Favorite Horror Movies?

[PizzaPower1985]

Anyone on the 'Drome a fan of horror films, collect horror films, have a favorite film?

I pretty much gravitate to movies outside of my comics collecting. Horror is pretty big with me and my all time favorite genre is the slasher genre. Young people being mutilated with lots of T&A is pretty F*cking entertaining but I like all kinds of horror and all kinds of movies.

My favorites include:

Halloween 1978
Tourist Trap 1979
A Nightmare on Elm Street 3: Dream Warriors 1987
Return of the Living Dead 1986
Slumber Party Massacre 1980
The House on Sorority Row 1983
Day of the Dead 1985
The Texas Chainsaw Massacre 1974
Trick R? Treat 2007

So, what are your likes? Dislikes? Care to share any obscure stuff?

[neatoman]

Alien isn't just my favourite horror movie, it's my favourite movie of all time.

[oldmanwinters]

I like the Universal and Hammer Film monster classics.

[PizzaPower1985]

^^^^^^ They made a lot of those in sequels and remakes....

My favorites of those are the original 8:

Dracula
Frankenstein
Bride of Frankenstein
The Wolfman
The Mummy
The Invisible Man
The Creature From the Black Lagoon
Claud Raines Phantom of the Opera

[frank_one]

Nosferatu (1922), Shining, Alien.

[Leo656]

It's tough for me to "grade" horror because so many of the movies in that genre are "bad on purpose", but even the ones that are not typically suffer a lot on the technical end due to having very low budgets, so even when it's "sincere" the results can be iffy. It's very difficult to know when and when not to apply the "curve".

On the whole, I'm partial to "A Nightmare On Elm. Street" stuff the most, I guess. I think the first and third movie, along with "Wes Craven's New Nightmare" are all really good.

I get a kick out of the Jason stuff too, but they're all really "bad" movies so I can't even say I have a "favorite" even though I've seen them all a bunch. I know that "New Blood" is my least favorite but that's a fairly obvious statement.

I haven't seen them much each, but I have to give points to "Last House on the Left" and "The Hills Have Eyes" for making me genuinely uncomfortable. I always really appreciate that in a horror movie.

I actually think the first "Scream" and the first "Saw" were good movies that played well with expectations, and then they completely fell apart for the same reason everything doe$. But they got off to a great start.

Not much of a Whedon guy but "Cabin in the Woods" was a nice little surprise, I think that one's pretty good.

It's only really "scary" or whatever near the end, but I always really liked Branagh's "Mary Shelley's Frankenstein" since it's one of the more faithful adaptations of the book. Probably as faithful as Hollywood's ever gonna get. The heart-ripping and head-swapping stuff near the end always gets me a little bit. Plus I just like the movie.

Y'know what's a pretty creepy fake documentary, if you can find it, is "The Poughkeepsie Tapes". Especially if you have a fascination with serial killers. Some really twisted stuff in there.

I'unno, there's a lot I could talk about but that's just some stuff off the top of my head. I don't have much to say about the Halloween stuff because I never got around to it yet. Don't hit me! I been busy.

[PizzaPower1985]

Originally Posted by Leo656

It's tough for me to "grade" horror because so many of the movies in that genre are "bad on purpose", but even the ones that are not typically suffer a lot on the technical end due to having very low budgets, so even when it's "sincere" the results can be iffy. It's very difficult to know when and when not to apply the "curve".

On the whole, I'm partial to "A Nightmare On Elm. Street" stuff the most, I guess. I think the first and third movie, along with "Wes Craven's New Nightmare" are all really good.

I get a kick out of the Jason stuff too, but they're all really "bad" movies so I can't even say I have a "favorite" even though I've seen them all a bunch. I know that "New Blood" is my least favorite but that's a fairly obvious statement.

I haven't seen them much each, but I have to give points to "Last House on the Left" and "The Hills Have Eyes" for making me genuinely uncomfortable. I always really appreciate that in a horror movie.

