"Must See" Horror Film #3

The Exorcist (1973)

According to the director, William Friedkin, this movie is not meant to be a horror film.... I disagree. The story focuses on young Regan MacNeil, who has begun showing signs of horrific disturbance in emotional and physical appearance. Her mother desperately searches to find doctors who can identify the problem and cure Regan of her illness. After exhausting all avenues on the medical world she must seek help from the spiritual realm to save her daughter. She enlists the help of Father Karras & Father Merrin to free her daughter from the darkness which has taken her over. Outstanding visual direction, screenplay & direction make this a classic which still comes in as a top 10 horror film. I also recommend watching the Director's Cut version of this film, preferably on Blu-Ray...... as they cleaned up the movie and it makes for a better viewing experience. *Please note: this movie is extremely graphic and meant for adult eyes only*

"Must See" Horror Film #4

Jaws (1975)

The small island community of Amity depends on it's business during the summer months, catering to beach going tourists. It's the beginning of the season and of a new job for Police Chief Martin Brody. Brody is used to the crime of New York and decides to move his family to the small town to have an ideal life. Things are shaken up when a body washes up on the beach and he must find out the cause of death. After the coroner examines the body they're left with a terrifying conclusion...... cause of death, shark attack. With the help of his deputies, oceanographic expert Matt Hooper and a crusty old fisherman named Quint they must keep the beaches safe while tracking the colossal shark to ultimately kill it. Brody has lots of complications along the way including a greedy town mayor who doesn't allow Brody to close the beaches despite the dangers of the rogue shark. This Spielberg's second full length feature film after Sugarland Express. Despite multiple hurdles while filming, it became one of the all time best horror films ever made.

"Must See" Horror Film #5

Halloween (1978)

Here it is..... the film that started it all. How could you have a must see horror film list without this being on it? One of the first horror movies directed by John Carpenter which firmly cemented his place in the horror film world. The story begins with six year old Michael Myers who kills his sister on Halloween night. Years later Michael breaks out of the institution which he's been in for 15 years and makes his way back to his home town of Haddonfield. This time his target is a group of teenagers living in his old neighborhood. The police along with Michael's psychiatrist Dr. Loomis are the teens only hope at surviving the night. This is also the film that made Jamie Lee Curtis the "Scream Queen" (following in her mothers footsteps). The film itself was low budget but the cast and crew made the best of it and came out with a film that has since become a cult classic.

"Must See" Horror Film #6

Aliens (1986) *Special note: Watch the EXTENDED DIRECTOR'S CUT*

I'm sure some people will disagree with Aliens being closer to number one on my must see horror list. It's a really tough call on which film is better. In my mind they are almost equal but Aliens stands out a bit more due to a few things. First, the character development and interaction is much more involved.... making you feel closer to the characters and truly care what happens to them. Secondly, the dialogue is dark yet playful and because of that there are far more memorable quotes and scenes in this film. And last but not least, no one does action sequences like Jim Cameron. In this second installment of the Alien movies we find that Ripley, the last survivor of the Nostromo, has drifted through outer space for 57 years. A salvage ship finds her escape shuttle and tows her to the nearest space station. When she awakens she is in for a shock as she finds out that everyone she's ever known and loved is gone. Her employers are unwilling to believe her story about what happened on LV-426 and hold her responsible for the loss of her ship and crew. After her pilots license is revoked she's left with little to do but work at the loading docks and deal with her recurrent nightmares. Soon after she settles in to her mundane life she finds the "company" knocking on her door asking for help. They have lost contact with new colony in place on LV-426 and have arranged a rescue mission to travel to the planet to look for survivors. Seeking out Ripley to act as a consultant they begin their rescue and recovery mission...... not knowing what they will find. When Ripley arrives at LV-426 she's faced with her worst nightmare again, multiplied times one hundred. As noted above, make sure tha when you watch this one that you choose the Director's cut. The story is much more fleshed out and is a completely different experience.

