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It would be The Fog, the 1980 version, directed by John Carpenter, of course. One dark and stormy night, I and my spouse were sequestered in a beachfront hotel while a raging storm flooded the area. The 8 story masonry building was shaking and nobody was coming or going on the flooded streets. I could not sleep, power and cable stayed on, so I looked for late night entertainment and found The Fog. The horror movie on the TV was much better than the one outside the building, so I watched to the end and managed to consume enough alcohol to put me to sleep. It's a favorite that I revisit now and again.
Your personal favorite horror movie?
It's amazing what the restoration of that film has done for it. When I saw it for the first time, about ten years ago on the only available copy at the time, some atrocious VHS rip, it still made a deep impact on me, regardless of how bad it looked. But since it has been fixed up it clearly has moved from a film I wouldn't even bother recommending to anyone else becAuse it would just be yet another hunk of crappy lookijg garbage I was hawking to fools who listen to me, and which would just get a bunch of eyeroll emojis in return for me liking it...into what is obviously one of the all time great American horror films.
I'd put it up against anything in horror Thunderdome, and no one should ever bet against it at this point.
I'd put it up against anything in horror Thunderdome, and no one should ever bet against it at this point.
Looking at wiki:
The film was released on DVD on October 27, 2009, fully remastered by Code Red DVD.[16] A fortieth anniversary Blu-ray edition was released by Code Red in 2013.[17] It had previous been released as a double feature DVD in 2003 paired with The Devil's Nightmare.[18]
Radiance Films released a limited edition Blu-ray (followed by a standard edition) in October 2023 in both the United States and United Kingdom.[19]
Radiance Films released a limited edition Blu-ray (followed by a standard edition) in October 2023 in both the United States and United Kingdom.[19]
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Just a little PSA that for anyone who has Criterion Channel, Messiah of Evil in on there until the end of the month (aka Saturday).
Anyway I am keen to give the film a watch.
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I destroyed the dastardly dairy dame! I made mad milk maid mulch!
He hid in the forest, read books with great zeal
He loved Che Guevera, a revolutionary veal
Cow Tse Tongue
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As a lifelong horror fan, there are many that I love. But my all-time favorite, since the first time I saw it when I was ten years old, is the unrivaled horror anthology, Dead of Night (1945). When I first saw it, I was totally blown away, and had to wait YEARS to see it again -- and then it was still every bit as good as I had remembered. To this day, I'm still riveted when we hear the history of the mirror, when the ventriloquist and his dummy have a conversation with a rival -- I won't reveal any spoilers because anyone who hasn't seen it should watch it for themselves. And some might say they've seen some of these "tropes" many times before -- but this is the movie that did them first and did them the best! To reference another thread, I'd call this film a masterpiece.
As to the question of which film do I think is the scariest -- there are a lot of films I thought were scary, or creepy or disturbing for various reasons -- sometimes I enjoyed the experience, sometimes not so much (most recent example, Eden Lake -- it will be a long time before i revisit this film, and thanks, James Watkins, for the nightmares), but I'd have to say The Woman in Black with Daniel Radcliffe (which was also directed directed by James Watkins), because I found this movie so terrifying that I had to turn it off several times, and I STILL have not seen the rest of it yet. I watched it late at night alone in the dark, so I think that added to the spooky mood, but I remember freaking out at a particular scene, having to shut it off, and also having to get my friend to watch it with me through to the end of that scene. Watching it with someone else with all the lights on, it didn't seem as scary -- and my friend thought it was boring -- but by myself, the mood of the film was terrifying and overwhelming. I've spent years watching scary films, and the scarier the better, but this film -- hopefully one day soon I will actually see the end of it!
