tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7059293386881623259.post961718046293388475..comments2024-03-05T21:05:36.848-05:00Comments on CommentaramaFilms: Top 25: Horror Films You Should KnowAndrewPricehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11312364467936820986noreply@blogger.comBlogger36125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7059293386881623259.post-40376894367115102462010-10-01T09:31:52.561-04:002010-10-01T09:31:52.561-04:00Interesting list. I've never seen most of the ...Interesting list. I've never seen most of the Satanic horror films like The Omen, simply because they freak me out too much. <br><br>Personally, I would put The Shining at the top of the list, because it's one of the few that have managed to scare me and bake my noodle at the same time--to this day, I'm not entirely sure what was going on, and somehow that makes it scarier.T_Ravnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7059293386881623259.post-17824497967882532772010-10-01T09:47:55.391-04:002010-10-01T09:47:55.391-04:00I'm not a big horror fan (I've only seen n...I'm not a big horror fan (I've only seen nine of these films plus the sequel to 28 Days Later) but I enjoyed the list. <br><br>One quick note: The Ring was released before The Grudge.<br><br>Composer Jerry Goldsmith won his only Oscar (a shame) for The Omen and even though it's just music, I won't play it at night. :-) His score for the second film is even scarier. One cue in particular features an odd synth effect which, to me, sounds like someone throwing up!<br><br>I really need to see The Exorcist again. I saw it for the first and only time at FSU almost 10 years ago and I haven't seen any of the sequels.<br><br>The funny thing about Alien was that they never intended to have a female hero. All of the characters were originally written to be of either sex.<br><br>As popular and influential as The Blair Witch Project was, it's a shame those filmmakers (UCF film grads) were never able to recapture the magic. I won't call them one-hit wonders but you'd think they'd be able to stay on the A-list just a little longer.<br><br>I love The Shining (the TV miniseries from King was just okay) and if you're interested, there's a great making-of <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=182eGQPLrYc" rel="nofollow">documentary</a> filmed by one of Kubrick's daughters. I feel bad whenever I see the footage of Kubrick berating Shelley Duvall. Some Kubrick scholar once said that The Shining was "actually" about the mistreatment of native Americans and he used a few lines of dialogue and some subtle set decorations to back up his assertion. I found the idea both fascinating and a good reason for not taking most film analysis seriously.ScottDShttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15660889617173576835noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7059293386881623259.post-69679401285613423312010-10-01T10:25:49.054-04:002010-10-01T10:25:49.054-04:00I'm not a horror fan at all, though I have see...I'm not a horror fan at all, though I have seen a few of the films you mentioned: Jaws, The Omen, Poltergeist. I don't mind the scary aspect, it's the "blood and guts" I can't stand. I find it's really hard to forget those images. Jaws and The Omen bothered me for a long time after. The Fog was pretty good. I seem to remember that there was a little bit of blood and guts, but not as much and it was really intensely scary to me.<br><br>With regard to zombie movies - I really can't stand them. My husband-to-be and I were celebrating 2 months of dating with a really nice steak dinner when his roommate came home and put on Dawn of the Dead. Needless to say, that put a bit of a damper on our celebration!<br><br>TJAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7059293386881623259.post-23704611477053843422010-10-01T10:54:32.792-04:002010-10-01T10:54:32.792-04:00T/Rav, The book is actually a lot better on The Sh...T/Rav, The book is actually a lot better on <i>The Shining</i>. In the book, you're never really sure if the ghosts are real or if he's just going crazy and doing everything himself. The movie comes down clearly on the side of making the ghosts real.<br><br>It's ironic that King hated the film because I think it's one of the few King movies that turned out really well.<br><br>In terms of moving it up, the placement is always open for debate. I'm trying to list these (as with the prior lists) in the order of most influence on the culture and film industry, so scary isn't the only requirement -- in fact there are some on the list I truly can't stand, but they belong on the list.