Well, since time is flying by we'll just finish this thing off with the top ten horror movies, all in one post.
10. The Devil’s Backbone
Guillermo Del Toro, 2001
Pan's Labyrinth got all of the attention, but this earlier film is Del Toro's true masterpiece. It's a haunting story (hah! Thank you, I'll be here all week), focusing heavily on the weight of history and the the pain and regret that people feel over their mistakes. The ghosts are really just outward manifestations of that – both metaphorically and, to a surprising degree, literally. As with Pan's, Del Toro wrings a strong set of performances out of a young cast that probably shouldn't be capable of it yet. A triumph on all levels.
9. The Texas Chainsaw Massacre
Tobe Hooper, 1974
Infamously violent yet shockingly non-graphic, The Texas Chainsaw Massacre is one of the most grueling, intense moviegoing experiences you will ever have. It all begins with a very particular sound – that of a flashbulb firing. It's loud, sudden, and totally mundane – yet it puts you right on edge. That sound basically typifies the movie as a whole – it's painfully normal, almost drab, but still just far enough off of center to be unnerving. Even when the movie descends into nightmarish chaos in the last third, that smothering drabness (and I mean this in a good way, despite my choice of word) is still present.
Also, and unrelated – bonus anti-PC points for having the handicapped character be an utterly unsympathetic asshole.
8. Night of the Living Dead
George A. Romero, 1968
This is zombie patient zero – the very first appearance of what we have come to know as zombies. Before this, the only sort of zombies seen on-screen were the Caribbean, voodoo-type of zombies, which are an entirely different creature. Of course, Romero’s movies are never truly about the zombies, but rather what they reveal about us. Even now, 40 years later, the ending still has the ability to enrage and shock.
7. The Thing
John Carpenter, 1982
John Carpenter's The Thing proves two things. First, that remakes can be superior to the source (especially when the source is as ridiculous and backward-looking as it is in this case), and second, that good, old-fashioned latex-based physical effects can accomplish anything. Of course, all of those brilliant effects wouldn't mean much if they were presented poorly, but fortunately, The Thing is a textbook example of how to make this sort of film. It is, essentially, flawless.
6. The Fly
David Cronenberg, 1986
Another remake that blows the original out of the water. Of course, as with The Thing, the movie is so different that it is hardly recognizable as a remake. In this case, Cronenberg has taken the bare bones of the original The Fly and shaped it into a grueling (both emotionally and viscerally) parable about aging and disease. Fantastic stuff.
5. Return of the Living Dead
Dan O’bannon, 1985
Return of the Living Dead manages to do something that very few other movies have ever pulled off – it is both scary and funny. Sure, there have been successful horror comedies in the past (several of which are on this list), but, while they succeed as comedies (which is usually the primary intent) and they succeed as horror movies, they still aren’t really scary. This one is. The zombies are incredibly menacing and frightening, but also provide some of the funniest moments I’ve ever seen on screen (“send more paramedics”). It’s a difficult tightrope to walk, but Return of the Living Dead never falls apart the way it probably ought to. Wrap it all up with that beautifully nihilistic ending, and you’ve got a winner.
4. Don’t Look Now
Nicholas Roeg, 1973
It’s all about the ending with this one, which just might be the single most terrifying moment I’ve ever experienced in a movie. The rest of the movie is terrific as well – a gut-wrenching portrait of a couple trying to move on after the death of their daughter – but there’s not much fear to be had. You could be forgiven for thinking you were watching some sort of prestige drama – which in many ways, it is. But then that moment happens, and it all changes. I shall speak no more of it until you see it for yourselves.
3. Halloween
John Carpenter, 1978
Well, it's Halloween. It's basically the birth of the slasher movie (yes, I know that it bears many similarities to the earlier Black Christmas, but Halloween took the scattered ideas of the movie and really built them into a coherent whole). When John Carpenter was in his prime, no one could wring more suspense out of a few well-chosen shots than him. No one. And this is exhibit A. Watch Laurie's long walk across the street. Watch Annie's excruciating stuck-in-the-window sequence. Watch basically any other sequence in the movie, and marvel at the way that Michael Myers is always present, always lurking in the background, sometimes so subtly you don't notice it until a later viewing.
2. The Abominable Dr. Phibes
Robert Fuest, 1971
Oh, the colors. Oh, the art deco. Oh, Vulnavia. I mean, er, oh, the wicked humor (“I think it has a left-hand thread”). The Abominable Dr. Phibes is a truly one-of-a-kind film. Lacking the use of his voice (at least on-set), Vincent Price goes completely over the top with a flamboyant, theatrical performance that is both riveting and surprisingly affecting on an emotional level. He never feels out of place, though, as the movie careens wrecklessly from bizarre to nightmarish to hilarious and back again, all the while never less than stunning to look at. I can never get tired of this movie.
1. Dawn of the Dead
George A. Romero, 1978
The best of them all, and one of my very favorite movies, period. Romero took the core of the idea he developed in Night. . . (that we are our own worst enemies) and ran with it, creating a treatise on malaise and complacency (as exemplified by consumer culture) that has never been topped. This was also one of the first movies to feature makeup effects by Tom Savini, and while they’re not really realistic at all, they are enjoyable. It’s often considered to be sort of a horror-comedy, but I don’t really think that’s true. There’s comedy to be had, mostly in the satirical aspects of the film, but it’s a wry humor, tinged with sadness. There are several cuts of this movie available, but the one you’ll want to see is the original theatrical, as the festival version drags and the Italian version is missing too much important material. That said, the festival cut does contain one scene that I really miss in the theatrical – when our heroes are procuring the helicopter for their escape, early on, they encounter a soldier who is stealing a boat for the same purpose. He asks if they have any cigarettes, they say no. The next shot is our heroes lighting up in the helicopter as it takes off. Good guys or bad guys, when the end of the world comes, it’s every man for himself.
