The 31 Days of Horror- #21

A grieving family, the Book of Enoch, Ichabod Crane, and some unlucky travelers...

The 70's

Don't Look Now (1973)- I like to think of this movie as the American Giallo film; it's slowly and deliberately paced, very atmospheric, there's a mysterious killer running around slashing people in the background while the story unfolds. It's low on blood and scares, big on concept and atmosphere. Give it a chance though, because it's effective even if it tends to move a bit slow. There's also a classic scene near the end that even Bravo thinks is one of the best ever. This one is pure creepiness.

The 80's

The Gates of Hell (1980)- Lucio Fulci strikes again, and this time with my favorite of his films; not because it's his best (I still think that The Beyond and Zombie are better films), but something about this one just sticks with me. Maybe it's the way that a girl throws up her intestines on camera; maybe it's the slow and painful "drill to the head" scene; maybe it's the sick music that still makes me wet myself when I hear it; maybe it's the the ending that makes absolutely no sense, and yet fits perfectly. I just love Italian Zombie movies. "Are you familiar with the book of Enoch?" If not, you should be.

The 90's

Sleepy Hollow (1999)- Tim Burton is not one of my favorites, but I can't deny the greatness of this movie. Also, if you don't love Johnny Depp as Ichabod Crane, then you pretty much suck... and does it get any better than Christopher Walken as the horseman? This is a classic story retold in a way that is visually satisfying, creepy at times, and fun. I dare say that the moniker of "Modern Day Classic" applies to this film, but then again, it's a re-telling of a classic story that's been retold many, many times already... so then that would be cheating wouldn't it?? Whatever, just check it out if you haven't seen it.

The 2000's

Hostel (2005)- Ah, Eli Roth; his films aren't "great", per se, but somehow they manage to satisfy just the same. Hostel was one of the forefathers of the torture-porn trend that became so popular in the mid 00's, and still is today. The thing about Hostel that makes it great (if you didn't hate it, I suppose), is that the story feels just real enough to be possible; backpackers disappear all the time in foreign countries, and yes, even from hostels, so it's natural to make a movie about the subject. This movie is grim and dirty, violent and twisted, and deserves its place on the list.


See you Tomorrow with the start of the top 20!