As below, more catching up…
Dan also sent me a link for William Friedkin’s list of 13 Must-See Horror Movies. This would have made great sense to post around Halloween when he sent it to me, but Christmas can also be pretty scary. Have you been to the mall yet?
And there are Christmas horror movies, sick as that may strike you. Dead of Night (1945) [the second segment, a ghost story set at a Christmas party], Tales from the Crypt (1972) [the first segment "... And All Through the House"] Silent Night, Bloody Night (1974), Black Christmas (1974, AKA Silent Night, Evil Night) [referenced previously here and here], Christmas Evil (1980, AKA Terror in Toyland and You Better Watch Out), Don’t Open ‘Til Christmas (1984), and Silent Night, Deadly Night (1984) [followed by four sequels, which also inspired the "Garbage Day" meme].
Have I made my point?
Anyway, here’s Dan’s list.
Dorman’s 10 Must-See Horror Movies
in no particular order
The Innocents (1961) – directed by Jack Clayton; screenplay by William Archibald, Truman Capote and John Mortimer
A perennially underrated film with haunting cinematography (Freddie Francis) that you are not likely to ever forget
Dracula, aka Horror of Dracula (1958) – directed by Terence Fisher; screenplay by Jimmy Sangster
Not as well-known as the much earlier Bela Lugosi/Tod Browning film of the same name, but this is the one that made Hammer a household name around the world and cemented the legendary status of the cinema’s "Gruesome Twosome": Christopher Lee and the late, great Peter Cushing
The Unknown (1927) – directed by Tod Browning
If you only see one Lon Chaney Sr. film in your whole life, let it be this one — at least until The Unholy Three (1925) is finally released on DVD
Bride of Frankenstein (1935) – directed by James Whale
Yes, the sequel is BETTER than the original, and if you don’t believe me I only have three words for you: "We belong dead"…
The Exorcist (1973) – directed by William Friedkin; screenplay by William Peter Blatty, from his novel
Still one of the scariest films about faith I have ever seen
Dawn of the Dead (1978) – written and directed by George A. Romero
If you only see one zombie flick in your entire life, see this one (and not the tepid remake by that Zack Snyder guy)
The Devil Rides Out (1968) – directed by Terence Fisher; screenplay by Richard Matheson, adapted from Dennis Wheatley’s novel
Superlative English horror and THE best film ever made on the subject of the Dark Arts — screw Harry Potter, this is the REAL DEAL
An American Werewolf in London (1981) – written and directed by John Landis
This is probably a lot of people’s secret favorite film — and if it isn’t, than you need to watch it again
Session 9 (2001) – directed by Brad Anderson; screenplay by Brad Anderson and Stephen Gevedon (who also plays the character Mike)
Piss-your-pants scary… Never heard of it? See it NOW
The Virgin Spring (1960) – directed by Ingmar Bergman; screenplay by Ulla Isaksson, who also wrote the screenplay for Bergman’s Brink of Life (1958)
Remade as The Last House on the Left (1972) but so much more intense — a shattering film — one of Bergman’s best
Honorable Mentions
The Elephant Man (1980) – directed by David Lynch
John Hurt deserved the Oscar (I’m still bitter over this one)
Psycho (1960) – directed by Alfred Hitchcock; screenplay by Joseph Stefano, based on the novel by Robert Bloch
A classic — and totally deserving to be called one of the Greatest Films ever made
Peeping Tom (1960) – directed by Michael Powell
Can you believe this came out the same year as Psycho? Michael Powell’s masterpiece is every bit as good (and less showy)
Black Sunday (1960) – directed by Mario Bava
I wish Tim Burton would get off his ass and remake this great Italian horror masterwork (with or without Barbara Steele)
Freaks (1932) – directed by Tod Browning
Maybe Tod Browning’s greatest film achievement — try watching it the first time without looking away or squinting your eyes at least once — go ahead, I dare you
Dracula (1931) – directed by Tod Browning
Bela will always be the Count
The Cat and the Canary (1927) – directed by Paul Leni
An inventive horror/comedy film that became the visual template for so many things to follow
The Vault of Horror (1973) – directed by Roy Ward Baker
See it for the last segment starring Tom Baker (of Doctor Who fame) and try and get those big, scary eyes of his out of your head
Witchfinder General (1968) – directed by Michael Reeves
Reeve’s masterpiece and Vincent Price’s most nefarious role — finally available in this country on DVD and not to be missed
Ed Wood (1994) – directed by Tim Burton; screenplay by Scott Alexander and Larry Karaszewski
Not really a horror film but Tim Burton’s love letter to Edward D. Wood Jr., Bela Lugosi and an entire genre
Hangover Square (1945) – directed by John Brahm
Brahm’s work is finally available to people other than film buffs and frankly, it’s about time — this was the last film of Laird Cregar (The Lodger, 1944) and his performance here is completely unforgettable — not to mention Brahm’s stunning camera work and Bernard Hermann’s mind-blowing score
Planet Terror (2007) – written and directed by Robert Rodriguez
I know, Planet Terror? The thing is, this movie actually worked (unlike Tarantino’s half of Grindhouse) and it does more than send-up other genre films — it creates its very own niche
Anything by Dario Argento: Suspiria (1977), Deep Red (1975), The Bird with the Crystal Plumage (1970), just to name a few
So many names come up when talking about horror directors: Browning, Hitchcock, Whale, Fisher…but all of these film-makers made other films besides "horror movies", unlike Argento who it seems has spent a lifetime dedicated to the craft of scaring the shit out of his audience… with style to spare
Tags: horror movies, The Innocents, Dracula, zombies, The Unknown, Bride of Frankenstein, Frankenstein, The Exorcist, Dawn of the Dead, The Devil Rides Out, An American Werewolf in London, Session 9, The Virgin Spring