Best Horror Film?

[CerebralKnievel]

MRW The Texas Chain Saw Massacre is getting beat by The Ring and is neck and neck with The Conjuring.

The Texas Chain Saw Massacre is my A E S T H E T I C

The Exorcist and The Shining are played out, they always win these lists. They're always number one and number two. I disagree, strongly. #NotMyGOATs. Good films, The Shining is a mainstay in my top ten, but the way they run away with these lists every. single. time. is annoying. The Thing has been joining them in recent years (online anyway)...the internet has fallen head over heels for it. It's great, I love it. But in a way it's become a bit overrated, which I don't like saying (the fact every second person says it's the best thing ever in human history). It's a shame the love isn't spread out a bit more to other great films.

1. The Texas Chain Saw Massacre
2. Halloween
3. Suspiria
4. The Thing
5. The Fly
6. The Shining
7. Lifeforce
8. Eyes Without A Face
9. Santa Sangre
10. The Wicker Man



Runner ups.

Videodrome, Rosemarys Baby, The Innocents, Alien, Black Sunday, Martyrs, A Nightmare On Elm Street, Gremlins, Salems Lot, Zombie Flesh Eaters, Inside, Halloween III: Season of the Witch, From Beyond, Dagon, Poltergeist, The Evil Dead, Re-Animator, The Descent, Dog Soldiers.

You neglected to list Basketcase.

 

[CerebralKnievel]

Get Out & IT are two horror movies for people that don't like Horror movies, that's my opinion. Both were mediocre. How they get so much love is beyond me. On IMDB they both have some GOD TIER ratings for horror films. It's crazy.

I'm not saying that to be snobby or elitist. Just saying, I'm a huge horror fan. Those two films got some major 'main stream success' they broke out of the niche market, tonnes of non-horror fans went to see them.

The Ritual bested both of them for the best Horror film of 2017. Comfortably to at that.

The Ritual was pretty sweet. There were a few things to criticize, narratively, but it had a great build up and that cabin scene was awesome.

 

[Fraz]

Voted for Alien, but my answer probably changes between Alien, The Shining, The Thing and Halloween on any given day. Poultergeist is another solid pick.

I prefer Poultrygeist

 

[CerebralKnievel]

The sad thing was that this movie bombed in the theaters when it came out. It came out the same year as E.T. and was criticized for being overly grotesque. The director ,Carpetner, was gutted over how it was received by both critics and moviegoers and it is often is said that he never put in the same sort of effort after that.

Halloween? It was a long running hit at the box office.

 

[Co-Co Zola]

Curious how yall rate horror movies. I know all of you are over 10yo so I’m sure no movie actually ‘scares’ you. So is it the atmosphere, tension, gore, imagining yourself in the persons’ shoes?

This is the thing. Some people rate horror movies on how 'scary' they are. Some people will watch a great horror movie and say it sucks because it didn't 'scare' them. Who finds movies scary ? No offense but come the fuck on. I haven't been scared by a movie since I was 11 or 12.

I can only speak for myself. Firstly, I've always been a member of the dark side. I loved films like Scream, Final Destination, Jeepers Creepers, Saw, Freddy vs Jason, Jason X when I was young (born in the mid 90s). My favorite wrestler was Kane, my favorite star wars character was Darth Maul, my favorite Lord of the Rings character were the Ring Wraiths. Horror has always been my thing. Some people were just born to like this stuff.


What I like about Horror is;

-The aesthetic of some of the films, The Texas Chain Saw Massacre is my go to one here. The cattle, the Volkswagon, bone furniture, Pam being hung on a metal hook, a revving chain saw, the hot humid sweaty sunny summers day in Texas, the stench of meat and decay, the pangs of the camera/the sound track, the 70s clothing. The visuals are beautiful and create a great atmosphere. The older films nailed it better, the run down realistic look. Many big block busters these days have some super vamped up ultra HD CGI plastic thing going on. It takes away from the realism. This is why some people, such as myself, probably prefer the films of the 70s/80s. They looked real, they used practical effects. Atmosphere/Vibe/Aesthetic. Horror has it in abundance, it's my thing, films which nail it can go a long way. I live for the atmospheres they create. Shit like I.T with it's 'stranger things' 4K millennial tween horror vibe is fucking awful to my senses. Yuck.



