So, first and foremost, apologies for the long delay in a post... just realized I never finished the last one about my severe addiction to "sequelitis." I promise to go back and complete that at some point. In the meantime, thought I'd answer the question most posed to me: “What are your favorite movies?”
Now, this is a subject which took a lot more thought than I’d originally anticipated. You see, I love A LOT of movies. I have well over 2,000 VHS and DVDs in my “red room,” as it’s so adoringly referred to by friends and family. And, yes, the bulk of them are horror related. In trying to narrow the list down, however, I decided on this main criteria: First, have I felt a need to watch a particular title in the last 12 months? Second, does this film simply entertain me, or does it actually make me feel something while I watch it, either because it connects me to a memory from my past, or there’s simply something about the story which just continues to resonate with me even after I’ve watched over 50 times (Yes, I have some select titles I can recite word for word... I think I’m actually up near 75 + viewings of Carrie).
I’m not giving "reviews" to most of these films – since I obviously enjoy them enough to include them. Only a very brief synopsis of each title will be written. My tastes are fairly broad in these categories: horror, comedy, drama, musical, kids, action. As such, you’ll find serious and not-so-serious. Extreme gore to mild suspense. Cartoons to live action. Sappy tear jerkers to classic high drama and even some camp. Films are gathered by genre, so skip to the ones you think you might want to seek out for yourself. You might be surprised at the titles I didn’t include!!! I'll do this over the course of several posts over the next few weeks. Today is horror - not a shock to most - but you might be surprised which titles make my lists in other categories as well in coming weeks.
Enjoy.
HORROR/SUSPENSE
Alice, Sweet
10 year old Brooke Shields gets roasted, literally, in her film debut. Her sister Alice, a bit off center, is accused of the crime, but their father will go to any length to prove she’s innocent. Some genuine shocks and suspense and effective knife attacks.
American Gothic (1988)
Young mentally ill woman, riddled with guilt over the death of her infant son, is stranded on an uncharted island with her friends. They discover the island houses a family of adult loonies who all believe they are still children in the 1930s thanks to their equally deranged “parents” Yvonne DeCarlo and Rod Steiger.
Amityville II: The Possession (1982)
Prequel to The Amityville Horror (1979) tells of the true life DeFeo family whose murders by the eldest son are said to be the reason for the home’s demonic nature. Genuinely creepy with some unsettling moments and outrageous special effects. The slaughter of the family sticks with you for a few days after seeing it.
The Bad Seed (1956)
Evil 8 year old Rhoda Penmark is believed to be a little murderess, offing anyone who stands in her way of receiving a penmanship medal from her second grade class. You think you see more than you really do. Overly dramatic at times, but somehow forgivable considering the weight and the eeriness of the events at hand.
The Birds (1963)
Hitchcock classic isn’t as much about the birds attacking a coastal town as it is about the regular Joes inhabiting it. Much in the way of family drama as the township comes to believe Tippi Hendren is the supernatural cause of the attacks, while she simply tries to battle her new beaus possessive mother.
Black Christmas (1974)
The original slasher film. Group of sorority sisters spending the holiday on campus get off’ed in wicked ways by an unseen killer obsessed with making deliciously perverted phone calls just before he strikes. Extremely stylish and much more tasteful thank you’d expect.
The Blob (1958)
Steve McQueen career launcher as he battles a giant scoop of red jello from outerspace trying to devour the entire town. Has a lot of cheesiness these days, but still manages, somehow, to keep its paranoia (“they’re coming to get you”) the center of what holds your attention. Try to not be nervous during the grocery store and diner attacks.
Body Snatchers: The Invasion Continues (1993)
A semi-sequel to the 1978 remake of Invasion of the Body Snatchers, this finds a military base overrun by pod people consuming the bodies of humans and taking on their soulless identities. A consistent level of suspense and a style that always, visually, seems to make you feel a bit nauseated. Plus some really good moments of genuine gasp and hold-your-breath scares.
