Horror Film Recommendations

[Gavster]

Thought I'd start this thread partly because I love Horror films and I didn't want to go off-thread in my discussion with Slick following the Security Suite saga.

I have a preference for Ghost/Haunting/Religious/Witchcraft horrors and films I like are:

Omen Trilogy
Exorcist
Stigmata (looking a bit dated now)
Poltergeist & II
Rose Red
Serpent & Rainbow
The Devil Rides Out
Rosemary's Baby
Sleepy Hollow
American Werewolf in London
Blade
The Changeling
The Amityville Horror
The Shining (both old and new feature length)
Arachnophobia (I fucking hate Spiders)
From Hell
The Craft
Nightmare on Elm Street
The Entity
Dracula (hammer & Bram Stoker's)
Interview with a Vampire

These are just a selection - I just can't remember all of my favorites.


So this could be a good place to recommend some great films that sometimes slip under the radar (mostly from other countries)!

For example: Let the right one in from Sweden. What a beautifully conceived film (based on book) and so well shot, and you can download an English dub version if you look around. The yanks have got hold of it now though, so expect a piss poor Hollywood version at some point. I just wish they would leave well alone.

Next is Martyrs. This is one of those films that after watching it, leaves you scarred. It just stays with you and even now some 8 months later I still think of it. It's a French psychological horror with gore. Again you can get this with an English dub.

Please add to the list and feel free to ask about films, I sure one of us will have watched it.

[rcgills]

I've heard good things about Let the Right One In, keep meaning to get round to ordering it from Amazon.

The Japanese have made some good horror films recently, particularly The Ring, The Grudge and One Missed Call, all of which have suffered from American remakes too.

Didn't particularly like it myself, but looking at your list of films you might like The Exorcism of Emily Rose if you've not seen that.

Is The Changeling a horror film? Isn't that the one by Clint Eastwood with Angelina Jolie? Got it on DVD, not got round to watching it yet, but I didn't think it was a horror film.

[Gavster]

Originally Posted by rcgills

Didn't particularly like it myself, but looking at your list of films you might like The Exorcism of Emily Rose if you've not seen that.

Is The Changeling a horror film?

The 1980 version is... The Changeling (1980)

I did watch the Emily Rose thingy and was left pretty disappointed. Unfortunately, the Exorcist has cornered that market. I do however, think that there could be room for a much darker exorcism film with very deep religious overtones... don't think Hollywood is up to such a creation though. That series on BBC, Apparitions had the basis of something quite good but was seriously over-hammed.

Forgot to mention Haunting in Connecticut. That was ok and did drift away from it's original foundation in the TV series A Haunting, which is also offers a few decent spooks.

Make sure you download the English dub of Let the right one in RC. It's worth it and makes it much more watchable.

I'm watching The Sentinel tonight.

[7HEGR1MR3AP3R]

The Spanish one REC is fantastic if you take it at face value and dont expect too much, and I love a good horror! I put it on one night on sky movies at a very late hour, has spanish subtitles, and thie chick in it isnt hot as in fit , but she has a certain appeal.

Basically its about a 2 man team (well 1 man 1 woman), who go round with people who work during the nightime, cant recall what its called , why you sleep, or summat like that. Showing you how hard it is for people who work overnight. Anyways, this week they are with a fire station and get sent out on an average call out - some disturbance in a block of flats on a busy main road in Spain. Thats all I will say.

Ive had Rec2 on dvd for ages and havent watched it yet, but I saw a review by James King and he said it wasnt a patch on the 1st one as it carries on where the other left off, but where the 1st one had a good storyline and got you hooked, the follow up is just all out gore and not much else.

Deffo 100% worth a watch !!

YouTube - [REC] teaser trailer (english version)

YouTube - [REC] teaser trailer (english version)

[7HEGR1MR3AP3R]

Originally Posted by rcgills

I've heard good things about Let the Right One In, keep meaning to get round to ordering it from Amazon.

The Japanese have made some good horror films recently, particularly The Ring, The Grudge and One Missed Call, all of which have suffered from American remakes too.

Didn't particularly like it myself, but looking at your list of films you might like The Exorcism of Emily Rose if you've not seen that.

Is The Changeling a horror film? Isn't that the one by Clint Eastwood with Angelina Jolie? Got it on DVD, not got round to watching it yet, but I didn't think it was a horror film.

