Best Horror Films
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The Best Horror Films
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By Vittorio Carli
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Great horror films are profoundly unsettling. They linger in the subconscious like a nightmare or bad childhood memory. They chill you to the bone and make you look over your shoulder on the way home from the theater. For the most part, the films I have chosen for my list have passed the test of time. They have improved with age, like fine wine.
I have included few recent films in my top 20 because it is too early to determine their historical significance. I have ranked the horror films in order of preference. They were judged in terms of direction, acting, and originality. Of course, I also considered how scary they are.
I've seen more English language than foreign language horror films, so I'm sure I missed some international classics (there are supposed to be a ton of great hard to get Asian horror films for instance).
I had to draw the line somewhere, so I have omitted horror mini-series on video if they originally appeared on TV. A few (such as "The Kingdom" or "Salem's Lot") were good enough to make the list.
I have also left out most horror comedies (such as "Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein"), and science fiction flicks even if it has horror elements (such as "The Fly" and "Alien").
So for Halloween, turn out the lights and put in one of these videos. It's the fright time of the year.
1. "Psycho," 1960. Alfred Hitchcock's shocking masterpiece, starring Anthony Perkins and Janet Leigh, was revolutionary because it switched the emphasis of horror films from the supernatural to the psychological. Bernard Herrmann's moody score greatly enhances the terror. Perkins reprised his Norman Bates role in three sequels. They were interesting failures.
2. "The Bride of Frankenstein," 1935. Boris Karloff's Frankenstein monster is the most tragic figure in horror history. In this film, he tries to threaten his maker into creating a mate for him. In some ways, the effeminate Dr. Pretorious functions as a mate for the doctor, and gives the film a clever gay subtext. Better than the 1931 "Frankenstein" in every way. "Gods and Monsters," the biopic about the film's director, sheds some light on the making of the film. This film was brilliantly parodied in "Young Frankenstein."
3. "The Night of the Living Dead," 1968. George Romero's terrifying zombie film captures the authentic feel of a documentary and it inspired countless inferior imitations, including a terrible 1990 remake. The scene involving a zombie girl dispatching her dad is one of the most horrifying sequences in film history. Followed by the worthwhile "Dawn of the Dead" and disappointing "Day of the Dead." The anniversary edition adds newly shot footage, which dilutes and diminishes the film.
4-5. "Nosferatu the Vampyre," 1979 and "Nosferatu," 1922. F. W. Murnau's silent original makes great use of expressionistic lighting. Max Schreck is the repulsive and most pathetic vamp in film history. Werner Herzog's eerie remake leaves every other modern vampire film in the dust
6. "Rosemary's Baby," 1968. Roman Polanski's dark, funny. tale of
the birth of a demon child has a clear, pro-feminist message. Stars
Mia Farrow and John Cassavetes.
7. "The Innocents," 1961. Classy, psychologically complex adaptation of Henry James's "The Turn of the Screw," stars Deborah Kerr and Michael Redgrave.
8. "The Exorcist," 1973. William Friedkin's horrifying tale of demonic possession of the little girl (Linda Blair) has convincing makeup and terrific special effects. The restored version, released in 2000, adds some terrific scenes but they don't work in the context of the film.
9. "Freaks," 1932. Early horror-film master Tod Browning gathered a cast of real-life sideshow performers for this creepy film about a group of "freaks" who get revenge on the evil, attractive characters. Original version was severely cut in the U.S. and banned in Britain.
10. "Jaws," 1975. I had to cover my eyes the first time I saw this well-acted, suspenseful thriller as a kid. Steven Spielberg directed Roy Scheider, Robert Shaw and Richard Dreyfuss. It won three Oscars, but I liked it anyway
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11. "Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde," 1932. Frederic March's performance as a brilliant doctor and his monstrous alter ego deservedly won an Oscar. The silent John Barrymore version is also worth checking out.
12. "Peeping Tom," 1960. This disturbing and arty horror film
caused such a scandal that it almost ended the career of its brilliant
director, Michael Powell.