Candyman (1992)
Grad student researching urban legends runs afoul of one that just happens to be true. People in
Carrie (1976)
Only my all-time favorite movie. Began the ‘nerdy teen gets ultimate revenge’ genre. Tormented high school geek is tricked into attending a prom meant to humiliate her. What they don’t know is that she’s learning how to use her telekinetic powers. Her revenge is quite possibly the best ever put on film.
Child’s Play (1988)
Child’s doll in the vein of Teddy Ruxpin comes to life when it’s possessed by the soul of a serial killer. Still throws some seriously scary punches.
Bride of Chucky (1998) (a.k.a Child’s Play 4)
Taking its cue from the self-acknowledging trend beget by Scream, Chucky the killer dolls is now an anti-hero, throwing wise cracks in the best Freddy Kruger imitation... but does it quite well. After he’s brought back to life by an old girlfriend, Chucky kills her, puts her soul into a bridal doll, and they begin a new mass murder spree trying to put their souls back into love struck teenage couple Katherine Heigel and Jason Ritter.
Children of the Corn (1984)
Young couple discovers a
Class of 1984 (1982)
Eerily accurate of how teenagers would run the high schools in
Cloverfield (2007)
Scarier and bigger budgeted monster-themed version of The Blair Witch Project has the events of a night of terror in
The Craft (1996)
Gaggle of teen girls discover the addition of a 4th girl in their witchery group causes them all to have true magical powers. One of them, however, decides to use her powers for gluttony and poisons the other girls with her course towards pure evil.
Deadly Blessing (1981)
City woman is tormented with nightmarish images after her husband – a former Hitite (i.e. Amish) – is mysteriously killed in an “accident.” Lots of really scary moments. Sharon Stone’s first major film role.
Dolls (1986)
A little girl and her abusive family spend the night waiting out a rain storm in an old castle where all the dolls come to life and do their best to rid the world of evil people.
Dolores Clairborne (1995)
Not really horror but some damned good suspense. A woman stands accused of killing her elderly boss years after she was believed – but never tried – of making her abusive husband “disappear.” Excellent adaptation of Stephen King’s novel.
The Exorcism of Emily Rose (2004)
True story of a priest on the trial for the death of a teen girl whom he claimed he was performing an exorcism on. Splendid in how it argues both sides as to whether or not the girl was indeed possessed.
The Exorcist (1973)
12 year old Linda Blair is possessed by Satan, but the real story here is about a priest’s loss of his own faith. Also based on a true story from 1949 that was well documented in national newspapers and supposedly the Catholic church.
Exorcist II: The Heretic (1977)
Now 17 and smoking hot, Linda Blair again comes up against the demon believed to have possessed her 5 years earlier. Lots of down time with psycho-babble and images of flying through Africa “on the locusts wings,” but the last 20 minutes are some of the most outrageous and destructive put to film, so I forgive it its many faults.
The Exoricst
Loosely based on the original film, the detective who studied Linda Blair’s case now is faced with deciding if a series of gruesome religious-themed murders are connected to the priest presumed dead since Blair tossed him out of her bedroom window in ’73. Again, lots of talking, but its shocks and kills are worth the wait. Features Fabio as an angel... I shit you not!
The Eyes of Laura Mars (1978)
Faye Dunaway does horror good as she portrays a photographer who “sees” through the eyes of a killer every time he strikes. Scariest scene is when Faye suddenly realizes the killer is looking at her from behind!!!
The Fog (1980)
Jamie Lee Curtis, Janet Leigh, Hal Holbrook, Adrienne Barbeau and cast members from Halloween ’78 join forces to battle, or rather simply run, from a mysterious fog consuming a coastal town. Seems some pretty pissed off pirates have returned after 100 years to get revenge on the kin of the men who slaughtered them and stole their gold. Still riddles me with suspense during each viewing.
Friday the 13th (1980)
Group of camp counselors arrive to re-open a long dormant kids camp after it was closed 30 years earlier. Seems the looney who slaughtered sex-starved teens in the 50s has returned determined to keep the place closed forever.
Friday the 13th, Part 2 (1981)
5 years after the original slaughter, teens venture to a counselor training camp ground across the lake ignoring the locals insistence on not returning for fear murders will start up again. Unfortunately for the teens, the locals were right.
