Best horror films?

Michael Westphal · October 31st, 2004, 08:12 PM

Poltergeist scared the crap out of me. And as a kid, I screamed and ran out of the theatre crying at some dinosaur movie. I've never seen it again, and don't remember the name...

Scott, so Pascagoula is too big for Mississippi? Just center it in the USA?
(I was born in P'goula)

Dylan Couper · October 31st, 2004, 08:50 PM

<<<-- Originally posted by Michael Westphal : Poltergeist And as a kid, I screamed and ran out of the theatre crying at some dinosaur movie. I've never seen it again, and don't remember the name...
-->>>

Was it Land Before Time?

Sorry, I couldn't resist. :)

Anyway, I wanted to add Nosferatu to my personal list. And yeah, The Mummy isn't the most exciting or scary horror movie ever, but something draws me to it. I dunno, maybe I'm strange.

And as for Savini's '90 remake of NOTLD, it isn't the original by any means, but I do like it. It's better than 98% of the zombie films out there, but it's hard to judge it against THE zombie film of all time.

John Sandel · October 31st, 2004, 09:25 PM

Which "Nosferatu," Dylan? Murnau's or Herzog's remake?

"Dead Ringers" is more about psychological breakdown than supernatural horror, but it's pretty creepy.

JS

Heath McKnight · October 31st, 2004, 11:06 PM

Just finished watching The Fog with 2 minutes to spare before Halloween was over. SCARY! Forget the remake, though...

heath

Dylan Couper · October 31st, 2004, 11:52 PM

<<<-- Originally posted by John Sandel : Which "Nosferatu," Dylan? Murnau's or Herzog's remake?

-->>>

The original with Max Schreck. I confess I have not seen the remake.

Shawn Mielke · November 1st, 2004, 03:09 AM

Herzog's remake is fantastic. Most beautiful vampire film ever rendered.
Forget Coppola's Crapula. Tiresome, overwrought.

Strange and frightening films I favor:

Herzog's Nosferatu (1979)

Begotten, (1991) by E. Merhige

films by The Brothers Quay (collection of shorts, Institute Benjamenta)

The Fall Of The House Of Usher (1928, mind, by Jean Epstein, with help from Bunuel; wild stuff!)

Vampyr (1932, by Carl Theodor Dreyer. eerie, dreamlike)

Tetsuo: The Iron Man, (1989) by Shinya Tsukamoto

Scott Ellifritt · November 1st, 2004, 03:58 AM

Hey Michael,

Yes, right in the heart of Kansas! You were born here and I am stuck here (at least for the time being). What's going on in BR that would make you leave such an exciting town?

Robert Mann Z. · November 1st, 2004, 09:05 AM

a lot of the movies mentioned were very good here are some more recent good ones,

Session 9
Pitch Black
Event Horizon (poor ending)
the others

Heath McKnight · November 1st, 2004, 09:13 AM

Definitely good picks. Event Horizon scared me pretty good, it's a bit under-rated.

heath

John Sandel · November 1st, 2004, 09:31 AM

Now that October's done, do we have to change the subject to the most frightening presidential elections ...?

I haven't seen "Tetsuo," but I've heard it's comparable in its strangeness to "Eraserhead."

"Begotten" struck me wrong, I think: amateurish, tedious in parts. But very much Merhige's own, interior poetic vision. (His "Shadow of the Vampire," a conflation of Murnau and his myth, was pretty innocuous.)

The Quay brothers are amazing. I wouldn't call their mood "horror," but there's definitely something unsettling about the dreamlike claustrophobia they cobble together.

Shawn, I've never seen Epstein's "House Of Usher." Is it out on DVD? How's the print?

I liked "Session 9." Their location blew me away---apparently that old hospital was just standing on its grounds, like a ragged derelict ... some of the rooms they shot in required no set-dressing. Brad Anderson's new picture, "The Machinist," looks like it may be pretty strong work.

