The 31 Days of Horror- #9

The Antichrist, and angry Mother, a creepy forest, and a Demon of the mind...

The 70's

The Omen (1976)- The Antichrist is such a cute little boy... wait, no he isn't. He actually looks like he's evil. Part of 70's horror was the fascination with Satan and the occult, and this is the best movie dealing with the Devil's kid that has ever been made. A story about the Devil's child is something that you have to love, especially when everyone who finds out about him ends up dying. The Omen is an all time classic, with one of those "Best of" horror movie endings. It's all for you, Damien!

The 80's

Friday the 13th (1980)- This is the movie that started the slasher craze in earnest. As popular as this series went on to become, it's fun to note that Jason Voorhees, the series icon, wasn't even the killer in this. Now, I should really recognize the first movie starring Jason (part II), because he is the franchise after all; then again, if I did that, I'd have to start with part III because he didn't even get his trademark hockey mask until halfway through that one. It doesn't matter though, because part I, Jason or not, was really the best one of the series. Stupid teens being stalked and slashed while getting high and having sex... that was everything that 80's Horror was about. Ki-ki-ki, ma-ma-ma!

The 90's

The Blair Witch Project (1999)- This is the movie that I've dreaded getting to. Many people love the BWP, and just as many people hate it; both with equal passion. Either way, it was a landmark moment in Horror, and gave us something that has been mostly devoid from Horror movies over the past 20 years: originality. I'm not the biggest fan of "found footage" movies, but it worked here, making the fact that the protagonists were lost in the woods and being stalked by a Witch even more unsettling. You never see the Witch, which really pissed me off, but it doesn't take away from the effectiveness of this movie. The key to loving Blair Witch is to believe the premise; the footage were seeing was real footage recovered by police, and was a document of three missing kids last days. That's pretty damn terrifying if you ask me.

The 2000's

Session 9 (2001)- Hands down one of the creepiest movies ever made. Many people haven't even heard of this bad ass little movie, and that makes me sad. It's not much for blood or kills, there aren't jump scares or evil creatures running around, but nothing tops it for atmosphere; between the creepy "Session" tapes that we hear playing throughout, to the music and the isolation of the asylum, this movie unsettles the viewer and by the end, you will want to turn all of the lights on in your house. I especially like the ending; was the voice on the tapes just a disturbed patient, or something more...something that drives people to murder? One of my all time favorites, and a must see for all.

See you tomorrow with #8....

The 31 Days of Horror- #10

We have arrived at the top 10!

Some Terror Tykes, a serial killer, the creepiest clown ever, and a twisted Aussie...

The 70's

The Brood (1979)- This movie is a masterpiece on many levels, and there's no debating that fact. Cronenberg is in top form here, giving us a sickening dose of his ever disturbing "Body Horror" that made up the core of his films in the 70's and 80's. A therapist creates and uses a bold new technique on his patients called Psychoplasmics, releasing their negative energies cause their bodies to undergo radical physical change, in one case, giving birth to the Terror Tikes; mutant children who kill on mental/emotional command. This movie is smart, terrifying, and one that you simply need to see.

The 80's

Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer (1986)- I know that many of you reading this are saying "What the hell? This finishes ahead of The Shining and the other great flickss farther down the list?" And my answer is yes, it absolutely has to. This movie is jarring, riveting, and you will be hard pressed to find another Horror film that matches its dirty feel. The story follows Henry (loosely based on Henry Lee Lucas), and his adventures in serial killing. He kills at will; sometimes for good reason, sometimes for the sheer joy of it; sometimes with a partner, sometimes he kills his partner. Watching this movie feels like you're watching a hidden camera recording of murder... a slow, drawn out murder, that makes you look away because you just can't take any more. Henry will make you feel dirty, and will also make you fear all strangers. CLASSIC.

The 90's

It (1990)- A mini series? In the top 10? Listen up, clowns are scary. This is one of Stephen King's best stories, and one of his finest hours... er, 6 hours... ever put to film. This movie, a story about friendship and kids kicking some clown ass, gave us one of the creepiest and most memorable Horror baddies ever; Pennywise the clown. You're lying if you say you don't get the chills when he says "We all float down here, Georgie." Either that, or you're more of a man/woman than I'll ever be. Probably the second one... The point is, this is a great movie, and although the ending was a bit anti-climactic to me (the clown was WAY better than the final "Monster") this is a must see piece of horror history.

