The Sub-genres of Horror: A Top 100 HDC Compilation

[_____V_____]

Creature Monsters


Creature from the Black Lagoon (1954)




Gojira aka Godzilla (1954)



"Great horror hits on our deepest feelings and reminds us of the depths of suffering that can occur. Inoshiro Honda's Gojira does this in ways that few other horror films manage to.
Honda, the son of Buddhist priest and a soldier in World War 2, was a sensitive, caring and deeply concerned person given the task of creating a monster. With radiation scarred victims in Nagasaki and Hiroshima and a history of war related traumas, Japan had already encountered one. The best monsters are the ones that barely need fabrication, the ones that are as real as we are, as real as history. Honda's monster couldn't help but be this way, and his chronicle of its devastation proves this.
Other giant monster films have played up the monster rather than the collateral damage, but Gojira doesn't remotely do this. There is a harrowing hospital scene and a long shot of a blasted and devastated landscape that reveal the deep humanitarian intent of the filmmaker, which creates moments of chilling intimacy.
The American version inserts Raymond Burr who gives a capable but extraneous performance for American directors hoping to make the movie accessible. This, I feel is unnecessary. Gojira is meant to be enjoyed as a visceral and thoroughly Japanese experience with an ending that is simultaneously foreboding. Gojira translates into gorilla-whale, hearkening back to both King Kong and Moby Dick, which this movie does, with its giant monster destroying a city and a man facing a force of nature that represents the opposite of what he believes in.
Great monster stories show us the great heroism that is needed to conquer our fears and the things that plague us, and Gojira more than accomplishes this, reminding us both that war is a force of horrible, gigantic chaos, but it is our duty to be fearless and vigilant in the pursuit of peace.
Good message, good camerawork and a memorable monster. What more can we ask for from the genre? This movie cast a rubber suited shadow over half a century and will no doubt continue to do so." - Doc Faustus



Jaws (1975)




King Kong (1933)



"Years before Coppola turned Heart of Darkness into Apocalypse Now, there was a quest for a jungle god even larger than Marlon Brando.
But, the tale of explorers descending into the primeval jungle was cleverly inverted. It was not the lawlessness of the jungle that made the god mad, it was instead the amorality of civilization. Enlightenment philosophers would beam at the idea.
So did America.
This ambitious story written by an English mystery writer couldn't help but captivate audiences; it took a familiar story to a new level, it featured action, adventure and romance, and it featured something really special. Fay Wray is a creature of pure innocence and precocious sexuality throughout the film, grasping the character's purpose instinctually in ways that Jessica Lange and Naomi Watts lost touch with in the later remakes. In diaphanous dresses and at one point, in total undress, she is archetypal and skillful at the same time with her acting. She shows human sexuality as something pure and beautiful, not obscene in the least. So, she works as a love object for a giant primal creature and helps show the tenderness of Willis O' Brien's excellent monster.
O' Brien's Kong is wonderful in that it is a stop motion monster capable of moving and emoting in ways that many actors don't quite manage. The special effects feed the story and the acting and not vice versa, making King Kong a perfect example of what horror filmmaking can be. It can be intellectual without being dull, it can be overtly sexual without being obscene and it can be laden with effects without being mere eyecandy. King Kong is not just a classic and a masterwork, it's a blueprint for success." - Doc Faustus


The Birds (1963)




Honorable Mentions:

Cloverfield (2008)

The Descent (2005)

[_____V_____]

Vampires


Dracula (1931)




Dracula aka Horror of Dracula (1958)



"The first entry in Hammer Films' Dracula series is a real classic, carefully balancing gruesome horror, sensuality, and action - all displayed in sumptuous Technicolor photography. It bears very little resemblance to Stoker's novel, and clearly from the first moments is setting out to do its own thing (for starters, it was the first vampire film to feature elongated fangs!).
Horror of Dracula moves at a solid pace, still delivering plenty of thrills and chills even today, some fifty years after it was made." - Crabapple


