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Originally Posted by _____V_____
All debatable entries for the horror genre. But I leave this open for discussion. If enough are in favor, they will be merged into the list.
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No worries. I understand the line has to be drawn somewhere, and I'm cool with whatever this community decides.
Thanks to roshiq for backing the inclusion of Straw Dogs. Anyone else? I realize this isn't a pure horror genre movie, but it's close. It serves as a direct reference for any post-1971 home invasion movie. I assume House on the Edge of the Park will be included on the 80s list since IMDB classifies it as horror. Straw Dogs is much scarier and actually employs horror filmmaking techniques, which can't really be said about Edge of the Park. The movie throughout has a constant feeling of pending doom. I also think a good case can be made that if Last House on the Left, Deliverance and maybe I Spit on Your Grave, are included, then Straw Dogs should be included.
That being said, no big deal if it's not included. Everyone's got their own definitions.
Regarding A Clockwork Orange, I'm almost inclined to retract my suggestion to add it because it is so debatable. It's clearly not a horror genre movie, the cheery British tone plays more like Terry Gilliam than any horror movie, and a good portion of the film (the middle, prison portion) has no relationship to horror at all.
However, if these lists are about the most important movies in horror history (as opposed to the best
horror movies in horror history), it would be a shame not to recognize it. The new level of on-screen violence, the trademarked and stylized predatorial antagonist, the themes of home invasion and physical and psychological torture, the creepy music and visuals, employing metal tools as torture instruments on the eyeballs, revenge torture, the fact that now when I hear "Singin' in the Rain" or Beethoven's 9th, I think of brutal violence and rape -- all of these are significant contributions to the horror genre, not sci-fi, which is the genre the movie is more likely to be classified as.
As I mentioned, I'm totally fine with not including it because it looks a little weird on my list next to The Exorcist, Halloween and Dawn of the Dead, but I'll leave you with these images for your collective consideration.