"Must See" Horror Film #7

The Devil's Backbone (2001)

In my humble opinion this is absolutely the best Spanish horror film ever made. Directed by Guillermo del Toro and subtitled in english. In Spain, at the end of a bloody war during 1939 we follow the story of a young boy, Carlos, who is son to a fallen Republican war hero who has been deserted and left by his tutor at desolate & rundown orphanage.  The orphanage is run by a kindly Professor and stern headmistress who struggle to care for the boys of the orphanage during the war. Once Carlos is settled in he begins to have hallucinations and realizes that the orphanage has many secrets. He learns of the recent disappearance of an orphan and begins to suspect the cruel caretaker of foul play. With the help of some of his fellow orphans he begins to look for clues as to what happened and finds a ghost who won't leave him alone until he can be put to rest. A+ for original story and outstanding makeup & art direction.

"Must See" Horror Film #8

28 Days Later (2002)

Brilliantly executed british zombie movie. Jim awakens from a coma in the local hospital to find that London is empty. Thanks to a virus that spread like wildfire, most of earths population has turned into the undead. As he wanders the empty streets he comes upon a small group of uninfected people trying to stay alive. The group decides to form a plan to escape the city and flee to a government camp that supposedly is uninfected and has water, food and shelter. Their journey is a fight to stay alive and once they arrive at the camp they realize it may not be what they expected. Amazing scenic shots, outstanding makeup effects and pulse pounding action sequences make this an unexpected hidden gem.

"Must See" Horror Film #9

Alien (1979)

"In space no one can hear you scream." A simple title on the movie poster for the movie 'Alien' said it all. The crew of the deep space mining vessel the Nostromo is on it's way back to Earth when it intercepts a message of unknown origin. According to their contract they must investigate any messages which show intelligent life. The distress call leads them to an uninhabitable planet, LV-426, and a derelict space craft which has crashed on the surface. The begin their investigation of the wrecked ship and find that the only thing left alive are egg hatched aliens which seems to be a parasite and attaches itself to one of the Nostromo crew. Unfortunately, the crew find that the parasite is only the beginning their nightmare. This is the film that started the change of women in cinema. Now longer would they be victims..... now we have a heroine that is bad ass and not afraid to get tough. Excellent score, visual effects & casting make this a classic of Sci/Fi horror films.

"Must See" Horror Film #10

The Legend of Sleepy Hollow (1949) *Disney animated version*

In this animated short film we see the story of a new school master, Ichabod Crane, as he arrives in the town of Sleepy Hollow. This short version of the film is the most fun and interesting of all the different Sleepy Hollow tales. Bing Crosby narrates the film and provides wonderful melodic songs throughout. This was my most favorite Halloween movie as a young child and is still makes my list as a must see. It is very hard to find..... it's actually only for sale as a VHS tape these days. I've found a link to a copy on YouTube which I'll post here for everyone's enjoyment. I found my copy & purchased through Amazon and play it every year at this time. Please note there are two similar versions of this one *It is NOT the one titled The Adventures of Ichabod & Mr. Toad*

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W1C520591dc
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qIHMyN5gJ_o&feature=related

"Must See" Horror Film #11

An American Werewolf in London (1981)

Set in gloomy old England, the story follows two American students on a back-packing tour of the country. Jack and David get a little more than they bargain for when they arrive in a small village and are given a chilly welcome at the local pub. The townspeople are tight-lipped about the strange happenings in their remote location. Whispers of a violent beast-like animal roaming the countryside. The students leave and don't take heed of the one piece of advice that's given...... stay on the road and away from the moors. By the time they realize they've strayed far from the path it's too late. The beast kills Jack and brutally mauls David. The wounded student is taken to a hospital in London and begins to notice some odd changes..... hallucinations, no appetite and visits from his dead friend. All of this adds up to one scary thought.... he may be turning into a werewolf. The special effects in the transformation scenes are still outstanding, even by todays standards. This is truly a "classic" and hands-down the best werewolf movie ever made.

