Horror films in alphabetical order

6. Backtrack



Peter (Adrien Bordy) is a psychologist who is either being haunted or having a mental breakdown, he's seeing people who isn't there and constantly harassed by them. Hoping to attain some manner of peace he travels back to his past. Adrien Brody is a master of the art, he can convey the dread of the character, be it from body language or actual pleading word.

For the movie to work, audience must be inclined to invest on his ordeal, and it surely succeeds in that. There's a hefty amount of seclusion as the movie follows Peter in his lonely endeavor. The rest of the cast play their parts commendably, Sam Neill and Robin McLeavy help in setting the tone as characters Peter encounters. They add to the mystery aspect on early and latter parts, respectively.

The set-up is one of the more alluring horror starts in recent days. Its perpetual raining and view of trains leaving the station are astoundingly good. However, the opening vistas fare better in graphic department than the rest. It also tends to falter around the last act since it might not be as equally captivating as the opening act. Few of the horror apparitions work better on the expectation of entity rather than the showing itself.

The mix between horror and mystery is a nice invite, it may hit a few bumps on latter half, yet the precise acting from the lead and cool atmosphere are worth the trip.

7. Bad milo



Bad Milo is another great example of what is right in horror comedy the last few years! Its a perfect blend of bad one liners, potty humor, heart and gore. Who would have thought that a film that teaches us about Anus Mythology, could be so awesome?! And I can't believe I am saying this about something that is borne out of a mans ass, but damn Milo is adorable. I swear by the end of the film you're going to want a Milo all of your own, poor misunderstood lil guy!

Duncan is an average good guy, living the average good guy life. He has a decent job, a good woman, and what looks like a okay life. He struggles with some tummy trouble, mom offers remedies, doctors try to help, and eventually he ends up unhappily in therapy where we can get to root of his problems. Pretty quickly this film pulls you in with a great opening scene, and then it keeps pace through the entire film, rotating between great blood soaked moments and humor sometimes mixing the two perfectly in such a disgustingly delicious way that you may feel both grossed out and ashamed for laughing at such wretchedness. You will also find yourself shocked by how much you want to hug this little ass borne, doe eyed, killing machine, i swear I even got teary at one point for the lil fellow! It was awful!, but it goes to show the amount of emotion that is in this film, not what you would expect from a story like this one.

If you haven't watched this film yet definitely add it to the list, it is a gem! The cast is made up of comedy veterans who bring this film to a whole new level of funny, and the gore is very effective with some scenes really looking incredibly good.

8. Bad moon



A movie called Bad Moon has to be a werewolf flick, and in fact director Eric Red has crafted a very good one from writer Wayne Smith's book about a Gerhman shepherd and the werewolf who infiltrates his family...er, Pack. Red trims the Pack down to a single Mom (Marielle Hemingway) and her young son (Mason Gamble), but otherwise retains most of the original story. Thor, apparently played by a dog named Primo, is still the hero of the story, though Red (perhaps wisely) doesn't really attempt to duplicate Smith's original feat of telling most of the tale from the dog's point of view. Even so, Thor is central to the plot and Red does a good job of orchestrating the movie's unfolding events so that even if the humans have to carry most of the dramatic weight, Thor's presence and involvement are always underscored. The overall quality of a modern werewolf film depends in large part upon how well the creature comes to life, and in this regard Bad Moon does not disappoint. The werewolf is both frightening and realistic looking, and while it's a bit more wolf-like than the more humanoid creature described in the source novel, it's a terrific piece of FX work. Actor Michael Pare does a good job with the ambiguous role of Uncle Ted, who like most werewolves doesn't really want to be a monster and tries to protect his sister and nephew from himself as long as possible. Naturally, Ted's efforts are for naught, and in the end it all comes down to a fight to the finish between the seemingly invincible werewolf and the loyal Thor. At times Red's script does falter a bit and the film probably never reaches the level of Dog Soldiers or The Wolf Man, but all the same it's a very entertaining creature feature with some great cinematography, a neat monster, and a touching protagonist who is more human than most people I know

9. The blob



A meteorite falls in the country of a small town, bringing a jelly creature. An old farmer is attacked by the alien in his hand, and the youths Steve Andrews (Steve McQueen) and his girlfriend Jane Martin (Aneta Corsaut) take him to Dr. T. Hallen (Steven Chase). The local doctor treats carefully the blister, and asks Steve to investigate the location where they found the old man. When Steve returns, he sees the blob killing the doctor. Steve and Jane try to warn the police and the dwellers, but nobody believe on them, while the blob engulfs many people, getting bigger and bigger.

