The movie that scared me most when I was a little kid was "Don’t Look Now." I was so scared by it that it effected me for years. Since I’ve seen the uncensored version several times since then ( there is a lot of nudity & sex in it) and it doesn’t seem THAT scary I probably was just too young to watch it.
The most FUN scared I ever was, came from the original HALLOWEEN movie. That’s a great one.
I’ve always loved Horrors leading men, from Vincent Price to Christopher Lee to Frank Langella.
I’m a big fan of creature features too, the worse the better, lol. From Gamera, the badly dubbed Japanese series about a flying turtle with super powers to Swamp Thing where Adrienne Barbeau spills out of her top, these are what I watched when the babysitter let me stay up late on Saturday night.
I really liked the original Urban Legends and the first Final Destination, but the volumes that have come after are no where near as good.
Candyman was one of the few series of horror that achieved a trilogy of movies, all worth watching.
Some of the top rated movies for "scariest of all time" include the Exorcist, The Shining & Psycho. What do you think the scariest movie you have ever seen was?
My scariest movie was “The Exorcist” when it 1st came out. There had never really been a horror movie like that and it was quite an event. I was a teenager and my friends and I went to see it and when we came out we looked in the back seet of the car before we got in. I was nervous and jumpy in the dark for a few days after that.
Other “holy shit” movies that were WAY TOO SCARY for the times movies were Halloween, Alien, and The Thing (Carpenter version).
Last one that scared me was the original Texas Chainsaw Massacre, when I was 13.
Gamera?! You ROCK, Cindi!
It’s John Carpenter’s Halloween for me, every time.
Beautifully constructed movie.
*fades back into darkness*
Have to agree on “Halloween” just watched it with my fam.
Can´t believe my aunt never saw it.
My favorite scary movie of all time is The Exorcist, that’s horror cinema at its best.
Happy Halloween, everybody. Have fun.
To feed the Roy stereotype of me, Schindler’s List…oh wait, that’s my favorite comedy.
Yeah.
I’m late. I was busy giving candy and watching movies.
Here are some selections…
Alien Raiders (2008)
Buck Lake, Arizona; the local grocery store is closing its doors for the night. The remaining customers are told to bring their merchandise to the check out. A group of paramilitary enter the store and holds everyone hostage. Terrorists? Army? Thieves? No, none of the above, they’re scientists, looking for what they believe is the source of an alien invasion. Their leader is in the market, inside one of the staff or customers. A gory and paranoid feature with a twist ending. A great little film. And yes, everybody complains about the tacky title. Filmmakers didn’t do it, the distributor did.
Warner Home Video 2009
Altered (2006)
After years of planning and observation, a group of rednecks get even – even for the abduction of their friend (fifteen years earlier), who was never returned. They caught an alien. It gets loose… you can figure out the rest. There’s this one scene that had me squirming. Not gonna say. When you see it, you’ll know what I’m talking about. Bad way to die.
Universal Studios Home Entertainment 2006
Call Of The Cthulhu, The (2005)
This is a low budget adaptation of the famous Lovecraft story. A silent film made in ‘05. Filmmakers had limited money so they opted to do it as if it were made when published, 1926, silent cinema. What they lacked in greenbacks they made up with creativity. Highly recommended! A dying professor leaves his relative (great-nephew) various notes and documents about a violent cult. Curious he studies the man’s notes, an action he later regrets. Just like the professor he too becomes obessessed in finding the truth. A millennia old secret, that shoud never see the light of day.
HPLHS, Inc. 2007
Dance Of The Dead (2008)
So many movies claim to be the next “Shaun Of The Dead”, 98% of them is crap; lame humor with so-so effects and a flimsy story. This is one of the exceptions. Prom night. A radiation leak from a nearby nuclear plant has seeped into the local cemetery causing the dead to rise, hungry. The only thing that stands in the way of a pandemic are the geeks, nerds and assorted loosers who couldn’t get dates. I can’t not praise this enough. Great fun and played smart.
