totalfilm.com posted their horror film top 50 list


Here's the top ten!!!!


1 THE TEXAS CHAIN SAW MASSACRE 1974

2 HALLOWEEN 1978

3 SUSPIRIA 1977

4 DAWN OF THE DEAD 1978

5 THE SHINING 1980

6 PSYCHO 1960

7 THE WICKER MAN 1973

8 ROSEMARY?S BABY 1968

9 DON?T LOOK NOW 1973

10 CANNIBAL HOLOCAUST 1980

Can't we do better.

How about

1)the original Frankenstein
2)Wallace and Gromit curse of the were-rabbit
3)the original Mummy
4)Young Frankenstien
5)the original War of the Worlds
6)It's the great pumpkin Charlie Brown

The Innocents- best ghost movie ever made.

Invasion of the Body Snatchers - the Original, of course!

Um, where is "It's The Great Pumpkin Charlie Brown!" ?? :dunno:


:D

Original (1968) Night of the Living Dead.-Sandy G.

Story by Ray Bradbury with Jason Robards and Johnathan Pryce.

Yeah, yeah, it's a Disney movie but, to me, this movie is to hallowween what "A Christmas Story" is to Christmas. No grandiose special effects or bloodletting but it just oozes with atmosphere and erieness.

The Exorcist

Friday the 13th I & 2

American Werewolf in London

Evil Dead

Nightmare on Elm St.

The Howling

The Thing (John Carpenter's)

Fright Night

Mimic

The Relic

Near Dark

The Frighteners

Hi,

Maybe I was just impressionable at the time, but The Exorcist scared me big time. As did The Haunting of Hill House.

Something Wicked This Way Comes is a classic I agree.

Jim

The Innocents- best ghost movie ever made.
This 1961 movie is indeed excellent as is 1963's "The Haunting" with Julie Harris. Many suggested here are all great movies. If you want a movie that's slightly gross, scary and weirdly funny, check out "Re-Animator" sometime.

Re-Animator IS weirdly goofy alright. For some reason, no-one can seem to get a Lovecraft story to the screen.

Lovecraft story's used to end up on Night Gallery in the 70's. For that matter didn't Harlan Ellison write some of the original Outer Limit's?

Isn't Altered States based on HPL's story The Ancestor? If it is not explicitly based on it, then it is either an uncredited theft of the story, or else an astonishing coincidence.

Dagon, although not faithfully based on any single HPL story, was a good creepy movie and IMO it really captured the mood of threat and revulsion that HPL wrote into his stories.

Lovecraft story's used to end up on Night Gallery in the 70's.

True. Guess I should have been more specific regarding big screen translations. I remember an adaptation of Cool Air on NG that I though was quite well done.

It continues to amaze me that someone doesn't take At The Mountains Of Madness and turn it into a killer big screen movie. Always thought it would translate very well.

For that matter didn't Harlan Ellison write some of the original Outer Limit's?

Not sure about that, but sounds reasonable.

I remember an adaptation of Cool Air on NG

That was one of the best episodes. It also seems to me Ellison wrote a Star Trek, where Kirk travels back to the 30.

Night Of The Living Dead (original)
Texas Chainsaw Massacre (original)
Alien
Pumpkinhead
Nosferatu (1922 & 1979)
Evil Dead
Re-Animater (original un-cut....NOT the watered-down "Blockbuster" version!)
An American Werewolf In London
The Exorcist
Fright Night
Spiral (A VERY creepy Japanese release..if you like it or not, you'll never forget it)

Russ

"The Omen"

Dracula (as played by Christpher Lee w/ Peter Cushing as Van Helsing)

Godzilla vs. The Sea Monster (the camp is worth the rental cost)

Parents ("What exactly was this before it was a leftover?")

The Thing (Carpenter remake)

The Ghost & Mr. Chicken

The Hills Have Eyes

Phantasm

The Blob

Them

Alien

Have not seen (yet) but they keep being recommended to me as creepy -

Blair Witch Project

The Ring 1, 2

Saw

The 1963 version of the Haunting was a great movie...

Loved Ghost and Mr. Chicken as a kid (I'm still a big kid! :D )

John Carpenter's The Thing is a classic for me...

Couple of my other favoites are...

Abbot and Costello meet Frankenstein and...

Abbot and Costello - Catch That Ghost.

And I'm sure Echowars will chime in with a vote for Young Doctor Frankenstein!

Scott

Couple of new movies I'd like to see would be the remake of The Fog, and the new movie Stay.

Scott

Spiral (A VERY creepy Japanese release..if you like it or not, you'll never forget it)

Russ

VERY True! I didn't care for it at all, but it will stick with you!

