MovieMeditation presents... "His Top 50 Favorite Horror Films!"
http://i57.tinypic.com/20i87bd.jpg ~His Top 50 Favorite Horror Films~ ______________________________________ http://i61.tinypic.com/714941.jpg ______________________________________ Introduction Welcome to the darkest and most sinister location to ever exist on these comfortable and restful grounds of this lovely movie forum. I want to invite you all into the most haunting and horrifying experience you will ever step your foot inside, and I’m fairly certain that once you leave it, it won’t be in a state that mirrors that of which you were in before. The eerie atmosphere will confuse your mind; the alarming and apprehensive postings will trick your soul, and ultimately make you surrender to the Devil himself. This is… MovieMeditation’s Top 50 Favorite Horror Films! Signing the Contract of Death I feel it is frighteningly important, to quickly drag you all into the rules and regulations of things. As you know the horror genre isn’t the most straightforward of them all, and it is sometimes doubtful whether or not a certain film truly belongs in this ominous genre… Therefore I will now present you all with 3 simple and sincere clarities of how I personally define a film to be of the horror genre. • The Subject What is the film essentially about? Are we dealing with something supernatural, something otherworldly, or something completely unknown to man? Or is the subject maybe something we mostly know about and understand, but is spiced up with the following statements… • The Approach How does the director approach the story he wants to tell? Is the story and subject being presented as something strange or supernatural, or is it very realistic and dramatic? • The Atmosphere In what way is the subject being presented? Is it clear that the director tries to frighten the audience, either with dark visuals or scary music, or does he/she deliberately create a lighter and calmer atmosphere, despite of whatever the subject might be, and thereby moves away from what is truly a horror atmosphere? The Ghostly Details It should be said though, that these are guidelines and are mostly compatible when defining horror, yet there are a few films on my list that arguably don’t fit these categories perfectly… Anyways, there were also some films I didn’t put on this list because I don’t see them as being horror films in the truest sense. Very dark and frightening thriller dramas like Black Swan, Antichrist, Misery, Coherence and Silence of the Lambs did not make the list because I don’t see them as horror films. Silence of the Lambs is somehow a horror film to some, but to me I don’t see why. Neither the subject, the approach or the atmosphere tries to create anything other than drama and tension, and there are no horror elements present at all, other than Dr. Lecter is a cannibal and Buffalo Bill is mentally sick; and neither is ever approached or presented in a horror kind of way. It is very authentic and realistically done, and therefore not a horror film to me… Same goes for Jaws; it is a bigger than average shark, but it is never discussed being anything than unusually big. The film mainly goes for thrills not kills (I don’t know how well this last part defines it, but it did sound nice in a sentence haha). But please, don’t begin to take these guidelines too seriously, it is only my attempt at closing in a genre that is often very free; so please, discuss the films I post, not whether or not they fit the genre or my guidelines. ;) Lastly, I have decided that instead of doing a list where multiple movies from multiple franchises appear, and thereby makes the list boring and repetitive both for you and for me, I have chosen to combine the films into one spot at several occasions. That depends, of course, on whether or not I like the majority of the given franchise. And for those franchises, which have installments that totally separate themselves from the others – these will instead be given their own spot… And with that said, let’s all dive wholeheartedly into my macabre and darkest thoughts and feelings on the movie medium. Here are my... Top 50 Favorite Horror Films as of 2015! http://i59.tinypic.com/ndlaj5.jpg |
Re: MovieMeditation presents... "His Top 50 Favorite Horror Films!"
look forward to see this !!! :)
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Re: MovieMeditation presents... "His Top 50 Favorite Horror Films!"
If you're talking about me with Silence of the Lambs, I'm not convinced it's horror anymore, though it does contain horror elements.
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Not horror. Never was horror... Until the internet. I blame N.Americans. :p:D
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Originally Posted by honeykid (Post 1291100)
Not horror. Never was horror... Until the internet. I blame N.Americans. :p:D
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Re: MovieMeditation presents... "His Top 50 Favorite Horror Films!"
Really looking forward to this, but I still can't read some of the font you're using.
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Re: MovieMeditation presents... "His Top 50 Favorite Horror Films!"
Originally Posted by BlueLion (Post 1291106)
Really looking forward to this, but I still can't read some of the font you're using.
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Re: MovieMeditation presents... "His Top 50 Favorite Horror Films!"
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Excellent. Hey Swan, our plans to see horror to take over the forums are ahead of schedule http://oi61.tinypic.com/qxumo7.jpg
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Originally Posted by nostromo87 (Post 1291153)
Excellent. Hey Swan, our plans to see horror to take over the forums are ahead of schedule http://oi61.tinypic.com/qxumo7.jpg
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Re: MovieMeditation presents... "His Top 50 Favorite Horror Films!"
Uh oh. And I thought I did a superb job with my horror list! This thread is getting so much hype compared to mine. :D
But to be honest, you deserve it. Great graphics and write-ups is making me excited too. :up::cool: |
http://i57.tinypic.com/20i87bd.jpg ~His Top 50 Favorite Horror Films~ ______________________________________ 50. Dumplings (2004) · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · http://i57.tinypic.com/2128egy.jpg http://i57.tinypic.com/14p9bl.jpg · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · I’m simply going to start off this list in grand style, with the most obscure and repulsive film that I could ever imagine would have a place on a favorite list of mine. To be quite fair, I could think of many films that are way worse than this, but not one film from its ghastly subgenre would ever be a frequent guest in my book of preferences, I can tell you that much. I like gore and explicit violence, but I want it to have a purpose in one way or another, not just thrown in there for pure shock value or easy attention. My initial thought was that this film was to belong precisely in that previously mentioned category, together with disgusting and disturbing creations with no plot of importance or theme of relevance. But apparently, things turned out differently… ‘Dumplings’ lays out its plot and ideas on the table (quite literally) right from the get go, and there is no mercy to be found and no darkness to hide in. During the first 30 minutes of this irregular foreign film experience I was pretty entertained for the most part, but it felt like it was leaning slightly towards previously mentioned category. I could see in which direction the film so haphazardly tried to walk in, but I just didn’t think it went deep enough into it all. But suddenly and out of nowhere, a pleasant change of pace happened, and this fairly unknown and overseen Chinese film ended up becoming a truly interesting view on the themes of beauty, abortion, as well as the very society of China. · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · Why is it on my list? An imaginative and overlooked piece of Chinese cinema, sprinkled with unforeseen instances of thoughtful subjects and significant social commentaries, all packed inside this nice little package of delightfulness, just as with the actual Chinese delicacy of which inspires the story and title. ‘Dumplings’ is an unusual but worthwhile movie experience of some truly strange matters. ______________________________________ 49. Thir13en Ghosts (2001)* · · · · · · · · outdated entry: unqualified · · · · · · · · http://i60.tinypic.com/jg31hw.jpg http://i62.tinypic.com/a9n3hc.jpg · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · This is probably the guiltiest of pleasures you will ever see to emerge on this list, and perhaps even the most shameful of that particular category as well. I might actually regret this pick already because it is purely bashed on cloudy memory. Oh, and I chose this over Susperia y'all, just shoot me! :D During my bumpy road of relevant rewatches, I simply wouldn’t want to spend time revisiting every single film on my potential list. I dedicatedly went through every film in my top 5 and then took a few down the line as well. But with this film definitely securing a spot towards the bottom, if it was ever to do so, I didn’t want to use my time on watching this and many other “low scorers” over again. So in danger of loosing all