gives me the shakes.

I can't speak much for the sequels, but I can say that every other possession film that deals with exorcism takes so many cues from this film it isn't even funny anymore.

The Exorcist is important to the horror genre, it's iconic and I feel like I need to watch it again, very soon.

19

The Return Of The Living Dead (1985)

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/3/3a/The_Return_of_the_Living_Dead_%28film%29.jpg

They're Back From The Grave and Ready To Party!

This is one hell of a fun film. I'm trying to leave off horror comedies as much as I can, otherwise Shaun of the Dead and Club Dread would be on this list, but Return of the Living Dead simply cannot be ignored.

The film is so damn funny. It has great music, special effects and is highly re-watchable. There are very few films I try to watch EVERY Halloween month, but this is always near the top of the list.

SEND....MORE....PARAMEDICS....

cricket

11-11-14, 12:05 AM

Those are 2 of my favorites as well.:)

Sexy Celebrity

11-11-14, 12:14 AM

Return of the Living Dead is hardly a horror comedy. That movie is scary as Hell. I mean, I get why people think it's funny, but I never look back at that movie as something more comedic than horror. It is pure HORROR to me. I think it's the scariest zombie movie out there. The only other thing that comes close is Night of the Living Dead. Return seems worse, though, because there's more of a sense of "apocalyptic doom" or something to it. And it really makes me think about death in the absolute worst way. The mortuary setting, the graveyard, the sense that nobody can escape what's happening to them in that movie -- I feel more creeped out by that movie as I age. The older you get, the closer you are to death, ya know? I used to talk about that movie and how it made me feel with Deadite on here. Now that poor guy's died and been through the whole ordeal... it makes it even creepier for me.

honeykid

11-11-14, 05:20 AM

Two great ones there, TUS. One a true classic, the other's a whole lot of fun.

TheUsualSuspect

11-12-14, 12:03 AM

18

The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari (1920)

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/7/74/CABINETOFDRCALIGARI-poster.jpg/220px-CABINETOFDRCALIGARI-poster.jpg

You must become Caligari.

Man this film had a twist ending before twist endings were cool.

Roger Ebert describes the film as the First true horror film and I can't argue with him on that. Caligari uses German Expressionism perfectly, with jagged edged set pieces and odd human movements to give an eerie otherworldly feeling.

So much is said in this film that you'd be surprised to hear it's silent. With a short running time of just around the one hour mark, Caligari manages to tell a tale that will enthral you from start to finish.

17

SAW (2004)

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/5/56/Saw_official_poster.jpg/220px-Saw_official_poster.jpg

I want to play a game

Say what you will about this series and the canon ruining sequels, but the original SAW is dynamite horror entertainment.

Often cited with Hostel as the start of the Torture-Porn films, Saw was in my opinion a bit more than that. Wan shot a scene from the script to show what the film will be like and it interested producers enough to finance the film.

Two men trapped inside a room, a dead body lies between them. Simple and yet so effective. I remember watching this film and thinking the ending was one of the best endings in horror I'd seen in years. I still stand by that comment. The series then became a game of trying to one-up the previous film with more twists, but the original is still solid entertainment my friends.

Gives this one a try, just don't bother with the sequels. They're good for fans only.

Godoggo

11-12-14, 01:24 AM

I really like The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari. I would definitely recommend it to someone who is afraid of watching a silent film or think they don't like them. I always forget it is one, because like you say, so much is said and you don't miss not having dialogue while you're watching it.

cricket

11-12-14, 08:06 PM

I didn't love Caligari the first time, but it was interesting and cool, and I'd like to watch it again.

I liked Saw but need to see it again. It should be a favorite for me.

The Sci-Fi Slob

11-13-14, 11:39 AM

Saw above The Exorcist and The Return of the Living Dead? I don't think so..Still been a great though, so I'll let you off with it. :)

TheUsualSuspect

11-14-14, 12:07 AM

16

Final Destination (2000)

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/a/a3/Final_Destination_movie.jpg/225px-Final_Destination_movie.jpg

No Accidents. No Coincidences. No Escapes. You Can't Cheat Death.

I feel that A LOT of people will complain that this one is too high, but damn do I ever love this flick.

I think it's a genius idea. Kids cheat death and death comes back collecting their souls. The set-ups to the deaths are elaborate and unique. There is no visual killer. A gust of wind tipping over something, which leads to a chain reaction of events leading up to your death. You'll never see it coming.

