This scared the hell out of me as a child. Just look at the opening titles.
Children of the Stones.

Anti-christ.

I'm not even going to go into it or post a picture. It's not even "horror" in the traditional sense, but it will fuck your shit up.

Seriously- view with caution. I am not messing around. Do not watch unless you are prepared to be deeply emotionally disturbed.

Freaks by Browning is amazing! but i would hardly call it a horror film.

That was the series I had in my mind when I wrote that. Scared me silly.

"Anti-Christ", I was one of the viewers to have found that film terrifying, disturbing and all around pretty brilliant. Actually think it's one of Lars's best films.

I like the Shining but the problem I have with it is the same that I have with most Kubrick films, the characters. In the novel you get a real sense of Jack's mental disintegration but in the film he goes from mad to completely insane. Same with his wife, he goes from nervous to hysterical with no in between. Kubrick's characters are like cartoon characters. Think of the sargeant in Full Metal Jacket, Dr Strangelove, Alex in A Clockwork Orange. That can work in some types of films but I think it's a real problem with horror.

I've probably done a list elsewhere in this thread but it always changes so here's my current 10, in no real order:

1. Texas Chainsaw Massacre
2. The Wicker Man
3. Carnival of Souls
4. The Devil Rides Out
5. The Thing (John Carpenter's)
6. Basket Case
7. Dawn of the Dead
8. Shivers
9. Martin
10. Witchfinder General

[You must spread some Reputation around before giving it to Murmer99 again.]

I too love the claustrophobia of The Shining, and some of the set pieces are among my favourite in any horror movie. The blood from the elevator is definitely a masterstroke.

Regarding your point about Full Metal Jacket, I agree that it's one of his most 'flat' films. And from a personal perspective, it didn't help that the scenes based in Vietnam were shot around the corner from where I was brought up, breaking the spell somewhat.

Of all the films on my list, Basket Case is probably the one I have the most affection for, even if I don't necessarily think it's the best. I first saw it around the same time that I first heard The Cramps and the two seemed to form in my head as a kind of artistic 'position' which to seem degree I still hold on to. It was that whole trash culture thing which lead to my interest in movies like Funhouse and Carnival of Souls, as well as to people like Richard Kern and, more obviously, to the likes of Ed Wood and HG Lewis and B horror movies in general. It also went some way to underpinning my fascination with groups like The Ramones, Pussy Galore and early White Zombie, which seemed to translate those influences into something else entirely but which remain (in my mind) a kind of broadly unified almost subcultural 'thing'. Given all of that, the biggest mystery to me is that, despite endless attempts, I've never been able to get into The Misfits (the band, not the movie).

Murmer, you considered Blow Out to be a horror flick? We're talking about the Travolta one right? I'd love to hear your take on that.



Haven't seen Devil Rides Out or Witchfinder General... but overall, that's a very nice list. I especially like your #1

i haven't watched enough horror to make a proper list, but the Texas Chain Saw Massacre is my fav of all time too.
other favs definitely include Maniac(!!), Dead Alive, Shining, Alien, Possession & Basket Case.
as far as i recall, Fire Walk with Me scared the shit outta me. Freaks is incredible, i agree, but i wouldn't call it horror either.

oh yeah, Carrie is quite creepy and ridiculous and awesome.

I don't know if you'd like The Devil Rides Out. I know some big horror fans who don't get it at all. It has the same quite restrained feel as the Quatermass films. But it's incredibly well made (as are the Quatermass films, which were also made by Hammer and by the same director). Of course that'll mean nothing if you haven't seen any of the Quatermass films.Ha Ha.

Witchfinder General seems to be another one that divides people, with some arguing if it's even a horror film at all. It's really more a very depressing and violent historical drama with most of its horror credentials stemming from its goriness and the fact that it stars Vincent Price. Still awesome though.