Tuesday 21 May 2013

My Ten Favouritest Horror Films

Anyone who knows me knows that as a rational, warm-blooded male, I have a fondness and predilection for the list. Lists are so... Simple. And perfect. I also figured that with this blog being called "confirmedhorroraddict" and my bio stating a love of horror films, that you probably deserve some more horror film love than has been said here (so far it's a 50/50 split of horror and quirky lo-fi indie masterpieces).

So, for no discernible reason other than I get a sad kick out of making lists like this, here is my top ten horror films of all time. This does not mean ten scariest- that's a different list, because some non-horror films have terrified me and not all the films you'll see here scared me either. So, to begin at the beginning;

1) The Exorcist

Clichéd I know, but it's the Exorcist. You can't beat it. It's absolutely terrifying, even today. It builds up, but by the hour mark this film is full-blooded, in-your-face, "damn my ovaries are screaming" terrifying, and pretty much stays that way until the end. It's also an effective and powerful human drama on top of it all, which is probably why it has endured this long and will endure for many years after. I adore it.

2) Texas Chainsaw Massacre

Another cliché, but I'll be damned if this one isn't utter, grimy genius. This one didn't so much scare me (although it did scare me) as bother me; it has a really dank, depressing, gritty atmosphere. The tales of the extreme heat on set are legend, but it really shows when you watch the film- everything is so oppressive and claustrophobic! A brilliant, classic horror movie.

3) Evil Dead 2

Now this one is just outright hilarious. No ifs, ands, or buts, this one never fails to crack me up every time I see it. It all connects; Raimi's mental editing style, Campbell's slapstick performance, the stop-motion special effects and corn-syrup blood. It's an utter blast, and absolutely groovy (ho ho ho).

4) Martyrs

This is a more recent one, but I think in a few years it'll be regarded as a great horror classic. It's a really disturbing movie, and the film can be broken down into four segments; the first thirty minutes are a gruelling revenge thriller, the second thirty minutes are a gruelling ghost story, and the third thirty minutes are a really, really, really gruelling torture-fest. But the final five minutes, where everything is revealed, is one of the most poetic and beautiful endings to any film I've ever seen. It redeems the horrors that have come before, and delivers a truly powerful message on the nature of "you should go and watch the film right now because I'm not going to ruin it for you". Damn I love that film!

5) The Strangers

This film, whilst not a classic, is pretty much the reason I got into horror- it was the first one I sat through all the way to the end (I was around 13/14), and it absolutely terrified me throughout. In fact, I'm almost scared (zing) to revisit it, for fear (superzing) that I won't find it as scary now as I did then. It was probably due to my horror virginity, for lack of a better phrase, that accounted for why I found this so terrifying.

6) Braindead

Ah man, it's Braindead! It's so gory it's unreal, but if you can look past that, this is essentially a well-meaning, earnest little horror movie about Sumatran Rat Monkeys turning people into zombies. But who would want to look past the gore?! The final 30 minutes of this film is an unparalleled bloodbath of grue and gristle that is pretty much the apex of the genre. The film itself, directed by a young Peter Jackson, goes by on this real ferocious energy, and as a result it's constantly very funny. Honestly people, if you haven't seen this one, do so right now, it's an incredible experience.

7) The Host (Gwoemul)

This Korean gem from 2006 is one of those films that hasn't been seen by many people, but is loved by those that have. It's an awesome film! It's just a big monster movie, but for me it stands out for two reasons; for a start, it's funny. Not constant, laugh out loud hilarious, but the main slacker character is very funny, and that leads me on to reason number two; that the film grounds everything, and tells the story from the perspective of, a family. A normal, dysfunctional family. By the end, you're so involved, you become so gripped, and you're clutching your seat not because a giant monster is chasing someone, but because you're scared the monster might catch one of the characters. Wicked!

8) The Saw Series

This is a very cheeky one, but I'm going to include the whole saga because it basically opened me up to the whole idea of a horror saga working, and not just watching the original and getting snobby about the rest. It's an excellent little saga, and it works because it contents itself in having a concurrent storyline that is added to and built on throughout. If I had to pick a favourite, it would probably be 2, or 6, but that doesn't matter; these films are excellent and if you can handle the nasty scenes of mutilation and stuff, give them a go.

9) House of 1000 Corpses

I only watched this, like, a day ago, but damn it was good. I've already written a pretty lengthy bit on it, so I won't say much here, but basically this film felt like the horror film I'd been waiting for my whole life. A blast.

10) The Nightmare On Elm Street

Who doesn't love Freddy? He's such a great character, and the premise for the film is still an ingenious one if you ask me. The idea of a dream killer... It's scary stuff. The film might be very dated, but on ideas alone it's a masterpiece, and looking at it today, it carries probably the epitome of that 80's "charm", with the synth and the dodgy opening titles and special effects... I love it. I also love the sequels, even if they are really quite bad.

Notable mention; The Blair Witch Project- I wouldn't necessarily call it a favourite, but it's damn scary and a proper film, with characters and things.




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