I will admit it! I was a long suffering fan in the 1980's for the Friday 13th, Nightmare on Elm Street, and Halloween movie franchises. As I have grown older and encountered either tired rehashes of these slasher flicks or the troubling existence of so-called "Torture Porn" horror movies like the Saw franchise, I have become more and more discerning. If a Horror film makes me get up and turn on all the lights in the house, I will be a lifelong fan.Part of the horror experience is the willing participation of the mind and the imagination. What the mind might envision waiting behind the closet door or under the bed is a much more powerful force for scaring than the constant visual deluge many current films employ today. In films like Alien, for instance, you saw the monster only occasionally and only in part until the very last few frames. In The Blair Witch Project, you never really see the Blair Witch, only flashes or sounds in the dark that the mind might make into a myriad of beasties.
Another important component, is chaos--a situation or situations that defy order or human logic or human power to resolve or overcome them. A perfect example would be the recent 28 Days Later, which scares the pants off us with an incurable infection that turns ordinary people into homicidal zombies. George A. Romero's classic Night of the Living Dead comes in here as well as a group of diverse people struggle to fend off the attacking dead in this most classical Zombie movie. Chaos has frightened us for years for the simple reason that we cannot control it and the most trusted human conventions are destroyed. We are out there on the edge and forces are gathering to destroy us.Gore can be good, but too much is too much. The original 1974 Texas Chainsaw Massacre certainly had it's share of gore, but used awesome grainy and hand held cameras to increase our sense of "being there" and used the scenery to increase our dread as Leatherface chases the heroine through endless darkened woods.
An old time guilty pleasure has been added to this list which began last year. The Evil Dead, Sam Raimi's cult classic, has enertained me and yet caused me to reach for the light switch for years. This film is interesting in the sense that while it is very scary, it also pokes marvelous fun at horror films throughout the years. Bruce Campbell, king of B movies, is simply awesome and hilarious in this!
And so, below is my list for your Halloween viewing pleasure. Drop me a comment on what you agree with or disagree with and of course any suggestions of your favorite horror shockers!
1. The Thing (Both Versions)
2. The Blair Witch Project
3. An American Werewolf in London
4. Dracula (Bela Lugosi Version)
5. Night of the Living Dead
6. 28 Days Later
7. The Texas Chainsaw Massacre (Original Version Only)
8. Salem's Lot
9. The Exorcist
10. Jurassic Park
11. Alien
2. The Blair Witch Project
3. An American Werewolf in London
4. Dracula (Bela Lugosi Version)
5. Night of the Living Dead
6. 28 Days Later
7. The Texas Chainsaw Massacre (Original Version Only)
8. Salem's Lot
9. The Exorcist
10. Jurassic Park
11. Alien
12. The Evil Dead
13. The Howling
2 comments:
I like almost all on your list... can't forget The Shining though.
True, The Shining is a classic to be remembered. I must thank you, Tom, for reminding me of Swamp Thing. I loved it as a kid but haven't thought of it for years. Props to your overall list, it's a good one.
I must ask if you've watched Army of Darkness? It's really the latest installment of the Evil Dead movies. It is awesome, and I love to watch it whenever I get a chance. Yes Bruce Campbell is the king of B movies and Jason Statham is the queen. VanDam and Steven Segal are their children and rule the C movie category.
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