"Must See" Horror Film #12

Interview with the Vampire (1994)

One of the most memorable portrayals of Vampiric life, death & tragedy. The story begins with Daniel, a young reporter (Christian Slater), who wanders the streets looking for interesting subjects to interview. One evening he stumbles upon Louis (Brad Pitt) and quickly finds out that he's unlike any subject he's interviewed before....... he is a vampire. Rather than feed on Daniel, Louis decides to allow him to chronicle his life and his transformation from human to vampire. The story follows Louis through his accidental encounter and subsequent turning provided by Lestat (Tom Cruise), a vampire who is sophisticated yet in desperate need of a companion. As the story continues it reveals Louis' struggle with becoming immortal and letting go of his humanity. Kirsten Dunst, Stephen Rea & Antonio Banderas round out the cast of vampires who aid Louis in his unraveling the secrets and the meaning of this cursed life.

"Must See" Horror Film #13

Event Horizon (1997)

On it's maiden voyage in the year 2040, the "Event Horizon" attempts to make history by being the first space ship to travel faster than the speed of light and subsequently vanishes without a trace. Fast forward seven years, the ship mysteriously re-appears without any explanation. A deep salvage team of including the Event Horizon's creator, Dr. Weir (Sam Neill) take the rescue ship "Lewis & Clark" to investigate & search for survivors and clues as to where the ship has been. They reach the Event horizon and dock to begin their mission. Once on board, the crew begins to experience hallucinations. As the hours go by they begin to discover what happened to the previous crew. Will they suffer the same fate? An underrated yet awesome SciFi/Horror film with a very original story. One of the few films that I can say truly scared me while watching it...... A+

"Must See" Horror Film #14

Psycho (1960)

This Alfred Hitchcock horror flick is a classic that still stands up as one of the best horror films of all time. Office worker Marion (Janet Leigh) decides to steal $40,000 from her employers so that she can start a new life with her boyfriend Sam. Once she has the money she begins the drive to meet Sam at his store in California. While on the road she encounters a terrible storm and is forced to pull over and check into a desolate roadside motel. The Bates motel is run by a quiet young man named Norman Bates (Anthony Perkins) who seems to be under the rule of a domineering mother. All is not what it seems. When Marion never shows up in California her sister and boyfriend decide to hire an investigator to track her whereabouts. When that doesn't work they decide to do some investigating themselves. This film cemented Janet Leigh as the 'Scream Queen', a role that her daughter Jamie Lee Curtis took over 18 years later when she starred in Halloween.

"Must See" Horror Film #15

The Descent (2005)

The ultimate "chicks-rule" horror film! Following a white water rafting trip with her friends, Sarah and her family are involved in a horrific accident which leaves her emotionally destroyed. Fast forward a year later, Sarah decides to join her group of girlfriends to get back into living life and looking for the next big adventure. The group arrives in the Appalachian Mountains for a caving trip but realize they may be in a little over their heads. They find themselves lost inside the caverns and to make things worse...... they soon learn that they're not alone. Directed by Neil Marshall (Dog Soldiers) and starring a collection of talented actresses from Europe.

"Must See" Horror Film #16

Dawn of the Dead (2004)

A re-invisioning of the 1978 screenplay by George Romero in which undead zombies are infecting others and taking over the world. The story follows a group of people brought together trying to stay alive. In an attempt to find someplace safe they decide to take refuge in the local mall. There refuge doesn't last long once the infected figure out where they are hiding. They must take extreme measures to keep the infected at bay while they attempt to make a safe journey to a new place to call home. Sarah Polley & Ving Rhames star in this ultimate zombie flick.

"Must See" Horror Film #17

Friday the 13th (1980)

Another classic 80's horror/slasher flick. Be sure to watch the "uncut" version of this one...... it makes it worthwhile to watch as the "original" cut leaves out a lot of great moments. Counselors at Camp Crystal Lake take part in the re-opening of the camp after the tragic drowning death of a young boy, Jason Voorhees,  and also some pretty brutal deaths. Once they arrive it's deja vu as the camp counselors began to be picked off one by one by the same psycho killer. Keep your eyes peeled for a young Kevin Bacon.

"Must See" Horror Film #18

Carrie (1976)

Who could ever forget this one? Written by Stephen King and directed by Brian De Palma.... Carrie (Sissy Spacek) is a shy high school student who by day is tortured and taunted by her fellow classmates and at home has to endure an emotionally & physically abusive mother who is radically religious. As a cruel joke, her peers convince the school hunk to ask Carrie out to the prom. They concoct a horrific plan to humiliate Carrie in front of the entire school. Unfortunately for them it backfires in the end when Carrie brings down her wrath upon them and they soon realize she has some very "special" powers. You'll never think of Prom Night the same after this one.

