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TAFC#3: Best Horror Movies - Nomination Time by Turtle Jones
After the finish of The Almost Final Countdown #2: The Best Arcade Game Edition, we thought we would jump right in with TAFC #3. Congratulations to Space Invaders for winning the second TAFC, but we need to move on. A change has been made. For the new TAFC we added something. In the sidebar there will be a link to the nominations. This will be there all week. To check out the nominations or to add your own, click on it and there you go. Get it? So after today, go there to add new nominations. We won't be making new lists every day like we have been. So let's move on. For some reason, we have been watching a lot of movies. I have a shitload of them stacking up from Christmas that I am pushing my way through (Give me time. I will get through them all) and we thought it would be fun to see what every one's favorite horror movies were. Some of these movies are great but some are just great in name only. I mean, for myself, TCM only is great in name. The movie itself kinda sucks. Don't shoot me, but it does kinda suck. As soon as it started, I wanted that cripple dead. But that's just me. Anyways, we thought that there should be a list, nominated and voted on by you, of the greatest horror movies of all time. So we decided to take these movies, the ones that were great, and list them. To figure out what was and is the best all time horror movie that ever was. From Nosferatu to whatever the hell is out there now, let's list them and see which ones stand up to the vote. Same rules as last time. Nominate whichever ones you want. At the end of the week, we take them all and you vote on them. So let's start this. The 50 BEST Horror Movies These are our favorites.
I think my favorite horror movie of all time was John Carpenter's The Thing. This movie has so many cool things going on with it. First, it was directed by a man with an ego so huge he had to put his name above the title. Just so we wouldn't mistake it with the original. Cause they are so similar. I think it is cool when John Carpenter does that on his movies. Remember when John Carpenter's Assault of Precinct 13 was remade? I was hoping to christ the new title would be "Not John Carpenter's Assault on Precinct 13". Cause that would be funny. Anyways, what can you say about this movie? It was isolated. It was cold. There was no escape. And to top it all off, it had Wilford Brimley in it! Wilford! You remember him? He was the only guy who could break Paul Newman's cool in Absence of Malice. Man, I loved that movie. Paul Newman was cool in it. But I hated Sally Field. I really hope she gets run over by a tank. It would serve her right for helping the Viet Cong in Vietnam. But Wilford sure is cool. Too bad he died in The Thing. Serves him right for making that awful Cocoon movie. - T Michele wants brains:
I don't remember how old I was when I saw it, I just remember that my parents took us to the drive in. They used to always take us movies like this. They never thought we were too young for zombies or vampires or werewolves or whatever. I thank them for that. Allow me to quote myself, as I've already talked about this movie here: Yea, social commentary, racism, class warfare, women are weak, blah blah blah. I’ve heard it all. Dude. It’s a zombie movie. People get eaten. Teeth are bared. Kids eat their parents. Brains explode. The living dead! Braaaaainnnnnnnssssss! Who the fuck cares if George Romero was giving us a subtle lesson in social mores? Jesus. There are zombies.....It’s a classic. I don’t know anyone who hasn’t seen it. It paved the way for zillions of zombie movies after it. Without the cheesiness and stilted dialogue and awkward social commentary of Night of the Living Dead, we wouldn’t have Dawn of the Dead or Day of the Dead or Return of the Living Dead or even Shaun of the Dead. And then where would we be? If it weren’t for Romero, I would be just another aimless human being, a worker drone living out a meek existence just waiting for death to come take me away. But, no. I have a goal. I have a plan. I’m going to become a zombie someday! Come on, bird flu! Work your viral magic! I heart zombies. Baby Huey takes bad pictures:
I still check photos of myself for lines near my neck.
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Turtle gets cold.
The Omen. This is the first horror movie I ever saw (that is, at least, when I was old enough to know to be scared by movies). I was raised mildly Catholic, so this movie scared the crap out of me. And my Dad. That little kid is creepy as fuck, and the movie was so good that, in my opinion, they actually did a decent remake of it. Why? Because they stuck to the story. Not a lot of extra gore. Not entirely different characters. They didn't remake it, they reshot it. And that speaks volumes of the original.