I actually think the first "Scream" and the first "Saw" were good movies that played well with expectations, and then they completely fell apart for the same reason everything doe$. But they got off to a great start.

Not much of a Whedon guy but "Cabin in the Woods" was a nice little surprise, I think that one's pretty good.

It's only really "scary" or whatever near the end, but I always really liked Branagh's "Mary Shelley's Frankenstein" since it's one of the more faithful adaptations of the book. Probably as faithful as Hollywood's ever gonna get. The heart-ripping and head-swapping stuff near the end always gets me a little bit. Plus I just like the movie.

Y'know what's a pretty creepy fake documentary, if you can find it, is "The Poughkeepsie Tapes". Especially if you have a fascination with serial killers. Some really twisted stuff in there.

I'unno, there's a lot I could talk about but that's just some stuff off the top of my head. I don't have much to say about the Halloween stuff because I never got around to it yet. Don't hit me! I been busy.

Last House is a violent, over-the-top masterpiece of 70's cinema... and Hills Have Eyes grossed me out and scared the $hit out of me the first time I watched it.

[Leo656]

See, I find that a ton of "horror" is too audience-inclusive. They try and make ya laugh, they try and get you to root for the bad guy... that's not "horror". That's just Darkly-Spun Entertainment but it's not "horror" if you're having a good time the whole way through.

A quick Google search lists the primary definition of "horror" as: an intense feeling of fear, shock, or disgust. Not just any of those feelings, but an "intense" feeling.

If I feel like I need a shower and a nap after a horror movie, I might not rush to watch that movie again for a year or more but I will always remember it fondly for getting over on me. Even more so if I'm thinking about it for days afterwards. "Last House" and "Hills" definitely applied, for me.

Oh! And its status as "horror" is oft-debated but I thought "The Wicker Man" was pretty spiffy. That'd be a pretty bizarre situation to find oneself in.

I do like the horror genre and own quite a lot of movies, I'm just a little particular about which "scary movies" are actually "horror". Like half the Freddy and Jason movies are de facto comedies where people get violently killed. Which is a subtle but important distinction. They're still fun to watch but I'd only call some of them "horror" through gritted teeth. I'm sure you get exactly what I mean.

Oooh, y'know what I still haven't seen that I keep meaning to track down and finally watch, is "Henry, Portrait of a Serial Killer". That sounds genuinely disturbing.

[PizzaPower1985]

Originally Posted by Leo656

See, I find that a ton of "horror" is too audience-inclusive. They try and make ya laugh, they try and get you to root for the bad guy... that's not "horror". That's just Darkly-Spun Entertainment but it's not "horror" if you're having a good time the whole way through.

A quick Google search lists the primary definition of "horror" as: an intense feeling of fear, shock, or disgust. Not just any of those feelings, but an "intense" feeling.

If I feel like I need a shower and a nap after a horror movie, I might not rush to watch that movie again for a year or more but I will always remember it fondly for getting over on me. Even more so if I'm thinking about it for days afterwards. "Last House" and "Hills" definitely applied, for me.

Oh! And its status as "horror" is oft-debated but I thought "The Wicker Man" was pretty spiffy. That'd be a pretty bizarre situation to find oneself in.

I do like the horror genre and own quite a lot of movies, I'm just a little particular about which "scary movies" are actually "horror". Like half the Freddy and Jason movies are de facto comedies where people get violently killed. Which is a subtle but important distinction. They're still fun to watch but I'd only call some of them "horror" through gritted teeth. I'm sure you get exactly what I mean.

Oooh, y'know what I still haven't seen that I keep meaning to track down and finally watch, is "Henry, Portrait of a Serial Killer". That sounds genuinely disturbing.

I feel you on that point, yeah. Last House is a perfect example. Horror isnt really horror unless you're uncomfortable. William Lustig's "Maniac" from 1980... that's a horror film. Cannibal Holocaust... that's a horror film. Hostel is a horror film...