Nosferatu aka Nosferatu, eine Symphonie des Grauens (1922)



"The vampires of Underworld and the novels of Anne Rice are a far cry from the vampire of traditional folklore. These were creatures who ripped apart livestock, who tortured their families and who spread famine and decay wherever they went, and they were the embodiments of disease, pestilence and social anxieties.
When Stoker created Dracula, he created a vampire who embodied sexual confusion, ethical dilemmas, fear of foreign invasion and political paranoia concerning an aristocracy that gives without taking. Murnau's vampire bridges the gap between Stoker's vampire and the sheep-slaughtering, crop-withering slavic fiends of Eastern Europe. There is nothing seductive about the face of evil when presented by Murnau, whether it be Emil Jannings' filthy Mephistopheles or the rat-like Max Shreck.
Does Nosferatu embrace the xenophobia of the time? Yes.
Can it be taken as an isolationist diatribe? Yes.
These two points of contention in addition to its dreamlike logic can be interpreted as weaknesses in the film, or they can be looked upon as embodiments of Murnau's times. In the strange nightworld of Nosferatu, Murnau captures those fears and shows them without fear and with very little equivocation. Nosferatu is a harrowing portrait of disease seeping into cultures, entering our very bedrooms and the depths of our imaginations. The ugliness and the evil in society will come and we must challenge them, perhaps even by sacrificing our innocence in the process. Fears old and new intersect in a raw, beautiful way, which makes Nosferatu as eternal a story as the novel that spawned it and the strange folktales that spread through the medieval imagination." - Doc Faustus


Salem's Lot (1979)



"Salem's Lot was originally a 1979 TV miniseries, later merged into a movie experience. It starred David Soul, James Mason, Lamce Kerwin, Bonnie Bedalia and Reggie Nalder. It was based on the novel written by Stephen King.
The plot basically concerned the arrival of a vampire (a Mr. Barlow) to a New England town called Salem's Lot. The vampire's front man, a mysterious Mr. Straker, led the way by opening an antique shop and buying the old Marston house. At the same time, writer Ben Mears returns to Salem's Lot due to a fascination with the old Marston place. After the vampire arrives, the town folks begin turning into vampires. It is now up to writer Marston and his assistant Mark Petrie to rid the town of this evil.
This film shows vampires as monstrous and repulsive, and focuses on visual scares, atmosphere and tension. The makeup of the lead vampire (Mr. Barlow) was based on the motion picture Nosferatu. This was a downright scary and tension building film." - Marya Zaleska


The Lost Boys (1987)




Honorable Mentions:

Let The Right One In (aka) Låt den rätte komma in (2008)

"This is not a horror movie. It is not a vampire movie. At least, neither of those are the defining words I'd use to describe the essence of the film. It's about the mess of adolescence. It's an against-the-odds love story. It's about surviving in this world, doing what must be done. All classic, timeless templates, only in this instance supporting a extraordinary scenario. See, then maybe it's a vampire film, or a horror film.
It is slow, sad, dark, and cold, punctuated by both harshness and happiness. It is blurry and distant, until Eli and Oskar, the two main characters, come together. Their interactions are close and intimate; from Eli and Oskar's prospective, together they create one universe, trying to trim the excess, not caring to question each other beyond traditional childish things as they work to figure each other out.
For a film that is so violent and cold, it can be quite warm." - Fortunato

Vampyr aka Vampyr - Der Traum des Allan Grey (1932)

"Master filmmaker Carl Th. Dreyer turns his great, roving eye and incredible cinematic sensibilities to the horror genre in this, his only genre piece. And how lucky we are for it!
Based (very loosely) on Irish author Sheridan Le Fanu's novella Carmilla, on paper Vampyr reads like an ordinary vampire story. But Dreyer has beaten and reworked the source material like iron; not merely changing its form, but making it stronger. The finished product is beyond narrative; it is a fluid fever-dream of sickness and death and rebirth, tacit, told through gorgeous, soft, clever composition. All its parts combine to suggest perhaps something spiritual, something that will linger in your head like ghostly shadows dancing and flickering on the wall." - Fortunato