Dead Ringers. What do you get when you cross Jeremy Irons, strange and tortuous gynecological instruments and David Cronenberg ? One of the creepiest movies I’ve ever seen. Jeremy Irons plays a set of identical twins, both slightly off and acting, to the rest of the world, as the same person. Of the two of them, Elliot is the more confident, while his twin Beverly is shyer, and slightly more sinister. The twins share everything from patients to a girlfriend, but without telling a soul. It’s a Cronenberg movie, so things start off very strange and get oh so much stranger once the love interest get introduced. Whereas Elliot is a big fan of the old slap and tickle, Beverly consistently seems only to have sex because it’s required of him and for research purposes. Elliot is more confident and bright, while Beverly seems more desperate and lost. The duality is fascinating. Like most of Cronenberg’s work the majority of the horror here is psychological and the way its shot is crawl out of your skin creepy. 
Stumble It!
Comments
Evil Dead!!
Posted by: kristin | January 22, 2007 6:40 AM
The first Halloween by John Carpenter. The music alone should have it in there.
Motel Hell. A truly funny horror riff.
And you know what I want to see? I want to see Hamlet down right as a horror movie. Think about it, it opens with a freaking ghost haunting the place. Think Stephen King, not Laworence Olivier.
Posted by: Timmer | January 22, 2007 7:24 AM
For me it would have to be Stephen King's "IT". I saw it as a kid and thought it would be fun because Tim Curry was in it and who doesn't like Tim Curry after seeing him in Clue and Rocky Horror? So I watched it with a friend and since then I have been terrified of that movies and more than a little creeped out by clowns with promises.
So my nomination is for "It".
Posted by: Jo (From Amie) | January 22, 2007 9:17 AM
Does Jaws count?
Posted by: JJ | January 22, 2007 10:24 AM
yes, Jaws counts
but not Jaws 2
too many hippies in it
Posted by: turtle | January 22, 2007 10:25 AM
How about Saw?
I prefer older horror flicks, myself, but I think Saw competes with those really well.
Posted by: Newt | January 22, 2007 10:51 AM
Phantasm
Exorcist
Nightmare on Elm Street
Phycho (a little dated)
TCSM 2 (just for Dennis Hopper)
Reanimator
and ...
FROGS!
Today the pond!
Tomorrow the world!
Posted by: some spinning ball | January 22, 2007 10:58 AM
As a former devotee of Famous Monsters of Filmland magazine and bearer of a "passport" to Transylvania couresy of TV horror host Zacherle before he became a DJ, this is a tough question. The movie that gave me my most severe and lasting fright is Roger Corman's adaptation of E.A. Poe's "The Premature Burial" (1962) featuring Ray Milland in one of his most, well, haunting performances: a medical student suffering from taphephobia—fear of being buried alive, also afraid that a genetic marker makes him a certain candidate for such a fate. Just typing these words brings back the nightmares, which almost went away after 35 years.
Posted by: Wayne | January 22, 2007 12:28 PM
that's what we are here for.
FTTW
Bringing back bad memories while striving to make new ones
Posted by: turtle | January 22, 2007 1:03 PM
I'm a complete sucker for zombie movies (I have a Zombie Attack Contingency Plan that updates every 6 months), so can I just nominate George Romero, or do I have to pick just ONE?
Also, do hitchcock movies count? The man was a master of suspense, but I get the drift that you guys are going more for devious-monster-terrorizes-citizens instead of guy-witnesses-possible-domestic-assault. Still, Hitchcock could be a scary dude.
Also, Gigli was pretty scary, but not as scary as You Got Served. Still, I nominate both.
Posted by: Ian | January 22, 2007 3:27 PM
I second FROGS! I completely forgot Sam Elliot was in that movie.