"The Blob" is a cult and classic sci-fi. It is a low budget movie, with many ham actors and actresses (with the exception of Steve McQueen), awful effects, but also delightful and very, but very funny. This is the first time that I see this classic (I had seen the 1988 remake with Kevin Dillon), and I really recommend it to fans of Steve McQueen and sci-fi B-movies from the 50s

10. Body bags



John Carpenter presents "Body Bags", in which it reads true as he plays very-well looking coroner (well he might not be as what he seems) late at night fooling around in a morgue, while spitting out macabre jokes (visual and verbal) and then introducing us to three buoyant little stories. They range from horrific, humorous and simply bizarre with a "Tales from the Crypt" spin to them. In this low-budget TV production Carpenter would direct the first two; "The Gas Station" and "Hair", but the third story "The Eye" would be fronted by director Tobe Hopper. Carpenter and Hooper wouldn't be the only recognizable names, as the cast line-up is rather mouth-watering. You got Stacy Keach, David Warner, Mark Hamill, David Naughton, Robert Carradine, Deborah Harry, Twiggy, George Buck Flower, Charles Napier, John Agar, Roger Corman and a minor cameo from Tom Arnold. Also some horror participants have tiny parts; Sam Ramini, Wes Craven, Tobe Hooper and make-up/special effects maestro Gregory Nicotero.

The first story; "The Gas Station" starring Alex Datcher, Robert Carrdine and David Naughton is probably my favourite of the lot. It's the most straight-forward, but effectively atmospheric (very well photographed with its encroaching angles) and suspenseful, which sees a lady on her first day of the job looking over an isolated gas station late one-night night, where she becomes a target of a satanic serial killer. Quite high-tempo with its grounded cat-and-mouse layout. You really do feel the growing unease displayed by Datcher's character and the tension that unfolds from its eerily forlorn backdrop, but this exercise into familiarity just works. Some fruity characters also helps, and it's not without its parodying humour either to balance it out.

"Hair" the second story, starts off with a natural fear before becoming quite an offbeat and quirky entry which sees Stacy Keach being plagued by the fear of losing his hair. After trying everything to combat it, he seeks treatment from a specialist doctor. It works --- lovely long hair, but at what cost. Keach is a blast in the lead and he shares terrific on-screen chemistry with the likes of Sheena Easton, David Warner and a colourful Debbie Harry. Witty dialogues and a nice sense of wicked cruelty in a revelation that's just plain crazy.

Finally we end off with Hooper's "The Eye". A brooding supernatural tale that has Mark Hamill an up-and coming baseball player in a terrible car accident, where he loses his right eye. However a doctor offers him the chance to get that sight back in an eye transplant but there's no guarantee it will work. However it does, but soon he's plagued by headaches and visions --- dark and disturbing ones. This one takes on a more serious approach compared with the previous outings with an excellently confident Mark Hamill with good support by Twiggy. The story might be predictable, but it's well-paced where the inflicted transformation of our edgy central character is suitably pitched. Some ghastly shocks moments show up too.

Joining it up is the enjoyably warped wrap-around segment with Carpenter (where Rick Baker did the make-up for) and this sees the cameo turns of Hooper and Arnold at the end. The dialogues might be what you most remember, but some of the decors on show in this segment are amusingly executed.

As a whole it's a complete package with the stories perfectly complementing each other. They might not be spectacular, but I liked the three.

Good, fun comic horror anthology opus by Carpenter and co.

