Horror films in alphabetical order

13. Alien



What makes Alien so great is the constant feel of uneasiness. Right from the beginning you have a feeling that something is wrong. The crew is not particularly friendly towards each other, and you truly feel all the in-group tension. The ship itself is a huge worn out industrial-style maze of halls and corridors, and it feels more like a prison than a place to live. It is as if not only the alien but also the ship itself is against the humans. The Alien itself is the scariest monster in history because it is a ruthless, soul-less parasite completely devoid of any human or civilized traits. The design of the monster is a stroke of genius. Sure it has a humanoid form, but it has no facial traits or anything else which could give away emotions or intentions. Its actions reveals no weaknesses nor civilized intelligence. The Alien is more or less the opposite of everything human and civilized, plus the creature is more well-adapted to the inhumane interior of the ship than the humans who build it. To sum up, you then have a setting where the humans are caught in a web of in-group tensions, an inhospitable ship and the perfect killer which thrives in the ships intestines. You almost get the feel that the humans are the ones who are alienated to each other and to their own ship.

Ridley Scott tells the story with a perfectly synchronized blend of visuals and sounds.

The actors do a superb job, portraying their characters in a subtle but very realistic way. The seven man crew is not a bunch of Hollywood heroes. They are ordinary people with strengths and weaknesses, likes and dislikes. In this way they all seem so fragile when confronted with the enemy.

As mentioned the ship is very claustrophobic and Ridley Scott adds to the eeriness by using camera movement, lights and shadows in an effective way. The living quarters are bright and should be comfortable to the crew, but there is something sterile about it all. The rest of the ship is basically a huge basement.

The music by Jerry Goldsmith underlines the eeriness so well, and the movie wouldn't have worked without his score. Combined with the sounds of the ship it all adds to the uneasiness.

This is not a story about heroic people who boldly teams up against evil. It's a story about ordinary people facing true fear, which is the fear without a face. The fear we can't understand and can't negotiate with, because its only goal is to survive on the expense of us. It's a story where some people bravely fight back whilst others are destroyed by the terror. It's a story where people a killed in a completely random way. There is no higher-order justice behind who gets to live and who dies. All seven characters are just part of a race where the fittest - not necessarily the most righteous - will prevail, and all seven characters start the race on an equal footing. None of them are true heroes, and none of them are true villains.

All the above makes Alien so great as a horror movie. The terror isn't just the Alien itself, it's the entire atmosphere which gets so effectively under your skin, that you just can't shrug it off after the end credits like you can with so many other Hollywood horror movies. The title "Alien" doesn't just refer to the monster, it is the theme of the movie and it is the feeling you have during and after the movie.

14. Alone



The use of all possible creepy elements such as wooden doors that make noises, swing and an overall horrific location. Interestingly, Bhushan Patel manages to infuse a good amount of suspense in the film and stretches it to the very climax even though one starts getting the hints quite early on. The visual effects are quite decent and it seems Patel is getting the hang of it with every film

15. The apparition



"The Apparition" was actually a nice change of pace for an otherwise stale genre of ghost movies that most recently have been flooded by a heap of super fake 'found footage' movies that we are spoon-fed to believe is actually real. But then "The Apparition" comes along and manages to lift up the genre from an otherwise downward spiral.

The story in "The Apparition" is not overly scary, as per se, but it does move ahead at a brisk pace, and it does leave you wondering what is going on and wanting to see more. Unfortunately, there weren't any scare moments in the movie, and that was a shame, because a couple of scares and 'edge-of-the-seat' moments would have been nice.

However, the movie does provide you with just the right amount of suspense, thrills and ghostly phenomena to keep it interesting. And it turning out to be a poltergeist phenomena just makes it all the more interesting.

As for the acting in the movie, well then people did good enough jobs with their given characters and roles, although no one really managed to stand out from the crowd. That being said, don't get me wrong, because they weren't amateurs.

I enjoyed "The Apparition" for what it was, a good-hearted attempt at returning to the good old atmosphere that they had in "Poltergeist". However, "The Apparition" was just lacking all the ghosts, spooks and disturbing images. Sure, "The Apparition" is not "Poltergeist", nor is it "Thirteen Ghosts", but it still does provide good entertainment

16. Audrey rose



"Audrey Rose" is a strange little tale of reincarnation. The story centers around a Janice (Marsha Mason) and Bill (John Beck) Templeton, a New York city couple who have a wonderful daughter named Ivy. Their lives are fairly normal, that is until a stranger (Anthony Hopkins) begins to stalk Ivy, claiming that within her body is the reincarnated spirit of his daughter, Audrey Rose, who burned to death in a horrible car accident. Of course, the Templetons think this stranger, named Elliot, is a madman. But when Ivy begins having horrible nightmares, running through her room, and banging on her bedroom window with her fists, they begin to wonder if Elliot's claims may just be true...

