If you’re a fan of horror movies, you’ve likely seen all the classics: The Exorcist, Friday the 13th, Rosemary’s Baby, The Howling, etc. Some deemed incredible, some decent, and some, yes, are just God-awful to anyone with eyes, ears, and good sense.
But that doesn’t mean you feel the same way as everyone else who might have considered them iconic or duds. We all have our favorites. That’s what I was asked recently: How do I actually feel about the movies I’ve listed in my annual Shocktober posts? Do I rank them among the best?
Let me answer that with this list. But before you read them, know that the reason I’m calling it “10 OF…” is because I’d really need to take time to figure out what I consider to be my Top 10. And yes, that could mean another list at some point.
In the meantime, let’s get to it, shall we? It’s time for, in no particular order…
10 Of My Favorite Horror Films (National Horror Movie Day)
And don’t forget, these are not my opinions of the greatest movies, just my personal favorites and why…
…since we’re grown folk, I’m not censoring this one so, Warning: Use of expletives…
…and as usual, Warning: Here Be Spoilers (so read my opinions and quotes at your own risk). If you haven’t seen the movie, skip past my Favorite Scene/Line and move on to the next title after reading the initial overview and why I love it. Movie synopses and photo credit: Internet Movie Database.
1. The Crazies (2010) After a strange and insecure plane crash, an unusual toxic virus enters a quaint farming town. A young couple are quarantined, but they fight for survival along with help from a couple of people.
Why I Love It: This movie goes back to reality a bit. No supernatural beings, no space invasion, no demon possession. Just good old-fashioned mayhem at the hands of the government and a virus that drives everyone homicidal before dying.
Favorite Scene/Line: Realizing that he is infected and doomed to become insanely homicidal, the sheriff’s deputy asks if he can accompany the sheriff and his wife a little longer. He ultimately sacrifices himself, distracting the military so the couple can escape. His final line to the soldiers before being shot at gunpoint is a perfect representation of the townspeople: “Fuck you for what you did.”
2. The Fog (1980) An unearthly fog rolls into a small coastal town exactly 100 years after a ship mysteriously sank in its waters.
Why I Love It: I’ve said it in several of my blog posts over the years, and I will say it again. This is one of only two movies that actually, truly scared me (the other being “The Wolfman” with Lon Chaney, Jr. as a child). The creepiness of the fog rolling in, accompanied by the presence of vengeful spirits, is an awesome compliment to the ghost story told to the children by the campfire at the beginning. Add the sexy Adrienne Barbeau AND scream queen Jamie Lee Curtis, and you’ve got a winner where I’m concerned. Tossing in Jamie’s real-life mother, iconic actress Janet Leigh, was only the icing on the cake.
Favorite Scene/Line: In the movie’s final scene, Father Malone stands alone in the aftermath and considers all that transpired after saving everyone. Realizing that he is a direct descendant of the original conspirators, he mutters in guilt, “Why not six, Blake? Why not me?” Cut to a glowing fog rolling back under the door and the return of Blake and his men for one last act of vengeance.
3. Nightmare On Elm Street 3: Dream Warriors (1987) A psychiatrist familiar with knife-wielding dream demon Freddy Krueger helps teens at a mental hospital battle the killer who is invading their dreams.
Why I Love It: After the disastrous first sequel that was “A Nightmare on Elm Street 2”, which is the only movie I ever actually booed (along with the crowd). This was a welcome return to all of the things that made us love the original, while cementing his position as a movie villain you could actually root for. This was also the beginning of his many catch phrases quoted by horror movie goers for years to come.
Favorite Scene/Line: While struggling to complete the ending of the children’s rhyme “1, 2, Freddy’s coming for you…”, a hysterical new mental hospital resident is interrupted by someone else who concludes “…never sleep again.” The camera cuts to the return appearance of Nancy, the new consultant and survivor of the original movie. When we saw her face, everyone in the audience immediately recognized her and collectively gasped and applauded. To date, it is still one of the best movie guest surprise appearances I’ve ever seen.
4. Halloween (1978) Fifteen years after murdering his sister on Halloween night 1963, Michael Myers escapes from a mental hospital and returns to the small town of Haddonfield, Illinois, to kill again.