[_____V_____]

Werewolves/ Shape Shifters


An American Werewolf in London (1981)



"Two young New Yorkers are traveling around Europe and have ended up in Yorkshire. They receive a frosty welcome at the local pub and leave, wandering across the moor, despite warnings to avoid it, where Jack (Griffin Dunne) is attacked and killed by a supernatural beast. David (David Naughton) runs away, but turns back to help. He wounded but survives. After treatment at a London hospital, where he falls for the nurse (Jenny Agutter), with whom he swiftly moves in, he comes to realize that he is changing into a werewolf.
This all time great classic by John Landis delivered undoubtedly the best werewolf transformation scene ever in the horror genre. Rick Baker won the first ever Oscar for the special effects and makeup for that particular scene, and deservedly so." - Roshiq


Cat People (1942)



"For the great Val Lewton, onscreen shocks were gimicky and cheap, and while Universal was pumping out monster flick after monster flick, he began a reign of terror which was always ignited by what was not seen, but mostly alluded to.
In Cat People, Lewton found a launch pad for a story which was much more three-dimensional than the stereotypical genre picture, and through strong sexual undertones, a stark, shadowy world and only a shoestring budget, he achieved what may very well be the scariest motion picture of the 1940s." - Alkytrio666


Dog Soldiers (2002)



"Clever, dark, oddly funny, and truly frightening, Dog Soldiers is easily one of the best horror films of the decade, and one of the best werewolf films ever made. Whether it be the seamless makeup on the wolves, the startling twists and turns, or the all around atmosphere of isolation, there's something to be said of this film. It's got it all. A must for any horror fan's shelf, and a must see for everyone else." - Posher778


The Howling (1981)



"The Howling is a modern day werewolf film and ranks along with The Wolfman as one of the all time greats. It was made in 1981 and directed by Joe Dante. It was based on a novel by Gary Brandner. The film starred Dee Wallace Stone, Patric MacNee, Denis Dugan, Belinda Balaski, Christopher Stone and Elisabeth Brooks.
The plot involved around TV news anchor Karen White, who is being stalked by a serial murderer named Eddie Quist. After Quist is supposedly killed and the trama of the event effects Karen and her husband Bill's marriage, her therapist Dr. Wagner sends them to a place called "The Colony" for treatment. Little do the couple know that "The Colony" is a nest of werewolves being treated by Dr. Wagner, who is also a werewolf. The supposedly dead Eddie Quist is there as well. Karen is helped by her friends Terri & Chris to escape. In order to make believers of the outside world, Karen (who was bitten by one of the werewolves herself) turns live into one on the evening news and is killed by a silver bullet.
This film is very atmospheric (especially the scenes at night), tense, thrilling and at time gory which should satisfy all horror fans. The action is non stop, and to me, this is one of the very best werewolf films ever made.
With it's excellent makeup and fantastic transformation scenes, this is definitely a modern day masterpiece." - Marya Zaleska


The Wolf Man (1941)




Honorable Mentions:

Ginger Snaps (2000)

Dagon (2001)

[_____V_____]

Golems/ Mummies


Bubba Ho-Tep (2002)



"One of the more imaginative movies on our list, Bubba Ho Tep, based on the cult book favorite by Joe R. Lansdale, pits two American pop culture icons who represent all that is considered good, against another, who represents everything that is evil.
But this is no ordinary "Good vs. Evil" tale. This is Elvis and JFK versus the Mummy, in a royal rampage match for the souls of a nursing home fulls of invalids!!
And though that may sound like brainless entertainment, we get a good bit of deep soul-searching from the King, played immaculately by fan favorite Bruce "don't call me Ash" Campbell.
The plot? The Mummy, decked out in cowboy gear (hence the name), regularly rampages through the nursing home, searching for easy victims... and along the way finds time to hieroglyph some graffiti in the bathroom stalls. Elvis ruminates on the tragedy of getting old and losing oneself and his buddy, JFK (the dearly departed Ossie Davis), lets Elvis in on some top secrets.
While this may easily be considered a horror movie, to me the film is more about some cheesy stuff about how we're never too old to be awesome (the movie is not that cheesy, trust me) and the Mummy, the film's namesake, is just a catalyst for Elvis's own redemption.
One of the best things about the movie (I haven't read the book) is that the director chooses not to reveal whether Elvis is really Elvis or if JFK really is JFK. It's up to the viewer's interpretation but, in the end, does it really matter if they really are who they say they are, or not?" - Knife Fight