Showing posts with label Best-of. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Best-of. Show all posts
Thursday, October 28, 2010
Monday, October 18, 2010
The 50 Best Horror Movies: #11-15
15. Nosferatu: Phantom Der Nacht
Werner Herzog, 1979
Like much of Herzog's work, Nosferatu is so beautiful and deliberately paced that it's almost hypnotic. While there are no specific images that can match the original Nosferatu for sheer terror, even when they attempt to recreate exact shots, Herzog's film manages to instill a more profound sense of horror – the plague of rats, in particular, is tremendously nightmarish and surreal. This is easily the best version of Dracula on film.
14. The Whip and the Body
Mario Bava, 1963
The Whip and the Body is the ultimate expression of Mario Bava's skills as a director. His use of color is more pronounced, his in-camera trickery more clever. The story falls into the category of many movies on this list, the is-it-or-isn't-it ghost story. Really, the only fault I can find is the fact that Christopher Lee was dubbed by a different actor – and in fact, after this movie, he made it a contractual issue that no one else could ever dub him over for english language tracks.
13. Frankenstein
James Whale, 1931
This is essentially the birth of American horror. While there had been earlier, silent horror films in the states before, they generally turned out to be more like detective stories in the end, with Scooby-Dooesque conclusions. With Frankenstein, however, James Whale took a healthy dose of german expressionism and applied it to an actual tale of horror. He got Jack Pierce to design the most iconic monster makeup ever (even to this day). It was a game-changer, and without it, I doubt much of anything on this list would even exist.
12. Shaun of the Dead
Edgar Wright, 2004
This is what happens when you take a bunch of comedians who have an actual, legitimate affection for a genre and turn them loose on it – not a spoof, not a satire, but an honest, legitimate zombie movie that also happens to be funny as hell. What I love about this movie is that they don’t spend their time condescending to the subject matter (yeah, fuck you, Scream) or criticizing the tropes of the genre, but still find plenty of opportunities to laugh. There’s nothing else quite like it.
11. The Beyond
Lucio Fulci, 1981
This is the most beautiful horror movie I’ve ever seen. It’s a complete disaster as a narrative, but it functions as a weird cross between a painting and a dream, filled with strikingly surreal images and gorgeous compositions that even the occasional shoddy effect (*ahem* tarantulas with teeth) can’t undermine. I often describe movies I love as having a certain sort of indefinable magic; that’s true for this one moreso than most. You really just have to see it.
Werner Herzog, 1979
Like much of Herzog's work, Nosferatu is so beautiful and deliberately paced that it's almost hypnotic. While there are no specific images that can match the original Nosferatu for sheer terror, even when they attempt to recreate exact shots, Herzog's film manages to instill a more profound sense of horror – the plague of rats, in particular, is tremendously nightmarish and surreal. This is easily the best version of Dracula on film.
14. The Whip and the Body
Mario Bava, 1963
The Whip and the Body is the ultimate expression of Mario Bava's skills as a director. His use of color is more pronounced, his in-camera trickery more clever. The story falls into the category of many movies on this list, the is-it-or-isn't-it ghost story. Really, the only fault I can find is the fact that Christopher Lee was dubbed by a different actor – and in fact, after this movie, he made it a contractual issue that no one else could ever dub him over for english language tracks.
13. Frankenstein
James Whale, 1931
This is essentially the birth of American horror. While there had been earlier, silent horror films in the states before, they generally turned out to be more like detective stories in the end, with Scooby-Dooesque conclusions. With Frankenstein, however, James Whale took a healthy dose of german expressionism and applied it to an actual tale of horror. He got Jack Pierce to design the most iconic monster makeup ever (even to this day). It was a game-changer, and without it, I doubt much of anything on this list would even exist.
12. Shaun of the Dead
Edgar Wright, 2004
This is what happens when you take a bunch of comedians who have an actual, legitimate affection for a genre and turn them loose on it – not a spoof, not a satire, but an honest, legitimate zombie movie that also happens to be funny as hell. What I love about this movie is that they don’t spend their time condescending to the subject matter (yeah, fuck you, Scream) or criticizing the tropes of the genre, but still find plenty of opportunities to laugh. There’s nothing else quite like it.
11. The Beyond
Lucio Fulci, 1981
This is the most beautiful horror movie I’ve ever seen. It’s a complete disaster as a narrative, but it functions as a weird cross between a painting and a dream, filled with strikingly surreal images and gorgeous compositions that even the occasional shoddy effect (*ahem* tarantulas with teeth) can’t undermine. I often describe movies I love as having a certain sort of indefinable magic; that’s true for this one moreso than most. You really just have to see it.
Friday, October 8, 2010
The 50 Best Horror Movies: #16-20
20. Alien
Ridley Scott, 1979
As we progress through this list, you're going to start seeing more and more established classics that should come as no surprise – after all, they're on everyone's lists. This is a prime example of such a movie – a spooky old house movie perfectly transposed into outer space, with sets and creatures designed by a crazy European. There is not a moment that feels wrong (unless you watch the newer director's cut).
