#39 My Top 10 Must See Horror Movies

New blog! Yay! But first I thought I would tell you readers why I haven’t written anything in several weeks. There is two main reasons, among other small things. Ok, actually there where three reasons. Three reasons why I haven’t written. First one is simply laziness. Well it’s either laziness or been to busy and being shattered afterwards. The second is writer’s block. If blogger’s can get it. Well then I got Blogger’s block. And the last is the main one. I’ve been working on a screenplay (and I’m not talking any ol’ screenplay but a 130 page feature length, so I guess that correctifies the first one) and since Monday I sent it out to test readers so I have some time to write a few quick blogs. So lets just jump right into it.

On my absence I fell in love. Her name is Horror and she comes in many forms. Ok, ok, that lame, but it did happen. After a night of frights at my pals house, I have been watching all the best horror films around. I’ve signed onto horror forums. And I can’t stop reading about them. So I thought I would write about some of my favourites. To be honest it’s a predictable and some what generic list but you do get some really bad ones out there but this so this is the definitive list! Ok not definitive but my personal list of the top must see horror films! Let’s go.

10. Alien (1979)
Why Is it here?
Empty space, killer robots and of course aliens, all contribute to why Ridley Scott’s sci-fi horror is here. Even though the space ship was beautiful, the alien wasn’t. But unlike other sci-fi horrors or any horror monster movies, in Alien there is only on alien which takes the hole crew out. Now that is scary. It’s is also one of the only franchises that didn’t get worse. It was consistent through out the quadrilogy. I, of course, don’t include the Alien vs Predator movies. Who do you think I am?

9. Jaws (1975)
Why Is it here?
Ba-Duh, Ba-Duh, Bu-Duh. Even though many people disagree that Jaws is a horror film but I strongly disagree with them. It’s the only film that has effected me personally. Along with thousands of other audiences around the world who can’t swing in deep water because of a plastic shark. It’s been said that on the set of Jaws, because the shark was broken they had to use it considerable less. But my thoughts are if they had used it more the scare factor would go down. It was the no knowing up until the final confrontation.

8. Dawn of the Dead (1978)
Why Is it here?
First thing first. Notice how there is only one remake on this list which is The Thing. So when I say Dawn of the Dead I don’t mean Zack Snyder’s one but the George A. Romero one. It’s been banned in 17 countries and possibly George A. Romero’s best film. He is the man, he is king of Zombie films. What’s scary about it is it’s sense of realism. There’s no answer for what’s going on. It’s just happening. For a zombie flick it satisfies the gore porn audiences with it’s exploding heads, decapitations and people to get eaten alive without silly close ups! Now that’s want zombie movies need.

7. The Thing (1982)
Why Is it here?
This is definitely one of the scariest films of all time. If I had made a list that was the top scariest horrors of all time, John Carpenter’s The Thing would be in the top three. What makes it scary is the isolation the characters are stuck in, and how no one, not even the audience, know who is a human or is an alien. If no one jumped when that blood test dish jumped out at Kurt Russell then they need therapy to feel real fear.

6. Ôdishon (The Audition, 1999)
Why Is it here?
The Audition is most likely the only film on this list which people haven’t heard of. However Takashi Miike’s tale of love is one of the most disturbing movie of all time. The story follows a male widow looking for love. So after he sets up a fake audition for a Radio show he meets that perfect one. But is she? For the first 90 minutes or so, Miike sets up the character of Shigeharu as the nicest guy right in the world. It’s only up until the last 20 minutes when some of the most disturbing scenes are shown and he becomes the worlds unluckiest man. Let’s just say there’s a ton of metal pins, cheese wire and severed limbs.

5. Psycho (1960)
Why Is it here?
Psycho had to be on this list. The first slasher movie by the master of thrillers Alfred Hitchcock. And for a crack at horror is was and still is on of they best films ever made. Period. For the time Psycho was released woman in movies where seen in a different way. Then Hitchcock came along and showed audiences that actresses such as Vera Mile’s weren’t just a pretty face. Norman Bates is such a chilling character and the twist at the end puts M. Night Shyamalan to shame. And how can we forget the shower scene which has become one of the most icon film moments. Oh, and the score was frightening. Just thought I would slip that in.

4. Saw (2004)
Why Is it here?
Saw is a really clever film with lots of twists and terns. So the franchise has gone down hill since then. I still enjoy them. The original with be remembered for years to come as the story of a killer who never killed anyone. And the sound of the good doctor sawing threw his foot off to save his wife and daughter is pretty messed up. I believe that if Saw had never come along film’s like Eli Roth’s Hostel wouldn’t be here. And when you here the words “I’d like to play a game with you!” you just know your going to need to hide behind your hands.

3. Texas Chain Saw Massacre (1974)
Why Is it here?
I love chain saws. I feel that all horror films need a chain saw at one point. And as the title suggests, this movie has it. It was banned in pretty much every country (apart from America where it was a hit) for years and now is recognised as one of the most and chilling independent horror movie of all time. And I fully agree. When Leather Face chased the poor girl down the street chain saw in hands, you had to question the sanity of Tobe Hooper.

2. The Shining
Why Is it here?
“HERE’S JOHNNY!” Those words still haunt me to this day. Staley Kubrick’s epic Stephen King tale about a broken family who retreat to a haunted hotel in the Colorado mountains to look after it for the winter. With a son who’s schizophrenic and telepathic, a murderous father on the brink of insanity and Shelly Duval, they all add to the creepiness of the movie. It’s also my favourite Stanley Kubrick film because of it’s intense soundtrack, great location and the bit with the blood in the elevator. “REDRUM”

1. Evil Dead 2
Why Is it here?
Sam Raimi’s Evil Dead 2 is in my top three favourite films of all time. And one of the Evil Dead films had to be in the list. The reason it’s at number one is the fact that horror movies try to act like the main character is in a nightmare but Evil Dead 2 was a nightmare. In the best possible way. The mix of comedy and horror blend so well in Raimi’s universe. Fantastic if not frantic camera work, a great horror/comedy script, and Bruce Campbell cutting his hand off with a chain saw. What more could you want? Blood gushing out of the walls? It’s got it. Headless ex-girlfriend wielding a chain saw? It’s got it? Being sent back in time to fight the Deadite’s in the medieval times? Oh Hell yeah, it’s got it!

What do you think? What are some of your favourite horror movies?

Oliver Hunt