Child's Play (1988)




Der Golem aka Der Golem, wie er in die Welt kam (1920)




The Mummy (1932)




The Mummy (1959)



"The Mummy (59) was produced by Hammer Studios in England.
This film, like other Hammer greats, paired the two awesome English horror stars Peter Cushing and Christopher Lee for another time. The film starred Yvonne Furneaux in an important role too.
The plot was not based on the 1932 Universal Studios "The Mummy" but a combination of two of later Universal Studio films "The Mummy's Curse" and "The Mummy's Hand".
Basically three British archeologists discover the grave of an important Egyptian female priest (Princess Ananka) who had died four millenia ago. But when they open it a bad curse falls upon the three for having woken up the mighty guard of the grave (Kharis) who was buried with the priest. The mummy is controlled by Mehemet Bey, a devoted worshipper.
According to Christopher Lee, this was the best looking film that Hammer Studios ever made. It was an excellent film with good acting all around as well as good production values. It most definitely typifies the Mummy sub genre with great atmosphere, with Egyptian beginnings, ancient rituals and a great mummy played by the excellent Christopher Lee." - Marya Zaleska



Honorable Mentions:

The Mummy's Hand (1940)

Blood from the Mummy's Tomb (1971)

[_____V_____]

Zombies/ Re-Animation Horror


28 Days Later (2002)



"Fans of zombie movies are sure to either love or hate 28 Days Later. The plot is dependent on character building scenes, where you take a breather and really start to care about the people living through the the disease and destruction. Just when you think you can relax, the fast zombies of 28 Days Later create a frantic pace, leaving you on the edge of your seat.
Not your typical zombie movie, but definitely an original addition to the sub-genre." - Miss Macabre


Dawn of the Dead (1978)



"What more is there to say about George Romero’s magnum opus that hasn’t been pondered over and dissected by horror fans since this masterpiece came out thirty years ago?
The layering of metaphor upon metaphor (death is stalking us, we’re all just going through the motions, consumerism is eating our brains and souls) never once detracts from the simple joy and terror of this epic gorefest. Tom Savini makes a name for himself, Dario Argento produces, Ken Foree becomes a genre icon and Romero solidifies his position as the inventor and master of the living dead subgenre of horror.
If you haven’t seen it, you aren’t a horror fan...it’s just that simple." - Roderick Usher


I Walked with a Zombie (1943)



"This is Lewton's most subtle and lingering horror film, and one with a distinct flavor that was never quite stirred into his films before or after. Loosely based on the novel Jane Eyre, the film explores a young nurses travels to the West Indies, where she finds that her modern medicine is in competition to that of the island's voodoo- and losing.
What follows is a rythmic and gradual descent into insanity, one that is not easy to shake off...even after multiple viewings." - Alkytrio666


Night of the Living Dead (1968)




Zombi 2 aka Zombie aka Zombie Flesh Eaters (1979)



"While Lucio Fulci's zombie classic may lack the stylization of Argento or Bava, it certainly makes up for it in pure charm. The film carries no political or social commentary, doesn't overtly try to be funny, it is just plainly and simply a gory zombie flick. It is perhaps this ethos (and the fact that it's carried out so well) that have made this film such a classic.
What is probably most amazing, however, about Zombi 2 is the number of classic scenes it contains, not only in the zombie sub-genre, but in all of horror itself. Who doesn't wince every time they see that eyeball gouged out by a bit of wood? Who doesn't stare wide-eyed at the "gut feast" or Auretta Gay's throat being torn out? Or perhaps the most important question of all is, who did you root for: zombie or shark?" - Fortunato