13. "Frankenstein" 1931.James Whale's classic about a man-made monster is certainly less frightening than when it was first released, but it still works as a superb tragedy. Boris Karloff makes an expressive monster, and the under appreciated Colin Clive is outstanding as the maniacal mad doctor (Who could forget his "It's alive!!" rant?) Still it pales in comparison to its sequel "Bride of Frankenstein." One of the most horrifying scenes (involving the drowning of a blind girl) was initially cut then restored in 1987.
14. "The Blair Witch Project," 1999. This heavily improvised pseudo-documentary was the most realistic and memorable horror flick of the '90s. It features a great use of hand held camera and other cinema verite techniques.
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15. "Carrie," 1976. Brian De Palma's stylish Stephen King adaptation includes a classic prom scene, which has been endlessly imitated. It has an early John Travolta appearance, from back when he was still cool. The sequel has some good moments too.
16. "Curse of the Demon," 1958. Jacques Tourneur created this
riveting, masterfully orchestrated tale of supernatural suspense.
17. "The Bad Seed," 1956. Mom believes that her mom's murderous tendencies were passed on to her seemingly innocent nine-year-old daughter. Patty McCormick gives one of the most sinister performances in horror history. An important precursor to "Psycho."
18. "The Mummy," 1932. Karl Freund's expressionistic lighting and Boris Karloff's performance make this the only must-see mummy film. The more adventure oriented 1999 film with the same name seems juvenile and artless in comparison.
19. "Spirits of the Dead," 1969. Three excellent short adaptations of Poe stories by three respected European directors. Federico Fellini's episode, "Toby Dammit" is a surreal masterpiece.
20. "The Wolfman," 1941. Lon Chaney Jr. gained immortality with his role as the hapless werewolf, Larry Talbot, but Claude Rains and Evelyn Ankers also excel in supporting roles. As always, Jack Pierce's makeup is magnificent.
21. "Mr. Vampire," 1986. Chinese monk uses martial arts to battle hopping vampires in this inventive horror comedy, which spawned four sequels.
22. "Dawn of the Dead," 1979. Romero's eerie sequel to "Night of the Living Dead" adds shrewd social commentary to the mix. Since the zombies occupy a shopping mall, the film can be seen as a clever satire of consumerism. Changes in the MPAA code allowed Romero to make this much gorier than the original.
23. "The Last House on the Left," 1972. Wes Craven's most disturbing feature is a devastating revenge story about a couple that gets grisly vengeance on the villains that murdered their children. Based loosely on Igmar Bergman's "The Virgin Spring."
24. "The Wicker Man," 1973. Christopher Lee gives his best performance as the mysterious head of a pagan sect in this English cult classic. A remake is coming.
25. "Texas Chain Saw Massacre," 1974. Tobe Hooper creates a chilling nightmarish atmosphere without wallowing in excess gore. Avoid the recently released remake.
26. "Se7en 1995."-David Fincher's twisted thriller is scarier than most because it leaves so much to the imagination. Morgan Freeman and Brad Pitt are excellent as two detectives that are tracking a moralistic serial killer. Spacey's performance is one of his best.
27. "Evil Dead II: Dead by Dawn," 1987. This ingenuous splatter comedy is the only horror film that's equally influenced by George Romero's zombie films and the Three Stooges shorts. Followed by the worthwhile sequel, "Army of Darkness," which was more of a heroic fantasy film than a horror film.
28. "Repulsion," 1965. Roman Polanski's thriller about a sexually repressed young woman who knocks off all her perspective boyfriends. It is heavily influenced by "Psycho," and in some ways it almost matches the original. As always, Catherine Deneuve is exquisite and unforgettable in the lead.
29. "The Night Stalker," 1972. Darren McGavin is terrific as Karl Kolchak, a cynical newsman who stumbles upon a vampire in a modern day Las Vegas. Film creates a marvelous sense of urban paranoia and expertly combines elements of the horror genre with film noir. The literate script was based on a story by Richard Matheson, a frequent contributor to "The Twilight Zone" series. At one point, this was the most watched made for TV film ever. Robert Aldrich fans take note: this film features an appearance by "Kiss Me Deadly" star, Ralph Meeker.
