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Halloween thread: What were the scariest movies?

posted at 8:10 pm on October 31, 2008 by Ed Morrissey
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While I’m sitting here handing out candy to all the little (and not so little) trick-or-treaters, one reader suggested an open thread on the scariest movies.  I’m not a big fan of the horror genre, but I have my favorites, and I imagine you do as well.  Here are the top frights I’ve gotten from Hollywood, aside from the industry’s politics:

  • Poltergeist – Probably the most frightened I ever got from a movie, but that’s partly from how I saw it.  I woke up in the middle of the night having fallen asleep in front of the TV, and this movie had just begun.  I thought I’d drift back to sleep, but the creepy coincidence of the circumstances matching the movie had me wide-eyed and jumpy every time I heard snow on the tube for weeks.
  • Alien – My girlfriend in high school dug her fingernails into my arm as she screamed every time something happened.  Great use of suspense with actually a minimal amount of gore on screen.  Aliens was almost as good, but completely different in pacing and structure.
  • Silence of the Lambs – Not really horror, more crime/suspense, but the final sequence was as unnerving as anything I’d seen.
  • Silent Hill – Normally I wouldn’t have even watched this, but I like Radha Mitchell, Kim Coates, and Alice Krige.  It turned out to be a stylish and gripping movie, excellent for its kind, and inventive.  The religious overtones were more or less out of Hollywood Cliché Central, though.
  • Psycho – Well, you know … it’s Psycho.
  • Army of Darkness – No, it didn’t scare me at all, but it was hilariously creepy and original, and it had Bruce Campbell.  Gimme some sugar, baby.

Update: Some worthy mentions from the comments:

  • The Exorcist – When I finally saw it, it had already become a cultural joke, so it lost some of its power for me — but still first class.
  • Jaws – Yeah, this should have been on my original list.  The great Roy Scheider, the great Robert Shaw, and the great-but-politically-nuts Richard Dreyfuss.
  • Se7en – No one’s mentioned this yet, but it should be on the list.  May not be quite in the horror genre, but it’s close enough.

What are your favorites?  What were the worst?

Addendum: If you are in charge of handing out the candy, too, what were the best outfits you saw?  So far:

  • Toddler sisters in matching butterfly outfits
  • A “grandma” in a hair net and cardigan

Update II: Dirty Harry has more.

Update III: I packed up the Halloween candy and called it a night.  Nothing terribly original in terms of costumes outside of the grandma, but we did get one Zombie Cheerleader (homemade costume, too).  When I turned on the TV, it was tuned to Snoop Dogg’s Hood of Horror.  Pass!


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This one goes WAY back, but does anyone remember “The Frogs”? Imagine all the creatures in a deep south swamp and they all get their shot at taking someone down. Stared Ray Milland.

yakyak on October 31, 2008 at 9:23 PM

For you Descent fans, IMDB shows several versions… which one is the right one?

FloatingRock on October 31, 2008 at 9:23 PM

O/T.

Funny,part of the Monty Python Team

‘YellowBeard’:)

canopfor on October 31, 2008 at 9:23 PM

Oh man I almost forgot this one!

The Monster That Challenged the World

Oldnuke on October 31, 2008 at 9:23 PM

mrswap was right, it was a Zuni doll. I must have been thinking of the Brady Bunch episode from Hawaii. In any case, I wasn’t too far off.

MarkABinVA on October 31, 2008 at 9:24 PM

Obamamercial.

christene on October 31, 2008 at 9:24 PM

Has anyone mentioned Food of the Gods?

mikeyboss on October 31, 2008 at 9:24 PM

Freakiest I ever saw, maybe because I was a like 12 when I saw it – The Serpent and the Rainbow. Nail hammered into scrotum? That’s horror.

nailinmyeye on October 31, 2008 at 9:09 PM

ooooh..I forgot that one. It was one of the most ‘real’ movies about so called voodoo. Very scary!
Just put it this way..no trips to Haiti for me!

lsutiger on October 31, 2008 at 9:25 PM

“Not of This Earth”: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Not_of_This_Earth_(1957_film) . Scared the crap out of me, and I was born in 1960, so I must have seen it when it was at least 8-10 years old. THIS IS A MUST SEE.

