“Danny isn’t here, Mrs. Torrance.”
1. THE SHINING (1980)
PLOT: Daddy goes crazy and wields an axe while his family is trapped in a haunted hotel in Colorado.
THOUGHTS: They don’t make horror movies like THE SHINING anymore. Hell, they didn’t make horror movies like THE SHINING before. Stanley Kubrick’s masterpiece, based on the equally frightening Stephen King novel, has a depth and intelligence that is lacking in most fright films. Of course it has its scary moments — some of the scariest in movie history — but it’s much more than a blood-and-guts thriller. At its heart, THE SHINING is about a middle-class family. And as it scares the hell out of you, it reveals that dark and dysfunctional side of the American family. Then there’s Jack Nicholson. His performance as the axe-wielding maniac Jack Torrance is over-the-top yet riveting. Watching ol’ Jack chew up the scenery is most of the fun of watching the movie.
“She might have fooled me, but she didn’t fool my mother.”
2. PSYCHO (1960)
PLOT: Mild-mannered hotel clerk with an Oedipal complex slashes young lady in the shower.
THOUGHTS: Once Norman Bates flickered onto the silver screen, the horror movie was never the same. This new “screen excitement,” from director Alfred Hitchcock, plucked the fright film from those dark, drafty castles of the Boris Karloff age and flung it down in the middle of America. PSYCHO gave birth to the modern horror movie and the psychological thriller, which was driven, not by monsters, but by the boy next door, albeit a boy with something dark and evil inside. The film’s haunting score and that shower scene are unforgettable.
“It’s Halloween, everyone’s entitled to one good scare.”
3. HALLOWEEN (1978)
PLOT: On Halloween, an escaped mental patient pursued by his shrink sports a mask, stalking and killing the teenagers in his old neighborhood.
THOUGHTS: This John Carpenter horror flick is what started the late 70s/early 80s slasher movie craze and gave us one of the most recognizable serial killers in the genre — the Captain Kirk-masked Michael Myers. HALLOWEEN also gave Jamie Lee Curtis her big break, earning her her scream queen status and setting the standard for the strong, brave, heroic leading lady who not only survives in the end, but defeats the killer (albeit temporarily). While Myers stalks his victims in what would typically be viewed as a “safe” setting — a beautiful autumn day in a suburban town — it’s the film’s eerie main theme that foreshadows what’s to come.
“What an excellent day for an exorcism.”
4. THE EXORCIST (1973)
PLOT: A pre-teen possessed by a demon projectile-vomits and masturbates with a crucifix.
THOUGHTS: Regan’s possessed face, green and scarred, is enough to scare the bejesus out of anyone, not to mention those demonic voices coming out of the young girl’s mouth. THE EXORCIST was the closest thing to your worst nightmare than anything you’ve ever seen before. It was also one of the most profane movies of all time, full of blasphemous language and activities (most of which we can’t speak about in a family-oriented website), and even with all that, it was still nominated for ten Academy Awards, including Best Picture — a feat not commonly accomplished in the horror genre.
“They’re coming to get you, Barbara.”
5. NIGHT OF THE LIVING DEAD (1968)
PLOT: The recently deceased arise and terrorize a group of survivors trapped in a farmhouse.
THOUGHTS: Its gritty realism and gore intensified the horror movie. Its depiction of the undead set the standard for years to come. And over night, NIGHT OF THE LIVING DEAD gave new life to what has become one of the strongest and beloved sub-genres of the field — the zombie movie. Directed by George A. Romero, on a $100,000 budget, the flick also introduced the world to the splatter film and set the stage for bloodfests like THE TEXAS CHAINSAW MASSACRE. It’s one of the most imitated films in history, but there’s only one original.
“In space no one can hear you scream.”
6. ALIEN (1979)
PLOT: After ripping through a crew member’s chest, a sick-looking extraterrestrial hunts down those aboard the spaceship Nostromo.
THOUGHTS: Why is this movie so terrifying? Answer: The Alien. A ruthless, heartless, indefatigable, life-destroying, six-foot-tall, insect-like killer. The only goal of this beast is the perpetuation of the breed by the utter annihilation of everything else. The brilliant flow of the film, a cunning and suspenseful mix of gore and shock, is the stuff of legend. From the outset, you are struck by the visual completeness of this movie and how it revolves around the shear terror of the Alien, which was created and built by the nightmare genius of H.R. Giger. Yet, the Alien itself is actually on screen for only something like six minutes!
“No tears, please. It’s a waste of good suffering.”
7. HELLRAISER (1987)
PLOT: A young girl discovers a gateway to hell…and its guardians.
THOUGHTS: The concept of hell is scary all on its own, but add to it a group of sadomasochistic avatars decked out in black leather and gaping wounds, headed by the mother of all pincushions, and you’ve got yourself a real screamer. The Clive Barker-penned HELLRAISER introduced a new dimension to the horror genre by presenting pain as a means of pleasure — pleasure attained through unending pain and suffering, administered courtesy of the instantly classic ‘Pinhead’ and his brood of Cenobite masochists. Unlike mindless slasher films that flooded the box office prior to its release, HELLRAISER changed the way we view hell in the same way that Nightmare on Elm Street changed the way we view dreams.
“Whatever you do, don’t fall asleep.”
8. A NIGHTMARE ON ELM STREET (1984)
PLOT: Freddy Krueger terrorizes and kills the teenagers of Elm Street through their dreams.
THOUGHTS: The residents of Elm Street thought they’d be safe once they killed local child murderer Freddy Krueger. Little did they know that the red and green sweater-clad madman would enact revenge by haunting their children’s nightmares, turning them into reality. To his sleep-deprived victims, who fear to fall asleep even for a brief moment, the burnt-faced, boiler-room-dwelling Krueger is an inescapable demon; to the movie-going audience, the clawed-gloved, wise-cracking tormentor is terrifying, yet charismatic as well. While other popular movie killers like Michael Myers and Jason Voorhies are portrayed as cold, mechanical characters, Krueger has personality, which is what makes A NIGHTMARE ON ELM STREET a cut — or should I say slash? — above the rest.
“My family has always been in meat.”
9. THE TEXAS CHAINSAW MASSACRE (1974)
PLOT: Psycho and his cannibal family slaughter five teens.
THOUGHTS: This is the granddaddy of the slasher film. Blood, meat hooks, brutality, THE TEXAS CHAINSAW MASSACRE had it all. Not many movies — even in today’s gore-obsessed cinema — have matched its intensity. Presented in a grainy, realistic style, the movie was able to bring home the unreal terrors occurring in the Sawyer house. But more than that, it brought us Leatherface, one of the scariest dudes in horror. And don’t forget the chainsaw, a weapon that would appear in many fright films to come.
“You’re gonna need a bigger boat.”
10. JAWS (1975)
PLOT: A tenacious great white shark terrorizes a summer resort town.
THOUGHTS: If horror movies are all about scaring the piss out of you, then JAWS reigns supreme. Not many movies had the affect on its audience as the first blockbuster did. As lines grew around theater houses, attendance at beaches worldwide dwindled. The great white, which barely appeared in the film, has terrified the populace for 30 years. John Williams’ score was so effective that to this day you can’t go near the beach without hearing that driving melody in your head. But beyond all that, director Steven Spielberg artfully crafted one of the most thrilling stories ever to appear on a movie screen.
“Live or die, make your choice.”
11. SAW (2004)
PLOT: The Jigsaw Killer wants to teach his victims the value of life by forcing them to complete unthinkable tasks in order to escape an ironic death.
THOUGHTS: For the last decade or so, the horror movie genre has been overflowing with remakes and Americanized versions of popular Japanese flicks. With SAW, audiences finally got an original script-driven vehicle with a twist ending that surprised even the wittiest of moviegoers. Unlike other films whose villains are out for revenge, SAW’s masterminded killer Jigsaw has nothing personal against his victims. All he wants to do is show them just how precious life really is. Too bad for them, it’s the hardest lesson they’ll ever learn.
“Look at me, Damien! It’s all for you.”
12. THE OMEN (1976)
PLOT: A U.S. ambassador raises the son of the Devil and an unnamed jackal.
THOUGHTS: The Devil is always a good place to start in a horror movie; throw in a jackal for good measure, and get the demon-spawn Damien as the result of this unholy union. And thus is born the antichrist, not to mention one of the earliest — and greatest — evil children in horror. The movie was such a hit that the name “Damien” to this day is synonymous with evil, and the scene in which Damien’s nanny’s joyfully hangs herself at the young boy’s birthday party is one of the most memorable moments in the horror genre. The movie spawned three sequels and a recent remake.
“They will rise to suck the blood of the living!”