30. "A Nightmare on Elm Street," 1984. Robert Englund stars as a murdered killer who attacks his killer's children in their dreams. Works well until the cop-out ending. Surprisingly effective low budget thriller led to eight unnecessary sequels and a TV series. Features an early appearance by Johnny Depp. Heather Langencamp makes a gutsy adversary for Freddie
31. "Whatever Happened to Baby Jane?" 1962. This wonderful Gothic thriller benefits from terrifically hammy performances by Bette Davis and Joan Crawford.
32. "Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer," 1990. Morally ambivalent portrayal of a killer is much more terrifying than the more acclaimed, "The Silence of the Lambs."
33. "Vampyr," 1932. Carl Dreyer's classic adaptation of the ultimate lesbian vampire text, "Carmilla," is as much of an art film as it is a horror flick. Creative camera work and lighting contribute immeasurably to the ambience of terror.
34-35. "Dracula," 1931 and "Dracula-Spanish version," 1931. Bela Lugosi played the role of his lifetime in this adaptation of the popular Dracula play. This somewhat dated classic has some haunting images and seems almost like a silent film. George Melford's Mexican version was shot on the same sets for a Mexican audience. It is slightly more modern and explicit but it features a less memorable vampire.
36. "Son Of Frankenstein," 1939. Dr. Frankenstien's son (Basil Rathbone) wrong headededly attempts to rehabilitate his family name by taming the monster. Handsome well-mounted film benefits from a great Lionel Atwill performance as a police chief with an artificial hand. Rowland V. Lee's direction does not quite match James Whale's work on the first two Frankenstein flicks, but it comes close enough.
37. "Suspiria," 1977. Dario Argento's violent thriller is shot like an opera, complete with over-the-top music and exaggerated acting. Featuring the creepy and campy music of Goblin.
38. "Halloween," 1978. Well- made teen slasher film helped launch the careers of horror director, John Carpenter and former scream queen, Jamie Lee Curtis. "Halloween H20" in which Curtis reprises her role is the only one of the sequels worth seeing.
39. "Dracula: Pages from a Virgin's Diary," 2003. Guy Maddin's astonishing film is a white, black, and red ballet version of "Dracula." A marvelous blend of horror, surrealism, expressionism and dance. It doesn't sound like it should work, but it does. Much more daring and avant-garde than "Bram Stoker's Dracula."
40. " Legend of Hell House, "1973. A dying millionaire hires a man to prove whether life exists after death. Adult and imaginative ghost film was a critical success and a box office flop.
41. "Re-Animator," 1985. Stuart Gordon's adaptation is not terribly faithful to H. P. Lovecraft's original story but it works fine as a splatter comedy. Gordon and the film's star, Jeffrey Combs worked together on several other low budget Lovecraft adaptations as well.
42. "Silence of the Lambs," 1991. Jonathan Demme's popular film about a charming cannibal serial killer was quite influential but it's also highly homophobic. Still, Anthony Hopkins does a fine job playing Hannibal Lector, one of the all-time great cinematic villains. This film has plenty of chills and thrills, but it did not deserve the best picture Oscar. The first Hannibal Lector film, "Manhunter" was just as good, but it probably does not qualify as a horror film. Someone once hilariously described this film as the "Masterpiece Theatre" version of "Texas Chainsaw Massacre."
43. "Habit," 1997. Chilling low budget vampire film about a young man who is either becoming a vampire or an alcoholic. It's up to you to decide. Director, Larry Fessenden went on the direct "The Wendigo" which was nearly astriguing.
44. "Dead-Alive," 1992. New Zealand made zombie flick about a boy who refuses to harm his flesh eating zombie mother. Film is filled with gore, dark humor, and some slapstick, but it also the script has some Freudian overtones. Director Peter Jackson definitely has a knack for presenting dynamic action scenes. He later went on the do the Lord of the Rings trilogy.
45. "The Sixth Sense," 1999, Intelligent ghost story about a child psychologist who treats a young boy who sees dead people. Haley Joel Osment was brilliant as the boy, but Bruce Willis was unconvincing as the shrink. I kept expecting him to rescue someone from a building. More of a supernatural suspense story than a horror film but why quibble?
46. "The Birds," 1963. Alfred Hitchcock's claustrophobia inducing thriller about birds on the attack is not one of his best. Still, it features some heart pounding sequences and a great Bernard Hermann score. The scene in which the protagonists are trapped in a farmhouse was a big influence on "The Night of the Living Dead." Based on a short story by Daphne du Maurier.