Dracula and Frankenstein from the 1930's... they were horror to their audiences.. by today's standards? Not really horror but dark entertainment.

Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer is quite a nasty little film... not as gaphic as you'd expect BUT if the subject matter don't make your skin crawl, it's on too tight! LoL.

[Leo656]

I thought "Hostel" was pretty good - whenever I know Sh*t Like This Really Happens when I'm watching a movie and I feel sick, it gets bonus points for sure. I just can't watch it often because of the eyeball stuff. I'm not entirely squeamish but everyone has "A Thing", right? Stuff with eyeballs coming out and stuff with veins/arteries, like the "Puppet Walk" scene from "Dream Warriors", that sh*t always gets me. I can watch it, just... not every day.

I have too vivid of an imagination for some things. Even knowing something's entirely fake, I can't help but imagine how it feels as an automatic reaction. And some things are like "Bleeeeeh." Like I said, the heart-ripping/head-swapping stuff in Branagh's "Frankenstein", it's not even ALL that graphic it's just when I see it I can't help but start thinking about exactly what it feels like, and I do more damage to myself than the movie ever could. "What if *I* woke up with my head poorly-spliced onto some dead person's body? AAAAAAAAHHHHH!"

I like it, though, I like having the appropriate emotional response to something, even if it's horrific. There's this one scene in "The Poughkeepsie Tapes" where

Spoiler:

the killer abducts a husband and wife and takes them to his Murder Dungeon, where he cuts the guy's head off, cuts the woman open as she's drugged and sews her own husband's head inside of her womb, then films it when he wakes her up to see her reaction. Crazy sh*t. That's not even the worst thing in that movie.

So yeah check that movie out if you can, I think most "found footage" horror movies are kinda junk but that one was pretty dark. I've only seen bits but I think "V/H/S" is pretty good at that from another direction entirely. I keep meaning to buy it I just forget.

- I think that when Henry's buddy says he wants to watch the tape again of them rape/murdering the family, that pretty much solidifies that movie in the "This Is Some Horrible Sh*t Going On" category even if you don't see much. It gets over on the ideas just as much as what they show you. Primarily the idea that people like this can even exist, and the fact that they do. Brrrr.

[AquaParade]

The original Exorcist is still one of my favorites.
Texas Chainsaw Massacte is surprisingly effective. I love the raw gritty look of that film.

I'm also a big fan of what A24 have been doing. The Witch and Hereditary are my two modern favorites. Hereditary I find to be particularly ****ed up. Of course, like any film you deem scary, you'll converse with someone who will tell you they laughed or found it funny, because film quality aside, horror itself is highly subjective.

I'm not a huge fan of slashers, but I like the aesthetics. Halloween's look and sound are great, but it doesn't unnerve me.

[PizzaPower1985]

Originally Posted by AquaParade

The original Exorcist is still one of my favorites.
Texas Chainsaw Massacte is surprisingly effective. I love the raw gritty look of that film.

I'm also a big fan of what A24 have been doing. The Witch and Hereditary are my two modern favorites. Hereditary I find to be particularly ****ed up. Of course, like any film you deem scary, you'll converse with someone who will tell you they laughed or found it funny, because film quality aside, horror itself is highly subjective.

I'm not a huge fan of slashers, but I like the aesthetics. Halloween's look and sound are great, but it doesn't unnerve me.

The Exorcist is still great after all these years. Chiansaw only looks great because its shot in 16mm. Scores of low budget horror/slasher films tried to emulate the "grit" of Chainsaw with shaky-cam and stuff but they never quite managed to. 16mm makes all the difference.

Slashers are fun. They made something like 230+ of them between 1978 and 1987... all are at least worth a peek, some are gems but a lot are true dog$hit. And man can some be hard to find too. Rarity is another factor that makes slasher films worthy of @ least scouring the internet for.