Halloween, strangely enough, is my favorite Halloween movie! :thmbsp: Halloween 2 would be my Least favorite! :thumbsdn:

Audition(a Japanese film also.)It starts like a romantic drama,and turns VERY twisted in the middle and never lets up.
Carnival Of Souls_Very stylish,creepy early 60's drive-in flick.One of my favorite Halloween movies.
The Hills Have Eyes-One of the early,really gruesome Wes Craven movies.
Repulsion-An earlier Polanski movie with Catherine Denueve going animal crackers before our very eyes.
The Kingdom-The original Danish mini-series,not the Steven King tv thing it was based on.Very bizarre ghost story.
Jimmy

Blair Witch is kinda creepy on the first view of the film, movie really freaked me out a bit and I had to go work alone in big dark gymnasium all alone right after at night when I saw it. Rented it when it came out and it didn't have the same thrill.

I just saw a scary one, High Tension, I think it's French, it has a really preposterous and stupid ending but all the stuff that happens before the dumb ending is pretty scary :yes:

Saw was a great movie I usually always have movies figured out before their ending but this was one of the few that just really shocked and surpised me.

Is Spiral the right title? Anyone got the Japanese title? I did a search on Netflix and got nothing for Spiral???

Try "uzumaki" as the title,Thor.
Jimmy

Audition(a Japanese film also.)It starts like a romantic drama,and turns VERY twisted in the middle and never lets up.


Audition is one of the most troubling films I have ever seen. I don't know if I was just off my horror jaded guard, or if it's just the sickest thing I've seen in a very long while. Great flick, didn't sleep much that night, and I've been watching and loving horror films since I was 5 or 6 years old.

Here's a few more to add to the Halloween list, by virtue of the fact that not many have ever seen them, and they really succeed as great horror films.

Session 9 - Breaks all kinds of horror rules, and works really well as a result. There's just so much about this flick that will keep you guessing that I was on my heels when the final curtain fell.

Ginger Snaps - Succeeds where most modern horror flicks fall flat on their face. It's funny, smart, lyrical, and damn scary, often at the very same time.
For all my Canadian AK brothers it's also an entirely Canadian production.

Cube - Also Canadian (who says Canucks can't make brilliant films)? Very smart, at times really gory, and all in all, quite a frightening ride!

Hope you guys enjoy some of these, and add them to you recommended lists. If you do give them a view, lemme hear what you think...

Event horizon 1997 end of story.

Try "uzumaki" as the title,Thor.
Jimmy

Ah got it!

Audition has been in my Netflix queue for some time, mebbe it's time to bump it to the top ;)

Alright Thor! Good to see another few "real horror fans" at AK. Audition is ----- Sorry, I'm having trouble coming up with ways to spell Ohhh brrrrrrarggggh geez!

CUBE!! Yes! For pure unrelenting tension, this film scores big.

Halloween Movies, My choices:

The Excorsist
Juon:the grudge(Japanese theatrical version)-Very spooky
Uzumaki (japanese)-Just plain wierd
Kairo (Japanese)-Also wierd, but spooky, freaked my wife out.
Cursed (Japanese-by the same folks who gave us Uzumaki) also wierd and spooky.
The Ring (any version)-spooky
Tomie: Replay (Japanese)-Kind of spooky, different
Curse of the Demon/Day of the Demon- Not really scarey, but interesting and fun anyway. A classic.
Tale of Two Sisters (korean)-sort of spooky twisted
Whispering Corridors (Korean)-ghosts in an all girls school
Phone (korean)-nice spooky movie
The eye-Thai horror, Similar to the 6th sense, but done better.
Shutter-another Thai horror, very nice twist at the end.

Here's my list...I'm not that much into gore, I like suspense, creepiness and/or wit in my horror films...
Horror Hotel Has one of the scariest jump cuts ever done; creepy throughout.
Evil Toons Manages to spoof every bad horror film made.
Freaks 10 on the creep-o-meter; real freaks playing freaks.
Mad Monster Party Phyllis Diller!
Dracula I never got to see this Bela Lugosi masterpiece until my Transylvanian grandmother passed away, she'd always shut the TV off when it came on.
Frankenstein Classic.
The Wolfman Another one my grandmother wouldn't let me watch.
Repossessed Linda Blair is re-possessed; Leslie Neilsen is The Exorcist.
Innocent Blood Anne Parillaud as the sexiest vampire ever with Robert Loggia as the head of an all-vampire mafia?!
Carnival of Souls I had to sleep with the light on for a week after I saw it the first time.
Night of the Living Dead ditto

1 THE TEXAS CHAIN SAW MASSACRE 1974

2 HALLOWEEN 1978

3 SUSPIRIA 1977

4 DAWN OF THE DEAD 1978

5 THE SHINING 1980

6 PSYCHO 1960

7 THE WICKER MAN 1973

8 ROSEMARYS BABY 1968

9 DONT LOOK NOW 1973

10 CANNIBAL HOLOCAUST 1980I havent seen some of those but i agree,ALL SOUND GOOD!! (they came out when stuff was still GOOD!!)