Honorable Mentions:

[*REC] (2007)

Day of the Dead (1985)

[_____V_____]

Splatterpunk Horror


Blood Feast (1963)




Dead Alive aka Braindead (1993)




Flesh for Frankenstein aka Andy Warhol's Frankenstein (1974)



"With decapitations and assorted limb removal, this surely has to be the godfather of splatter. Rated X on its initial release [tame by today's comparison], its loaded with nudity and enough gore to delight any horror fan.
Despite all the carnage there is a deep message to convey..."To know death Otto, you have to fuck life... in the gall bladder!" " - Newb


Hellraiser (1987)



"Hellraiser is a sick flick, there are no two ways around this one. With more bloodshed than Hostel and more flesh ripping than Saw, it may be one of the most overlooked movies when people talk about mountain of gore. Hellraiser presents to the genre a group of the most disturbing creatures in ages with the introduction of the Cenobites - Pinhead, Chatterer, and the rest of these demons (or angels, depending on who you are) can tear through the living like no other group before them.
Sick, twisted, disturbing, vile... you could use any of those words to describe Hellraiser and nobody would argue with you. When people ask me what I think of Hellraiser though, I simply tell them, "It's great!" " - Despare


The Return of the Living Dead (1985)



"Smack dab in the middle of the 80's came this very entertaining homage to Romero's Dead movies. Clu Gulager, James Karen and Don Calfa have a ball with this movie and so does the audience.
Also of note would be Linnea Quigley little strip tease....yowza. She could eat my brains anytime.
Memorable quote: "Send... more... paramedics!" " - Newb


Honorable Mentions:

Bad Taste (1987)

"This 1987 over-the-top gorefest is one of the greatest examples of the whole being greater than the sum of its parts.
A small town has fallen victim to aliens seeking a new galactic culinary delight and, to combat this, the government sends in 'The Boys'. Thats about it as far as plot goes...but it really doesnt need much else. The acting is poor and the script is shoddy but that, somehow, only adds to the charm of this great film. The gore is constant and not too bad considering the shoestring budget, including memorable scenes such as a man emerging from an aliens arse with a chainsaw! What more do you want?
Its an extremely enjoyable way to spend 90 minutes for a movie. Go see where Peter Jackson learned the tricks of the trade. Go and watch Bad Taste!" - Scouse Mac

Street Trash (1987)

[_____V_____]

Slashers/ Gialli Horror


A Nightmare on Elm Street (1984)



"I guess I was about 12 or 13 when I first set down and watched Freddy on the small screen with my ma and da (both were avid and dedicated Horror fans of the 80s and the VHS revolution). Now you would think that at that age and being in the presence of your family you would be able to stand the frights and chills but there was something so damn scary about a being that not only looked like pure evil but could get to you in your most private situations - your dreams!
Every night for about 6 months Freddy Krueger invaded my wishes, daydreams, hell even my wet dreams and had me standing (at almost 6 foot at the time) at the end of my parent's bed in the middle of the night shouting "Ma, Da wake up, I can't sleep. I can't get to sleep!" Of course this scared them half to death to glance up from their slumber and see an almost grown man standing in front of their bed...boy did I get yelled at!
Robert Englund once told me he treated Freddy as the quintessential boogeyman in every child's story, the big bad wolf, the monster under the bed. Well he sure as hell pulled it off for this monster fan!" - Cinestro


Black Christmas (1974)




Friday the 13th (1980)



"This was the film which made the legend of one of the most fearsome characters on-screen: Jason Voorhees.
If you are a fan of slashers, then this is a must-watch. From some pretty innovative kills (including a very young Kevin Bacon) to the startling twist at the end, Friday the 13th brought cold, merciless killing to our screens.
It still makes for fascinating viewing, and everyone still loves Mama Voorhees!" - Kane Hodder