19. An American Werewolf in London
John Landis, 1981
This is the movie they invented the makeup effects Academy Award for, and once you see the central werewolf transformation scene, you’ll know why. It’s not all about werewolves, though – there’s a very prominent ghost element as well, which provides most of the funniest moments (although nothing can top “Mummy, a naked American man stole my balloons”), and some random nightmare monsters too. There has never been a better werewolf movie, although to be fair, that's not all that difficult.
18. I Walked with a Zombie
Jacques Tourneur, 1943
The movies of producer Val Lewton are often credited largely to him, creatively speaking. This is not unreasonable, as there is a certain consistency to them, despite the several different directors who worked on them. Still, his collaborations with Jacques Tourneur do displace a certain visual panache that the other films tend not to match. This, then, is not only the best of their collaborations, but also the best of Lewton's films, period. It's a gorgeous, moody piece that somehow, despite its short length, feels almost like a novel, particularly of the gothic era.
17. Dellamorte Dellamore
Michele Soavi, 1996
The first time I was asked to describe this movie, I said it was Dawn of the Dead crossed with Brazil. I'm not a huge fan of describing movies in that way, but it's pretty spot-on in this case. You have Brazil's surrealism, its bubbly, quirky, yet still depressing humor, and its obsession with bureaucracy, coupled with Dawn's social criticism, sense of malaise, and, of course, zombies. It's a potent combination, and makes for an unforgettable movie.
16. The Shining
Stanley Kubrick, 1980
Stephen King wishes he could write a book as good as this movie. Yes, the character arc is truncated compared to the novel. Yes, it skews more in the direction of standard horror tropes than the novel (axe vs. croquet mallet). But it also trims a lot of fat, and those tropes are wielded as surely and effectively as possible. Is there anything that has ever been as nerve-wrackingly creepy as the long tracking shots as Danny rides through the hallways? OR the woman in the bathtub? Plus, hedge maze beats topiary animals any day. King is right about one thing – it's not a good adaptation of the novel. But we're all better off for it.
Ridley Scott, 1979
As we progress through this list, you're going to start seeing more and more established classics that should come as no surprise – after all, they're on everyone's lists. This is a prime example of such a movie – a spooky old house movie perfectly transposed into outer space, with sets and creatures designed by a crazy European. There is not a moment that feels wrong (unless you watch the newer director's cut).
19. An American Werewolf in London
John Landis, 1981
This is the movie they invented the makeup effects Academy Award for, and once you see the central werewolf transformation scene, you’ll know why. It’s not all about werewolves, though – there’s a very prominent ghost element as well, which provides most of the funniest moments (although nothing can top “Mummy, a naked American man stole my balloons”), and some random nightmare monsters too. There has never been a better werewolf movie, although to be fair, that's not all that difficult.
18. I Walked with a Zombie
Jacques Tourneur, 1943
The movies of producer Val Lewton are often credited largely to him, creatively speaking. This is not unreasonable, as there is a certain consistency to them, despite the several different directors who worked on them. Still, his collaborations with Jacques Tourneur do displace a certain visual panache that the other films tend not to match. This, then, is not only the best of their collaborations, but also the best of Lewton's films, period. It's a gorgeous, moody piece that somehow, despite its short length, feels almost like a novel, particularly of the gothic era.
17. Dellamorte Dellamore
Michele Soavi, 1996
The first time I was asked to describe this movie, I said it was Dawn of the Dead crossed with Brazil. I'm not a huge fan of describing movies in that way, but it's pretty spot-on in this case. You have Brazil's surrealism, its bubbly, quirky, yet still depressing humor, and its obsession with bureaucracy, coupled with Dawn's social criticism, sense of malaise, and, of course, zombies. It's a potent combination, and makes for an unforgettable movie.
16. The Shining
Stanley Kubrick, 1980
Stephen King wishes he could write a book as good as this movie. Yes, the character arc is truncated compared to the novel. Yes, it skews more in the direction of standard horror tropes than the novel (axe vs. croquet mallet). But it also trims a lot of fat, and those tropes are wielded as surely and effectively as possible. Is there anything that has ever been as nerve-wrackingly creepy as the long tracking shots as Danny rides through the hallways? OR the woman in the bathtub? Plus, hedge maze beats topiary animals any day. King is right about one thing – it's not a good adaptation of the novel. But we're all better off for it.
Sunday, October 3, 2010
The 50 Best Horror Movies: #21-25
25. The Ring
Gore Verbinski, 2002
One of the few cases where a remake improves on the source (you’ll see a couple more later in the list), The Ring pales in comparison to Ringu only in the visualization of the infamous climax. That lapse is forgivable, however, since it comes with stronger characters, a better-fleshed out backstory, and the fact that this time, every second character in the movie is not a psychic. There’s also a really tremendous feeling of sadness and regret hanging over the movie, giving it a lot more emotional resonance than I would have expected. It turned out to be a real, honest, character-driven movie, so the fact that (SPOILER) isn’t as scary as in the original hardly even matters.
24. The Creature from the Black Lagoon
Jack Arnold, 1954
By the fifties, the gothic horror boom that birthed the classic Universal stable of monsters had run its course, replaced with scientific horrors – aliens, giant bugs, you name it. Nonetheless, they managed to squeeze out one final creature worthy of standing amongst the greats, combining the pathos of Frankenstein’s monster with a more modern background and what is probably the greatest black and white monster design ever committed to film. The story is, basically, an old standby – people go exploring and find a monster, monster falls in love with the girl, people have to rescue the girl from the monster – but the details make it sing.