11. Bunshinsaba



Bunshinsaba is not a name that will roll off of your tongues. Comes in the wake of other far eastern horror movies, and generally follows similar traits to them. Story surrounds the horrific "suicides" of girls at a school in a Korean village, whilst bringing back memories of dark chapters in the communities past.

As is the norm for Korean movies, probably the best in the world at the moment, the film is set in beautiful scenery whilst the direction and acting is surprisingly great also taking in the age of a number of the actors. Really puts to shame the teen horror films from the US

12. Black water



This movie was on the shelf at the movie store I used to rent all my movies from, and since I had seen a handful of very corny horror flicks there I had really low expectations for this one. Well, I put it in, and almost immediately I was sucked right in.

While watching, I got deeper and deeper into the story and pretty soon I was staring in complete interest. This movie is surprisingly spectacular and I loved every second. The story is about a boat ride down a river in Australia. It seems safe enough until their boat is ambushed by a croc who's ready for some food. When I looked at the back of the case I thought that this movie was going to have crappy visual effects like in Lake Placid 2 and a lot of others, but when I first saw the crocodile it looked amazingly real! Don't laugh when I say this, for I am being serious, but this is one of the most creepiest films I've ever seen. It really knew how to build up nail-biting tension and suspense with it's intense situation, I mean, think about it; You're stuck, in a tree, nowhere to run, nowhere to hide with a hungry predator in the depths of the water below. You can not tell me that doesn't freak you out just a little. It even managed to give me a few chills down my arms, like when Adam was taken by the croc and Grace and Lee are left baffled. I jumped at two scenes, also.

This is a very appealing movie, to me. There were maybe one or two parts where I found myself slightly uninterested but other than that, I would say this is my favorite animal attack film that I have seen and is an excellent film overall. It was a job well done by all the staff and I commend it for being so suspenseful and impression making

13. The Blair Witch Project



This film is not a feature film. For a start, it is not feature length, also, it is not shot on film. More importantly, it does not have what feature films have these days: star actors, special effects, exotic locations, explosions. Instead, seeing B.W.P. is seeing something else that a cinema can be: a place where people can share an intimate experience created by a few people on a tight budget. I would be glad of its success if only for that reason.

The first section of the film appears at first to be amateurish and slow. In fact, it is very deft, and very efficient at what it does. It tells the audience everything it needs to know about the characters and situation, and nothing more. Also, it gets the audience into the habit of viewing the film's format: alternating between black and white (very grainy and poorly focussed) film, and the washed out colours of shaky pixilated video. The film makers managed to set up a rationale for why the film is so cheaply made. Three people hike into the woods for a few days to shoot a documentary, with borrowed equipment, and are in the habit of videoing everything for the hell of it. They cannot carry tripods, steadicams, dollies, large lighting rigs, or the like, so everything we see is lit either by raw daylight, or by a single light fixed to the camera, which illuminates just what is within a few feet of the lens. The film creates its own excuse to be cheap. This is intelligent.

The acting and script are both excellent. The well-cast actors are presumably playing pretty-much themselves, and are convincingly naturalistic, and neither too likeable or too dislikeable. The slow route into hysteria is well documented. Rather than simply having a character say "We're lost!", we see many scenes which show the trio getting more and more hopelessly lost, and more annoyed with each other for this. By the time they are thoroughly lost, the audience shares the despair.

My friend and I, after seeing it, both felt a little sick. I put this down to my having been tense for a hour, he put it down more to motion sickness. The jerky, badly-framed camerawork is hard on the eye and stomach, but I applaud the director for its uncompromising use. Similarly, no compromise is made with the dialogue. Some of it is very quiet and must be listened for, some is technical jargon, which is left realisticly unexplained.