Why I Love It: This is the movie that started it all: The seemingly unstoppable killer you can’t put down or escape. Every time you think he’s out for the count, he keeps coming back. Hiding behind a mask and never speaking only made him that much more menacing. Jamie Lee Curtis nails her performance as the terrified, unassuming protagonist on the night of all frights, Halloween.
Favorite Scene/Line: After shooting Michael Myers six times and discovering that he is NOT dead and has disappeared, Dr. Loomis looks up in despair as the rescued babysitter, Laurie, continues to weep in terror. The movie’s final moments contain the sound of Myers breathing as you see shot after shot of where he has been hiding, and more frightening, where he could be.
5. Dr. Sleep (2019) Years following the events of The Shining (1980), a now-adult Dan Torrance must protect a young girl with similar powers from a cult known as The True Knot, who prey on children with powers to remain immortal.
Why I Love It: There are very few scenes, in my opinion, that make this film worthy to be placed in the horror genre, outside of some disturbing imagery. Look, folks, it just wasn’t that scary to me. What captivated me was how well it tied the story into both Stephen King’s book, from which it was created, and Stanley Kubrick’s interpretation of its prequel, “The Shining.” Casting selections of Ewan McGregor as adult Danny and Carl Lumbly as Dick Hallorann (originally played by the late Scatman Crothers) are equally fulfilling. Stir in Rebecca Ferguson, Cliff Curtis, and Zahn McClarnon. Newcomer Kyliegh Curran as Abra only serves to enhance the flavor. Let it boil with a well-developed plot, great informative footage to support its cinematic predecessor, and an exciting climax. Finally, let simmer with a very satisfying epilogue. It didn’t have to be scary, but somehow, it fit the mold perfectly for a horror movie.
Favorite Scene/Line: The expulsion of Rose the Hat from young Abra’s mind, causing her to spin uncontrollably across reality and the astral plane so hard that when she re-enters her own body, the momentum throws her completely off the top of the RV and onto the ground. Strong runner-up award to Rose, seeing the classic blood splash into the hall from the elevator (from The Shining) and being fascinated instead of afraid.
6. Dawn of The Dead (2004) A nurse, a policeman, a young married couple, a salesman and other survivors of a worldwide plague that is producing aggressive, flesh-eating zombies, take refuge in a mega Midwestern shopping mall.
Why I Love It: Running zombies! Fast zombies! Tireless zombies! The intrigue gets no better. I mentioned in my blog post 10 Movies I Would Live/Die In, it’s no longer just a “walk faster” or “slow trot” to safety. You’ve got to run for your life, hole up somewhere, or find your nearest automobile while praying you don’t run into a zombie horde in the street because honking the horn does not make them move out of the way. If anything, it only alerts more to your presence. Like the original, being stuck in a mall allows for great ideas, including communication with someone trapped down the street in their own building, rooftop to rooftop with the help of binoculars
Favorite Scene/Line: Resident bad boy “CJ” goes from being the most irritating character to my favorite in two separate moments:
1. When he selflessly gives his guns to an injured survivor to shoot the charging undead as CJ drags him on the ground.
2. Trapped in the vehicle, CJ goes out like a baller, shooting zombies as they quickly fill the van before he ignites a flare, causing the gas cylinder to explode, destroying dozens and allowing the others to escape. Even his final line had me smiling, “Fuck y’all.”
You tell ’em, CJ.
7. Tales From The Crypt: Demon Knight (1995) High-level demons collect low-level demons as warriors in attempt to obtain a key containing the blood of Christ. The key is guarded by immortal warriors called Demon Knights.
Why I Love It: Campy horror flick that doesn’t take itself seriously with a charismatic villain known as The Collector, played brilliantly by Billy Zane, who literally steals the show. He’s not just a “bad guy,” he’s a supernatural being, a demon in human form, whose purpose is to reclaim the last of seven holy keys that can unleash darkness upon the universe. He’s a cosmic tempter, representing the seductive nature of evil, and he has a lot of fun doing just that, tempting the weak. In fact, he’s so enjoyable at his craft, one might laughingly forget it’s supposed to be a horror film.