Nostradamus on October 31, 2008 at 9:25 PM

Night of the Living Dead. We had a show here in the Bay Area called Creature Features. My dad would let me stay up on Saturday night to watch it. That night, I had nightmares and woke up getting very sick. Needless to say I didn’t watch that movie again for years.

Sanjoboy on October 31, 2008 at 9:25 PM

Anybody ever read H.P. Lovecraft? Some of his stories scared me so bad I couldn’t sleep. They don’t do well on the big screen though.

Oldnuke on October 31, 2008 at 9:26 PM

My friends really like “Split Second.”
Rutgar Howard, kind of the quintessential buddy-buddy monster flick. Big F***in’ guns.

Count to 10 on October 31, 2008 at 9:26 PM

Gigli

V15J on October 31, 2008 at 9:26 PM

I can’t remember!

Its an Island,people get shipped wrecked!

The sunken experimental German Nazi soldiers
rise up,and returns to the island!

I think there dead zombie Nazi’s!

canopfor on October 31, 2008 at 9:26 PM

Hasn’t anyone seen Rosemary’s Baby? That’s some freaky stuff!

Then there was this thing on TV the other night… it wasn’t so much a “movie” as it was a half-hour infomercial that aired at 8pm on CBS, NBC, and the Fox broadcast network. Did anyone catch that or remember the name? Scariest thing I’ve ever seen.

RightWinged on October 31, 2008 at 9:27 PM

I actually have an incredible (but true) story about what happened after I saw the Exorcist, but it is too long and too weird to share here.

LegendHasIt on October 31, 2008 at 8:47 PM

Oh come on, don’t tease like that! Spill it!

As for me, the Exorcist terrifies me to this day. My father let me watch it when I was about 8 or so. Big mistake. I don’t think he knew how scary it was. I slept with a bible that night and if I watch it now (I just can’t resist) I watch it with the lights on.

CookeyD on October 31, 2008 at 9:27 PM

DeNiro’s “Frankenstein” is one of my all-time favorites. Pretty faithful to the book, too, if I remember right.

artlover on October 31, 2008 at 9:29 PM

Alien was the only horror movie that made me jump.
The Mirror Mask was creepy for me.
Silient Hill was creepy and the end creepier.

I’ve lived 24 years in my house and have never had a trick or treater show up. We gave up getting candy for them after a five years. I was a bit of a let down because I grew up in the city and my wife on a road wit a lot of houses so we use to get lots of candy and see lots of kids dressed up.

Now I live in a farm area and have a pretty spooky 400 foot dirt driveway which I guess kids don’t like to walk down in the dark. Heck even after 24 years I don’t like to walk it in the dark. As a former city boy I miss the lights and sounds of the living all around.

jmarcure on October 31, 2008 at 9:31 PM

Alien, I went to see it expecting a regular SF movie.

Some Japanese film where aliens came and startred kicking Japanese Army butt. I think it was called The MysteriansDr Strangelove scared me and its most serious counterpart. The one where they bombed New York to compensate for the accidental destruction of Moscow. I recall that George Clooney produced a TV version live.

Now I remember, Fail Safe

El Coqui on October 31, 2008 at 9:31 PM

the scariest movie I have ever seen is one that not many people have heard of.

It is called In the Mouth of Madness

-starring Sam Neil and even Charlton Heston

Opinionnation on October 31, 2008 at 9:33 PM

RightWinged on October 31, 2008 at 9:27 PM

I believe it was some guy running for some office, or a Oreck commercial. Either way, it sucked the life out of me.

Sanjoboy on October 31, 2008 at 9:33 PM

So I had a total of four kids. Four. Figures. Last year I bought like 3 bags of candy and almost ran out. This year I bought like 6 and will end up with more sugar in me than a gingerbread man.

amerpundit on October 31, 2008 at 9:33 PM

Some dark horse candidates for top scary movie honors (we all know it’s The Exorcist in a rout):

The Sentinel (Tom Berenger’s first movie appearance at the end)
Wait Until Dark (Audrey Hepburn)
Rear Window
Freaks
The Texas Chainsaw Massacre (low budget terror)

And how about Blue Velvet, with that horrifying Dennis Hopper inhaling the nitrus?

Pope Linus on October 31, 2008 at 9:33 PM

For you Descent fans, IMDB shows several versions… which one is the right one?