respect from my fellow Mofos around the forums, I hereby present to you my 49th pick… Talking purely from the back of my mind, I remember this to be full of distinctive clichés and dumb stereotypical characters, all speaking the usual stilted dialogue you could expect from a film like this. But what it actually does have going for it, is the very impressive production value as well as the overall idea of the film. I think it is pretty much every horror lovers dream, especially if your are a kid at the time, to experience plenty of inventive ghostly beings, walking around killing people who are trapped in a highly technological and glass-dominated house. I mean seriously, the idea of this film is almost enough for it to be worthy of a place on this list! I don’t know if the nostalgia will be strong enough with a potential rewatch, but I do know that this was a fun favorite of mine in my younger days, despite of its poor reputation. · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · Why is it on my list? A guilty pleasure in its truest sense, coming from the good old nostalgic days of my childhood, at a time where my peaking interest for the horror genre found this one to be the perfect mixed bag of frightful fun! I have caught it on television a few times since, and though only catching parts of it I was definitely brought back to some great movie memories. Screw the critics and screw the haters; this one is on my favorites list for a well-intentioned reason. Or maybe I'll just regret the hell out of this pick, but who knows. ______________________________________ 48. Nosferatu the Vampyre (1979) · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · http://i59.tinypic.com/2aht7jq.jpg http://i60.tinypic.com/mha2o.jpg · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · If you perhaps were thrown off by the unconventional and bizarre first pick, or were baffled and maybe even slightly insulted by the second one, then I’m fairly certain that you will approve of this pick, at least in a sense of either admiration or acknowledgeable respect. This film was a very recent watch for me, which surprised also me quite a bit more than I ever imagined it would. Despite my growing interest for the film before watching it, mostly because of the director and the subject of the film, I still wasn’t sure where I would stand when I actually got around to it. Anyways, because I watched it so recently I already wrote a thorough review of which I still stand by. So to lighten the heavy burden of doing write-ups for each and every entry I will take the easy route with this one, and pretty much repost my initial review… Already by the opening minutes we know exactly what kind of movie this will turn out to be – or at least to some extent. As an audience, we get a clear and well-defined impression of the hand-held style used throughout the film, combined effortlessly with that low-budget and ghoulish kind of atmosphere that dominates the screen. Even the music, or perhaps the absence of it, goes extremely well with the visuals and overall elegance of the film. This film looks and feels a lot older than it really is, and that is only a positive thing of course. It adds to the atmosphere and to the respect of the original as well. The hand-held simplistic style worked great at times, and other times I was a slightly annoyed by it. Personally, and when you think about it, it is a rather unusual blend of elements to have such big and beautiful landscapes and set pieces, and not choose a style in respect of that. On the other hand though, I see where they were going with it, and for the most part, I liked it. In the bigger picture, it was only more effective to stay grounded and simplistic so you could get completely captured by it, instead of during a lot of big broad shots from up high or from a distance. That would only distance the audience from the film, and ruin the close and claustrophobic atmosphere that it had just build up; as well as all the soulless, cold and lonely elements, which truly defines this film. · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · Why is it on my list? A fantastic atmospheric piece of foreign cinema, which grabs a hold of its audience at the very beginning, and throws them right into one of the creepiest and most unsettling atmospheres I have experienced lately; full of long takes, dead silence and a slow but totally intentional and controlled build-up. The visuals are cold and creatively empty, and the absence of music helps enforce the more minimalistic and effective approach, which this film truly aims for. It is daring, original and truly effective. Even when something big and frightening was happening, Herzog left the actors and the atmosphere alone with the responsibility, so to speak, and I loved that. The only reason this film isn’t higher, is because it is so new to me still, but it definitely holds the potential to climb upwards with time. ______________________________________ Near misses! - Rogue (2007) - Suspiria (1977) in replace of #49... - What Lies Beneath (2000) |
Re: MovieMeditation presents... "His Top 50 Favorite Horror Films!"
Excellent format. Some really hard work has gone into this list so look forward to seeing what's next.
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Re: MovieMeditation presents... "His Top 50 Favorite Horror Films!"
Suspiria as a near miss is painful. It would be pretty high on my list, but at least you like it.
13 Ghosts is something I saw when I was younger, too young to really evaluate whether it was good or not. Nosferatu, on the other hand, I saw when I was much older, and I love it. Probably the most beautiful horror film to ever exist. |
Herzog's Nosferatu is one of the best films ever. Good pick.
I can't remember if I have seen Thir13en Ghosts or not, but I do remember my aunt talking about it in detail and it piqued my interest. It does seem weird next to the other two films, but I won't hate on it. God knows I like some "bad" horror movies, too.
Originally Posted by MovieMeditation (Post 1291659)
I like gore and explicit violence, but I want it to have a purpose in one way or another, not just thrown in there for pure shock value or easy attention.
I'll have to check out Dumplings. |
Re: MovieMeditation presents... "His Top 50 Favorite Horror Films!"
Thir13en Ghosts is ok. I haven't seen the other two.
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Re: MovieMeditation presents... "His Top 50 Favorite Horror Films!"
Great effort being put in here, really interesting to read about your choices and always good to see nice graphics and format. I've only seen Nosferatu out of that set, but it's a very good film. I really enjoyed the strange atmosphere that seemed to be generated by the almost silent style acting, I felt with no words it could have been just as effective, so no surprise to see it's a remake of a silent film. I think I've seen some of Thir13en Ghosts actually, I remember my parents had a DVD copy when I was younger, but I don't remember much at all.
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Re: MovieMeditation presents... "His Top 50 Favorite Horror Films!"
It'a a while since I've seen it but I thought Dumplings worked better as a shorter film when it was part of the trilogy Three...Extremes. Gross, but nicely done.
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Re: MovieMeditation presents... "His Top 50 Favorite Horror Films!"
Very interesting, and nice layout too! Will definitely be keeping up with this.
I've only seen 13 Ghosts out of the first 3, haven't seen it in years but remember liking it and watching it multiple times. |
Re: MovieMeditation presents... "His Top 50 Favorite Horror Films!"
Thanks to all the above for checking in, and for using a bit of their time to comment in here as well! It's something I hope to see the forum be more active about, and I can already see that it indeed has become so. Love it! As I said before, no matter the length, it's just nice that you take your time to show your appreciation for one's work - whether it's in my thread(s) or in somebody else's. :)
Thanks y'all. |
Re: MovieMeditation presents... "His Top 50 Favorite Horror Films!"
You're welcome :)
Look forward to reading some more of your well written analyses. I like the personal 'why is it on my list' part as it's always interesting to know why a film appeals to someone as well as having a broader writeup. |
Originally Posted by christine (Post 1291735)
You're welcome :)
Look forward to reading some more of your well written analyses. I like the personal 'why is it on my list' part as it's always interesting to know why a film appeals to someone as well as having a broader writeup. But yeah, I chose to split up the review in two paragraphs - one, which is a little more introducing, and one, which is an actual review/comment on the film - I chose to add the last part of "why I put it on my list", as an extension of the review and as a short summary that makes it clear why exactly it made my list. In that way, I can clarify some odd or personal choices so people understand why exactly it is placed there. :up: |
Re: MovieMeditation presents... "His Top 50 Favorite Horror Films!"
Thir13en Ghosts is my favorite movie from this trio and also a guilty pleasure for me !! :) very nice start
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Dumplings has been on my watchlist for a while now.
