I'm into horror movies... perhaps because I have this unsatisified urge to murder horny teenagers, I don't know, but when my brain is tired of asking life's big question such as "what will I have for dinner?" I just want to give it a rest and watch something that doesn't burn any brain cells whatsoever. That's where horror movies come in! They're corny, and generally not that scary (unless you scare easy), but they can be fun as long as you can forgive the flaws, such as the antagonist that never seems to fall down no matter how many times you stab him, run him over, or cut him up into nice little bite size pieces.
Anyone have any favourites/recommendations/ones you're looking forward to?
Mine would be:
28 Days Later - Now these "zombies" are scary. Not slow moving droolers approaching you at snail speed, these zombies can think, they can sprint, and they're psycho to boot. First half of the film is typical zombie movie flare, with some impressive visuals of a desserted London. Second half is where the story gets really good though. Basically, some take "survival" to the next level. 😉
Shaun of the Dead - Besides being the best zombie film I've ever seen, it's also really funny. Takes the piss outta other horror films, mainly the living dead series.
Texas Chainsaw Massacre - Not much gore, and most of the deaths aren't that exciting to watch, but the scene where Sally is tied up and they're all eating dinner is possibly the creepiest scene in a horror film. The remake was crap, R. Lee. Emery is always gonna be that D.I from Full Metal Jacket isn't he?
Evil Dead series - It's Bruce Campbells Ash and Sam Raimis unique filming that makes this work. Most notable is Army of Darkness, which is really only good for it's one-liners which you'll be spewing out for days. "You want some?"
Braindead - Starts off slow, but once it gets to the party and the zombies break loose you'll not regret watching it. You'll have anew found appreciation for lawnmowers. It's an effective crash course on how to creatively kill zombies. Peter Jackson's other horror film The Frighteners is quite good too, but it's been awhile since I've seen it so I can't comment much, I just remember liking it.
Battle Royale - Japanese High School students are taken to an island, but there's no Jeff Probst or tribal council, only one ticket off the island and only so much time to kill. The sequel is a bit weal, and has a message which I'll never understand.
And on a final note, Sam Raimi and Peter Jackson need to stop what they're doing and return to making horror movies. It's what got them started, and they're the kings of horror comedies in my mind. Especially Sam Raimi, if there's going to be an Evil Dead remake.
There's a difference between horror films and slasher films. I prefer horror films myself.
Have you seen any of the Hellraiser movies?
the hellraiser films are hillarious! i borrowed the whole lot off a freind a few years back and giggled my way through them all. ^^
but i tend to find most horror films funny in some wierd way, the only ones that i've found even a bit scary are those like the ring.
Can Battle Royale be classified as a horror movie? Either way, agreed that it is a fantastic movie! Really getting into the Manga aswell. Man the Manga version were to be made into a film - banned banned banned!! Agreed on Shaun of the Dead. Man that's a funny film. I've never listened to Queen's "Don't Stop Me Now" in the same way ever again...
I think the best ones are already mentioned, but Urotsukidoji is a pretty good horror (it counts because it's horrible - see what i did there?) Oh - and the original Night of the Living Dead. I find it creepier 'cos it's in Black and White!
I don't think i've seen a horror movie that's scared me witless, but that's probably because i've avoided them 😛
Quote:
There's a difference between horror films and slasher films.
Not in the eyes of most.
Anyways...
Yes, the Hellraiser films are funny. Except the first tow, which are great horror, particularly the second.
Ditto Evil Dead 1, which was actually being serious.
Texas Chainsaw Massacre is ok, and well made, but really a bit lacking in depth.
I wouldn;t really class Battle Royale as horror, though.
My personal favourite horrors: (and I am quite a horror buff)
Ring (japanese version)
As far as films acutally scaring me goes, this one still holds the crown. It's all about those final five minutes, and some of those sounds...
Dark Water (ditto)
Subtle, haunting, and very traditional little peice of ghost story, with a brilliant moment of realisation towards the end.
A Tale of Two Sisters
A visually beautiful horror film patterned after the metaphor of a wilting flower, with a complex plot and excellent ghost.
Jacob's Ladder
The only horror film made in the west yet to frighten me. This is what demons should be like.
The Wicker Man
Debatable if it's horror at all, but full of ideas, thought-provoking and very, very different. And the music is surprisingly good.
Bubba Ho-Tep
Horror comedy in a darker and more subtle vein than most, and feature Bruce Campbell acting really, really well.
Shaun of the Dead
Just plain great, both as comedy and zombie.
The Evil Dead
Manic, original and superbly shot on virtually no budget.
Wes Craven's New Nightmare
This is a horror film about horror films, but does it seriously, rather than taking the Scream approach. Ingenious.
Halloween
I'm not generally into slashers as much, but John Carpenter's original is an extremely subtle and virtually gore-less piece of work.
Rosemary's Baby
Brilliance. Haunting, menacing, tense and with barely anything that might resemble horror to be seen until the ambiguity finally resolves. Normal people are scary too.
