When I was a kid, I was a horror movie junkie. I couldn’t get enough. I saw every horror movie that came down the pike... the good ones, and the bad ones, and even the sequels to the bad ones. I wasn’t proud. I’d see any movie that seemed to have the potential to actually scare me.
As an adult, I still enjoy a good, scary movie. The two operative words there are “good” and “scary.” First and foremost, the movie has to be good. It has to be an all around good film, succeeding in all the same areas that any movie succeeds in. Good acting, good direction, good cinematography, interesting characters, and, above all, a good story. If a horror movie fails in any of those areas (these days, most of them fail terribly) then I have no interest in it.
And, it has to be scary. Horror movies that actually scare me are even fewer and further between than good movies. A lot of the horror movies that have been box office successes in the last several years just haven’t been scary. I saw The Ring and I thought it was goofy. I thought that 28 Days Later was a decent little action movie, but I thought it was about as scary as American Pie. As for What Lies Beneath, I have to say I can't imagine that anything lies beneath that movie. It's on the very bottom. It just sucked.
Whenever a new horror movie is released... one that appears to be intelligent and well made and (could it be?) actually scary... I get excited. That’s why I’m really looking forward to seeing The Exorcism Of Emily Rose this fall. I found out about this movie last night, and it looks like it has potential. The cast (Tom Wilkinson, Laura Linney) is comprised largely of actors I associate with quality movies. The story it’s based on is a true story, and the trailer and promotional material that I’ve seen indicate that the movie is serious attempt to tell the story well. I have high hopes. I hope I leave the theater after seeing The Exorcism of Emily Rose in a state of absolute fear.
It probably won’t happen, though. Few movies actually live up to the hype, scare-wise. Few movies actually pull me in enough to scare me senseless. Just for the record, here is my list of the ten best movies that have actually managed to scare me.
10) The Blair Witch Project. This is a love-it-or-hate-it movie, and I love it... but, I must admit, I went into the theater really prepared to get scared. To some degree, you can say that I did a lot of the movie’s work for it. I really psyched myself up to get good and freaked out. I remember when Siskel and Ebert did their Sundance Film Festival wrap-up show the year that Blair Witch played at the festival. They both praised it for being original, interesting, and downright scary. They made it clear in their review that the movie was fictional, but filmed in a way to imply that the footage was real. So, from the first time I heard Blair Witch mentioned, I knew it was a work of fiction. As the film’s national release got closer and closer, I read the internet sites and watched the SciFi Network specials as a fan, already sold on the concept. So, I admit, I was into it from the first frame. The movie did pull me in and scare me, though. I enjoyed it quite a lot.
09) The Texas Chainsaw Massacre. I’m not talking about the recent remake, I have no interest in that. I’m talking about the original 1974 film. Have you ever seen this movie? If not, chances are, you presume that it’s really gory. The really interesting thing, though, is that people who have seen it tend to remember it as really gory, too. The amazing thing about Texas Chainsaw, though, is that when you rewatch it clinically, there’s really no gore in the movie at all. There’s hardly even any fake blood. There is one macabre scene involving furniture and decorations made from bones... but, for the most part, Texas Chainsaw works its scares entirely with sound. There is nothing more flat-out unnerving than the sound of a chainsaw mixed with the sound of someone screaming in terror. That’s where the scares in Texas Chainsaw come from. As a study in independent film, it’s really fascinating. Tobe Hooper made this movie on a shoestring budget, but with some good ideas... he knew that if the audience heard something horrible, they’d think they’d seen it, as well. It works.
08) Stir Of Echoes. Now and then... but very, very rarely... a good scary movie falls between the cracks. That is the case with Stir Of Echoes. Few people saw this movie in the theater, it didn’t get much of an audience until it came out on DVD. And, still, I’m always a little disappointed to find out how few people have seen it. If you like a good scare, Stir of Echoes is worth your time. It really is a good movie... well acted, well directed, and centered around a good story. Kevin Bacon, as good in this movie as he usually is, plays an average blue-collar guy who suddenly develops the ability to see and hear ghosts. As it turns out, there’s one in his home. The ghost in Stir Of Echoes is ultimately sad, which is how it always is in the best tales of hauntings... and desperate to communicate with the people who spend their lives literally rattling her bones without knowing it.