From the director of the horror classic, "The Haunting", Robert Wise, comes this bizarre but spooky little tale of reincarnation. The story is based on Frank DeFelitta's novel of the same name, and the plot is interesting. Reincarnation was a topic that hadn't really been addressed at the time, but while this film is constructed all around the basic idea of reincarnation, many people have mistaken it for some sort of "Exorcist" rip-off, mainly because of the fact that it displays horrible events plaguing a young girl. It's an intelligent premise and a well-written plot, but the problem with the film is that it is quite plodding and almost too slow for it's own good.

Don't get me wrong, I don't have a problem with slow-going stories, but I think most people can agree that the pacing here is a little tedious at times. On the plus side, there are some genuinely frightening hysteria sequences involving the young Ivy, along with the awful car crash death in the beginning that is the basis of the film. As far as the acting goes, it was all good - some of the hysteria scenes were obviously overacted, but aside from that it wasn't bad. Marsha Mason conveys a very emotional, frantic mother, while John Beck isn't given much to work with. The brilliant Anthony Hopkins plays Elliot (in one of his earlier roles, before "The Silence Of The Lambs" fame that he earned later in his career) quite well, which isn't surprising because he's always good. And Susan Swift (who much later appeared in a "Halloween" sequel), plays the tormented Ivy. I'm surprised we didn't see more of her as an actress, she seems to have had the potential.

To sum things up, "Audrey Rose" is a decent horror movie. The storyline is excellent, but unfortunately the pacing here breaks a lot of tension. On the plus side, there are some frightening scenes and a few memorable sequences, plus the story is intelligent and original. While it's a decent horror movie, it's not the kind of movie you can sit down and watch if you're in a tired mood, because it will likely bore you. Go into it with an open mind, but don't expect anything in terms of "The Haunting" or Wise's other films.

17. Alice, sweet Alice



Terrifically good sleeper horror from director Alfred Sole rises to a level much higher than it's low-budget appearance.

Is young Alice the masked murderer that's targeting her family?

Communion, better known as Alice Sweet Alice, is an engulfing and sharply-made shocker that seems to have been lost over the years. The story is a splendidly twisted murder mystery that boasts a good amount of suspense and some well-rounded characters. Sole directs this movie with some true skill and style, with lots of inventive cinematography and making great use of the rustic filming locations of Paterson, New Jersey. He also uses the imagery of the killer's mask and the catholic symbols in a creepily effective manner. There's plenty of good shocks to be had in this film as well, in fact the horrific stairwell-knifing is powerful to Hitchcockian proportions. This film is so well-made that it's a wonder Sole hasn't gone on to become better known in the cinematic world. The elegant music score is also a great addition to this thriller.

Cast-wise the film is great as well. Paula Sheppard (who was 19 years old at the time) plays her bratty 12 year old character very convincingly. Linda Miller is strong as Sheppard's understandably distraught mother. Mildred Clinton is excellent as the stern house keeper. Niles McMaster is good as Sheppard's estranged father, as is Jane Lowry as the hateful aunt. Rudolph Willrich is also memorable as father Tom. Look for young Brook Shields as Alice's little sister.

Communion is a striking and haunting little thriller that deserves a wider audience. For horror and thriller fans a like, it's a great find!

18. Apt pupil



The only thing more frightening that having the Holocaust as part of our world's long history is to know that are human minds capable of creating and sustaining such an oppression. The real horror of Bryan Singer's adaptation of Stephen King's novella "Apt Pupil" lies in that we have this knowledge. We know that Adolf Hitler possessed the powers of immense manipulation and charisma. This has been so ingrained into our heads that I remember as a child knowing that Hitler was charismatic before I really knew what the term meant. This film is an exploration into the mind of a person who conceivably has many of the same manipulative characteristics. In the progression of the film, we slowly learn why.

Before any images actually come on screen, we hear the voice of someone asking if the Holocaust occurred as a result of economic or social cultural reasons. Or was it in fact, human nature? We then realize that the monologue is being given by a school teacher in a social studies class. The principle character, Todd Bowden (Brad Renfro), a member of this class and is fascinated with studying the Holocaust. He spends much time in the library reading books and newspaper articles on the subject. Just as the opening credits finish, the camera zooms in slowly to the eyes of a concentration camp leader. This is the first of many extreme close-up shots of eyes. This distance motif is incredibly effective. The eyes are the window to a man's soul and the psyche that "Apt Pupil" explores.