FloatingRock on October 31, 2008 at 9:23 PM

The one I am talking about is the first one listed from 2005. Great movie with a sequel coming soon too. If you can, try and get the European version because the ending is different and IMO better.

Luthien on October 31, 2008 at 9:34 PM

I’m not a fan of gore flicks, but I got dragged to Halloween and Friday the Thirteenth. Nightmare on Elm St. was quite scary, too.

Exorcist and The Omen. Pet Sematary. Alien and Aliens. Predator. Alien Vs. Predator.

As for costumes, one really nice Grim Reaper. Too many “Scream” masks.

Kafir on October 31, 2008 at 9:34 PM

I was just visited by a Guitar Hero, eigtht withces (must be the Hillary influence this year) and the Son of Wolfman. all most excellent.

I toss John Carpernter’s “The Thing” into the mix. The wire in the blood scene is tight with tension.

DrW on October 31, 2008 at 9:35 PM

I found the zombie Nazi movie with Peter Cushing!

It’s called ‘Shock Waves’!

Scared the h#ll out of me!

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0076704/

canopfor on October 31, 2008 at 9:37 PM

One more I completely forgot about. It was directed by the same guy that directed The Descent. This one is called “Dog Soldiers” and it is from 2002. Good story and good movie. It’s British I believe. As for “The Descent” and the ending, if you just google it real quick you will find more information about the difference in the American version and the British version.

Luthien on October 31, 2008 at 9:38 PM

I can’t remember!

Its an Island,people get shipped wrecked!

The sunken experimental German Nazi soldiers
rise up,and returns to the island!

I think there dead zombie Nazi’s!

canopfor on October 31, 2008 at 9:26 PM

Shockwaves. 1977. Great zombie flick.

Over30 on October 31, 2008 at 9:38 PM

M, with Peter Lorre.

The original THING and original The FLY, as well.

profitsbeard on October 31, 2008 at 9:41 PM

I’ve lived 24 years in my house and have never had a trick or treater show up. We gave up getting candy for them after a five years.

jmarcure on October 31, 2008 at 9:31 PM

I’m in the same boat, though not for as many years. My biggest fear on Halloween is that some kids might actually take the time to walk a quarter mile down my dark gravel driveway only to learn that I don’t have any candy for them.

FloatingRock on October 31, 2008 at 9:41 PM

This one goes WAY back, but does anyone remember “The Frogs”? Imagine all the creatures in a deep south swamp and they all get their shot at taking someone down. Stared Ray Milland.

yakyak on October 31, 2008 at 9:23 PM

I snuck out of a family Forth of July picnic to see that one, late 1960’s I think. Can’t recall if the frogs actually killed anyone; they more or less directed all the other creatures to do the dirty work.

Over30 on October 31, 2008 at 9:42 PM

I’m in the same boat, though not for as many years. My biggest fear on Halloween is that some kids might actually take the time to walk a quarter mile down my dark gravel driveway only to learn that I don’t have any candy for them.

FloatingRock on October 31, 2008 at 9:41 PM

LOL, that’s why I always buy a bag of MY favorite candy before Halloween. If they happen to venture way out here, then they get something. But, if not, then I get something. :)

I’ve never had one TOTer since moving here. Too rural.

Conservative_SAHM on October 31, 2008 at 9:44 PM

my favorite horror flick is Seconds.

It has a parable for politicians within it and is especially appropriate in an election year.

scrubjay on October 31, 2008 at 9:44 PM

Luthien on October 31, 2008 at 9:34 PM

Thanks, I’ll have to watch it.

FloatingRock on October 31, 2008 at 9:45 PM

Way back in college I made the mistake of watching John Carpenter’s Prince of Darkness and Clive Barker’s Hellraiser in the same night. I swear I couldn’t sleep a wink that night. Each of them is pretty creepy by themselves, but together was just too much.

lordsquirrel on October 31, 2008 at 9:46 PM

(for all you sci-fi geeks, “Mal” from Firefly and Serenity)

Luthien on October 31, 2008 at 9:02 PM

That’s by far the best TV series of all time.

neuquenguy on October 31, 2008 at 9:46 PM

Count Yorga…Vampire was one..How about The Omega Man with C Heston? Or The first Planet of the Apes?

JDM3 on October 31, 2008 at 9:46 PM

LOL, that’s why I always buy a bag of MY favorite candy before Halloween.

