Spooky Time

In a tribute to the season, I have composed a list of my 50 favorite horror films (give or take) of all time. Keep in mind this is my favorite list and in no particular order. So with that in mind I will list the first part of this at least two or three part post.

50. The Blob - First released in 1958 starring Steven McQueen (later dropping the "n" and going to Steve) was part horror part science fiction. An old farmer picks up a stick and picks up the gelatinous substance (well, wouldn't you?) and gets slimed. It grows (beware of the blob it seeps and creeps and glides and slides across the floor right through an open door) and eats and eats and grows. The Blob was redone in 1988, now this blob was a little more vicious, meaner, and violent.This version removed a lot of the science fiction part and laid on the horror. Both are worth seeing, but be wary of comparing. Usually if you like one you will not like the other.

49. The Wolfman - This 1941 classic starring Lon Chaney Jr. is a great story of horror and tragedy. He becomes the werewolf when the moon is full and the wolf bane blooms. The character of Larry Talbot was played so that he was given depth and encourages the viewer to feel sorry for the character and wish everything could be worked out for them. Which it won't, of course. The Wolfman has always been my favorite of the big three (the other two being Dracula and Frankenstein) mostly because he doesn't want the curse, but alas that is what makes him a classic monster.

48. From Dusk till Dawn - In the realm of vampire movies, Tarantino movies, or just horror movies in general, this has something for all three types of fans. It has a script written by Tarantino, directed by Robert Rodriguez, (of El Mariachi fame), a bar called the Titty Twister, and a lot of gore. In fact the vampire blood was green to make it easier to get by the ratings board. If you haven't seen this one it is pretty entertaining, and I can promise this is the only George Clooney film on the list!

47. The Mummy - Boris Karloff brought Imhotep to life in 1932. Still considered by many to be the best mummy movie ever made. You hear that Brendan Frasier? It is a classic black and white masterpiece with great imagery, intrigue, and suspense.

46. Rosemary's Baby - This is an example of classic horror of the mind. Director Roman Polanski shows perfectly how less is more. Take fantastic writing add superb acting with just a dash of satanic witches and a classic is made.

45. Nosferatu - Stoker taught us about vampires, this film brings one to life! Orlock the vampire might be one of the most disturbing horror monsters to ever be on the screen and this movie is from 1922! Nosferatu has great special effects for the time period. Just the rise from the coffin alone sends chills up my spine every time I see it. This film, like The Wolfman, uses stop-action photography to cause his coffin to open and unwraps itself. This movie has unforgettable imagery. You owe it to yourself to see this movie.

44. Saw - This movie introduced us to a new classic villain: Jigsaw. When I first watched this movie I didn't think I was seeing anything special. That is until the end! This movie has the ability to have as many sequels as the writers can create. It could very well be easy to screw up, which I will see on Tuesday when I go to see the third installment. I'll let you know.

43. Frankenstein - The Grandpappy of all the undead horror movies. This pop icon was born in 1931 and played brilliantly by Karloff. Karloff played the character with just the right balance of fear and tragedy. This may be one of the only movie monsters in history that the viewer feels sad when we see him meet his end.

42. Hellraiser - Great effects, Pinhead rocks, Clive Barker is fantastic. The gateway to hell disguised as a little metal puzzle box. What was the deal with the chattery teeth guy though?

41. The Amityville Horror - Supposedly based on a true story, there has been questions as to if this is true or not but still a fairly damn good ghost/haunted house story. Teaches the lesson of really great houses at cheap prices really are too good to be true. Also begs the question why did you wait a month to get the hell out?

42. 28 Days Later - Tells about the dangers of biological tampering. A blood borne virus gives (almost) everyone in London a lethal dose of "rage" which is the name of the virus. Cleverly disguised as a zombie movie, which it is not, it shows the human will to survive at all costs.

41. Night of the Living Dead - This movie created the modern day genre and made George Romero the king of zombie movies. Romero put the movie industry on notice with his graphic shots of blood, guts, and gore. There was no MPAA or ratings board at the time, but no one had been willing to step outside the status quo. Romero was the first to do so not by asking if it could be done but by simply asking why it hadn't been done yet. When released, NOTLD was met with controversy because of its graphic nature but went on to be a drive-in success.

40. Evil Dead - Evil Dead is, in the opinion of many, the classic horror movie of the 80s. The Evil Dead is low budget, heavy gore, high imagination, and lasting impact...all accurate and true when describing this timeless film. Just watch out for the woods, and wear clean panties...

39. Re-Animator - Re-animator will take you on a trip through the deranged mind of H.P Lovecraft. Lovecraft novels do not often translate well to the big screen, but Re-animator hits the mark. All this and zombies too. Re-animator has everything a good horror movie needs: a great horror actor (Jeffrey Combs), a fast pace, lots of blood and gore and some gratuitous nudity to top everything off. I recommend Re-Animator to anyone who loves horror. **Note: The only other Lovecraft adaptations that are worth viewing, in my opinion, are From Beyond and In the Mouth of Madness, both of which I highly recommend.

38. The Texas Chainsaw Massacre - 1974: The year of Watergate, Dungeons and Dragons, and Patty Hearst. Hillary Swank was born and Jack Benny died. Right along side Chinatown, The Godfather Part 2, and Young Frankenstein, a film is released that would raise the bar for horror movies with dark craziness, ferocity and the birth of Leatherface.

37. The Abominable Dr Phibes - This film is wrought with black humor with stylized visuals and good old fashioned Vincent Price horror.Vincent Price is, without a doubt, one of the classic horror figures of all times. Price is particularly well suited to characters with over-the-top behaviors and highly stylized settings - and could in fact give William Shatner a lesson of two in "over acting".

36. Alien - Even though this movie just happens to take place in space, that doesn't necessarily mean that it is "merely" science fiction. I became a huge Ridley Scott fan after watching Alien. An effective tone was set from the beginning and Scott gave the film almost a documentary feel. This film was made before CGI; all this work was done with costumes, models, and filming techniques.

35. Halloween - The movie that created many icons in horror culture. Halloween also affected general pop culture and created the rules of horror, the scream queen, and Michael Myers. John Carpenter arose as a cinematic genius.

34. Psycho - The movie that changed the way the world saw horror in the theater. In creating Psycho, Alfred Hitchcock focused on the anticipation rather than the act, and in the process created the most influential film imaginable. Much has been written about this film, and it remains one of the masterpieces of the art that is fine cinema.

33. A Nightmare on Elm Street - With this movie, Wes Cravens brought a new twist to the slasher genre with originality and rule-breaking. A Nightmare on Elm Street has a highly original twist on the slasher theme, and Wes Craven seems to delight in surprising the audience and keeping everyone on their toes. Craven even adds those strange "dream things" (seemingly illogical happenings that we experience in our dreams that make perfect sense at the time) to create a horror experience that gives us pause to the very act of retiring for the night.