The best on one that list is HALLOWEEN!! (I have seen 1,2 and 5)

Night of the living dead '68 is also very good :) (The remake isnt bad either (I usually dislike remakes with a passion but this remake is the first i saw))

This thread is only 4 years old, but I'll play. I'll be watching Psycho come Halloween.

This thread is only 4 years old, but I'll play. I'll be watching Psycho come Halloween.

lol... I wonder how that one is going to tun out? :)

The classics are great but I already now what happens. I recently watched White Noise that was spooky freaky and if you want creepy scary The Grudge will get you checking out dark corners with a crucifix, silver bullets, and a bat.

http://z.about.com/d/classicfilm/1/0/a/2/-/-/draculaDVDcolor.jpg

surely Dracula 1931 with music or anything from Carl Laemmle. The Score is a little busy though.

The Haunting (of Hill house)

1. Halloween
2. 1992 version of Dracula
3. Descent
4. The Cave
5. High Tension
6. House on Haunted Hill

Want a movie that will really stick with you for awhile? Rent 'Wolf Creek'!!

You guys wanna see eteller get the creeps?

"See... head on a stick"

Invasion of The Body Snatchers (orignal version)
House on Haunted Hill (orignal version)
Frankenstein (orignal version)
Dracula (orignal version)
The Werewolf (orignal version)
The Ghost and Mr. Chicken
The Excorsist
Young Frankenstein
The Birds

"Prince of Darkness" was pretty fun, as well. Plus, Alice Cooper has a small part in it -- always a bonus.

rooster.

House on Haunted Hill (orignal version)I havent seen that before... When was it released??

Creepshow (1982)
The Thing (1982)
Poltergiest (1982)
The Fog (1980)
Ghost Story (1981)
Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein (1948)

I havent seen that before... When was it released??

1959... Vincent Price, Carol Ohmart, Richard Long , and Elisha Cook Jr. Directed by the famous (some would say infamous) William Castle.

My wife, son and I watched "Shawn of the Dead" last Halloween and thought it was a perfect match to the evening's vibe.

http://www.warnervideo.com/talesfromthecryptdvd/card.html

Nobody remembers Trilogy of Terror?
A made for TV movie from the seventies with Karen Black. Scared the bejeebus out of me when I was a kid. All I can remember now is that creepy African doll coming to life and scampering around Karen Black's apartment.

Spiral !! if you have heard of it :yes:

I recently watched White Noise that was spooky freaky and if you want creepy scary The Grudge will get you checking out dark corners with a crucifix, silver bullets, and a bat.

Perfect. Exactly what I've been looking for in a Halloween film. :para:

Spiral !! if you have heard of it :yes:

Was that the Japanese flick that had everyone seeing swirls/snails?

Was that the Japanese flick that had everyone seeing swirls/snails?
That is Uzumaki. That is sometimes called Spiral, but there is also another Japanese movie called Spiral. It is an offshoot of the Ringu series.
Since we are bringing this thread back, I'd also recommend Nosferatu. One of the older vamp movies. And, for something a bit different, watch Let the Right One In. A Swedish Vampire movie, unlike any other I've seen.
Jack

I havent seen that before... When was it released??

House on Haunted Hill ~ 1959 . . Vincent Price

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0051744/

Nobody remembers Trilogy of Terror?
A made for TV movie from the seventies with Karen Black. Scared the bejeebus out of me when I was a kid. All I can remember now is that creepy African doll coming to life and scampering around Karen Black's apartment.
I remember it. The African doll story was the best by far. Its available on DVD as an import from Europe. Thanks for reminding me, I think I'll watch it soon.
Jack

The Funhouse -- 1981!!!!!

Rome

I remember it. The African doll story was the best by far. Its available on DVD as an import from Europe. Thanks for reminding me, I think I'll watch it soon.
Jack

I forgot about that one!! Cool!!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rhe2OeUiQ1Y

Nobody mentioned "Christine"?

Since my OP I'll second Shawn of the Dead and add Army of Darkness, My Name is Bruce and the very spooky Japanese Kairo.