Nosferatu is great of course. I'm curious to see where Alyce Kills ends up:p |
http://i57.tinypic.com/20i87bd.jpg ~His Top 50 Favorite Horror Films~ ______________________________________ 47. The Collector (2009) · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · http://i57.tinypic.com/se3tde.jpg http://i62.tinypic.com/23ku2k3.jpg · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · This film is written and directed by a collective crew, consisting of two of the main minds, behind a huge hit-franchise – a long-running series of films, which has become extremely famous for using a somewhat skilled two-parted technique, by twisting and turning both its bones and its story, respectively – each installment upping the level of explicit gore, as well as the overly complicated, and occasionally, truly problematical storylines. The subject of above dissection is of course no other than the infamous ‘Saw’-franchise. Now, I’m personally a fan of the franchise for various reasons, which I will not discuss at this time, but though excessively ghastly and even absurdly senseless at times, I still enjoy a selection of those creative traps from which the film pretty much gained its current reputation from. This film, named ‘The Collector’, could easily be a weird spin-off coming from the ‘Saw’-franchise. At the least it is easy to see the resemblance in both style and approach… This film sort of brings me back to the reckless style and storylines of old exploitation films from the 70s and 80s. The music is extremely aggressive; the bloodshed is discomforting; and the story is simple and execution effective... We are dealing with a handful of very unlucky people, who gets into trouble with that one wrong dude, usually sporting a weird and twisted obsession for torturous pleasures. On the outside of it all, this film is pretty much an excuse for cool and creative ways for people to get hurt or killed, while on the inside, it is pretty much an excuse for cool and creative ways for people to get hurt or killed. On a more serious note though, what drives this film to that sky high level of excitement and nerve-wrenching pleasure, is first of all a brilliant actor playing the lead character, who sees himself turn from bad to good in order to save these poor people’s lives. His character is humble and sympathetic in many ways, which helps us believe and trust him, as the person he is portraying. Also, the killer is actually a rather interesting slasher-inspired creation, who sets up these traps and tricks that are just pure fun to wait for… on the edge of your seat. The bad side of this film, however, is mainly when it turns into a much too direct and boring take on the torture porn genre. But I do love and admire the film for the tension and the level of entertainment that it undoubtedly delivers for fans of this particular subgenre. But don’t bother with the sequel. · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · Why is it on my list? This film may take the easy route with the background story of its characters, and it might be a little too heavily inspired by others around it, while having plenty of time loving itself on the way as well. But when the film turns into a truly tense and claustrophobic nightmare, with a family held hostage and a thief caught in the middle of a situation he rather would want to pass on, it is quite truthfully a fun ride to attend. ______________________________________ 46. The Caller (2011)* · · · · · · · · outdated entry: unqualified · · · · · · · · http://i62.tinypic.com/2n23fns.jpg http://i61.tinypic.com/1949ap.jpg · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · As it was also the case with the second pick from my last set, this is a film that I truly wished stood stronger in my mind. But from what I can recall, this is a fairly overseen and underrated film, carrying an inventive storyline and using creative scare tactics to really get under your skin. And it only makes it better, that the film pretty much lands in that special category of horror, which I really enjoy. It is a story that never fully exposes its supernatural or ghostly core, and yet still manages to scare the hell out of you just by hinting at the terror instead of throwing it in your face. For people who don’t know about this film, the story centers on a troubled woman, who receives some very disturbing phone calls from a mysterious old woman, who claims to be calling from the past… When it all comes down to it, this film generates some great tension with its audience, coming from the mind of a stressed and terrified lead character, bound together by frightening phone calls from what seems to be another place in time. It isn’t easy to make a film like this work as well as it does, because many of the elements that are used to scare the audience, are in fact not even physically there. We have a woman who are mentally tortured and pretty much stalked to a startling state of mental confinement, just by the help of some very peculiar long-distance calls. :p Even though these calls actually do catch up with her to some degree, they are mostly so terrorizing in themselves, that the main character don’t know what is really and what is not, which brings the audience in that exact same situation as well. I don’t remember just exactly how rough the line is between real and potentially untrue elements, but I do remember the story to play expertly around with those two features, whether or not it wants the audience to believe one thing or the other. · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · Why is it on my list? Coming from my deep affection for horror films that hides in the dark, so to speak, but still manages to make its presence very known to the audience all the way through. A film that dares to play around with the very psychology of the human mind, and then builds upon this element to a hugely horrifying result. Whether or not it really is as smart as I remember to be, it is definitely an effective compilation of thrilling scares and spirited originality that never lets up its grip, on this continuing journey of exploring past and present, mind and matter, and how they can all intervene expertly with each other. ______________________________________ 45. Stir of Echoes (1999) · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · http://i60.tinypic.com/p7zbs.jpg http://i60.tinypic.com/2441ymr.jpg · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · Following up my past pick, this is purely a conditional same-subject film, which just so happens to also deal with a main character being haunted by the past, in a somewhat illusory way, which might or might not be real. As you will come to learn as we dwell deeper into this list: I’m very fond of all types of horror films, but I can’t help but love the subgenre of supernatural horror in particular. I also believe that the kind of horror, which terrifies you the most, comes from the fact that you feel closer and more connected to it, in one way or another. I wouldn’t call myself a true believer in ghosts and spirits, but I do think that there are unexplained events happening from time to time, and that life after death, in some shape or form, is very genuine. So when this film combines these elements, and mash them together with the truest power of mind control we know, that of hypnosis, then you have a pretty damn exciting piece of filmmaking on your hands… The main character is being portrayed skillfully here, by an anxious and unsettling performance from Kevin Bacon, who utilizes a hypnosis experiment gone wrong, to dig up the past and set things straight. Despite of the horror elements present here, this film does indeed lean more towards a mystery thriller of some kind, but whatever genre it might be it is most definitely a genuinely great one at that. It captures your attention right from the start and you keep on guessing along, as Bacon slowly fries his brain in this slow-burn thrill ride, when trying to understand what is happening to him and exactly why it is happening. There is a lot of skill put into this film, and the overall idea of it is really interesting and makes for a very entertaining film. · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · Why is it on my list? A great blend of mystery and supernatural horror, held together by strong dramatic and thematic elements, which creates a very interesting film in the end of it. It is fairly simple in its execution and it isn’t exactly pushing every horror button in the books, but that doesn’t mean it can’t be entertaining, exciting and a rather solid entry in the horror genre, despite of how lightly it treads on those elements. After all, this is also why it works as great as it does. I actually just looked up some pictures from the film, and it might be more horror-orientated than I remembered, but wherever it might land, the most important thing is that it is a good film, and after all, made my list of horror as well! ______________________________________ |
Re: MovieMeditation presents... "His Top 50 Favorite Horror Films!"
Great thread MM. i haven't seen The Collector or The Caller and wasn't a huge fan of Stir of Echoes but the other picks are great. Looking forward to seeing where Possession is on the list :D
Keep up the good work. |
Re: MovieMeditation presents... "His Top 50 Favorite Horror Films!"
Oh my God, first cricket comes in with his Alyce Kills type of sh*t, and now you are here bothering me with Possession...
The two films were my second last and dead list picks, respectively, on the horror hof. WHAT DO YOU EXPECT!? :p haha |
Re: MovieMeditation presents... "His Top 50 Favorite Horror Films!"
Stir of Echoes is a great film. I haven't seen the other two.:)
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Re: MovieMeditation presents... "His Top 50 Favorite Horror Films!"
The Collector isn't my type of film, but The Caller sounds interesting. I love Stir of Echoes. Not seen it for ages, time for a rewatch I think :)
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Re: MovieMeditation presents... "His Top 50 Favorite Horror Films!"
Huge thanks to all above for checking in! I hope you will stay with this list to the grisly end! :D
I'm happy to see I have made a few people interested in The Caller, I just hope it is as I remember it to be then! The Collector seems to be getting the lows here, like everywhere else, and I can understand. If you are a fan of the Saw-franchise you should like it, but mostly it's not for everybody. I think I will get a lot of love/hate responses throughout my list, since my taste is so varied. On the other hand, there will be at least one good pick for everybody! :D |
Re: MovieMeditation presents... "His Top 50 Favorite Horror Films!"