As to the question of which film do I think is the scariest -- there are a lot of films I thought were scary, or creepy or disturbing for various reasons -- sometimes I enjoyed the experience, sometimes not so much (most recent example, Eden Lake -- it will be a long time before i revisit this film, and thanks, James Watkins, for the nightmares), but I'd have to say The Woman in Black with Daniel Radcliffe (which was also directed directed by James Watkins), because I found this movie so terrifying that I had to turn it off several times, and I STILL have not seen the rest of it yet. I watched it late at night alone in the dark, so I think that added to the spooky mood, but I remember freaking out at a particular scene, having to shut it off, and also having to get my friend to watch it with me through to the end of that scene. Watching it with someone else with all the lights on, it didn't seem as scary -- and my friend thought it was boring -- but by myself, the mood of the film was terrifying and overwhelming. I've spent years watching scary films, and the scarier the better, but this film -- hopefully one day soon I will actually see the end of it!
Not because they're creeping me out, but because them being the best horror (according to Letterboxd) films (IMO):
The Exorcist
Aliens
Let the Right One In
Pulse (Japanese original)
Ringu (Japanese original)
In a Glass Cage
Ginger Snaps
The Reflecting Skin
Poison for the Fairies
The Blackcoat's Daughter
Demons (1971)
The Exorcist
Aliens
Let the Right One In
Pulse (Japanese original)
Ringu (Japanese original)
In a Glass Cage
Ginger Snaps
The Reflecting Skin
Poison for the Fairies
The Blackcoat's Daughter
Demons (1971)
Last edited by pahaK; 4 weeks ago at 06:03 AM.
Reason: Had one film twice, fixed it
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As a lifelong horror fan, there are many that I love. But my all-time favorite, since the first time I saw it when I was ten years old, is the unrivaled horror anthology, Dead of Night (1945). When I first saw it, I was totally blown away, and had to wait YEARS to see it again -- and then it was still every bit as good as I had remembered. To this day, I'm still riveted when we hear the history of the mirror, when the ventriloquist and his dummy have a conversation with a rival -- I won't reveal any spoilers because anyone who hasn't seen it should watch it for themselves. And some might say they've seen some of these "tropes" many times before -- but this is the movie that did them first and did them the best! To reference another thread, I'd call this film a masterpiece.
As to the question of which film do I think is the scariest -- there are a lot of films I thought were scary, or creepy or disturbing for various reasons -- sometimes I enjoyed the experience, sometimes not so much (most recent example, Eden Lake -- it will be a long time before i revisit this film, and thanks, James Watkins, for the nightmares), but I'd have to say The Woman in Black with Daniel Radcliffe (which was also directed directed by James Watkins), because I found this movie so terrifying that I had to turn it off several times, and I STILL have not seen the rest of it yet. I watched it late at night alone in the dark, so I think that added to the spooky mood, but I remember freaking out at a particular scene, having to shut it off, and also having to get my friend to watch it with me through to the end of that scene. Watching it with someone else with all the lights on, it didn't seem as scary -- and my friend thought it was boring -- but by myself, the mood of the film was terrifying and overwhelming. I've spent years watching scary films, and the scarier the better, but this film -- hopefully one day soon I will actually see the end of it!
As to the question of which film do I think is the scariest -- there are a lot of films I thought were scary, or creepy or disturbing for various reasons -- sometimes I enjoyed the experience, sometimes not so much (most recent example, Eden Lake -- it will be a long time before i revisit this film, and thanks, James Watkins, for the nightmares), but I'd have to say The Woman in Black with Daniel Radcliffe (which was also directed directed by James Watkins), because I found this movie so terrifying that I had to turn it off several times, and I STILL have not seen the rest of it yet. I watched it late at night alone in the dark, so I think that added to the spooky mood, but I remember freaking out at a particular scene, having to shut it off, and also having to get my friend to watch it with me through to the end of that scene. Watching it with someone else with all the lights on, it didn't seem as scary -- and my friend thought it was boring -- but by myself, the mood of the film was terrifying and overwhelming. I've spent years watching scary films, and the scarier the better, but this film -- hopefully one day soon I will actually see the end of it!
