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HAPPY HALLOWEENOct 12 '03 Write an essay on this topic.The Bottom Line The 10 movies I listed are movies I enjoy watching this time of year (October). Well it's that time of year when Network TV, and Hollywood pump out the spine chilling horror films. So I thought I would make a list of 10 horror films to help put you into the Halloween mood. Everyone normally feels safe when there among friends, or a large group of people when they watch a horror film. But if you really want to feel the impact of a good horror film...watch it alone. You have the classic movies like- The Exorcist,Poltergeist The Omen,The Haunting(original version),Night Of The Living Dead,Psycho,Texas Chainsaw Massacre,Alien,The Shining, "Gili" or whatever the name of that Lopez-Affleck film is, and of course, John Carpenters-Halloween. Heres a list of 10 movies that supply some chills, and if you haven't seen all of them check them out. 10) MIMIC-1997 This stars Mira Sorvino as an entomologist (Person who studies insects) who is asked to help the people of N.Y.C to rid them of a plague that is spread by cockroaches. She develops a non-breeding hybrid roach called the Judas bug that infiltrates (mimics) other roaches and kills them by spreading a secretion that poisons them. The Judas bug life expectancy is 3 months. Sounds simple enough. But unfortunately three years later they discover that the Judas bug has survived, and now are mimicking there new prey...humans. The DVD is a surround sound delight, especially the creatures when they are making there clicking sounds closing in on there victims. This is a very entertaining, well written and acted movie by Sorvino,Jeremy Northam,Josh Brolin, and Charles Dutton. 9)EVENT HORIZON-1997 Here's a movie that should have been a great horror film, but just falls short. The movie stars Sam Neill(Jurassic Park) and Laurence (The Matrix) Fishburne, who are a part of a rescue mission to find an exploration ship called the "Event Horizon". The Event Horizon has reappeared after 7 years in deep space without her crew. The crew is missing but the ship has brought something or someone back with it. Sam Neill plays a scientist who has invented a machine that allowed the Event Horizon to warp time,and travel through a black hole, and now has returned with a disturbing mystery/presence aboard it. This movie has some truly frightening scenes, and uses some classic scare tactics to jolt you. Another movie for the surround sound fans to enjoy. 8)FINAL DESTINATION-2000 This movie is made by a team of veteran X-FILES creators. It stars Devon Sawa(Idle Hands) ALi Carter(House On Haunted Hill-remake) and Kerr Smith of (Dawson Creek). Of course this was a box office smash but, for the few who may not have seen this, the story is about a group of High school students who cheat death thanks to Alex Browning's (Sawa) premonitions. Or at least they think they have. The Grim Reaper doesn't give up so easy, and comes after the students one by one. I found this to be a very original and clever movie. Especially the way the characters meet there fate. The movie naturally spawned a much gorier sequel. 7)SCREAM-1996 Starring Neve Campbell,Skeet Ulrich(Johnny Depp look-a-like),Matthew Lillard(Scooby Doo & 13Ghosts) Courtney Cox, and the always quirky David Arquette. Another box office smash and Wes Cravens best film. Not just another teen slasher film. This one is very clever and filled with several plot twists. Story of course is about a teen named Sydney (Neve Campbell) who is terrorized by a killer obsessed by horror movies.Hey most of us are. A year after Sydneys mother is killed she starts receiving threatening phone calls. And one by one Sydneys friends are knocked off, and just when you think you know who did it, that person gets knocked off. An original thriller with characters that are actually interesting which is rare for a slasher film. 6)FRIGHT NIGHT-1985 This movie stars, William Ragsdale(Hermans Head)-old Fox TV sitcom, Amanda Bearse(Married With Children),Roddy Mcdowall,and Chris Sarandon. A terrific and original vampire film, about a teen named Charley Brewster (Ragsdale) who's new neighbor just happens to be a blood-sucking, but suave vampire. The Vampire Jerry played by (Sarandon) is perfectly casted. Sarandon and Mcdowall who plays the Vampire killer do a fantastic job of acting in this well written movie, that was definitely aimed at teens. Great special effects support this film, about a teen who discovers his neighbors secret while watching through binoculars out his bedroom window, as he(Jerry) sinks his fangs into a young woman. Jerry warns Charley to forget about what he's seen or suffer the consequences. Charley of course ignores the warning and enlists the aid of "TV Horror Host" Peter Vincent(Macdowell) "The great Vampire killer" to help him kill Jerry. Only problem is Peter thinks Charley is nuts. That is until he agrees to meet Jerry at his home. And discovers that Charley maybe telling the truth after all. For an 80's film the FX are top notch thanks to Richard Edlund who also did FX for "Die Hard" and other big films. 