LOVE The Collector !
Haven't seen The Caller but it's on my watchlist ! Stir Of Echoes is definitely a very good choice too ! |
Re: MovieMeditation presents... "His Top 50 Favorite Horror Films!"
Aaaah, finally! there was that love for The Collector which was missing! :p
Thanks to you too, Derek, for checking in! :up: |
Re: MovieMeditation presents... "His Top 50 Favorite Horror Films!"
+ rep purely for Stir Of Echoes. :up: I've not seen the other two, though I did start watching Dumplings once.
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I love Stir of Echoes and The Collector, but I did not care for The Collector 2.
Not familiar with The Caller. |
Originally Posted by cricket (Post 1294247)
I love Stir of Echoes and The Collector, but I did not care for The Collector 2.
Not familiar with The Caller. |
Originally Posted by MovieGal (Post 1294299)
ehmmm you mean "The Collection"? There was no "The Collector 2".. :p
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http://i57.tinypic.com/20i87bd.jpg ~His Top 50 Favorite Horror Films~ ______________________________________ 44. The Evil Dead Trilogy (1981-1992) · · · favorite pick: Evil Dead 2 · · · http://i61.tinypic.com/2ldub74.jpg http://i57.tinypic.com/2nkukh0.jpg · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · Here we have the first pick on the list, which have been expanded into a complete compilation of all films from the franchise… And if you perhaps were too lazy to read my explanatory presentation in the first post, I did this so I could make an interesting and varied list, which wasn’t dominated by several films from the same series, so that in the end, it wouldn’t be boring and repetitive for me to do and you to follow... But to make sure there isn’t going to be anybody becoming bothered by this particular strategy, I will indeed also give you my favorite pick from the collective choice of films, and in that way, make everyone around the forums happy! But it should be said, that even though I like all the films in this trilogy, I don’t necessarily like them equally as much, and my favorite pick happens to be one of those that slightly departs from what should be accepted into the list. But all that taken into consideration, I hereby present to you my forty-fourth pick… The very first ‘Evil Dead’ film is like the undisputed ruler of low-budget horror mayhem. Made from almost nothing, it has some of the best and most frightening make-up effects, which still kind of creeps me out to this day. Generally speaking, the whole film is very inventive and creative, in ways that truly proves how successful this film is… But even though I definitely like the film, there are some stretches to be found, and it isn’t completely consistent all the way through. That brings me to the next film in the franchise, which also happens to be my favorite entry, ‘Evil Dead 2’. In all fairness though, this spot should only consist of the first film, since the last two are more comedies, but the second film is my favorite and I probably wouldn’t put ‘The Evil Dead’ on here by its own, though it would most likely be a near miss. Anyways, this sequel is just amazing. It has the creep factor of the first flick, but with the added comedic elements and outrageous special effects and gags, this tops everything the first did in my opinion. And the fact that Bruce Campbell gets to act even campier and thereby shine even more than in the first film, this just lifts everything to a whole new level of awesomeness! Lastly, the third film is good entertainment, but I think it went with too much comedy and too much camp to be as good as the first two. I once again admire Sam Raimi for his brave decision to spice things up even more, but I really didn’t think it succeeded as well as the first two – though who knows if that will change on a rewatch or two. · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · Why is it on my list? The ‘Evil Dead’ trilogy is an amazing accomplishment in many ways, and it is always a fun time to experience these films! This discussion became a little longer than I planned on, due to the fact that I needed to discuss three films, so there really isn’t much more to say than these films are fun and campy in just the right way, and though only the first one is truly a horror film, I simply had to put all three on the list! ______________________________________ 43. Child's Play (1988) · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · http://i62.tinypic.com/ie49wk.png http://i60.tinypic.com/23kuhqu.jpg · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · Despite of the fact that this film is also the first in a long running series, the films that follow are are not nearly as good, neither do they all fall in the category of genuine horror. Even if these films have later become known for their comedic aspects, there is no doubt how the franchise started. Basically, Chucky almost acts as a miniature version of Freddy Krueger; meaning that he started out as a menacing threat who wasn’t afraid of playing jokingly around with his victims; but still there wasn’t the slightest of doubts that this was all done for the creep factor of it. That said, both franchises turned more and more comedic with time, and ended off trying to get back to its original roots once again… ‘Child’s Play’ is oddly enough not the first film I ever saw from this franchise… What is even worse is that I started out with the later more comedy-orientated entries, and although I don’t exactly hate them (in fact I remember them as good fun), you would still think that my ability to approach the first one as a rather serious horror film should be relatively difficult. But thankfully I was pretty much captured by the film right from the beginning. It had the perfect blend of an eerie atmosphere and a solid story to carry the whole film forward. It actually tries to build up some kind of mother-son relationship as well, while also making it clear how desperately difficult it is to be a kid, and try to convince grown-ups that his “Good Guy”-doll is alive. The film has an underlying layer of slow-building terror, that keeps you interested and entertained at the same time, while it waits until the very end to unleash all hell upon you. Oh, and of course, what would Chucky be without the amazing Brad Dourif? · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · Why is it on my list? The first film in the ‘Child’s Play’-series does the right thing by letting the horror gradually grow as the film pushes forward, and eventually end it all by giving you a very intense finale that surprisingly doesn’t seem weird or off-putting, despite of the fact that it contains a living and breathing doll trying to kill people. Despite of what the films turned into, the first one is still a solid horror film to this day. ______________________________________ 42. Grave Encounters (2011) · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · http://i57.tinypic.com/2wfpdsn.jpg http://i61.tinypic.com/2926xw6.jpg · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · The first found-footage film to appear on my list is this fairly unknown film that disappeared in the ruins of a million different cheap fractions of films, which broke off of the success of ‘Paranormal Activity’ in various failed imitative attempts. This one though, while not exactly breaking much new ground, still managed to create a very atmospheric and scary film, which felt very low budget and routine-like in its approach – all for the good of the film itself, of course. I really didn’t expect nothing from this, but in many ways this delivers the ultimate found footage experience – at least if you compare it to other projects that held the same budget and the same level of "incompetent talent"… Even though this film seems to be getting some pretty decent reception from fans of the genre, it is still not the best, and the critics weren’t at all pleased with it. But I think it has a lot to do with the fact that at one point, you just have had enough of these annoying found footage flicks, that you just throw them all in the same wastebasket without even looking properly at them. Firstly, this is a very fun satire for people familiar with those popular ghost haunting shows, popping up on television sets all around the world in various shapes and forms. This film almost acts as a behind-the-scenes look at how these shows are made and what kind of people participates in them. But what happens, when these people end up in a place that is truly haunted? Well, you get a fun but slow-building ride, that steadily makes you realize just how frightening the film is going to be once the act is over and the real terror sets in. · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · Why is it on my list? Taking place at a perfect location of a sinister mental hospital, filmed in a style that feels very believable and authentic throughout, and then adding perfectly acceptable special effects, this film truly flips upon you when you are least expecting it. Basically, when combining the somewhat intentional sense of disbelief and skepticism that the filmmakers want you to have, and then surprising you when everything moves into sheer terror, and with some interesting twists and turns – then you will absolutely be shocked of what kind of power this film actually holds. ______________________________________ |
Re: MovieMeditation presents... "His Top 50 Favorite Horror Films!"