<br><br>You should check out <i>The Omen</i> and <i>Ninth Gate</i>, they are both extremely intelligent films!AndrewPricehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11312364467936820986noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7059293386881623259.post-91795479945281742472010-10-01T11:06:00.009-04:002010-10-01T11:06:00.009-04:00Scott, I love horror films (but then I like most t...Scott, I love horror films (but then I like most types of films). And I'm glad you enjoyed the list.<br><br>The sequel to <i>28 Days Later</i> stinks, the original is much better. This should also interest you -- it's again another truly independent film (as compared to a Hollywood-independent film). Most of the major films on this list were independent films, made by small groups with minimal budgets (less than $100,000 in several instances), that struck it big and spawned whole new subgenres. Horror seems to be the last frontier where anyone can make a film and succeed.<br><br>I know that <i>The Ring</i> was released first, but it didn't create the stir that <i>The Grudge</i> did, hence I give the credit to the <i>The Grudge</i>. And let me repeat, the Japanese versions tend to be a lot better.<br><br>I've heard people say the Goldsmith score is one of the creepiest they've ever heard. I think it fits the film perfectly and it's really defined how Satantism films handle their scores.<br><br><i>Alien</i> is a strange movie in a way, because its sequels completely leave the horror genre and end up in action land. Also, Ripley changes from "innocent" to "seasoned" in the rest of the films, i.e. becoming more like Alice from <i>Resident Evil</i>. But what really made Alice catch on was the sex appeal. In fact, the game developers said that the reason they chose a female lead was that they thought it would increase the number of male game players if they could stare at an attractive female character as they played the game.<br><br>I think the <i>Blair Witch</i> crew were one-hit wonders, but that's because their follow ups (if they were in fact involved) was just a copy of what they did in the first one. You can't do that and expect to have a long career.AndrewPricehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11312364467936820986noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7059293386881623259.post-11887476873141841102010-10-01T11:16:11.954-04:002010-10-01T11:16:11.954-04:00TJ, I love horror movies... with one huge caveat: ...TJ, I love horror movies... with one huge caveat: slasher films. I can't stand them. They are dull, pointless and unintelligent. They aren't scary, they are just gross. If you asked me for my top 100 favorite or most scary horror movies, you wouldn't see any slashers on the list.<br><br>I think the reason Hollywood makes so many slasher films is that it's very easy to do. Real fear is difficult because you need to find things that scare people. And different things scare different people, so it's a risky proposition. Moreover, translating that onto film requires a real subtlety that many directors lack. But slasher films are different. All you are looking to do there is combine shock with gore and gross people out. . . and we all get grossed out by the same things. So it's a lot easier to hit your target market. It also takes no writing or directing talent to say: "everyone runs into the room and the ___ will chop you all up, and the effects guys will take it from there."<br><br>Of course, slasher films are rarely memorable because they offer little to remember, though good horror films will stick with people for years. But most film making is about making quick money, not producing anything artistic or lasting, and slasher films seem to have a guaranteed minimum return. So they keep turning them out.AndrewPricehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11312364467936820986noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7059293386881623259.post-3797899211219168382010-10-01T11:52:07.212-04:002010-10-01T11:52:07.212-04:00GREAT list! I love horror movies, but the best one...GREAT list! I love horror movies, but the best ones have the least amount of gore, in my opinion.<br><br>THE HAUNTING remains at the top of my list. To this day, I haven't been able to watch THE EXORCIST without covering my eyes through many parts of it. And shame on me for finding my parents' hidden copy of the book. And then reading it when they didn't want me to. It still freaks me out.Writer Xnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7059293386881623259.post-68579072086667869202010-10-01T12:05:32.958-04:002010-10-01T12:05:32.958-04:00Andrew: I'm another one of those horror fans ...Andrew: I'm another one of those horror fans who doesn't much like zombie movies. You see one, you've seen them all. It's hard to develop character in a creature with no will of its own.<br><br>King may not have liked the Nicholson version of <i>The Shining,</i> but he did have considerable control of the remake. As the old politician said, "he shoulda stood at home." The remake was awful but I'm not sure King realized that.