Does anyone remember the 70s horror movie that was about the Salem Witch Hunts and they passed out souvenier barf bags because the torture was so graphic for its time? I remember a tounge coming out of one "witch's" mouth and a gush of blood.
The first Saw got to me.
And The Descent was actually better than the previews made it out to be. Creeped me out.
Posted by: Timmer | January 22, 2007 4:19 PM
The Premature Burial gave me nightmares for years.
I like the old Vincent Price flicks...The Fly, plus all the Poe stuff he did.
The first Elm Street, the first Halloween and the first Friday the 13th are all good, too. The sequels...not so much.
Posted by: michele | January 22, 2007 4:33 PM
The problem wasn't too many hippies in Jaws 2. It was that too few of them got eaten.
I nominate The Serpent & The Rainbow. That zombie powder haunts me to this day.
Posted by: No One of Consequence | January 22, 2007 4:38 PM
Evil Dead!!
Posted by: Tim | January 22, 2007 6:18 PM
Serpent and the Rainbow FREAKED me out. I could never watch that again. I have this horrible fear of being buried alive and that movie just fed the fear.
EVIL DEAD!!
(bears repeating)
Posted by: michele | January 22, 2007 6:35 PM
This'll be long over before I make up my mind.
Texas Chainsaw Massacre, nobody's said that yet tho
Posted by: Dan | January 22, 2007 7:15 PM
Mark of The Devil
Posted by: Timmer | January 22, 2007 7:49 PM
It's not in the same league as the likes of Saw and Last House on the Left, but my favorite horror movie has always been the tongue-in-cheek Abominable Dr. Phibes.
Posted by: Johnny Bacardi | January 22, 2007 8:42 PM
By "The Evil Dead", you all better have meant "The Evil Dead Trilogy".
I'll nominate 4 more:
Pet Sematary. Fred Gwynne's gruesome demise is enough for it to get nominated, the Ramones song is icing on the cake.
The Shining. When a best horror movie list does not contain The Shining, it needs to be... "corrrrected".
The Fly. Brundlefly.
Alien. "Bones are bent outward, like he exploded from inside."
Posted by: dorkafork | January 22, 2007 9:44 PM
When I say Evil Dead I mean Evil Dead and Army of Darkness, because despite how much I love the part with the hand in 2, it's so dumb. I mean, the cameraguy's hand comes over the lens in one part. Maybe that's being picky, especially when in Army you can clearly see the sheet of plywood Bruce lands on in the beginning, but I just don't like ED2 as much.
Posted by: Tim | January 22, 2007 10:40 PM
The Shining, definitely.
Since Dead Ringers is in the list, would Se7en also qualify? If so then it's up there in my book, that movie was terrifying and intense.
Also, the first two HELLRAISER flicks scared the hell outta me at the time.
Posted by: OrderedChaos | January 22, 2007 11:00 PM
Gigli gets my nomination.
I have to say The Shining has got to be one of the best ever as well.
Posted by: Andrew Ian Dodge | January 23, 2007 4:20 AM
Definately 'Polterguiest' I still cannot watch that movie.
Posted by: Chris | January 23, 2007 8:08 AM
While it certainly isn't a gore-fest, "Bride of Frankenstein" remains one of the classiest horror films out there.
And I'll also promote the original "The Thing" over Carpenter's remake. The b/w original was shudderingly good.
And don't forget (as a genre crossover) "Invaders from Mars". That film continues to terrorize kids to this day, over 50 years later.
Posted by: John | January 23, 2007 8:35 AM
"The Exorcist"
"The Shining"
The End.
Posted by: adam | January 23, 2007 9:44 AM
I'd like to nominate the original "Little Shop of Horrors" which, I believe, was Nicholson's first movie.
And since I'm in the scifi/horror genre, I'd like to nominate "Alien". That movie had all the elements of a horror movie. Darkness, suspense, death, plot twists.
I'll second The Shining. When the wife sees hundres of pages containing only "All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy", my heart nearly stopped.