Evil Dead trilogy is great. :up:
Child's Play is okay. :| Grave Encounters is garbage. :tsk: :D |
Re: MovieMeditation presents... "His Top 50 Favorite Horror Films!"
It must've been a fun read then, Swan! :D
"Oh, Evil Dead that's great... Ehm, Child's Play, well I can accept it... Grave Encouters!? Okay, I'm outta here..." :p Haha, but glad there was something for you to enjoy! :up: |
Re: MovieMeditation presents... "His Top 50 Favorite Horror Films!"
Evil Dead Trilogy is genius. Horror masterpieces.
Child's Play a lot of fun and always like this flick. Grave Encounters is one of the best found footage of all-time in my opinion and it's brilliant. Great once again MM ! |
Re: MovieMeditation presents... "His Top 50 Favorite Horror Films!"
Looks like I hit the spot every time for you, Derek! Glad you liked the picks, and that you also see something good in Grave Encounters. ;)
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Originally Posted by MovieMeditation (Post 1296284)
Looks like I hit the spot every time for you, Derek! Glad you liked the picks, and that you also see something good in Grave Encounters. ;)
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MM, great choice of the Evil Dead Trilogy, a set that is one of my favorites. Child's Play is always great fun, and huge props for Grave Encounters! I only saw the trailer on YouTube back when it came out, so I rented it and loved it! It is a cut above the "found footage" movies, as you've said. I also like the scene you pictured with the girl standing facing the wall. What happens after that is one of the spookiest instances I've ever seen. Great stuff!
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The Evil Dead trilogy is a mixed bag for me. The first one is a huge favorite of mine but I didn't like Army of Darkness. Evil Dead II is somewhere in the middle.
Child's Play is always fun. Not really interested in Grave Encounters. |
Re: MovieMeditation presents... "His Top 50 Favorite Horror Films!"
Thanks for checking in, cricket and dadgumblah! I appreciate it a whole lot!
Next set coming tomorrow, sunday. ;) |
http://i57.tinypic.com/20i87bd.jpg ~His Top 50 Favorite Horror Films~ ______________________________________ 41. Triangle (2009) · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · http://i59.tinypic.com/2dcdfkw.jpg http://i61.tinypic.com/n4b3nr.jpg · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · Since I already did a review for this in my diary thread, I will simply combine what I have already written together with some expanded thoughts as well… First off, the actual synopsis present on most sites doesn’t spoil the overall plot too much, but if I want to talk about this film to some extent at least, I simply have to tell you what the film is essentially about. So if you plan on watching this, and want to go in completely unknowing of what to expect, then don’t read any further. I won’t spoil the film per say, but the storyline that it follows I will have to discuss in order to make sense of what I write... So basically, there is this group of people who get stranded on a huge cruise ship and weird stuff starts to happen. More precisely, this one girl who is also the main character gets to relive the same exact timeline over and over again, and then has to perfect it in order to survive. This film is actually really interesting and also extremely well done when you notice how small the budget must have been. Despite the typical plot holes these films never seem to be able to get around, it is a fairly clever and frightening adrenaline-fueled ride. I love how the film spreads out the breadcrumbs for you, and have you guessing along trying to gather the plot almost in the same tempo as the main character does it. I have always had a weak spot for movies about parallel universes and copies of oneself, so this film is plenty unsettling to watch for me at times, and a whole lot of fun too. And what is also great is that the level of excitement just keeps expanding throughout the film, though at a point it does seem to go a little downward, and the overall conclusive ending could have been slightly better. · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · Why is it on my list? Considering the plot of the film, it holds up extremely well on a second viewing, even though it dropped quite some places down on this list than where I had initially placed it. But it is definitely still a lot of fun and at times quite terrifying, and the story is continuously very strong and clever, even considering the possible plot holes that it holds – most of which you don’t really care about when watching. I think there are only one or maybe two plot holes that I was quite annoyed by. Overall this is a ride to enjoy, and if you haven’t seen it I would recommend it – it is guaranteed to give you a very different and fun experience. ______________________________________ 40. From Dusk Till Dawn (1996) · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · http://i60.tinypic.com/2rqyn8g.jpg http://i62.tinypic.com/672nnd.jpg · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · The dynamic duo of cinema has joined forces in order to create the ultimate homage to those trashy and stylish grindhouse pictures, which they both love and appreciate almost immortally. This film is strangely enough not one that I particularly enjoyed the first time around, mostly because I had no clue of what to expect from it. What I eventually ended up with was a two-parted experience, with a very interesting and well-made trash-thriller slash road-movie in the first half, and then a totally over-the-top goofy vampire gore-fest in the second. But when I revisited the film once again, I was completely prepared for the level of absolute mindless fun, which it was supposed to deliver, and actually I ended up having an amazing time with it! As I mentioned before, this is basically two movies crammed into one, each paying homage to different types of grindhouse cinema. While I still wish the film had kept with the initial storyline, I don’t mind the mindless vampire madness that it turns in to, although I wasn’t keen on this element back during my first watch. But without it, this film wouldn’t even have been able to land on my list, and honestly, I think this is a film that will only get even better with rewatches to come. It has that perfect blend of atmospheric macho-style badassery of filmmaking, which Tarantino and Rodriguez so clearly aimed for. On its own very insane level of terms, this film is an enormous success and it accomplishes more than it had any right to do, really. · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · Why is it on my list? Probably the most insanely entertaining pick on my list, full of inventive visual gags, delivered in a pace and style that is just batshiit crazy. But before you get to dive into all the madness, you get an exceptionally well-made first half, which contains signature filmmaking from both these talented gentlemen. And together with the strong “grindhouse feel”, this film puts you in just the right mood throughout, and sometimes, it is just great to see filmmakers show why they are film enthusiasts as well, and not just boring slaves to Hollywood. This is a film you either love or hate… and I love it! ______________________________________ 39. The Exorcist (1973) · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · http://i61.tinypic.com/148nsjq.jpg http://i61.tinypic.com/1zv8jtv.jpg · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · The supposedly scariest movie ever made is undoubtedly a cinematic milestone in horror history, and even for all its whimsical wonders, I ultimately dedicate it with a spot that just barely places it into the top forty. How does that make any sense, you may ask? First off, I will never take away any of the undisputable achievements this film has made or even try to tell anybody that it doesn’t deserve its extraordinary reputation. After all, I have this film on my list for a reason, and even though greatness and favoritism tend to go hand in hand sometimes, this list is primarily a ranked compilation of personal favorites, and therefore I haven’t deliberately chosen any of the films out of sheer success and reputation, or groundbreaking technical achievements. This film is on my list for a reason, in the same way that it isn’t placed higher for any other reason… Let me start off by saying, that this is indeed a very masterful and appreciated product of cinema, with great and fitting cinematography, set to an undying and unsettling music score, which is all held together by great performances and groundbreaking special effects. But personally, for all its clear triumphs I don’t find the film to be particularly scary, nor do it necessarily have to be, to stand as a great horror film. I can easily relate to religious people who believe in the existence of demonic powers and the devil himself, and therefore are absolutely terrified by the realistic and haunting imagery present in this film. Personally, I’m not a religious person; neither do I typically find exorcisms to fall into my taste of horror. It is just that I simply can’t take something that seriously, when there is a 12 year old girl with the raspy voice of a 40 year old drug addict – or just someone who had one too many cigarettes in his lifetime – rambling about in very amusing foul language like, “your mother sucks c*cks in hell” or “you f*cking ******”. At times it just takes me out of the film, due to the fact that I find it more funny than frightening. But I can definitely see why some would find it scary, especially at the time of release. · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · Why is it on my list? This is a well-crafted horror film that I enjoy very much, but mostly for the way that it is made, rather than what it really aims for. But with all that is said above, I couldn’t deny that certain elements are, if not scary, then definitely very disturbing to watch – like the crucifix mutilation scene, the spider-walk and the famous head-spin. The most disturbing scene of them all though, at least to me, is not even religiously related or a true attempt at being scary… I’m talking about the needle insertion/blood squirting scene at the hospital, and basically just all the experiments they put her through... I guess sometimes it is true terror, which terrifies you the most. ______________________________________ |
Re: MovieMeditation presents... "His Top 50 Favorite Horror Films!"
doesn't like Triangle too much...