23. Re-Animator
Stuart Gordon, 1985
Re-Animator is best known for the infamous naked girl/zombie head scene, as referenced in American Beauty. While that bit definitely typifies the tone of the movie, it would be a shame to reduce it all down to that moment. You’d miss out on the slyly clever script, the (rest of) the exquisitely crafted gore, and most of all, Jeffrey Combs’ career-making, brilliantly twitchy performance as Dr. Herbert West. It may be the least Lovecraftian of all the H.P. Lovecraft adaptations out there (it’s debatable), but when it’s this good, who cares?
22. Black Sabbath
Mario Bava, 1963
If you only have a half hour and you want to watch something from this list, watch the third segment (or the first segment if you’re watching the American dubbed/re-edited version, which I have not seen) of this film, “A Drop of Water.” The rest of the movie is great as well – perhaps a tad workmanlike, but still enlivened by Bava’s unmatched visual instincts and use of color – but it’s all about “A Drop of Water.” There is no more terrifying short subject out there.
21. Stagefright
Michele Soavi, 1987
Sleek and stylish, Stagefright manages to be incredibly surreal without ever disrupting the sense of reality. There’s never a point where you actually question what you’re seeing (at least until the very end. . . maybe), but it still feels very bizarre – after all, it’s about an avant-garde acting troupe trapped inside of a theater with a killer wearing a giant owl head. The English dub is a tad over-baked (just listen to Giovanni Lombardo Radice’s utterly ridiculous gay stereotype), although there are those who would claim that it makes it better.
Gore Verbinski, 2002
One of the few cases where a remake improves on the source (you’ll see a couple more later in the list), The Ring pales in comparison to Ringu only in the visualization of the infamous climax. That lapse is forgivable, however, since it comes with stronger characters, a better-fleshed out backstory, and the fact that this time, every second character in the movie is not a psychic. There’s also a really tremendous feeling of sadness and regret hanging over the movie, giving it a lot more emotional resonance than I would have expected. It turned out to be a real, honest, character-driven movie, so the fact that (SPOILER) isn’t as scary as in the original hardly even matters.
24. The Creature from the Black Lagoon
Jack Arnold, 1954
By the fifties, the gothic horror boom that birthed the classic Universal stable of monsters had run its course, replaced with scientific horrors – aliens, giant bugs, you name it. Nonetheless, they managed to squeeze out one final creature worthy of standing amongst the greats, combining the pathos of Frankenstein’s monster with a more modern background and what is probably the greatest black and white monster design ever committed to film. The story is, basically, an old standby – people go exploring and find a monster, monster falls in love with the girl, people have to rescue the girl from the monster – but the details make it sing.
23. Re-Animator
Stuart Gordon, 1985
Re-Animator is best known for the infamous naked girl/zombie head scene, as referenced in American Beauty. While that bit definitely typifies the tone of the movie, it would be a shame to reduce it all down to that moment. You’d miss out on the slyly clever script, the (rest of) the exquisitely crafted gore, and most of all, Jeffrey Combs’ career-making, brilliantly twitchy performance as Dr. Herbert West. It may be the least Lovecraftian of all the H.P. Lovecraft adaptations out there (it’s debatable), but when it’s this good, who cares?
22. Black Sabbath
Mario Bava, 1963
If you only have a half hour and you want to watch something from this list, watch the third segment (or the first segment if you’re watching the American dubbed/re-edited version, which I have not seen) of this film, “A Drop of Water.” The rest of the movie is great as well – perhaps a tad workmanlike, but still enlivened by Bava’s unmatched visual instincts and use of color – but it’s all about “A Drop of Water.” There is no more terrifying short subject out there.
21. Stagefright
Michele Soavi, 1987
Sleek and stylish, Stagefright manages to be incredibly surreal without ever disrupting the sense of reality. There’s never a point where you actually question what you’re seeing (at least until the very end. . . maybe), but it still feels very bizarre – after all, it’s about an avant-garde acting troupe trapped inside of a theater with a killer wearing a giant owl head. The English dub is a tad over-baked (just listen to Giovanni Lombardo Radice’s utterly ridiculous gay stereotype), although there are those who would claim that it makes it better.
Wednesday, September 29, 2010
The 50 Best Horror Movies: #26-30
30. The Fall of the House of Usher
Roger Corman, 1960
The first and best of the Corman/Poe/Price movies, this movie succeeds largely on the back of a truly creepy premise (courtesy of Poe) and Corman’s half-baked but still very interesting application of Freudian theory to his mis-en-scene and cinematography. It’s also the source of the infamous “burning house” footage, which you’ve seen, possibly many times, if you’ve ever come across a Corman movie made after this.
29. The Orphanage
Juan Antonio Bayona, 2007
One of the best things about The Orphanage is that, while it’s very much a ghost story, it could very possibly not be – that is to say, everything supernatural in the movie can be explained away. The very best thing about it is that it doesn’t matter. There’s a strong, tragic story that works just as well with or without the involvement of ghosts. Really, the only reason to decide for sure on an interpretation is because, depending on your personal biases, one or the other reading will make it that much more powerful.
On the other hand, if you’re not interested in having your heart torn to metaphorical shreds, the very best thing about The Orphanage is the part where they bring the psychic to the house. Brrr.
28. Invasion of the Body Snatchers
Philip Kaufman, 1978
Kaufman takes a movie that was very much of its time (50’s paranoia) and updates it to pass judgment on the alienation of the 70’s. It’s easy to imagine aliens invading a small, isolated town, but the remake shows us, very plausibly, how the invasion could work even in a bustling metropolis. It’s quite terrifying, even without any real monsters or killers (unless you count the dog with a human head). Kaufman also manages to work in a cameo from Kevin McCarthy that presents the option of viewing this as a sequel, not a remake. The invasion continues. . .