<br><br>I thought <i>Nosferatu</i> was creepily scary, very much like a genuine nightmare. But without it, we wouldn't have gotten <i>Shadow of the Vampire</i>, which I consider a near-great movie. The star of <i>Nosferatu</i> was both creepier and scarier than the vampire he played.<br><br>I put the Bela Lugosi version of <i>Dracula</i> near the top of my horror list, while finding <i>Bram Stoker's Dracula</i> nothing short of laughable. Now really. Keanu Reeves? "Yo, dude, quit looking at my neck. Whoa."LawHawkRFDhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17800255923675295515noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7059293386881623259.post-2530192190231308852010-10-01T12:10:08.314-04:002010-10-01T12:10:08.314-04:00I agree with Anon - I just can't handle blood ...I agree with Anon - I just can't handle blood and guts. It's why I don't do a lot of modern war movies, either. I just don't like seeing that.<br><br>On the other hand, ghosts and the supernatural freak me out more, and that's more likely to keep my up all night!<br><br>I guess I ought to be surprised at how many of the movies on your list I HAVE seen!! Great list, nice classics!CrispyRicehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07302075204880024936noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7059293386881623259.post-83066313704258031372010-10-01T12:12:28.096-04:002010-10-01T12:12:28.096-04:00Writer X, That is a good movie and you aren't ...Writer X, That is a good movie and you aren't alone in saying it scared you. Martin Scorsese has declared it the scariest film of all time!<br><br>I don't like the gore either, I see it as a cheap gimmick to hide poor story telling.<br><br><i>The Exorcist</i> is a great film and I've seen it many times. I am surprised though that it continue to endure since modern audiences don't seem as interested in having to think for their horror. But that's something I truly enjoy. And the idea of demonic possession and what is happening to Regan is truly terrifying when you start thinking about it.AndrewPricehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11312364467936820986noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7059293386881623259.post-48014891901699415022010-10-01T12:12:28.095-04:002010-10-01T12:12:28.095-04:00Excellent list! I would add John Carpenter's ...Excellent list! I would add John Carpenter's "The Thing."<br><br>@Scott, What's your connection with film soundtracks? Just a fan or are you a musician?Ednoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7059293386881623259.post-10877022199244481702010-10-01T12:22:20.719-04:002010-10-01T12:22:20.719-04:00I am very sad that you did not include the 1978 fi...I am very sad that you did not include the 1978 film "Dracula's Dog". A true classic...no, really it was...<br><br>I am not a big fan of horror films these days, but I loved them in my youth. All the best horror films were made before directors went really graphic with the blood and guts stuff. <br><br>I have never gotten over seeing "The Exorcist". Just the music can make me cower in the corner. But I will say this, horror films were great for dates, 'cause we were free to cling to our dates during the scary parts without being "forward"!<br><br>Most of Stephen King's novels were much better than the movie versions since there is so much psych stuff going on the characters' heads that they just end up being straight horror films.<br><br>Since this is about film I must mention GWTW, though there is nothing in related to horror except maybe the horror of war...BevfromNYChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14953050916932306270noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7059293386881623259.post-6530632144650777822010-10-01T12:23:30.317-04:002010-10-01T12:23:30.317-04:00Lawhawk, Ug. Blogger just ate my brilliant respon...Lawhawk, Ug. Blogger just ate my brilliant response.<br><br>I think zombies make a fascinating premise, but they've kind of devolved into just "mindless" slasher flicks, which is too bad.<br><br>I think vampires are fascinating in many regards. For one thing, they appear to be the most popular supernatural creatures, but they are all over the place in the movies. The early movies were basically monster movies. Then they became 1970s schlock, kind of sadistic castle dwellers. Then they got a hip makeover in the 1980s. Then they became soft porn. And in the end, the only one I can truly call influential is <i>Noferatu</i>.<br><br>On King, I couldn't agree more. His remake of <i>The Shining</i> sucked eggs. And honestly, I neither respect nor like him. I think he hasn't written anything in the last few decades that he hasn't stolen from other films, and he seems to be a real assh~ole.AndrewPricehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11312364467936820986noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7059293386881623259.post-72996878708584846742010-10-01T12:26:08.238-04:002010-10-01T12:26:08.238-04:00Thanks Crispy! I too am turned off by gore in mov...Thanks Crispy! I too am turned off by gore in movies. It's just a crutch that I would say adds nothing to the film, except that gore seems to be the only purpose to many of these films.