Horror Movies: Films that Scare Me Shitless

[thehefner]

Ok, with Halloween coming up, I think now's the time for me to play movie snob and make a few suggestions for the discerning movie viewer, looking for a film of quality for the upcoming week. Some are more popular films, while others don't get anywhere near the attention they deserve. Tonight, I'll be looking at the handful of movies that genuinely scare me shitless (and no, we will not be discussing The Ring, fuck you very much). Or at the very least, are purely horrific and disturbing, but in the good way, the visceral way that will keep you thinking about it for years to come.

THE THING: John Carpenter's '80's remake is perhaps the most purely terrifying film I have ever seen, due by the perfect pairing of Invasion-of-the-Body-Snatchers paranoid and the best makeup/special FX I have ever seen in a non Lucas film. Kurt Russell, Keith David, and Wilford Brimley are all at the top of their game here.

THE TEXAS CHAIN SAW MASSACRE: The original, beeyotches. The remake was a slick exercise in exploitation, designed purely to disgust and offend. In the original, there is virtually no gore, and the killings are all dispatched within the first hour. Regardless of the misleading title, this film is one of the most utterly disturbing, terrifying psycological thrillers I have ever seen. A masterpiece that didn't ever need to be touched.

EXORCIST III: A deeply flawed movie thanks to studio intervention, but even still it has three major points going for it: 1.) original author Blatty personally adapts his own wonderful novel into an extended X-File (one of the good ones), 2.) this is one of Brad Dourif's best performances, just in a straitjacket, delivering monologues, and 3.) the single greatest "Boo!" scare I have ever seen. On a large enough TV, the volume cranked up, this scene will scare the crap out of you, thus earning its place here.

PERFECT BLUE: I'm not much of an anime fan, but when I heard this one described by Roger Corman as what Hitchcock would make if we worked for Disney, well I simply had to check it out. This is a brilliant mindfuck of a psychological thriller, and has some of the best use of pacing and sound I've ever seen in a movie.

THE HAUNTING: Not the CGI-orgy remake, but the orignal with Claire Bloom. A horror movie about what we don't see; never have sounds and shadow ever been so god damned creepy. Deserves your attention.

THE BLOB: The remake... I still have yet to finish watching this. I'm afraid if I do, I'll never be able to take a shower again.

WHATEVER HAPPENED TO BABY JANE? Not what one would consider a horror film, but is truly one of the most horrifying things I have ever seen. It certainly helps that Bette Davis and Joan Crawford HATED each other in real life. Once you see it, this story of spousal hatred and fading stardom will never be forgotten.

That's all for now, I think. Next time: A Laugh Before Dying- the best Horror-Comedies.

Comments

[fiveseconddelay.livejournal.com]

Jacob's Ladder is one of my favorites for scary, but then I found parts of Baron Munchausen scary.

Fine, I won't say how scary I found The Ring. You try sleeping to the DVD menu of THAT on a 36" screen.

[thehefner.livejournal.com]

Agreed for Munchausen. I probably should have mentioned Willy Wonka as well, now that I think about it. And no, remember, the Ring scared the piss outta me too, but in the bad way. "We don't like to talk about it."

[irish-caffeine.livejournal.com]

Have you seen Silver Bullet, oh great Horror Flick Snob?

[thehefner.livejournal.com]

I'd kind've like to read the original Cycle of the Werewolf first before I venture into seeing Corey fight lycans.

[irish-caffeine.livejournal.com]

I have it--I'll pick it up when I go home next. It's the kind of book you can get through in a day. And the artwork by Berni Wrightson is just fantastic.

[surrealname.livejournal.com]

speaking of All Hallows eve and the celebration of Samhain, i will most likely have the final components of my joker costume in place either today or tommorow afternoon. When i have them, i will deck myself out in full regailia and invite you over for a look, however, my hair might not be green as i need to conserve the tiny spray bottle of green stuff i am using for my hair.

My Picks

[chickenhat.livejournal.com]

Horror films that scare you by showing you just how extreme human beings can get.

The Fly - either version. The Jeff Goldblum one deserves more credit than people give it.
Frankenstein Unbound - When the Monster rips it's own arm off... yeah. John Hurt as the scientist, Raul Julia as Dr. Frankenstein.
1984 - again, John Hurt. Technically not a horror movie, but still horrifying by my criteria.
Halloween - The original, because you SEE the killer, not because you don't. Kruger is a pansy-ass millworker, Voorhees is just a child, but Myers IS the BogeyMan.

28 Days Later - the Infected are dangerous, but the living are even more dangerous

Re: My Picks

[thehefner.livejournal.com]

I was wondering if I should put a Crogenberg flick up on the list, and the Fly certainly belongs up there... but then, so does Dead Ringers if we're talking about disturbing. Frankenstein Unbound... was this the time-traveling Frankenstein movie? It has Hurt and Julia, so there must be quality there somewhat.

[thirdbase.livejournal.com]

try coverage from Election Night 2000. Late on Election night.