Top 5 Horror Films of All Time
To celebrate the release of the new Evil Dead, I thought I would give you all my opinion on the best horror films of all time, this list is only my opinion and there are hundreds of great horror films that I could have included if the list was bigger. So here is your horror film roundup.
#5 The Blair Witch Project
Arguably the first 'found footage' style horror film came in the form of The Blair Witch Project, a film made on a shoestring budget with amateur actors and only one camera. What it lacks in gloss, it more than makes up for in creepy atmosphere, a slow burning tension and an ending which leaves you with goosebumps. This film when watched alone in the dark is truly chilling, and will give you nightmares for weeks. The film has become somewhat of an iconic cult film, and I'm pretty sure that it will be terrifying generations to come.
#4 The Wicker Man
This 1973 cult mystery is widely celebrated as one of the best horror films of all time, and while it may not be horrifying or heart pounding scary, it is genuinely disturbing, and its comments on religion and paganism are fascinating. The film's premise concerns a girl who has been reported as lost on a small island off the coast of Scotland, a policeman is sent to the island to investigate, which predictably does not end well. I won't spoil it for you, but the narrative is massively engaging on the first watch, and on multiple watches you're sure to notice new things and catch hints of what happens in the end that you missed the first time. Christopher Lee is brilliant as the kooky leader of the island, and its easy to convince yourself that this community of pagans could actually exist somewhere. Overall a masterpiece, not only one of the best horror films of all time, but surely one of the best films ever made.
#3 Audition
For those who have seen Audition, its pretty easy to see why its on my list, for anyone else, I suggest watching it as soon as you can, as in my opinion it is a masterclass in gore and shock horror. The film begins with a man who attends an audition set up for him by his friend to find him a new wife, he falls in love with one of the girls, who then turns out to be a complete maniac. That's as far as I will go with the narrative, as there are a few twists and unexpected turns that I don't want to spoil. If you're a gore hound, you'll love this film, it really lives up to its shock horror label, and doesn't stint on the blood and toe curling torture scenes involving huge needles and eyes. If you're looking for some Asian shock horror with plenty of gore to spare, definately give audition a watch.
#2 The Evil Dead
I can picture all the groans from many of you finding out that this is on my list, yes it's a predictable choice and yes its on pretty much every horror list, but this film has inspired many of the films you see today. Exploitative, trashy and low budget it is, but its also original, iconic and well revisited by today's horror films. The basic narrative will be so familiar to you all now, you'll probably be able to guess every line that's coming, but in the end, this was the film that started it all. Its about a group of teens who go on a trip to a cabin in the woods, and then accidentally release a bunch of evil spirits who then use the teens as prey. The narrative has become so well used, that the post modern Cabin in the Woods is directly influenced by the film, as well as most of the subsequent teen horror films. The film isn't scary by today's standards, and the effects are laughable, but that is what makes the film so damn good! Everything is so well done, and so well thought out that it doesn't matter if there isn't a glossy Hollywood glimmer on everything. Some might argue that The Evil Dead 2 is the better film, and I would be inclined to agree, the sequel however is more of a comedy and so wouldn't really be suited to this list. If you haven't seen The Evil Dead, you must watch it, as you've most likely seen a film that has been directly influenced by it.
#1 The Shining
Kubrick is one of my all time favourite directors, so its no surprise that this is #1 on my list. Its an absolute masterpiece, and is virtually flaw free in my eyes, I can watch it over and over and over and keep picking up on new things and never get sick of it. This is partly due to the films brilliant narrative that keeps you guessing, but also due to the beautiful cinematography and set design, the swooping camera follows the characters around like a stalker, which only adds to the unease which is present throughout the entire film. The narrative (as if you don't already know) revolves around a family who are looking after a secluded hotel for the winter season, as the film progresses it is apparent that the father of the family is becoming increasingly psycho, and the rest is history. If you're a fan of horror or just films in general and you haven't yet seen The Shining, I urge you with everything I have to watch it, it really is a flawless masterpiece that will chill you and leave some disturbing imagery in you're head, as well as crawling deep under your skin.
There were so many other films I could have put in this list, Psycho, V/H/S, Paranormal Activity, The Descent to name a few, and these films are just a starting point for anyone wanting to delve into the horror genre and the review of The Evil Dead (2013) will be up in the next few days!
I remember being 12 and watching Shining for the first time at home while I was sick and it was winter. Yeah that was quite an effective movie. Great list you got
ReplyDeleteAll are fine picks, only one that wouldn't be near the top of my horror list would be The Evil Dead. I know it has its legions of fans, and I like it, but it's not a top horror film for me.
ReplyDeleteThanks Jason!
ReplyDeleteAnd yeah I see where you're coming from Bill, I think I mostly included it due to its sheer influence