<br><br>I'm glad you've see a lot on the list. I recommend many of the rest! They will be on the year-end test! ;-)AndrewPricehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11312364467936820986noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7059293386881623259.post-25532262308669478332010-10-01T12:27:26.730-04:002010-10-01T12:27:26.730-04:00Ed, I love The Thing but I couldn't see enough...Ed, I love <i>The Thing</i> but I couldn't see enough influence to include it on the list. . . unless you count The X-Files film copying it.<br><br>Seriously though, I catch <i>The Thing</i> whenever it's on.AndrewPricehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11312364467936820986noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7059293386881623259.post-79145547944607683432010-10-01T12:36:09.210-04:002010-10-01T12:36:09.210-04:00Bev, How negligent of me to leave GWTW or Dracula&...Bev, How negligent of me to leave GWTW or <i>Dracula's Dog</i> off the list! LOL!<br><br>Believe it or not, horror film audiences skew younger and female and I think the date aspect is the reason. They do make good date films.<br><br>Kings novels were much better than the films for the reason you mention. Plus, I think it's simply very difficult to create scary images that can compete with what our minds produce when we read books. (FYI, as I say above, I am not a fan of King's later works.)<br><br>There seems to be a pattern developing here... hmmm. I wonder if Hollywood is paying attention? Everyone seems turned off by the gory films. It sounds to me like there is a market opportunity here for whoever wants to be the next great horror director -- a return to gore-free horror films.<br><br>What I think is so terrifying about <i>The Exorcist</i> is the idea that there are things worse than just dying. In other words, is most films, the worst that can happen to you is that you die. But in this film, it really gives meaning to the idea that our souls can be made to suffer. And it's just truly creepy.AndrewPricehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11312364467936820986noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7059293386881623259.post-36557913897954740682010-10-01T12:52:33.229-04:002010-10-01T12:52:33.229-04:00Ed - I'm glad you asked. I'm just a fan. I...Ed - <br><br>I'm glad you asked. I'm just a fan. I can't read, write, or produce music and I can't play an instrument (it's on the bucket list!).<br><br>My favorite film composer is the aforementioned Jerry Goldsmith but I also enjoy John Williams, James Horner, Danny Elfman, Elmer Bernstein, and (lately) Michael Giacchino. I'm 27 so it's only natural I grew up with these guys. For now, I don't have as much knowledge of the Golden Age composers like Waxman, Steiner, and Tiomkin.<br><br>And thanks to changes in studio management and union rules, many boutique labels like Film Score Monthly, Intrada, and La-La Land have been mining the vaults and releasing expansions of old scores (and some that were never released at all).<br><br>Andrew - <br><br>speaking of film music, if Commentarama does any kind of Secret Santa thing, I will gladly take one of <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lDsz4iJxIyk" rel="nofollow">these</a>. :-DScottDShttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15660889617173576835noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7059293386881623259.post-24729811436631632312010-10-01T12:56:03.600-04:002010-10-01T12:56:03.600-04:00Scott, LOL! I'll keep that in mind. I guess f...Scott, LOL! I'll keep that in mind. I guess film scores are becoming big business?AndrewPricehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11312364467936820986noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7059293386881623259.post-34054289021783827072010-10-01T12:59:34.372-04:002010-10-01T12:59:34.372-04:00Andrew, the perfect example for all those Hollywei...Andrew, the perfect example for all those Hollyweird types was the great success of "The Sixth Sense". Very scary, but no blood just suspense...probably the only good film M. Night Shamalamala (whatever) will every make.<br><br>Trust me you must NOT miss "Dracula's Dog". It's a must see. Another great film from 1979 was "Zombie". This film taught me that you can knock a Zombie over by snapping it with a towel, but they will still eat your brain eventually...BevfromNYChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14953050916932306270noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7059293386881623259.post-26499095857482947062010-10-01T13:06:21.771-04:002010-10-01T13:06:21.771-04:00Bev, Great example! That's one of the creepie...Bev, Great example! That's one of the creepiest films I've seen and it's basically gore free. What a great movie too.