13. ZOMBIE (1979)
PLOT: A young woman sets out to a tropical island to solve the mystery of her father’s disappearance and encounters the undead.
THOUGHTS: NIGHT OF THE LIVING DEAD may have been the spark that kicked off the zombie party, but as far as creepy, gory, nightmare-inducing cinema goes, Lucio Fulci’s ZOMBIE is the film that finishes off the tequila, screws the dog, and vomits in your grandmother’s urn. Ask anyone who’s seen it and without fail they’ll relay two things: A fat zombie fights a shark underwater; and one of the female leads gets her eye impaled on a huge splinter…very slowly — a scene which caused the movie to be banned in several European countries, including England (Wankers!). The movie was so wildly popular that it is considered the film which ignited the hyper-realistic gore genre in Europe, spawning dozens of celluloid expositions of the undead.
Written by Empress Eve and Dave3 of G.o.D. as well as Jimzarro and Jenn-X of Blogzarro.
Pretty good selections. Sadly, ‘The Thing’ was not on the list. I would have picked something besides ‘Jaws’ and ‘Zombie’…because I didn’t think they were scary at all.
Comment by The White Bread Elves — October 25, 2006 @ 11:37 am
Where is the first Evil Dead. The first insane deamon film this one blew my mind as a kid. It was a shocker. plus who could forget the forest rape scene. That was evil.
Comment by PJX — October 25, 2006 @ 4:46 pm
Selection is brilliant!
Comment by Ivan Minic — October 25, 2006 @ 4:48 pm
Great list, but “Saw” and “Nightmare on Elm Street” should be replaced with “The Devil’s Rejects” and “Dawn of the Dead”
Comment by VenominJames — October 25, 2006 @ 4:50 pm
This is a good list. It reminds me of the list on RankAMovie.com …they have a category “Best Horror Movies”
Comment by Ralph — October 25, 2006 @ 4:53 pm
Not completed without any Dario Argento movie!
Comment by Juan Antonio — October 25, 2006 @ 4:55 pm
IIIIII, don’t know. Any list that doesn’t include the original “Texas Chainsaw Massacre” is suspect. Jaws doesn’t belong, but I’m happy to see “SAW”–one of the few modern horror movies that actually delivered the goods. I’m also partial to Suspiria.
Comment by C.W. — October 25, 2006 @ 5:00 pm
I totally agree with PJX!!
EVIL DEAD HAS GOT TO BE ON THE LIST!
Comment by Fabio — October 25, 2006 @ 5:03 pm
Good classic list, movies to consider as well… The Thing, Funhouse, Night of Living Dead remake with Tony Todd, Texas Chainsaw, Creepshow (crate monster), Phantasm, just to name a few
Comment by Torx — October 25, 2006 @ 5:05 pm
I was with you up until Saw and the Omen. Sure, they are both unique in story but flawed in execution. I’d agree that the omission of one of the Evil Dead movies (although I’m partial to ED2) is a mistake as well. However, nothing can excuse leaving off 28 days later, a brilliant movie/story from any angle.
Comment by Brent — October 25, 2006 @ 5:07 pm
Where’s “The Thing”?
Comment by Stingray — October 25, 2006 @ 5:11 pm
texas chainsaw massacre?
Comment by bryan — October 25, 2006 @ 5:15 pm
Jaws defiantly belongs on there. How can you say it doesn’t when it has caused so many beach goers to think twice about stepping foot into the water. A horror movie that carries over into real life, now that’s horror.
Comment by Justin — October 25, 2006 @ 5:16 pm
It may not be American, but “Audition†certainly deserves a place on any list such as this- Takashi Miike is probably the most brilliant (and certainly the most prolific) horror director of the past ten years.
Comment by Chris — October 25, 2006 @ 5:16 pm
Every year, around this time of year, there are eleventeen lists like this made up, and they all seem to list the same stuff.
I can understand some of your choices, but if I made the list, “The Exorcist” would be above “Halloween”, and “The Decent” would be on there somewhere.
Other than that, it’s not a bad list. (At least it’s not as bad as that one with “Pulse” in the top 10…)
Later,
iK
Comment by iNNeR_KaoS — October 25, 2006 @ 5:22 pm
Where’s SEVEN?
Comment by MVW — October 25, 2006 @ 5:22 pm
good call making mention of leatherface’s first appearance – every once in a while i have to whip out my tcm dvd just to watch that scene – i’m going to have a door like that built into my home some day
Comment by brett — October 25, 2006 @ 5:24 pm
Texas Chainsaw IS on the list. I’m not afraid of JAWS now, but it did really scare people away from the beach at one time. Evil Dead is noteworthy, though like Brent, I’m partial to ED2. If not in the Top 13, I’d list it at least in the Top 20 (for horror for part 1, part 2 wasn’t totally horror because of all the camp).
Comment by The One — October 25, 2006 @ 5:41 pm
“saw” doesn’t belong anywhere but in my toilet. i don’t care about whether the premise is good or bad, the dialogue, acting, and plot were all terrible. what an abysmal pile of cinematic diahrrea. the popularity of “saw” –and its sequels– makes me feel like i’m taking crazy pills. “saw” withstanding, the list is very good.
Comment by ChildPuncher — October 25, 2006 @ 5:47 pm
Come on. Where’s The Ring? That was a movie a was really scared of in long time.
Comment by Stefan Wimmer — October 25, 2006 @ 6:05 pm
They forgot.
Silence of the Lambs
Rosemary’s Baby
Comment by Kris — October 25, 2006 @ 6:06 pm
Oh shoot, I would to find in this list the ever ever most frightening horror movie in cinema history: Freaks. Directed by Tod Browning, best known for its “Dracula”, which gave such a success and an aura that he was granted by big movie studios at his time to make “his” movie.
And he did. He took the real handicap people, those freaks that nobody can bear/dare looking at, gave the chance to play such a great movie that when I watch it again, in 2006, it still freaks me out.
In IMDB: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0022913/
Comment by Nuno — October 25, 2006 @ 6:06 pm
Cookie cutter list FTW!
Comment by Tronia — October 25, 2006 @ 6:07 pm
SEVEN and IT…classics, not on the list?
Comment by djwest — October 25, 2006 @ 6:09 pm
Are you crazy? JAWS? SAW? Where is The Thing?
Comment by Dunne — October 25, 2006 @ 6:17 pm
A good list overall but I would replace Zombie with An American Werewolf in London. Just right mix of humor, fraking scariness and a good plot.
Comment by Kris from Kalamazoo — October 25, 2006 @ 6:25 pm
what about friday the 13th the first one is pretty scary
Comment by jess — October 25, 2006 @ 6:39 pm
The Japanese original “Ring” and The Shining is indeed a great horror flick.
Comment by JOhn Smith — October 25, 2006 @ 7:12 pm
For all those saying The Ring should be on this list, im going to have to dissagree. I didn’t find that film scary in the slightest. The origional (japanese) did a lot better at setting the mood but the remake was very poor in my opinion.
As for Saw, i didn’t find that scary, more disgusting (i guess thats the word). I have a phobea of knifes/glass/needles etc. so that (and number 2) really made me feel sick. Dunno if that really counts as scaring me though.
Jaws i can understand being on there. Now it may not seem like such a scary film but in its day it gave quite an impact.
Nice list =)
Comment by Marcboy — October 25, 2006 @ 7:18 pm
SAW SHOULD BE NUMBER 1
Comment by Jesse — October 25, 2006 @ 7:21 pm
You missed an excellent Canadian horror movie: The Changeling.
Comment by Frac — October 25, 2006 @ 7:21 pm
What no Evil Dead…
Comment by Alex — October 25, 2006 @ 7:53 pm
I can’t believe this. None of these is scary, scary like “OMFGWTFDUDE”. Sadly, there is none of those movies.
But, Night of the Living Dead owns, not scary but cute :3
Comment by RP — October 25, 2006 @ 7:56 pm
Great list. Alot of good staples but you forgot the Jason movies :(
Comment by SnXster — October 25, 2006 @ 8:09 pm
I agree that SAW should be on this. Sure the acting was terrible, but it was still one of the scarier movies in this time. What about Blair Witch?
Comment by Freddy — October 25, 2006 @ 8:23 pm
Todd Browning’s Freaks 1932
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0022913/
Comment by MAPstr — October 25, 2006 @ 9:07 pm
Hmm, I agree. The Changeling should have been in that list. Talk about a movie that did suspense and shock right, and not a single drop of blood.
Comment by Anony Mouse — October 25, 2006 @ 10:06 pm
“Saw”? Good movie, not scary!
It’s a thirller, not a horror. Like “Se7en”.
“The Decent” is one of the best horror movies to come out recently, and deserves to be on the list!
