Maybe it was because my parents were big into costumes–when I was four I went trick-or-treating as C3PO; when I was five, as Wonder Woman. Or it could just be the excuse to beg for candy. Whatever the reason, I LOVE Halloween. I love unwrapping all those hundreds of mini chocolate bars, laughing at the slutty costumes, becoming mesmerized by the ridiculous decorations and of course, watching the slasher films until my eyes are ready to pop out. So, with 10 days to go before the big day, and to get everyone in the spirit of Halloween, listed below are some excellent horror films to Hulu/Netflix/rent/purchase (in order from best to bestest):
10. Friday the 13th (1980)–a classic; never has a piece of sporting equipment brought such terror to the masses. My picks: the first three, after that…yawn.
9. A Nightmare on Elm Street (1984)–the scene when Johnny Depp gets it still turns my stomach. The other great pick from this franchise is Wes Craven’s New Nightmare. They go for the movie in a movie angle which is a nice change for the usual body count sequels.
8. Poltergeist (1982)–The moment that gives me the biggest chills is when JoBeth Williams turns around and all her kitchen table chairs are stacked; tremendous editing. Of course, the other creepy thing about this film is the alleged curse; Dominique Dunne (Dana) was killed shortly after the first film wrapped and Heather O’Rourke (Carol Anne) died at age 12 due to possible misdiagnosed health problems.
7. Candyman (1992)–true story, I once took a crazy chance and said “candyman” five times into my friend’s bathroom mirror after scaring myself half-to-death with the film. It’s a wonder I didn’t just die right there of a heart attack when the washing machine on the other side of the wall started the spin cycle, banging and vibrating violently, just as I completed the last candyman.
6. Psycho (1960)–this movie may lack some of the “panache” of today’s horror films (roll eyes), but the black and white adds a level of intensity and fright like no other. And of course, the writing and excellent performances seals it’s place on the top shelf of every horror film countdown.
5. The Omen (1976)–this kid scares the crap out of me. Period.
4. The Evil Dead (1981)–ok, so I just watched this film a few months ago for the first time and was shocked at how scary it was. I think because Bruce Campbell is in it I was expecting some Army of Darkness over the top shtick…uh, yeah, no. It freaked me out.
3. Children of the Corn (1984)–there is no denying it, kids are naturally scary; get them in a horror film and give them some kind of evil/psychotic/murderous/possessed quality, and *boom* you are guaranteed to frighten everyone. I don’t need to say it, but I’m going to anyway: it’s not just a coincidence that over half of these movies listed include children as main characters or the plot directly involves kids.
2. Halloween (1978)–I think one of the best things about this movie is the music. Creeps me out even if it’s just playing during a commercial.
1. The Exorcist (1973)–I know, it’s everyone’s number one, but it is such an incredible film. It is so riveting and frightening that by the time it’s over I feel just as exhausted as little Regan.