Friday the 13th, Part 3 (1982)
Initially intended to carry over the surviving girl of Part 2, this now finds a random teen returning to her family’s cabin where she had been attacked by a mass murderer a year earlier. Guess who pays her and her friends a return visit?
Friday the 13th, Part 4: The Final Chapter (1984)
Local psycho Jason Voorhees returns to life and heads home to hack a series of new nubile teens. Not much different from the earlier films, but possibly the best made of them all with a group of teens you’re actually sad to see get sliced and diced. Stars Corey Feldman as a wee lad with a knack for making scary masks and the balls to take on Voorhees himself.
Friday the 13th, Part VI: Jason Lives (1986)
Yes, I skipped Part V. It was lame. And it features an actress who’s a raging bitch in reality, so now I definitely don’t like it anymore. Onto Part VI... Black comedy fills in for this new chapter as the summer camp is re-opened (really?!) again. So, of course, Jason Voorhees gets pissed off and begins whacking the counselors in very creative – and deliberately funny – fashions. Very self-aware.
Friday the 13th, Part
Not really a good movie at all, but after watching it numerous times it grew on me. Telekinetic teen tries to take on Voorhees after she unintentionally brings him back to life.
Gremlins (1984)
Wicked little critters overrun suburbia on Christmas Eve. Super hot Phoebe Cates and her boyfriend try to stop them as the scary – and yet funny - monsters destroy the town and kill anyone they can.
The Gift (1999)
Filled with southern gothic as psychic Cate Blanchette tries to lead the locals on a hunt for a missing woman’s body. Visuals make you feels like you’re sweating right along with the rest of the cast. Story makes you feel like you can feel the same noose tightening around Cate’s neck as townsfolk begin to treat her like a witch.
Halloween (1978)
Three teen babysitters are stalked by “The Boogeyman” – before he was known as Michael Meyers. His motive is unknown, but the characters are drawn with such joy you truly don’t want them hurt, especially Jamie Lee Curtis in her film debut.
Halloween II (1981)
Picks up literally seconds after the first film, with Jamie Lee Curtis being taken to the hospital, and Michael Meyers en route to finish what he started. We finally learn why he wants her dead.
Halloween
Long lambasted for not having anything to do with the previous films, this is more in the vein of Invasion of the Body Snatchers, as an evil warlock plans to overtake the world by possessing all the children through electronic devices in their Halloween masks. Strange but effective once you take make the film stand on its own.
Halloween H20: Twenty Years Later (1998)
Jamie Lee Curtis returns 20 years later to finish what Michael Meyers started. Curtis is now the Head Mistress of a private school and raising her teen son in
Halloween II (2009) (remake)
Not much of a fan of Rob Zombie’s 2007 remake, and although this was vilified by audiences, I actually liked it. Michael Meyers returns to kill his little sister. Quite possibly the most violent movie I have EVER seen.
Happy Birthday To Me (1981)
Group of popular teens “disappear” as one of their birthdays draws near. As the ad campaign declared, “Six of the most bizarre murders you have ever seen.” Plus it stars Melissa Sue Anderson from Little House on the Prairie.
The Haunting (1963)
Psychics gather to determine if a house is truly haunted as legend persists. Black and white, very gothic and shocking in that all of its scares and suspense are done simply through the use of shadows and sounds.
Hell Night (1981)
Linda Blair and her college co-eds must spend the night in a “haunted” house in order to pledge their franternities/sororities. Sounds common, but it was both original and scary in its day. Plus some excellent chase sequences.
The Hills Have Eyes (1977)
Based on a true story. After their car breaks down, an all-American white bread family must become savages in order to escape a desert filled with a cannibalistic clan.
The House of the Devil (2009)
College girl desperate for money answers a “Babysitter Wanted” ad – only to discover she’ll be watching over an elderly lady in the attic... whom she never actually needs to check in on. Making it stranger, she’s offered $400 for 4 hours of her time. As expected, she soon discovers there’s more going on in the house than was initially thought.