The changeling is a real corker RC. Starts very slowly and then changes direction mid film and goes a completely different way. Absolute corker imvho

PS I agree, it isnt an horror - shocker maybe ,but no horror (and very infuriating if you get into the mind of Jolie)

[7HEGR1MR3AP3R]

Originally Posted by rcgills

I've heard good things about Let the Right One In, keep meaning to get round to ordering it from Amazon.

The Japanese have made some good horror films recently, particularly The Ring, The Grudge and One Missed Call, all of which have suffered from American remakes too.

Didn't particularly like it myself, but looking at your list of films you might like The Exorcism of Emily Rose if you've not seen that.

Is The Changeling a horror film? Isn't that the one by Clint Eastwood with Angelina Jolie? Got it on DVD, not got round to watching it yet, but I didn't think it was a horror film.

Watched all the american versions, and they were rank bad films. Couldnt watch a chinese film , even with subs.

[7HEGR1MR3AP3R]

My thoughts on your films Gav

Omen Trilogy - not good, maybe creepy 20 years ago
Exorcist - creepy and pretty realistic in 1970
Stigmata (looking a bit dated now) - average at best
Poltergeist & II - crap
Rose Red - not seen it, stephen king aint it ??
Serpent & Rainbow - again not seen
The Devil Rides Out - again not seen
Rosemary's Baby - average
Sleepy Hollow - kids film
American Werewolf in London - very old and very average
Blade - fantastic film ,cracking music, but not a horror as such
The Changeling - classic but not a horro
The Amityville Horror - fantastic (the 1970s version)
The Shining (both old and new feature length) - belter and very creepy - need to understand it though and can be hard at times mr grady
Arachnophobia (I fucking hate Spiders) - kids film
From Hell - average
The Craft - crap
Nightmare on Elm Street - very good but dated now and looks bad these days
The Entity - cant remember it so cant be any good
Dracula (hammer & Bram Stoker's) - depends which version, good in the 70s
Interview with a Vampire - good film, not scary though

[7HEGR1MR3AP3R]

Watch REC gav ,seriously mate, worth a watch

[7HEGR1MR3AP3R]

The Mist by Stephen King, the new version. Starts slowly and looks a bit crap , but then picks up, and startles at times. The woman preacher will have you tearing your hair out, and the ending is priceless, I mean its a fucking amazing ending

YouTube - The Mist Trailer

YouTube - The Mist Trailer

[7HEGR1MR3AP3R]

1408 is ok too

YouTube - 1408 Trailer

YouTube - 1408 Trailer

[Gavster]

1408 was a waste of time!

And Grim, I really can't understand how you can possibly suggest The Omen as being not good. I think the age of these films adds to them.

The 1970's & 80's had a certainly honesty and realism in the acting and shooting style. Using Rosemary's Baby for instance, it's just so well acted and scripted without the OTT dramatics. Poltergeist too! It doesn't have to be about effects. Think also of the suspense and adrenalin pumping scene in American Werewolf in London where the guy is being chased through London Underground - you never quite feel as safe after watching it.

The Omen is a classic and is one of those films that really provokes deep thought, and whilst it may not be edge of the sofa scary, it sure is gripping with it's continual undertone of evil.

Today's shite consists of nubile teen school girls being slashed, or just very laboured cheap scares like in Paranormal Activity. Seriously, Poltergeist pisses all over Paranormal Activity.


edit: I saw The Mist and thought the preacher was the most realistic thing in there. You could see 1001 incarnations of her in American society.

And the Changeling I'm on about is the 1980 version which is a ghost-based film.

[rcgills]

Originally Posted by The Grim Reaper

Watched all the american versions, and they were rank bad films. Couldnt watch a chinese film , even with subs.

Agreed on the American versions, your loss for the Japanese (not Chinese) versions.

And I'm with Gavster on 1408, saw it in the cinema and was bored senseless for most of it.

[7HEGR1MR3AP3R]

How old are you Gav ? Just asking coz the stuff that you say is very good ie the 70s stuff, was when I was born(75) , and stuff when your younger never seems as good as you dont really understand it so maybe I missed out. I saw the stuff like the shining etc when I was maybe 12 and didnt really get it , though I did when my dad explained, and now realise its an absolute pearler of a film. I recall Salems Lot being really good ,and the glick brothers scared the bejesus out of me !

Ive read most of Stephen Kings book (currently reading the dark tower series, upto book 5), and like his stuff, so thats no surprise.

