MY FAVORITE HORROR FILMS
As a life-long horror film devotee, I offer a variety of classics that never let me down. I revisit each of these films at least yearly. Enjoy!
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- DirectorWilliam FriedkinStarsEllen BurstynMax von SydowLinda BlairWhen a young girl is possessed by a mysterious entity, her mother seeks the help of two Catholic priests to save her life.Still chills after all these years. The most overlooked aspect of this seminal horror classic is the level of ensemble acting. Aside from the horrific possession and exorcism scenes, the set pieces of character interaction are tour-de-force moments in many of the cast's careers.
- DirectorJoe DanteStarsDee WallacePatrick MacneeDennis DuganAfter a bizarre and near deadly encounter with a serial killer, a television newswoman is sent to a remote mountain resort whose residents may not be what they seem.Dante's homage to the Creature Feature. The seclusion of the retreat hints at secret society conspiracy, junk psychiatry and cults. Throw in a healthy dose of humor, jump scares, steamy sex and Rob Bottin's masterful makeup effects and you've got a killer flick to revisit time and time again.
- DirectorGeorge A. RomeroStarsDavid EmgeKen ForeeScott H. ReinigerDuring an escalating zombie epidemic, two Philadelphia SWAT team members, a traffic reporter and his TV executive girlfriend seek refuge in a secluded shopping mall.Romero's gory satire on rampant consumerism numbs the senses. The remake was terrific, also.
- DirectorAlan GibsonStarsChristopher LeePeter CushingStephanie BeachamIn 1972 London - a century after his final battle with Professor Van Helsing - Count Dracula is resurrected by occultist Johnny Alucard, and goes after his archenemy's descendants.A guilty pleasure for sure, but so much fun! Black Masses, really bad funky music, rebellious teens, cool hippy clothes, Cushing and Lee. What's not to love?
- DirectorRoman PolanskiStarsJack MacGowranRoman PolanskiAlfie BassA noted professor and his dim-witted apprentice fall prey to their inquiring vampires, while on the trail of the ominous damsel in distress.Polanski's homage to Hammer. A strange, trippy horror/comedy that still holds up. One can see the influence this movie had on Tim Burton, as the art direction and costumes are exceptional. This film also illustrates how good of a comedic actor Polanski could be.
- DirectorTod BrowningKarl FreundStarsBela LugosiHelen ChandlerDavid MannersTransylvanian vampire Count Dracula bends a naive real estate agent to his will, then takes up residence at a London estate where he sleeps in his coffin by day and searches for potential victims by night.Lugosi's Dracula remains a haunting vision. Todd Browning's decision to make the film sans music (save for the Swan Lake credits) adds to its eerie, claustrophobic feel.
- DirectorRichard DonnerStarsGregory PeckLee RemickHarvey StephensMysterious deaths surround an American ambassador. Could the child that he is raising actually be the Antichrist? The Devil's own son?Stunning performances, incredibly diabolic music and the prospect of the Devil as Child. Chilling premise is met with tremendous scenes of suspense and terror.
- DirectorGeorge MihalkaStarsPaul KelmanLori HallierNeil AffleckA decades-old folk tale surrounding a deranged murderer killing those who celebrate Valentine's Day turns out to be true to legend when a group defies the killer's order and people start turning up dead.Decapitated head and shoulders above the slew of post-Halloween slasher rip-offs, this Canadian gem has character development, gallows humor and moments of inspired dread. Highly recommended.
- DirectorDouglas HickoxStarsVincent PriceDiana RiggIan HendryA Shakespearean actor takes poetic revenge on the critics who denied him recognition.Vincent Price's turn as Shakespearean thespian, Edward Lionheart, is one of his finest performances. Copping a similar revenge motif as his Dr. Phibes films, this one ditches ingenious over-the-top murder schemes in favor of replicating death knells from the Bard. Essential.
