What makes a great horror film? Does it really solely on jump scares, the horror film's fart joke, or does it aim for the gut wrenching slow buildup of suspense. A lively, animated villain is always a great thing, but in at least two instances here, that's not entirely necessary provided elements such as the direction, the protagonist characters and certain technical aspects such as makeup, set design, etc. pick up the slack. Having said that, let's move on to the list, starting with...
10) The Evil Dead (New Line Cinema)
1981 - Spider-man director Sam Raimi made his filmmaking debut here with his camping trip from hell. Blending just the right amount gore, creeps and scares with dark humor (sucking all that out of the remake was just one of its failures), this is the type of horror film that proves going small isn't a bad thing. It's hard to imagine anyone other than Bruce Campbell as Ash, Tim Philo's clever camerawork nearly makes this film on its own, for being low budget, the makeup work is rather effective and long before he became the Oscar winning filmmaker he is today, Joel Coen of the Coen brothers actually helped co-edit the film. Although the two semi-sequels tipped the balance toward campy humor a little bit more than I liked, there's no denying the original film's place in the line of horror classics.
9) The Others (Dimension Films)
2001 - Academy Award winner Nicole Kidman gives one of her best performances in The Others, a wonderfully suspenseful thriller that can be just as creepy, if not creepier, as the visual effects laden, blood splattering horror films. Set during the aftermath of WWII and centering on a mother and her two kids who believe their home is haunted, this film is slow paced, but it not only works that way, it's to the film's benefit. Javier Aguirresarobe's cinematography is gorgeous, the sound editing is excellent and writer/director Alejandro Amenabar creates an unsettling atmosphere that keeps you waiting in suspense 'til the very end. Even after you know the ending, like The Sixth Sense before it, it's still re-watchable.
8) The Omen (20th Century Fox)
1976 - All she wanted was a simple cost of living raise! Leave it to films like this to tarnish a cool sounding name like Damien. Richard Donner's film on the baby Anti-Christ isn't all-out scary, but it's sure unsettling. Whether it's Jerry Goldsmith's chilling, Oscar winning score, Billie Whitlaw as the nanny from hell, Mrs. Baylock, or Harvey Spencer Stephens as that creepy little bastard Damien, this film slowly creeps under your skin and runs a shiver down your spine. Having legendary Oscar winner Gregory Peck and Oscar nominee Lee Remick as your two leads doesn't hurt either. While the 2006 remake was one of the more decent horror remakes, it's biggest flaw was making Damien so disturbed I would've be shocked if he wasn't the Anti-Christ. Bringing an adorable factor to his character, Stephens has us viewers in denial just as much as his adoptive parents are for most of the movie with that sweet, innocent smile of his.
7) Carrie (United Artists)
1976 - In my opinion, the best of all Stephen King film adaptations (sorry, Tommyknockers), Carrie is all the reason you need as to why you should never pick on that girl outcast everyone makes fun of. Sissy Spacek was nominated for a Best Actress Oscar for her perfect embodiment of Carrie White. Spacek had the right look and feel of the school outcast and most importantly she played Carrie in such a way that had us feel sympathy for her. John Travolta hits just the right notes as the immature, high school punk Billy Nolan and Piper Laurie still gives me nightmares with her Oscar nominated turn as Carrie's mother Margaret. Writer Lawrence D. Cohen and director Brian De Palma wisely keep things restrained at just the right pace, waiting 'til the iconic, climatic prom scene to unleash Carrie's fury on the high schoolers. When that moment finally arrives, it's quite a thrill.
6) Night of the Living Dead (The Walter Reade Organization)
1968 - After watching Resident Evil, I was convinced there should be a law made outlawing anyone not named George A. Romero from making a zombie film (Danny Boyle changed my mind). It's difficult to pick which is better, this film or its successor Dawn of the Dead, but when in doubt go with the film that kickstarted it all. Between the tight editing, the realistic gore and sharp writing, with a sly political subtext on racism, all zombie film creators following this film - both good and bad - should get on their knees and kiss the ground Romero walks on for the legacy he created with this small gem of a film that paved the way for an entire genre of films.