Conservative_SAHM on October 31, 2008 at 9:44 PM

I’ve tried that but don’t have enough self control. I can finish off a bag of Recess Peanut Butter Cups in an hour.

FloatingRock on October 31, 2008 at 9:48 PM

Carbon – She’s a conservative and not a closeted one either. Bad for the career, but good for the soul.

Obama may have most of Hollywood, but Bloody Mary endorsed McCain.

JadeNYU on October 31, 2008 at 9:53 PM

Scariest:
The Shining
The Sixth Sense
Rosemary’s Baby
The Ring
The Blair Witch Project
Worst movie ever that was trying to be scary:
Frogs

bobthepeeler on October 31, 2008 at 9:53 PM

The Exorcist 3…
Conservative_SAHM on October 31, 2008 at 8:24 PM

Thanks for mentioning that one! It is a seriously under-rated and particularly creepy film.

Blacklake on October 31, 2008 at 9:04 PM

Yes, Exorcist 3 had one of the most suspenseful/frightening scenes I’ve ever seen in a movie. You know the one – the hallway scene.

Can be seen here (make sure you have the sound turned up): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zH8ynu0jRvY

Conservative_SAHM on October 31, 2008 at 9:54 PM

Some Japanese film where aliens came and startred kicking Japanese Army butt. I think it was called The Mysterians
El Coqui on October 31, 2008 at 9:31 PM

I actually have a copy of The Mysterians. Never thought it particularly scary, especially the big doofus robot with the carrot nose.

Oldnuke on October 31, 2008 at 9:54 PM

That’s by far the best TV series of all time.

neuquenguy on October 31, 2008 at 9:46 PM

Agreed. I really hate FOX for the way they handled that show.

Luthien on October 31, 2008 at 9:56 PM

I just watched John Carpenter’s The Thing with Kurt Russel. Good movie and really scared me when I saw it the first time.

shooten on October 31, 2008 at 9:58 PM

Oldnuke on October 31, 2008 at 9:26 PM

Sadly, you’re right. I’ve never seen any movie that scared me more than “Shadow Over Innsmouth” or “Pickman’s Model”. Especially “Pickman’s Model”.

DrW on October 31, 2008 at 9:35 PM

Watched The Thing last night for the first time in a long while. It’s really a great movie, mostly because it has an actual plot that addresses actual themes, as opposed to the large majority of ‘horror’ films today, which basically follow the same formula every time: Blonde Hottie + Sex Scenes + Shock Scares + Minimal Tension + No Story = Good Movie Profits. Durn kids.

CherokeeJack on October 31, 2008 at 9:58 PM

While not a horror movie, The Machinist with Christian Bale in it is a great suspenseful movie. It’s the kind of movie that messes with your head and has you goin “WTF?”

Luthien on October 31, 2008 at 10:03 PM

Not the scariest, but oldie FAVs:
Creature from the Black Lagoon, dramatic chipmunk-like music
Original Dracula and Frankenstein
Pit and the Pendulum
Dr. Jeckyl and Mr. Hyde
The Mummy, original w/ Boris Karloff.
House of Wax, Vincent Price
Phantom of the Opera, orig. w/ Lon Chaney
Jason and the Argonauts (not real scary, but fun watching the gods play chess w/ humans).
War of the Worlds, original
Dracula, w/ Christopher Lee
and an oldie that gives a woman youth and beauty, briefly, by gouging out the juice from a victims pituitary gland.

Over30 on October 31, 2008 at 10:03 PM

Obama may have most of Hollywood, but Bloody Mary endorsed McCain.

JadeNYU on October 31, 2008 at 9:53 PM

Great! She looks like a great girl.

carbon_footprint on October 31, 2008 at 10:04 PM

Re: “Manos the Hand of Fate”

Someone actually mentioned that earlier in the thread. I have never heard of it before.

carbon_footprint on October 31, 2008 at 9:18 PM

It’s best remembered as the subject of one of the most hilarious episodes of “Mystery Science Theater 3000″ of the entire run. Right up there with “Mitchell.”

Somebody back aways mentioned “Duel,” Stephen Spielberg’s first mainstream film (a made-for-TV production starring Dennis Weaver, a red Dodge Dart, and one big filthy tanker truck). It’s a rather faithful adaption of a novella by horror master Richard Matheson, author of “I Am Legend” as well as most episodes of “The Twilight Zone” that you remember (like “Nightmare at 20,000 Feet”). It’s a good movie.