Comment by iBear — October 25, 2006 @ 11:16 pm
Saw, Texas Chainsaw Massacre, jaws, the shining and the omen wernt the least bit scary, i didnt even jump from my seat one bit when i was watching it, either i dont get scared easy, or those movies really sucked. I luaghed during most of those moves, The Ring wassnt any better, they arent *sacry* but at least its better than nothing
Comment by Zephy — October 25, 2006 @ 11:18 pm
no you did not put saw in the list.
Comment by saw nono — October 26, 2006 @ 12:26 am
PJX i was thinking the same thing….
no EVIL DEAD on a horror movie list!!???
makes no sense, how the hell did JAWS get up there…
Comment by Shiftty — October 26, 2006 @ 11:30 am
Dont get me wrong, i love the movie Zombie, but god, have you even seen more than 13 horror movies in your life? Because Zombie is horrible and shouldn’t be recommended as a serious film and you would know that if you have seen it unless you are retarded, which you probably are since you picked the most popular horror movies ever made, and by FAR from the best. But yeah Zombie, one of Fulci’s shit movies, good for a laugh and thats about it, but yet you fail to list The Beyond, his masterpiece which is COMPLETELY deserving of a top 13 list. and SAW?!!?!?!? Yeah, nice entry for the teenie bopper goths, best of all time my ass.
This article is a reason why the internet can be a total waste of time. Too many people spewing information about things they totally know nothing about.
Comment by thiscommentisshit — October 26, 2006 @ 12:24 pm
Overall pretty good, but I miss the exclusion of foreign horror movies. Kairo, Dark Water, Ringu, Ju-on, they all rock.
Comment by Syao — October 26, 2006 @ 3:30 pm
This is a good list but not without its flaws. Where was Wolf Creek, The Thing, The Birds.
I mean I love Hellraiser and it spawned one of the best horror characters ever! but is it really a better movie than The Evil Dead (1&2)
Comment by mark — October 26, 2006 @ 6:55 pm
i still think godzilla rocks
Comment by gordy — October 27, 2006 @ 11:17 am
The Shining is not only the best horror movie of all time, it is in the Top ten best movies of all time. Stanley Kubrick is a god among men, and he should be respected and feared for the rest of eternity. A Clockwork Orange is scarier then most of the horror movies on this list. Real life and stress are scary. That is why The Shining is so good; anyone can envision a little bit of themself in Mr. Torrence. REDRUM!
Comment by Roach — October 27, 2006 @ 12:34 pm
List is messed up from the start! The Shining WTF! Night , Hellraiser, Saw, Audition, the Oman, The Exorcist are all better choices for number one. Jaws and The Shining although good do not belong at all.
Comment by DarthDigweed — October 27, 2006 @ 12:49 pm
Halloween and Alien are the only good ones on that list. Where’s “The Ring”? Easily the scariest and best-made horror movie ever.
Comment by me — October 27, 2006 @ 1:02 pm
What about Cannibal Holocaust, and Blair Witch?
Comment by Jaycliche — October 27, 2006 @ 2:10 pm
Evil Dead 1 could have made it to your list also. That was the 1st movie that truly scared the hell out of me. But that was a very long time ago!
Comment by [Geeks Are Sexy] Tech. News — October 27, 2006 @ 2:32 pm
I have to disagree on Saw which is overrated like hell and I don’t think Zombie belongs here either because that movie is merely enjoyable because it’s so cheesy.
I miss some movies like Evil Dead and maybe Braindead (aka Dead Alive) but that movie is more humor than horror…
I also like to mention Henry, Portrait of a Serial Killer which is one of the most unsettling movies I ever saw.
13 movies really isn’t enough but where’s Brian de Palma’s Carrie?
And Re-Animator?
riesdepies
Comment by riesdepies — October 27, 2006 @ 2:37 pm
-The original 1963 The Haunting
-Werner Herzog’s Nosferatu: Phantom der Nacht starring Klaus Kinski
-Silence of the Lambs
-Fritz Lang’s M (1931) starring Peter Lorre
-Roman Polanski’s Repulsion (1965) starring Catherine Deneuve
-Freaks (1932)
Comment by jim in austin — October 27, 2006 @ 3:10 pm
Evil Dead movies are more of an adventure/horror gimmick. I’m very fond of them, but “Great Horror” and “scary” just don’t come to mind. The original Hills Have Eyes is a classic and scared me proper when I was young. I think The Descent was much more scary than Saw. It should be in the top ten (yes, really). Seven should be in the top 20, if not the top 13.
The Shining, Psycho, and Alien are the foundation of the modern genre. I get misty just thinking about those brilliant pieces. They should be the top three on any list.
Comment by Steak Reagan — October 27, 2006 @ 3:14 pm
Nice list. Good call on Fulcio’s Zombie .. but you forgot #0 – Suspiria [-;
Comment by prim8 — October 27, 2006 @ 3:34 pm
The Donald Sutherland version of “Invasion of the Body Snatchers” is notably absent. So is “Silence of the Lambs,” one of the scariest of all time. It made many people physically ill, not from the gross-out but just sheer nervous tension!
Comment by Paul R. Potts — October 27, 2006 @ 3:35 pm
What about “Hostel”? That film’s storyline seems more original than most, and although Quentin Tarantino was only executive producer the film you can still see the influence he had on the movie with it’s non-predictable plot lines and psychological mind games.
Comment by marty — October 27, 2006 @ 3:39 pm
What about Jacob’s Ladder? It should be on the list. Watch it and see if you agree. Make sure watch until the end.
Comment by Neil — October 27, 2006 @ 4:33 pm
all that is some scary shit.
Comment by Raza — October 27, 2006 @ 5:21 pm
solid list. Here’s my lesser known honorable mentions:
– 28 Days later
– Last House on the Left
– Calvaire
– Demons
– Infection
Comment by hueypriest — October 27, 2006 @ 5:31 pm
What, no “Scream”? No “I Know What You Did Last Summer”? No “Dog Soldiers”? I think this list is partial to movies made pre-1990. Unfortunately, there have been a number of good films made since then. Movies like “The Blair Witch Project”, “28 Days Later”, and “Dawn of the Dead” – The 2004 version, which upped the ante of zombie films forever.
Comment by Noir — October 27, 2006 @ 5:34 pm
I would put Carpenter’s The Thing somewhere in the top 3.
Comment by Jonathan — October 27, 2006 @ 6:49 pm
Here’s a secondary list for you; made up of films that do not appear on the original list. In Alphabetical order. # of stars indicate personal rankings.
1. 23 days later. ***
2. AUDITION. ***1/2
3. The BIRDS. ***1/2
4. The BLAIR WITCH PROJECT. **1/2
5. EVIL DEAD. ***
6. HOSTEL. ***1/2
7. The HOWLING. ***
8. Re-ANIMATOR. **
9. The RING. ***
10. SUSPIRIA. **
11. THEM. ***1/2
12. The THING. ****
13. The VANISHING. ****1/2 (Original Dutch Version)
Honorable mention
Aliens, Tne Silence Of The Lambs, Ghost Story.
I don’t know if Aliens or Silence count as true horror movies. And, even though It’s been over 10 years since I saw the Vanishing, it’s climax hangs with me still. I highly reccomend it; providing you don’t need any sleep that evening.
Comment by GLP — October 27, 2006 @ 7:06 pm
I found “The Decent” to be one of the best recent horror movies. “Saw”?……Yeh okay it’s sort of refreshing in that it’s wasn’t a remake but after the movie is over your like “come on, how could he stay still like that for 12 hours or so?” How about “Brood” or “The Fly” remake? Should have a Cronenberg movie in the list.
Comment by ja5on — October 27, 2006 @ 7:54 pm
Cure really should be in this list:
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0123948/
Comment by Chuck — October 27, 2006 @ 8:26 pm
I would certainly make a case for “The Devil’s Backbone” being on the list… though it’s more “atmospheric” horror, so I don’t know how that rates. :-)
As it is, the only one I’m not “horrified” by is “Jaws” – but a good list!
Comment by Dave2 — October 27, 2006 @ 9:06 pm
i didn’t watched several movies from the list :( but i think it’s a good list ;)
Comment by ava7 — October 27, 2006 @ 10:35 pm
This is the worst list ever. You did the list of influential films not scary. Have you actually watched Halloween? I’ve read scarier Goosebump books. Alien, Exorcist, Saw, Nightmare on Elm Street, and the Shining are amazing films and deserve to be on the list. The rest were obnoxious pieces of trash that may have spawned genres but that does not make it a good movie. Oh and Evil Dead was funny, not scary.
Comment by Andrew — October 27, 2006 @ 10:42 pm
The original ‘The Hills Have Eyes’. Scared the bejesus out of me….