-The sense of danger. In horror bad things happen. In stuff like The Avengers, it's all a big bubble gum explosive bit of fun, there is no sense of dread or danger. We all know The Avengers are gonna' kick some ass and save the day. To further this point, the personalization of suffering/danger. For example in Age of Ultron (I think) the Avengers are pulled up about how many people died at one of their little battles then they all sit there sullen and looking down at the ground. It's such a pathetic, paper thin way to showcase tragedy. In Horror it's personal, it's shown. You see it and feel it. You can put your yourself in their shoes. In some other films it's a case of 'oh no some people died'. In Horror they can showcase the gravity of the situation, you can feel it. To further this...it's a certain kind of entertainment, putting yourself in their shoes, being able to live out the situation. It's gripping and enthralling. You feel for the characters, you know there is a true possibility they'll bite the dust.


-Some people run on Melancholic, Sad, Horrifying vibes. It's more my thing than upbeat comedies. Darker more serious films are better. Horror is a serious genre, outside of some whacky horror comedies. Many blockbusters (such as super hero films) are very lighthearted and non-serious. For me, you can watch those films and be like cool onto the next. It's like fast food, in and out. A well made Horror film can stick with you, it has a lingering appeal.

 

[Co-Co Zola]

You neglected to list Basketcase.

Haven't seen it pal.

I've seen many, many Horror films. But cinema history is so big there is always more to discover.

 

[CerebralKnievel]

Haven't seen it pal.

I've seen many, many Horror films. But cinema history is so big there is always more to discover.

You kidding me?????

Dude..

From Beyond
Reanimator
Basket Case

That's the laugh riot trifecta.

 

[Co-Co Zola]

The Ritual was pretty sweet. There were a few things to criticize, narratively, but it had a great build up and that cabin scene was awesome.

I liked the setting, the vibe and the execution. Swedish mountains/forests check. Norse Mythology check. Malevolent Gods check. The Witcher esque vibe check (creature design and the local swedes). British lads check. (I'm British, I know many people whom are like the guys in the film).



It's much more my thing than stuff like I.T or Get Out.

It wasn't perfect but it had some strong points, I respect the hustle and what they accomplished. A good film. It reminded me of The VVitch only with a bit more pay off and action.

 

[Co-Co Zola]

Halloween? It was a long running hit at the box office.

He's talking about The Thing.

It's the go to discussion these days. How it was neglected upon release and only recently has everyone realized how great it is.

The Thing is known so well for 3 things.
-amazing practical effects
-Kurt Russell
-the fact it was a major flop and has arisen to become one of the most beloved horror films of all time

 

[Sir Galahad]

I went with Jacob's Ladder altough Event Horizion and In the Mouth of Madness are good there is just something about H.P. Lovecraft style movies that freak me out more then just shock horror.

 

[CerebralKnievel]

I liked the setting, the vibe and the execution. Swedish mountains/forests check. Norse Mythology check. Malevolent Gods check. The Witcher esque vibe check (creature design and the local swedes). British lads check. (I'm British, I know many people whom are like the guys in the film).



It's much more my thing than stuff like I.T or Get Out.

It wasn't perfect but it had some strong points, I respect the hustle and what they accomplished. A good film. It reminded me of The VVitch only with a bit more pay off and action.

Well, the Witch was a brilliantly executed film. The only problem was that the studio which distributed it insisted on promoting it as a horror film. It was really just a very peculiar dark suspense film.

 

[CerebralKnievel]

He's talking about The Thing.

It's the go to discussion these days. How it was neglected upon release and only recently has everyone realized how great it is.

The Thing is known so well for 3 things.
-amazing practical effects
-Kurt Russell
-the fact it was a major flop and has arisen to become one of the most beloved horror films of all time

That happens occasionally. The Thing is indeed Carpenters best film. It is stylistically not dissimilar from his other films of his era, but it is definitely the apex of that ensemble.

 

[Co-Co Zola]

Well, the Witch was a brilliantly executed film. The only problem was that the studio which distributed it insisted on promoting it as a horror film. It was really just a very peculiar dark suspense film.

The VVitch isn't a fave of mine. But I loved the aesthetic and vibe. They nailed the 'period piece' aspect. The only thing that annoyed me was the low pay off.