5)THE OTHERS-2001 An original ghost story in the "Sixth Sense" vein. Starring Nicloe Kidman and 2 kids I've never heard of. Good description huh? Story is about Grace (Kidman) and her 2 children who live in a very large isolated home. Her children have a skin condition that doesn't allow them to be in sunlight or it will cause there skin to boil. So the curtain and doors of the house are constantly closed. Grace hires 3 mysterious housekeepers to help her maintain the house and help take care of her children. Grace is constantly tormented by strange happenings in the home, like the curtains being opened after she's closed them, the family piano playing by itself, and most eerily her daughter telling her, that she is having conversations with someone that Grace or nobody else can see or hear. After awhile Grace realizes she, and her children are not the only ones occupying the home, and that there are other entities in the home. 4)FROM HELL-2001 This is surprisingly a Hughes Brothers(Dead Presidents)(Menace To Society) movie. Starring Johnny Depp,Ian Holm(ALIEN),Robbie Coltrane(Harry Potter-movies) and Heather Graham. "From Hell" is a suspense/horror film based on Jack The Ripper. The movie has an incredible and realistic look of a late 19th century England. I've watched a great documentary on "Jack The Ripper" years ago on the discovery channel. Where they showed the actual gruesome murder photos. This movie recreates those killing down to the smallest details. The Hughes Brothers do a tremendous job with there research, and detail of making this fantastic visually and well acted thriller. Johnny Depp plays inspector Abberline who trys to uncover the secret identity of the Ripper, and stop the mad butcher whose blood lust seems to be only for the prostitutes in the white chapple district of England. The suspects in the movie are not fictitious names, but the real names of the actual people who were under suspicion at that time. A truly graphic film that is horrifying. Unlike a typical slasher film the Ripper was a real monster. 3)BELOW-2002 Here is a little known movie that can be best described as a Ghost story aboard a Submarine. Story is about An American Submarine during World War 2 that is on patrol and receives a distress signal to pick up survivors from a sunken boat. The survivors they pick up are two men and a woman. After they rescue the three they are pursued by a German destroyer that is tracking the evasive submerged sub. Shortly after picking up the 3 survivors strange things began to happen aboard the Sub. A record player starts up by itself while the enemy destroyer is above them, giving away there location, and leading to a very suspenseful depth charge scene. Strange pounding on the walls of the Sub began to happen, and the crew starts to suspect the 3 survivors may not appear to be, who they say they are. But at the same time the 3 survivors are suspicious of the captain and his crew. The captain of the sub as the story goes along is holding a dark secret inside himself, but starts to crack along with the crew as they realize supernatural forces are invading the submarine. This is a David Twohy(Pitch Black) film that received little attention in theatrical release, but deserves to be seen on DVD. He created a nice claustrophobic,tense movie with some good scares in it. For anyone who has seen the movie "Ghost Ship" and actually liked that stinker this movie is way better than that film.If you like movies with good creepy scenes in it, this is it. 2)THE RING-2003 I have to admit this movie is probably the scariest film I have seen in a long time. I had discussions for weeks with friends on this one. The story of course, like anybody needs to be told by now, is about a videotape when viewed causes the viewer to die in seven days. The main character, reporter Rachel Keller(Naomi Watts) hears about four teenagers who all viewed this tape, and died 1 week after viewing it. So being the good investigative reporter she is, she herself watches the video and witnesses the strange images on it. And within minutes of finishing viewing the tape, she receives a phone call with a voice on the other end telling her "seven days". After she realizes this is not an urban legend, and that she indeed is going to die in 7 days. She is forced into solving the mystery within what little time she has. The terrifying part of the movie, are the quick images shown to you, there terrifying because they stick in your brain. Even now after viewing the movie 6 months ago I still have the image of the girl in the closet. The quick editing, spitting subliminal messages at you are quite effective in this film. Much like the Ghoul face that pops up in the Exorcist. If you never seen this film before, I dare you to watch it alone. Trust me if you have a good size TV and a decent surround system, this movie with its suspenseful story line will send a lasting chill down your spine. 1)SLEEPY HOLLOW-1999 Easily my favorite Tim Burton/Johnny Depp film. This is the perfect Halloween movie. Not terribly scary but the sets, and scenery much like the movie "From Hell" are dead on perfect. Tim Burton has truly brought the Town of Sleepy Hollow to life. The outdoor shots of the town and of course the forest are terrific. The Headless Horseman is actually, strange to say, but cool more than scary. The way he wips his sword and axe around when he's doing his dirty deeds, is very stylish to say the least. This film leaves no prisoners, people who you think are safe, and untouchable from the headless horseman are not. Which adds to the terror because you realize no one is truly safe in this movie. And thats the way a good horror film should be. The extra added plot twists and background story of the headless horseman are great touches by director Tim Burton. If you really want to enjoy these kind of movies in your home. I would strongly recommend getting a 36" or larger TV and a surround system. You will truly get the effect from these movies that your supposed to get. Actually you'll enjoy all movies. I do have a large screen TV and a surround sound system. I'm telling you it is an awesome experience to see, and hear these films the way they were meant to be. Have a fun and safe Halloween, hopefully theres something on this list you may not have seen and can enjoy.  |
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