<br><br>What's really funny about it, is that the first time through it's pretty terrifying. The second time through, it's more of an emotional father/son type film. And both versions are equally good!AndrewPricehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11312364467936820986noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7059293386881623259.post-39444175874968226212010-10-01T13:10:35.237-04:002010-10-01T13:10:35.237-04:00Andrew - it's not a big business at all and ma...Andrew - it's not a big business at all and many are afraid that the business will end when CD distribution ends and the studios decide to stream scores online instead.<br><br>In fact, in an interview, the gentleman who runs Intrada estimated that there are probably only 5000 hardcore film score enthusiasts in the world. You never see film scores penetrate the Billboard charts (Titanic, The Passion, and a small handful of others being exceptions).<br><br>But the good thing is that it's such a small niche so the studios don't really lose much money on it. And with the licensing deals, 99% of these releases are limited: usually anywhere between 1000 and 5000 copies.<br><br>And many albums do sell out, sometimes in hours.ScottDShttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15660889617173576835noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7059293386881623259.post-44268950369814112752010-10-01T13:18:45.561-04:002010-10-01T13:18:45.561-04:00Scott, It sounds like you're living in a lucky...Scott, It sounds like you're living in a lucky moment in time for your interest. Not only are they putting these out, but you've got a thriving little internet community?<br><br>You would think with streaming that the numbers would increase because it doesn't cost as much to press and distribute discs? But I'm just guessing. Studios are strange creatures.<br><br>I'm much more of a casual soundtrack fan. I've got a dozen or so, and there are maybe a dozen more I would like to have -- <i>The Black Hole</i> being the big one I'd really like. So if you ever hear that it's coming out... drop me a line! :-)AndrewPricehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11312364467936820986noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7059293386881623259.post-34054027256294810052010-10-01T13:27:38.078-04:002010-10-01T13:27:38.078-04:00Andrew - you expressed my thoughts exactly. And ye...Andrew - you expressed my thoughts exactly. And yes, I'm keeping an eye out for The Black Hole! If there are others, you can e-mail me a list and I can see what's out there. :-)<br><br>Back to the subject...<br><br>I have nothing against zombie movies but for some reason, zombies have now become this cool thing and you can't throw a rock without hitting a book about zombies in a bookstore (usually some how-to guide in the humor section). I guess it's part of the zeitgeist and will vanish when something else replaces it.<br><br>Any thoughts about The Shining and the film scholar's interpretation of it? (See my first post)<br><br>And what do you think of the idea that horror movies are a reflection of the times in which they are made?ScottDShttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15660889617173576835noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7059293386881623259.post-47987164439181868152010-10-01T13:27:38.077-04:002010-10-01T13:27:38.077-04:00Pretty awesome list, these are all older movies, t...Pretty awesome list, these are all older movies, though. I'm a big fan of newer, somewhat underground horror flicks like the Fangoria FrightFest movies, they're pretty awesome this year; The Tomb and Grimm Love were great.Borisnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7059293386881623259.post-25093124737087556992010-10-01T13:39:43.079-04:002010-10-01T13:39:43.079-04:00Boris, Thanks! And welcome! These are older films...Boris, Thanks! And welcome! These are older films because it's a list of influential films rather than a list of scariest films or my favorite horror films (which would include a lot of films not on the list).<br><br>I am a fan of horror movies pretty much across the board, though I'm not a huge fan of movies that just showcase gore. I've seen some of the Fangoria Fright Fest films, but I haven't seen <i>Grimm Love</i> or <i>The Tomb</i>, so it's hard for me to comment on them. I can say though, that I think the independent horror film "industry" is where the real energy and creativity is at the moment. You certainly don't see anything similar in other film genres.AndrewPricehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11312364467936820986noreply@blogger.com