Halloween is almost upon us, so it's scary movie time!
If you're like myself who's practically immune to scary movies, then you're probably wondering, what movie is left out there that can actually be considered scary?
Scary these days seems more and more like it's the type of "kills" and the coolness of the villain. I'm sorry but more blood and guts on the screen and the charisma of the killer doesn't equal scary!
I thought about the movies that have made me keep the lights on or rather reserve to watch during the day and these are the 10 films that I promise will scare those who don't get scared!
#1 The Changeling (1980)
I watched this really late at night on TV. The local channels used to play interesting and entertaining movies very randomly and after midnight. One night, this old movie starring an old guy who I recognized was a famous actor was on. All I remember is the empty wheelchair chasing after people out of vengeance. The Changeling from 1980 is what we need more of these days from scary movies. An actual story. Respectable actors. And laser focus on the fact that it’s supposed to be a serious scary movie.
#2 The Amityville Horror (1979)
Another creepy house in a horror movie. I don’t know why The Amityville Horror is always overlooked, but I’ve never seen anything more scary than the blood oozing out of the cursed walls.
#3 Halloween (1978)
A few points deducted for unnecessary slasher-like scenes and gross teens having sex scenes, but the original Halloween is where it’s at with paranormal-like stalkers. When I was in elementary school, a class I was in looked out onto the street and it was very similar to how Laurie was like in class when she looked out the window and saw Michael standing there. I’d often look out the window thinking Michael Myers would be there.
#4 The Fog (1980)
Thanks to this movie, whenever there’s fog, all I think of are creepy pirate ghosts waiting to come out from hiding. Jamie Lee Curtis appears again in another smart horror film, but it's Adrienne Barbeau who steals the show as the most coolest radio DJ in The Fog (1980).
#5 The Grudge (2004)
The early aughts was when Hollywood discovered the really scary stories from the Japanese. If you watched The Grudge (2004) when it first came out, you probably noticed that something was markedly different about this horror movie versus all of the other ones. When I was little, our uncle used to tell us creepy ghost stories and so when I would watch ghost movies, I would never be scared. It’s like where is the scariness??? Maybe Asian scary movies are at another level that white Hollywood can’t quite make sense of.
#6 The Conjuring (2013)
I still remember sitting in the theatre and raising my hands as if the Bathsheba ghost was going to jump onto me from the wardrobe. Though The Conjuring does border on the more modern take of a scary movie in that it’s less haunting and more edge, but it’s still up there.
#7 The Exorcist (1973)
When I visited The Vatican, all I could think of when I would see people from the church was The Exorcist (1973). When night fell and we were walking around and the Vatican guards were everywhere, all I could think of was they’re protecting the Pope from The Exorcist. I saw it again a couple of weeks ago and it wasn’t as scary as I remember, but it’s definitely still scary.
#8 1408 (2007)
Based on a short story by Stephen King and starring a much missing in action John Cusack, 1408 (2007) is a frightening nightmare for those who are claustrophobic. The scene when John thinks he’s able to get someone’s attention across the street only to realize he’s waving to himself…man, not being able to get help and being all alone is freaking scary.
#9 The Others (2001)
I recall seeing The Others (2001) in the theatres and being so scared for Nicole Kidman. This is one of those overlooked horror movies that doesn’t get its due on scary movie lists. Nicole Kidman just looks preternatural and is a natural for scary movies.
#10 Poltergeist (1982)
I can’t be the only kid who didn’t want to go near a TV screen after watching Poltergeist (1982). I watched this again last week and it’s still very scary, but the special effects are too fake looking and some lines from the script don’t make sense. I watched the remake with Sam Rockwell and there was an opportunity to fill the gaps, but what a disappointment.
Comments