Of course, I saw this when I was a kid. It was targeted to teens and I loved the "coolness" of it at the time. The series has become like the SAW films, a joke. With each new addition being worse, but it's all about the original man.

15

Drag Me To Hell (2009)

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/5/52/Dragmetohell.jpg/220px-Dragmetohell.jpg

Christine Brown has a good job, a great boyfriend, and a bright future. But in three days, she's going to hell.

Talk about a film that deserved a bigger audience.

This proved to me that Sam Raimi has still got it in him to make a fun, bloody entertaining film. His films of late have been more blockbuster centric, but Drag Me To Hell is a fine return to form and a genre he knows well and loves.

Drag Me To Hell isn't interested in the cheap scares and it knows when to make you laugh. Raimi is a favourite director of mine and I loved every hilariously entertaining minute of this film. It's not suppose to be scary, I think a lot of people missed the point there when they went to see this film.

14

JoyRide (2001)

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/8/8b/Joy_Ride_Poster.jpg/220px-Joy_Ride_Poster.jpg

Don't screw with people you don't know

When Paul Walker died, I feel that a lot of people turned to his Fast and the Furious franchise to honour and remember him. I turned to another car related flick, a much better one: Joy Ride.

This has everything you'll want in a film and MORE!!!

Walker is the straight man and Steve Zahn plays his comedic relief brother. They both mess with the wrong trucker and they find themselves at his mercy on the open road. Written by JJ "before I became really famous" Abrams and directed by John Dahl, Joy Ride seemed to come and go. People seemed to like it, critics and audience alike, but it opened fifth in the box office taking in only 7 million. It spawned two sequels, years later.

The look in the trunk sequence and the voice on the CB radio (Ted Levine) still stick with me to this day. Do yourself a favour and watch this underrated gem!!!

honeykid

11-14-14, 08:13 AM

The point isn't for Drag Me To Hell to be scary but it's this high on your horror list? I liked it, but I feel it's far too high up. On the other hand, I've no problem with Final Destination being this high. I think that's a really good film. I like Joy Ride, too. :up:

cricket

11-15-14, 01:08 AM

3 more good ones. Suspect:up:

Captain Spaulding

11-15-14, 09:00 AM

I enjoyed The Exorcist and I respect its influence on the horror genre, but I didn't love it as much as I had hoped to. The Return of the Living Dead is a fun movie. The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari is excellent. I'm not a fan of any of the Saw movies, but the first one is definitely the best of the series.

I haven't seen Final Destination in years, but I remember being very entertained by it. Unless it's a horror comedy, I generally don't like camp in my horror movies, so I didn't enjoy Drag Me to Hell. I thought Joy Ride was average, but obviously I'm in the minority.

Glad to see you're continuing with the list, TUS, even though Halloween has passed.

TheUsualSuspect

11-15-14, 11:58 AM

Thanks. My day from 6:30 am to 8:00 pm is work. So I have very little time to post. Hence this taking so long.

TheUsualSuspect

11-16-14, 02:42 PM

13

Dead-Alive (1992)

http://wrongsideoftheart.com/wp-content/gallery/posters-b/braindead_poster_02.jpg

Some things won't stay down... even after they die.

Dead-Alive aka Braindead is one of those films that has fascinated me my whole life. Walking around Jumbo Video (old video rental place that gave out free salty popcorn) I'd always go to the horror section and look at the cool covers. This one ALWAYS stood out to me.

Then I tracked it down and watched it...I liked it, but felt that something was off. Upon more research I found out that I had watched the CUT version. There was hardly any gore. What the hell man? so I went searching again, finding the UNCUT version on DVD (my original rental was on tape) and boy...does the uncut version change the way this film plays.

Hilarious, bloody and one of the best zombie movies of all time!!!!

12

The Shining (1980)

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/2/25/The_Shining_poster.jpg/220px-The_Shining_poster.jpg

He came as the caretaker, but this hotel had its own guardians - who'd been there a long time

I can safely say that this film is Kubrick's second most debated film, after 2001. There is a documentary ROOM 237 about all the wild and crazy theories as to what is actually going on in this film.

I LOVE the use of sound when Danny is on his tricycle rolling around the hotel and you hear him on the carpet, then on the wooden floor. It's unnerving. You also get a perfect sense of the layout of the hotel, then when he turns that one corner, you get on of the famous shots of the twins.