Comment by Heather — October 27, 2006 @ 10:50 pm
How can you have a list like this and NOT have “Blood Feast” on it? That movie, back in 1963, implied all that came after it. “Saw”? Sorry. It definitely doesn’t show forty years of progress. Rent “Blood Feast.” It’s the one that started it all. Long live Herschell Gordon Lewis!
Comment by Fuad Ramses — October 27, 2006 @ 10:52 pm
All you freekin’ nubes, >30s never saw any of the original SciFi/ Horror films we grew up with, Like the original Dracula, Frankenstein, Werewolf, just this ’80’s+ crap. Granted, there are a few good ones in there like Alien, The Thing, An American Werewolf in London, but most of it is over-special efxed BS. No real terror, like the Birds. Get a history, watch the old AND the new before you make a judgement.
And get off my damn lawn!
Comment by Tom'sCat — October 27, 2006 @ 10:54 pm
yeah… gotta agree with some of the others on here – Fulci’s “Zombie” was mildly entertaining, at best. the shark scene was pretty over-the-top at the time, I suppose, but the movie itself is just downright terrible. you can watch it on 20x fast-forward speed, and it still seems interminable.
Comment by platypotamus — October 27, 2006 @ 10:58 pm
List could be longer. There is an old horror flick called The Changeling. It will scare the crap out of you.
Not quite as bad as The Exorcist, but it should make the list.
Comment by Jo — October 27, 2006 @ 11:08 pm
what about childs play? willard? and the scariest movie of all time…. the sound of music! aarghhh! just the title gives me scary chills!!!!!!!!!
Comment by robyn — October 27, 2006 @ 11:08 pm
Saw???……SAW!?!?!? Susperia and Evil Dead didn’t make it, but Saw did???? Why don’t you just include all of Eli Roth’s crapfests, while you’re at it??
Comment by blindrage — October 27, 2006 @ 11:19 pm
Some of the old Scooby Doo cartoons still scare the bejeebers out of me!
Comment by Hal R. Hosfeld — October 27, 2006 @ 11:37 pm
Friday the 13th was overlooked and definitely a classic. How this classic could be replaced by “Saw†is a travesty to me. The movie “Saw†entire premise is based on a scene from the Australian film “Road Warrior†and to be precise, the scene where the bad guy was given the same ultimatum… Saw stole their whole story from an older movie, but on the other hand, Friday the 13th was a fresh story that has stood the test of time. (I would have included Hostile, or at least Poltergeist if asked)
Comment by Scott — October 27, 2006 @ 11:40 pm
Cujo, a dog gone bad!
Comment by Wyocold — October 27, 2006 @ 11:42 pm
let’s all not forget that we don’t need other people or their lists to tell us what a good movie is.
Comment by louie — October 27, 2006 @ 11:44 pm
Evil Dead , The Thing, Body Snatchers, Night of the Living Dead, Henry, and… I would classify the “Bad Lieutenant†as a social horror story so sue me, and it is the best. I still love the Bava and Argento classics.
Comment by Scott — October 27, 2006 @ 11:48 pm
It’s great to see that Saw made the list! It’s the one modern movie on it and it deserves to be! I dunno if most people would consider Se7en a horror film, but I think it deffinitely needs to be on this, too.
Comment by Jess — October 27, 2006 @ 11:52 pm
“Jaws” haters and to individuals the don’t think the film had an impact, I offer a challenge… to swim or dive in the ocean at night and subconsciously not hear the Jaws theme song… Hell it will probably work in fresh water…
Comment by Scott — October 27, 2006 @ 11:57 pm
Please forgive me… Dusk Till Dawn has it all!!!
Comment by Scott — October 28, 2006 @ 12:01 am
I really have to say that Necromantik was the scariest movie I’ve ever seen.
Comment by Connesiuer — October 28, 2006 @ 12:07 am
i thougt evil dead was a comedy
Comment by voodootrucker — October 28, 2006 @ 12:12 am
I think one film that is constantly left off lists is Cannibal Holocaust. That movie is more of a gore-fest than anything, but it’s terrifying to realize that humans can be as vicious as they are in the film. Many people write it off as just an excuse to put to film so many horrific scenes, but it’s a commentary on not what zombies and monsters and the rest are capable of, but what HUMANS are capable of.
Comment by LANshark — October 28, 2006 @ 12:16 am
i havent seen it in awhile but i remember house on haunted hill being one of the scariest movies ive ever seen…also i agree that silence of the lambs is a must for this
Comment by Nermanater — October 28, 2006 @ 12:17 am
I cannot believed you lumped SAW into this list! How about Carnival of Souls or The Gates of Hell? You people really missed the mark with that one.
Comment by Jessica — October 28, 2006 @ 12:17 am
Some of thoes shouldn’t even be listed. Texas Chainsaw Massacre didn’t even become popular until the remake. And where is “The Thing”? What about “The Grudge” that was scarier than most movies. And I’ve read “The Shining” and the movie is stupid compared to the book. “Evil Dead” needs to be there too. So many movies… so little room on a top 13 list.
Comment by Horrorqueen — October 28, 2006 @ 12:32 am
As a young boy growing up during the 1050’s, one of the movies that scared me for about two weeks after I saw it, was “Invasion of the Body Snatchers” (1956). I was totally freaked out by it. It was at least that long before I could look under my bed. Another scary movie was the “THE CREATURE FROM THE BLACK LAGOON” (1954). It was a frightful movie but nothing on the scale of “Body Snatchers.” Well, enough of the ramblings of an old fart’s misspent youth.
The real horror is that there is no consideration at all for any of the “Frankenstein” movies. The early versions are still considered technical masterpieces for their time in movie history.
Comment by S.W. Hacker — October 28, 2006 @ 12:32 am
Saw???? Are you freaking kidding me? Don’t get me wrong…great movie…but TOP 10???? NO WAY!!! Amityville Horror definitely needed to be in there. I love that people find Jaws to be as FANTASTIC a movie as I do. Kudos for that.
Comment by Barbie — October 28, 2006 @ 12:35 am
The Thing, Pet Semetary, The Grudge, and how about Event Horizon? Se7en is one of my all-time favorites, but I don’t consider it a horror movie.
Comment by USPokerOutlaw — October 28, 2006 @ 12:43 am
I would have to say that the selection is pretty damn good… Suprised to see Saw in there, however it is a mind scramble of a movie… One movie I would like to see in there absolutely would be POLTERGEIST!!! That movie messed me up… and I saw a good portion of these movies at 10 years old when it came out, none of them hit me like Poletergeist did
Comment by CyRRuS333 — October 28, 2006 @ 12:46 am
How are Jaws and Aliens horror flicks? I’d say Aliens is sci-fi action, and jaws is a drama/suspense.
Comment by Warped — October 28, 2006 @ 12:48 am
Shaun of the Dead ought to be listed, as the greatest hybrid horror humor film ever made. It is excellent.
Comment by Sam Wilkinson — October 28, 2006 @ 12:53 am
I knew The Shining would be number one, it seems to be number one on everyones list. I hate these top 10’s and 20’s, it’s just personal opinion or opinions of a group of people that get together and decide whats good. Never mention Hostel again, it was about a predictable as some movies can get. The characters in that movie deserve to die. Just because it put some of that 80s campy horror with guys getting some, doesnt make it great or even good. Again its all opinions, take them how you want them.
Comment by Matt — October 28, 2006 @ 12:54 am
How could you have a crap film like ‘saw’ on this list, if you want something contemporary try ‘se7ven’.
Comment by dibenga — October 28, 2006 @ 1:18 am
nice list. “people under the stairs” should go in there somewhere.
Comment by Night_Mystic — October 28, 2006 @ 1:30 am
Motel Hell
Hell House
Comment by Cousin Dupree — October 28, 2006 @ 1:35 am
[i]Fuad Ramses says:
How can you have a list like this and NOT have “Blood Feast†on it? That movie, back in 1963, implied all that came after it. “Saw� Sorry. It definitely doesn’t show forty years of progress. Rent “Blood Feast.†It’s the one that started it all. Long live Herschell Gordon Lewis[/i]
So true. Blood Feast should have been on the list. That’s the movie that started it all. Blood Feast is the “missing link” between 1950’s sci fi/horror and modern horror.
And yes. The Thing should have been on the list.
Comment by Mayhem King — October 28, 2006 @ 1:37 am
ehh, this is the same as nearly every “best horror movie” selection. most are great movies, but not a very original list. what about cannibal holocaust? audition? there are some great movies not far off the beaten path.
Comment by Laura — October 28, 2006 @ 2:05 am
Pretty good list, I guess it’s always a bit personal, however a thread throughout your list seems to be horror films that spawned a sub-genre or have stood the test of time. I don’t think Saw fits into that category, and I don’t think anyone will think of it as a classic in a few years time. It’s just that there’s been such a lack of good horror films that it stands out.