[Voltron]

I like horror! I'm not as well versed as you guys seem to be.

My favorites depend on what it is we're going for.

If it's actually scary, then I go with The Exorcist or Alien.
If it's just fun, then Friday the 13th series is what I'll sit through.
If it's deep, then the original Godzilla.
Other than that, I just like the camp.

Originally Posted by Leo656

See, I find that a ton of "horror" is too audience-inclusive. They try and make ya laugh, they try and get you to root for the bad guy... that's not "horror". That's just Darkly-Spun Entertainment but it's not "horror" if you're having a good time the whole way through.

Funny you should mention! I had a horror lit class and the professor brought this up. He said that as a series wears on, the monster (or bad guy) becomes the central focus, and thus the hero by default.

Watching the first entry in a popular series, the monster is typically played straight. As time goes on, the monster becomes less a threat and more a spectacle. Freddy develops his trademark snark. Jason Vorhees starts getting more creative with his deaths.

I think that a lot of lesser attempts at horror films use this as inspiration. They imitate the later entries in a popular series.

[PizzaPower1985]

[QUOTE=Voltron;1851234]I like horror! I'm not as well versed as you guys seem to be.

My favorites depend on what it is we're going for.

If it's actually scary, then I go with The Exorcist or Alien.
If it's just fun, then Friday the 13th series is what I'll sit through.
If it's deep, then the original Godzilla.
Other than that, I just like the camp.



Funny you should mention! I had a horror lit class and the professor brought this up. He said that as a series wears on, the monster (or bad guy) becomes the central focus, and thus the hero by default.

Watching the first entry in a popular series, the monster is typically played straight. As time goes on, the monster becomes less a threat and more a spectacle. Freddy develops his trademark snark. Jason Vorhees starts getting more creative with his deaths.

I think that a lot of lesser attempts at horror films use this as inspiration. They imitate the later entries in a popular series.[/QUOTE]

That's a really good point, Voltron. It's one of the reasons why horror today, largely lacks originality. There are some newer hidden gems, like a movie called Summer of '84 , it's a lot like a proto-slasher but feels very much like something to come out of the 80's too. But mostly these days if you want good stuff you have to go back nearly 30 years.

[DarkFell]

I have a copy of Invasion Of The Body Snatchers somewhere that I ought to watch sometime. Otherwise, Halloween 1 & 2 work for me just fine.

Horror movies don't seem to be the highlight of my movie preferences, which is odd considering that my parents actually enjoyed watching them when I was growing up, and I would even watch a few movies with them. The Halloween movies, the Alien movies, The Shining (I wanna get that movie!), IT, Watchers, Silver Bullet, and even PumpkinHead were just a few of their favorites.

However, my folks were bigger fans of the novels.

[drgon78]

Alien
American Werewolf in London
Bride of Frankenstein
Dracula 1931
Frankenstein 1931
Fright Night
Halloween 1978
Jaws
John Carpenter's The Thing
Let Me In
Lifeforce
Nightmare On Elm Street 3
The Creature From The Black Lagoon
The Blob(1980's)
The Fly (1980's)
The Invisible Man 1933
The Lost Boys
The Mummy 1932
The Shinning
The Thing From Another World
The Wolf Man 1941
Tremors

[PizzaPower1985]

Originally Posted by drgon78

Alien
American Werewolf in London
Bride of Frankenstein
Dracula 1931
Frankenstein 1931
Fright Night
Halloween 1978
Jaws
John Carpenter's The Thing
Let Me In
Lifeforce
Nightmare On Elm Street 3
The Creature From The Black Lagoon
The Blob(1980's)
The Fly (1980's)
The Invisible Man 1933
The Lost Boys
The Mummy 1932
The Shinning
The Thing From Another World
The Wolf Man 1941
Tremors

Anything by John Carpenter is going to probably be great. But yeah. That's another great list.