One of the great strengths and weaknesses of the film is the editing. It is good in that it does much to heighten the tension, with many key moments lasting just a little too long for comfort. Each time the characters find something nasty, the viewer is made to want the editor to cut soon to the next scene, and the fact that he doesn't adds to the sense of being trapped, as the characters are. The problem with this, though, is that one is left wondering about the motives of the fictional editor. In truth, of course, the film is edited to create these effects, and to entertain, but the film's rationale is that these are the rushes of a documentary put together posthumously by someone other than the film's original creator. Why, then, would an editor piecing together such footage, edit for dramatic effect rather than for clarity? Why would he keep cutting back and forth from the video footage to the film footage, when neither shows any more information than the other?

The film is stark. After one simple caption at the start, all that follows is the "rushes". I wonder if the film might not have been improved with an introductory section which documented how the rushes were found and edited. A programme was made for television which did this. Perhaps a portion of this might have been added to the film, making it more complete, and more believable (and proper feature length).

While I applaud the fact that young original film-makers have managed to create a mainstream hit out of a simple idea, well-handled. I dread the possible avalanche of inferior copies which may come.

Most horror films these days are created not for the audience, but for the makers. The departments of special effects, make-up, model-making, animation and so forth all try hard to show potential future employers what they can do. The result is that nothing is left for the audience to do, since everything can be seen and heard, and the viewer's imagination can be switched off. Today, it is possible to see pigs fly on the screen, and so film-makers show off and show us a formation of Tamworths, which is something which will look impressive in the trailer. To show us less is to make our minds fill in the gaps. This way, we create our own terrors, perfectly fitted to ourselves. The ghastly face I see in my head, is the ghastly head which I find scary. The ghastly face I am shown may be one I can cope with quite easily. If I see a believable character screaming in hysterical fear at something I cannot see, my own brain creates demons for my night's dreams, demons far more mighty than anything CGI graphics or a latex mask could portray.

This film will stay in your thoughts for some while.

14. Burnt offerings



If you are looking for blood, gore, or loud jump scares, you might want to look elsewhere. Rather than resorting to cheap tactics, this film focuses heavily on atmosphere, suspense, and tension. There is enough suspense in this film for three movies. There isn't a boring moment in this entire film. I was so captivated by this film, that the first time I watched it, I actually felt as if I lived in the mansion among the characters. Almost never does a film come along in which I forget I'm even watching a movie and can't separate it from reality. This movie did just that. It's story sounds like your run-of-the-mill haunted house film when you simply read the summary, but when you actually watch the film, it is a unique experience never to be forgotten. It is highly similar to The Shining. Both films are sophisticated, chilling horror films that require the viewer to think. Because of that, they are both wonderful.

It is no coincidence that this movie is from the mastermind behind Dark Shadows. Dan Curtis masters suspense and terror in a way very few can. The musical score by Robert Cobert contributes to the unsettling mood of the film perfectly. It is one of my favorite scores of all time. The acting is incredible. Karen Black, Oliver Reed, Bette Davis, and Lee Montgomery all have great chemistry as a family and are all wonderful in their respective performances. The characters are all likable. I don't usually like happy endings in horror movies, but this is a case where I wanted the characters to live because I liked them so much. But sadly, that was not meant to happen. Overall, this film has everything I could want in a horror film and I am glad to be a fan of it.

15. The beyond



The story is a disturbing mix of elements. In the first minutes during the execution of Schweick , it is clear what kind of tale is L'aldilá. Vengeance beyond the grave, an apocalypse that is unavoidable. Common people trapped in the middle. One of the merits of Sarchetti's script is the character of Katriona Maccoll a real down to earth human being, his partner is a curious but good man. Both of them tried to do things right, but in the end that won't help . The brutality of violence is another great detail, is unexpected, extreme and very, very graphic. And as the final touch, the climatic ending. The assonant music has its logic, this is disturbing terror, it wouldn't be the same with new-age, reggae, or a ballad.

