Halloween horror film survey
November 5th 2007 22:09
Yep, I'm scared
Twins, patterned wallpaper and carpets have never been the same for me after seeing this film
What can I say?
Eeek and eeek again
I wasn’t expecting to write a post today as my mind is gluggy and preoccupied with other things, plus I’m in a hurry, but while I was skimming through smh.com.au, a film article interested me. It said that a recent Halloween survey showed The Exorcist was voted the scariest film of all time. In second place was The Shining, the film Halloween was third and fourth was A Nightmare on Elm Street.
It’s frustrating not knowing what the other six films are, but I’m doing the Buddhist thing and accepting it mindfully. And I might do some research when I get home later and then update this post...
Horror films are not my forte, I leave that to Bryn but it still intrigued me.
I’ve seen all those films and yes, I agree they terrified me. And I’m being polite because it is early morning.
But are they the scariest? Of course, it’s subjective as are polls, but it just left me pondering....and spooked after looking at these pictures.
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Comment by James Rickard
unlucky_ fishermen.com
Angling Fish
Comment by Bryn
Horrorphile
yeah I read that, was gonna do a post on it myself, but I wanted to know the complete list ...
Halloween should've been at the top, as intense as The Exorcist is, I think there are scarier films. The Descent is scarier than The Exorcist.
The Shining is a good flick, but nowhere near as scary as the novel, and to be honest, its a much more effective character study than a scarefest.
I'd have had Alien up in the top three. A Nighmare on Elm Street was damn scary when it first came out, but unfortunately Freddy Krueger turned into a kind of horror clown by the end of the series, and so his menace has been severly dampened over the years.
BTW, that Halloween pic you used is actually from the Rob Zombie remake ...
I thought The Blair Witch Project was damn frightening when I first saw it months ahead of its down under release, I was lucky I saw it before the hype ruined it for many people.
Poltergiest was very effective as well, especially for a PG rated horror movie.
Comment by Michaelie
Flick Wit
Michaelie
Comment by JohnDoe
Film & TV on DVD
Halloween is so effective and primal that It may steal top billing for me too or Alien which still give me chills.
The Shining certainly is unshakable and The Exorcist is so well made technically it belongs on any "best of" list.
Dont Look Now with Donald Sutherland is thick in unerving atmosphere and Eraserhead discombobulates to the point of terror.
May sent me sideways because I cared and eerily understood the protagonist, not terifying but steady nailbiting and anxiety attacks.
I hate to mention Jaws in this company, but man Im still nursing the psychological wound from it.
Just to put a PG 13 one in there, Arachnophobia worked me over good as a teen.
Comment by Tracy
Movies and Life
Yes, I'm a vampire fan as well, have been for years. I also like Dracula films especially the early ones with Peter Cushing and Christopher Lee where the reliance was on suspense more than blood and guts.
Tracy
Comment by Tracy
Movies and Life
I did think of waiting until I knew at least the whole ten, but I was too impatient. Plus, I wasn’t sure I would be able to get that info.
I can’t decide which is scarier, The Exorcist or Halloween, both scared the crap out of me. I think The Shining is chilling in its suspense. I was surprised that it was described as horror to be honest.
Yes, I agree with what you said about Freddie Kruger, he almost became a horror parody.
Thanks for telling me that I used a different pic for the Halloween film, that’s what happens when I do posts before I’m awake.
Oh gosh yes, I am still frightened of clowns from watching Poltergoost, especially if they are under beds. I can’t believe that was rated PG...
I was petrified by Blair Witch which surprised me as I saw it in the middle of all the hype (which I don’t usually do-as the song says, don’t believe the hype).
I seem to be more scared and affected by films that are suspenseful than gory, otherwise I simply can’t watch, I close my eyes.
Thanks for your comments and insight,
Tracy
Comment by Tracy
Movies and Life
Hi John
I also thought of Jaws, I’m still scared of deep water because of that tatty film.
I also thought of Psycho and Rosemary’s Baby, but again maybe more suspenseful than horror.
I haven’t seen Don’t Look Now nor May. Your description and reaction to May has me intrigued, so I want to see that now.
I didn’t see Arachnophobia, despite friends saying that I should see it to deal with my spider phobia. I thought that theory was a load of bollocks, that seeing a large screen of roaming, scattered spiders crawling inside all sorts of crevices wouldn’t have helped me. A psych hospital would have been my next step.
Thanks for your comments,
Tracy
Comment by Tracy
Movies and Life
I agree, I don’t tend to see films where I can imagine the nightmare/events could actually happen. It stays with me for days and I look like one of those mad people looking over their shoulder all the time with a defensive look in their eye. Not an attractive demeanour really.
Thanks for popping in,
Tracy
Comment by Mr Nice Guy
Pop Culturist
I guess that's what made this a gem - there was that element of unrepressed realism mixed with religious fervour - a fairly potent formula.
The element of suspense counts for mine too. Hitchcock was a master at working the audience - and it has since been used to great effect in so many modern day classics.
Rosemary's Baby was pretty creepy while Elm Street scared the living daylights out of me first time I saw it.
The hanging ending (where you always get the impression someone could be lurking just behind the next door) is also just plain freaky.
Nice post.
MNG
Comment by Bryn
Horrorphile
Comment by Tracy
Movies and Life
Comment by Tracy
Movies and Life
I’m going to sound dull, but I agree with all that you said especially: The element of suspense counts for mine too. Hitchcock was a master at working the audience - and it has since been used to great effect in so many modern day classics.
Thanks for your comments,
Tracy
Comment by Bryn
Horrorphile
Comment by Tracy
Movies and Life
Also, I need company (and support), I often watch films alone and my dog gets uncomfortable when I squeeze him too hard when I’m scared. My husband just refuses to watch them.
I’m definitely not delicate when it comes to watching films with strong, realistic, bordering-on-completely-depre ssing films like Loach’s. Films that make me think, show me a different world and that stay with me for days afterwards are the films I seek out. Here’s my blurb on Loach and such films if you feel like a look.
But in general, I am open to all sorts of genres as that can be a way of finding out which ones you are really drawn to...and drawn away from.
Comment by Bryn
Horrorphile
Comment by Tracy
Movies and Life
Comment by Techno
Geeky Blog
Comment by Krystal
feelings
Comment by Tracy
Movies and Life
Comment by Tracy
Movies and Life
Comment by Miswanderlust
Killer Beats
Ramble On
Hipnotherapy
One of the scariest (yet campy) movies for me was Legend of Boggy creek. So lame in retrospect but at the time, my family camped there and it scared the hell out of me. Too real (maybe I am also too delicate!)
Mis
Comment by Tracy
Movies and Life
Hello Mis
I hadn’t heard of that film so I looked it up, I found this synopsis:
Ooh, it does sound scary, especially having that real life element. No wonder you were frightened, I would’ve been too. I was scared when we drove by the Loch Ness monster lake. Did you see the film before or after going on holiday?
Yeppie, like you said (and Michaelie), the ones that are possibly real are the scariest (to us anyway).
Byee
Comment by Miswanderlust
Killer Beats
Ramble On
Hipnotherapy
I saw it before going on holiday! (So traumatic an event) HAHAHAHAHA
Mis
Comment by Tracy
Movies and Life