My All-Time SCARIEST Movies
September 11th 2006 03:27
It’s one thing to shock and repulse a horror audience, and many horror films do that very effectively. But that’s only one side of the bloodied coin. The other side is, arguably, the harder side to scratch; being able to terrify an audience.
The graphic nature of gore was considered the last taboo of the silver screen, so in this age of extreme hard core horror where straight-to-video titles such as the Japanese Guinea Pig series and other Euro pseudo-snuff atrocities have pushed the gross-out envelope almost as far as it can go, horrorphiles find themselves searching for that elusive, yet altogether more soul-wrenching element … pure and utter terror.
These days horror movies that can genuinely scare the living shit out of you are hard to come by. Over the last ten years I can think of only two flicks that have given me the absolute chills, made the hairs on my back stand on edge, made me want to turn my head or cover my eyes in fear.
I was lucky enough to see The Blair Witch Project (1999) months before it was released theatrically. It frightened the fuck out of me and my mates. This was due to the film’s clever use of what you don’t see, rather than what you do. Unfortunately for most people the hype surrounding the film and the subsequent lead-up to its release spoiled a lot of its impact. If you’ve never seen it, and ghostly supernatural tales are your ride, try watching it late at night with a howling wind outside.
I saw the British subterranean flick The Descent (2005) earlier this year, and I haven’t jumped so much in a cinema since I was an adolescent. It has its fair share of blood and gore, but it’s the fear of the dark and the unknown, like Blair Witch, which gives the film its edge. If you’re game enough to watch this by yourself (or with a squeamish partner) in the dead of night you’re in for a nasty fright.
So what are the scariest movies I’ve ever seen? To answer that I need to include movies I saw when I was much younger because ultimately they are the ones that still stick in the mind. Obviously back then I was more impressionable and less cynical, but it’s the only way to judge them. The way movies affect us is primarily based on when we saw them and our attitude at the time.
So, my top five in chronological order of viewing:
1. Poltergeist (1982)
This is no doubt the tamest of my selection, but in many respects it’s the scariest because of the age I saw it. I was 13 with a vivid imagination. The vanishing clown scene gave me nightmares for weeks. My friend and I had to house-sit after seeing it. We kept playing the same calming record over and over again. We tried going down to the basement rumpus room but found the door jammed and that was it. We spent the rest of the evening in his bedroom armed with a fire poker.
2. Alien (1979)
Another friend’s parents had a VCR machine way before anyone else (one of those huge top-loading, push down button ones built like tanks). One weekend my friends and I went and hired out several “adult” movies like The Deer Hunter (1978) and Dressed to Kill (1980) because this was back in the day when video titles had no restrictions and minors could actually hire out movies that had been given an R18 rating at the cinemas. Alien was another of the “adult” titles we selected. The realistic production design and alien concept and special effects stunned us. But it was the scene when Dallas is in the air vents which had us petrified.
3. Halloween (1978)
I actually saw the sequel first in ‘82, and then saw the original a couple of years later. I distinctly remember the TV spots (also the Alien ones), and knew it was meant for adults. The sustained level of terror in this movie is unparalleled. Virtually no bloodshed, but the combination of its music and creeping camerawork engulfed me. When Loomis and Laurie look over the balcony at the end and He’s gone … I nearly filled my pants.
4. Suspiria (1977)
This was another of those video titles I watched before they were all taken off the shelves and given ratings. I had looked at the cover image and its title many a time and eventually my friend and I hired and watched it one night while babysitting. The soundtrack by Goblin was enough to chill us to the bone. It was like we were trapped in a very bad dream. The movie’s nightmarish look and feel haunted us both for weeks.
5. The Evil Dead (1982)
The same friend who watched Suspiria with me joined me at the belated theatrical release of this in ’84. It’s a tour-de-force of horror theatrics, but it successfully kept us on the edge of our seats. I remember many people walking out of the cinema. My friend and I relished the film’s raw, uncompromising atmosphere, and were in a cold sweat when Ash discovers the Book of the Dead in the basement. It’s a shame, but they don’t make them like this anymore.
There are a few others, but those are etched hard in my psyche.
So what are your top five?