Lucio Fulci was an unique director. With L'aldilá he tried to create an 'artaudian' study of horror. He achieved that. He used less than 90 minutes to mix ominous menaces that are beyond this world waiting their time for return and extremely gory horror. The unavoidable tragedy strikes in the form of hungry zombies. He was a demanding director, he never let that their actors underestimate their roles. His use of zoom-effects are a trademark, the zoom in used in a completely original way. Let's say the zoom is the hand of someone that keep your eyes open in an awful or transcendental sequence, Fulci forces you to pay attention when he wants your attention. Delightful. Nowadays audiences are very comfortable watching horror movies. They expect to see some scares and then laugh with the jokes of some stupid teens avid of rave music and easy sex. Fulci in that aspect was an author beyond his time. He tried to shock people, scare them, revolve their stomachs, those were his methods to gain the public but he NEVER underestimated the audiences, he gave his 100% and made cult classics.

Note for Fulci newcomers: The more interesting works of this director are in the period of middle 70's to 1985. If you see two or three of his movies in this period and you dislike them then don't bother anymore because you will never like his style.

16. The birds



This is one of Hitchcock's most well-known movies. Along with Psycho, it's the movie that most people identify with him. Many pages have been written about it and surely there will be more. I know that the superb technical aspects of the movie have been discussed a lot, so I'll try to focus on something I noticed yesterday when I watched it.

It's scarier when there are no birds on screen. The tension, the silence, the uncertainty, the mystery. That's what suspense is about.

I was amazed of how carefully Hitchcock builds the suspense in this movie. You watch the birds standing there, and they do not move, they are just waiting. Even when you think they are dumb something tells you they are thinking. They are analyzing your moves.

This was possible with the aid of a top-notch screenplay, and great performances of the actors. This was probably the most difficult film for Hitchcock, specially for the technical aspects that were involved, but when you watch it, it really was worth the pain.

The main plot is well-known: Melanie Daniels(Tippi Hedren),a young girl goes to Bodega Bay looking for Mitch Brenner(Rod Taylor),a handsome man she met in San Francisco, when suddenly, the birds start attacking humans by no reason. Pretty straight forward, and by this date very outdated, but Hitchcock adds his magic and the script spices this with the very complex relationships between the characters.

The complex relationship between Mitch and his mother Lydia(played by Jessica Tandy), and the conflict that she has with Melanie is very interesting and brings back memories from Psycho. Also, Melanie's relationship with her own mother and the bond that she creates with Lydia and Mitch's 11 years old sister Cathy(Veronica Cartwright) is fascinating.

The scene when the four of them are trapped inside the house with the birds waiting outside is classic; not only is, as I wrote above, a perfect example of the use of suspense, it is an awesome study of the characters and how their relation grows. I think that this particular movie was main inspiration for George A. Romero's claustrophobic climax in his landmark film "Night of the Living Dead"(1968).

The technical aspects may be the focus of many studies, but the characters deserve to be praised, even the support cast with a few lines develop a personality of their own. The restaurant scene is Hitchcock at his best with witty dialogs that are both humorous and creepy. Very good ensemble.

17. The bad seed



What we have here is a fantastic classic horror film, which benefits from great performances from all concerned and a plot not typical of serial killer films. The film doesn't adhere to convention and builds its story around an idea that was frightening for the time - and still is to this day. The murderer in this film is as evil as any other; the only difference being that here the killings are committed by a decidedly amoral child. The film presents a good portrait of its star, as it presents its ideas very much from a child's point of view. The young girl doesn't see what she's doing as wrong as she is always given a reason to pass on the blame for wrongdoings, and this always comes across in a plausible way. The plot surrounding the atrocities is even more interesting than the central idea, as we follow the torment inflicted on the girl's mother. The situation that Christine Penmark finds herself in is the stuff of nightmares; just what can you do if you find that your eight year old child has committed murder? The Bad Seed makes excellent use of this dilemma, and the fact that it's incredibly easy to buy into the plot ensures that The Bad Seed prevails as an potently chilling film.

