I’ve never been a big horror movie fan.
Sure, I’ve seen the classics such as “The Exorcist,” “Psycho” and “Scream.” But I probably only saw 20 percent of each film, my head usually ducked into my lap and my fingers jammed into my ears. I couldn’t sleep with the lights off for months after watching “Child’s Play,” thinking some crazed red-headed doll was going to chase me with a butcher knife.
Seriously, scary movies aren’t for me.
But every year, around this time, I think about watching something that will make me flinch at every noise outside. And this year is no exception, as Halloween falls on a Sunday, making it almost impossible to fully enjoy the evening-only holiday.
So I’m guessing a lot of you will be staying in this Halloween. And what better way than with a DVD of your favorite scary movie. (Unless you’re heading to the theaters to watch “Paranormal Activity 2,” which earned $41.5 million in its debut.)
The Chicago Tribune released its picks for the 25 scariest Halloween movies. Here’s its Top 10:
- “Psycho” (1960)
- “The Omen” (1976)
- “The Amityville Horror” (1979)
- “The Ring” (2002)
- “The Blair Witch Project” (1999)
- “The Evil Dead” (1981)
- “The Exorcist” (1973)
- “Saw” (2004)
- “The Fog” (1980)
- “An American Werewolf in London” (1981)
I found it interesting that only two movies on that Top 10 were released in this century. Meaning, the best scary flicks were done decades ago, without the gory computer-generated graphics and shocking visuals so prevalent in today’s horror movies. Before, it was about creating the suspension and anticipation, about developing plots and making you actually feel scared. Nowadays, it’s about overt gore — think “Saw” and “Hostel” — and less about that true scare factor.
Got a favorite must-watch scary movie to watch this weekend? Or are you going to be like me and watch “Hot Tube Time Machine”?
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To read all of Cat’s blogs, visit www.nonstophonolulu.com/thedailydish. Follow Cat on Twitter @thedailydish or send her an e-mail at [email protected].
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17 Comments
I should get past this, but how am I supposed to get any work done today after Cat has planted the thought of her costume scared right off her? Reading the actual blog post helped a bit, but I am going to have to think intently about the Giants and Rangers series just not to have inappropriate mental images. Thanks alot.
@WildeOscar I know once Cat plants an idea in your head, it’s hard to shake. May I suggest then replacing one Cat visual with another? Go see the staff video where they are being introduced; Cat starts everything off in her usual style. Plant that visual in your head and when you get the bad Cat thoughts, bring up that visual and all should be good. WARNING: For this to work, you must watch only the Cat portion (she’s in the beginning so it’s easy). Do NOT watch until the end when Melissa comes on; she does something that will end up putting horror thoughts back in your head.
@hikino @WildeOscar Really excellent advice. That followed by total concentration on World Series Game 2 (Giants winning 2-0) just about did it.
@WildeOscar Glad to be of help, sir. Also glad we didn’t have to resort to Plan B: go to Cat’s Facebook page, find the picture of dog Indy and how he rolls with it. Really, how can you get mad at her dog?
CAT,
I too am not a big fan of horror movies. However, try to remember the scary movies you saw as a kid. These may not be scary as an adult, but there are a few I recall seeing as a kid with my eyes closed!
Hello Cat,
Not into horror or scary movies myself.
You want to watch a film that will guarantee you sleep with the lights on? Watch Darkness Falls.
“Stay in the Light!”
@Ynaku I did.
Now I don’t claim to be a critic or a film expert, but I do LOVE scary movies, and I have a problem with that list.
I actually just watched Pyscho for the first time last night, and that movie was not scary at all. Maybe at the time it was released (1960)…but even then, I have a hard time thinking so. It just…wasn’t scary to me. So #1 seems kind of crazy…I’d definitely put “The Exorcist” above Pyscho.
I do agree with the “The Ring.” And though I haven’t seen the old “Amityville Horror,” the new one (2008, I believe), was awesome. I hated “The Blair Witch Project” at first, but after watching it a second time, it was kind of freaky!