"Must See" Horror Film #19

The Exorcism of Emily Rose (2005)

I'm still trying to figure out how this one got a PG-13 rating. This film scared me more than most rated R films. The story focuses on the case of a young girl whose death has been ruled a negligent homicide. (It is based loosely on the real story of Anneliese Michel, a german teen who in the 1970's believed she was possessed by several demons.) Father Moore, who performed an exorcism on Emily Rose, is being charged with her murder. Erin Bruner (Laura Linney) has taken on the case and must prove Father Moore to be innocent of the terrible crime. Along the way Erin comes into contact with forces that lead her to believe that Emily might have actually been possessed. Jennifer Carpenter definitely proves herself to be the new scream & horror queen with this role.

"Must See" Horror Film #20

Ringu (1998)

This is the original Japanese horror film that inspired the American version called "The Ring". After the death of her niece Tomoko, Reiko Asakawa begins an investigation into the video tape which causes mysterious death anyone who watches it. Her search takes her to the remote cabin where her niece and friends viewed the cursed tape before winding up dead. Along the journey she receives help from her ex-husband, who she makes a copy of the tape to show him. Once he watches the tape they begin to understand the evil that they are up against. This film is subtitled in English and is much more entertaining than the remake. Don't watch this one alone!

"Must See" Horror Film #21

The Thing (1982)

Kurt Russell stars in this John Carpenter film about a shape shifting alien. While stationed in the remote continent of Antarctica, R.J. MacReady (Russell) and a team of scientist stumble upon an alien being which takes the shape of whatever life form in comes into contact with. Not knowing who may already be infected the team soon begins to turn on one another. The question is.....  will anyone survive?

"Must See" Horror Film #22

The Mothman Prophecies (2002)

John Klein and his wife are involved in a bizarre auto accident, one which claims her life but spares John. Before his wife dies she tells John of an unexplained phenomenon she saw just before the accident. After hearing the story and seeing the fear in his wife's eyes he decides to investigate her claims to see if anyone else has encountered the same dark figure. His research leads him Point Pleasant, West Virginia where several people has recently had encounters with the same specter. As he starts to unravel the mystery he begins to realize there may be more to the story than just myth. Very atmospheric and genuinely creepy, great performances by Richard Gere (John Klein) and Will Patton (Gordon Smallwood).

"Must See" Horror Film #23

The Sixth Sense (1999)

Malcom Crowe is a gifted child psychologist who has devoted himself to helping children in crisis. After one of his patients commits suicide he begins to lose heart.... until one day he meets a new boy, Cole, who desperately needs help. In an attempt to save this new boy from the same fate he begins to treat him on a daily basis. This new boy gives Malcolm the chance to make up for the earlier loss but he soon realizes that he may be beyond his help. Cole has a secret..... one that is spine tingling. Will Malcolm be able to get his life back by helping this boy or will he continue to live in darkness? Directed by M. Night Shyamalan and starring Bruce Willis. This is the film that launched M. Night and made him a household name.

"Must See" Horror Film #24

Rosemary's Baby (1968)

Rosemary and Guy Woodhouse seem like the perfect married couple, until they move into their new apartment and Rosemary starts to notice a change in her once loving husband. As Guy forms a friendship with their new neighbors, the Castevet's, she realizes something isn't quite right. While wishing to become pregnant she finds herself having horrific nightmares, including a very graphic one that is enough to scare anyone silly. Soon after the dream Rosemary discovers she is pregnant and then must deal with an unusual amount of attention from everyone surrounding her. Slowly she begins to uncover conspiracies galore and questions her own sanity. Is she crazy or is there truly something wrong with her baby? This is the film that launched not only Mia Farrow but also made her "pixie" haircut one of the most famous styles in film history. Directed by Roman Polanski, this film is 60's horror at it's most evil & sinister. This is an adult film... rated R.

