the scary movie list

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Micah Cohen
Micah Cohen Posts: 2,022
edited January 2003 in Music & Movies
The scariest films ever, NOT INCLUDING the great Hammer Horror flicks, slasher movies (as a rule, ie: "Friday The 13th" or even "Nightmare on Elm Street," which was great), straight sci-fi (like THE THING FROM ANOTHER WORLD or THEM), gore movies, or the teenagers-know-before-the-adults genre, like THE BLOB.

These are the movies that stick with you long after you've seen them, and contain things -- images and concepts -- that defy their genre and their cultural standing. These are the movies that keep you awake at night, according to me of course.

NOSFERATU (1922) -- Nothing comes close for sheer cold horror. Like Black Sabbath is the most evil band ever, "Nosferatu" is the horror film that all other horror films aspire to. I actually got to see this and the next entry in the list, one Halloween in a creepy candlelit church in NYC with orchestral accompaniment!
THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA (1925) -- The best "beauty & the beast" treatment, aside from KING KONG and Cocteau's awesome "Beauty & The Beast" (1947) with the cool handheld wall sconces and stuff!
FRANKENSTEIN (1931) -- Karloff makes it real.
FREAKS (1932) -- Too disturbing to even think about! There is no way to get this horrible thing out of your head once it's in there. Is it real, or exploitation?
THE MUMMY (1933) -- Karloff is truly chilling.
THE CREATURE FROM THE BLACK LAGOON (1954) -- This was the original reason I didn't go in the lake at summercamp.
THE NIGHT OF THE HUNTER (1955) -- The image not just of Mitchum with the tattooed knuckles ("love" & "hate"), but of Shelley Winters drowned with her hair flowing out in the current... SH-SH-SHIVER!
INVASION OF THE BODY SNATCHERS (1956) -- I love a creepy creepy horror story, and the way the truth dawns on Kevin MacCarthy until that final incredible realization...
PSYCHO (1960) -- The orginal slasher flick?
CAPE FEAR (1961) -- Mitchum makes Max Cady TERRIFYING, and he's just a regular guy!
NIGHT OF THE LIVING DEAD (1968) -- Still very disturbing to watch. And there is no happy ending!
ROSEMARY'S BABY (1968) -- Modern horror at its best.
THE EXORCIST (1973 director's cut, not writer's cut)
JAWS (1975) -- In the first scene, the swimmer goes under in mid-scream, and that's that. Spielberg's most effective film moment. I haven't been in the water since.
HALLOWEEN (1978)
ALIEN (1979) -- The ultimate big bug. Need to be reminded what it's like to see the nightmare vision? Go right to Chapter 12 of the DVD.
SILENCE OF THE LAMBS (1991)

And my own personal favorite horror film of all time, TOURIST TRAP (1979), staring Chuck Conners and Tanya Roberts. Do NOT let your 12 year old watch this one -- this is nightmare material!

BOO!
ultramicah@yahoo.com

"There's nothing funny about a clown in the moonlight." - Lon Chaney
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  • hoosier21
    hoosier21 Posts: 4,408
    edited October 2001
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    Amityville Horror does it for me, you might think it is a cheesy movie. I was like 12 when it came out, I was read the book before seeing it and it was suppose to be a real story ( hey I was 12) anyway I woke up at 3:15 forever, I actually did last night, looked at the clock and it read 3:15, I am so amazed at this little mental alarm clock the movie and book has set for me off and on for 20 years
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  • wangotango68
    wangotango68 Posts: 1,056
    edited October 2001
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    that movie does the same for me!!!


    scott:eek:
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  • Micah Cohen
    Micah Cohen Posts: 2,022
    edited October 2001
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    I grew up on LI, and we used to ride by the house. EERIE! And it was true that the guy did kill his family in the house before the Lutz's moved in... And the movie did have that damned pig (which is like that damned clown in "Poltergeist")... But all in all it was less a GREAT FILM than a couple of horrifying images that stuck with you. Me, too.