The film is based on a stage play by Maxwell Anderson, and this comes across often as the film takes place in just a few settings and the whole thing is very stagy. This is, however, to its benefit; as the locations make the whole piece more claustrophobic, and the fact that we don't see the murders themselves benefits the film immensely as it allows the audience to spend more time considering the implications; which are what the film is actually about. The main reason why this film works so well is down to a great performance by talented child actor Patricia McCormack. McCormack presents a portrayal that finds exactly the right pitch between the sweet and innocent youngster that she appears; and the dark persona that lies just beneath her exterior. Nancy Kelly similarly gives a defining performance as her tortured mother, and excellently puts across a torrent of emotion. The acting is typically melodramatic, but all the cast somehow manage to keep their acting down to earth. Every scene in the movie is perfectly pitched and nothing is wasted as we are continually taught more about the characters and their situations. The climax to the film is fabulously poetic, despite being implemented on the producer's orders and overall, I really don't see much wrong with this film. Highly recommended!

18. Basket case



It's rare to see a horror film that is actually "good", featuring an original premise and decent acting/plot. Some films should have been "classics" because they feature both, but are mocked years later for their horrible special effects (think about it - most "classic horror films" feature human or human-like villains e.g. slasher flicks and "Rosemary's Baby"). Well, Basket Case is no exception.

The premise is one of the most original, then and probably still now. Duane carries his brother Belial around in a basket, and the two are trying to find and murder the doctors who separated them. It reminds one of "Freaks", with the deformed Belial and his brother Duane as anti-heros of sorts, getting revenge on the "normal" people that treated them so cruelly. A flashback to Duane's and Belial's separation and events in the film actually made me feel sorry for both (Duane because Belial won't let him have any time or romance for himself, and Belial because everyone is deathly afraid of him but his brother).

For a low budget '80s flick, Belial actually looks really good for the most part; though the first few deaths in the movie where he remains invisible are still more effective. When Belial jumps at some people it looks sort of funny, but when he is stationary (must've been a better puppet), he looks either frightened or damned frightening. Belial also makes some thankfully short appearances as a decent stop-motion animation.

19. Bad dreams



Bad Dreams is a fun late 80's horror film that feels a lot like The third part of A Nightmare on Elm St. Like that movie, Bad Dreams takes place in a hospital setting. The story goes that a girl named Cynthia was the sole survivor of a mass suicide in a cult community named "Unity Fields". She ends up in a coma for thirteen years, but when she awakes, several of her fellow patients at the psychiatric hospital start dying. It appears like they are committing suicide, but could it be murder?

The film is a lot like A Nightmare on Elm St 3, which also stared Jennifer Rubin. There is a burned man seemingly going after the patients, the doctors believe the people are killing themselves are refuse to think otherwise. Although it is similar, Bad Dreams is a decent horror flick with some gruesome moments.

The hospital setting in a horror film is always fun to me. You would think it's safe, but it almost never is. The acting is pretty good in this as well. There is also a nice little twist to the story as well.

20. Black Christmas



It's not often that you find a film in the thriller/horror genre that has something "new" to say, so it's even more exciting to find that one of the original films in the "slasher" genre is actually still one of the freshest, most unique and utterly entertaining of them all. This is the kind of movie you can't wait to tell your friends about, knowing full well they've probably never seen it, but they've heard of it.

Everything about this film is stellar. The acting, to steal the words of a great reviewer who loves this movie, is flawless. The direction is confident and assured. What is Bob Clark's story? How did he go from making quirky, ground-breaking horror to...well..."Baby Geniuses 2?" His black-humored wit is on display in all his movies, and here too. Margot Kidder and Marian Waldman shine as foul-mouthed alcohol abusers. Particularly Kidder--it's hard to believe she did this at the BEGINNING of her career, she's that assured...and fun to watch. Olivia Hussey is alluring as the lead, Jessica, and her beauty, as well as her speaking voice are a welcome presence.

The plot might seem clichéd now, until you understand that it was all the movies that came AFTER that were the clichés--even "He Knows Your Alone," which seemed so vital at the time, can't compare. "Black Christmas" is a FILM, and goes beyond the conventions of a cheap slasher. The key is the ending--only a director with an artistic sensibility would have fought for it (no spoilers here). Suffice to say, in all the slashers I've watched I've never seen the equal. It's a tricky business to sum up a mystery in a plot, and few can maintain the element of surprise, intelligence or creativity required. You will NOT see the ending coming here, and though the end is a surprise, it works well.