Halloween (1978)



"Arguably the best slasher film, and certainly the most influential, Halloween is John Carpenter's masterpiece. Its simple, its subtle, and it is also genuinely scary.
The premise? A masked killer is stalking babysitters on Halloween night. And unlike many of the slasher films after that would attempt to imitate its style and borrow its ideas, Halloween didn't need a lot of blood, or a ridiculously high body count to be effective. The film works because of the level of suspense that Carpenter was able to build, and because of the fine performances by the cast. Donald Pleasence as Dr. Loomis? Genius.
It also works because it has one of the creepiest, and most memorable, soundtracks in horror history. And let's not forget our killer; Michael Myers is slow, he's methodical.....and he's unstoppable. The last scenes are absolutely chilling. Believe it when I say this, Halloween is one of the greatest horror films ever made." - Jenna26


Tenebre aka Tenebrae (1982) (*Giallo*)



"Tenebre marks the triumphant return of Argento to the sub genre that started his career. It's a powerful film that's perhaps the greatest giallo ever made.
There's a scene in Tenebre where the main character, Peter Neal, says, "All detection is boring. But, if you cut out the boring bits and keep the rest, you've got a best-seller." That's what director Dario Argento has done with this film - removed the boring detective work and given us a ripping good mystery with plenty of gore...axe in the head, slit throat, stabbings but the best one is at the end when a victim's arm is chopped off with an axe and the blood splatters the white wall behind her...definitely made it one of the greatest slasher-giallos of all time." - Roshiq


Honorable Mentions:

Deep Red aka Profondo Rosso (1975) (*Giallo*)

"The thing that sets Deep Red so far apart from his other films is its brave maturity and daring compulsiveness. It totters on a fine line between detective noir and straight slasher horror, and many later films such as Se7en and Saw would follow this technique with blatant admiration. Argento's camera weaves in and out of the crime scenes almost as if it were the muderer itself, and we as an audience never quite feel at ease - especially when the startling ending is revealed.
Dirty, gritty, and never tame, Argento captures italian horror in its most potent spirit here in what is often rightfully hailed as the god of all giallos." - Alkytrio666


Phenomena (aka) Creepers (1985) (*Giallo*)

[_____V_____]

Comic/ Dark Humor/ Cheesy Horror


Army of Darkness (1992)



"'Alright you Primitive Screwheads, listen up! '
Sam Raimi's third Evil Dead film is certainly more comedy than horror and we again welcome the return of our beloved, reluctant hero Ash.
After travelling back in time at the end of Evil Dead II with his '73 Oldsmobile, the department store clerk finds himself battling legions of the undead, commanded by his evil twin, whilst trying to save his girlfriend and travel back to his own time.
Bruce Campbell delivers the witty one liners with delicious timing, the action is constant and the enjoyment people had making the film clearly shows on screen.
You will be swept up by the fast-paced absurdity and hilarity. Be advised though - see the Director's Cut version which has the original (and better) ending, and not the theatrical release. You will fall in love with it!" - Scouse Mac


Evil Dead II aka Evil Dead 2: Dead by Dawn (1987)




Grindhouse (2007)



"How can you explain this film to someone who has never heard of it and convince them that it is amazing? It's very difficult.
Try elaborating the fact that the film is a double feature purposely made to look bad and is about: "This one's about a girl with a machine gun for a leg" and "This one's about girls trying to kill a dude in their car" and see what the public has to say.
However, it's still one of the most entertaining and original films ever made. It seems like it shouldn't work, and maybe that's true. Making a film look bad so it will, inversely... be good. It is gritty, overly bloody, and has an action factor that could probably send some people into a coma. It is a must watch for anyone dumb enough to pass it up. Try beating the cheesiness of this one, Hollywood!" - Posher778


Re-Animator (1985)