The 2000's

Wolf Creek (2005)- I can't help but love this movie in every single way. Loosely based, and I mean very loosely based on the story of Australian serial killer Ivan Milat, Wolf Creek is harsh, unrelenting, and ultimately a disturbing piece of film. When I first saw this one, I couldn't believe that certain things I thought would happen, didn't, and things I knew couldn't happen, did. The old "head on a stick" gag will never completely leave my mind after seeing it. I'm proud that a newer Horror movie has left this kind of impression on me, but then again, it wasn't made in Hollywood, so of course it had substance. Australia scares me!

See you tomorrow with #9...

The 31 Days of Horror- #11

We are one movie away from the top 10 of all time!!! What will they be?...

Fulci zombies, Redrum, a hobbling, and a French mind-f**k...

The 70's

Lucio Fulci's Zombie (1979)- According to many, this is Lucio Fulci's masterpiece. Banned in several countries because it was so excessively violent, Zombie (or Zombi 2 overseas) gave us a few of the most memorable scenes in Horror History; A zombie fighting a shark underwater; A mass of zombies walking across the Brooklyn Bridge; and most famous of all, the eyeball gouging scene, involving a closeup of an eye and a splintered piece of wood. The Zombies look great, the music adds to the typical Fulci atmosphere, and overall, this is one of the best Zombie epics ever made.

The 80's

The Shining (1980)- Not only was The Shining written by insane-genius Stephen King, directed by insane-genius Stanley Kubrik, and starred insane-genius Jack Nicholson as a man driven slowly insane by ghosts, but it was one of the most culturally important Horror films of it's time. "Here's Johnny!", "Redrum" and "All work and no play make Jack a dull boy" are all phrases that caught on in the mainstream, and have been repeated many times since, the world over. Also, Room 237 and the twins in the hallway gave us two of the most terrifying and memorable Horror scenes ever. A classic in every sense of the word, though very different from the book, this movie belongs in every Horror collection, if only as a study of Kubrick's mad genius.

The 90's

Misery (1990)- How in the world can Kathy Bates be terrifying? Easily; imagine her kidnapping you, drugging you, making you her "lover", and hobbling your ankles with a sledgehammer. Annie Wilkes is one of the most terrifying characters of all time, even earning Bates an Oscar for best actress for her depraved portrayal. Many look at this film as a thriller or drama, but make no mistake, this is Horror of the psychological kind, even if Rob Reiner did direct it. If you fear stalkers or the thought of being kidnapped by unattractive middle aged women, this one will make you cry.

The 2000's

Haute Tension (2003)- Many people poo-poo this movie because of its "twist" ending. While I didn't particularly like the ending either, I can't ignore the brilliance of this film. I got this one on region 2 DVD before it came out here, and when I watched it, I was blown away by the sick and unrelenting blood and gore, and the fact that it was actually a well made movie. It was something that American Horror hadn't given us in quite some time. The French have been on a twisted role this decade, bringing us a bunch of messy, well made, and disturbing Horror flicks, and this is the one (in my mind) that began it all. Not for the squeamish.

See you tomorrow with the beginning of the top 10!!!!

The 31 Days of Horror- #12

The worst X-mas ever, some fog on the moors, gay vampires, and some rock-climbing women...

The 70's

Black Christmas (1974)- Bob Clark gave us so many good movies; Porky's, A Christmas Story, Children Shouldn't Play with Dead Things, and this, one of the first and best "Slasher " flicks. This is a pretty great movie for being 25 years old, and one of the first to give us the "sorority girls being picked off one by one" angle; also, this movie did the whole "caller in the house" thing first too. It's not very bloody, but it's fairly creepy and a bit demented, and worth having in any Horror collection.

The 80's

An American Werewolf in London (1981)- This is my second favorite Werewolf movie ever, although many say it's the best. Either way, it's an amazing movie, with some of the best transformation FX you'll ever see. Kinda comedy, mostly Horror, this movie is just plain old fun, and it has its creepy moments too. You really should own this one, or at the very least, see it as soon as possible.