* the images on this page were taken from the following wikipedia pages:
The Descent (movie poster) and Alien (movie poster)
They ave been lisenced under the GNU Free Document License
The graphic nature of gore was considered the last taboo of the silver screen, so in this age of extreme hard core horror where straight-to-video titles such as the Japanese Guinea Pig series and other Euro pseudo-snuff atrocities have pushed the gross-out envelope almost as far as it can go, horrorphiles find themselves searching for that elusive, yet altogether more soul-wrenching element … pure and utter terror.
These days horror movies that can genuinely scare the living shit out of you are hard to come by. Over the last ten years I can think of only two flicks that have given me the absolute chills, made the hairs on my back stand on edge, made me want to turn my head or cover my eyes in fear.
I was lucky enough to see The Blair Witch Project (1999) months before it was released theatrically. It frightened the fuck out of me and my mates. This was due to the film’s clever use of what you don’t see, rather than what you do. Unfortunately for most people the hype surrounding the film and the subsequent lead-up to its release spoiled a lot of its impact. If you’ve never seen it, and ghostly supernatural tales are your ride, try watching it late at night with a howling wind outside.
I saw the British subterranean flick The Descent (2005) earlier this year, and I haven’t jumped so much in a cinema since I was an adolescent. It has its fair share of blood and gore, but it’s the fear of the dark and the unknown, like Blair Witch, which gives the film its edge. If you’re game enough to watch this by yourself (or with a squeamish partner) in the dead of night you’re in for a nasty fright.
So what are the scariest movies I’ve ever seen? To answer that I need to include movies I saw when I was much younger because ultimately they are the ones that still stick in the mind. Obviously back then I was more impressionable and less cynical, but it’s the only way to judge them. The way movies affect us is primarily based on when we saw them and our attitude at the time.
So, my top five in chronological order of viewing:
1. Poltergeist (1982)
This is no doubt the tamest of my selection, but in many respects it’s the scariest because of the age I saw it. I was 13 with a vivid imagination. The vanishing clown scene gave me nightmares for weeks. My friend and I had to house-sit after seeing it. We kept playing the same calming record over and over again. We tried going down to the basement rumpus room but found the door jammed and that was it. We spent the rest of the evening in his bedroom armed with a fire poker.
2. Alien (1979)
Another friend’s parents had a VCR machine way before anyone else (one of those huge top-loading, push down button ones built like tanks). One weekend my friends and I went and hired out several “adult” movies like The Deer Hunter (1978) and Dressed to Kill (1980) because this was back in the day when video titles had no restrictions and minors could actually hire out movies that had been given an R18 rating at the cinemas. Alien was another of the “adult” titles we selected. The realistic production design and alien concept and special effects stunned us. But it was the scene when Dallas is in the air vents which had us petrified.
3. Halloween (1978)
I actually saw the sequel first in ‘82, and then saw the original a couple of years later. I distinctly remember the TV spots (also the Alien ones), and knew it was meant for adults. The sustained level of terror in this movie is unparalleled. Virtually no bloodshed, but the combination of its music and creeping camerawork engulfed me. When Loomis and Laurie look over the balcony at the end and He’s gone … I nearly filled my pants.
4. Suspiria (1977)
This was another of those video titles I watched before they were all taken off the shelves and given ratings. I had looked at the cover image and its title many a time and eventually my friend and I hired and watched it one night while babysitting. The soundtrack by Goblin was enough to chill us to the bone. It was like we were trapped in a very bad dream. The movie’s nightmarish look and feel haunted us both for weeks.
5. The Evil Dead (1982)
The same friend who watched Suspiria with me joined me at the belated theatrical release of this in ’84. It’s a tour-de-force of horror theatrics, but it successfully kept us on the edge of our seats. I remember many people walking out of the cinema. My friend and I relished the film’s raw, uncompromising atmosphere, and were in a cold sweat when Ash discovers the Book of the Dead in the basement. It’s a shame, but they don’t make them like this anymore.
There are a few others, but those are etched hard in my psyche.
So what are your top five?
* the images on this page were taken from the following wikipedia pages:
The Descent (movie poster) and Alien (movie poster)
They ave been lisenced under the GNU Free Document License
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Comment by JohnDoe
Film & TV on DVD
Off the top of my head, Nicholas Roeg's Dont Look Now and Hardy's The Wicker Man are two films that genuinely unnerved me.
Comment by Cibbuano
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Horror movies really need to be shown in the theatre to have full effect. The periods of dead silence are chilling in a dark theatre...
