Hello and happy weekend!
What kind of horror-inspired blog would this be, if I didn’t talk about horror movies? Like, get into some details, and everything?
Now, this is not a movie review post…that’ll come later…I think…I’m doing this as I go, so bear with me…
This is a TOP TEN LIST for horror movies I think you need to see before you die.
***QUICK EDITOR’S NOTE (which is still me)…This is not necessarily my Top 10 FAVORITES, but it is a list of films that are pivotal to the genre. My favorites are very close to the same list…but may include films that are missing (like…”The Thing” or “Event Horizon”…maybe).
Like, seriously, these movies will rock your horror-obsessed world. Big ups to my Instagram Movie Discussion Group who asked me my favorite horror movie…and I named 20. Well, I got it down to 10, so here you go.
****SPOILER ALERT is in effect!****
AND all the photos down below are product links, so feel free to check them out. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
10. “Bram Stoker’s Dracula” – Release Date: November 13, 1992 – Director: Francis Ford Coppola
I had to include a “Universal Classic Monster” on this list, or else I would feel like a sham. The reason I choose this particular movie out of all of the movies that have come out is that it not only has great gore elements (See: The Staking of Lucy scene), but it has a great underlying romance that you don’t see in most horror movies. And I mean real, palpable romance to the point where you pity the villain of the story.
And people will argue that Keanu was terrible in this movie, but I say “NAY”, and “FIGHT ME”!
BONUS: This movie has one of the best scores in all of movie history, not just horror, done by Wojciech Kilar…and used in parts of “American Horror Story”.
9. “Midsommar” – Release Date: July 3, 2019 – Director: Ari Aster
Ari Aster’s movies have refreshed the genre. I put Midsommar above his other movies because this one was truly horrifying from beginning to end, and it takes another classic (“The Wicker Man”) and introduces elements we never thought of before…like recruitment. Also, while the main character in the original “The Wicker Man” wasn’t the most lovable person to see burn, there’s an underlying internal conflict I feel seeing Christian burning alive. Did his actions, and terribleness at being a boyfriend, earn him his fate?
8.”Tales from the Crypt: Demon Knight” – Release Date: January 13, 1995 – Director: Ernest R. Dickerson
I think this movie gets overlooked in the horror community. Maybe it loses points for being connected with a TV show (a fantastic TV show IMHO) instead of being its own entity? Maybe some find it too campy?
But this movie has Jada Pinkett Smith and Billy Zane (Ah, Billy…who apparently made an appearance in “The Boys” on Amazon Prime) in some of my favorite roles for them. Add to the fact that Jada ends up being the hero in a rare (Hopefully, getting less rare?) instance where we get to see a Person of Color in a hero (and SPOILER ALERT: Survivor) role.
Add the great creature effects, and you’ve got yourself a great movie.
7. “Annabelle: Creation” – Release Date: August 11, 2017 – Director: David F. Sandberg
This is probably a controversial pick.
While “The Conjuring” universe is popular (“The Conjuring 3” comes out around my birthday…just sayin’), many critics feel that the movies in the series suffered after James Wan left to spread his wings with “Aquaman”. I will agree that “Annabelle” was a drop in quality in terms of story and scares. “Annabelle: Creation”, however, IS the best in the series hands down. Here’s why…
It has a very similar style to “The Conjuring 2” (my 2nd favorite in the series), but it strays from the sometimes overly-religious elements brought in when you have the Warrens around, which I don’t hate those elements…it’s just way scarier when you can’t rely on the church for hope…AND this movie still has a nun in it!!! It truly is that scary.
Side note: One of my brothers texted me this week to tell me he was watching this film for the first time just to let me know how scary it is 🙂
6. “Black Swan” – Release Date: December 17, 2010 – Director: Darren Aronofsky
This is an important movie whether you like horror, or not. It shows how mental illness left unchecked can destroy ourselves and hurt the people we love. Without the mental illness aspect, you can also look at the movie from…
- An “obsession with competition is unhealthy” aspect,
- The “teachers taking advantage of their students” aspect,
- The “healthy body image is more important than being thin” aspect,
- Or even the “love is love” aspect (because even though the lesbian scenes ***SPOILER ALERT REMINDER*** all happen in her mind, she was at her happiest when her mind went there)…
and still see how this is a profound movie. Add Darren Aronofsky’s style that takes it to a horror place, and amazing ballet scenes…this might just be a perfect movie!