Blacklake on October 31, 2008 at 10:05 PM

and an oldie that gives a woman youth and beauty, briefly, by gouging out the juice from a victims pituitary gland.

Over30 on October 31, 2008 at 10:03 PM

By using a ring with some sort of curved blade thing on it. I remember it but can’t recall the name. Just remember the ring that she stabbed into the back of men’s heads.

Oldnuke on October 31, 2008 at 10:06 PM

Somebody back aways mentioned “Duel,” Stephen Spielberg’s first mainstream film (a made-for-TV production starring Dennis Weaver, a red Dodge Dart, and one big filthy tanker truck). It’s a rather faithful adaption of a novella by horror master Richard Matheson, author of “I Am Legend” as well as most episodes of “The Twilight Zone” that you remember (like “Nightmare at 20,000 Feet”). It’s a good movie.

Blacklake on October 31, 2008 at 10:05 PM

Yes, Duel is a great movie. Lot’s of tension.

carbon_footprint on October 31, 2008 at 10:08 PM

Oldnuke on October 31, 2008 at 10:06 PM

The Leech Woman?

CherokeeJack on October 31, 2008 at 10:09 PM

We are watching Constantine right now, one of my favorites.

This is the cutest tricker treater evah “Read My Lipstick”

http://sarah-palin-2008.blogspot.com/2008/10/happy-halloween-to-all-our-sarah-palin.html

Dr Evil on October 31, 2008 at 10:10 PM

When I was a kid I saw a movie called Black Sabbath (yes the band got their name from the movie according to Tony Iommi). It was three shorts. The one about the lady who cleans up the body and steals the ring scared me pretty good. My mom had recently died and my house felt haunted as it was.

The Sentinel – the one from the 70s was a pretty frightening scenario to me too.

The Blob had me looking around my chair.

The TV show Kolshack:The Night Stalker had an episode about doppelgangers that scared me.

deewhybee on October 31, 2008 at 10:11 PM

Dr Evil on October 31, 2008 at 10:10 PM

Precious!

carbon_footprint on October 31, 2008 at 10:12 PM

Oh, and look at Drudge right now: ZOGBY: MCCAIN MOVES INTO LEAD 48-47 IN ONE DAY POLLING

carbon_footprint on October 31, 2008 at 10:13 PM

By using a ring with some sort of curved blade thing on it. I remember it but can’t recall the name. Just remember the ring that she stabbed into the back of men’s heads.

Oldnuke on October 31, 2008 at 10:06 PM

Yes!! It was a ring, but I thought it had claw-like device, like a computer chip-puller. I was an obsessed Friday night watcher of Creature Feature w/ Count Gore De Vol.

Over30 on October 31, 2008 at 10:15 PM

Re: “Manos the Hand of Fate”
It’s best remembered as the subject of one of the most hilarious episodes of “Mystery Science Theater 3000″ of the entire run. Right up there with “Mitchell.”

Somebody back aways mentioned “Duel,” Stephen Spielberg’s first mainstream film

Blacklake on October 31, 2008 at 10:05 PM

Duel was extremely scary, I still think about it when driving on the highway late at night.
Mitchell and Manos are both hilarious. Also Pod People.
And Eegah, and Cave Dwellers. MST3K had some really good stuff.

Mulligan on October 31, 2008 at 10:16 PM

I’m a fan of H.P Lovecraft. ReAnimator is one of my favorite movies. Although its not very faithful to the original short.

Dagon is one of the closest adaptations, imo, except for location and showing gore.

I thought Exorcist was really freaky when I saw it. A grade movie too. The new one The Beginning, there was a scene in that rather bothered me. I think it was the antichurch.

I’d like to see more serious attempts at horror. Especially the suspense type. Supernatural is fun, but overdone.

womball on October 31, 2008 at 10:17 PM

I think it would have to be ringu, the orginal japense movie that’s teh absis for the sucky american remake the ring..

It’s just downright creepy.

And for best costume, this Little 7 year old girl as a car wreck victim. It’s just somewhat disturbing to let your little daughter dress like that…

LordDaMan on October 31, 2008 at 10:17 PM

Most scary for me was the first Halloween movie. A crazed killer who walks in the woods, never makes a sound and brutally kills you.