21. The brood



David Cronenberg's "The Brood" is both frightening and shocking. A tale of psychological horror guaranteed to make even the most jaded horror fan recoil in disbelief. The plot in a nutshell - In the care of an eccentric therapist (Oliver Reed), a woman (Samantha Eggar) undergoes an experimental form of anger management; while parallel to her treatment are a serious of bizarre and questionable murders. At the heart of the story is her husband (Art Hindle), who is in desperate search of the truth behind the strange goings on. The film is especially visually appealing; with perfectly framed scenes, cold & stark cinematography, and classy looking 70's costume design. The special effects though minimal throughout the film, are both amazing and disturbing. Cronenberg masterfully stages the murders in a thrillingly suspenseful and brutally violent manner, effectively balancing the terror between what is seen and not seen. It is questionable if filmmakers in today's world would be bold enough to make this film. The eerie musical score by (now veteran) Howard Shore creates an extra degree of tension to the unfolding events. The performances are all convincing, and definitely above par for a horror movie. With a shocking final twist; this movie is not to be missed, a highly recommended

22. Black Sabbath



Originally titled I TRE VOLTI DELLA PAURA (THREE FACES OF FEAR), this horror anthology made it to the U.S. with a new title to remind viewers of how good Bava's BLACK Sunday (1960) was. It also gained an excellent Les Baxter soundtrack and Boris Karloff as a host, though the tales were reversed in order and the strong lesbian subtext of one segment and some violence were omitted, but that's good ole' American censorship for you (both have since been restored, anyway). In any case, this anthology is a classic of its kind.

"Drop of Water" (based on a story by Checkov) is a chilling tale of a nurse (Jacqueline Pierreux) who gets her just desserts after stealing a diamond ring from the hideous-looking corpse of a psychic. "The Telephone" (based on a story by F.G.Snyder) was the least satisfying of the bunch for me personally, yet is still above average. In it, a lascivious, unstable and bisexual young beauty (Michele Mercier) receives threatening phone calls that seem to be coming from a man who has a personal vendetta against her. Final tale is "The Wurdalak," which was based on a Tolstoy. Boris Karloff stars as Gorca, a man turned into a vampire by the curse of Wurdalak, which makes him attack and kill only those he loves (namely his extended family, including child). It's astonishing to look at and very suspenseful. All three are colorfully, creatively done, drenched in Bava's trademark rich atmosphere and bring something a little different to the table. "Drop" (last in the Italian version) has the most chilling central image, "Wurdulak" (middle in the Italian version) has the boldest color palette and most vivid art direction and "Telephone" (first in the Italian version) is a very early giallo. Horror regulars Mark Damon (from Corman's HOUSE OF USHER), Massimo Righi and Harriet White Medin (usually typecast as a stern housekeeper in Italian horror films) co-star in this one

23. Brain dead



Brain Dead is a very hard movie to describe because of its constant twists and turns. This movie truly turns you in circles and can be very confusing upon first viewing. Still, this is a really good film with good acting from Pill Pullman and Bill Paxton. The whole concept of the film is based on whether this is a dream or reality and the rest is left to the viewer. The ending is rather sudden but very appropriate and dramatic. This is definitely the type of film you sit through the credits at the end in bewilderment. Truly a surprise, especially considering the fact that this is a Concord produced film and most of their movies are mediocre at best. I highly recommend this movie to anyone who is into the David Lynch style of film-making. This is definitely a true mind-bender.