27. May
Lucky McKee, 2003
The horror at the heart of May is loneliness. Most of the movie plays out without the usual trappings of a horror film, but it’s still incredibly difficult and uncomfortable to watch. By the time the killing starts, it’s more sad than scary, and actually feels like a bit of a let-down – but the movie is redeemed by the final shot, a heartbreaking non-sequitur that is, paradoxically, the only way the movie could have ended.
26. Deep Red
Dario Argento, 1975
More of a mystery than anything else, Deep Red still contains enough brutal murders and intense, frightening setpieces to qualify for this list. The greatest thing about this movie is Argento’s ballsy decision to hand the solution to the mystery to you very early on, but in such a way that you’ll never pick up on it until it’s much too late. After my first viewing, I had to go back and make sure that he really did show me what he claimed to have shown me – and there it was. Argento’s finest hour, perhaps not as inspired as the somewhat sloppier Suspiria or Inferno, but executed with the precision and skill of a true master.
Roger Corman, 1960
The first and best of the Corman/Poe/Price movies, this movie succeeds largely on the back of a truly creepy premise (courtesy of Poe) and Corman’s half-baked but still very interesting application of Freudian theory to his mis-en-scene and cinematography. It’s also the source of the infamous “burning house” footage, which you’ve seen, possibly many times, if you’ve ever come across a Corman movie made after this.
29. The Orphanage
Juan Antonio Bayona, 2007
One of the best things about The Orphanage is that, while it’s very much a ghost story, it could very possibly not be – that is to say, everything supernatural in the movie can be explained away. The very best thing about it is that it doesn’t matter. There’s a strong, tragic story that works just as well with or without the involvement of ghosts. Really, the only reason to decide for sure on an interpretation is because, depending on your personal biases, one or the other reading will make it that much more powerful.
On the other hand, if you’re not interested in having your heart torn to metaphorical shreds, the very best thing about The Orphanage is the part where they bring the psychic to the house. Brrr.
28. Invasion of the Body Snatchers
Philip Kaufman, 1978
Kaufman takes a movie that was very much of its time (50’s paranoia) and updates it to pass judgment on the alienation of the 70’s. It’s easy to imagine aliens invading a small, isolated town, but the remake shows us, very plausibly, how the invasion could work even in a bustling metropolis. It’s quite terrifying, even without any real monsters or killers (unless you count the dog with a human head). Kaufman also manages to work in a cameo from Kevin McCarthy that presents the option of viewing this as a sequel, not a remake. The invasion continues. . .
27. May
Lucky McKee, 2003
The horror at the heart of May is loneliness. Most of the movie plays out without the usual trappings of a horror film, but it’s still incredibly difficult and uncomfortable to watch. By the time the killing starts, it’s more sad than scary, and actually feels like a bit of a let-down – but the movie is redeemed by the final shot, a heartbreaking non-sequitur that is, paradoxically, the only way the movie could have ended.
26. Deep Red
Dario Argento, 1975
More of a mystery than anything else, Deep Red still contains enough brutal murders and intense, frightening setpieces to qualify for this list. The greatest thing about this movie is Argento’s ballsy decision to hand the solution to the mystery to you very early on, but in such a way that you’ll never pick up on it until it’s much too late. After my first viewing, I had to go back and make sure that he really did show me what he claimed to have shown me – and there it was. Argento’s finest hour, perhaps not as inspired as the somewhat sloppier Suspiria or Inferno, but executed with the precision and skill of a true master.
Saturday, September 25, 2010
The 50 Best Horror Movies: #31-35
35. Session 9
Brad Anderson, 2001
Location, location, location. It’s less of a concern for filmmakers than for real estate, but if you can find something special, it can elevate even the weakest project to something watchable. Session 9 has, perhaps, the greatest location ever – an actual abandoned mental asylum. Any movie shot there would, by default, be creepy as hell, even (or perhaps especially) if shot on video, like Session 9 was. Add to that the strong script and solid cast, and you’ve got something a lot more than watchable.
34. A Nightmare on Elm Street
Wes Craven, 1984
What can be said about Freddy Krueger that hasn’t already been said? He’s the greatest of all the modern horror icons, with an unforgettable visual profile and possibly the most frightening idea of all at his core: a monster who can kill you in your dreams. It’s a concept that makes him incredibly versatile, as the Nightmare series has moved from horror to comedy to fantasy to action and back again, with only two real failures in my eyes (numbers 2 and 6). It all started here, though, and Freddy is at his most stripped-down: he’s lean, mean, and often off-screen, but still has a glint in his eye and touch of theatrical flair. Any flaws arising from the ridiculously tiny budget are easily overlooked in light of the legend being created here.
33. City of the Living Dead
Lucio Fulci, 1980
This is the only movie I’ve seen in my adult life that made me sleep with the lights on. I can’t really explain this reaction other than to say there’s just something off about the way it feels. It will probably not have the same effect on you, but fortunately it also features a record number of incredible setpieces (The puking! The maggots! The drill! The pickaxe!) to enjoy, even if you’re not actually scared.
32. Creepshow
George A. Romero, 1982
Creepshow is a loving tribute to EC comics, brought to us by two men at the top of the game in their respective fields – George Romero and Stephen King. It’s funny, but not in a comedy sort of way. It’s scary, but not in an overwhelming way. Each of the five segments functions essentially as a sort of morality tale, in which people do bad things and are punished for it (just as in HBO’s Tales from the Crypt, which was literally adapted from the comics that inspired this film).