Lions Gate Film Inc. 2008
Doghouse (2009)
Another U.K. feature and an exception – worthy to be spoken in the same breath as the above and “Shaun”. It’s a guys’ weekend, a group of friends try to help out one of their own who has fallen into depression over his bad divorce. They take him to a remote village where the women greatly out number the men, time to party. But when they arrive they find a deserted village. Where is everyone? It’s a take on “28 Days Later”, a rage virus – but it only effects women. Turning them into man hating homicidals. Now the group is trapped and separated within the local shops. No communication, they’re on their own. A dark comedy.
MPI Media Group 2010
Fido (2006)
Set in an alternate universe where the zombie apocalypse happened in the 1930s. We won the war. It is now the 1940s and we have become masters of the undead. The creation of a special collar, makes the ghouls docile. The dead have become our servants and pets. This movie is a bloody version of “Lassie”. Where a boy befriends a dead guy, their new servant. Only to discover that its collar isn’t working. How far will he go to save his pal and vise versa? Where Timmy, boy (and yes, the kid’s name is Timmy)?
Grrrrrrrrrrrrrr! A horror comedy.
Lions Gate Entertainment 2007
Isolation (2005)
Another United Kingdom film. A runaway teen couple find shelter (in their van) near a farm unaware that the ranch is doing illegal genetic research on cows; make them breed faster. The result is this… creature. The easy answer is monster calf. But it’s something more. The survivors are trapped, the beast is on the loose. I don’t know what it is. There are some shots of it, but I can’t describe what I saw. The DVD has a gallery with artwork. A clear look, but that did not help. All I can say, it’s nasty looking.
First Look Home Entertainment 2007
Other Side, The (2006)
This is a film by director Gregg Bishop, the project that allowed him to make “Dance Of The Dead”. A guy sets up a romantic encounter for his girlfriend ends up killed and in Hell. There is a breakout just as he arrives. In the chaos he winds up with the fleeing group. Since he just died, hours ago, the man wakes up in his own body. The rest inhabit corpses from the hosptial’s morgue. From that moment forward they’re on the run from three Reapers. Think bad ass Terminators. As with “Dance Of The Dead”, you need to see this indie flick. Smart and sassy. Funny and tense. The Reapers have zero dialog, they don’t need it. The film was made with maxed-out credit cards, loans from family and friends for fifteen grand. Highly recommended.
Allumination FilmsWorks LLC 2007
Pontypool (2008)
A disgraced shock jock finds radio employment at a remote Canadian town. His morning show is broadcast from the basement of the local church. The tedium of his forced vanilla program is broken when odd reports start coming in; people behaving strangely. The callers later report violence and deaths. An outbreak has happen, but not a biological one – a WORD virus. None of the massacre is shown, just desperate, scared people calling the station for help. The illness causes the infected to eat the mouths and tongues of those not like them. Why??? They want to eat the words.
MPI Media Group 2010
Witchfinder General (1968)
The name Vincent Price has become synonymous with goofy, popcorn horror flicks. This IS neither. It’s the 17th century, Price plays Matthew Hopkins, the self-proclaimed Witchfinder (for profit). He and his man servent ride into town to rid the place of evil. This has got to be one of the most sadistic role Price has played. He’s a wicked man. And the ending is so messed up. Madness.
20th Century Fox Home Entertainment 2007
There you go, some good horor flicks to see.
That’s quite an interesting list, JohnIan.
I’ll go with two that Cindi mentioned: Don’t Look Now and Halloween, and also add (in no particular order):
Lamberto Bava’s Demons,
the British series Dead Set,
The Haunting (1963),
Martyrs (unrated),
Kubrick’s The Shining,
Larry Cohen’s It’s Alive (I couldn’t even hear a baby cry for years without getting a chill),
Final Destination 2,
The Exorcist,
Freaks (1932),
The Ring,
Alien,
The Thing (1951),
The Thing (1982),
The Texas Chainsaw Massacre (1974),
Rosemary’s Baby,
The Blair Witch Project,
Don’t Be Afraid of the Dark (1973),
a whole bunch of Mario Bava and Val Lewton movies…
and of course anything that features Shelley Lubben being taken seriously by anyone.