From Dusk Till Dawn is awesome !! The Exorcist is an absolute classic. very nice once again |
Re: MovieMeditation presents... "His Top 50 Favorite Horror Films!"
Yeah, I thought of you and your reaction to Triangle as I was writing this... :p
Glad you liked the others! :up: |
Re: MovieMeditation presents... "His Top 50 Favorite Horror Films!"
Finally! Some good films. :p:D
Seriously though, three films which I really, really like. I've Triangle three or four times now and it holds up each and every time. From Dusk Till Dawn used to be on my 100. One of the best cinema experiences I ever had. As for The Exorcist. I've said before and I'll say it again, the best made horror film I've seen. A brilliant piece of cinema and a real achievement on the effects front, too. |
Re: MovieMeditation presents... "His Top 50 Favorite Horror Films!"
You are a hard man to please, honeykid, so having three films in a row that you like is close to impossible! Don't know how that even succeeded. :p
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Re: MovieMeditation presents... "His Top 50 Favorite Horror Films!"
Hey, sometimes you just get lucky. :up: You might not be able to do it again, so just bask in the glory of having done it once. :D
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Re: MovieMeditation presents... "His Top 50 Favorite Horror Films!"
Love Triangle and The Exorcist - especially The Exorcist, which, like honeykid says, is one of the most well-made horrors ever. From Dusk till Dawn is pretty good too. :)
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Re: MovieMeditation presents... "His Top 50 Favorite Horror Films!"
I pleased Swan too?! Man, this must be my lucky day. :D
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Re: MovieMeditation presents... "His Top 50 Favorite Horror Films!"
Quick! Buy a lottery ticket, MM. :up:
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Re: MovieMeditation presents... "His Top 50 Favorite Horror Films!"
Originally Posted by honeykid (Post 1297841)
Quick! Buy a lottery ticket, MM. :up:
http://stream1.gifsoup.com/view8/201...ing-late-o.gif |
Re: MovieMeditation presents... "His Top 50 Favorite Horror Films!"
The Evil Dead trilogy and The Exorcist are awesome! Great list so far MM!
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Originally Posted by False Writer (Post 1298223)
The Evil Dead trilogy and The Exorcist are awesome! Great list so far MM!
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I love From Dusk Til Dawn right up until the point when Hayek turns into a vampire. After that, I'm not crazy about it.
Triangle is excellent and The Exorcist is too low! |
Originally Posted by cricket (Post 1298405)
I love From Dusk Til Dawn right up until the point when Hayek turns into a vampire. After that, I'm not crazy about it.
Triangle is excellent and The Exorcist is too low! |
I've seen other members write that they find The Exorcist funny at times. The only thing I can think of is the age when someone sees it. I find a lot of humor in Deliverance and Leaving Las Vegas-both movies I watched very often while drunk in my early to mid twenties.
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Re: MovieMeditation presents... "His Top 50 Favorite Horror Films!"
Yeah, and of course I wish I would be absolutely terrified by the film, but even though I only find certain parts scary or disturbing, the film is so extremely well made that it makes up for it all.
And who knows, maybe I'll appreciate it even more with time, but after all it did make my list and I do love the film, so it's all cool... And hey, everyone throws The Exorcist in their Top 10 or whatever. I am full of surprises here! :D |
I can't imagine you'll be scared by it in the future, but at least you appreciate it's quality, like you said. I've never seen the recut with the spider walk, if that makes a difference. I don't want to, it's already perfect for me.
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Re: MovieMeditation presents... "His Top 50 Favorite Horror Films!"
The Exorcist doesn't scare me, but it is intense as hell.
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Re: MovieMeditation presents... "His Top 50 Favorite Horror Films!"
From Dusk Til Dawn was fun to watch at the theatre.... it was a snowy as hell night in the middle of winter... barely anyone in the theatre.. and we had fun with that film.. kind of like Mystery Science Theatre 3000. The Exorcist is an awesome horror... true to life ****.
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@cricket Have you ever just seen the clip though? like on youtube or whatever?
Personally I love the spider-walk scene. And honestly I don't think it ruins the film even for those who love and appreciate the first cut. The spider-walk scene is so quick and comes out of nowhere, that you don't really realize whether it fits or not. I just think it looks cool, and in a way it almost feels totally out of place and abrupt, which only makes it a surprising and great scene in my opinion. But yeah, though essential to me, it's such a small scene that the movie works the same with or without it... But just to make it clear: I love The Exorcist, it's a great and well-made film, that, though occasionally funny to me, it is also very disturbing and ultimately it's such a great time that I don't mind how it makes me feel. It's a great film and that's the most important thing in the end - whether it's great for one thing or another. |
Re: MovieMeditation presents... "His Top 50 Favorite Horror Films!"
Swan, isnt The Exorcist based on a half truth story? I mean some people believe in demon possession .. its a big thing in the Catholic Church... so yeah if that sh*t can really happen then you better be scared it doesn't happen to you!
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Re: MovieMeditation presents... "His Top 50 Favorite Horror Films!"
The novel was inspired by "real events," only real in the sense of being an exorcism performed on a person. I don't personally believe they were truly possessed, though.
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Re: MovieMeditation presents... "His Top 50 Favorite Horror Films!"
Hey Movie Meditation... have you seen the possession film "Dorothy Mills"?
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Re: MovieMeditation presents... "His Top 50 Favorite Horror Films!"
I have not. Should I?
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Originally Posted by Swan (Post 1298443)
The novel was inspired by "real events," only real in the sense of being an exorcism performed on a person. I don't personally believe they were truly possessed, though.
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Originally Posted by MovieMeditation (Post 1298445)
I have not. Should I?
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Re: MovieMeditation presents... "His Top 50 Favorite Horror Films!"
Of course being a parent while something like that was happening to your kid would absolutely be terrifying, I don't doubt it.
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I saw the clip a couple times back when they were promoting the release. Idk, it just came off wrong for me.
Maybe everyone else heard these things- Jack Nicholson turned down the role of the priest. Kubrick was supposed to direct. Of course, those two got together later. Max Von Sydow was only around 40yo playing a guy in his 70's. |
Originally Posted by Swan (Post 1298448)
Of course being a parent while something like that was happening to your kid would absolutely be terrifying, I don't doubt it.
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Re: MovieMeditation presents... "His Top 50 Favorite Horror Films!"
Mental illness is a scary thing. :D :D :D :D :D :D :D
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Originally Posted by Swan (Post 1298456)
Mental illness is a scary thing. :D :D :D :D :D :D :D
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Re: MovieMeditation presents... "His Top 50 Favorite Horror Films!"
Originally Posted by MovieGal (Post 1298447)
I liked it.. I have a few possession films... I think possession is possible... some claim its a form of mental illness but I really doubt that.
I personally believe in the fact that there is something out there, which cannot be explained by science. Unexplained phenomenons. I also believe in "spirits", though I hate to use specific words, since I don't believe such things can be specific. I like to just say, I believe in something that cannot be explained, and therefore refuse to try and explain it. |
Originally Posted by MovieMeditation (Post 1298459)
So you are religious, at least in some way? Because either you believe in possession, which is done by some sort of evil forces. I don't believe in such things though, at least not in this particular way. Or else, you believe in the scientific way, which is some sort of mental illness.
