To celebrate the spirit of Halloween, in the last month I made it a point to watch as many scary movies as I could. Turns out "as many as I could" wasn't very many -- sadly, I watched only a fraction of the movies I wanted to see.
I started with Rob Zombie's "Halloween," an okay-but-not-great remake of John Carpenter's "Halloween," which I watched again Tuesday night. Whereas Zombie's movie is an exercise in gore, Carpenter's is all about suspense, and that amazing, anticipation-filled music. Props to Zombie for giving Michael Myers a backstory, though.
For me, a great horror movie is all about suspense. I appreciate a good gory movie, but those are rarely truly scary. Also rare is the movie that combines great, scream-worthy moments with humor. "Drag Me To Hell" managed to startle me while simultaneously making me laugh -- it was my favorite of the new movies I watched this month. Also funny? The first "A Nightmare on Elm Street," but for different reasons.
Skip "Trick R' Treat" -- it falls way short of the praise it's received. Ditto "Paranormal Activity." And if "Silent Hill" is on your list, let me save you the trouble right now: suck.
Every year I vow to re-watch "The Exorcist" -- and every year I chicken out. Who knows? There are a couple of days left until Halloween. Hopefully in the meantime I find the time to watch "Poltergeist," which I'm pretty sure I've only seen on TV, and "The Omen" (the 1976 version), which I've always wanted to see but never have.
What about you? Which scary movies have you made it a point to watch/re-watch this October, and which are still on your must-see list? Are you a "Saw"/"Hostel" gore freak or a Hitchcockian, psychological thriller kind of person? How many "Friday the 13th" sequels have you seen? Did you root for Freddy Kreuger or Jason Voorhies in -- wait for it -- "Freddy vs Jason"?
I'm dying to know. Sound off in the comments!
You can never go wrong with Halloween. Though forgo the Zombie re-make and stick with the original. Pick up the first sequel and H20 and make it a marathon. Forget about the rest, please.
Pet Sematary was the scariest movie I've ever seen in the theater.
I like The Ring on atmosphere alone.
The Others is deadly spooky and The Frighteners is just plain fun.
This year, I'll probably watch A Nightmare on Elm Street in anticipation of the remake.
I really need to re-watch "Pet Sematary." I went through a Stephen King phase when I was 11, and the movie came out shortly after I read the book. They scared the s*** out of me, equally, but I haven't gone back to see how the movie holds up.
I haven't seen "The Frighteners," but I noticed that AMC is showing it today, I believe. Is it worth watching on cable, or something that needs to be seen on DVD?
Oh, The Frighteners is totally a watch-on-cable movie.
Awesome. It's on in 45 minutes -- I just set my DVR.
the original BLACK CHRISTMAS
NIGHTMARE ON ELM STREET
MEPHISTO WALTZ
in its day....THE TINGLER
the original BODY SNATCHERS
REPULSION (Roman Polanski)
most recently...DRAG ME TO HELL (funny scary)
The Ametyville Horror.. The "it could happen to you" factor just like "The Omen" makes it really scary
The last horror movie to really terrify is a love it or hate it one, The Blair Witch Project. I wouldn't go camping for like a year after that and it hit home for me cause I had just started ghost hunting around the time it came out.
I also still get freaked out by the little twin girls on The Shining. It was on the other day and I was still squealing like a little girl. Sad I know.
The House by the Cemetery, The Devil's Backbone, Session 9, Dead Alive and The Tenant.
Nightmare on Elm Street scared the bejeezus outta me!
The original "Night of the Living Dead". I hate zombies.
Dammit how could I have forgotten Night of the Living Dead? Good call.
The original Black Christmas is pretty creepy. The Exorcist, Halloween, the Evil Dead are all staples.
I hate those hostel/torture porn movies.
John Carpenter's "The Thing" and the original "Alien"
So many good suggestions. I hella should have done this post a month ago.
I remember being totally freaked as a kid when I watched the original "When A Stranger Calls."
I like supernatural horrors. Blair Witch was okay until the very end - then it freaked me out & couldn't sleep. Same with The Mothman Prophecies. Just creepy. Can't go wrong with The Exorcist.
Really looking forward to "House Of The Devil", if only for that AWESOME 70's look.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NHvSkTDWFfk
There are so many *categories* to "scary movies"---those that are actually scary, those that are funny and scary, those that are unintentionally hilarious, and those that are so bad, they're...boring.
I'll just list my faves that might be categorized under 'horror':
1) Night of the Living Dead --(the original, the moody cool one)
2) Lost Boys---I love it. As a scary movie. As a funny movie. As a movie movie.
3) House of Dark Shadows---a nice, slightly higher budget (big screen) intro to the orig. 60's thang.---and talk of Depp/Burton taking it on soon have me excited.
4) Any of the Christopher Lee/Hammer Studios vampire movies. (yes, slightly cheesey, but cool and fun and the blood is bright orange-red.)
5) Night Stalker---a not bad early 70's vampire flick.
---hey now, Dracula---the BOOK is super super awesome.---every film version makes me think----'almost. if they'd only....'
My goal is to watch scary movies on Halloween night. I hope I don't wuss out.
The Candyman
Poltergeist
Paranormal Activiity...didn't think I was gonna get scared, until the last 20 minutes.
The Grudge...just creeped me out
It
>>there were a series of werewolf movies a while back, i forgot what they were called...i remember they were scary.
...just a few faves.
I hate zombies, just typing it gives me chills but I LOVE any movies with zombies. My all time favorite...28 weeks later (28 days sucked). I also love Land of the Dead.
Im a gore freak!
HAPPY HALLOWEEN EVERYONE!
I really really really don't understand how so many people could prefer 28 weeks over 28 days. 28 days is an awesome movie and rises above just plain scares to provide some social commentary. 28 weeks sacrificed that intelligence.
I thought 28 Days was an awesome movie as well. the last part of the movie was a trip. you thought you could trust those soldiers but they turned out to be pieces of crap. you'll never find me cheering for a zombie but that movie actually had me clapping for it during the final act.
i haven't seen 28 weeks later. the moon and stars have to be aligned just right to get me to commit to a zombie movie, haha.
I though Trick R Treat was pretty fun, but I hadn't heard any hype (other than person who recommended it) so maybe that helped.
Other than that I already watched The Haunting, The Thing, Bug (which was f'n creepy), Halloween, Jaws, and Wait Until Dark. Still to come: Peeping Tom (maybe the best psychological thriller out there), The Body Snatcher, Targets, and maybe, just maybe, Leprechaun.
So much good stuff, but starting next week it'll be time to start dusting off the Christmas movies.
Yes, that Halloween movie window is small. I watched "It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown" last night, and it made me want to watch the Charlie Brown Christmas movie. Happens so fast.
I agree with you about "Trick R' Treat" it was very very lame.