    THE VANISHING is one I forgot; the original Danish film (just came out on Criterion DVD), not the cheese bag US remake.

    THE OMEN, too was pretty hairy. I just watched the new DVD recently, and it was pretty scary! "No! Mummy, no!" :(

    MC
    ultramicah@yahoo.com

    "There's nothing funny about a clown in the moonlight." - Lon Chaney
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  • PETERNG
    PETERNG Posts: 918
    edited October 2001
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    "Dawn of the Dead" is the color version of NIGHT OF THE LIVING DEAD , scare the **** out of me when I first watched a long ..long time ago...
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  • Micah Cohen
    Micah Cohen Posts: 2,022
    edited October 2001
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    WRONG.

    DAWN OF THE DEAD (1979) is the color SEQUEL to the 1968 B&W film NIGHT OF THE LIVING DEAD. Does it work? Well, yes and no. Cheesy special effects of cannibalistic zombies IN COLOR are much much harder to pull off than the same effects in a moody Black & White.

    Makeup guy Tom Savini redid NIGHT in the 80s with Tony Todd in the lead role. It sucked.

    Stick with the original. It'll keep you up nights.

    MC
    ultramicah@yahoo.com

    "There's nothing funny about a clown in the moonlight." - Lon Chaney
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  • jdelan
    jdelan Posts: 244
    edited October 2001
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    I would put The Shining in there...
    Jack is Great in this movie...
    The little BOy And redruM and those 2 little girls...

    THis one STILL Freaks me out...
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  • Ron-P
    Ron-P Posts: 8,516
    edited October 2001
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    SALEM'S LOT


    Peace Out~:D
    If...
    Ron dislikes a film = go out and buy it.
    Ron loves a film = don't even rent.
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  • steve simmons
    steve simmons Posts: 64
    edited October 2001
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    The Shining is creepy with the 2 little girls in the hallway. The movie that has creeped me out the most is The Changling with George C Scott. I was 18 or 19 when I saw it for the first time on network TV back in the mid eighties and it scared the S*#t out of me. I just picked it up on DVD about a month ago and it still freaks me out. It scared both of my sons as well when they watched it.
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  • wangotango68
    wangotango68 Posts: 1,056
    edited October 2001
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    the omen was on american movie classics today it still scared me even in the middle of the afternoon!:eek:

    scott:cool:
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  • schumach
    schumach Posts: 199
    edited October 2001
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    "Children of the Corn" is on my list.
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  • Tour2ma
    Tour2ma Posts: 10,177
    edited January 2003
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    Another old thread , but WTH...

    As a kid watching the local, late Friday "monster movie" show hosted by a character named "Ghoulardi":
    the original The Thing starring James (Marshall Dillon) Arness as the monster...
    it had me hiding behind the davenport...

    Later in life at the "movie-theatre":
    Psycho ... IMO hands down, still the scariest...
    More later,
    Tour...
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  • Systems
    Systems Posts: 14,873
    edited January 2003
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    Yes, the original The Vanishing is great. I like pre-90's Cronenberg--Dead Ringers, Dead Zone, the Brood, Rabid, at least one more whose name I've forgotten. SECONDS, from the mid-60's, rereleased a few yrs ago, was directed by John Frankenheimer, who made good movies back in the 60's, like Manchurian Candidate. Rock Hudson was very good in this one, made me realize he was known for his acting at one time, not just the sad ending of his life. MONSIEUR HIRE, not really horror, but a dark mystery, based on a story by Georges Simenon (who wrote Inspector Maigret mysteries, once very popular over here) is good. There are some very dark foreign flicks, if they get remade for us they are usually not as dark, at least at the end. I don't know why this is, maybe it has something to do with the age of other societies and the fact that the wars take place on their soil instead of overseas (I am just sociobabbling, have no idea).
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  • kberg
    kberg Posts: 974
    edited January 2003
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    I fully agree with Steve Simmons. The Changling, hands down, for me. Something about kids scares the hell out of me. I ALSO saw it when I was around the same age as Steve, and ALSO bought it about 2 months ago - now THAT'S SCARY!
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  • woodyjacobs
    woodyjacobs Posts: 706
    edited January 2003
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    The Changeling and The Shining. Both still scare the crap out of me.