"Must See" Horror Film #25

The Changeling (1980) *not the "Changeling" with Angelina Jolie*

George C. Scott plays a man alone, grieving the accidental deaths of his family while retreating to an abandoned scary house, one which is full of the type of atmospheric scares modern horror movies all but abandon these days. The movie is far from perfect, but it wears its "less is more" approach like a badge of honor, and Scott carries the movie in such a way where you care about both his emotional plight and the one he faces at the hands of whatever evils want him out of the house. 


Special note: This film was named by Martin Scorsese to be one of his personal top 11 favorite horror films of all time.

"Must See" Horror Film #26

The Nightmare Before Christmas (1993)

One of the better known animated Halloween films, The Nightmare Before Christmas follows Jack Skellington (the king of Halloween Town) as he accidentally discovers the new world of Christmas Town. Having found himself bored with the same old thing he decides to round up the townspeople to recreate Christmas in Halloween Town. Unfortunately their attempts to make a cheerful holiday become a nightmare. Some things are best left to Santa Claus ;) Outstanding stop motion animation and excellent original song & score provided Danny Elfman make this a truly unique part of film history.

"Must See" Horror Film #27

Children of the Corn (1984)

A young couple, Vicky and Burt (Linda Hamilton and Peter Horton), take a wrong turn and find they've ended up in Gatlin, Nebraska...... a seemingly deserted town. While there they find out it's not deserted but being run by children. Bad news is, the children are being lead by a boy preacher named Isaac who orchestrated the killing of all adults in the town and turned the once normal kids into evil incarnate. Vicky and Burt must survive long enough to escape the town with the two good children they've found..... but Isaac has other plans for them. Genuinely creepy Isaac and Malachai make you NEVER want to have children. Two thumbs up for an awesome story by Stephen King.

"Must See" Horror Film #28

Army of Darkness (1992)

In this third installment of the Evil Dead films we find Ash has been sucked into a time warp and transported to 1300 A.D. Upon arriving to the medieval times he finds that he must battle an army of undead to retrieve the Necronomicon, an ancient book that can rid the world of evil and send Ash back to the 2oth century. While Ash attempts to recite the spellbound words from the book he accidentally mispronounces the incantation and releases the undead to terrorize himself and the towns people. He must then battle the undead and the demon which takes over his new girlfriend to set things right. The Evil Dead movies are Sam Raimi's idea of horror-comedy. Funny one liners, ridiculous fight scenes (like Ash battling some 3 Stooges type maneuvers in the graveyard), hilarious blood, guts & gore going way too far. This one is simply creative and meant to be a cult classic. Be warned..... this is not one to take seriously..... it's meant to be over the top & silly.

"Must See" Horror Film #29

Evil Dead 2 (1987)

Some may wonder why I skipped Evil Dead and went right for Evil Dead 2..... have to admit that Evil Dead wasn't the best film. Evil Dead 2 isn't really a sequel but more of a remake of the first film and a much better movie by far. One of Sam Raimi's cult classics.... the story involves Ash (Bruce Campbell) venturing into the woods to stay at a secluded cabin with his girlfriend. While there he finds a tape recorder owned by a professor which includes recorded recitations of passages from the Book of the Dead. These recitations conjure up an evil force which takes over Linda, Ash's girlfriend. The evil spirit then uses the forest, cabin and other means to torture Ash. This movie is absolutely a comedy and is campy horror at it's best. I literally cried from laughing while watching this film. This was one of the first steps in making Sam Raimi what he is today...... a powerhouse in hollywood. 

"Must See" Horror Film #30

The Monster Squad (1987)

This film is guaranteed to make you feel like a kid again. If you are a child of the 80's this will bring back loads of fond memories. The Monster Squad came onto the scene two years after The Goonies and definitely has many similarities. Where The Goonies was all about pirates & bank robbers The Monster Squad is all about..... you guessed it, Monsters! The premise behind this one is simple...... it's up to The Monster Squad to stop Count Dracula from obtaining an ancient amulet that will give him the ability to rule the world. With the help of "Scary German Guy", the group of pre-teens who idolize classic monsters & monster movies must battle Dracula, Frankenstein's monster, a werewolf, mummy & the gill-man to maintain the balance of good and evil. If you have children this is a must see for them..... they will absolutely love it! A perfect kids Halloween flick. 