07) Cape Fear. The original film with Robert Mitchum as the bad guy is OK, but it ain't scary. The 1991 Robert DeNiro remake scared the hell out of me. DeNiro excels at creepy bad guys, of course... but he goes to a whole new level with it in Cape Fear. His character, Max Cady, is more animal than man, and absolutely horrifying. I saw this movie in the theater in ‘91 on my birthday. It was a birthday present from my girlfriend at the time, who typically refused to see scary movies with me. On our way into the theater, I ran into a cousin of mine, who was going in to see another movie. While he was watching his movie, he remembered that it was my birthday, and when the movie let out, he decided to sneak into the theater that my girlfriend and I were in to wish me a quick happy birthday. Of course, by that time, we were deeply into Cape Fear. So, when my cousin snuck in behind me and innocently put his hand on my shoulder to tell me happy birthday, I just about jumped out of my seat, wet my pants, what-have-you. I’ll never forget that, and I’ll never forgive him!
06) Jacob’s Ladder. This seems to be another love-it-or-hate-it movie, and another one that surprisingly few people have seen. That’s a drag, too, because Jacob’s Ladder is a darn good movie. It's interesting visually, because every special effect in the movie was filmed live. Nothing was added in post production. There's nothing digital or "fake" on the screen. The most interesting thing about this movie, though, is that it tackles subjects that few movies (horror or not) will approach. Very few horror movies really try to say something serious about the nature of fear, about the things that scare us, why they scare us, and what it all means. Jacob’s Ladder wants to be a deep movie, downright metaphysical, and I think it works well. It’s the story of a Vietnam vet, played by Tim Robbins, who may or may not be having flashbacks, may or not be seeing demons, and isn’t even sure which reality he lives in. This is a movie with more twists and turns and radical storyline changes than most other films... but none of them are superfluous, all of the movie’s devices are important to the story. Ultimately, it’s a meditation on life, death, and the natural human fear of death. I’m not saying that I necessarily agree with the movie’s theological ideas, but it tells it’s story in a moving, compelling way, and leaves you with a few rewarding riddles to sort out on your own. The end of this movie brings tears to my eyes.
05) The Silence Of The Lambs. I saw this movie in a crowded theater, and the experience is memorable for me because it’s the only movie I’ve seen in a crowded theater where every person in attendance got absolutely quiet, completely engrossed in the film. By now, everyone has seen it. It’s one of the most successful movies of the last twenty years, and won Oscars for best picture, best actor, best actress, best director, and best writing. All of those Oscars were deserved. The Silence Of The Lambs is just a darn good movie. And, scary? Forget about it. It’s interesting to note, by the way, that Hannibal Lecter is scarier in this movie than he is in any of the prequels and sequels, and that he spends all but a few minutes of the movie safely locked up. That’s because the threat of Hannibal getting free... the idea in the back of your mind that he’d be horrifying if he ever did... is scarier than any movie that focuses on his adventures as a free maniac.
04) El Espinazo Del Diablo (The Devil’s Backbone). Hey, don’t ever get the idea that reading subtitles is enough of a distraction to prevent a scary movie from scaring you. It just ain’t so. The Devil’s Backbone is a Spanish language movie that I saw subtitled, and that scared the bejezus out of me. Director Guillermo del Toro, who made Blade II and Hellboy, really put something special together with this movie. This is a ghost story about a little boy who comes back from the other side to draw attention to his murder and to prevent another one. This kid is, without a doubt, the most absolutely terrifying ghost I’ve ever seen on the screen. Del Toro really came up with some powerful images in this movie, and it’s all-around creepy atmosphere kept me slightly on edge the whole time. Therefore, when the genuinely scary (not just creepy, but good and SCARY) moments take place on the screen, it’s totally unnerving. Watch The Devil’s Backbone in broad daylight, surrounded by friends, with all the lights on.