King hated this version and made his own, which people panned. Kubrick was doing something else here and many people seemed to hate it when it first game out, like a lot of his films, but people hail it as a modern day horror classic.

11

Fright Night (1985)

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/e/e2/Fright_night_poster.jpg

There are some very good reasons to be afraid...of the dark.

Campy 80's horror vampire flick with an annoying sidekick and kickass everything else!!! Fright Night is too good. They remade it with Colin Farrell and it didn't hit any of the right notes. The original Fright Night is something special, something funny and something highly re-watchable.

Chris Sarandon plays the sexy mysterious vampire neighbour and he has a lot of fun with the role. Who could forget Roddy McDowell as Vincent Price, The Vampire Hunter. You simply cannot make movies like this anymore. They don't exist. Cherish something like this while you can.

Wolfsbane

11-16-14, 02:44 PM

Dead-Alive and Fright Night are cheesy fun movies. The Shining has some horror sight gags as well, when Duvall sees the ballroom of skeletons. Kubrick is just having fun with us in that shot.

Also, try and find a bigger dead-alive picture next time, yeah? :p

the samoan lawyer

11-17-14, 08:48 AM

Great last set TUS

The Sci-Fi Slob

11-17-14, 09:03 AM

Awesome last set, three classic films. :up:

Captain Spaulding

11-17-14, 09:41 AM

All I remember about Dead Alive is its excellent gore effects. And I still haven't seen Fright Night, even though everyone seems to love it and I have it available to watch.

As for The Shining, I read the book before watching the movie, and I initially had a similar reaction as Stephen King. The heart of the book is basically omitted from Kubrick's adaptation, where Jack is essentially crazy from the very first scene as opposed to being a good father/husband who succumbs to his demons and the ghosts of his past due to the outward pressure of the hotel's evil spirits. As King has said in interviews, his book ends in fire whereas the movie ends in ice, which is an apt metaphor for the differences in tone between the two works. After multiple re-watches, however, I've come to separate the film from the book. There are so many memorable scenes in the film ("Heeeere's Johnny!") and so much iconic imagery (the blood gushing from the elevator shaft, for instance), plus Nicholson's performance is deliciously over-the-top and amazing in its own right. I still prefer the book, since I can relate to it in a way that I can't with the film, but I now consider the film a masterpiece in its own right.

TheUsualSuspect

11-22-14, 10:16 PM

10

An American Werewolf in London (1981)

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/e/e5/An_American_Werewolf_in_London_poster.jpg/220px-An_American_Werewolf_in_London_poster.jpg

Beware the moon

Still one of the best werewolf transformations done on film today. I feel that people take the easy route with CGI now, case in point the lacklustre sequel.

A horror comedy that brings both the laughs and the terror. A wink to the audience with the soundtrack, where every title contains the word MOON in it and a director, you'd never expect this kind of material to come from.

An American Werewolf In London is one of the best werewolf flicks of all-time.

9

Dog Soldiers (2002)

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/4/49/Dog-Soldiers-Poster.jpg/220px-Dog-Soldiers-Poster.jpg

Six soldiers. Full moon. No Chance.

I said An American Werewolf in London is one of the best werewolf films of all-time. I give you my favourite werewolf film of all-time. Neil Marshall's Dog Soldiers.

This film caught my attention and made me keep my eye open for Marshall's future work, which would include the Fassbender Roman flick Centurion, the genre-bender Doomsday and of course one of the scariest films of all-time, The Descent. For Game of Thrones lovers, he did the Blackwater and Watchers on the Wall episodes, which are fan favourites.

I always look forward to what Marshall is going to bring us next and it all started with the highly entertaining Dog Soldiers.

8

The Cabin in the Woods (2012)

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/b/b8/CitwTeaserSmall.jpg/215px-CitwTeaserSmall.jpg

If you hear a strange noise outside....have sex

From one cabin in the woods flick to another. Joss Whedon and Drew Goddard turned the horror genre inside out for this send up and it works perfectly. I had so much fun watching this film that my face hurt from the constant smiling.

Every joke, every ironic character decision, every set-piece, just works effortlessly, in my opinion. Lots of laughs, lots of gore and the perfect winking to the audience the entire time.

MovieMeditation

11-22-14, 10:32 PM

+Rep for Werewolf in London! But Dog Soldiers I didn't like and Cabin in the Woods needs a rewatch!