The 90's

Interview With the Vampire (1994)- Despite the massive homosexual overtones in this movie, I find myself loving it. Don't get me wrong, I'm down with the gays, but I'm just not used to seeing the subject matter explored in Horror movies. It was an especially bold move for Hollywood in the 90's. I think this is pretty much a classic Vampire story; the romantic aspect, plenty of blood and biting, drama, intrigue... and Tom Cruise before he went bat-shit crazy! I wasn't a fan of the books, or the crap sequel, but his one is the goods.

The 2000's

The Descent (2005)- A bunch of chicks that decide to go cave exploring get trapped far underground and are set upon by a bunch on mongoloid mutants... how can you not love that? This movie is dark, and at times hard to see, but it's really effective and worth straining your eyes for. It was a pretty fresh idea in a decade where remakes seem to rule the Horror world, and I'm glad they're making a sequel. *Addendum: the sequel ended up really sucking bad.

See you tomorrow with #11...

The 31 Days of Horror- #13

Some rape-revenge, a large fog bank, a creepy kid, and an even larger mist bank...

The 70's

The Last House on the Left (1972)- Wes Craven began his directorial career with this flick; this is not a "great" movie per-se, but it is a classic that made a huge and lasting impact when it was released. This movie isn't about style, its about the sick, twisted, revenge filled substance. Three escaped convicts (2 guys and 1 chick) capture, torture, and rape 17-year-old Mari and her friend, eventually killing them both. When they move on to do the same to Mari's family, what ensues is a bloodbath of retribution. David Hess, plays Krug, the head creep, and is easily one of the most terrifying villains ever captured on film. Last House is sadistic, harsh, and messy, and a must see for Horror fans. Not for the squeamish.

The 80's

The Fog (1980)- To this day, The Fog remains one of those movies that can still creep me out, even after 28 years. It's maybe the most atmospheric of Carpenter's films; from the slow rolling of the fog, to the utter quiet that comes along with it. The score is perfect here as it is in most of his films, and the dead pirates are truly inspiring. The remake that came out in 2005 is nothing less than an abomination, and if you haven't seen the original, you can't use it to gauge what you can expect from the 1980 version. This is one of my favorite Horror flicks of all time.

The 90's

The Sixth Sense (1999)- I hate M. Night Shaymalanananan. His pomposity and self importance became absolutely clear with Lady in the Water, where he told us he was going to save the world with his movies... He did, however, make a few great films at the beginning of his career, The Sixth Sense being perhaps his best. It's a ghost story with a twist, which will truly blow you away when you see it; and no, I don't believe everyone when they say "Oh, I knew what the twist was from the beginning", because most people are full of shit. It's a great movie, and an important one for the genre, and shouldn't be missed. Too bad his last three movies have been utter garbage.

The 2000's

The Mist (2007)- Stephen King is still bringing us movies based on his books, and this is one of the best of the bunch. The Mist is based on a short story by King, telling the story of a small community trapped in a grocery store by a strange fog, and the monsters that live within its borders. I really like everything about this movie, except for the ending; it wasn't anything like the ending in the book, and it truly made me say "What the f**k?!?!?" The DVD comes with a second disk that has a totally black and white version of the movie, which I think may be better than the color version. I can't recommend this one enough, but be prepared to be in shock when it's over.

See you tomorrow with #12...

The 31 Days of Horror- #14

The creepiest prank caller ever, dead pets, space demons, and zombies vs. high society...

The 70's

When a Stranger Calls (1979)- This movie may contain the best beginning and ending to a horror movie ever. The phrase "Have you checked the children?" still lingers in the halls of Horror legend, and I dare you to watch that scene and not poop/pee or poop+pee yourself (figuratively, of course.) This 1979 classic is leaps and bounds beyond the dreadful remake that came out in 2006; and if you think the remake was better, Horror just isn't meant for you. Do yourself a favor and see this one if you like a good atmospheric cat-and-mouse type of Horror flick.

The 80's

Pet Sematary (1989)- After seeing this movie, I realized two things; trying to bring your loved ones back to life via creepy magic isn't the best idea, and cats really would kill us all if they had their way. Another of the 500 Stephen King movies from the 80's, Pet Sematary is one of his most disturbing... I mean a guy loses his cat, his kid and his wife by the end of the movie, the worst part of all is that he brings them back to life only to find that they aren't quite the same anymore... "Sometimes dead is bettah." Damn right Fred Gwynn, damn right.