    I think the best recent scary movie I've seen was probably The Others. Pretty darn creepy flick.
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  • steve simmons
    steve simmons Posts: 64
    edited January 2003
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    Man this is from wayback isn't it? Still think the Changling is it for me but "The Others" had it's moments. Another DVD I bought that had more than a few creepy scenes was "Rose Red" by Stephen King.

    I need to post more to get that count up don't I? :eek:
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  • burdette
    burdette Posts: 1,194
    edited January 2003
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    Edit: I think the old Nightstalker TV show was consistently scary. Might've been some TV movies, I don't know, but it was a damn scary show. Liked the Twilight Zone, but not really scary.


    My movie list, no particular order...

    Jaws... saw it when I was about 11 or so.. had nightmares for weeks.

    The Amityville Horror

    The Exorcist... I think this is, hands down, the most disturbing horror movie, even if not (??) the most 'frightening' overall.

    An American Werewolf in London

    Alien

    Terror Train... ya, cheesy drive-in flick. But I was a projectionist in high school, and I ran this at the indoor twin for a midnight Halloween show... damn.. I was sure that the mutant little premature ejaculator was hiding in the storage room...

    Blair Witch Project.. I watched this alone, at night.. and I thought it was scary.

    Some cheesy movie about a family that moves into a house and unbricks a bricked-up fireplace, and all these little pumpkin-head creatures live down there... anyone know the name?? I know it isnt' Pumpkinhead...
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  • RuSsMaN
    RuSsMaN Posts: 17,987
    edited January 2003
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    Bridges of Madison County and Steel Magnolias

    Those are some SCARY EFFIN MOVIES.
    Check your lips at the door woman. Shake your hips like battleships. Yeah, all the white girls trip when I sing at Sunday service.
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  • Ron-P
    Ron-P Posts: 8,516
    edited January 2003
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    The Naked Truth, starring BDT.


    Peace Out~:D
    If...
    Ron dislikes a film = go out and buy it.
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  • abmarsh
    abmarsh Posts: 109
    edited January 2003
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    When I was a kid my mom and dad watched The Birds - I was freaked out for days.
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  • jgido759
    jgido759 Posts: 572
    edited January 2003
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    Any of the Dr. Phibs (spelling?) movies with Vincent Price. Scared the s**t out of me as a kid.
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  • Systems
    Systems Posts: 14,873
    edited January 2003
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    Dr Phibes. They were scary when I saw them at a much younger age, but upon recent rewatch, I found both to be campy fun. Another one in a similar vein, also w/VP, is THEATER OF BLOOD, where theater critics keep getting whacked in a manner similar to killings in various Shakespeare plays. Early 70's, out on DVD, Diana Rigg is VP's daughter, & has a nice, solid English cast.
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  • etrigan
    etrigan Posts: 160
    edited January 2003
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    Black Sabbath - The old dead medium woman with the ring (coming at you w/rollerskates :lol:) always freaks me out.
    and the little kid scratching at the door in the other episode w/Karloff (momma,let me in--I'm cold.) *shivers*

    Black Sunday - B/W - very creepy.Barbara Steele at her best
    (you feel the pain as "The Mask of Satan" is being driven' home)

    As Ron P said - Salem's Lot - Creepiest looking vampire (besides ScottVamp ;):p ) since Max in Nosferatu - that kid, just floating at the window w/the fog "Let me in" and "Look at me preacher...LOOK... w/the glowing eyes in the rocking chair - the stuff of my nightmares.

