Before I start, let me make a few things clear about this list. First, I excluded 2 of my favorite horror film, The Exorcist and The Shining. I figure if you haven’t seen either of those movies, then you don’t have the appreciation for good horror and probably should just skip this list all together. Second, this list is not ordered in any way and by all means, this is not the end all of horror movie lists. I picked these movies on 2 scare factors: Original scare and Repeat Scare. Original scare factor should be self-explanatory; its how scared you felt the first time you saw the film. Repeat scare is how well the movie rates on repeat viewings. There are movies that have the BOO! scare tactic that just doesn’t work upon viewing the movie for a second or third time.
The Texas Chainsaw Massacre (1974)
The fact that this movie has no drug use, no real profanity and no sexual situations and still managed to get an R rating should tell you something. In fact, by today’s standards, there really isn’t anything gory in the original Texas Chainsaw Massacre. Just pure, unrelenting violence. The best kind!
Ringu (1998)
Supreme Japanese horror. You’re most likely familiar with the US remake, The Ring. Even though I feel Gore Verbinski did an excellent job in the remake. I feel that this original version is far superior in style and substance. Don’t let the subtitles scare you off.
The Evil Dead 2 (1987)
Bruce Campbell. Sam Raimi. ASH-isms. Nuff’ said.
The Blair Witch Project (1999)
Ignoring the plethora of parodies and a horrible sequel, this movie stands as a great example of low-budget horror cinema. When I say low-budget here, I don’t mean cheesy. The atmosphere this movie creates is so spot on. I still get chills from this movie’s ending.
28 Days Later (2002)
When I first found out that Danny Boyle, director of Trainspotting and The Beach (which by the way are 2 of my most favorite films), was making a zombie film, I was all in. This movie doesn’t actually refer them as “zombies”, rather this movie takes the “infected” path. A virus is something a little more realistic than the “undead” and frankly a lot creepier. The church scene does it for me….”Hello…Hello..?”
The Abominable Dr. Phibes (1971)
I have to thank my dad for this one. He told me this movie had is a scene where a guy gets his head smooshed by a mask he is wearing. That alone sold me on it. But I wasn’t prepared for the pure style that this movie presents. There is just so much to take in here, from the clockwork band to the death scenes. Vincent Price is the man and was made for horror.
Halloween (1978)
Now I’m not really a fan of the slasher films, in fact I’ll take a sci-fi/psychological horror any day, but there is something to be said about a movie that has a crazy manic killer, that isn’t dead. Micheal Meyers is on a killing spree for no apparent reason. He’s also not some failed comedian trying to kill you in your dreams, or some mongoloid that kills campers. An unstoppable, silent killer. Sorta like high blood pressure.
Paranormal Activity (2007)
Blair Witch Project set inside a house. I will say that the theatrical version has the BOO factor with its ending, while the original version is a little more on the disturbing side.
Replusion (1965)
Roman Polanski makes an eerie film about a woman’s fall into insanity while/from being isolated in her apartment. I personally find this movie to be creepier than the movie he made 3 years later, Rosemary’s baby.
If you got a scary movie recommendation, send it to jimmy@thebadcharacter.com or @jimsorock on twitter.
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