As a massive zombie movie fan, I just can’t agree with the inclusion of Zombie either. Movies such as the original Dawn of the Dead or 28 Days Later are much better. Dawn of the Dead also had quite an influence on splatter in films.
No one’s mentioned any of the bodysnatchers films, I think the first remake Invasion of the Body Snatchers is hard to go past for sheer paranoia. Not sure if it exactly qualifies as horror though.
In terms of films that genuinely scared me that aren’t on the list, I’d have to mention The Ring (jap), The Thing (remake), The Blob (remake), Suspiria.
Punter
Comment by Stuart — October 28, 2006 @ 2:09 am
Poltergeist should be up there. That movie messed with my head something awful.
Comment by Vael — October 28, 2006 @ 3:29 am
Of course it’s all a matter of personal opinion on what’s scary or not. It also has a lot to do with where you first watched something and what your state of mind was at the time. The list is pretty good as far as the big hitters. I do agree with The Shining as #1. Maybe not my #1 (TCM) but as a whole should be ranked right where it is. I like seeing all these movies that people feel so much passion for that I haven’t seen before. I’m making my own list from you guys for the next time I head to the video store. Thanks
It’s hard to make any kind of finite list with only 13. With that said, most of the flicks that I feel should be mentioned already have. I just wanted to toss out my opinion like everybody else.
* Dawn of the Dead (when watched at one of the old midnight movies)
* Blair Witch (first time only)
* The Thing (my favorite movie through my teens)
* Evil Dead II (Bruce Campbell rocks! Although I do laugh my ass off now – especially when he puts a boot to the head of the thing in the basement)
* The Blob (scary shit as a kid)
* Frankenstein (when viewed as the 2nd movie of the old Horror Incorporated show on Saturday nights at midnight)
* Nosferatu (the 1922 well acted freak show that started it all – watched the DVD tonight while carving pumpkins with the kid – It’s set to Type-O-Negative’s music)
And as Roach pointed out earlier
* A Clockwork Orange (it may not have been a horror movie in the classic sense but cutting edge fright nontheless)
Well that’s my 2c.
Keep the opinions coming. Especially the good movies that haven’t been mentioned before.
Thanks again Geeks. I think I’m gonna put in Michael Jackson’s Thriller right now and picture his current face to get Really scared.
Comment by Clue Master — October 28, 2006 @ 3:38 am
What is horror?
Man’s inhumanity to man?
Wake up children, and watch the original ‘Lord of the Flies.’
Comment by Kevin Grace — October 28, 2006 @ 3:44 am
* roadkill
* wrong turn
Comment by Samay — October 28, 2006 @ 4:42 am
Where the hell is Rosemary’s Baby?
13 greatest horror films ever my ass.
Comment by Valarius — October 28, 2006 @ 4:58 am
I was right with you, up until you put “Saw” on there. I’m convinced that movie title was shortened from “Saw that plot twist coming a mile away”. Swap it with “Ringu”, and your list would be perfect.
Comment by Menchi — October 28, 2006 @ 5:22 am
end Scoop?
Comment by Laterza Rossella — October 28, 2006 @ 5:23 am
What!? No Lon Chaney. What about THE UNKNOWN. TRILOGY OF TERROR, That one still gives me nightmares and I’m 46 years old.And don’t forget Island of lost souls from 1933.” ARE WE NOT ALL MEN”? WOW
Comment by dean cox — October 28, 2006 @ 5:49 am
they forgot the movie called mark of the devil. it was from the early seventies, and when you purchased your ticket it came with a vomit bag!
Comment by jim — October 28, 2006 @ 6:38 am
What about Serpent and the Rainbow. A real nail biter.
Comment by Chris — October 28, 2006 @ 7:51 am
the gates of hell, phantasm and friday the 13th enough said………..
Comment by slim — October 28, 2006 @ 8:22 am
What about The Hills have Eyes,Mothers day, OR Jeepers Creepers. Those ones scared the heck outta me! but good list!
Comment by Teri — October 28, 2006 @ 8:24 am
Friday the 13th>Halloween
Comment by chuck — October 28, 2006 @ 8:44 am
Where’s the film that CNN showed the American GI getting killed by terrorists?
Now thats a fkn horror show
Comment by JCom — October 28, 2006 @ 8:51 am
I’d have to agree that “The Thing” would have to be there, removing “Zombie” from the list to do so. While the eye-splinter scene in “Zombie” IS nerve-wracking, the rest of the movie is subpar compared to many other movies people have already named.
Also, it bears notice that many people here are naming newer movies in place of many of the older ones. As someone who saw all of the older movies as a youngster, and the reactions that people had to them, I’d have to say that the comparisons are not entirely fair as to what scares people today versus what scared people then.
Jaws is a good example. When Jaws came out, its impact was global. People stopped going to the beaches. Boat sales dropped. That was not fear, it was true HORROR. “A Nightmare on Elm Street” did the same, as did “The Ring” (although the original Japanese version is much scarier, in my opinion).
And Horrorqueen, you remark about “The Texas Chainsaw Massacre” not being a big deal until the remake is sadly FAR off the mark. Growing up, teenagers were not allowed to have this movie, and many video stores wouldn’t carry it because it gave people nightmares. While I admit the original is a bit dated now, it is only because it was one of the movies that allowed the genre to move forward, and thus its themes are reused over and over.
Comment by WendigoWabbit — October 28, 2006 @ 8:52 am
Those who said Jaws wasn’t scary didn’t see it in the theater. That movie was so terrifying to me as a kid that I was afraid to take a BATH for a month!
Comment by Flack — October 28, 2006 @ 8:59 am
mona lisa smile scared me
Comment by Dillio — October 28, 2006 @ 9:02 am
Hard to cut such a list down to 13.
I wouldn’t have included Jaws.
The Thing certainly deserved a place.
Battlefield Earth was pretty damn scary. . .but for an entirely different reason. ;)
Comment by RE — October 28, 2006 @ 9:37 am
I love yalls picks!!
Comment by Wolf — October 28, 2006 @ 9:42 am
No.
This is the downside of “blogs”.
Back when people had websites, authoring and coding took enough time that the people running the sites either had an idea of what they were talking about, or a lot of money.
Random folks whining about how scary Jaws, Alien, Saw, and most of these other movies are is not cool.
Evil Dead?
Dawn of the Dead?
Pumpkin Head?
Flesh Eating Mothers?
The Howling?
Fright Night?
Dead Alive?
You have no street cred.
Comment by SkifDank — October 28, 2006 @ 10:05 am
The Birds, thankyou GLP. But maybe that shows my age.
Comment by Fritz — October 28, 2006 @ 10:52 am
C’mon, all you armchair “experts”–let’s stick in the genre here! Seven? Silence of the Lambs? While both are great movies, last I checked they weren’t *horror* films. I do have to agree that 28 Days Later should have been on the list, but kudos for NOT putting on The Ring or Rosemary’s Baby. What pieces of utter crap those were!
As for those who argue about the inclusion of Jaws–while I don’t see it, I’ve heard enough stories to know that when it came out it was TRULY frightening. A friend of mine once told me that when he saw it in the theater, a pregnant lady two rows in front of him got so scared she stood up, shrieked, and ran . . . the wrong way, slamming head first into the wall and knocking herself out. When’s the last time Jason or Freddy got those results?
Comment by Groon — October 28, 2006 @ 11:11 am
The shinning I agree with.. but jaws… come on!!! Although I did enjoy saw I wouldn’t put it that far up there. I’ve never even heard of zombie.
Where’s house of thousand corpses, evil dead or silence of the lambs?
Comment by Temp — October 28, 2006 @ 11:52 am
It was supposed to be Scariest not classics.
Comment by Jeff Smith — October 28, 2006 @ 11:57 am
Amittyville, Amittyville II, IT , Salem’s Lot, Rosemary’s Baby
Comment by muzzrphochr — October 28, 2006 @ 12:04 pm
DAWN OF THE DEAD
SUSPERIA
are a must…. SAW can go as far as I’m concerned… it’s a great story, but most of the acting is so bad
Comment by erin — October 28, 2006 @ 12:46 pm
The St. Francisville Experiment was devilish. Picture the Blair Witch Project . . . now add fear and realism. It should have made the list simply because it was genuinely scary.
http://www.rottentomatoes.com/ m/st_francisville_experiment/
I’m glad to see Saw was recognized. That film’s plot is brilliant. However, the gross factor can obscure the brilliance far too easily. I believe that’s why many people didn’t “get” it. They were too busy going: Woah, that’s sick, man.