"The introduction gives an apt impression of the over the top temper of the whole film. The events lead outlaw scientist Herbert West (expertly played by Jeffrey Combs) to travel to Miskatonic University, where right away, he and Dr. Carl Hill (David Gale) butt heads. Meanwhile, Dan Cain (Bruce Abbott) is searching for a roommate, and dating Dean Halsey's (Robert Sampson) daughter, Megan (Barbara Crampton). Megan's instantly suspicious when West shows up, interested in the place. Rightfully so, since not long after the cat's dead, undead, then dead again. Dan, too tempted to stay away, starts assisting Hertbert in his morally void research. Experiments that yield the reanimations of the already mentioned cat, to a decapitated, unchaste, talking head.
Dark comedy and gore galore mark Stuart Gordon's first, and best, Lovecraft-inspired film." - AUSTIN316426808


Shaun of the Dead (2004)



"Breathing new life into the zombie genre, Shaun of the Dead is an absolute gem of a film.
Shaun is a man with a shit job, no ambition and has just been dumped by his girlfriend. After a heavy night out with his useless best friend Ed, he resolves to straighten his life out starting in the morning. Unfortunately the morning brings an infestation of zombies and so Shaun, for the first time in his life, gets pro-active.
One of the great things about this film is it shows how people would cope with a zombie invasion in a country with strict gun control laws. Reduced to wielding cricket bats and golf clubs is one hell of difference to the usual gun play. It also has some genuinely moving scenes for a horror comedy, primarily between Shaun and his mum & stepdad. Its well acted, funny and well scripted.
If you havent seen this film already, what the hell are you doing on a horror forum??" - Scouse Mac



Honorable Mentions:

Bud Abbott Lou Costello Meet Frankenstein (1948)

Young Frankenstein (1974)

[_____V_____]

Sci - Fi Horror


Alien (1979)




Aliens (1986)



"This is it. The perfect combination of Sci Fi, Horror, and Action.
Difficult to pull off, but James Cameron really outdid himself with this one. Aliens is the striking sequel to the 1979 classic, and takes the concept to a totally different level. We go from one Alien... to hundreds. Terrifying and gruesome, it grabs hold of you with it's toothy, lethal tongue and doesn't let go for the entire time, all 2 and a half hours of it.
It was released in 1986 and hasn't aged a day, and is found on many, many shelves. Aliens is constantly compared to Alien and is commonly thought to be the better of the two, and, any way you look at it, Aliens is difficult not to love, and should be owned by everyone." - Posher778



Invasion of the Body Snatchers (1956)




The Fly (1986)




The Thing (1982)



"Undoubtedly one of the best horror films of all time, The Thing uses the concept and idea of fear itself as a powerful tool, and in a far more direct way than most horror films. It plays mainly off of three fears: the fear of the body (in a very Cronenberg way), the fear of effing horrifying aliens, and most importantly, the fear of isolation.
Almost immediately, we are plunged into Antarctica with the rest of the United States National Science Institute Station 4. All is well until the camp is infiltrated by one of the most terrifying creatures of all time, and Carpenter does such a wonderful job of creating a tangible, suffocating atmosphere that the viewer feels as if he/she is really there, wondering what to do next to avoid being infected, and who to trust (as the group hysteria within the camp is almost more dangerous than the thing itself). The intensity is only heightened with gut-wrenching special effects, an eerie electronic score, and awesome performances (among other things).
I know it's hard to call a movie "perfect," but this is as close as it gets." - Fortunato


Honorable Mentions:

The Blob (1958)

Predator (1987)

[_____V_____]

Weird Pulp Horror


Eraserhead (1977)



"David Lynch's masterpiece isn't really a film so much as a nightmare. The symbolic madness and frantic twists make this brief experience and unforgettable one, and it is not easy to shake off. Beautifully shot in good ol' fashioned black and white, the shadowy realm of the unknown continues to carry audiences away nearly thirty years after its release. And still no one knows what the hell any of it really means..." - Alkytrio666


Freaks (1932)