Nobody remembers Trilogy of Terror?
A made for TV movie from the seventies with Karen Black. Scared the bejeebus out of me when I was a kid. All I can remember now is that creepy African doll coming to life and scampering around Karen Black's apartment.

The African doll was great (see my Halloween avatar.) I loved the knife under the door and the ending scene was pretty creepy, too. Also reminded me of a series in the 70's called Circle of Fear (http://www.google.com/aclk?sa=L&ai=C2dsB3-PXSo68BJziM8nctMcLgpuWIKLO05MC3NzKyAIIABABUP7B2u8C YMmur4mQpPQQyAEBqgQWT9DpRcwXxw4nKEn59BvTmM0E8G7MXg&sig=AGiWqtyRV83kcGxTpqtXPuOCtQdhs8n9qw&q=http://www.skaryguyvideo.com/ghoststory.htm). One episode involved some posessed jars in a covered up fireplace that were "released" accidentally, another a small wooden rocking horse came to life and tortured a guy despite several attempts to "dispose" of it.

Sir Graves Ghastly was popular around here also during that time. Lots of old B&Ws and other goodies were featured on weekend afternoons.

I see tons of good ones listed including some I will have to check out. I always thought Demon Seed (1977) with Julie Christy was pretty freaky then, and probably even more so now looking at if from today's technological perspective. Kind of Space 2001 meets Rosemary's Baby kinda thing.

Since my OP I'll second Shawn of the Dead and add Army of Darkness, My Name is Bruce and the very spooky Japanese Kairo.

Kairo is an incredible movie, and one of the best horror films I have seen in many years. One of the most common failures of many modern horror films is a reliance on jump scares and loud bangs, instead of solid story telling and plot/character development.

Kairo does not have this weakness.

The story is carefully, meticulously drawn and nothing happens without a reason. Each scene leads to the next with a sense of increasing dread and then, out and out fear. Kairo manages to do what few modern horror films can: create a world that scares the crap out of the viewer without showing a single drop of blood.

Meatcleaver Massacre and Tool Box Murders. I think it cost me more to see them at the drive in than it cost to make the films.

Another John Carpenter flick to add to the list: They Live

i'm not a big fan of all these 'halloween' films.
most dont give me the particular feeling halloween does in reality.
its more of a ancient pagan feeling, but combined with the awareness of late 20th century childhood.
the slasher sort of films feels too much like a teenager who has never seen an R-rated movie and all of a sudden likes rock and punk and so on, and is allowed a new freedom of horror movies.
quite boring to me at least. i guess i'm different. having this freedom and awareness already from a young age.
The Exorcist is an exception, as it does both contain vital elements for me anyway;
north-east north America/new england area with the pumpkins and autumn harvest colours of the landscape.
and childhood.

check out Mysterious Skin, Hocus Pocus, The Crucible, the sixth sense, ET(only the halloween scene), the lost boys.
i know there are other films that contain childhood elements and those autuumn colours that give off that halloween feeling, but I cant think of them now.
the new world.

what other sort of childhood-halloween films could you suggest?

halloween is deeply linked to the harvest of pagan times. before we knew how the earth worked, before science understanding. when we relied on myth and more human methods of living life, rather than complety abstract impossible, un-concieveable concepts and thoughts that simply our mind cannot get a real grasp on, unless through tiresome mathematics.
the end of the harvest is a beautfiul thing to think of, imagining the small celtic communities afraid of the night 'out there' lands still unexplored, the vastness of the world and life. the celebrations of the end of the harvest to the mythic gods. and how this tradition has lived on thought the centuries/milleniums to children as an actual possibliy that the mysterious is real and affecting to us and the world. but unfortunantely, now in modern times, you have to 'grow up' and stop believeing in fairy-tales. actually, these myths and feeling are actually more real to the human mind and conciousness, modern science is pheonomal but thats all it is, we cant do nothing with it in our waking lives, unless we'll eventually attain a sort of dissipation from this exsistence and attain a kind of immortality, which is what halloween has achieved quite effectively collectively down through time.
ritual and tradition and myth and fiction is absolutely vital for childhood.

Kwaidan, sixties Japanese ghost story movie, it's not for everybody you have to be patient because it's slow but I enjoy it. The set backgrounds were actually painted by the director. It's his vision through and through

"Don't Be Afraid Of The Dark"
"Funhouse"
"Terror Train"
"Fright Night"
"Prince Of Darkness"
"From Beyond"
"Phantasm"

+1 on Funhouse
BIG +1 on They Live
All of the Evil Dead films are among my favorites with Evil Dead II being the best followed closely by Army of Darkness.

I'm quite fond of John Carpenter's The Thing.