House of Wax (2004)
Friends on a camping trip discover an abandoned town where the only other beings are wax figures. Creepy enough, until you realize where all the original townspeople went.
The House on Sorority Row (1983)
Sorority girls pulling a prank on their wicked house mother soon find themselves trying to cover up her murder. Worse for them, someone saw what happened and is quickly taking their own bloody revenge on the sisterhood.
Invasion of the Body Snatchers (1978)
Extremely unsettling remake of the 1950s classic. Humanity is being devoured by an alien species who suck the life out of their hosts, then form perfectly replicated bodies minus emotions. Paranoia runs rampant.
Jack Be Nimble (1992)
Psychic brother and sister, separated as children due to their parents’ lack of caring, find each other 15 years later. Problem is, the brother is hell-bent on revenge for anyone who did either of them wrong in their lives.
Jaws 2 (1978)
Yeah yeah... I like the original Jaws and all, but this one just affected me more and keeps my attention better. Group of teens go against parents wishes (isn’t that how they always get into trouble?) and sail out into the
Lady in White (1988)
While locked in his schoolhouse cloakroom on Halloween night, a little boy in the early 1960s watches a ghostly reenactment of a little girl being murdered 10 years earlier. It becomes his mission to discover who killed her and threw her body off a cliff, leading to the suicide of her mother and destruction of her family.
The Last House on the Left (1972)
The first truly violent horror film. Sexual degradation, torture, and murder are how the movie begins before it becomes a wicked exercise in revenge. Two teens killed by a group of escaped prisoners are avenged by their parents.
The Last House on the Left (2009)
Surprisingly potent remake which leaves out the exploitation element of the original, but otherwise sticks fairly close to the original story with a more mainstream polish.
The Little Girls Who Lives Down the Lane (1976)
13 years old Jodie Foster seems to be living on her own all well and good until a bitchy landlord and perverted child molester Martin Sheen begin snooping around to see where her parents might be. Not so much a scary movie, but rather good suspense and an all-around icky feeling.
Maniac Cop 2 (1990)
The 1988 original is a fun film, but this sequel has twice the budget and non-stop action as a police man framed and imprisoned by his fellow dirty cops returns for revenge on anyone he didn’t splatter the first time around.
Mirror Mirror (1990)
River and Joaquin Phoenix’s sister Rainbow stars in this well done take on Carrie. Painfully shy goth girl transfers to a new school only to be tormented daily by the “in” crowd. Quicker than you can say “revenge is better than Christmas,” our anti-heroine finds a supernatural mirror and powers to make the evil kids perish.
My Bloody Valentine (1981)
No, not the modern 3-D version, but the original miner goes on a rampage story. Creepy in its genuinely cold atmosphere and with some especially gruesome deaths and make up FX. Average slasher bumped up a notch by characters you genuinely enjoy and a some good jump-out scares.
Night of the Living Dead (1968)
Not only is it a great example of how paranoia affects not only the characters but viewers of the film, but it stars Judith O’Dea as the heroine, “Barbara.” Did I mention Ms. O’Dea has starred in 3 of my films...? Here, it’s not the zombies she has to watch out for so much as the other living people in the farmhouse where they all take shelter.
Dawn of the Dead (2004) (remake: Part 2 of new trilogy)
Sure sure, the original 1978 version made zombies gorier, and technically 28 Days Later made them faster, but this version combines both elements and a hyper cast to bring both worlds together in a fast-paced, blood spattered way.
A Nightmare on
Considered a horror classic for a reason. Child molester and murderer Fred Krueger returns to haunt and kill teens in their dreams as revenge on the parents who burned him alive years earlier.
A Nightmare on
Freddy returns to possess the body of an effeminate teen boy and kill his peers both in their dreams and in the real world.
A Nightmare on
The “last” of the
A Nightmare on
Freddy needs a new generation of teens to slaughter and finds his match in the mind of lonely and awkward Alice, who has been given the ability to pull other people into her dreams by the survivor of the previous film.