I personally believe in the fact that there is something out there, which cannot be explained by science. Unexplained phenomenons. I also believe in "spirits", though I hate to use specific words, since I don't believe such things can be specific. I like to just say, I believe in something that cannot be explained, and therefore refuse to try and explain it. As Swan said.. mental illness itself can be a scary thing.. I suffer from a few forms but thats no one's business but my own... and who I choose to share it with. |
Re: MovieMeditation presents... "His Top 50 Favorite Horror Films!"
It all makes sense now! Perhaps you watch all those explicit gore flicks to cure your illness... Clockwork Orange style! :D
On a serious note though, I'm only kidding of course, after all I know nothing about those sides of you so anything I say and think is purely guesses! :p But yeah, such conversation would be interesting... And really I don't mind a great discussion, I'm glad to see my picks spawned some kind of debate - though I agree it should be taken elsewhere if it goes on in every other direction several pages throughout! :D |
Originally Posted by MovieMeditation (Post 1298477)
It all makes sense now! Perhaps you watch all those explicit gore flicks to cure your illness... Clockwork Orange style! :D
On a serious note though, I'm only kidding of course, after all I know nothing about those sides of you so anything I say and think is purely guesses! :p But yeah, such conversation would be interesting... And really I don't mind a great discussion, I'm glad to see my picks spawned some kind of debate - though I agree it should be taken elsewhere if it goes on in every other direction several pages throughout! :D |
Borderland was pretty good.
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Originally Posted by cricket (Post 1298485)
Borderland was pretty good.
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Re: MovieMeditation presents... "His Top 50 Favorite Horror Films!"
I'm very open about my illness. I have schizophrenia. Anyone who has a problem with that can f*ck off.
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Originally Posted by Swan (Post 1298491)
I'm very open about my illness. I have schizophrenia. Anyone who has a problem with that can f*ck off.
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Originally Posted by MovieGal (Post 1298495)
I suffer from depression but I think all my good friends here know that...
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Originally Posted by MovieGal (Post 1298486)
Again a story based on True Events... **** yeah... what they do to Rider Strong was f*cked up....
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Originally Posted by Camo (Post 1298511)
Very loosely based on True Events. I haven't watched the film but i'm familiar with the true story and have actually read an article comparing them. I also had stuff to post about Roland Doe (the basis for The Exorcist) but we've passed that now and I couldn't find the article anyway :shrug:
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Re: MovieMeditation presents... "His Top 50 Favorite Horror Films!"
I'd say cults that believe in human sacrifice are scarier than possession because, y'know, they'd be real. ;)
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Originally Posted by honeykid (Post 1298826)
I'd say cults that believe in human sacrifice are scarier than possession because, y'know, they'd be real. ;)
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Exemplary thread, MM! This is why you're one of my favorite MoFos. You consistently go the extra mile when it comes to the time and effort you put into your threads. Your reviews and write-ups are stellar. Your posts illustrate your obvious passion for writing and movies. A lot of members just throw these lists together without much thought, but I admire your commitment to do the best job possible. The layout, the graphics, the presentation, the explanation of your thought process, the write-ups and reasons for each entry on the list . . . all of it is very, very impressive. I wish more members were like you. :)
So far this is a very interesting list with a good mixture of lesser known films and beloved classics. There's a few I haven't seen (Dumplings, The Caller, Grave Encounters, Triangle). I've never even heard of Dumplings, but your write-up has me intrigued. I typically dislike found-footage films, but I've heard a few members sing the praises of Grave Encounters, so I'm willing to give it a shot. Triangle has been on my watchlist for years. I haven't seen Thirteen Ghosts since it first came out. I remember liking it, even if it wasn't necessarily a great film. The creativity with the different ghosts and the glass house helped the movie stand out despite its familiar structure. If I watched the film today, I'm confident that I'd still have fun with it, even if its shortcomings might be much more noticeable. Considering that you just recently watched Nosferatu the Vampyre for the first time, I'm pleased to see that it made a strong enough impression on you to make your list, even if it's ranked fairly low at the moment. I'm confident that the movie will grow on you with any future viewings and climb higher on the list in the future. If this was my list, it'd make the top ten. I think it's the greatest vampire movie ever made. The Collector is above average, but most of the movie has faded from my memory. I've never bothered with the sequel. I love Stir of Echoes. Such an underrated movie. It works as a horror, thriller and mystery film. There are several sequences in the film that never fail to creep me out. I own it on DVD, but I haven't watched it in a few years. I need to revisit it. I like The Evil Dead, but I've only seen bits and pieces of the sequels. I remember watching Child's Play or one of the sequels a long, long time ago, but I don't remember much about it. I was a kid at the time, but even then I didn't find Chucky particularly scary. From Dusk Till Dawn is awesome. I remember watching it when it first came out. I was only 9 or 10 at the time. I had no idea who Quentin Tarantino was. I had no idea that vampires were involved. I know some people criticize the jarring, out-of-nowhere shift once the characters arrive at the titty bar, but I was grinning ear-to-ear when I first watched it. The whole thing is so absurd, yet so ridiculously fun and comical and entertaining. And the scene with Salma Hayek and the snake is still one of the sexiest things I've ever seen. I don't generally think of it as a horror film, although it certainly fits the criteria for your list, but it's most definitely a favorite of mine. I watched The Exorcist for the first time last year in preparation for the 70's Countdown and wrote a review for it. I liked it, but I couldn't help feeling disappointing with it, too. I think the movie is a victim of its own success in some ways. So many iconic scenes have been replayed and parodied over the years that their impact is now diminished. If I had been alive to watch The Exorcist when it was first released, I'm sure I'd be one of the people declaring it as one of the greatest horror films of all-time, but instead I find it overrated. I'm excited and curious to see how the rest of this list plays out. :) |
Re: MovieMeditation presents... "His Top 50 Favorite Horror Films!"
And there it was! The much anticipated write-up by The Great Spaulding. :p
Seriously though, I was beginning to worry if you would ever check into this list. I appreciate every single reply I get but the longer the better, obviously. And it doesn't harm that you also write so detailed and dig down into each film and aspect etc. Thanks Spaulding! And many thanks for handing out all that credit about my effort and my weakness for always wanting to deliver perfection. It's hard, it's sometimes very difficult, but I do it as much for myself as I do it for all those who appreciate such things - like you. Some people like to get things delivered quick and common, others do appreciate more personality and thoughts. I do, and I like doing it, and shout out to everybody who do as well! :up: I should have the next 3 coming up very soon! |
Re: MovieMeditation presents... "His Top 50 Favorite Horror Films!"
I think From Dusk Till Dawn is decent enough fun, although I don't completely love it as much as some of you guys. It's one of my step-dad's favourite movies, and I think if I had watched it at a younger age I would absolutely love it, but it actually came after I had watched most of Tarantino's stuff, I think. But there's certainly lots of great, fun parts, especially the Salma Hayek scene. I'm also in the camp that prefers the first half to the second.
The Exorcist is actually my step-brothers favourite film, I think. I've seen it in parts a lot of times, and a few in its entirety. I think it's one of the greatest horror films ever made, and certainly one of the best written. So whilst it's good to see it on the list, I think it's too low and I'm disappointing to hear you aren't completely in love with it, although it's good to see a list that's an honest reflection of your favourites with your personal thoughts mixed in rather than being boring and conventional. I watched The Evil Dead about a week ago and I wasn't a particularly big fan unfortunately, although I can definitely see the cult appeal with the gore and dark comedy. It just seemed a little to stretched out because of its simple plot, the characters seemed silly at times and its in your face approach got a bit annoying for me about half way through :( |
Re: MovieMeditation presents... "His Top 50 Favorite Horror Films!"