"I have a special connection with Freaks. When my wife and I were dating, this was one of the first movies we watched together. That year for Christmas I bought her a copy on VHS and she loved it! I knew I had a keeper...
Sitting firmly in the "Ironic Punishment" sub-sub-genre of horror (think "Tales from the Crypt"), Freaks is best known for three things: the casting of "real" "freaks" (double quotation marks intentional), its director, Tod Browning, and the fact that it was banned for an awfully long time in multiple countries (30 years in the UK!).
For those that have seen this infamous morality tale, you know that, in typical classical movie fashion, there are "the good guys" and "the bad guys." Only the bad guys are the ones wearing white in this one (cue Minor Threat song). The "freaks" are routinely shown to be the only ones in their circus troupe with any sense of decency or moral fortitude, while the swells, the pretty lady seductress and her dastardly strongman lover, are two of the most low-down and outright evil cinematic villains to hit the big screen.
Tod Browning, post-Dracula, was given a big budget for this one but it, supposedly, nearly ruined his career when the film was banned and audiences and critics alike scorned his use of "real freaks" as being exploitative.
For us today, watching Freaks is, indeed, fairly disturbing to watch. The vast majority of abnormalities shown in the film have been completely banished by the magic of modern medicine, so for us, this is a rare glimpse indeed of the carnival sideshows that once permeated American culture, but which so few of us today have ever actually seen in person.
Freaks is more than worth your time to watch, and to seek out, if need be. It's a film that truly stands the test of time, much like Browning's better known hit Dracula, and points out, like many films after it, that we humans are oftentimes the absolute worst sort of monsters to each other." - Knife Fight


Spider Baby aka Spider Baby or, The Maddest Story Ever Told (1968)



"Where do you start describing this movie? Perhaps with the theme song - sung by Lon Chaney Jr. himself!
The plot involves an inbred family with a degenerative disease that turns them into killers. One female member likes to "sting" people with her sharp knives. One is a drooling grotesquerie played with ghoulish intensity by a young Sid Haig. Watching over the entire clan is Lon Chaney Jr. in one of his last roles, and it is, IMO, one of his best. You've got to feel for poor Lon when he tells the murderous girl, with all the sincerity he can muster, "You've just GOT to stop killing people!"
This is a low-budget black comedy but there are moments that are chilling as well. The dinner scene, where visiting big city relatives are served what look like tumbleweeds as well as other more unsavory items is completely mad.
If you have not seen this movie, you must! It's just unbelievable. Make sure you find a good copy though, as some transfers are quite dark and make some of the action hard to see." - Neverending


Tetsuo aka Tetsuo, The Iron Man (1989)




The Brood (1979)



"This psychological gem is the most underrated horror film of all time, and Cronenberg's most bizarre. Instead of a typical monster-gone-wild, Cronenberg gives us a metaphoric shock-fest on the horrors of family affairs and the mental, and in this case very physical damage that can come of it. It's a climax of startling bends and shady accusations, but the ending is like nothing before put on screen." - Alkytrio666


Honorable Mentions:

Cemetery Man aka Dellamorte Dellamore (1994)


The Holy Mountain (1973)

"The Holy Mountain finds itself in an interesting no-man's land genre-wise. There are those who will tell you that films that disturb with theological or sociological content are not horror, but these people miss out on the fact that horror has its roots in morality plays, the journey of Dante through Hell, Faust's contract with the devil and Victor Frankenstein' s transgression against nature. The Holy Mountain is no less horror than Frankenstein, Faust or Dante's Inferno, and also no less horror than The Wicker Man. Surreal imagery, ethically disturbing notions and existential frights are more than apt substitutions for cannibal rednecks or slobbering werewolves.
In the end, which one has kept more people up at night? This journey beneath the veil might just look like Aquarian mysticism, but Jodorowsky is no Kenneth Anger. Holy Mountain is coherent, capable, full of nervous laughter, terrifying ideas and images the viewer does not soon forget.
True literary horror, if not popcorn horror, at it's terrifying finest." - Doc Faustus