5) Halloween (Compass International Pictures)
1978 - What George A. Romero is to zombie films, John Carpenter is to slasher films. While it's not quite at Hitchcock's Psycho level, there's no doubt that the way Carpenter has his tale unfold is very much inspired by the Alfred Hitchcock masterpiece. Donald Pleasence's performance is near award level, Jamie Lee Curtis (who's mother, speaking of Psycho, was none other than Marion Crane) became a star after this film, and I'd be an idiot if I didn't mention the iconic, hair-raising, note by note perfect score, also done by Carpenter. For a film that inspired hundreds of slasher films that followed, Carpenter's genius lies in the ways he crafted together a violent film with very little explicit gore. This would also be a great film for abstinence courses. Sex, as always, leads to death in films like these.
4) Let the Right One In (Sandrew Metronome)
2008 - Forget that horrendous and horribly unnecessary American remake. This is the best vampire film I have seen to date, and if the current state of vampire movies is any indication, Let the Right One In's spot at the top of the list looks to be fairly secure. Don't get me wrong. Francis Ford Coppola's mostly faithful Bram Stoker's Dracula is probably the most visually gorgeous vampire tale and Bela Lugosi's Dracula - well, there will never be a more iconic representation of fanged bloodsucker, but when I look at the film as a whole, this dark, violent, yet still beautiful coming of age tale takes the crown. What makes this such an effective film is just how grounded in reality a film about vampires could possibly get. It's not about folklore or mythology or what vampiric backstory she might have. This film, at its heart, is about the relationship that develops between the bullied Oskar (Kare Hedebrant) and the mysterious outcast Eli (Lina Leandersson), and you're damn right I'm gonna beat a dead horse and say it's a better love story than Twilight.
3) A Nightmare on Elm Street (New Line Cinema)
1984 - Like Michael Myers and Halloween, Mr. Krueger's reputation here has been slightly tarnished by the number of crappy sequels that followed the original. That said, as far as slasher films go, Freddy is king and that's mainly 'cause of the personality his character brings to the story. Containing an imaginative and original premise, A Nightmare on Elm Street had adolescents sleeping with one eye open back in the 80's. Writer/director Wes Craven touches on subjects varying from adolescent struggles and promiscuity, Robert Englund's darkly humorous performance as the razor handed monster is as pitch perfect as a horror film villain gets, and this marked the acting debut of a certain Oscar nominee by the name of Johnny Depp. I won't reveal it, but witnessing his death (it's a slasher film, so there's no spoiler, of course he dies) is truly a sight to behold.
2) Frankenstein (Universal Pictures)
1931 - Bela Legosi's Dracula and Lon Chaney, Jr.'s The Wolfman are both masterpieces of horror that have influenced the way horror films to this day are made, but the greatest out of all the horror films from the classic era is by far James Whale's Frankenstein, starring Boris Karloff. Back in the 30's, this film was highly controversial and to this day, I believe it still holds up in its ability to give you the creeps. Like the character Carrie White, Frankenstein's monster isn't as monstrous as it clearly appears to be and you find yourself sympathizing over it becoming a victim of misunderstanding. No scene displays that better than the infamous "girl by the lake" moment. No one other than Karloff could play the monster as perfectly as he captured it, James Whale's direction is impeccable, and the makeup design was ahead of its time. A tragic tale of consequences of what happens when man attempts to play God, Frankenstein has been around now for over eight decades and still stands the test of time.
Well, we've reached spot #1. Here we go. I'll give you hint. It's not I Know What You Did Last Summer, but it just might be Death Becomes Her or Saw 3D. Drum roll, please...
1) The Thing (Universal Pictures)
1982 - When I first saw this film years ago, that scene right there kept me awake for about a week. John Carpenter's magnum opus (yes, it is slightly better than Halloween), The Thing is the evidence I bring to the table whenever anyone bitches, "Wah! You're just biased against remakes!" No, I'm biased against shitty ones, but John Carpenter managed to film a remake that surpassed the original in all aspects. Kurt Russell (who starred in another Carpenter film, the fantastically entertaining Escape From New York) has always been an underrated actor and here he exhibits just the right amount of "Take no prisoners. Take no shit." badass attitude as the group's leader. The pacing and suspense are timed just right, the set design is first rate and the makeup effects are some of the best in film history. There's not a single moment in this film that ever comes off slow and from the very first shot to the end credits, it's just a flat-out blast.
Well, there you have it, readers. Feel free to let me know what you think are the greatest horror films ever. Until next time, here's to great movies, in particular, the ones that make you need a change in pants.
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