The first time I saw it I was maybe 12 or so. We snuck in through the back exit because it was “R” rated.

Our house was out in the country, in the middle of a forest. For years every time the nightly normal wood sounds went silent and I heard something moving around “out there” I KNEW it was some maniacal killer sneaking up on us.

Guardian on October 31, 2008 at 10:20 PM

Nosferatu.

The Tingler.

Day of The Triffids.

William Teach on October 31, 2008 at 10:21 PM

The Fog the org.
IT, still scared of clowns for the love of god and I’m 42!
Rosemary’s Baby
What ever happened to baby jane freaked me out too.

tee866 on October 31, 2008 at 10:21 PM

Salems Lot

spypeach on October 31, 2008 at 10:24 PM

The Edge. I know I know Alec Baldwin ewwww. But I enjoyed it.

In the process of reading Cujo. Apparently, I’m an idiot and didn’t realize that takes place in and around the town I live in. Gotta keep an eye out for them pesky St Bernards.

scrubbiedude on October 31, 2008 at 10:26 PM

The Leech Woman?
CherokeeJack on October 31, 2008 at 10:09 PM

Yes! That’s it. The ring thing comes at about 4:30 into it.

Oldnuke on October 31, 2008 at 10:26 PM

Has anyone mentioned Hellraiser, Invasion of the Body Snatchers, The Hitcher, and An AMerican Werewolf In London yet?

William Teach on October 31, 2008 at 10:27 PM

Oh and I’ll second the Night of the Living Dead and the original Dawn of the Dead. *Shudder*

scrubbiedude on October 31, 2008 at 10:27 PM

William Teach on October 31, 2008 at 10:27 PM

Bodysnatchers has been mentioned quite a bit, the others I haven’t seen…but there are a lot of posts.

Oldnuke on October 31, 2008 at 10:29 PM

The Leech Woman?

CherokeeJack on October 31, 2008 at 10:09 PM

OMG. You nailed it.

Over30 on October 31, 2008 at 10:29 PM

How about this: Friday The 13th. I went to school where the opening scenes were filmed, and have been to Camp Nobebosco, where the camp scenes were filmed.

Also, while it is not a movie, there is a part right of the campus of Blair Academy, where I went to high school, that looks almost identical to the cover of the first Black Sabbath album.

William Teach on October 31, 2008 at 10:31 PM

My first horror movies – Jamie Lee Curtis in Halloween and Terror Train.

The best tonight was the tiny girl dressed up like Harry Potter, she was adorable with really round cheeks to match her round glasses.

She asked me if we had a fire-extinguisher. When I said yes, she asked where I kept it. When I said in the kitchen she asked if she could see it. Her dad said it was her current fixation. She was totally uninterested in candy.

I myself have a couple of teenagers who are crazy about Halloween. My daughter is a vampire and my son put together a weird 60s-looking rocker outfit with clown hair and one of my old jazz shirts from the 70s. They’re out with their friends, I had 12 of them in my house – crazy!

Common Sense on October 31, 2008 at 10:32 PM

The original or remake?

Over30 on October 31, 2008 at 8:57 PM

The original.

Buy Danish on October 31, 2008 at 10:33 PM

Deliverance

other than …

when I was a kid …

some B&W movie that had piranha.

I love the old B&W scary movies of the times.

Funny how we have progressed in scary.

Texas Gal on October 31, 2008 at 10:43 PM

The original, “Changling”! When the little boy ghost talks on the tape recorder…

Chills!

hawkdriver on October 31, 2008 at 10:43 PM

Interesting how this thread identifies the age group of the commenter… ;)

Texas Gal on October 31, 2008 at 10:44 PM

The original, “Changling”! When the little boy ghost talks on the tape recorder…

Chills!

hawkdriver on October 31, 2008 at 10:43 PM

Well, that one or “Ishtar”!

Chills!

hawkdriver on October 31, 2008 at 10:45 PM

Nomads and The Shining.

csdeven on October 31, 2008 at 10:48 PM

csdeven on October 31, 2008 at 10:48 PM

Nomads? I thought I was the only viewer that movie ever had. It didn’t scare me though, bored me is more like it, and I have fairly low movie standards.