Regarding 1408 I think im on the wrong film but cant remember what I meant to put I glimpsed the clip after watching that `The Mist` trailer , and thought of something else

I watched the omen when I was about 9 I think - didnt get me in any way ,shape, or form

The Nightmare On Elm streets scared the fuck outa me - bigtime - but then it went too far with the Freddie vs Jason bollux - same with Halloween, the early ones were very good, very scary back in the day, but when they started sending him to space, blowing him up into a million molecules and then reforming him, it was just too unrealistic.

Silence Of The Lambs was very good, but the follow up, that Young Hannibal , cant recall the title, was utter pish

Blair Witch I thought was terrible, maybe I just didnt get it.

28 days later I really enjoyed on my 2nd viewing and ive seen it about 10 times since

The Wicker Man, The Texas Chainsaw Massacre, The Hitcher, all good

[7HEGR1MR3AP3R]

Top 50 horror films of all time according to the internet movie database:

Top Rated "Horror" Titles

Rank	Rating	Title	Votes
1.	8.7	Psycho (1960)	140,877
2.	8.5	Alien (1979)	177,761
3.	8.5	The Shining (1980)	174,786
4.	8.3	Les diaboliques (1955)	14,402
5.	8.1	The Thing (1982)	77,193
6.	8.1	Ugetsu monogatari (1953)	6,107
7.	8.1	King Kong (1933)	38,214
8.	8.1	Rosemary's Baby (1968)	49,801
9.	8.1	Werckmeister Harmonies (2000)	2,775
10.	8.1	The Exorcist (1973)	101,099
11.	8.1	Frankenstein (1931)	22,973
12.	8.0	The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari (1920)	16,573
13.	8.0	Nosferatu (1922)	28,934
14.	8.0	Bride of Frankenstein (1935)	15,523
15.	8.0	Faust (1926)	4,441
16.	8.0	Invasion of the Body Snatchers (1956)	14,449
17.	8.0	Dawn of the Dead (1978)	41,900
18.	8.0	Night of the Living Dead (1968)	38,539
19.	8.0	Ghost Stories (1964)	4,148
20.	8.0	Shaun of the Dead (2004)	131,157
21.	8.0	Onibaba (1964)	4,134
22.	7.9	The Innocents (1961)	6,679
23.	7.9	Halloween (1978)	62,796
24.	7.9	Repulsion (1965)	12,539
25.	7.9	The Cremator (1969)	1,565
26.	7.9	The Birds (1963)	52,027
27.	7.9	The Unknown (1927)	2,522
28.	7.9	The Man Who Laughs (1928)	1,331
29.	7.9	Freaks (1932)	13,604
30.	7.9	Eyes Without a Face (1960)	4,625
31.	7.8	Evil Dead II (1987)	43,801
32.	7.8	Grindhouse (2007)	81,969
33.	7.8	The Phantom Carriage (1921)	1,453
34.	7.8	Island of Lost Souls (1932)	1,367
35.	7.8	The Invisible Man (1933)	7,835
36.	7.8	Dead of Night (1945)	3,426
37.	7.8	Peeping Tom (1960)	9,064
38.	7.8	Day of Wrath (1943)	3,401
39.	7.8	The Haunting (1963/I)	11,373
40.	7.8	Hour of the Wolf (1968)	4,403
41.	7.8	Destiny (1921)	1,475
42.	7.8	The Wicker Man (1973)	20,252
43.	7.8	Zombieland (2009)	78,744
44.	7.8	Häxan: Witchcraft Through the Ages (1922)	2,764
45.	7.8	Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde (1931)	3,754
46.	7.7	The Phantom of the Opera (1925)	5,605
47.	7.7	Deep Red (1975)	8,868
48.	7.7	Dracula (1931)	13,287
49.	7.7	Saw (2004)	111,544
50.	7.7	[Rec] (2007)	34,209

[Gavster]

Jeas Grim, you sure like to post lots!

Well I enjoyed Blair Witch. It was really effective and quite disturbing on first viewing. The sudden ending really enforced the fear and and sense of the unseen evil. It's a horror film where the object of fear remains unseen - that is genius.

And going back to Poltergeist, I think that film ended the career of thousands of clowns! Sorry grim, without going into detail, Poltergeist is a fantastic film end of

There's a lot of shit on that list. Much of it I'm left in utter disbelief after seeing it made top50!
Haxan is a black and white documentary of bull.
Wickerman has a twisted undertone, but is far from scary.
Nosferatu is just funny, how it got there is beyond me.
What is it with The Thing? It's just a 2 hour yawnfest!
And Psycho number one? It's dire!

Please... only worthy suggestions