Comment by Bryn
Horrorphile
They were bloody scary!!!
And yes, Don't Look Now has a chilling resonance!
Comment by JohnDoe
Film & TV on DVD
A few truly eerie Japanese Horror films that i dig are- The Eye, Evil Dead Trap and Audition.
Comment by Bryn
Horrorphile
Evil Dead Trap certainly had its moments ... as did the hard-gore thriller Tell Me Something.
There's definitely something compelling about the Japenese horror film, something other-wordly, almost mystical in their mise-en-scene.
Cibbuano, I agree that horror movies should be watched in a darkened cinema with a decent sound system to fully capture the silence, as well as the intentional sound effects, but there's nothing as frightening as watching a video/DVD in your own home, especially if you happen to be alone, and getting the chill down your back ...
Comment by Justin
Cinematrix
Comment by DanielR
god that film is good. the ring is amazing as well.
i'm seeing the new wicker man tomorrow, safe in the knowledge that it will be hilaiously bad. oddly, i'm looking forward to it.
Comment by JohnDoe
Film & TV on DVD
A few recent gems that stuck with me-
The Nameless
Haute Tension
Faust 5.0
The Devils BackBone
AfterMath
Cronos
Comment by Bryn
Horrorphile
Haute Tension had the best decapitation I' ve seen in a movie since The Omen! Have you seen his remake of The Hills Have Eyes? Even better than Haute Tension!
Cronos had the metallic spider-bug thing. Cool.
The Europeans have always been injecting life (or death, depending on how you look at it) into the horror genre. Partly because they're not as prudish or conservative as American filmmakers. I'm generalising of course ...
Comment by Cibbuano
20/20 Filmsight
Science News
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I thought the Hills Have Eyes remake was fairly bland...
Oh, the original Grudge! Crazy!
Comment by Vixter
People
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After reading your article I think I may have to watch descent...though i think it's something I'll do in the middle of the day...before meals.
Good idea.
Comment by MelissaA
Fun Facts
Poltergeist
The Omen
The Amityville Horror (the original)
Nightmare on Elm Street
A have a vague recollection that Pet Cemetary wasn't too bad either for scare factor.......
Comment by JohnDoe
Film & TV on DVD
I thought the Hills Have Eyes remake was average at best, much like the Texas Chainsaw remake, it just didnt create any tension for me.,
The cinematography was alright but the use of sound was heavy handed and the editing was very choppy, found myself clock watching on both of them.
I did liked Haute Tension but thought the last 15 minutes were retarded, one of the best horrors of recent years up till the conclusion.
Hi Cib,
As you know, I am a sick and twisted puppy. I love being challenged by my cinema and found this to be quite visually arresting with a sly wit at the end.
IMO a true horror film is not to be enjoyed, rather it should explore the deep recesses of human sin and take you to places you would never like to be.
Comment by Ragin Cajun
Observer's Post
Death By Myopia
Comment by Bryn
Horrorphile
Yeah, The Exorcist was good, but it never scared me like I wanted it too. For yearsas I was growing up I had the impression it would be the ultimate adult horror flick ...
John Doe ... I am a sick lill' puppy too ... i haven't dug that deep yet with my posts .. but I will ... I'm just trying to ease people into my dark sordid little archive of nightmares ... First comes the pleasure ... then the pain ...
Comment by JohnDoe
Film & TV on DVD
Though I should be honest and say I only saw Aftermath once and it was enough for a lifetime. It only runs 20 odd minutes but it feels like 2 hrs, really is incredibly graphic and obscene. (And fromme take that as an extreme warning, "said in thunder")
A film only for those who want to push the boundaries of whats acceptable to show onscreen and curiousity at what human beings are capable of doing to other people.
In the same vein is Eric Stanze's Scrapbook, a film that takes away any of the make-belive/glossy image attached to the Hannibal lecter style of serial Killer. Showing them for the psychopathic/sociopathic, insecure, heinous, evil and people they are and the cld reality of whatthey do with there prey.
The director said that he wanted to do for the serial killer genre, what Clint Eastwood's Unforgiven did for the western. Personally I could never watch it again, but is must see for any fool who thinks its cool to harm and others for there own self serving needs of guilt, fear and pain.
Comment by Ahmed
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Yeah, you'll never get me to watch 'Alien'... ever!