24. Bram stokers Dracula



This is the best rendition of Dracula ever captured on film. Gary Oldman's dark and sensual personae outshines any other vampire who ever dare put on a cape. To me Gary Oldman is the most talented and underrated actor ever. He becomes who he is playing, however in this role... Dracula became him... Oldman set the bar so high it is untouchable even to Bela Lugosi. Winona Ryder's delicateness suited the role of Mina/Elisabeta nicely and Keanu Reeves played the unsuspecting and naive Jonathan with satisfaction. However the whole movie comes together because of Gary Oldman's intoxicating essence. He draws the viewers into his darkness and passion and guides them through until the end. This film is drastically romantic and hauntingly captivating- just like a real Dracula movie should be. The cinematography deserved Oldman's phenomenal performance and perfectly created a true vampire realm. Francis Ford Coppola is brilliant. This is the spirit of the vampire.

25. Bloody reunion



This was one hell of a reunion! What is supposed to be a celebration for a dying teacher turns out to be far more sinister, bloody, violent, and painful. A group of adults return to reunite with their school teacher and we discover that each member of her class have grown with boulder-sized chips on their shoulders, their lives deeply effected by her mistreatment of them. The teacher's husband hung himself after she gave birth to a male child with a hideously deformed face. Keeping him in her basement, several of the school kids(..appropriately those gathered at the reunion)often mock him, while one younger boy is kind to him..the film sets up that this particular child(..who was actually criticized by the teacher for talking to her son!)is perhaps the young adult who begins sadistically attacking the characters of the reunion, one by one, surprising them when they are preoccupied, finishing them off in the basement where the deformed kid was kept away from the outside world. The film shows the deteriorating mindset of those who have gathered with their teacher, their emotional outbursts, confronting her on how she has misshapen their lives for the worse. Shortly afterward, however, most of them meet a grisly fate.

I will say that BLOODY REUNION isn't your typical slasher..this is a film with something to say. It is chock full with anger, pint-up animosity, buried hostility that is surfacing(..and had built over the years), and the reunion provides an opportunity to aggressively seek answers for the torment that has lingered due to the improper upbringing by a teacher who was supposed to nurture her students, not belittle and criticize them. The film has a whopper of a twist which many might compare loosely to HIGH TENSION, but BLOODY REUNION does it in a very effective way that works rather well and isn't riddled with plot holes. Almost completely told from the point of view of Jung-won(Seong-won Jang), sadly slumped over the bedside of her mentor, to a detective attempting to piece together the sequence of events that led to the slaughter, the school teacher's indictment is brought to light over the course of the film. It is far from a pretty picture. The teacher is made to look as if she held a disregard for the poor, often ridiculed those with weaknesses(..one's nonathletic ability, another's weight issues), and even possibly molested her attractive male student(..which has turned him into a pill-popping wreck). At a very sickly state where she's confined to a wheel chair and can not control her bowels, the teacher is at her most vulnerable and weakest. Her punishment, the bad karma which is returning the favor, should be enough, but these former students, fueled by years of self-loathing, social rejects with buried contempt for the very one they sought approval(..always wanting to please her), have a chance to unleash the vitriolic rage held inside for far too long. The violence can get pretty unsettling as one is a victim of a vicious razor blade attack(..after bound to a chair, he's fed broken razors and water to wash them down!), one's eyelids are stapled, another is pummeled with a bat(..before the final crushing blows, we watch as ants enter his orifices and bleeding wounds..yuck!), with eyes gouged, and a neck stabbed, blood squirting from the hole. The teacher's life is threatened multiple times when students approach her with violent intent, but each time she is spared in the nick of time. The very fact that they have such hate for her and are dying so horribly is enough punishment..because she realizes that she's the real mastermind behind everything.

Now, I will not reveal the twist, but before the bellyachers lay claim that it makes the film a waste of time..I beg to differ. The teacher is still responsible for those under her care, and their obligations to those under her is of great importance. The mentor and role model, the teacher can shape minds, and motivate her students to be the best they can be. It can work both ways, and even if what we witness may not totally be accurate, the same negative feelings still exist and the behavior of an adult towards a student she has distaste for can ultimately bring about such dire consequences. This is a slasher with a potent punch. Care given to the characters and the twist isn't something merely thrown in there to foil the viewer, but comes from a dark place. Slasher fans definitely should give this one a shot..it's a winner.