The Exorcist
Halloween
Night of the Living Dead
I'll think of more. Most are sure to be repeats, much like the ones I just posted above.
Posted by: physics geek | January 23, 2007 1:53 PM
Evil Dead, by far. The original. Complete with real moonshine, real pot and real Bruce Campbell launching himself at a real bookcase.
Posted by: Phelps | January 23, 2007 4:48 PM
Beast from Yucka Flat (Tor Johnson) or seriously In the Mouth of Madness (Sam Neil, based on HP Lovecraft novel)
Posted by: randy | January 23, 2007 5:57 PM
yeah yeah
i know it is a TV show, but man, these guys scared the shit out me
Posted by: turtle | January 24, 2007 2:11 AM
actually, I just think they are kinda cool.
Posted by: turtle | January 24, 2007 2:15 AM
28 Days Later and Audition. But I would support The Shining and The Exorcist. Never did quite get The Omen, though.
Posted by: Philbrick | January 24, 2007 1:15 PM
The Dawn of the Dead remake.
Posted by: Bryan | January 24, 2007 1:19 PM
I HEREBY NOMINATE "THE CHANGELING" WITH GEORGE C SCOTT. BY FAR THE SCARIEST NON-BLOODY MOVIE EVER..(As far as this little fairy is concerned.)
Posted by: Matthew | January 24, 2007 8:18 PM
I nominate "Carrie". Because I know that telekinesis is real, it had the extra dimension for me of being POSSIBLE! Fortunately there was a bar across the road from the movie theatre, and my friend steered my hysterical ass in there after we saw it and started pouring drinks down me - took 2 1/2 double white russians before I was coherent again.
Posted by: Pat | January 25, 2007 1:07 AM
I nominate "Carrie". Because I know that telekinesis is real, it had the extra dimension for me of being POSSIBLE! Fortunately there was a bar across the road from the movie theatre, and my friend steered my hysterical ass in there after we saw it and started pouring drinks down me - took 2 1/2 double white russians before I was coherent again.
Posted by: Pat | January 25, 2007 1:08 AM
I second (or like sixth) Evil Dead. Definitely the original, as well. Evil Dead 2 is fun, but I can't agree that it's the best. And if we're talking horror, I really think Evil Dead was superior. It was definitely much creepier.
As for Army of Darkness, it's great, but at that point I'm not even sure it was horror anymore. I wouldn't argue with it being on the list, though.
Also, definitely The Shining. Great stuff.
Posted by: Joel | January 25, 2007 3:02 AM
Also, I second Philbrick's nomination of 28 Days Later. Great zombie/apocalypse movie.
Posted by: Joel | January 25, 2007 3:03 AM
I agree that out of the trilogy, Evil Dead was by far the best in the horro movie sense. Though AoD is the most enjoyable - if that makes sense.
I refuse to call 28 Days a zombie movie.
Posted by: michele | January 25, 2007 6:24 AM
Night of the Living Dead. Still freaky when the girl eats her mom.
Hellraiser - hate that cheating bitch
The Kubrick version of The Shining is a good one. I also liked the TV version too.
Also Silence of The Lambs and Misery, but not sure if either of those count as a 'horror' movie. A ruling might be needed on those.
Posted by: Ernie | January 25, 2007 11:48 AM
I skimmed, has no one mentioned
Shaun of the Dead? Seriously, a must have. "Don't go into the House" is really, really stupid, but it freaked me out when I was 11.
Posted by: Richard | January 25, 2007 6:50 PM
Shaun of the Dead! How could I forget that??
Posted by: michele | January 25, 2007 8:25 PM
Shit! I also can't believe I forgot Shaun of the Dead. That definitely has to be on the list.
I do know what you mean about AoD, Michele. And I agree that 28 Days Later doesn't really fit the zombie movie conventions too much. It really is just more an apocalypse movie, I think.
Posted by: Joel | January 25, 2007 10:09 PM