    The Fog - just creepy...eerie - the music alone.

    Of course, as Micah mentioned - my all time favorite - The original
    NOTLD - to me - nothing comes close "Play with the rabbit ears:lol: )

    And think what you wish, but some **** that really creeped me out as a kid...

    The Seven Faces Of Dr. Lao
    War of the Gargantuas (Hey!!!>>Taanakaay..Hey you guys:p )
    Dr.Terror's House Of Horrors
    Tales from the Crypt (Movie)
    Ssssssssssss (snake-type creature movie..you know which one)

    Also...not movies - but - I'm a huge fan o The Twilight Zone and
    The Outer Limits etc. (sure, some cheesy ones,but lots o creep also)

    More to come I'm sure

    CHEERS ! Jefff
    Art as expression-Not as market campaigns-Will still capture our imaginations.
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  • haroo
    haroo Posts: 83
    edited January 2003
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  • faster100
    faster100 Posts: 6,124
    edited January 2003
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    The shining, psycho, and texas chain saw masacre are some old favs that have always scared me, just watched the new shining.. its doesnt do near what the original did to me,
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  • Tour2ma
    Tour2ma Posts: 10,177
    edited January 2003
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    Since someone opened up the made-for-TV side of this, it brought back another long dead memory.

    Many, maybe 20, years ago there was a "movie" called (I think) "Trilogy of Terror". I remember it was divided into three, unrelated segments. I remember nothing about the story lines of the first two, BUT THE 3rd!!!

    The 3rd segment starred Karen Black and it was about her buying a little wooden African tribeman statue with a gold chain around it. There was something about the chain holding an evil spirit prisoner in the statue. Of course, the chain somehow falls off, the statue comes to life, and it's game-on... Heartpounding stuff with a surprise ending ...

    Scariest made-for-TV I ever saw...

    That aside, the original, "The Outer Limits" had some pretty scary stuff. The local affiliate even "blacked out a protion" of one episode, thinking it was too much for kids. They really caught hell for that...
    More later,
    Tour...
    Vox Copuli
    Better to remain silent and be thought a fool, than to open your mouth and remove all doubt. - Old English Proverb

    "Death doesn't come with a Uhaul." - Dennis Gardner
    "It's easy to get lost in price vs performance vs ego vs illusion." - doro
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  • Hector Monte
    Hector Monte Posts: 25
    edited January 2003
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    Did anyone forget
    PHANTASM (The first).
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  • kberg
    kberg Posts: 974
    edited January 2003
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    Originally posted by Tour2ma
    Many, maybe 20, years ago there was a "movie" called (I think) "Trilogy of Terror". I remember it was divided into three, unrelated segments. I remember nothing about the story lines of the first two, BUT THE 3rd!!!

    Scariest made-for-TV I ever saw...


    I forgot about this one since it isn't a movie per se, but definitely a great made for TV "short"' scare.
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  • kberg
    kberg Posts: 974
    edited January 2003
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    Btw, for those interested, check out Trilogy of Terror at

    http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B00000JXVQ/qid%3D1043589892/sr%3D11-1/ref%3Dsr%5F11%5F1/103-7376413-2677421

    Agreed, the segment "Amelia" is the one with the doll and is a TV classic.
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  • Tour2ma
    Tour2ma Posts: 10,177
    edited January 2003
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    Thanks for the link kberg..

    Did not even remember Karen Black being in all three segments. Can't recommend it at $22+, but if it's at Blockbuster, it's definitely worth a rental...
    More later,
    Tour...
    Vox Copuli
    Better to remain silent and be thought a fool, than to open your mouth and remove all doubt. - Old English Proverb

    "Death doesn't come with a Uhaul." - Dennis Gardner
    "It's easy to get lost in price vs performance vs ego vs illusion." - doro
    "There is a certain entertainment value in ripping the occaisonal (sic) buttmunch..." - TroyD
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