JS

Scott Ellifritt · November 1st, 2004, 12:52 PM

My wife's favorite is "The Birds." Especially the scene where they found the old person with her eyes plucked out!

Shawn Mielke · November 2nd, 2004, 12:53 AM

Hi John.

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/B00005ABVH/qid=1099369245/sr=1-2/ref=sr_1_2/002-0100329-3840022?v=glance&s=dvd

The printer of Usher is plenty watchable, and the medieval music used as score is a good part of what makes this film so incredible to watch. A must own, for me at least! The most modern film to come out of the twenties I've ever seen.

My above list was partly a liberty taken to present some interesting films not usually mentioned in a lot of circles, and indeed, I don't feel terribly partial to many horror genre films, so I did what I could to contribute here.
Upon this reflection, films that have creeped me out over the years are as follows...

more recently:

The Texas Chainsaw Massacre, the original

jesus, this film is so rough and raw and f**ked up, it's admirable (from a distance).

American Psycho

Very very disturbing and scary. Young Mr. Bale has my utmost respect. Because of him am I curious in The Machinist. Talk about an underrated film.
Brilliant.

Angel Heart

Somehow, all of the films I've mentioned are period films. The 70s, the 80s, and, with Angel Heart, the 40s and 50s. This film, while utilizing some little-too- obvious sound-derived atmospherics, threw me for a loop, because of such grounded performances from Rourke and Bonet, and because of such detailed work with New Orleans and voodoo images.

Hellraiser

This one, and it's worthwhile sequel, had me intrigued as a teenager. The puzzle box, the sense of transition into otherworldliness when it finally opened, and the exploration of judgement and soul. The most striking monsters I've seen in these kinds of films.

The Shining

Probably the first scary film I'd ever seen. The most memorable at any rate.
Those twin girls appearing everywhere! Running scared through the snow covered maze at night. Dead woman in the tub. A benchmark for me as a very budding film enthusiast.

Roger Moore · November 3rd, 2004, 11:10 PM

CANDYMAN
CANDYMAN
CANDYMAN
CANDYMAN
CANDYMAN

(waits)

Dylan Couper · November 3rd, 2004, 11:32 PM

Roger, make sure you post again tomorrow, just so we know you are safe....

Christopher C. Murphy · November 4th, 2004, 05:56 AM

Any Horror film that doesn't use computers is what I like...

Halloween scared the crap out of me when I was like 9 years old. My parents wouldn't let me watch it, so I snuck into the living room and hide behind the couch while they watched it. I remember being SOOO scared and wishing I'd never seen it. How terrifiying is that?? You're 9 years old and you can't tell your mommy you're scared of something because you'll get into trouble!! It's like 2 nightmares in 1!

Halloween's the best. The scene where she stabs him in the eye with the coat hanger - then she sits in the doorway. You seem him in the background out of focus sit up and turn towards her (us!). That is CLASSIC horror...you see something the actor doesn't and start yelling at the screen. Also, you feel like he's after you because the angle of the shot is such that he's looking directly at YOU and her!!

Any raw pre-computer age Horror is great!

Murph

October 31st, 2004, 08:12 PM	#16
Michael Westphal Regular Crew Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: Baton Rouge, LA Posts: 166	Poltergeist scared the crap out of me. And as a kid, I screamed and ran out of the theatre crying at some dinosaur movie. I've never seen it again, and don't remember the name... Scott, so Pascagoula is too big for Mississippi? Just center it in the USA? (I was born in P'goula) __________________ Michael A Westphal