If you’re a horror buff like me, and if you like your scary movies to be modern, here are 5 suggestions for some good Halloween fun:
Paranormal Activity
Paranormal Activity 2
A Haunting in Connecticut
The Others
Devil
my picks for scary movies are the ones at never fail to creep me out, no matter how many times I’ve seen them :
Black Christmas ( 1974 )
Legend of Hell House ( 1973 )
The Omen ( 1976 )
Alien ( 1979 )
Rosemary’s Baby ( 1968 )
Legend of Boggy Creek ( 1972 )
Suspiria ( 1977 )
Wait Until Dark ( 1967 )
Burnt Offerings ( 1976 )
Dressed to Kill ( 1980 )
The Thing ( 1982 )
The Hitcher ( 1986 )
Jacob’s Ladder ( 1990 )
The Shining ( 1980 )
Event Horizon ( 1997 )
The Grudge ( 2004 )
Exorcist 3 ( 1990 )
Sex and The City 2 <—– the best horror film of 2010 ( just kidding )
….
I saw Night of the Living Dead (1968) when I was kid. I was so scared that I couldn’t stay in the theater. I told my companions that I to go to the restroom. The truth is: I couldn’t watch zombies eating someone’s guts.
Your description of you at scary movies made me laugh! You’re braver than me! In HS when the Exorcist was re-released I was in there for 5-10 min hiding under my jacket before I begged my BF to leave! That list doesn’t look too compelling.
True story: went to see Saw when it came out (don’t ask me why I don’t usually do that as a courtesy to other movie goers- I scream a lot) and it was NOT scary! People were actually laughing! The acting is pretty bad and it’s hard to take seriously.
I too am feeling in a Haloween mood and am wanting to watch some scaryish movies. That being said, there’s levels of Haloween and scary. Here’s an off the cuff list:
-Hocus Pocus – Great movie! Yeah, it’s for kids so it’s not keep you up for days scary, but it has some creepy moments – especially if you get into it. **Reccommend for you**
-Sleepy Hollow – Bad ace! it’s spooky plus there’s smokin hot Johnny Depp! **Reccommend for you**
-Any M. Night Shyamalan flick – He’s scary w/o trying too hard and usually a kinda cool/happyish ending.
-The Shining – Super CREEPY and looong
-The Ring – I’ve never seen it (nor will I ever) but I read on a list/review of scary movies that it’s PURE EVIL. You’ve been warned.
-Brahm Stoker’s Dracula- A lush period piece that’s definately scary, but manageable (I’ve actually seen it more than once the whole way thru!) and somewhat romantic. **Reccommend for you**
-Blackula – it’s a Blaxploitation vampire movie– it might actually be a comedy… idk its novel to say the least
Rosemary’s Baby – Very creepy, possibly evil.
Oh I forgot another good kids movie! Casper!
When I was 10 I saw ‘I Was A Teenage Frankenstein’, a Whit Bissel classic. It scared me silly. I saw it a few years ago. The budget must have been a dollar-three-seventy-nine. Imdb.com states the tag line as: ‘Body of a boy, mind of a monster.’ -pretty par for the course, sounds like a reality show. The boy was Gary Conway. ‘Teenage Frankenstein’ was either the predecessor to, or the successor of ‘I Was A Teenage Werewolf’. Michael Landon was that monster.
In 1957 the word Teenage was new, and it had pejorative overtones. It conjured up visions of boys with ducktails and leather jackets and girls with petal pushers, push up bras ponytails and lots of makeup. Man, that’s pretty scary in its own right. Maybe i’ll turn out the lights and watch ‘Grease’ –‘SANDY!!’
Funny that you posted this Cat because we had a hallway discussion earlier in the week about horror flicks. It was unanimous amongst four of us, a equal mix of males and females, that non of the American Films in the horror genre came even close to being as spooky as these films from the Orient.
1. Ju On (Japan) re-released in the USA as “The Grudge” starring Sarah Michelle Geller.
Yes, I yelled an expletive rather loudly in one particular bed scene (no nudity or sex in this scene!)
2. Ringu (Japan) re-released in the USA as “The Ring” starring Naomi Watts.
3. Kwaidan/Kaidan (Japan) a collection of 4 non-related Ghost stories.
4. Marebito (Japan) a kinda strange movie but horrorific somewhat.
5. Cinderella (Korea)
6. Whispering Corridors (Korea)
My favorite ‘horror’ film of late is Zombieland. Of the older ones the original Halloween and Exorcist were classic.
The original Halloween freaked me out when I first watched it as a kid. And we’re talkin’ the edited broadcast TV version. Still don’t prefer to watch it. Even a song used in the movie, “Don’t Fear The Reaper” by Blue Oyster Cult, used to be creepy for me to listen to. That is, until this infamous SNL skit!: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BjsUf_oIgp0