This is one of the very first horror movies I ever saw, and it traumatized my young mind. Showers became a prelude to a zombie attack (see “Something to Tide You Over”), and as a result, the smell of a particular brand of soap still puts me on edge. It took me two years before I could eat cereal again (see “They’re Creeping Up on You”). That’s what I call an effective horror movie.
31. Inferno
Dario Argento, 1980
A sequel (roughly) to Suspiria, Inferno is not nearly as iconic as the earlier film, but more than compensates by considerably upping the surrealism quotient and focusing on what could best be described as “architectural horror,” in which the danger comes from within the (man-made) environment itself. A great example of both strengths is the lengthy underwater room sequence that occurs early on, and may be one of the most perfect passages in any horror film.
Brad Anderson, 2001
Location, location, location. It’s less of a concern for filmmakers than for real estate, but if you can find something special, it can elevate even the weakest project to something watchable. Session 9 has, perhaps, the greatest location ever – an actual abandoned mental asylum. Any movie shot there would, by default, be creepy as hell, even (or perhaps especially) if shot on video, like Session 9 was. Add to that the strong script and solid cast, and you’ve got something a lot more than watchable.
34. A Nightmare on Elm Street
Wes Craven, 1984
What can be said about Freddy Krueger that hasn’t already been said? He’s the greatest of all the modern horror icons, with an unforgettable visual profile and possibly the most frightening idea of all at his core: a monster who can kill you in your dreams. It’s a concept that makes him incredibly versatile, as the Nightmare series has moved from horror to comedy to fantasy to action and back again, with only two real failures in my eyes (numbers 2 and 6). It all started here, though, and Freddy is at his most stripped-down: he’s lean, mean, and often off-screen, but still has a glint in his eye and touch of theatrical flair. Any flaws arising from the ridiculously tiny budget are easily overlooked in light of the legend being created here.
33. City of the Living Dead
Lucio Fulci, 1980
This is the only movie I’ve seen in my adult life that made me sleep with the lights on. I can’t really explain this reaction other than to say there’s just something off about the way it feels. It will probably not have the same effect on you, but fortunately it also features a record number of incredible setpieces (The puking! The maggots! The drill! The pickaxe!) to enjoy, even if you’re not actually scared.
32. Creepshow
George A. Romero, 1982
Creepshow is a loving tribute to EC comics, brought to us by two men at the top of the game in their respective fields – George Romero and Stephen King. It’s funny, but not in a comedy sort of way. It’s scary, but not in an overwhelming way. Each of the five segments functions essentially as a sort of morality tale, in which people do bad things and are punished for it (just as in HBO’s Tales from the Crypt, which was literally adapted from the comics that inspired this film).
This is one of the very first horror movies I ever saw, and it traumatized my young mind. Showers became a prelude to a zombie attack (see “Something to Tide You Over”), and as a result, the smell of a particular brand of soap still puts me on edge. It took me two years before I could eat cereal again (see “They’re Creeping Up on You”). That’s what I call an effective horror movie.
31. Inferno
Dario Argento, 1980
A sequel (roughly) to Suspiria, Inferno is not nearly as iconic as the earlier film, but more than compensates by considerably upping the surrealism quotient and focusing on what could best be described as “architectural horror,” in which the danger comes from within the (man-made) environment itself. A great example of both strengths is the lengthy underwater room sequence that occurs early on, and may be one of the most perfect passages in any horror film.
Thursday, September 23, 2010
The 50 Best Horror Movies: #36-40
40. The Descent
Neil Marshall, 2006
Neil Marshall’s tale of a group of women trapped in an underground cave is so effective and terrifying that, when the monsters show up halfway through, it’s actually kind of a relief. The violent, action-y movie that follows can’t match the creeping, gnawing dread of the first half, but is still pretty terrific in its own right. Make sure to watch the version with the original, UK ending, even though the apparently terrible sequel picked up from the weaker US ending.
39. Prince of Darkness
John Carpenter, 1987
This is generally considered one of John Carpenter’s minor works, but it’s one of my favorites. I love the central conceit of breaking theology down into quantum physics (er, sort of. . .), and the utterly relentless tension is extremely unnerving to me. Granted, I have a bit of a weakness for stories where people are turned into monsters instead of just killed by them, and this movie is chock-full of that sort of thing.
Plus, don’t even get me started on that creepy-ass tachyon-transmitted dream from the future (no, seriously, there is one of those in the movie).
38. Candyman
Bernard Rose, 1992
Candyman is a movie about an idea – quite literally, as the Candyman himself is an urban legend, a ghost that only exists because people believe in him. It’s an interesting concept that gives the movie more intellectual resonance than most and puts it right on my wavelength. Even if you don't feel the same way, Tony Todd’s booming voice will never leave your skull once you've seen it, and neither will Philip Glass’s mesmerizing score.
37. The Evil Dead
Sam Raimi, 1982
Probably the best example of can-do gumption by a bunch of nobodies who went on to be very big somebodies, The Evil Dead is cheap, nasty, and crude, but also possesses an innocence and charm that can’t be manufactured. The sequels tend to be better-loved, and are certainly better-made, but I don’t think they ever quite recaptured the magic. .