TheUsualSuspect

11-22-14, 10:57 PM

7

A Nightmare on Elm Street (1984)

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/a/a1/Nightmare01.jpg/220px-Nightmare01.jpg

She is the only one who can stop it... if she fails, no one survives.

So when I first watched this movie. It was in a cottage in the middle of NOWHERE. it was 1:30 in the morning. I'm by myself, watching this on the tv in the VCR. Sitting on the cough, behind me is a GIANT ASS WINDOW. This movie freaked the hell out of me and I couldn't finish. I kept thinking someone (Freddy) was behind me, watching my through that giant window. This film scared me, it's one of a select few to do so.

Freddy is terrifying in the original, he's become a one-liner of a joke since then, but damn is this a good horror flick.

6

Dawn of the Dead (1978)

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/6/63/Dawn_of_the_dead.jpg/215px-Dawn_of_the_dead.jpg

When there's no room in hell, the dead will walk the earth

Is this film THE definition of a zombie movie? I'd say so. It's brilliant in its design and execution. Easily regarded as the best in Romero's "dead" series, but not only that, it's regarded as the best zombie movie of all time.

Bigger budget, bigger cast, bigger ideas. This film had it all.

cricket

11-23-14, 08:55 AM

The Shining, Fright Night, Dog Soldiers, American Werewolf, Elm St., and Dawn of the Dead are all gold for me. I just thought Cabin in the Woods was decent, and I didn't care for Dead-Alive.

Really curious to see your top picks!

honeykid

11-23-14, 02:00 PM

I've not seen Cabin In The Woods and I still know almost nothing about it (it has a twist/surprisng ending, I think) so I've not seen that one. The other five are all glorious examples, not only of horror films, but of film. Like you, I also think Dawn Of The Dead is the best zombie film. Dawn, Nightmare and Werewolf are all on my 100. Like you, were I to make a horror list, I'm sure they'd all be top 10.

Captain Spaulding

11-24-14, 12:24 AM

When it comes to zombies, vampires, ghosts, demons and other horror creatures, I guess I tend to find werewolves among the least interesting of the bunch. An American Werewolf in London and Dog Soldiers are both entertaining movies. They're probably the best two werewolf movies I've seen, but that has more to do with the lack of competition than anything.

Not a fan of Cabin in the Woods at all. I hated the meta-humor and all the constant winking at the audience. I want to lose myself in a film, and I can't do that when I feel the overbearing presence of the writers trying to be clever with every scene and every line of dialogue.

I like Freddy Krueger and the premise of Nightmare on Elm Street more than the movie itself, but it's an okay movie and my second favorite of the series (Dream Warriors is number one, although I haven't seen New Nightmare, which many people praise).

I watched Dawn of the Dead for the first time earlier this year. I liked it a lot, but I prefer Night of the Living Dead

honeykid

11-24-14, 08:16 AM

When it comes to zombies, vampires, ghosts, demons and other horror creatures, I guess I tend to find werewolves among the least interesting of the bunch. An American Werewolf in London and Dog Soldiers are both entertaining movies. They're probably the best two werewolf movies I've seen, but that has more to do with the lack of competition than anything.
I agree that they're among the best werewolf films and, like you, I don't think there's much competition.

I like Freddy Krueger and the premise of Nightmare on Elm Street more than the movie itself, but it's an okay movie and my second favorite of the series (Dream Warriors is number one, although I haven't seen New Nightmare, which many people praise).
I'd have New Nightmare third, after the original and the third.

I watched Dawn of the Dead for the first time earlier this year. I liked it a lot, but I prefer Night of the Living Dead
You're wrong, but I still like you. :p:)

the samoan lawyer

11-24-14, 08:34 AM

Another great last 2 sets TUS. My least fav would be Nightmare on Elm Street but it's still an entertaining classic. Great list.

Iroquois

11-24-14, 08:43 AM

I've not seen Cabin In The Woods and I still know almost nothing about it (it has a twist/surprisng ending, I think) so I've not seen that one.

Well, the twist is in the premise, but trust me when I say "the less you know, the better". I remember when it first came out in cinemas and I (having already seen it once) was talking it up for my best friend and he was about to look up a trailer (which spoils the "twist") when I told him "no, don't, it'll be better if you don't know what's about to happen". Needless to say, we saw it together and he thought it was awesome. In any case, it's worth at least one viewing even from a seasoned horror veteran.