I also saw that this year. Excellent movie! (As long as you skip the golf story)
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Not because they're creeping me out, but because them being the best horror (according to Letterboxd) films (IMO):
The Exorcist
Aliens
Let the Right One In
Pulse (Japanese original)
Ringu (Japanese original)
In a Glass Cage
Ginger Snaps
The Reflecting Skin
Poison for the Fairies
The Reflecting Skin
Demons (1971)
The Exorcist
Aliens
Let the Right One In
Pulse (Japanese original)
Ringu (Japanese original)
In a Glass Cage
Ginger Snaps
The Reflecting Skin
Poison for the Fairies
The Reflecting Skin
Demons (1971)
Excellent movies! Although you accidentally added an "s" to Alien. 😉
In a Glass Cage is another brilliant film I first saw this year.
Pulse is a lot better than Ringu, IMHO.
I've never heard of Poison for the Fairies or the Reflecting Skin. I'll have to check them out.
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My favorite cannot be The Exorcist. I have to like a film for it to be my favorite and I cannot like a film that wants to hurt me. That stated, relative to its time and place, it is probably the most effective horror film ever made.
A favorite has to feel like an old friend. Fright Night (1985) is an old friend. Dawn of the Dead (1978) is an old friend. Perversely, I find my curation of horror to be one of happy memories (e.g., audience reactions, age when I saw it, cultural moment, general vibe). The best horror films I've seen are associated with some fond viewing memories of midnight movies, opening nights, and VHS tapes viewed with the old crew.
A favorite has to feel like an old friend. Fright Night (1985) is an old friend. Dawn of the Dead (1978) is an old friend. Perversely, I find my curation of horror to be one of happy memories (e.g., audience reactions, age when I saw it, cultural moment, general vibe). The best horror films I've seen are associated with some fond viewing memories of midnight movies, opening nights, and VHS tapes viewed with the old crew.
Excellent movies! Although you accidentally added an "s" to Alien. 😉
I've never heard of Poison for the Fairies or the Reflecting Skin. I'll have to check them out.
Also, The Reflecting Skin isn't good enough to appear twice on that list
I fixed that and switched the second to, correctly, be The Blackcoat's Daughter.
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Alien without an 's' would be in the next tier.
The Blackcoat's Daughter.
The Blackcoat's Daughter.
I always felt Aliens was more of an action movie than horror.
The Blackcoat's Daughter is indeed a very good one. Amazing atmosphere.
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I always felt Aliens was more of an action movie than horror.
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Another favorite is Bram Stoker's Dracula, Coppola's journey into gothic, victorian horror. It has elements of the usual vampire stories, a few elements of Bram Stoker's book (though not much) and lots of sensual decadence. I love its wretched excess, and Gary Oldman's evil laugh. It's has much more wretched excess than Stoker's book, but that's OK. Victorian readers were much easier to shock. They just might have swooned if they had to read the script for BSD, much less see the movie that came from it.
Last edited by skizzerflake; 3 weeks ago at 02:40 AM.
Reason: Add more wretched excess to my comments
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I always felt Aliens was more of an action movie than horror.
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The Exorcist
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Looking for a bigger boat | My latest movie lists and reviews | Find me on Letterboxd
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Horror is probably the least of my favorite genres, but there are a few I love:
Rosemary's Baby
Suspiria (original)
The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari
Nosferatu (both versions)
Don't Look Now
Mandy
The Witch
Midsommer
The Innocents
The Omen
Carnival of Souls
Eyes Without a Face
Audition
Texas Chainsaw Massacre (original)
In general I think it's difficult to get horror films correct, but there are some truly great ones which transcend the genre conventions.
Rosemary's Baby
Suspiria (original)
The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari
Nosferatu (both versions)
Don't Look Now
Mandy
The Witch
Midsommer
The Innocents
The Omen
Carnival of Souls
Eyes Without a Face
Audition
Texas Chainsaw Massacre (original)
In general I think it's difficult to get horror films correct, but there are some truly great ones which transcend the genre conventions.
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I'm pretty sure I have a tie for my favorite horror film. Nosferatu (1922) for it's dreamlike creepiness and Max Schrek's masterful performance as Orlok and Alien for maybe the best slow build out there, the incredibly relatable and well fleshed out cast of characters and such a great use of it's claustrophobic setting.
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I'm not sure how to answer this. The problem is that the films which scared me most were not pleasant experiences, just impressive ones.
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