The 90's

Event Horizon (1997)- I think I'm going to take a ton of crap for ranking this movie so high, but I can't help but love it. Mankind finally masters space travel, but when they try to create an artificial black hole to bridge space and time, they unwittingly open a gateway to hell. This movie is creepy and definitely gory, although I would have liked to have seen the original 130 minute cut because it's rumored to have been way bloodier... either way, this movie is like Alien meets Prince of Darkness. I don't get why many people panned Event Horizon; I think it's well made and pretty damn effective, and definitely worth a look see.

The 2000's

Land of the Dead (2005)- Romero's 4th "Dead" movie is one of those movies that if it's on cable when I flip by, I have to stop and watch the rest of it. I don't know why, but it feels comfortable to me. It's definitely the most polished out of the "dead" movies, so maybe that's it? I think at this point in my life, and in Romero's career, I just trust him and feel safe in his movies arms... That being said, Diary of the Dead sucked ass, and you should really spend your time on LOTD instead of it. I don't want to say it's classic Romero, but it feels like it is to me.

See you tomorrow with un-lucky #13...

The 31 Days of Horror- #15

A haunted house, some rock n' roll vampires, a terrifying acid trip, and home invasion...

#15

The 70's

The Amityville Horror (1979)- Some people are going to be surprised that this one is this far down on the list, others will be surprised that it's on the list at all; you either love it, or you hate it. I personally think it's an ultra-effective haunted house story, with some truly creepy shit going on in it; the famous "Get out!" scene still gives me chills to this day. This is a flick best watched at night, when it's quiet and you're all alone and in the dark; if that doesn't have you looking over your shoulder, then I'm not sure what will. Check this classic out if you haven't already.

The 80's

The Lost Boys (1987)- This is Machine's (and almost my) favorite Vampire movie of all time. It's not scary at all, hell, it's not even the best made, but something about it just screams perfection. Even the Soundtrack is near perfect, as evidenced by the fact that most of the songs from it get a solid rotation on my iPod. When you watch Lost Boys, you can't help but be sucked in by its smooth exterior; the vamps are among the coolest ever committed to film, everyone is cute/attractive, the look of everything is polished... but underneath lies something even better... cool characters, and a good script that doesn't treat the audience like an asshole. Plus, the frog brothers rule. I 100% love this movie. 150% even.

The 90's

Jacob's Ladder (1990)- I had a hard time deciding whether or not this movie was going to make the list, and two things made up my mind for me; first, the 90's was a pretty weak decade for Horror, and smart, effective movies like this were few and far between; second, this was a pretty damn unsettling movie. It's interesting too, because while being freaky, it is a powerful drama with an interesting premise and message. I won't spoil it here in case you haven't seen it, but it's not a movie that you'll soon forget.

The 2000's

Them (Ils) (2006)- This is one of my favorite new movies; Horror over the past few years has sucked for the most part, and if we're being really honest, this whole decade has been a big letdown. One of the bright spots however, has been the emergence of French Horror... harsh, brutal, and dare I say artistic, the French have been turning out some of the best horror flicks that I've ever seen in recent years. Them is an utterly effective home invasion flick, much along the lines of The Strangers, but a better version of the story. Trapped in a house by a group of unknowns, a couple is terrorized and unsure what they can do about it... It's tense and creepy, and the ending made me say "that's fucked up." I urge you to check this out, as it's a hidden gem that most Horror fans have probably never even heard of.

See you tomorrow with #14...

The 31 Days of Horror- #16

A cannibal family, the Aliens cast gone vampire, the original Ring, and Elvis Presley...

The 70's

The Hills Have Eyes (1977)- Wes Craven was a truly twisted person in the 70's; the guy was all about brutal, visceral and ultra-realistic exploitation, and he did it all very well. This is his little family camping movie, packed full of shootings, burnings, dog attacks, dog deaths, and just plain old all-out murder. It's a bit dated, but that doesn't make it any less classic or important; The Hills Have Eyes was there at the beginning of the Horror Renaissance of the 70's, a forefather of what was to come. Brutal, dark, creepy, and unsettling, this is a gem of exploitation.