One rainy night, while Todd is riding the bus, he sees a mysterious man, who he realizes is Kurt Dussander (Ian McKellan), a Nazi war criminal and concentration camp leader who managed to escape from Germany years before. This is when we really begin to see Todd's disturbed mind. He is the kind of person who is so meticulous that he finds fourteen finger print matches of Dussander and builds a file that will be sent to the Israeli government if he doesn't agree to tell stories about the Holocaust that "they are too afraid to tell in school". It is now clear that Todd is not so fascinated with the Holocaust because he's racist (the film makes no reference to him being racist). He admires the power, dedication and will behind the driving force of the Holocaust. He mimics this power in his blackmailing of Dussander.

The scenes with Dussander explaining in explicit detail the acts that he performed in concentration camps are quite disturbing in themselves, but what is more disturbing is that Todd seems more detached than Kurt. Most of us would cringe in disgust if we were to sit and listen to the stories that Kurt tells. We get the impression that Todd is thrilled with the fact that he is able to control this man and make him relive his past.

In the film's most harrowing scene, Todd brings Kurt an officer's uniform, similar to what he would have worn during the War years, and makes him march. Up until this point, we are led to believe that perhaps Kurt has had some time to develop remorse over the years for his haneous acts of brutality, but when Todd begins commanding him, Kurt fades to the same state of mind of his Nazi persona from the past and we see the man capable of ordering concentration camp personnel to gas hundreds of Jews. The scene is truly chilling and stands out as the most memorable in the film.

"Apt Pupil" is occasionally slow, but never boring. I, for one could not take my eyes off the screen for a second. The power struggles between Todd and Kurt are always intense. The sequence of events leads up to a horrifying scene with Todd and his guidance counselor (David Schwimmer). Here, we learn of the lengths that Todd will take his manipulation. "You can't do that," the guidance counselor says. "You have no idea what I am capable of doing," replies Todd. This line of dialogue is very effective. We know from having seen the rest of the film that Todd is capable of quite a lot. While not as powerful or intense as Stephen King's novella, the film "Apt Pupil" gives us a creepy insight to the corruption of power and manipulation.

19. Art of the devil



It seems that Thailand is trying to jump head-first into the horror scene that has long been dominated in Asia by the Japanese. They have a long way to go to surpass some of the more notable "underground" horror films from Japan - but with some solid entries, and some more interesting looking films on the way - the Thai's may yet make their mark on Asia's horror scene...

ART OF THE DEVIL is about a girl who gets pregnant by a rich businessman and then blackmails him for money after he offers to pay her off to keep quiet about the child. When he refuses to pay up any longer, the girl seeks the help of a sorcerer to seek revenge on the businessman and his family...

Very reminiscent of some of the early 80's HK gore films in terms of black-magic subject matter, and eel-puking revenge - ART OF THE DEVIL isn't exactly a unique film. Hong Kong directors have been making these types of films since the early 80's, but ART OF THE DEVIL does it with better production values and with a more coherent and interesting storyline.

20. Altered states



This is William Hurt's debut, and there's much to praise about it. Firstly, outstanding performance. The kind that lasts an impression and is thought of every time "William Hurt" is pronounced out loud. The film, in a nutshell could be summed up as a man's obsessive quest for the "truth". Truth about life, and the universe, why we're here, who created us? These are the core questions Ken Russel - more fairly, the original author Paddy Chayefsky - asks. All of that, is assisted by insane hallucinatory and downright horrifying visual sequences and music, which when combined, literally gave me goosebumps when I saw it all on screen. They take you on a surreal 'trip' and are a way for the viewer to experience what Hurt's character undergoes when he is in the isolation chamber. On another note, the pacing is a little slow in the first act, but sudden outbursts of surreal visual sequences get you back up in form

That's all the letter A finished will start on B later

I have quite a few I have watched beginning with B so you'll all have to be patient while I continue later

Did you know that young Alice was 19 years old when she played that part?

It is a great movie, too. I nominated it in the Slasher thread, which was the best movie Hall of Fame thread this board has ever had. I would have nominated Halloween, which has been my favorite movie, since I was 16 years of age, but someone beat me to it. Yep, that was 30 years ago. Apparently I love it.

I also truly like Alligator (which is a great killer creature movie), An American Werewolf in London (which is corny, but cool), April Fool's Day (which is a holiday favorite), The Amityville Horror (which is good, but I can't stand Margot Kidder), Alien (which is great, but I'm a bigger fan of the sequel), and Audry Rose (which was truly freaky to me). I don't believe I've seen anything else that's on your list. Out of the films I've not seen, what would you guys recommend? Keep in mind that I hate today's remakes. In general, I hate newer films, and I hate gore. Especially when that's all the movie's got going for it.