47. "Cat People," 1942. Jacques Tourneuer's thoughtful thriller is not especially terrifying but it is well acted and psychotically provocative. Simone Simon plays a woman who fears that she will fall prey to a mysterious curse that will turn her into a panther when she is aroused. Simone Simon is pure magic on-screen
48. "Audition," 1999. Mikke Takashi's gruesome and sadomasochistic horror film is about a shy businessman who falls for a mentally unstable woman who mysteriously disappears. The last 30 minutes of the film contains one of the most horrifying sequences, ever filmed, but the ending doesn't quite hold up. Available on DVD, in Japanese with English sub-titles at films/a/audition.shtml" http://www.insideout.co.uk/films/a/audition.shtml.
49. "Kill Baby Kill," 1966. Suicide victims are found in a small Transylvanian town town with gold coins in their hearts. The story is sometimes hard to follow but horror auteur, Mario Bava's direction is wonderfully over the top, gorgeous and highly stylized.
50. "May," 1993. Haunting tale of an alienated young woman who has a sinister obsession with an evil looking doll. She reaches out for love and breaks down when she is rejected. This sophisticated and well acted film would make a great companion piece to two other disaffected teen flicks: "Ginger Snaps" and Donnie Darko."
Other good horror films/honorable mentions:
American Psycho (2000), An American Werewolf in London (1982), The Black Cat (1934), Black Sabbath (1963), Black Sunday (1961), Blade II (2000), Burn Witch Burn (1962), Captain Kronos Vampire Hunter (1974), Carnival of Souls (1962), Candyman (1992), Cemetery Man/Dellamorte Dellamore (1996), The Company of Wolves (1985), The Conqueror Worm (1968), Creepshow (1982), Cronos (1994), Dead of Night (1946), The Dead Zone (1983), Devil Doll (1936), Dracula's Daughter (1936), Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde (1920), Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde (1941), The Evil Dead (1983), Eyes Without a Face/Horror Chamber of Dr. Faustus (1959), Fright Night (1985), From Dusk till Dawn (1996), From Hell (2001), The Gift (2000), God Told Me To/Demon (1976), The Honeymoon Killers (1970), Horror of Dracula (1958), House of Usher (1962), The Howling (1981), Interview With A Vampire (1994), Island of Lost Souls (1932), Junk (1999), Kwaidan (1964), The Last Wave (1977), Legend of Hell House (1973), Let's Scare Jessica to Death (1971), Little Shop of Horrors (1960), Mad Love (1935), Martin (1977), The Masque of Red Death (1964), Murders in the Zoo (1933), The Old Dark House (1932), The Omen (1976), Onibababa (1965), Near Dark (1986), Nosferatu (1922), The Others (2001), Paperhouse (1988), Phantom of the Opera (1925), Phenomena/Creepers (1985), Poltergeist (1982), The Plumber (1978), Razor Blade Smile (1998), The Reflecting Skin (1991), Return of the Living Dead (1985), The Ring (2002), Salem's Lot (1979), Scream (1996), The Seventh Victim (1943), Sisters (1973), Sleepy Hollow (1999), The Tenderness of Wolves (1973), The Vampire Lovers (1970), Wolf (1994)
Guilty Pleasures - Here are ten films with horror themes that can`t be considered good by most aesthetic standards. However, they are enjoyable for other reasons (such as creativity or camp value or social importance.)
"Blacula." 1972. Dracula (he's pro-slave in the film) makes an African prince into a vampire. William Marschall's performance as the title character helps elevate this film into high quality trash. The ultimate blaxploitation horror flick includes a hysterical disco scene. Followed by "Scream Blacula Scream" which featured an appearance by my blaxploitation icon/goddess, Pam Grier.
"Werewolf vs. Vampire Woman." 1972. Werewolf travels to Europe to search a witch's tomb. He finds that his female companion has turned into a vampire and clashes with her. Paul Naschy was Spain's preeminent horror star. But his films inevitably arrived in the United States in butchered, badly dubbed, atrociously translated versions. Leon Klimosky provides some incomparable images although the story is lackluster. Also called "Bloodmoon."