I know its all in my head, not real or anything... but damn... I'm a regular scaredy cat...
Having said that Haloween didn't scare me at all. Same goes for 'The Thing'... I think John Carpenter can entertain me very much, but not scare me at all.
Must be age sensitive too though in that case, as you point outyou were quite young when you saw some of those freakazoids. I was very young when I saw 'Alien' and 'Aliens'...
Comment by Bryn
Horrorphile
Comment by Ahmed
techy.Bytes
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'Signs' was a good scarrer because fo it.
'alien', 'aliens' were also...
Comment by Bryn
Horrorphile
Comment by Ahmed
techy.Bytes
Video Gamer Kids
Little Green Foosballs
PolyKicks
Qwerk
Cinema Three
Comment by Bryn
Horrorphile
Brilliant film.
Comment by Ahmed
techy.Bytes
Video Gamer Kids
Little Green Foosballs
PolyKicks
Qwerk
Cinema Three
Comment by JohnDoe
Film & TV on DVD
Phillip Kaufman's remake was quite a good extension of the idea and going from smallo town to city examination..
Abel Ferrera's did the third remake which took the perspective of the militay was also worth a look.
Comment by Bryn
Horrorphile
JohnDoe, you and me both dude, you and me both!
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It also didn't help that I had a child sized clown doll in my room that stared at my bed each night. Actually I was quite terrorised by that film for quite some time.
Comment by Bryn
Horrorphile
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Comment by JohnDoe
Film & TV on DVD
Oh Bryn I thought you were kidding about a 4th remake of Invasion of The Body Snatchers with Nicole Kidman, alas its true.
The only film Nicole Kidman has ever done that I can watch is To Die For, she ruins everything else with her one dimensional portrayals.
Even sadder its to be Directed by one of the my favourite newer Directors Oliver Hirschbiegel (Downfall, das Experiment). I would love to see his interpretation, but not with that cast.
Comment by Bryn
Horrorphile
You're right, only decent thing she's ever really done was To Die For, although I kinda liked her in something called The Human Stain ... and Dead Calm.
Comment by GiRafFeZ wItH a SuNbUrN
PEACEOUT PEEPS!!!! XOXOXOXOX[/COLOR]
Comment by Bryn
Horrorphile
where is your wild self from?
Comment by wolfgirl
The Descent really freaked me out and made me feel pretty uncomfortable. I can be claustrophic, so the dark, tight spaces were worse for me than the monsters, and that thick, heavy darkness, I could never do that.
Comment by Bryn
Horrorphile
Amazing that The Descent was shot using sets, there was no real cave, I was like, how the fuck did they get a camera crew down there?!
Comment by wolfgirl
Comment by Bryn
Horrorphile
Comment by Anonymous
I love horror films so much but I haven't been really terrified of a horror film since I snuck in and watched I.T with my brothers when i was about 8 or 9. Now i can't watch it after dark on my own!
That is my favourite horror because it still scares me now! and has given me a lifetime fear of clowns!
I hate them!
also the Poltergeist clown did nothing to help that fear!!
I didn't think the blair witch project was very scary - we went to see it in the cinema when it was first released on halloween and i thought the only freaky bit was at the end when you see the man in the corner.
My favourite films i can think of now are:
i.t
Poltergeist
I can only think of those 2 really scaring me.
Has anyone seen the film dead silence? It's not a terrifying horror but it creeped me out - it has ventriloquist (sp?) dmmies in it and a clown doll (figures i was creeped out! lol) but after i watched it about 1am in the dark on my own i was a bit freaked out and had to turn the lights on for a while!! The ending is quite a twist!
- there was also this outer limits kind of programme about a bogeyman who grabbed kids under the bed but for the life of me i cant remember what it was called - i would love to watch that again!
I have just aquired the mist and rest stop and have seen them on here so i'm going to watch those next.
Sorry for the long comment lol I really like the site thou! keep up the good work and i think i'll be here often!!
Comment by Bryn
Horrorphile
I'd love to know of the "Outer Limits" styled TV episode!The Mist I really enjoyed ... but Rest Stop was pretty lame.
Comment by Weapon
Comment by Casskins
You were right about rest stop - really really bad!
The Mist i thought was good but not really scary and i could predict what would happen at the end.
i've been trying to find out what that boogeyman thing was for years with no luck!