03) The Sixth Sense. Oh, what a wonderful film. By now, just about everyone on the planet has seen it, and, unfortunately, there are a number of people who’ve never seen it but know about the surprise ending already. That’s a shame. If you are one of the maybe two dozen people who hasn’t seen it and who hasn’t had the ending ruined for you, please rush out and rent The Sixth Sense right away before someone ruins it for you. And, if you’ve only seen it once, watch it again. The Sixth Sense is really scary when it wants to be, but because of an amazing performance from Haley Joel Osment, it’s one of the most emotionally resonant movies in recent memory. The kid is just amazing. Major props to Bruce Willis, by the way, who had the grace and the good sense to keep his role secondary. On the screen, he supports Osment, he never tries to steal a scene or overshadow the kid. Osment’s performance is great, and Willis helped make it so.
02) Alien. What can I possibly say about Alien that hasn’t already been said? Man, what a brave, original film. It’s set a standard and been ripped off countless times, but try to think back to when the movie was new so that you can really appreciate how original it was. This was really a trail blazing film. Ridley Scott took a lot of chances, here. Science fiction, previous to Alien, was largely a sterile, bloodless genre. Sci Fi standards like the swashbuckling Star Wars and the detached, analytical Star Trek and the profound by extremely dry 2001: A Space Odyssey were films made to do anything but scare the viewer. Now, Ridley Scott comes along with a movie that seems to be science fiction, but, surprise! It’s a good old blood-and-guts horror film. And an unconventional one, as well... because just when you’ve accepted Tom Skerritt as the star, he gets killed off and Sigourney Weaver steps up to the plate and carries the rest of the feature. The monster in Alien, once seen, is actually horrifying, thanks to the twisted imagination of H.R. Giger. And talk about suspense! Never did hallways pack so much menace. Never did dark rooms seem so full of bloody potential.
01) The Exorcist. Simply the scariest movie ever made. Nothing else comes close. The Exorcist works because, before it’s a scary story, it’s a human story. Powerful performances by Ellen Burstyn and Jason Miller get us interested and attached to the people in the story first and foremost. And Linda Blair, as the apple-cheeked picture of childhood innocence, is a kid anyone would love on sight. So when the horror is introduced to the movie, it really matters to the viewer. This isn’t a story about evil... this is a story about people, and what evil does to their lives. By the time Linda Blair is spinning her head around and spewing pea soup, the viewer has been drawn in so completely that the images are honestly upsetting instead of overt and silly. And, what’s most important to me, the movie is theologically sound. Good triumphs over evil in the end, and it is specifically the power of Jesus Christ that drives the demon out. When is the last time you heard the hero in a major studio movie evoke the name of Jesus Christ reverently? Much less, in a horror movie? I can’t think of one since The Exorcist. That’s why it works so well... The Exorcist cuts to the chase and gets absolutely real.
So, there they are... my top ten horror movies of all time. We can consider this an impromptu blog party, if you want. Mention your favorite scary movies in the comments, or mention them in a post at your own blog. We’ll be sure and link to them here.
Now I have to get out of my basement.
"Stir of Echoes" sounds really good. After reading your review, I know I HAVE to see it.
I haven't been scared by too many movies. The first Scream creeped me out. And Halloween. And Silence of the Lambs. All the other scary movies I've seen were either too much fun or too dumb to bother me. Oh, one more I just thought of, Nosferatu gave me quite a scare.
I have not yet worked up the guts to see The Exorcist or Wickerman. I don't think I'll ever try the former, but I have the latter in my Netflix queue. Just waiting for a bout of braveness that makes me move it up to the top!
The Exorcist is a great movie. I don't like scary movies at all, but I really loved this film. When I told my mother-in-law that I was going to watch it with Darrell, she tried to warn me against it. She thinks that the movie is evil.
The thing about The Exorcist is that it really draws you into the story before it really gets scary. By the time it gets scary, you really start to care about the people involved, and you want things to work out. It is quite scary, but it's also very emotional. It made me cry, but then almost everything makes me cry.
You nailed Alien. I couldn't have said it better myself.
We agree with Exorcist as well. It's the only film that still gets at me.
Where's Evil Dead? You have to admit, the undead banding at the cellar is darn creepy! My long-suffering wife can't watch Evil Dead because it freaks her out too much.