5. “Get Out” – Release Date: February 24, 2017 – Director: Jordan Peele
Possibly one of the most important horror movies no matter the color of your skin. For People of Color, it shows them a fear they can relate to better than Non-POCs, which I don’t know if that’s ever been on screen before in a fictional, horror movie. For Non-POCs (which, if you didn’t already know, I fall into this category, so I admit right now that I’m limited in my experience and ability to speak on the subject) it shows us, or at least I hope this group can see, what this fear is all about in a way we all should be able to understand…
It’s the loss of freedom. The loss of identity. The feeling of being trapped in whatever our “sunken place” happens to be.
Something we all fear…for different reasons…on different levels. Non-POC don’t have the centuries of history that POC do experiencing this fear in the way portrayed in this movie. However, instead of driving groups of people apart, this movie could be a catalyst for understanding each other. And on Peele’s first try outside of comedy too! Genius!!!
Take away the politics of it, and you have a pretty entertaining movie with some great comedy points hit by Lil Rel. It’s a winner, for sure.
4. “Texas Chain Saw Massacre” – Release Date: October 4, 1974 – Director: Tobe Hooper
(WHY…is chainsaw spelled this way for the first movie and not any of the sequels? I think one piece of the original artwork spells it right, but… Amazon and IMDB list it with Chain and Saw separated…and so does most of the old artwork.)
It’s just a classic, scary movie. Makes you see blood where they didn’t really use any. The deaths are gruesome. The final shot at the end is haunting, and it spawned a whole “Evil Hillbilly” genre that inspired the “Wrong Turn” and “Hatchet” series…and pretty much every movie Rob Zombie ever made.
3. “Suspiria” – Release Date: August 12, 1977 – Director: Dario Argento
I cannot do a top 10 list without my favorite “Giallo” film (basically, Italian horror), “Suspiria”. Now, this one does actually show a lot of brightly-colored blood and death. On top of that, the soundtrack, done by “Goblin” (sometimes called “The Goblins” who are actually an Italian progressive rock band) will haunt your ear souls forever!
2. “A Nightmare on Elm Street” – Release Date: November 16, 1984 – Director: Wes Craven
Wes Craven is one of those people I wish I could have met before he died. I’d love to know what went on in that man’s brain…
I choose this movie out of all his other creations, even over “Scream”, because:
- It is one of the most inventive, while still being considered part of the slasher subgenre (which is beloved, but not critically favored),
- Pulls a “Psycho” by killing off the girl you think is the protagonist for the first 20 minutes of the movie,
- Has one of my favorite “final girls” in all of horror,
- AND created one of the most memorable horror movie villains OF ALL TIME (Hello, Mr. Englund).
Before I reveal my #1 pick, honorable mentions go to the “Halloween”, “Friday the 13th”, “Saw”, and “Alien” series…it was really hard to not include you on this list, but if this were a top 15, you’d be on it for sure! Also, no J-Horror movies appear because other than the American versions, I really need to explore this genre deeper…
1. “Dawn of the Dead” – Release Date: May 24, 1979 – Director: George A. Romero
I can say a lot about this movie. ***ONE LAST SPOILER ALERT REMINDER***
It has both a final girl AND a final guy in it, AND they happen to be the most likable people in the whole movie. The final guy being a POC is a bonus to the genre, and the film tackles both racism and consumerism in ways that Romero was a master at tackling. The soundtrack, also done by “Goblin” terrifies me. Like, I can’t even listen to the DVD menu music without my skin crawling. And while I can watch this movie alone, I prefer to have someone in the house with me, or a dog right beside me, when I do.
It’s the one movie that almost always gives me nightmares the night after I watch it. I think it’s the hopelessness of its message. The zombies are not what will destroy humanity. WE are what will destroy humanity in the end.
Shout out to “Robot Chicken” for using the end-credits song as their end-credits song too (a bawk bawk bawk).
And that’s my list! Click on any of the product images if you want to own these movies, or love some good swag.
What would make your Top 10 list? Can you even choose???
Hearts and Guts,
Maire G.