October 31st, 2004, 08:50 PM	#17
Dylan Couper Wrangler Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: Vancouver, British Columbia Posts: 8,314	<<<-- Originally posted by Michael Westphal : Poltergeist And as a kid, I screamed and ran out of the theatre crying at some dinosaur movie. I've never seen it again, and don't remember the name... -->>> Was it Land Before Time? Sorry, I couldn't resist. :) Anyway, I wanted to add Nosferatu to my personal list. And yeah, The Mummy isn't the most exciting or scary horror movie ever, but something draws me to it. I dunno, maybe I'm strange. And as for Savini's '90 remake of NOTLD, it isn't the original by any means, but I do like it. It's better than 98% of the zombie films out there, but it's hard to judge it against THE zombie film of all time. __________________ Need to rent camera gear in Vancouver BC? Check me out at camerarentalsvancouver.com

October 31st, 2004, 11:06 PM	#19
Heath McKnight MPS Digital Studios Join Date: Apr 2003 Location: Palm Beach County, Florida Posts: 8,531	Just finished watching The Fog with 2 minutes to spare before Halloween was over. SCARY! Forget the remake, though... heath __________________ My Final Cut Pro X blog

October 31st, 2004, 11:52 PM	#20
Dylan Couper Wrangler Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: Vancouver, British Columbia Posts: 8,314	<<<-- Originally posted by John Sandel : Which "Nosferatu," Dylan? Murnau's or Herzog's remake? -->>> The original with Max Schreck. I confess I have not seen the remake. __________________ Need to rent camera gear in Vancouver BC? Check me out at camerarentalsvancouver.com

November 1st, 2004, 03:09 AM	#21
Shawn Mielke Major Player Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: Santa Rosa, California Posts: 745	Herzog's remake is fantastic. Most beautiful vampire film ever rendered. Forget Coppola's Crapula. Tiresome, overwrought. Strange and frightening films I favor: Herzog's Nosferatu (1979) Begotten, (1991) by E. Merhige films by The Brothers Quay (collection of shorts, Institute Benjamenta) The Fall Of The House Of Usher (1928, mind, by Jean Epstein, with help from Bunuel; wild stuff!) Vampyr (1932, by Carl Theodor Dreyer. eerie, dreamlike) Tetsuo: The Iron Man, (1989) by Shinya Tsukamoto __________________ Breakthrough In Grey Room

October 31st, 2004, 09:25 PM	#18
John Sandel Major Player Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: stately Eldora Road Posts: 386	Which "Nosferatu," Dylan? Murnau's or Herzog's remake? "Dead Ringers" is more about psychological breakdown than supernatural horror, but it's pretty creepy. JS

November 1st, 2004, 03:58 AM	#22
Scott Ellifritt Regular Crew Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: MS Gulf Coast Posts: 146	Hey Michael, Yes, right in the heart of Kansas! You were born here and I am stuck here (at least for the time being). What's going on in BR that would make you leave such an exciting town?

November 1st, 2004, 09:05 AM	#23
Robert Mann Z. Skyonic New York Join Date: Nov 2001 Location: NYC Posts: 614	a lot of the movies mentioned were very good here are some more recent good ones, Session 9 Pitch Black Event Horizon (poor ending) the others

November 1st, 2004, 09:13 AM	#24
Heath McKnight MPS Digital Studios Join Date: Apr 2003 Location: Palm Beach County, Florida Posts: 8,531	Definitely good picks. Event Horizon scared me pretty good, it's a bit under-rated. heath __________________ My Final Cut Pro X blog

November 1st, 2004, 09:31 AM	#25
John Sandel Major Player Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: stately Eldora Road Posts: 386	Now that October's done, do we have to change the subject to the most frightening presidential elections ...? I haven't seen "Tetsuo," but I've heard it's comparable in its strangeness to "Eraserhead." "Begotten" struck me wrong, I think: amateurish, tedious in parts. But very much Merhige's own, interior poetic vision. (His "Shadow of the Vampire," a conflation of Murnau and his myth, was pretty innocuous.) The Quay brothers are amazing. I wouldn't call their mood "horror," but there's definitely something unsettling about the dreamlike claustrophobia they cobble together. Shawn, I've never seen Epstein's "House Of Usher." Is it out on DVD? How's the print? I liked "Session 9." Their location blew me away---apparently that old hospital was just standing on its grounds, like a ragged derelict ... some of the rooms they shot in required no set-dressing. Brad Anderson's new picture, "The Machinist," looks like it may be pretty strong work. JS

November 1st, 2004, 12:52 PM	#26
Scott Ellifritt Regular Crew Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: MS Gulf Coast Posts: 146	My wife's favorite is "The Birds." Especially the scene where they found the old person with her eyes plucked out!