Where would you place Psycho?
Outstanding list.
But your thoughts there do make me more interested in trying it. It does sound like a very well done movie.
As an adult ... The Exorcist, The Shining, Blair Witch. I just watched The Shining about a month ago and I was totally unprepared to be actually scared. Kubrick pwn3d the night, though. I don't find Cape Fear scary, though. I was rooting for DeNiro the whole way. I love his babbling when he goes down with the ship. Oh - spoiler alert.
Oh, you big turd! Wendy hasn't seen Cape Fear yet, and I have been begging her to see it eventually, so now I have to keep her from reading your comments, which is tough because she's always interested in what you have to say! ;)
Oh, yeah... Westworld... GREAT call. I saw that as a kid and that movie absolutely freaked me out. Brynner's relentless cowboy robot gave me nightmares.
Nehring: Where's Evil Dead?
I love the Evil Dead movies, but I actually consider them oddball, stylish black comedies. Bruce Campbell is so funny... especially by the third one, which is more of an overt comedy. The only one I own is the second one, my favorite, which Wendy cannot be bribed, cajoled, or blackmailed into watching with me.
Kelly, here's the thing about The Exorcist... some people disagree with me, so take my opinion for what it's worth, just the perspective of a big ol' fat redneck movie fan in Virginia... anyway, the re-released version with the extra scenes is to be avoided. All of the extended scenes are extranious except for the last scene. The new last scene is nice for fans of the book. The re-released version isn't a "director's cut," the original version was the cut that William Friedkin wanted... the extended cut was the cut that the novel's author, William Peter Blatty, wanted. It included scenes that depict action from the novel that Blatty had wanted to see in the movie. Honestly, though, the movie as it was originally cut is superior. The spider-walk scene and the other scenes really distract and slow down the movie.
When I was a child, I was fascinated by the legend of that movie. I had friends who'd seen The Exorcist, and they all talked about how scary it was, but my parents forbid me to see it. However, they encouraged me to read (God bless 'em) and I have always been an avid reader. So, for whatever reason, they didn't mind me reading the novel. The novel terrified me. It's really very good. When, at the age of 18, I finally saw the movie for the first time, I was surprised at how well it sticks to the book. For instance, some big chunks of dialogue are word-for-word.
Anyway, here's the order I'd recommend, mainly because it worked for me... read the novel first... then watch the original cut of the movie (in the daytime, with the lights on, surrounded by priests!). Then, as an analytical study, watch the re-cut version after you've seen the original.
Cube: "Stir of Echoes" sounds really good.
It is good, Cube. It's surprising how good that movie is. It's a story about people that just happens to involve the supernatural, as opposed to a horror movie wherein the people are incidental. It's a movie I got caught up in on an emotional level, and I really cared about the outcome. I'd have to give it at least four stars out of five.
I assume I can send you the mental therapy bills if it drives me over the edge ...
Now, let me try my hand at convincing Wendy to watch Evil Dead 2. When Dave and I were dating, we wanted to watch a scary movie and Dave remembered watching Evil Dead years ago and loving it. So, we rented it, and started to watch, but stopped about 1/4 of the way in because I thought it was stupid. So, after we got married, Dave brought home Army of Darkness one night. I didn't realize this was an Evil Dead movie until we were watching the movie and I was hooked. Bruce Campbell is hilarious, like this beefcake, stud-muffin, slightly-chauvanist and not all that bright guy who reels off hilariously cheesy one liners. He's great, and the whole story is so much fun. I wanted to see more, so we rented Evil Dead 2 which was just as much fun. His scream and face before he, uh, rearranges himself with the chainsaw is the best.
Now, Evil Dead 2 is very gory, I give you that, but I never found it scary. Campbell and Sam Raimi are just having too much fun with the whole thing to ever let it get to the true scary level.
And if neither of you have seen Bubba Ho-tep, I insist you do so immediately. :-)
DeNiro was superb in Cape Fear.
Alien is one of my all-time favorites.
I really liked Sixth Sense, The Others and The Village.
Most scary movies these days are pretty lame. I hope the new one you mentioned will be an exception. The two actors you named are excellent, so there is hope!