TheUsualSuspect

12-06-14, 10:26 PM

5

Scream (1996)

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/7/78/Scream_movie_poster.jpg/220px-Scream_movie_poster.jpg

Someone's Taken Their Love Of Scary Movies One Step Too Far!

I can't count how many times I've seen this film. I taped it off TV one night when I was younger and watched it dozens of times. This film redefined the genre.

It walks the line of parody / comedy / horror perfectly.

I can't say the same for the sequels, except the 4th one, which was surprisingly good, but the original is just too damn good to question. A simple mask bought at a costume shop is now iconic in the horror genre and everyone involved hasn't been in anything as good since, or before.

4

Evil Dead II (1987)

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/6/6d/Evil_Dead_II_poster.jpg/220px-Evil_Dead_II_poster.jpg

Kiss Your Nerves Good-Bye!

This sequel is everything the original did, only better.

With a bit more humour thrown in, this one holds up better than The Evil Dead, Ash has become the BAD-ASS character that we all know and love and my love for Sam Raimi as a director is solidified.

NOT A REMAKE, but a sequel, it ups the blood, the body count, the horror and the evil. Replacing the demon under the cellar is Henrietta, Ted Raimi in full body suit. I LOVE the mistakes this film makes with continuity, the seeing of the wires, it just adds to the weird obsessed love I have with this film.

3

Alien (1979)

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/c/c3/Alien_movie_poster.jpg/220px-Alien_movie_poster.jpg

In Space No One Can Hear You Scream

One of the earliest R-rated films I saw. I remember watching it at my uncles on VHS at a christmas party when everyone else was in the other room. The film sequence with Ripley in here underwear was oddly HOT for me. I look back now and not so much.

Patience is what makes this film work, then pure terror. A terrific alien creature and the right amount of isolation makes this film not only a classic, but a masterpiece of science fiction and horror.

While the sequel is more action oriented, I'd say either one of them easily switch between each other as my favourite of the series.

2

The Thing (1982)

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/c/c1/ThingPoster.jpg/215px-ThingPoster.jpg

The Ultimate in Alien Terror

Who can you trust when anyone can be an alien?

Amazing effects that are just weird enough to still be believable today (much better than the remake/prequel). Kurt Russell teaming with his director of choice, Carpenter, is a badass yet again.

Great atmosphere, great fear and tension and an uneasy, yet memorable score, make this film a must watch. It rivals Alien as the go to sci/fi horror film.

1

The Evil Dead (1981)

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/7/7d/Evil_dead_ver1.jpg/220px-Evil_dead_ver1.jpg

The Ultimate Experience In Grueling Terror

Yes, the sequel is the one that everyone prefers.

Yes the sequel does everything better.

But damn, this movie changed my life.

It made me love the horror genre.

It made me WANT to become a filmmaker.

It made me become a cult film lover.

I LOVE this movie. I've read everything I can about the making of the film. There is just something about a group of friends, going out into the woods, shooting a film with next to no money and making one of the scariest most memorable horror films of all-time that makes me love it. You see the unique camera movement that Raimi does here, it's just something that hasn't really been done before.

I respect this film.

TheUsualSuspect

12-06-14, 10:27 PM

Better late than never?

cricket

12-06-14, 10:43 PM

Yes, especially wrapping it up like that. Good stuff:up:

honeykid

12-07-14, 05:37 PM

+ rep for Scream and The Thing. Both great films.

Congrats on finishing you countdown, TUS. :)

Mr.Sparkle

01-05-15, 11:54 PM

Can't say I'm surprised, but can't say I'm disappoint either.

Gideon58

01-06-15, 11:47 AM

dadgumblah

01-07-15, 03:03 PM

Nice wrap-up to the list. Dog Soldiers is probably one of my favorite movies of all-time, never mind horror, but it's high on the list of horror also. Just a great, horrific, humorous, action-packed good time of a movie. Plus, the star is Kevin McKidd, who is one of the stars of TV's "Grey's Anatomy" and barely recognizable as the same star of the earlier werewolf film. Plus, two more of my favorite character actors, Sean Pertwee, and especially Liam Cunningham, who also starred in Neil Marshall's Centurion and is featured in "Game of Thrones."

"Evil Dead II," "Alien," "The Thing," "Dawn of the Dead," "An American Werewolf in London," "Dead Alive," "The Shining," "Fright Night" and all the previous entries on the list...just a fine list there, Suspect. Thanks for the fun!