“Boys and girls of
every age, would you like to see something strange, come with us and you
will see, this our town of Halloween”
It is that time of year and what better way to honor this
ghoulish season than a list of my top ten favorite horror movies. I love all kinds of horror movies. Slasher films, cult classics, old, new,
creature features, paranormal spooks, psychological thrillers. What make horror movies different than all
other film genres is that a horror movie can be bad, and still be good. Think about it. If you watch a drama film and it doesn't
move you, or the plot has huge holes in it, you don't enjoy it. However, bad acting in a horror film, plot
holes, time-lapse errors, awful special effects . . .who cares!!! You can still enjoy it. Maybe it makes the horror movie a little funnier
or a little less “I need to keep the lights on while I sleep,” but chances are,
you can still walk away from it feeling like it was two-hours well spent.
I must preface my list of films with some advice on how to
get the most out of your horror movie watching Experience. First of all, popcorn must be had. Whether it comes in a bag or you make it
fresh, it makes your movie watching that much more fun. Secondly, lights should be off or very dim. Candles set the mood perfectly. Lastly, get
in the spirit. Don't go into a horror
movie ready to point out all the inconstancies or how unrealistic the
intestines look. Just buy what the movie
is selling you. Sit back and enjoy.
Oh, and don't go out to the garage, answer the door, or
investigate the creaking upstairs.
That’s just stupid.
In no particular order, here are my top ten horror movies of
all time:
The Shining (1980)
Why I love it: This
movie scared me before I saw it. In the
90’s film, Twister, there is a scene at a drive-in where they show a scene from The Shining: Danny riding his tricycle around the hotel and runs into the
ghostly twin girls. I didn't know what I
was watching and it scared me for months.
Eventually I got over my fear and watched the actual movie. The Shining is a smart horror film. Each time I watch it, I catch something new. It gets into your head. And that music, the weird chanting and
moaning and creepy effects are so unsettling.
Scariest Moment:
Those two creepy little girls.
“Come play with us, Danny.” Hell
no!
The Thing (1982)
Why I love it: This
movie keeps you asking, “what is happening?” until the very end. The crazy looking Thing, everyone turning
against each other, Kurt Russell?!?! What more could you want?
Scariest Moment: The
spider-like creature made out of a human head.
Why I love it: This
film really gets me because I grew up in a house near the woods with lots of
windows. I have never watched it in that
house because it is just too real. This
movie is less about violence and actual horror, and more about creating a
simple feeling of something looming and overall unease. When I watch The Strangers, I find myself
checking behind me, just to make sure no one is there.
Scariest Moment: The
first stranger that enters the house.
Human Centipede (2011)
Why I love it: I saw
this movie on a second date. The woman
sitting in front of me left about 20 minutes in. I had heard people were leaving the theater
(which is an automatic reason to see a horror movie in my book) but this time,
I actually witnessed it. This movie is
so messed up that when you turn it off, you don't feel quite right. Could that really happen? Would someone do that? Cue evil laugh.
Scariest Moment: When
the doctor first explains the procedure.
The Descent (2005)
Why I love it: This movie has it all. It has a primarily female cast. It has adventure, horror, blood, and
creatures. Part of what is scary about
this film is that it isn’t until at least halfway through the film that we are
scared of these Gollum-type cave creatures.
Until then, Mother Nature is what freaks us out—walls collapsing,
claustrophobia, getting lost in a cave; these elements alone are terrifying.
Scariest Moment: When the character gets stuck in one of the
confined tunnels.
Saw (2004)
Why I love it: The
twist!!! At the end, the twist gave me goose
bumps. If you don't know the twist, try
to keep it that way until you watch it.
This movie (unlike some of the others in the series) had an intricate
plot with a lot of unexpected character developments along the way.
Scariest Moment: The
lights don't work in his apartment so he uses a camera flash.
House on Haunted Hill (1959)
Why I love it: This
movie terrified me when I first saw it.
Could not sleep. It is really a well-made
film because it has all the classic elements of horror—fog, a stormy night, an
old house, candles, and creaking doors.
The formula is perfection. And
Vincent Price?!?! If you have never seen
one of his films, this is a great one to start with.
Scariest Moment: The
woman and the rope she hung herself with.
Halloween (1978)
Why I love it: Halloween does a great job of keeping
elements of how we celebrate Halloween present. Kids trick-or-treating, carving pumpkins,
making popcorn, leaves on the ground, babysitters letting kids watch a horror
movie. It is relatable. This town haunted by Michael Myers could very
well be your town.
Scariest Moment: The
closet.
The Fly (1958)
Why I love it: This
movie is great because it isn’t too scary.
It is certainly dated with its special effects but at the same time, the
main character is trying to hide the fact that he is becoming an insect, and therefore,
means that not a lot needs to be shown.
Like in Jaws—the suggestion of what is there is much more terrifying.
Scariest Moment: The spider
web at the end.
Psycho (1960)
Why I love it: People
often say that this movie changed the way they felt when they showered. I am one of those people. I actually saw the shower scene before seeing
the whole film. I was at Universal
Studios and they had a behind the scenes show about Hitchcock and they showed
the shower scene before explaining how it was filmed. From that night until probably college, I
locked my bathroom door when I showered.
Until high school, I locked my door and also kept the shower curtain
open. My mom would always ask why there
was so much water on the floor. I
couldn't very well say, “Because that movie clip I saw 6 years ago terrified
me!” This movie holds up over time and
continues to be classically scary.
Scariest Moment: Norman
Bates in his jail cell.
I hope that as you read this, there are movies on this list
you haven’t seen and that this Halloween, you watch . . .if you dare.
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