It reminded me of that time I was 14 years old and watched Bride of Frankenstein only to discover that the Bride was in the film for all of a minute. That annoyed me back then. The VVitch absolutely knocked it out of the park in some aspects but left me wanting more, a great film and one of the best horror films since 2010. But it just failed to launch itself into my faves list.

It's funny because some people say that in The Ritual, they didn't like the fact the 'monster' become so prominent towards the end. Different strokes I guess, if they didn't show it they'd have dickheads like me yapping. Some have called The Ritual a poor rehash of The Blair Witch Project, which is fucking hilarious. Don't get me started on that film, one of the biggest let downs I've ever had watching a film. I thoroughly disliked the Blair Witch Project.

 

[CerebralKnievel]

The VVitch isn't a fave of mine. But I loved the aesthetic and vibe. They nailed the 'period piece' aspect. The only thing that annoyed me was the low pay off.

It reminded me of that time I was 14 years old and watched Bride of Frankenstein only to discover that the Bride was in the film for all of a minute. That annoyed me back then. The VVitch absolutely knocked it out of the park in some aspects but left me wanting more, a great film and one of the best horror films since 2010. But it just failed to launch itself into my faves list.

It's funny because some people say that in The Ritual, they didn't like the fact the 'monster' become so prominent towards the end. Different strokes I guess, if they didn't show it they'd have dickheads like me yapping. Some have called The Ritual a poor rehash of The Blair Witch Project, which is fucking hilarious. Don't get me started on that film, one of the biggest let downs I've ever had watching a film. I thoroughly disliked the Blair Witch Project.

I love the Blair Witch. Can't say the same for any of the sequels, but the original just took the tension and stretched it right to the breaking point. I also found that the jarring final shot left me gripped with a continuing sense of fearful wondering.

 

[Co-Co Zola]

I love the Blair Witch. Can't say the same for any of the sequels, but the original just took the tension and stretched it right to the breaking point. I also found that the jarring final shot left me gripped with a continuing sense of fearful wondering.

Et tu CerebralKnievel ?


Eh, to each their own. I've only saw it once. I had a few drinks (alcohol can enhance or dampen the viewing experience, I'm not sure what effect it had on the Blair Witch) and was left wanting much more. To my eyes and ears, the Blair Witch Project was 90 minutes of people arguing in the woods with a couple of branches rustling. Not really my cup of tea I'm afraid. I didn't feel the tension, it didn't strike a cord with me so I was left literally watching people argue and complain about being lost.

Being able to put yourself in that situation is so important in horror. I couldn't do it with Blair Witch. The setting and vibe didn't land, often being isolated in the forest is perfect for building that atmosphere of dread and desperation (The Ritual did it better for me), but in the Blair Witches case it didn't connect for me personally.

 

[CerebralKnievel]

Et tu CerebralKnievel ?


Eh, to each their own. I've only saw it once. I had a few drinks (alcohol can enhance or dampen the viewing experience, I'm not sure what effect it had on the Blair Witch) and was left wanting much more. To my eyes and ears, the Blair Witch Project was 90 minutes of people arguing in the woods with a couple of branches rustling. Not really my cup of tea I'm afraid. I didn't feel the tension, it didn't strike a cord with me so I was left literally watching people argue and complain about being lost.

Being able to put yourself in that situation is so important in horror. I couldn't do it with Blair Witch. The setting and vibe didn't land, often being isolated in the forest is perfect for building that atmosphere of dread and desperation (The Ritual did it better for me), but in the Blair Witches case it didn't connect for me personally.

I love all of those movies. I enjoyed all of the Paranormal films (except for part 4, which was utter shit, and 6, although it was at least hilarious). Also liked Devil's Due... Hell, I watch all of the demonic entity films. However, I will say that while I watch the majority of them to laugh and goff at with my buddies, Paranormal actually chilled me for a day or two.


As for Blair Witch, I first saw it in the theater while coming down from acid and returned to an empty house. I was thoroughly reduced in psychological stature that evening.

 

[HI SCOTT NEWMAN]

Hahaha OMG that really is some exorcist stuff. That kitty looks possessed

 

[Graves The Elder]

rosemary's baby was good
omen was good
exorcist was great
poultrygiest also very good
the thing riveting

The Shining epic IMO

 

[WouldNotBang]

Original Halloween for me.

Friday the 13th is fun also.

 

[WouldNotBang]

Was that your pick? I didn't think it would get many votes.

I was surprised as well. Friday is pretty iconic.