Wow, thanks for the extended replies here, Daniel and Chypmunk! Thanks for putting effort into your answers and commenting with your own thoughts as well!
As I said before, the next 3 is coming up, I would say in about 15-30 minutes! :up: |
Re: MovieMeditation presents... "His Top 50 Favorite Horror Films!"
I haven't seen Childsplay in about 10 years, but I do remember really liking it. I used to have the doll when I was younger but I sold it for a few quid :).
from Dusk Till Dawn is a fantastic film. Sure, it's over the top and silly but it's entertaining as f***. I really love the dance scene when everything first kicks off. Such a badass film. |
http://i57.tinypic.com/20i87bd.jpg ~His Top 50 Favorite Horror Films~ ______________________________________ 38. Videodrome (1983) · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · http://i60.tinypic.com/2eyvxmt.jpg http://i61.tinypic.com/11r6aed.jpg · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · Director David Cronenberg grants us with his delicate and definitive blend of explicit body horror brilliance and clever social commentary, in this twisted and thought provoking science fiction cult classic. The film explodes with inventive ideas and disturbing imagery that just comes to life in a skillfully manner, when in the hands of someone as talented as Cronenberg. He has directed some excellent films over the years, but this one just came across as even more interesting than some of his other works… This film presents us with a lot of things at once, some of which has become very present in today’s society. The comments on technology, mass media and the general public hunger for explicit and exciting television, are all expertly handled and has that perfect incarnated darkness, which is only brightening all the points and comments to even greater extend. Cronenberg understood early on, that media is not some separated form that we just glance at with great excitement. It is something that burrows itself into our very mind and body. It affects us all to greater extent than we could ever imagine. It only makes everything even better, that Cronenberg’s usual flair for presenting his point of view in a stylistic and at times humorous manner, is very dominating in this film. · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · Why is it on my list? Cronenberg knows how to walk the fine line between overly exhausting direct cinema and additional subtle social commentary, and doing so in a way, which comes across as both extremely clever and mindless entertaining. Even though it has been a while since I have seen this film, there is still plenty of memorable imagery and interesting viewpoints, which shines brighter than ever now, and just talking about it makes me want to re-experience everything all over again. ______________________________________ 37. The Texas Chainsaw Massacre (1974) · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · http://i61.tinypic.com/kd99ol.jpg http://i62.tinypic.com/1118ldd.jpg · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · I have noticed that this is a film that either falls in the love or hate kind of category… There are people who think this is an awful piece of low-budget exploitation cinema, while others praise it for pretty much every aspect that it has. I want to say right away, that if anything this film should be way higher on my list. But because I have only seen it twice – once when I was a kid and once when I was a lot older – I can’t get myself to put it above several favorites on my list when I’m not sure how I will ultimately stand with it. With a rewatch I would say it could definitely make it into the top twenty, but as of right now it shouldn’t matter too much. All that is important is that I’m one of those who love this film; and actually I’m quite surprised of how great I thought it was on that second viewing… I think this film stands as one of the most well crafted horror films ever made, especially considering its budget and what seems to be a very graphic and insane concept. It just works. The surprising thing about it all, is that this film isn’t even that graphic. Instead it feels very tense and disturbing throughout, capturing that perfectly unsettling kind of atmosphere that feels present all the way to the end. Right from the opening credits, you know that this is going to be a special kind of experience, consisting of a very gritty and hand-held style, which just adds to the realism of it all. I remember to agree with another member here on the forum, who also noticed how great the cinematography was. I think the warm saturated filthy look to it makes it all that more frightening. And together with the extremely creepy soundscape and great set designs, this is a film that holds its own. · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · Why is it on my list? One of those very tense and atmospheric horror films that take time to fully creep up on you, but still manages to be rather unsettling all the way through. It has a wild and graphic concept, but still manages to cast full focus on creating the inner fear, instead of being a full-on gore-fest from beginning to end. The film is well lit and directed, and has one of the creepiest soundscapes of all time. And just to clarify, this film is much higher on this list in my mind, but because of various reasons this will be lurking in the shadows until next time… ______________________________________ 36. An American Werewolf in London (1981) · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · http://i61.tinypic.com/2lcmo9f.jpg http://i57.tinypic.com/23gxock.png · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · Oh no… Here comes a film that seems beloved by many members here, and rightfully so. This is one of my favorite childhood movies, and yes, you read that correctly. I'm pretty sure that there is nothing terrifyingly wrong with me – well, except for the occasional late night killing spree when I'm feeling a bit moody, but that's about it… I always liked this film and watched it many times back in the day. It has the perfect feel to it of a small film and with a nice combination of horror and humor. In many ways this pick is too low, but there are so many factors I have to consider that it is sometimes hard where to put a film. But love it, I certainly do… The film feels like a very fresh and fun twist on a tired genre, and although classic and respectful in its execution, it isn’t afraid to be different in any way. There are many things to say about this film, which is original and well done, but what I really love about it is the very unusual werewolf howl. Actually, it isn’t even a howl in the classic sense of the word, but more like a deep and disturbing long-lasting bark. Many would think it would be wrong to mess with such an element as that of the werewolf howl, but thankfully they made it sound amazing. The film was pretty disturbing back in the days, but I was never truly frightened. The only thing I thought was pretty scary and really gross, as a kid, was the ripped-up Jack when he came back on the occasional visits in Limbo. That image stayed with me for a while; especially in the first visit when he was almost just killed, and the wounds are all fresh and greasy, right down to the last little flapping flap of skin, hanging expertly placed on his neck… very delicious indeed. · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · Why is it on my list? A fresh and yet classic take on the werewolf genre that isn’t afraid to transform into a true and terrifying beast of a film! Together with the surprisingly humorous undertone and some great special effects and sound work, this lands comfortably on my list, while probably being too low for a few reasons. But after all this is a ranking in order favoritism and not greatness, and if it was to be ranked after the latter it would most definitely be a lot higher. But anyways, I love this film, and wherever it was to land it certainly had to be on the list somewhere, that’s for sure! ______________________________________ |
Re: MovieMeditation presents... "His Top 50 Favorite Horror Films!"
Now THAT'S more like it!
Three fantastic films. |
Originally Posted by MovieGal (Post 1298827)
I was saying that both are scary.... but yeah Human Sacrifice is worse than possession... however they are both a form of death.... death of the body and death of the soul at the point of possession.
An American Werewolf in London and TCM :up: , still haven't watched Videodrome. Great write ups. |
Re: MovieMeditation presents... "His Top 50 Favorite Horror Films!"
The Texas Chainsaw Massacre is my favourite horror movie ever made. So in my opinion it's listed to low. :)
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One of the best lists i've seen on here, MovieMeditation, from format on down to write-ups.
major up-reps for ~ Nosferatu the Vampyre '79 Evil Dead 2 '87 The Exorcist '73 The Texas Chainsaw Massacre '73 At one time or another all of these have been among my favorite movies. The Evil Dead films have fallen for me a bit over time, although i quite enjoyed Evil Dead 2 the first time i saw it. Recall showing it to a girl back in college and we laughed all the way through |
Re: MovieMeditation presents... "His Top 50 Favorite Horror Films!"
Videodrome is Great , Texas Chainsaw Massacre is really great and An American Werewolf In London is my favorite movie from this set so it's extremely great! Great list so far buddy
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