I LOVE jeepers creepers 1 and 2 i think they're really good although i did always ask the question why does he drive a big ol' truck when he can fly lol.
darkness falls another one i like, quite creepy. films that start with the monsters coming to get the kids at night do creep me out alot since i was always that scared kid hiding under the covers at every noise! haha another one which scares me at the beginning is The bogeyman although i don't think the film carries on the scare throughout. only the beginning when he is young.
Amityville the older one didn't really scare me alot -
i quite like the remake with ryan reynolds the bits where the ghosts just appear (especially the one in the bathroom) are a bit freaky and the ending creeps me out where the hands come up from the floor and drag the little girl down.
I love talking about horror films lol i'm an addict!
unfortunatley i cant really find any decent ones lately!
Comment by Bryn
Horrorphile
American Werewolf is a great movie, and has some genuinely scary moments, but it's also a comedy, so it didn't quite fit my criteria for this particular post.
I agree The Village was lame. But I have a problem with all of his movie.
Casskins, you know I haven't yet seen the remake of Amityville ... I will do so, I think it has a fellow Aussie in it, Melissa George. Good to know you like discussing horror movies, hopefully see you around here more often then!
Comment by XlupoldX
I was chuffed to pieces to see an other being wax lyrical about the Neil Marshal masterpiece that is "The Descent". . . . . but in the few of your threads I read there was no mention of Dog Soldiers. Even though I wouldn't really class DS in the same category as The Descent for the whole fear factor, in my humble girlie opinion it is one of the greatest horror movies ever made.
The one thing I really think enhances your viewing pleasure of both Neil Marshall movies I mentioned is the knowledge of how little they were made for. Proving that smaller bugets can spark greater creativity and reliance on plots and characters rather than over the top, usually CGI effects.
Okay, so since this is a thread about the scariest movies, maybe I should get back on track and submit the movies that have had a lasting impression on my lifetime passion for the genre. I'll base this on the movies that have had the most delicious and adverse affects on my mind and made me physically squirm in my seat.. . .
!. Audition - Actually made me half cover my face as I was watching, not something I have done since my preteens. I had the luck to see this at the theater with and good friend and we clung to each other like a pair of lost children.
2. Texas Chainsaw Massacre - This is one movie that has really stood the test of time. Yes, there are now moments in it that cause eye rolling and awkward chuckling at the hamminess of some of the acting but it still harbours a very uneasy and sinister atmosphere that still stands true over thirty years after it was made.
3. Wolf Creek - I know, bit of a controversial one. . .I don't know what it was that got me about this particular film, maybe it was the fact it was based ( maybe more inspired) on true events or perhaps it was just because the antagonist was so thoroughly relentlessly cruel.
4. Creep - This was a real nasty little surprise for me. I had seen trailer and deemed it to look good enough to pay the overinflated theater prices and if I'm not bloody glad I did. I went in knowing very little about the movie and came out with the biggest, stupidest grin and the old adrenaline pumping through my body. Definitely a sorely and often overlooked movie that deserves more credit for the little frightfest that it is.
5. (What do you mean I'm only allowed five?! I've barely started!! *grumbles*) The Devils - Right, thought I'd go for an oldie. Not entirely sure if this technically comes under the heading of "horror" but it has certainly stayed in my mind and inspired quite a few nightmares that have haunted me for most of my life. I did see this at way to young an age and the conspiracy, paranoia and claustrophobia of the movie still gives me that staisfying skin crawling feeling. . besides it has Oliver Reed being burned at the stake in it.
So there you are, a tiny peek into the fevered mind of this girl!! Cheers and please continue the good fight, Bryn!
Comment by Bryn
Horrorphile
welcome to the Darkness, and excellent comments!
Firstly, please read my reviews of Dog Soldiers and Audition. I haven't actually got round to reviewing Wolf Creek or Texas Chainsaw Massacre yet, nor The Devils for that matter. Sheeesh.
To be honest I was disappointed by Creep. It looked good when I was holding the DVD in my hands ... But didn't win me over, I'm afraid.
Please go here to vote for your favourite horror movies, from my selection, for my first annual Hall of Infamy. Please excuse that I forgot Audition, it'll have to be included in next year's contenders, unless I get shit loads of people saying what the fuck, where's Audition?!
Cheers for the props ... and get yourself an avatar for when you come back