"Must See" Horror Film #31

The Blair Witch Project (1999)

Possibly the best viral marketing for a movie I've ever seen. This film centers around three young students, Heather, Michael & Josh, making a documentary on "The Blair Witch". They travel together on a hiking excursion into the Black Hills of Maryland to investigate the story and bring back proof of the legend. This film is a perfect example of "less is more". The documentary style filming tells the story of what happened to the students during the shoot...... in the end the students were supposedly never found and only their video & sound equipment was recovered. This one will have you white knuckled in fear..... you won't ever want to go camping again ;)

"Must See" Horror Film #32

Shaun of the Dead (2004)

Who wouldn't want a little comedy in their horror? This one taps into the laughs and the "bloody" nonsense of this genre. It's a typical day for Shaun (Simon Pegg), annoying roommates, running late for work, disrespectful employees and oh yes, Zombies! Shaun and his slacker best friend Ed must navigate around the newly dead in order to save Shaun's ex-girlfriend, Mother & Step-Father and take them to the safety of the local pub "The Winchester". While on their journey they run into a plethora of undead obstacles. They must think of new & inventive ways to take the Zombies down. Loads of pop-culture references and nods to Quentin Tarantino & others and of course the creation of one of my most favorite quotes ever........"FUCK-A-DOODLE-DO!" This one will have you cracking up within the first ten minutes. A++

"Must See" Horror Film #33

The Others (2001)

This film didn’t break any box office records but it still stands up as a genuinely creepy horror film. The story revolves around Grace (Nicole Kidman) and her two young children, Anne and Nicholas, living together in a dimly lit mansion. The children are photosensitive/allergic to sunlight and must remain indoors with shades drawn at all times. Grace attempts to keep order in the house despite the fact she is without her husband, who is away fighting in World War 2. She finds her job made even more difficult when her servants suddenly vanish without a trace.  Mysteriously, three more servants appear on her doorstep one day and she cautiously accepts their help. Once the new servants are settled in Grace begins to notice unexplained phenomena in the mansion. This movie has a unique storyline and a surprise ending. 

"Must See" Horror Film #34

The Wicker Man (1973)

*Make sure you rent the 1973 version..... NOT the new version with Nicolas Cage*

Mainland Police Sergeant Neil Howie receives an anonymous letter from the remote “Summerisle” off the coast of Scotland informing him of a missing person. A young girl has apparently vanished and he heads off to investigate her disappearance. Upon arriving he finds that the entire town seems to deny her very existence. Even more sinister….. He learns that the town members are practicing Pagans. After viewing glimpses of rituals he fears the worst, perhaps this young girl will be their next sacrifice? This is an oldie but goodie with a surprise ending. 

"Must See" Horror Film #35

Paranormal Activity (2007)

Don't listen to the haters.... this one is awesome! Somewhat of a viral film campaign akin to The Blair Witch Project. This one feels real which causes you to be want to cover your eyes & sink into the sofa all whilst squeezing the hand of the person sitting next to you until it breaks. (Make sure you don't watch this alone) The story focuses on a young couple, Katie and Micah, who have recently moved into a new home and find a presence appearing during the night. Come to find out, this isn't Katie's first experience with this presence.... it's been following her since childhood. Micah being resistant to the idea that there is something actually going on decides to try & document what is actually happening while they are sleeping. Once he sees what's going on during the night they decide to get professional help. Noises, moving objects & unexplained footprints will literally scare the bejesus out of you.

"Must See" Horror Film #36

The Frighteners (1996)

The Frighteners tells the story of Frank Bannister (Fox), an architect who develops psychic abilities allowing him to see, hear, and communicate with ghosts. After losing his wife, he uses his new abilities by cheating money out of customers for his "ghosthunting" business. This one is rated R however it is not "scary". It actually has a lot of comedy involved. Directed by Peter Jackson and co-written with his wife, Fran Walsh. Excellent visual effects & music by Danny Elfman make this a must see.