6th Sense was excellent. In a culture obsessed with the mentally-crazed . . . it brought back good, old-fashioned ghosts. . . through the interpretation of a brilliant boy actor.
I think the terms “Greatest Horror Movies” and “fear” are too broad and that’s why we find some of the additions objectionable. Is great defined by absolute fear or is it defined by how long it’s stuck with us? Maybe a little bit of both?
That explains why Jaws is up there.
Jaws wasn’t particularly scary in THAT sense of the word. It’s unnerving that a whole world can be happening right below your feet . . . and some of that world thinks you look like a good meal. But I didn’t lock my doors before bed and I still swim in the ocean. The Score had to boost up its fear-value because now we automatically relate the music to the shark and therefore to the movie. Without THAT particular tune, it wouldn’t have been so awesome.
I do question the appearance of “Jaws.” It’s not Halloween-scary. It’s 4th of July scary — right before we all head to the beach. In October, I’m not thinking much about swimming — even when I was in California. There’s too much more going on.
The Shining (original) was good but not Stephen King’s best work. I’d rather see “It” than The Shining. It perpetuated a whole new phobia of clowns. The only problem is the length of the movie. Clearly, it’s the movie that never ends. But I’m not sure either belong on the list of “13 Greatest.” Perhaps a little further down.
Comment by Jess — October 28, 2006 @ 12:51 pm
What about ‘The Changeling’? That movie was extremely creepy. I will never forget the ball rolling down the stairs as long as I live. Thump… Thump… Thump…
Eeek, I get chills even thinking about it
Comment by anon — October 28, 2006 @ 12:55 pm
I would replace Jaws or Saw with the 1979 Phantasm movie. That movie really intrested me when I was about 15 and we had a Betamax and I recorded it on HBO. I still love to watch it. It is not so much of a scary movie but it makes you think and the overall set and setting are perfect
Comment by alternity — October 28, 2006 @ 1:23 pm
I love the way one persons opinion can be lambasted, and people badmouth absolute classics int eh genre as being “utter shit”. Those who state that “the shining” isnt scary or even a good film need to be kicked in the nuts….because you obviously have no idea what a good horror movie is.
It isnt all gore and brutality, or slasher nonsense. Its about tension, suspense and raping your brain with unexpected occurances that unnerve. Not on how many knitting needles get jammed into a teens cranium by a man in a hockey mask.
Comment by idiots — October 28, 2006 @ 1:30 pm
What’s missing here is a sense of context. Younger viewers who watch Carpenter’s “Halloween” or Spielberg’s “Jaws” or some of the other older selections on this list are unimpressed for a reason … they’ve grown up watching countless imitators and homages, so none of the things that were new in those movies could have nearly the impact on them that it had on the original, unsuspecting audience. We’ve all seen countless teen-slasher movies. But when Halloween first came out, we hadn’t. We weren’t used to the brave, resourceful heroine, the kids-getting-killed-one-at-a-time, the camera showing us the stalking from the killer’s viewpoint, the “he’s dead! no, wait … he’s still alive!” ending twist, etc. At least not all tied up in one juicy thematic bundle. Ditto Jaws … the movie monster being largely unseen for so much of the movie, a score used to evince dread beyond anything onscreen … these were new. In a horror movie, nothing works better than the unexpected, and much of what made many of these movies peerless at the time was exactly that; we didn’t expect these things. We were watching the birth of archtypes that still hit us with a jolt of fear, but will never again have the added force of a sucker-punch.
Comment by duras — October 28, 2006 @ 1:50 pm
Very nice selection. All of them the best in the genre, and present a nice range of terror and horror. Good job!
Comment by Iloz Zoc — October 28, 2006 @ 3:00 pm
You were almost perfect but I personally would get rid of Zombie and Jaws and replace them with Suspiria and IT
Comment by Chris — October 28, 2006 @ 4:43 pm
Great selection..one of my favorties Stephen Kings Rose Red is not on the list tho..and another 2 of his horrors are not on the list…Pet Cemetery and IT..those are my favorites..but as I said great selection,, except for Jaws and maybe Halloween..not a fan of those 2 movies..from this list my top 5 are…1. Saw, 2. The Shining, 3. The Exorcist, 4. Alien, 5. Hellraiser…
Comment by Ivan — October 28, 2006 @ 5:12 pm
the hills have eyes is a good one and so is seven and the thing are movie that could have made your list but it was still a good list and were is friday the 13 should have made top 5
Comment by steve kerr — October 28, 2006 @ 5:40 pm
The Shining isn’t scary, Texas Chainsaw Massacre is awesome, yet there is a minimal amount of gore. Did ya even see it? And Saw has absolutely NO business being on this list.
Comment by Scar — October 28, 2006 @ 5:50 pm
Ring is the best
Comment by dimo — October 28, 2006 @ 6:31 pm
what about with ring part1?
Comment by dimo — October 28, 2006 @ 6:35 pm
Not sure where this list came from. At the least #s 3, 4, 8, 11, and 13 don’t deserve to be one the lost. Not sure if #9 & 10 even qualify as horror flicks. Heartily agree with #s 5 & 6, but what happened to any of the classics? Max Schreck anyone?
Comment by Beaters — October 28, 2006 @ 9:44 pm
Zombies rock.
The Others. Not horror? Still my favorite ghost movie
Comment by Eddie Stevenson — October 28, 2006 @ 10:30 pm
your fired
Comment by Ross — October 29, 2006 @ 6:13 am
You’ve got to be kidding me! No Friday the 13th movies? No Ring? No Grudge? No IT? No Rosemary’s Baby (personal fave)? No Children of the Corn? Not even The Stand? Or even the Island of Dr. Moreau?
Granted, the ones on the list were pretty good. Jaws seemed like a more light-hearted horror film than the selections it was wedged between. The list should have at least given honorable mentions or been longer. To overlook any of those was a bit of a travesty. Horror films had many landmarks and Jason Voorhees and his mom were one (two) of them.
Comment by Saint — October 29, 2006 @ 9:08 am
Night of the Living Dead should have been higher, at least higher than Halloween. NOTLD was a horror movie on more than one level, at least better than any slasher. It wasn’t just about the zombies, it was about how people fighting for a common cause (survival) couldn’t even get along enough to survive one night.
Comment by Spooky — October 29, 2006 @ 11:46 am
Well, 13 wondeful films, but what do you think about John Carpenter’s “They Live”?
For me is one of the most brilliant and intelligent films, the masterpiece of a genius of horror films…
But also if I’m italian (and Italy is the birthplace of plenty of good horror filmakers), I have to admit that japanese “The Ring” IS THE HORROR.
Comment by Balockaus — October 29, 2006 @ 6:49 pm
Cannibal Holocaust, August Underground Mordum
Comment by Nelson Matta — October 29, 2006 @ 10:36 pm
Anyone who thinks the 13 best horror movies were made since 1960 either doesn’t appreciate quality or deliberately limits themselves to the recent. Try ‘The Haunting’, ‘Freaks’, ‘Nosferatu’, ‘Bride of Frankenstein’, and ‘White Zombie’. Imagination is much more frightening than buckets of technocolor blood.
Comment by Lawrence Barker — October 30, 2006 @ 7:13 am
For scares (rather than horror), nothing tops the original “Invasion of the Body Snatchers.”
Comment by twodox — October 30, 2006 @ 9:22 am
What?!? No “Rosemary’s Baby”? Inexcusable.
Comment by Gary — October 30, 2006 @ 2:11 pm
As usual with blogs like this, first I give my gut reaction, then I read the replies, then I do the follow-up. Those who were there when these classic horror movies first came out hit it right on the head when they speak of the first impact some of these movies had. Sure, Chainsaw Massacre may not be as bloody as the current generation of slasher films, but it’s initial impact was unbelievable. In Rosemary’s Baby, the least scary aspect of this movie was the fact that the chick was giving birth to the Anti-Christ. It was the atmosphere within the movie, and the fact that all of the conspirators looked exactly like the people my mom and dad partied with, that really freaked me out. This movie made you look at the people around you and try to figure out which of them were represented in the movie. I’m hip with all the selections on the list, but one of them needs to be dropped so that Rosemary’s Baby can be added. If it becomes a list of 14, then the original Willard should be added, too. Again, for it’s time, it was a creep-fest without paralell.
Comment by Gary — October 30, 2006 @ 2:33 pm
Give me a break – anyone who thinks “The Ring” is the best horror movie ever needs to watch some more Dario Argento movies… “Suspiria” freaked me out… the music and the visuals are awesome. And horror movies aren’t merely about the killers, they are about the atmosphere and the suspense.
Comment by AdmiralPiet — October 30, 2006 @ 2:49 pm
Solid collection, but putting NOES above TCM is a reaching a bit.
