Serious Movie Lover

That is the last time I have the Special Meatloaf

October is upon us and that means that everyone loves to watch horror movies to prepare to stuff themselves on left over candy from those trick or treaters that are getting fewer and fewer every year.  So we here would like to guide you in what to watch over the course of the next 31 days to ensure that you have weird dreams and avoid dark hallways.

Over the history of film, Horror has found its way into larger genres and has proven to be a consistent crowd pleaser from mutilated prisoners to people attached at the rectum (you know what movie I mean). So here are our top five horror movies as always this is not fact just preference so disagree as much as you like.

Night of the Living Dead
The are movies that come along and set the standard.  From that point on, there are movies before and movies after, this is Night of the Living Dead.  George Romero changed all the rules and made film history by making a low budget independent film with an African American Hero and Blonde Bombshell Heroine that scared the crap out of everyone.  On top of all of this, Romero showed that Horror can be driven by the visual and not by an actor.  Night of the Living Dead is the bible for modern horror, and in particular, one of the flash points that led to inspire some of the best make up artists in all of film history.

Jaws
Here is our first one that does not seem like a true horror film. True there are no supernatural elements.  There are no demented villains murdering people in a flesh suit.  But how many people to this day think twice before going into an ocean while thinking of this movie.  Jaws and Steven Spielberg scared generations of kids and adults from swimming in the ocean.  To further the validity of this movie falling into the horror category, Spielberg used many elements from old horror and suspense films (especially Hitchcock) to further terrify the audience.  There is the old trick of not showing the villain until half way through the movie, and Spielberg masterfully used this to the point that on opening weekend of the film when the shark appears people were either fleeing the theater or throwing up in their seats.

Alien
For lack of better comparison, this is Jaws in space. However, Alien goes above and beyond that.  Alien is a combination of Jaws and 2001 and things exploding out of your body.  Ridley Scott amazed everyone with this film, and still creates fear in those who watch (that is possibly before Prometheus).  The idea of being trapped in a box with something hunting you is scary enough, but lets add that even if you can harm the hunter its blood will burn and kill you.  Oh my god.  Then to further complicate your survival, the main computer that communicates with an android have decided that the hunter’s life is more important than yours.  To top it all, the thing was given birth out of your buddy’s stomach during dinner the night before, so screw any idea of eating in the future.  Ridley Scott delivers all of this with terrifying suspenseful perfection, that can still give anyone nightmares.

The Shining

Forgot my winter coat again, LOL.

How can you turn a great Stephen King book into an astonishing movie?  Have Stanley Kubrick adapt it into a movie.  If not for our number one, this would be the definition of how to scare people for a year or two after having seen a movie.  From an elevator of blood to a creepy kids voice, the Shining incorporates all the best of Stephen King’s novel and improves on the bad parts.  The similarities are the supernatural element that tie all the characters together, scenes like the woman in the bathtub, and those freakin twins.  However Kubrick was able to create new elements through writing and filmmaking.  By driving the cast to the brink of mental break downs, Kubrick ensured the most authentic performances to the point that Shelly Duval did not speak to him after the film for the rest of Kubrick’s life.  The scene where the camera follows Danny Torrence on his big wheel through the hotel builds so much suspense resulting in those freakin twins that a seemingly mundane shot becomes on of the most terrifying in film history.  The final alteration was the ending.  While in King’s book, the supernatural element takes over and goodwill prevails, Kubrick’s ending is that of a man so single minded that a hedge maze becomes his demise.  Giving us Jack in his most famous face frozen for all time.

Nothing against you, I just want to use your daughter to destroy the world. Cool?

The Exorcist
You can sit and say that there are scarier movies, you can say that there are better movies at shocking you, you can say that there are movies with more blood.  Shut Up.  Hands down this movie scares more people per capita than any other.  I have seen the movie over fifty times and certain scenes still keep me up at night.  Whether you are a fan of spider walking or heads with no neck muscles, this movie instills fear in all who watch. Hell you don’t have to have religion to find it terrifying.  Among all the scary things in the movie, there are always two that stand out.  The first being the demon’s face that flashes through the movie (particularly the extended version), and lastly when you see the words “Help Me” rising out of Reagan’s stomach as if she is caught inside.  The Exorcist took every note of horror and built upon it.  From the supernatural to the desperation to right a wrong brings all of us in.  But our challenge is watch multiple times and see all the subtle creepy moments, if you dare.