The 80's

Near Dark (1987)- This is one of the best Vampire movies that many people may have never seen. Bishop, Hudson, and Vasquez from Aliens are all in this Horror-western; even Johnny Depp auditioned for a role, that's how cool the script was. This is a slick and well made Vampire flick, and for some reason it's not a very well known one outside of Horror circles. Bill Paxton is brilliant as the bad-ass of the vampire clan, Severen, and it's worth checking this movie out for his performance alone.

The 90's

Ringu (1998)- This is the movie that put J-Horror on the map in the U.S.A., with an absolutely great premise for a Horror movie; a cursed videotape will kill whomever watches it within 7 days. This movie made me not answer my phone for a good while after seeing it, and made me hate my TV as much as Poltergeist had almost 20 years earlier. Sadako (the little girl) is one of the most terrifying Horror villains ever, and the scene at the end... well good luck sleeping after watching it. An excellent film that will please you if you liked the remake, because it's actually better.

The 2000's

Bubba Ho-Tep (2002)- This is one of my favorite movies ever, because it's really unlike anything I've ever seen before; living legend Bruce Campbell stars as Elvis, (who years ago traded identities with an impersonator to escape stardom) who is now an old man living in a nursing home, whose best friend is a black guy who has the brain of JFK in his head. People at the home start dying, the handy work of a mummy who sucks their souls of their assholes, and its up to Elvis and JFK to stop this "Bubba Ho-Tep" from killing any more of their friends. Seriously. It sounds ridiculous, but I'm dead serious when I say it's an amazing mix of fun, funny as hell, touching, moving, and action packed... I feel bad for you if you don't get to see this one, because it's 'effing brilliant.

See you tomorrow with #15...

The 31 Days of Horror- #17

The Tall Man, a malevolent hitchhiker, The Cryptkeeper, and some poor infected devils...

The 70's

Phantasm (1979)- "Boooooyyyyyy!" With that one simple word, heard by my tender little ears back in the early 80's, I learned that peeing your bed kept the Tall Man away. Flying spheres with retractable blades, gravity-crunched midget henchmen in robes, tuning fork gateways to "somewhere else" and the Tall Man... who is an true icon of Horror villainy. This movie is all about atmosphere, and Don Coscarelli pulls it off perfectly. Phantasm is one of those movies that deserves to be mentioned in the same breath as other classics of the late 70's/early 80's, such as Halloween or Evil Dead. The sequels weren't too shabby either.

The 80's

The Hitcher (1986)- Attention creators of the crappy Hitcher remake: Did you even watch the original? My guess would be no, because if you had, you would have known that it was things like tension and believable characters that made that movie a classic. It was the realism of the 1986 classic that pulled us in and kicked our asses; a bunch of normal people, (two in particular) are terrorized by an insane maniac who just shows up and begins playing a demented game, thus ruining a bunch of lives in the process. Rutger Hauer's performance as Ryder is one of genius; a sadistic yet principled maniac, that reminds me of the Hannibal Lecter archetype. Screw the remake, because it's crap. The original is a true classic that you need to see.

The 90's

Demon Knight (1995)- You have to love the Crypt Keeper; his bony ass made us laugh and gave us our weekly dose of Horror back in the 80's, on HBO's Tales From the Crypt. Sure, a lot of the episodes were cheesy, hearkening back to the "amazing tales" type of stories told back in the early 1900's, but make no mistake, Demon Knight is a kick ass movie. Billy Zane rules as the Demon out to kill they guy who has a vial of Christ's blood, and the people who try to help him. Cool Demons, a cool premise, and all kinds of wicked action... this movie is every bit as fun of a Horror flick as Tremors, and then some.

The 2000's

Rec (2007)- What a coinkidink; I'm just about to post my review of Quarantine, which is the remake of [Rec.] The verdict? See the original first. This Spanish-made flick (yes, subtitles are needed if you intend on watching it) starts off with the typical "people trapped in a building" premise, which quickly turns into a story about a virus that turns the residents of the apartment building into infected/zombies of a sort... but it's the last 10 minutes of the movie that really kicked my ass. The movie turns into something completely different at that point, and once I wrapped my head around what they were telling me was going on, I was blown away. It may be one of the best endings to a Horror movie that I've seen recently; not in spectacle mind you, but in theme and concept. Check it out if you can, as it's much better than Quarantine, and a modern day classic.

See you tomorrow with #16...