Wes Craven’s New Nightmare (1994) (Part 7)
Parts 5 & 6 really weren’t all that great, so skip ‘em and jump to this entirely original concept, wherein the actors and crew from the original film portray themselves as Freddy manifests himself in a new script by creator Wes Craven and intrudes their “real” world. The first half of the film is based on the true case of original star Heather Langenkamp’s stalking by a Freddy fan. The second half transitions into an
Paperhouse (1988)
Promoted as “the thinking man’s Nightmare on Elm Street.” Excellent British chiller follows a little girl who, in a fevered state, falls into dreams and nightmares where she meets her first love and tries to escape the image of her father that terrifies her. Hard to find but worth it.
Phantasm II (1988)
The 1979 is a bit too confusing for my tastes, but I LOVE this sequel. The first film’s hero tries to escape the clutches of a human-like alien who steals our corpses, brings them back to life, and forces them into slavery.
Poltergeist (1982)
Like a carnival fun ride come to life, a suburban family is terrorized by the undead who suck their 5 year old daughter into the netherworld through their TV set.
Prom Night (1980)
Mystery killer slaughters classmates on the anniversary of the death of a little girl... a death they caused.
Prom Night IV (1991)
Group of randy teens skip their school prom to party at a country home, unaware a psychotic priest is hell-bent on slaughtering sinning sex crazed teens. Doesn’t sound overly original, but it’s stylish, atmospheric and offers several genuine scares.
Psycho II (1982)
Yes, I left off the original, because I find it a bit too talky and not enough scary. But that’s not the case with this tight sequel, which offers a great mystery at its heart and some great jump-out-of-your seat moments.
Psycho IV (1990)
Norman Bates recalls his wicked childhood and how the evils of his mother’s dementia drove him to his murderous ways.
Rosemary’s Baby (1968)
A young woman slowly realizes she’s pregnant with Satan’s first born.
Silent Night, Deadly Night (1984)
Looney kid whose family was slaughtered on Christmas Eve10 years earlier snaps when he’s forced to wear a Santa suit. He kills everyone he considers should be on his naughty list for partaking in that evil sex-thing. Not really a good movie, but something about it’s more ridiculous moments has made me love it more with each passing year.
Sleepaway Camp II: Unhappy Campers (1988)
Part horror film, mostly intentional comedy sends up the slasher films of the early 80s as the killer from the first film undergoes a sex change and returns to chop up any teen who has sex, does drugs or misbehaves in any way. Sing that “Happy Camper” song.
The Slumber Party Massacre (1982)
Senior girls basketball team celebrate their final game with a sleepover party crashed by a maniac with cinema’s most phallic weapon. Tongue in cheek dark humor mixes with some gruesome moments, decent suspense and feminist rant.
Slumber Party Massacre II (1987)
One the survivors of the first film finds the killer reincarnated in her dreams as an evil rocker out to waste her hot lady friends.
Slumber Party Massacre
All new girlie group are attacked by a maniac out to avenge his uncle’s suicide.
Squirm (1976)
An electrical storm drives flesh hungry worms out of southern soil and put the town under siege as they devour everyone in sight. Mildly based on a true story and uses real worms in its effects. Icky.
Terror in the Aisles (1984)
Delightful collection of film clips from over 75 of the most terrifying films ever made. Hosted by Halloween star Donald Pleasence and Carrie actress Nancy Allen.
The
Based on the true story of Ed Gein, fellow Wisconsin native. Group of folks discover a farm run by a family of cannibals who plan to make a meal out of each of them. Possibly the most terrifying film I personally have ever seen.
Tourist Trap (1979)
Horrified me as a kid. Kinda hokey now, but still gives me chills at times. Stranded college friends discover an old tourist attraction filled with mannequins who come to life.
When A Stranger Calls (1979)
Babysitter is tormented by unrelenting phone calls by a sicko who claims he wants to bathe in her blood. The mid-section is a bit slow, but the first and last 15 minutes are easily among the most nail-biting put to film.
When A Stranger Calls Back (1993)
Woman tormented as a teen by an escaped mental patient now councils a college student being stalked for over 5 years by an unseen psycho who derives pleasure from his victim’s constant state of fear.
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