__________________

I think this is a great idea for a thread. When I get the time I'll give it a proper read.

__________________
5-time MoFo Award winner.

Thank you honey kid please do read it when you get a chance.

Destiny: no I didn't know she was 19 when she played that part.

Audition is a great one to watch and possibly the apparition is another one you might enjoy.

Here we go again

1. B.T.K



Kane Hodder stars in a film version of the story of the BTK killer. He was a loving family man by day and a serial killer by night. His rampage went on for decades. the film is a twisted descent into the mind of the killer as we watch him do horrible things one minute and the be kind and loving the next. As these sort of "based on a true story" films go the film is pretty good and disturbing enough to make you wonder why any one would want to be locked in the mind of a killer for even 90 minutes. The film works because of Hodder who is great both a family man and psychopath, making it difficult to watch the scenes with his family because we know whats lurking underneath.

2. Ba'al: The Storm God



Occasionally we select a film from the rental shelves because we were intrigued with the jacket cover. In school we often study and learn of ancient Gods from around the world. The title of this movie is " Ba'al " so I was intrigued. From it's inception, the story begins to fracture like a thin layer of ice. Beginning with a trip to the Alaska wilderness, we meet Carol (Stefanie Von Pfetten) and her companion, Dr. Lee Helm (Jeremy London) who have come to visit an eminent archaeologist, Dr. Owen Standford (Scott Hylands) who has discovered one of four ancient amulets. Although the find is dangerous, the mad doctor becomes obsessed with their combined power as it will activate the wrath and power of the ancient Sumarian god. The film then has our heroes gallivanting around the globe, chased by an assortment of characters like the F.B.I., Commander Kittrick (Michael Kopsa) of the Canadian government and the director of the museum. One need not see the entire movie to notice all the inaccuracies within the film. Granted the mistakes are obvious, the movie does get a couple points, like the impressive special effects and the near resemblance of the hero to Brandon Frasier. The conclusion is, although it's a badly constructed movie, it's entertaining enough to warrant a look-see.

3. Baba yaga



This film might disappoint horror fans, or it may delight them. But it should thrill fans of Fellini, Roeg, Goddard and other artists who pushed the limits of cinema. Italian director Corrado Farina weaves a stunning tapestry of imagery, dexterously jumping from crisp pop design to bled-dry Goth color to full blown experimental cinema. Story involves a stylish fashion photographer who attracts the attention of a beautiful witch. In the title role, Carroll Baker looks like the star of a haute Goth wet dream. As intense and free-form as the imagery and editing get, the story structure is solid and the film is entertaining. If you love intelligent artsy horror films like Roeg's "Don't Look Now" you should definitely check this out.

4. Babysitter wanted




Angie Albright has just moved away from her mother's home and is adjusting to the big wide world of college life. Needing some spare cash (and a bed, thanks to her roommate letting an ex-roommate take the previous one), she responds to a "babysitter wanted" advert. The couple needing a babysitter stay in, pretty much, the middle of nowhere and before you can say "nice young girl alone and in peril" Angie is in their farmhouse on a Friday night being troubled by phone calls and sure that she can detect the presence of someone waiting outside. Her troubles are only just beginning . . . . . .

Starting with a decent build-up, this movie will please many horror fans. It's been mentioned in almost every other review (and here is no exception) that things start to look decidedly like a rip-off of "When A Stranger Calls" at one point but never fear - this is only one part of a film that then twists and turns away from your expectations and still produces a few surprises while maintaining the air of familiarity inherent in the scenario.

I was most reminded of Tobe Hooper's remake of "The Toolbox Murders" in the way that this movie makes use of space, viewpoints and momentary hiding places for everyone. This horror comes with a sense of expectancy, a conformity AND playing with/twisting of the rules, a general air of fun despite the, at times, bloody content.

5. Backcountry



I found this movie to be along the lines of a movie called Frozen (a must watch for those that like suspense and thrill)except this one takes place in the woods instead of a ski resort. I love watching a movie where you forget you're watching a movie!I thought the filming was well done and the actors were very believable. The raw emotion and detail in the scenes made me sit and watch and forget to breathe. There were a few unbelievable moments that made me wonder about a scene, like why she did not get her bear mace out sooner and keep spraying. I will have to watch the movie The Edge, it sounds like one I would really like also. This is a really great thriller survival movie!