ann hale returns with a horror movie-a-day film series…
Since it is officially October, I start my annual horror movie marathon where I watch one horror film a day until Halloween. It starts to get intense towards the middle of the month, and it certainly isn’t for the faint of heart, but I strongly encourage horror fans to give it a try. Should you decide to join me in this tradition, here are a few movies that I suggest watching:
1. The Exorcist- Easily the greatest horror movie ever made. This is always the first movie to start out my marathon because, well, it deserves to be. The movie is 37 years old and can still scare the crap out of people. Watch the crab walk down the stairs and try not to splatter paint your underpants.
2. Halloween- Not to be mistaken for the Rob Zombie remake. The original Halloween made the slow walking psycho killer horrifying. Michael Myers in his William Shatner mask, stalking Jamie Lee Curtis and her obnoxious friends….priceless. I promise it won’t disappoint.
3. A Nightmare on Elm Street- Freddy Krueger!!!! The guy stalks and kills people in their dreams with his knife fingers. Do I really need to say more?
4. May- Angela Bettis can’t make friends….so she makes a friend. Makes. Get it?
5. The Texas Chainsaw Massacre- Good ol’ Leatherface! Loosely based off of the real life serial killer Ed Gein, Leatherface and his family kill a group of stranded teenagers with a chainsaw and other fun tools in Texas. I’m nodding as I type this….
6. Suspiria- Dario Argento’s masterpiece about a bunch of girls at a ballet school who are getting murdered one by one by a mysterious being…..bum bum bummmmm. Did I mention its Italian? Yes yes
7. Alien- I know everyone likes Aliens better than Alien but how can you appreciate a sequel without its original? There is an awesome brutality factor along with the fact that Sigourney Weaver is beyond hot as Ripley! Enjoy!
8. Rosemary’s Baby- Mia Farrow is knocked up and having satanic visions? Im in!
9. Night of the Living Dead- Thank you George Romero for introducing us to the real gore-ific zombies. Barbara is extremely annoying but, she gets hers.
10. The Shining- Scary hotel, scary twins, scary bathtub lady….plus blood gushing from elevators, ghosts, and Jack Nicholson.
11. Friday the 13th- The original, not the sequel. Mrs. Vorhees is the ultimate Camp Crystal Lake killer. Jason is just a mutated pussy by comparison.
12. The Silence of the Lambs- Clarice Starling has to interview Hannibal “The Cannibal” Lector in order to find Catherine Martin who has been kidnapped by Buffalo Bill, a skinning serial killer. Never has lotion been so scary.
13. Carrie- The ultimate vengeance movie for anyone who has ever been different or made fun of. “They’re all gonna laugh at you!”
14. Scream- Don’t groan! Wes Craven and Kevin Williamson created a whole new generation of horror with Scream. The twist was great, the costume was simple but scary and who doesn’t want to see Rose McGowan die after being on that piece of crap show Charmed?
15. Child’s Play- Serial killer Charles Lee Ray traps himself inside a dolls body and tries to get out by inhabiting the body of a young boy. Not only is it scary because he’s a doll, but he’s also a Ginger kid…
16. Poltergeist- Little Carol Anne and her family are haunted by ghosts because some dumbass built their house on an Indian burial ground. Good job, buddy. Even scarier, several cast members actually died.
17. Paranormal Activity- I know its newer than the others but, believe me, its pretty terrifying. It starts out slow with, what seems like, a simple haunting. Then Micah, the obnoxious boyfriend of Katie, eggs the ghost on until the really scary shit happens. I don’t recommend watching it alone.
18. Evil Dead- Not so much scary as it is funny but you have to appreciate Sam Raimi for his extreme gore and the entertainment factor. Plus, he gave us Bruce Campbell…and who doesn’t love him?
19. Trick R Treat- Told in the spirit of Tales from the Hood and Creepshow, Trick R Treat gives us four scary stories about Sam Hain and the people he sees on Halloween, including a serial killing principal and a girl looking for love… Stars Anna Paquin, Dylan Baker, Brian Cox and Leslie Bibb.
And last but not least:
20. Jaws- Everyone can thank Steven Spielberg for bringing us the terrifying story of a killer shark. You don’t think it’s scary? Go swim alone in the middle of the ocean. I dare you.
Nice list, and way to go finishing up with Jaws. You’re right, it’s a pretty scary movie, all the more because it’s so hard not to sympathize with the characters; even the crazy captain, after his monologue about surviving a horrific WWII castaway scenario, is hard not to feel for. I sure hope he makes it through THIS one!
Very good list and excellent insight. Nice job, real nice.