36. Slither
James Gunn, 2006
I’m a big fan of James Gunn, which is kind of weird, when you break it down. I was not a fan of the Dawn of the Dead remake and didn’t see the Scooby-Doo movies (all of which he wrote). I don’t like his Troma work. Really, his reputation is made primarily by The Specials and by this film – and really, that’s enough. Slither is a delicious cornucopia of styles and horror tropes – you have your mutation/body horror, your possession/mind control paranoia, a touch of zombies, and some big gooey latex monsters, all delivered with a razor wit and just a touch of genuine pathos.
Neil Marshall, 2006
Neil Marshall’s tale of a group of women trapped in an underground cave is so effective and terrifying that, when the monsters show up halfway through, it’s actually kind of a relief. The violent, action-y movie that follows can’t match the creeping, gnawing dread of the first half, but is still pretty terrific in its own right. Make sure to watch the version with the original, UK ending, even though the apparently terrible sequel picked up from the weaker US ending.
39. Prince of Darkness
John Carpenter, 1987
This is generally considered one of John Carpenter’s minor works, but it’s one of my favorites. I love the central conceit of breaking theology down into quantum physics (er, sort of. . .), and the utterly relentless tension is extremely unnerving to me. Granted, I have a bit of a weakness for stories where people are turned into monsters instead of just killed by them, and this movie is chock-full of that sort of thing.
Plus, don’t even get me started on that creepy-ass tachyon-transmitted dream from the future (no, seriously, there is one of those in the movie).
38. Candyman
Bernard Rose, 1992
Candyman is a movie about an idea – quite literally, as the Candyman himself is an urban legend, a ghost that only exists because people believe in him. It’s an interesting concept that gives the movie more intellectual resonance than most and puts it right on my wavelength. Even if you don't feel the same way, Tony Todd’s booming voice will never leave your skull once you've seen it, and neither will Philip Glass’s mesmerizing score.
37. The Evil Dead
Sam Raimi, 1982
Probably the best example of can-do gumption by a bunch of nobodies who went on to be very big somebodies, The Evil Dead is cheap, nasty, and crude, but also possesses an innocence and charm that can’t be manufactured. The sequels tend to be better-loved, and are certainly better-made, but I don’t think they ever quite recaptured the magic. .
36. Slither
James Gunn, 2006
I’m a big fan of James Gunn, which is kind of weird, when you break it down. I was not a fan of the Dawn of the Dead remake and didn’t see the Scooby-Doo movies (all of which he wrote). I don’t like his Troma work. Really, his reputation is made primarily by The Specials and by this film – and really, that’s enough. Slither is a delicious cornucopia of styles and horror tropes – you have your mutation/body horror, your possession/mind control paranoia, a touch of zombies, and some big gooey latex monsters, all delivered with a razor wit and just a touch of genuine pathos.
Friday, September 17, 2010
The 50 Best Horror Movies: #41-45
45. The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari
Robert Weine, 1921
Considered by many to be the first real horror movie, Caligari remains a masterpiece of visual storytelling to this day, utilizing an expressionistic style that has been imitated many times, but never matched. Honestly, there’s nothing I can say about this movie that isn’t better demonstrated just by seeing it for yourself, so enjoy this fan-made trailer-ish thing I found on youtube (they didn’t make trailers back then).
44. The Masque of the Red Death
Roger Corman, 1964
For sheer consistency, it’s hard to beat the Roger Corman/Vincent Price cycle of Edgar Allan Poe adaptations. None of them are bad, and several are outright classics. This film is not the very best of the series, but it’s probably the most striking, due in large part to Nicholas Roeg (later a director in his own right, and will be seen again later on this list), who serves as director of photography. It’s filled with vivid, primary colors that lend the story a greater sense of surrealism than the other films, and Vincent Price is his usual self (over the top, and loving it).
43. Hour of the Wolf
Ingmar Bergman, 1968
There is very little in my experience that is more chilling than hearing Max Van Sydow describe the ghosts that haunt him, including a bird-like man and an old woman who always threatens to take her hat off, which would be a terrible thing, because her face will come off with it. It’s a masterpiece of suggestion, the words just abstract enough to invoke chills that an actual visualization could never possibly match.
But then, we do see them. And somehow, it’s even worse.
42. Suspiria
Dario Argento, 1977
Argento’s most famous movie, Suspiria is a wonderful mixture of fairy-tale imagery and tremendously gruesome violence. As with most Italian movies of the era, there are a lot of clunky parts, but the combination of blatantly stylish visuals (ooh, the colors) and more subtle design choices (all of the doorknobs are mounted too high, to make the characters feel like children) all wrapped up in Goblin’s iconic score, weaves such a spell that it doesn’t matter. Best moment of horror? When (SPOILER) falls into a pit full of razor-wire. Ugh.
41. Frankenstein and the Monster from Hell
Terence Fisher, 1974
This is the last of the hammer Frankenstein films, and is my favorite of the bunch, despite some dodgy model work. Although the main difference between Peter Cushing’s Victor Frankenstein and the Henry Frankenstein of most other versions of the story is the former's outright villainy, I tend to prefer the installments where he has a bit more humanity – and in that regard, this is second only to Revenge of Frankenstein. What elevates ...Monster from Hell above that entry is the more interesting setting, the more monstrous monster, and a subtly tragic ending, when it becomes apparent that Frankenstein actually has gone mad – just not in the way that people usually accuse him of being mad.
Robert Weine, 1921
Considered by many to be the first real horror movie, Caligari remains a masterpiece of visual storytelling to this day, utilizing an expressionistic style that has been imitated many times, but never matched. Honestly, there’s nothing I can say about this movie that isn’t better demonstrated just by seeing it for yourself, so enjoy this fan-made trailer-ish thing I found on youtube (they didn’t make trailers back then).
