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The Top Ten Best Horror Films...Aug 26 '01 Write an essay on this topic.The Bottom Line I had to leave out so many films...The Wicker Man, Stigmata etc. Go and see them and decide whether I made the right decisions! 10) Carrie (1976) This is a very moving and beautiful film, with a message that is actually very important. Skillfully made by Brian De Palma, the film of a young girl (played by the wonderful Sissy Spacek) grows from a magical thriller to a horrific, religion-filled nightmare. The final scenes (Carrie's mother, the hand etc.) are truly frightening and very well made. A classic film, that you must see! 9) Nightmare on Elm Street (1984) I'm actually not a great fan of Freddie films, but the first of the drawn-out Wes Craven series is an exception. Craven takes the teenage-slasher story to it's full potential with this 'don't fall asleep' terrifying movie. It plays right into the hands of our darkest fears, and, although quite predictable at times, it makes us think when we turn off the light and say goodnight...could Freddie be coming? Another classic - check it out! 8) The Haunting (1963) Now, I'm talking about the original, because the re-make was awful! This supernatural offering by Robert Wise is one of the greatest haunted house movies you'll ever see. Julie Harris is wonderful in the scenes when the ghosts begin to touch her! It is truly terrifying in parts, and while some may feel that it is too dated, I feel that this gives the film an added sense of fear. You don't see a lot, so it relies a great deal on psychological terror. Go and watch it - but not alone! 7) The Texas Chainsaw Massacre (1974) It isn't the chainsaw's that scare me. It's isn't the gruesome killings. It's not even Leatherface (well, maybe a bit!). One of the most disturbing scenes in any film ever made has to be the dinner-table scene in this film. The sounds of constant screaming, laughing, muttering, dribbling, shouting and whailing are really terrifying. It's surreal, and it makes you empathise with the poor victim, giving you an intense feeling of vulnerability. Horrible really, but great! 6) The Omen (1976) Now this film is very dated I'll admit. In fact some scenes look rather pathetic now! But, there's just something about the music, the chanting and the boy (Damien) that sends a really evil shiver down by spine. Religion scares me in horror films - it's ultimately psychological, horrific and out of our control. We can all fight back against a masked killer, but the devil is another story! Watch this film, and I guarantee you won't look at another Damien in the same way ever again! 5) The Amytiville Horror (1979) Again, the reason for this film being here is religion - priests, demons, chanting. It really is quite scary. This film also has the added bonus of being based on a true story! Rosenberg adds all of these factors together to make a rather disturbing, sick and scary film. Make sure you watch this original, because (again) the re-makes weren't very good! This one however, is a classic haunted house film, and is pretty good! 4) The Exorcist (1973) The classic horror! Many people would put William Friedkin's masterpiece in the number one spot, but I feel that better things have been done (let's face it, the book was a lot more scary!). However, this does not stop this film from being extremely frightening. Again, the film is based on a true story, and (again) there's a whole lot of chanting going on! While the head-spinning scene is a bit naff, the rest (demonic voices, words appearing on Linda Blair's belly) is terrifying. Anyway, you've probably all seen it before, so I won't carry on. But if you haven't - you really must! 3) Candyman (1992) This film really gets me every time. The film is very beautifully made by Bernard Rose, and although much of the film takes on a kind of thriller genre, there are some absolutely terrifying scenes. The music is suspenseful and the situations are scary. I dare you to watch the film and then go and look at a mirror...I bet you can't say the words! (I tried - I couldn't). A must see nineties classic film, and you'll enjoy it whether it terrifies you or not! 2) The Blair Witch Project A controversial choice amongst all these classics I know, but this film scared the living daylights out of me. Blood and gore does not scare me very much, but psychological horror does. This film is purely psychological (not very scary then if you haven't got much of an imagination!) Maybe it was because when I saw it in the cinema, people were actually crying in fear - I could see how a film could affect people so much. It plays on your feelings of isolation, vulnerability and not being in control of a situation. If you really let yourselves get in to the movie - you'll empathise and feel scared. The last ten minutes are horrific Go and see it and make your own mind up! 1) The Shining (1980) This film is terrifying. Kubrick is a genius for making such a fantastic film. Jack Nicholson is fantastic as the 'very stressed-out' dad, and the axe-scenes are classics. However, it is the corridors, the twins, the big echoey halls that really scare me. It feels so open, yet so trapped. I've never been able to look down a long hotel corridor in quite the same way since. Bizarre, surreal and disturbing. A true must see classic!  |
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by Stephen_Murray