- DirectorDon CoscarelliStarsA. Michael BaldwinBill ThornburyReggie BannisterNewly orphaned teenager Mike Pearson, his older brother Jody, and their friends face off against a mysterious grave robber known as the Tall Man, who employs a lethal arsenal of unearthly weapons in their southern California town.Don Coscarelli's nightmarish Phantasm is terrific fun. Set in a world it calls its own, Phantasm is a surreal delight.
- DirectorGeorge WaggnerStarsClaude RainsWarren WilliamRalph BellamyUpon his return to his father's estate, aristocrat Larry Talbot meets a beautiful woman, attends a mystical carnival and uncovers a horrifying curse.The tragic tale of Larry Talbot, Jr. Chaney, Jr.'s claim to fame is one of Universal's finest. A love story.
- DirectorKarl FreundStarsBoris KarloffZita JohannDavid MannersA resurrected Egyptian mummy searches Cairo for the girl he believes to be his long-lost princess.Another immortal Universal offering. Deliberately paced, well-acted and spooky.
- DirectorJames WhaleStarsColin CliveMae ClarkeBoris KarloffDr Henry Frankenstein is obsessed with assembling a living being from parts of several exhumed corpses.Karloff's portrayal of the Monster is poetic. Colin Clive's maniacal Dr. Frankenstein and Dwight Frye's Fritz round out a trio of arguably the finest horror performances in one film.
- DirectorJames WhaleStarsBoris KarloffElsa LanchesterColin CliveMary Shelley reveals the main characters of her novel survived: Baron Henry Frankenstein, goaded by an even madder scientist, builds his monster a mate.James Whale's masterpiece. Watch this again with a focus on the humor, blasphemy, social commentary and surrealism in the script.
- DirectorTerence FisherStarsClifford EvansOliver ReedYvonne RomainIn eighteenth-century Spain, an adopted boy becomes a werewolf and terrorizes the inhabitants of his town.This Hammer lycanthropic fairy tale never loses sight of its story, which is a beautifully told tragic love story. Oliver Reed's shot to stardom.
- DirectorClive BarkerStarsCraig ShefferDavid CronenbergAnne BobbyA troubled young man is drawn to a mythical place called Midian where a variety of friendly monsters are hiding from humanity. Meanwhile, a sadistic serial killer is looking for a patsy.Clive Barker's novella, Cabal, brought to the big screen. Flawed, due to studio interference, this film still "breeds" loyal fandom. A long-rumored Director's Cut is criminally overdue.
- DirectorDavid CronenbergStarsJeff GoldblumGeena DavisJohn GetzA brilliant but eccentric scientist begins to transform into a giant man/fly hybrid after one of his experiments goes horribly wrong.Cronenberg's shining moment. Jeff Goldblum's portrayal of a scientist contaminated by an experiment gone awry is another tour-de-force. Perfect casting adds to this classic.
- DirectorSteven SpielbergStarsRoy ScheiderRobert ShawRichard DreyfussWhen a killer shark unleashes chaos on a beach community off Cape Cod, it's up to a local sheriff, a marine biologist, and an old seafarer to hunt the beast down.Brody, Hooper, Quint, apricot brandy, the rickety Orca and a twenty-five foot long Great White. Sublime.
- DirectorJack ArnoldStarsRichard CarlsonJulie AdamsRichard DenningA strange prehistoric beast lurks in the depths of the Amazonian jungle. A group of scientists try to capture the animal and bring it back to civilization for study.One of the best sci-fi adventure films ever made. The Creature remains one of the most unique...um...creatures...in film history.
- DirectorRobert FuestStarsVincent PriceJoseph CottenVirginia NorthDoctor, scientist, organist, and biblical scholar Anton Phibes seeks revenge on the nine doctors he considers responsible for the death of his wife.This, and its equally fun sequel Dr. Phibes Rises Again, are psychedelic horror at its finest. One can see Anton LaVey's influence on the sets and company of Clockwork companions. Excellent.