EDITOR'S NOTE: I chose not to include horror-comedies (Zombieland),
thrillers (Silence of the Lambs), or true sci-fi films that happen to
come with some scares (Alien) as I don't consider them to be truly
"scary." Rest assured that all of these films would find a home on
this list if I had expanded it to include them.
I've never felt that The
Shining is quite the classic that it is often made out to be. Perhaps
it's because I didn't see it in a theater or watched it at midnight during a
slumber party but it never really frightened me all that much. That
said, the iconic scenes and their accompanying lines ("Here's
Johnny!", "Red Rum", etc.) within this film are
magnificent.
9. The Ring (2002)
This is one of only two films on this list that I saw in a theater
so perhaps that has something to do with the sheer terror this film caused me.
In my adult life, I don't think I've ever been closer to soiling myself than I
was near the end of The Ring.
That little girl still haunts me from time to time and I'll never, NEVER, be
able to remain calm if a TV suddenly goes to the fuzzy screen. Also, if you
think my roommate and I didn't go back to our dorm and immediately call the
girls we went to see this movie with to creepily say, "SEVEN DAYS!"
then you've got another thing coming.
Much like The
Shining, I think Psycho suffers in my book from having
never seen it in a theater. It's always creeped me out a bit but I wouldn't say
it necessarily scared me. On the other hand, from a strictly film standpoint,
this could be the best entry on the list. So incredibly well-made. It does lose
some points, though, for that horrible Gus Van Sant remake. I just can't shake
the memory of Anne Heche sucking the life out of the film.
7. Scream (1996)
I just watched Scream
4, one of the worst movies I have ever seen, so I'm already doubting where
I placed the original film on this list. It's been a long time since I've seen
it so maybe it's just as cheesy and horrible as the newest installment was. But
regardless, Scream messed with my head in a major
way. Up until this point, I had always operated under the assumption that,
should I come face to face with a knife-wielding nutcase, I could at least run
away. Then Scream came
along and introduced me to the concept of serial killing teammates. My world has never
been the same.
I struggled with whether or not to include this film because part
of me thinks it belongs more in the "thriller" category than
"scary." But then I thought about the wave of terror that went
through my body the first (and second...and third) times I saw Sixth Sense in the theater
when Mischa Barton rips the sheet tent that poor little Haley Joel Osment set
up for himself. It's easy to forget how stellar this film is given how M. Night
Shyamalan had a mental breakdown and made two of the worst movies ever (The
Happening and The
Last Airbender) but it completely changed the genre (for better or worse).
5. 28 Days Later (2002)
In my mind, anyone who has profited from this whole Zombie Craze
that has swept the world over the last half-decade should have to see a
percentage of the proceeds to Danny Boyle. I can't remember anyone in my circle
of nerds caring about anything zombie related (and certainly nothing current)
until this film. The open of 28
Days Later is outstanding, the type of scene that immediately sucks
you into the film's atmosphere and it doesn't let you go until the very end.
And the zombies are horrifying.
4. The Thing (1982)
I saw The Thing for
the first time only a couple of years ago but I really, really liked it more
than I ever thought I would. It's probably due in part to its sci-fi leaning
which I dig. I wouldn't say the story within The Thing is all
that much better from your standard horror film but it tells it well. Solid
special effects (for the time) help it, too, and when the creature starts shape
shifting, I find it to be quite scary.
This film is the reason for my personal "no demons in
movies" rule. The quintessential possession film, nothing could ever top The Exorcist in that realm
and honestly, if it could, I'd probably never be able to sleep ever, ever
again. I just can't handle this subject matter. I'd like to punch whoever it is
that forced me to watch this film but I've blocked out all details of that
fateful evening save for the film itself which I can't get out of my head. The
second the opening credits begin to roll, you're on the edge of your seat and
nothing about The Exorcist disappoints
in the scare department. At the same time, it's one of the few films on this
list that sees its scariness equaled by the quality of its acting. It truly is
an exquisite film though I'll never see it again.
2. 30 Days of Night (2007)
This is admittedly a bit of an odd choice. You won't even find 30 Days of Night on Rotten
Tomatoes' Top 75 List and I think that's a real shame. I've never been a
fan of vampire movies (even before Twilight made it very easy
and trendy to hate vampires) but this one is so appealing and
tension-filled. The concept is brilliant and the setting is so incredibly
creepy. Even more impressive is the performance of Danny Huston who brings more
freakish, terrifying personality (as it were) to the animalistic-type of
vampire than I would have ever imagined. When I saw this film, I really thought
I might have just seen the best straight horror movie ever. I can't be alone in
that, right?
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