"The Devil's Nightmare." 1971. Campy and surreal Italian horror film about a succubus (Erica Blanc) that stalks the seven occupants in a castle. The seven deadly sins motif reminded me of "Seven." The film has a weird hypnotic power that makes me come back to it.
"The House of Usher." 1960. This Roger Corman version of a popular Edgar Allan Poe story features a wonderfully hammy performance by Vincent Price.
"I Was A Teenage Werewolf." 1957. Evil hypnotist treats a troubled teen and turns him into a werewolf. The early starring role by Michael Landon was a real howl. Followed by the semi-sequel "How to Make a Monster."
"Lust for a Vampire." 1972. A sexy reincarnation of Carmilla causes havoc at an all girl school. This rather erotic sequel to the "The Vampire Lovers" has laugh inducing music during the romantic sequences and is even fascinating when it is bad.
"Plan 9 from Outer Space," 1956. Ed Wood's tour de force deals with aliens trying to resurrect the dead. How can you resist any film that features Bela Lugosi, horror hostess, Vampira, and Swedish wrestler, Tor Johnson? The clumsily inserted stock footage, bad dialog, and implausible situations add to the fun. Either the worse horror film ever made or the best ever, unintentional, horror comedy.
"Resident Evil," 2002. Milla Jovovitch stars as recon team member who fights zombies, uncovers a government conspiracy, and wears slinky clothing. Kind of like "Tomb Raider" crossed with "Dawn of the Dead." Utterly ridiculous and dumb but miraculously, it works most of the time.
"Swamp Thing," 1982. Wes Craven's sensitively acted horror film about a man who turns into a bog beast has cheesy special effects and a Frankenstein influenced story line. Nowhere near as good or sophisticated as the comic series but it's enjoyable anyway.
"Tromeo and Juliet," 1997. This schlocky, splatterpunk version of "Romeo and Juliet" features tons of gore and slapstick humor. Decadent, disgusting, cheap, and kind of fun.
Subjects for Future Research - Here are some films that have received great critical acclaim or good word of mouth. I haven't seen them for various reasons (such as laziness on my part or lack of availability.)
"Bubba Ho-Tep." 2003. I haven't been able to catch this current release about Elvis Presley's conflict with a resurrected mummy. But any film with Bruce Campbell and Ossie Davis in it can't be all bad.
"Cannibal Holocaust." 1979. Italian cult favorite allegedly was the inspiration for `The Blair Witch Project." Some people prefer it.
"The Devil's Backbone," 2003, This Spanish ghost film is said to have a strong sense of style.
"Evil of Dracula" and "Lake of Dracula." 1974. These Japanese vampire films have some admirers.
"London After Midnight," 1927. Tod Browning wrote and directed this silent vampire film that stars Lon Chaney, Senior. Browning later did a sound remake entitled "Mark of the Vampire." This is considered by many to be the great lost horror film, but legend says there might still be some existing prints.
"Vampire's Ghost," 1945. Legendary film about a vampire in Africa is almost impossible to find. Said to be influenced by Val Lewton's works.
"Ringu," 1988.The original Japanese version of "The Ring" led to several sequels. Friends tell me it's much better than the remake.
"28 Days Later," 2003. Danny Boyle's Zombie flick was the only horror film that was part of the Dogme '95 movement.
"Terror of Frankenstein," 1976. Obscure Irish/Swedish adaptation of Mary Shelley's novel received some good reviews. It's bound to be better than Kenneth Branagh's disastrous version.
WORST HORROR FILMS: "Andy Warhol's Frankenstein;" "The Beyond;" "Curse of the Swamp Creature;" "Dracula vs. Frankenstein;" "Friday the 13th 3-D;" "I Spit on Your Grave;" "Texas Chain Saw Massacre: The Next Generation;" "Pigs."
Some local horror resources (in Chicago): The best store to buy horror videos and DVDs in Chicago is the House of Monsters at 1579 N. Milwaukee Ave. Buffs who want to find out more about films by the European horror masters might want to check out the excellent reference book, Italian Horror Films of the 1960s by Lawrence McCallum (see http://southsidecallbox.com/italian_horror.html.)