Oldnuke on October 31, 2008 at 10:51 PM

OOO man I forgot about the org. the hill’s have eyes too that one was just freaky.

tee866 on October 31, 2008 at 10:52 PM

I love all the old films people are mentioning. This is probably the only political blog around where The Monster that Challenged the World gets a nod (It’s fun too!).

Scariest that I haven’t seen mentioned so far:

Jacob’s Ladder
The Grudge

The Ruins from this year was pretty darn good too.

John on October 31, 2008 at 10:52 PM

Blair Witch Project fan. But I always wish I could have directed it and made Heather Donahue shut up a little bit. Also, the hand held camera doesn’t give you a full sense of the scope and depth of the woods. Also: they blew the ending with that flashback.
Overall, a good idea for a film, but it could have been done so much better.

whitetop on October 31, 2008 at 10:56 PM

Manos: The Hands of Fate

KillerKane on October 31, 2008 at 8:23 PM

Yeah, the MST3k version? I miss that show.

HAHA…”got family, torgo?”

The Exorcist, also Nosferatu, the silent version, and I rather liked “The Others”.

surrounded on October 31, 2008 at 10:59 PM

Oh! “Rosemary’s Baby”!

surrounded on October 31, 2008 at 11:00 PM

The original “The Haunting Of House Hill”.

Coronagold on October 31, 2008 at 11:00 PM

Ooooh yeah, Jacobs’ Ladder was a mind phuck.

Coronagold on October 31, 2008 at 11:01 PM

Alien is also one of my favorite movies but what male still doesn’t get turned on at the end of the movie with a young Sigourney Weaver in her underwear? For all it mattered, she might as well been naked.

Best costume this year (or ever): my entire little league team showed up at my doorstep in their uniforms. Priceless.

slug on October 31, 2008 at 11:01 PM

My choices, based on my being over 50 and raised on B&W ‘Red Scare’ Sci-Fi:

‘The Thing From Another World’: Nothing has been able to touch its dialog and pacing.

‘It! The Terror From Beyond Space’: The original and in some ways, better ‘Alien’.

‘The House On Haunted Hill’: Slow creeping terror with one superb ‘Seat Jumping’ scary old crone.

‘The Night Of The Living Dead’: George Romero’s no budget, claustrophobic epic.

‘The Wicker Man’: Another slow building creepy film with a killer ending. Should never have been re-made!

‘The Brood’: One of David Cronenburg’s best! Samantha Eggar gives birth to navel-less little demons.

‘The Evil Dead’: Put Bruce Campbell and the Raimi brothers on the map. Low to no budget perfection.

Jack.

Jack Deth on October 31, 2008 at 11:03 PM

The Incredibly Strange Creatures Who Stopped Living and Became Mixed-Up Zombies

Just for the title.

AND WORSE, THE MUSIC!

profitsbeard on October 31, 2008 at 11:03 PM

When I was a preschooler in the early 1970’s I kept conning my teenage babysiter into letting me watch “The Reincarnation of Peter Proud” every time it came on TV.
It always caused me nightmares.
I’m not much into horror movies anyway.
My thing is documentaries.

annoyinglittletwerp on October 31, 2008 at 11:04 PM

Anyone ever watch the old silent film, The Golem?

Oldnuke on October 31, 2008 at 11:07 PM

Rosemary’s Baby is my favorite, and let me second Wait Until Dark. Angel Heart is creepy. But I basically haven’t been able to watch a real intense horror movie since a substitute teacher showed us Poltergeist in grade four. Been traumatized ever since.

AdrianG on October 31, 2008 at 11:08 PM

Day of The Triffids.
William Teach on October 31, 2008 at 10:21 PM

Huh?…Oh, that’s right, I was thinking of Tribbles.

eeyore on October 31, 2008 at 11:09 PM

Has anyone mentioned The Haunting (original) yet? One of the few B&W films that can still scare you today.

CherokeeJack on October 31, 2008 at 11:11 PM

Anyone ever watch the old silent film, The Golem?

Oldnuke on October 31, 2008 at 11:07 PM

Old German film, Der Golem. You’re scary.

Over30 on October 31, 2008 at 11:12 PM

Arguably the scariest scene of the scariest Dracula movie ever made. Still gives me chills. About 5 minutes long.

Oldnuke on October 31, 2008 at 11:14 PM

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