DISCLAIMER: Just as a reminder, these are not movies that I am encouraging readers to view, there are just some horror movies that I have personally selected the scared the crap out of me.
From Blogger Pictures |
From Blogger Pictures |
3. The Texas Chainsaw Massacre (1974) – No other movie made me feel so dirty and appalled then this independent film. When I saw it I watched it all the way through and I was frightened in the aspect of ‘how could you do this to a person?’ The grittiness, rawness and washed out coloring of the movie made it seem like I was watching a real life documented account and I felt so sorry for the kids in that movie. When Leatherface appeared it always made me jump and I always wanted to see what was behind that door but in a way… I was too scared to look. It was just one of those movies where I was left speechless after the ending and wondered did that really happen? It had the same effect on my dad too.
4. The House on Haunted Hill (1999) – I have read mixed reviews on this movie and I was shocked to see so many horror fans disapproving it. This movie scared me in a very cowardly way… when I watched the edited version of it on TNT when it was rated TV-14. I watched it all the way through and it was this movie that I got frightened by, even more so when I saw the unedited version, to the point where I developed an obsession with those ‘shuttering head ghosts.’ This movie had so many freaking scenes it that disturbed me; one in particular was the Saturation Chamber where all those ghosts came out of nowhere with twisted, mangled heads. It freaks me out and it kind of still does today.
5. A Nightmare on Elm Street (1984) – To be fair, I was never creeped out by this movie but what made me so obsessed with Freddy was his method of killing teenagers. Most killers slice, dice, machete hack or shoot their victims in person but Freddys attacks you when you are the most vulnerable… when asleep. See, you can always stay away from camps, shoot a killer or kill him/her in some way shape or form but you have to fall asleep and therefore there is not escaping Freddy.
From Blogger Pictures |
7. Night of the Living Dead (1968) – I have to attribute this movie for scaring me when I was really, really younger when my grandmother and me watched Svengoolie on WGN. It was after the whole Blob/Thing fiasco and what always frightened me was not so much the zombies or the gore but rather that haunting quote that has stuck with me forever: “They are coming to get you Barbara!” It’s like… whatever they are, they are coming for you and there is no way to stop them.
From Blogger Pictures |
9. My Bloody Valentine (1981) – Along with the already known and cliché slasher movies out there this movie is perhaps one of my favorite mainly because I hate Valentine’s Day. It never scared me but I always thought the idea of having a killer dressed, as a miner would be haunting. The breathing, those bug looking goggles, the pickaxe and the idea that his whole body is covered and he tears out the hearts of teens. It’s really gritty and gruesome stuff.
10. Halloween (1978) – This movie freaked me out not because of the jumping out shit but rather the mask the Michael wore… the cold, white, ghostly gaze that he would look at you with, that same gaze that lets you know that there is nothing behind the mask but pure evil. The fact that he could walk and still catch up to you, that fact that he doesn’t say anything to you or even pants when he kills made him out like a machine. Funny enough, the mannerisms of Michael Myers were based on Yule Brenners cowboy character from Westworld.
So, there you have it… the top 10 movies that scared me and left an impression on me when I was a kid. Looking back on this list I think it’s fair to say that it was because of horror movies that I developed such a crazy sleep pattern and insomnia. Although if it wasn’t for these movies I would have never been the person that I am today.
The Rundown:
1. The Thing (1981) (Dir. John Carpenter)
2. The Blob (1988) (Dir. Chuck Russell)
3. The Texas Chainsaw Massacre (1974) (Dir. Tobe Hooper)
4. House on Haunted Hill (1999) (Dir. William Malone)
5. A Nightmare on Elm Street (1984) (Dir. Wes Craven)
6. The Fly (1986) (Dir. David Cronenberg)
7. Night of the Living Dead (1968) (Dir. George Romero)
8. Sleepy Hollow (1999) (Dir. Tim Burton)
9. My Bloody Valentine (1981) (Dir. George Mihalka)
10. Halloween (1978) (Dir. John Carpenter)
2 comments:
Great list, Rick. Solid commentary. Some of these make it onto my own Best Of list.
Jonathan Maberry
Author of ZOMBIE CSU and PATIENT ZERO
www.jonathanmaberry.com
House on Haunted Hill (1999) I fully dedicate my obsession with old school horror for. After I saw the film, I went on Ask Jeeves to look up and see if Chris Kattan really did do a horror movie, and I kept getting pictures of Vincent Price. Being only 9 I had no idea who the HELL he was so I went to my local video store and asked if they had any Vincent Price. The video store owner sent me out with a ton of classics and I'v been hooked ever since.
Post a Comment