Comment by massilimino — October 30, 2006 @ 3:53 pm
Happy Halloween everyone! There are so many great horror movies out there that it is so hard to cram them into a “best 13”. Simple reason is you can’t. One persons ‘Halloween’ is anothers ‘Exorcist’. What it all boils down to is What Scares You. I lover horror movies, but asked to pick ‘The best ever’ c’mon.
Comment by mark — October 30, 2006 @ 6:20 pm
SAW is one of the greatest horror movies ever created also friday the 13th movie series are extremly fantastic also halloween and nightmare on elm street are really great to
Comment by Bat Geek — October 31, 2006 @ 12:49 pm
You left off Ghost story & dimentia 13. both were way scarier than saw. Oh yea an american warewolf in London too
Comment by ron kerzner — October 31, 2006 @ 1:19 pm
Agree with most of your list. But how could you leave out Peter Jacksons “Dead Alive” ??
Comment by Garrett Elliott — October 31, 2006 @ 3:25 pm
I agree with “The Shining” being at the top of this list. Kubrek was a genious.
As far as recent classics that should have made the list replacing Jaws and Psyco, in my opinion weren’t that scary, I think “American Psyco” was an instant classic and “House of a 1000 Corpses” should be mentioned before “Devil’s Rejects”
Comment by Bruno — October 31, 2006 @ 6:10 pm
What a great list! The only movie here that wouldn’t make my list is Saw. I like Saw, but it just doesn’t compare to every other film mentioned. It seems like you had to throw in the tolken ‘modern movie’.
Other than that every selection is dead on, although I would place them in a different order. So what to replace Saw with? How about…
Nosferatu
Dawn of the Dead
Suspiria
Evil Dead
Rosemary’s Baby
The Thing
You know, I would actually place any one of these above Hellraiser. Hellraiser would be more suited for the lower end of a top 25 maybe.
But I am very impressed to see you throw Zombi 2 on the list. That movie is a work of art. I adore it.
Comment by Boisv — November 1, 2006 @ 12:00 am
ok. i agree with the list. but doesnt take into account movies like seven. that are so real that they are scary.
also in this category. and most of you you will shoot for me for this. the blair witch project. small budget. real fear caught on tape. scary stuff.
but then the list does forget to mention videodrome. as one of the scariest movies of all time. check it out.
agree with most comments. evil dead must be on this list.
Comment by volonte3 — November 1, 2006 @ 5:15 am
Obviously whoever it was who created this list has not seen texas Chainsaw Massacre. That movie is not gory at all. Where are these severed limbs you saw? Where is the blood? Another halloween another site perpetuates the myth behind this movie. You should have gone all the way and said that Texas was based on a true story then. Classic yes, but gore filled romp-no. I recommend watching these movies instead of stealing recommendations from other sites. Plus any list that omits The Thing and Evil Dead is already suspect. The Shining at 1? Please…
Comment by Lt. Dan — November 1, 2006 @ 7:49 am
Hey guys, what about Hostel? That’s definitely one that should have made it into your list!
Comment by Pepper — November 1, 2006 @ 3:20 pm
[quote comment=”5599″]Great list, but “Saw” and “Nightmare on Elm Street” should be replaced with “The Devil’s Rejects” and “Dawn of the Dead”[/quote]
WHAT?!?!?
Comment by Jimmy Jacker — November 1, 2006 @ 3:40 pm
I think that the scariest movie i have saw would have to be Hills have eyes because there really could be some craze, deformed people out there.
Comment by Ashley — November 1, 2006 @ 5:41 pm
im sorry to say this people but anybody who thinks that aany of these movies are scary
are either A. dumb B. scared by heir own shadow are C. both
slasher movies are funny
then there are the ones that make you think
those are funny too
the only movie that i was ever afraid of was wishmaster and that was when i was 6
ive watched it recently it and the first 2 sequels
the were hilarious
but still horror movies are funny
Comment by gordy — November 2, 2006 @ 10:24 am
Great list! I would include “The Blair Witch Project” and “Phantasm”, though. These two should take the place of “Alien” and “Jaws”. “Alien” is definitely not in the horror genre, as scary as some scenes may have been – It’s a sci-fi movie. I’m also hesitant about your inclusion of “Jaws”, because I would say it belongs in the action/adventure genre. A spot should also be added for “Hell Night” and Dee Snider’s “Strangeland”.
Comment by Steve — November 2, 2006 @ 11:13 am
Same as usual, the dated and over rated are up at the top.
The Shining and Psycho the greatest horror films ever, NO WAY!
Devils Rejects?
The Thing?
Ring?
Just Because these films aren’t fifty years old and not other lists dosen’t mean they aren’t great.
People seem to be too easily influenced by other lists and don’t give modern horror a chance.
Good choice of Saw though!
Comment by Geek — November 2, 2006 @ 12:12 pm
The thing was a great classic that should have made it, or maybe even house of thousand Corpse a modern day work of horror.
Comment by flaakmonkey — November 3, 2006 @ 2:30 am
Saw is not really scary and should’nt have been put on the list but other than that great list.
Comment by Kayla Miller — November 7, 2006 @ 12:36 pm
BRIDE OF FRANKENSTEIN!!!!!!!!!
Comment by TOM — November 11, 2006 @ 1:41 am
texas chainsaw is the scariest film ever and gruesome and saw 3 is dirty and gruesome
Comment by aiden — November 13, 2006 @ 9:50 am
your geeky…hehe. and yepp. which movie is the best????
Comment by nathalie — November 18, 2006 @ 4:04 pm
ummm…yeah they look super duper scary
Comment by kayla — November 18, 2006 @ 4:06 pm
The Shining-superb choice-Classic
Physco-again Classic
Halloween-Classic
Night of the living dead-Started the whole Zombie eating gruesomeness that I enjoy-would have placed at number 2
Alien-hybrid movie hard to define as it is sci-fi/horror-Scared me anyway
Hellaraiser-Gore and a plotline-woohoo not common nowadays
Excorcist-Now to me this does not belong I fell asleep watching this one as it was sooo boring!
Nightmare on Elm street-Classic
TCSM-Brilliant!
Jaws-Scary but not terrifying
Saw-Does not belong-not a bad premise to a movie but badly done-and with a big budget!
The Omen-Classic
Zombie-needs removed-practically the same cast appear in Zombie 2-even some of the scenes are the same-check out the little boy and his donkey-look familar-sign of a bad bad director-REMOVE
The list is incomplete without:
John Carpenters
Prince of Darkness
The Thing
The house on Sorority Row
Childs Play
Puppet Master
Just Before Dawn
Silent night,Deadly night
An American Werewolf in London
Dawn of the Dead
The Evil Dead
Omega Man
The Burning
And Many many more-A true horror movie is about numbing your mind with terror while you are watching it-and making that fear stay there so that when you watch it again it still makes you jump-even though you know what is coming.
Comment by Leslie — November 20, 2006 @ 6:54 am
The creator of this list gave most spots as nostalgic nods to well known movies. Some are deserved and others boggle the mind. Hellraiser and Nightmare on Elm Street are definitely worthy of the lists. Complex villans and inventive gore are what make these movies great. Saw is a load of crap, I figured out the endings to the first 2 in the first 15 minutes of the movies. They were poor psychological thrillers, not horror. Same goes for Psycho a thriller not horror. As for Evil Dead it was dark comedy, mixed with some gore and a little tension to bring it together. As for the rest I could debate the validity of the choices forever. That being said the fact that so many people think the list suck should tell its creator to think much harder before making a innacurate list. This list was made by someone wh doesn’t know horror but likes to pretend. Movies that should have been on include IT, In the Mouth of Madness, Rosemary’s Baby, and Event Horizon
Comment by Acid Burn — November 21, 2006 @ 7:19 pm
Should have been Cannibal Holocaust instead of Zombie. Zombie sucked.
Comment by Rob — November 27, 2006 @ 6:26 pm
Muy buen blog, yo tambien tengo uno de terror, no te dejes de pasar por el.
Comment by Julian — December 1, 2006 @ 8:50 pm
Why is it that originals or first’s are always necesities on lists like these? Just because something is the first or an original doesn’t necessarily make it the best and certainly not the scariest (It just makes those who saw it originally very biased)! Everyone shuns movies like Saw because it’s modern and more graphic? Every movie on this list was originally the favorite of a bunch of teenagers and a lot of the oldie favs were really graphic for their time!
I think the list was a good one and Saw belongs here. Any movie that forces you to put yourself in that situation and stays with you long after you leave the theaters is a good one.