Last Embrace, 1979. Creeps me out every time I see it. Great cast too, directed by Jonathan Demme. Roy Scheider never got credit for as great an actor he was, shame. No one, not even Jean Gabin looked cooler with a cigarette in his mouth.
Behind The Mask: The Rise Of Leslie Vernon (2006)
Set in a universe where Jason Voorhees , Michael Myers and Freddy Krueger exist. An up and coming serial killer invites a documentary crew to record his process, training and eventual murder spree. What starts off as a joke soon becomes deadly serious. A satire of the slasher formulas, made new at the end. An excellent mix of scares and laughs. A sequel is being made.
Starz Home Entertainment 2007
Below (2002)
World War II. The U.S.S. Tiger Shark picks up the survivors of a torpedoed medical vessel. Shortly there after bizarre occurrences happen in the submarine. Something is inside the ship, looking for vengeance. Soon the crew must not only deal with enemy destroyers, but an angry… ghost. The studio barely promoted this movie. In fact the director, David Twohy paid from his own pocket, the film’s website (long dead). That’s messed up, it deserved much better. Damn good feature.
Dimension Home Video 2002
Slither (2006)
A fallen meteorite brings more than a rock to Earth, a parasite. The creature reproduces and infect more in town. Soon most of the burg and police force have become overtaken. It’s up the sheriff and the few uninfected to stop a bloodthirsty terror that will engulf the world. A horror comedy. This lived up to the hype. An homage to “Night Of The Living Dead” and “Night Of The Creeps”.
Universal Studios Home Entertainment 2006
– – –
I’ll pass on “Martyrs”. Bava’s “Black Sunday” is nice as is “Masque Of The Red Death”.
Bava’s Black Sunday, Kill, Baby, Kill and Planet of the Vampires are terrific.
Martyrs is a tough movie. A friend just described it as being “like a Max Hardcore movie, but without the warmth.”
For more comedic horror, you can’t beat Evil Dead II: Dead By Dawn, and Army of Darkness.
I like that, Max Hardcore comment.
It comes courtesy Gram Ponante, one of the best writers on this beat (and others).
There’s an old made for tv movie from 81 called Dark Night of the Scarecrow that I recommend. It’s got that early 80’s creepiness to it, and has some fucked up scenes. Here a short synopsis:
When young Marylee Williams (Tonya Crowe) is found viciously mauled, all hell breaks loose in her small rural town. Officious postmaster Otis P. Hazelrigg (Charles Durning) leads a gang of bigots in pursuit of the suspect: her mentally challenged friend Bubba Ritter (Larry Drake). Finding him hiding inside a scarecrow, they exact brutal mob “justice”…only to discover a tragic mistake! Now a strange apparition stalks the land seeking each of them out, as the legend of the Scarecrow begins.
It’s a creepy, creepy movie. No blood and guts, just visceral scares. That last scene where the scarecrow hands the little girl a flower sends chills down my spine when I think about it.
Here’s the scene:
Also, I know I’m going to get laughed out of the house for this one, but Halloween 3 scared the living shit out of me as a kid. Michael Myers didn’t phase me in the least, but something about the flashing lights, the pumpkin mask melting to that kid’s head, and that goddamn song with the creepy synthesizers and London Bridge melody just scared the living daylights out of me.
Silver Shamrock.
Halloween 3 was dreadful at best. I guess if you were 5 years old it would have scared you. Was a horrible excuse for a sequel.
Silver shamrock indeed, Whit*acre, you witty cur..
I admired the attempted change of direction with Halloween III, Fartz, it was certainly more imaginative than The Return of Michael Myers et al, ad fucking nauseum.
Tho I’ll avoid the dick-swinging contest in naming obscure horror gems
*coughBraindead/DeadAlive*
in case I repeat points from previous posts.