November 2nd, 2004, 12:53 AM	#27
Shawn Mielke Major Player Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: Santa Rosa, California Posts: 745	Hi John. http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/B00005ABVH/qid=1099369245/sr=1-2/ref=sr_1_2/002-0100329-3840022?v=glance&s=dvd The printer of Usher is plenty watchable, and the medieval music used as score is a good part of what makes this film so incredible to watch. A must own, for me at least! The most modern film to come out of the twenties I've ever seen. My above list was partly a liberty taken to present some interesting films not usually mentioned in a lot of circles, and indeed, I don't feel terribly partial to many horror genre films, so I did what I could to contribute here. Upon this reflection, films that have creeped me out over the years are as follows... more recently: The Texas Chainsaw Massacre, the original jesus, this film is so rough and raw and f**ked up, it's admirable (from a distance). American Psycho Very very disturbing and scary. Young Mr. Bale has my utmost respect. Because of him am I curious in The Machinist. Talk about an underrated film. Brilliant. Angel Heart Somehow, all of the films I've mentioned are period films. The 70s, the 80s, and, with Angel Heart, the 40s and 50s. This film, while utilizing some little-too- obvious sound-derived atmospherics, threw me for a loop, because of such grounded performances from Rourke and Bonet, and because of such detailed work with New Orleans and voodoo images. Hellraiser This one, and it's worthwhile sequel, had me intrigued as a teenager. The puzzle box, the sense of transition into otherworldliness when it finally opened, and the exploration of judgement and soul. The most striking monsters I've seen in these kinds of films. The Shining Probably the first scary film I'd ever seen. The most memorable at any rate. Those twin girls appearing everywhere! Running scared through the snow covered maze at night. Dead woman in the tub. A benchmark for me as a very budding film enthusiast. __________________ Breakthrough In Grey Room

November 3rd, 2004, 11:10 PM	#28
Roger Moore Regular Crew Join Date: Jun 2004 Location: toronto Posts: 99	CANDYMAN CANDYMAN CANDYMAN CANDYMAN CANDYMAN CANDYMAN (waits)

November 3rd, 2004, 11:32 PM	#29
Dylan Couper Wrangler Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: Vancouver, British Columbia Posts: 8,314	Roger, make sure you post again tomorrow, just so we know you are safe.... __________________ Need to rent camera gear in Vancouver BC? Check me out at camerarentalsvancouver.com

November 4th, 2004, 05:56 AM	#30
Christopher C. Murphy Trustee Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: Boston, MA Posts: 1,707	Halloween! Any Horror film that doesn't use computers is what I like... Halloween scared the crap out of me when I was like 9 years old. My parents wouldn't let me watch it, so I snuck into the living room and hide behind the couch while they watched it. I remember being SOOO scared and wishing I'd never seen it. How terrifiying is that?? You're 9 years old and you can't tell your mommy you're scared of something because you'll get into trouble!! It's like 2 nightmares in 1! Halloween's the best. The scene where she stabs him in the eye with the coat hanger - then she sits in the doorway. You seem him in the background out of focus sit up and turn towards her (us!). That is CLASSIC horror...you see something the actor doesn't and start yelling at the screen. Also, you feel like he's after you because the angle of the shot is such that he's looking directly at YOU and her!! Any raw pre-computer age Horror is great! Murph __________________ Christopher C. Murphy Director, Producer, Writer