I was a little surprised that Silence of the Lambs or Poltergeist weren’t on there. (Also surprised that Jaws and Zombie were on there)
Comment by Brandy — December 4, 2006 @ 8:25 pm
Alien 1979
Comment by carmen — December 8, 2006 @ 10:15 am
Wheres Carrie?\
Comment by Jen — December 20, 2006 @ 10:47 pm
hello where is stephen Kings CUJO and mary shellys frankenstein,these movies was so scary the first time isaw them. also Fright Night was good
Comment by max — December 30, 2006 @ 2:27 pm
I think you made a good choice puting holloween on the list but it should of been number1 on the list.I think you should put all of the hollowween movies on the list along with saw.
Comment by curtis — December 31, 2006 @ 4:36 pm
The Omen wasnt that good should b replaced with house of 1000 corpses or devils rejects. evil dead should also be included. for all those who dont find them scary its because ur desensitized to the horror back when all of the movies premered they freaked the hell out of ppl hell i remember whatching these when i was young and was scared shitless cuz they are that good. movies now arent scary cuz everything that could be done has been every thing now is gore and gore(dont get me rong i love the gore). another good movie for the list is Ju-on. u watch the grudge and laugh watch juon ull b lookin over ur shoulder i guarantee it
Comment by marchingboner — January 5, 2007 @ 7:48 pm
mmmm … usual suspects!!
as creepiness goes…how about THE FOG?
and no-one metioned DAWN OF THE DEAD! also I would like to add ROSEMARYS KILLER and POLTERGEIST
Comment by beemer — January 10, 2007 @ 10:09 am
Should Last House on The Left get a run??
Comment by Seb — January 16, 2007 @ 12:02 am
this is off topic completely but does anyone know what the first scifi/horror movie was?
Comment by the fool — January 18, 2007 @ 9:25 am
WOW…I never understood how those movies are so scary….my top thirteen is Texas chainsaw massacre(2003), Wait until Dark, Halloween, Hostel, SAW I II III, Nightmare on Elm Street, When a stranger calls..the OLD one, Wrong Turn, Amityville Horror(2005), ok so that is all I have…
Comment by Aimee — February 5, 2007 @ 12:22 am
Where is House of Wax?
Comment by Pule — February 10, 2007 @ 2:36 pm
A true horror should have the impact of realism. The list should have included the thing, spit on your grave, dawn of the dead 2004 and 28 days later. These left me with that spine tingling uncomfortable feelings of possibility, which i just love to savour.
Comment by Sly — February 10, 2007 @ 8:12 pm
Little Nicky! ^.^
Comment by Flameboy — February 10, 2007 @ 8:31 pm
The list is not bad. Each of us will have a different opinion of what horror means to us.
You might like seeing a guy pick up a
lawn mower and run it through a group of people, scattering their body parts all over the place.
Which horror movie gave you a nightmare?
I actually had a horrific nightmare about the exorcist after seeing it. Not many movies leave a dark indelible stain on the brain like that one! Granted, I enjoy most of them with dark red fine wine.
DeWayne(FilmFreak)
Comment by DeWayne(FilmFreak) — February 12, 2007 @ 5:26 pm
What is it with people knocking Zombie? Its better than virtually all the other movies on this list (as a horror, I can’t include Jaws, but it is a magnificent movie) and suggesting 28 Days later!? The majority of modern horror movies are junk (and I watch alot of them) Wolf Creek and Hostel being the only noteable modern horrors to have any impact.
Anyway, my list (and its only MY opinion)
1 Cannibal Holocaust
2 The Exorcist
3 Susperia
4 Dawn of the Dead
5 The Beyond
6 Alien
7 The Shining
8 Tenebrae
9 Zombie
10 Wolf Creek
Comment by punkoid — April 14, 2007 @ 9:02 am
PS I think Italians make the best Horror movies (as my list shows) followed by the yanks. The whole Asian horror thing kind of goes over my head.
Comment by punkoid — April 14, 2007 @ 9:04 am
Good list, but I’ve got to agree with many of the previous respondee’s. Evil dead scared the @#$@ out of me when I was younger. They got sillier (and less scary) in later versions, but the first, was definately scary then, and still is today.
’28 days later’ should be on the list, as should ‘The Ring’, and ‘The Thing’.
Comment by Jake — June 11, 2007 @ 10:52 am
I agree with some of them…but…
Saw wasn’t really a good movie. I didn’t find it very sickening or shocking, unlike a lot of others, but it just wasn’t good. The surprise at the end was great, but the rest of the film felt like it had no point. The whole, “he’s teaching them to value life” idea was just there to shock people. Even the movie didn’t try to treat it seriously.
Zombie was blood and guts. Nothing else. If you wanted a movie like that, I would have gone with Cannibal Holocaust.
I like 28 days later as well, but hell, if you want to get technical, it was more of a “drama,” not a true horror film. You could probably say the same about a lot of other films that are often called horror as well though.
Good list overall though.
The Shining is definitely my favorite horror film of all time
Comment by horrorshow — June 19, 2007 @ 10:45 am
One of the techniques that works best on me in any horror movie is to disarm with a generous dose of comedy and then scare the hell out of ’em. Therefore horror movies that had some strong comedy elements often worked a lot batter at scaring me that more straightforward films.
An American Werewolf in London
The Howling
Fright Night
All scared the crap out of me as a teen. And all were both funny and scary. I still love all three of those films.
This same technigue is also what worked for this generation with Scream. Not a favorite of mine, but enjoyable.
Night of the Living Dead really should be number one. For shear all out non-stop horror, nothing beats it.
Also, just because a film is older or more bloodless doesn’t mean it has lost any power to scare. Quite the opposite.
I agree with a lot of the posts about Rosemary’s Baby. That’s one scary film. Ditto The Stepford Wives (not the awful remake -Yuk!) Both were written by the same guy (Ira Levin) and have that conspiracy/ paranoia element that (along with the first two versions of Invasion of the Body Snatcher) I also find really, really frightening.
But my all time favorite (and the movie most sadly missing from your list, although it appears on plenty of others) is The Haunting (again, forget the awful remake). Black and white. Bloodless. Subtle and well written with A-list actors. But when that thing pounds on the bedroom door, it’s still one of the scariest moments in any movie.
Happy Halloween Everybody!
Comment by Marion Crane — September 5, 2007 @ 10:55 pm
This is a half-good half-crap list .. Let’s start with everyone’s kiss-ass fav, ‘The Shining’ .. Stephen King didn’t even like it! Whoopty-f*ckin-doo, it scared u as a kid .. There are WAAAY better Stephen King films including such haunters as ‘Misery’, ‘It’, ‘Cujo’, or ‘Maximum Overdrive’ (King directed and he loves his ACDC!) .. ‘Psycho’? Are you serious? Why don’t we put down ‘Vacancy’ while we’re at it? Or even ‘Motel Hell’? Ha ha anywayz I agree with #3 – #10 (Hey, whether u like ‘Jaws’ or not what do you think of every time YOU get in the ocean hmm?) But ‘Saw’s’ bad casting and over-acting (excluding Tobin Bell) cut the tension several times during the film .. ‘The Omen’ was about as promising as ‘Rosemary’s Baby’, and though BOTH are good horror films, they don’t nearly compare to such raging classics as ‘In the Mouth of Madness’, ‘Event Horizon’, or ‘Last House on the Left’ .. And ‘Zombie’? C’mon!!! With sooo many terrifying zombie films out there (’28 Days Later’, ’28 Weeks Later’, ‘Dawn of the Dead Remake’, and even the hilarious satirical gory horror of ‘Shaun of the Dead’) surely you could think harder for TOP 13 HORROR FILMS OF ALL TIME!!
I don’t entirely disagree with the films up there, but with surviving tales of the macabre and gore films, such as the 70’s and 80’s exploitation films of ‘I Spit on your Grave’, ‘Cannibal Holocaust’, or ‘Make Them Die Slowly’, or the scare flicks such as the original ‘Hills Have Eyes’, ‘Hell High’, ‘Silence of the Lambs’, or even ‘The Thing’, I wonder if you’ve seen anything past what made Bravo’s ‘Top 100 Scariest Moments’ ha ha ha
I do agree with the ‘Audition’ comments, as well as ‘the Descent’, ‘Seven’, ‘Jacob’s Ladder’, ‘Dog Soldiers’ (ha ha ha ha ha ha that’s awesome)
Not to mention the lovely comedic but grotesque stylings of ‘Evil Dead’, ‘Dead/Alive’, and ‘Blood-Sucking Freaks’
Oh, and for all out gore ‘Faces of Death’ or ‘Traces of Death’ could have at least seen the light of day somewhere in the big Net world.
Also, for the 1930’s horror fan; Grow up.
Comment by Mad Professor — February 20, 2008 @ 4:13 am