What I LOVED about Halloween III was Stacey Nelkin. I liked her A LOT, in that special way, (I was 15 when the movie was originally released). I also appreciated Jamie Lee Curtis’ uncredited voice cameo, and Dan O’Herlihy’s delivery of “Happy Halloween” in the trailer/TV spot.
@Randal X – you’re absolutely right that it was far more imaginative than most of the later sequels. It was a swing and a miss. But it had Stacey Nelkin.
It’s funny — the movie was criticized at the time for not being a run-of-the-mill sequel — the creativity of deviating from the franchise was used to ridicule it. Not that it was a great movie, but it had Stacey Nelkin, goddamn it!
C’mon, how can a movie about KILLING KIDS on Halloween with epilepsy inducing images of light and sound mixed with witchcraft not be considered an underrated classic? That fucking song sticks with you for days on end. I don’t know, I guess it’s the creativity that hooks it for me.
Then again, I also adore Videodrome which had that same early 80’s creepy vibe to it. Plus it’s the only place on Earth where you’ll see James Woods and Debrah Harry together in harmony.
Videodrome — now you’re talking. “Long live the New Flesh!”
Abominable (2006)
A paraplegic goes to a cabin in the woods to rehabilitate in private. The cabin next to him has a group of college girls on vacation. Soon he and the remaining women join forces to survive the night from a murderous Sasquatch. They take shelter in wheelchair man’s rented room, a poorly defendable locale.
Anchor Bay Entertainment 2006
P2 (2007)
A business woman is held captive by a stalker, who is the building’s parking lot security guard. Nobody is coming to her aid, they’re all gone, it’s Christmas eve. A solid, tense flick, not so much horror, but there is some gore.
Summit Entertainment 2008
Splinter (2008)
A couple trying to go camping get car jacked while helping a stranded motorist (and his girlfriend). They find an abomination in the woods and become trapped in a convenience store. What is it? One of the most original fiends in a long time. They look like spines, black thick toothpicks. They have limited motion, but once inside you, they infect and kill. Once dead, they take you over, you’re the engine and structure. Like Legos body parts; limbs can be severed and reattached in different places, functional. Lots of WTF moments.
Magnolia Home Entertainment 2009
I guess I’m in the minority. I too enjoyed “Halloween III”. It tired to be different. I think that’s what I miss the most. Killing kids – that is to say, no one is safe. The big bad shows no exceptions; that’s a lot of unpredictability. And can make for some great moments. Is H3 an awesome flick? No. No it isn’t, but it has enough moments that make it a good one. Lets be honest, the plot was confusing. Okay, sure, you’re gonna kill all these kids – then what???
Here a good TV movie that actually needs to be remade. The concept is fried gold…
Wes Craven’ Invitation To Hell (1984)
Made for ABC. A scientist and his family move to a gated community, they are invited to join the local health spa. The father is a government contractor working on a proposed mission to Mars. His department is responsible for the space suits. Very fine membership print, sign up, you give your soul away. He never joined, but his wife and kids did. In order to save his family he dons his suit and enter Hell itself through a portal at the spa.
Artisan Home Entertainment 2003
Man, I need to pick up “Videodrome”.
Viedodrome is the shit, David Cronenberg of course, one hopes that he will get the same respect as Tod Browning.
Yeah it’s shame too, as Videodrome was a critical sucess, but a commercial failure. A movie that went on to fame and popularity long after it had a chance to make real money. I highly suggest you pick it up, Johnlan.
@Fartz – I remember that a lot of local film critics at the time objected to the S&M elements in the film.
What I would’ve liked to have seen is the unproduced supernatural Charles Bronson feature, “The Golem”. Yup. Clay monster, run amok. It was suppose to be made by Cannon in the late 1980s. I wonder how that would have looked. Bronson would’ve played a cop.
There was even promotional artwork – http://tinyurl.com/7b9phrx
*information and pix from Video Junkie website*