44. The Masque of the Red Death
Roger Corman, 1964
For sheer consistency, it’s hard to beat the Roger Corman/Vincent Price cycle of Edgar Allan Poe adaptations. None of them are bad, and several are outright classics. This film is not the very best of the series, but it’s probably the most striking, due in large part to Nicholas Roeg (later a director in his own right, and will be seen again later on this list), who serves as director of photography. It’s filled with vivid, primary colors that lend the story a greater sense of surrealism than the other films, and Vincent Price is his usual self (over the top, and loving it).
43. Hour of the Wolf
Ingmar Bergman, 1968
There is very little in my experience that is more chilling than hearing Max Van Sydow describe the ghosts that haunt him, including a bird-like man and an old woman who always threatens to take her hat off, which would be a terrible thing, because her face will come off with it. It’s a masterpiece of suggestion, the words just abstract enough to invoke chills that an actual visualization could never possibly match.
But then, we do see them. And somehow, it’s even worse.
42. Suspiria
Dario Argento, 1977
Argento’s most famous movie, Suspiria is a wonderful mixture of fairy-tale imagery and tremendously gruesome violence. As with most Italian movies of the era, there are a lot of clunky parts, but the combination of blatantly stylish visuals (ooh, the colors) and more subtle design choices (all of the doorknobs are mounted too high, to make the characters feel like children) all wrapped up in Goblin’s iconic score, weaves such a spell that it doesn’t matter. Best moment of horror? When (SPOILER) falls into a pit full of razor-wire. Ugh.
41. Frankenstein and the Monster from Hell
Terence Fisher, 1974
This is the last of the hammer Frankenstein films, and is my favorite of the bunch, despite some dodgy model work. Although the main difference between Peter Cushing’s Victor Frankenstein and the Henry Frankenstein of most other versions of the story is the former's outright villainy, I tend to prefer the installments where he has a bit more humanity – and in that regard, this is second only to Revenge of Frankenstein. What elevates ...Monster from Hell above that entry is the more interesting setting, the more monstrous monster, and a subtly tragic ending, when it becomes apparent that Frankenstein actually has gone mad – just not in the way that people usually accuse him of being mad.
Monday, September 13, 2010
The 50 Best Horror Movies: #46-50
I changed my mind slightly on the format. These are going to be coming five at a time, not 10. So, without further ado, here are the worst of the best (but really, just think of them as some of the best).
John Carpenter, 1995
Objectively, this is a weaker movie than a lot of the runners-up, but there’s just something about it. It may be a personal thing – 1995 was right smack in the middle of my formative years, and when you’re in that frame of mind and hear a character say something like “sane and insane could easily trade places if the insane were to become the majority,” it’s a little bit mind-blowing. Now, a lot of the metatextual commentary comes off as a tad obnoxiously smug, but even so, In the Mouth of Madness remains a fairly clever movie. It also gets bonus points for rooting its horror in a sort of creeping, almost existentialist dread, rather than the more concrete rubber monsters and crazy killers – and yet, not entirely eschewing said monsters and killers. It’s the best of both worlds.
49. Below
David Twohy, 2002
Criminally underseen, Below takes the trappings of the haunted house movie and transposes them to a novel setting – a US submarine during World War II. Ghosts are frightening enough, and submarines doubly so – which means the combination is tremendously effective. It’s not all about the high concept, however – the characters remain front and center, thanks in part to the efforts of a strong cast led by Olivia Williams and Bruce Greenwood. For those of you, unlike me, prefer your horror “realistic,” know that the movie spends most of its running time (maybe the entire time – I won’t give away which it is) playing up the ambiguity of whether there really are ghosts, or whether the things we see are the result of stress and chemical imbalances on the part of the intrepid sailors.
Robert Wise, 1945
One of many movies based loosely on the Burke and Hare scandal (by way of a Robert Louis Stevensen short story that was based on them), The Body Snatcher condenses the two graverobbers into a single character, John Gray, played by the great Boris Karloff. Most of the movie plays as a sort of sinister drama, until the chilling end that cements its genre status. Watch for the outstanding mid-movie confrontation between Karloff and his fellow legend, Bela Lugosi.
47. The Signal
David Bruckner, Dan Bush, Jacob Gentry, 2008
The Signal is an odd hybrid between a straightforward narrative and an anthology, with a story that follows the same three principal characters, trapped in a city where a mysterious signal turns people into psychopaths, but which is broken into three chapters, each directed by a different director and each with a markedly different tone. The most notable of these is the second segment, which is largely a pitch-black comedy. This would seem extremely out of place next to the straightforwardly brutal first segment and the surreal, more intellectual third segment, but it is presented in such a way that it can be read as coming from the perspective of one of the infected crazy people. This interpretation gives another interesting level of meaning to all three segments, and helps to elevate it to the status of modern classic.
46. Hellraiser
Clive Barker, 1987
Unlike most horror icons of the era, Pinhead is not a particularly significant part of his debut movie. He may have roughly the same amount of screen time as, say, Jason Voorhees (and a lot more dialogue), but whereas Friday the 13th is all about Jason killing teenagers (okay, okay, Friday the 13th Part 2, technically), Hellraiser actually has very little to do with Pinhead and his machinations. At its core, it’s a simple story about a woman and the lengths she would go to in order to have her lover back, and the havoc (in monster form) that it wreaks on her family (hey, did someone say metaphor?). That central conflict alone could make for a strong film, but when you throw in the monsters and creatures and gooey, gooey effects, it’s magic.
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