The Company of Wolves
Possibly the most beautiful film ever made, and full of great wolf transformations.
The Shining
You ought to know this one. Mind you, I rate it mainly for Kubrick's direction.
Night of the Living Dead (original)
No reason need be stated.
Dawn of the Dead (ditto)
Day of the Dead
Hellraiser 2
The Brood
Only David Cronenburg I've seen, but I did rather like it. Plays very cleverly on the themes of motherhood and broken families.
Phantasm
A classic, from which Nightmare on Elm Street copied somewhat. Eerie, alien and dreamlike.
Looking forward to:
Silent Hill, Pan's Labyrinth, The Dark, Pulse, Masters of Horror
Have but yet to watch:
The Changeling, Psycho, The Omen, The Hills have Eves, The Exorcist, The Howling
Whether there's a difference between horror, psycological horror, comedy horror, or slasher, I'm not discriminating. It's all horror, so it all goes under the one roof for me. 
Quote:
Have you seen any of the Hellraiser movies?
Nope, But I've been meaning to. I'd like to see the rest of the Candyman films as well.
Quote:
The Wicker Man
Yes, that's a great movie! I'm looking forward to the remake with Nicholas Cage, and I generally don't look forward to remakes.
Quote:
Bubba Ho-Tep
I wanted to like this one more than I did, but it just lacked something. The film moved very slowly, since Elvis was just lying around most of the time. Bruce Campbell was good as Elvis though, and it had some funny parts in it at least.
Bruce is also doing a film called They Call Me Bruce where he plays himself pretending to be Ash from Evil Dead. Sounds interesting to me!
Quote:
Halloween
I'm not generally into slashers as much, but John Carpenter's original is an extremely subtle and virtually gore-less piece of work.
I'm not that into slashers either, but I prefer the Halloween series over most others. Of course, the series has worn itself thin. Halloween Resurrection completely destroyed the - not great - but satisfying ending H20 left me with. And ironically, the story was based on reality TV. Figures, doesn't reality Tv ruin everything?
Quote:
The Shining
You ought to know this one. Mind you, I rate it mainly for Kubrick's direction.
Hell yes, Kubricks my favourite director. I'll never understand how Stephen King can not like this film. Of course, I haven't read the book.
Hmm. Well, see, I always saw horror movies/stories as a type of morality play. They have plots, they have a subtle underlying message, be it sexual/molitical/moral/etc. and they happen to have a lot of blood in them. Slasher movies just have a lot of blood and then some, with no real plot.
Personally, I think we need a couple more horror movies and a few less slashers. Seriously. I know what's coming out soon in terms of slasher movies, and they are almost all so stupid. Nothing like some of the picks shown here. :/
You're forgetting all the Hollywood remakes of Asian ghost stories, Cookie.
I love the first two Final Destinations because they're just so cavalier about ruthlessly destroying their Real World reject cast in horrifically bloody and innovative ways.
But my all-time favorite horror movie is John Carpenter's The Thing. Great paranoid horror piece with a great cast and creature effects that still look fantastic 25 years later. Kurt Russell + John Carpenter + 80s = modern masterpiece.
Quote:
But my all-time favorite horror movie is John Carpenter's The Thing. Great paranoid horror piece with a great cast and creature effects that still look fantastic 25 years later. Kurt Russell + John Carpenter + 80s = modern masterpiece.
I like the film, but it is really the 5th adaptation of the source material, y'know.
(The Thing From Another World, Invasion of the Body-Snatchers, Doctor Who: The Seeds of Doom and Alien all came first)
Alien's not really a valid comparison except for the claustrophobic vibe. The Thing From Another World movie had little to do with the short story 'Who Goes There?' (which The Thing adapted far better), Body Snatchers has some paranoia but none of the claustrophobic terror and I've never seen that episode of Doctor Who but I'm betting that it doesn't contain anything nearly as cool as the Spider Head scene.
Quote:
Battle Royale
Oh hell yes.
But if you want a more extended or indepth version of it, I'd recommend reading either the novel or manga.
Strongly recommend.
Quote:
Bubba Ho-Tep
foolish human that was a documentary.
Quote:
day of the dead
meh its original script was watered down to much to a basic scince vs military plot. though the talking zombie was kewl.
Dawn and night are sex though,I couldn't go to sleep after watching them.
You're forgetting all the Hollywood remakes of Asian ghost stories, Cookie.
Most of those stink, so they go into the "crap" category. The only one that would fall under the horror category is maybe The Ring.
Quote:
Alien's not really a valid comparison except for the claustrophobic vibe. The Thing From Another World movie had little to do with the short story 'Who Goes There?' (which The Thing adapted far better), Body Snatchers has some paranoia but none of the claustrophobic terror and I've never seen that episode of Doctor Who but I'm betting that it doesn't contain anything nearly as cool as the Spider Head scene.
All admitted being based on it, though.