Favorite Scene/Line: Irene (played by CCH Pounder) is confronted by The Collector, shortly after her lower arm is ripped off. After his offer, she turns her upper arm and bends it at the elbow. When asked what she’s saying, she replies, “That’s me, giving you the FINGER!”
8. End Of Days (1999) At the end of the century, Satan visits New York in search of a bride. It’s up to an ex-cop who now runs an elite security outfit to stop him.
Why I Love It: Well, up until the release of this movie, Arnold had done it all! He’s played a cyborg terminator, superhero Turbo Man, Cimmerian warrior, Mr. Freeze, a kindergarten cop, a commando, a barbarian, a spy, a special ops alien predator killer, and a genetically enhanced superior twin. He’s even been pregnant! What better way to up the ante than by pitting him against the devil himself? And with Gabriel Byrne cast as old Lucifer, I was back row, center on the day it hit theaters.
Favorite Scene/Line: Arnold’s movies are classic because of their cheesy one-liners and tongue-in-cheek banter. This one is no exception, so there are too many to choose from. I’ll share three of my favorites:
1. Jericho (Schwarzenegger) to Father Kovak (Rod Steiger): So, the Prince of Darkness wants to conquer the earth to wait until an hour before midnight on New Year’s Eve? Is this Eastern time?
2. Confrontation between Jericho and Satan (aka The Man):
Satan: Now you’re making me angry. You don’t want to see me angry.
Jericho: Oh, you think you’re bad, huh? You’re a fucking choir boy compared to me! A CHOIR BOY!
3. After a supposedly dead patient jumps off his hospital bed, screaming, he is shot back to death by the police in the room.
Detective Bobby Chicago: Well, it’s official: I’m never sleeping again. Ever.
9. Halloween III: Season Of The Witch (1982) Kids all over America want Silver Shamrock masks for Halloween. Doctor Daniel Challis seeks to uncover a plot by Silver Shamrock owner Conal Cochran.
Why I Love It: Ok, let’s get this out now. Outside of the cult followers, I don’t know a single soul who liked this movie. And yet, I loved it. The problem is that few people know that John Carpenter originally intended for EVERY Halloween movie to be an entirely different story with different characters. Since H3 was the first to deviate, it was rejected and panned universally.
The story wasn’t the greatest, but I loved the idea of a Celtic purist, out to destroy the world for commercializing what he considered to be a sacred festival, by using the holiday’s trick-or-treating against everyone. True, the effects weren’t all that great, and the pacing left much to be desired. Even some of the plot holes were too much to ignore. But the unrealistic ending, in all its ambiguity, was the stuff of legend. If nothing else, this one is highly underrated, which many are beginning to admit now, 40+ years later.
Favorite Scene/Line: Villain Conal Cochran, after revealing his plot to Dr. Challis: “…it’s time again. In the end, we don’t decide these things, you know; the planets do. They’re in alignment, and it’s time again. The world’s going to change tonight, Doctor. I’m glad you’ll be able to watch it. And… Happy Halloween.”
Special nod to Dr. Challis, attempting to convince the television stations to turn off the broadcast that would activate the devices in the children’s Halloween masks, killing them and likely others in the home. Challis screaming “Stop it! Stop it! Stop iiiiiiiiiit!” as the movie cut to credits was great suspense for such an abrupt ending.
Shhh. Stacey Nelkin was another actress I was crushing on back in the day…
10. The Thing (1982) A research team in Antarctica is hunted by a shape-shifting alien that assumes the appearance of its victims.
Why I Love It: I’ve always been partial to horror movies that take place in the winter, particularly during snowstorms, like “Storm Of The Century”. And then there’s “The Shining” in the final chase through the hedge maze. Escape options become limited in scenarios like that, while you find yourself battling the temperatures for survival.
Then there is the modification of the “whodunnit” question to “which one of you moffa stoffas IS it?” A creature that completely replicates its victims in both appearance AND memory. Identifying who is and who ISN’T human ups the ante from just trying to stay alive.
Favorite Scene/Line: I actually have three in this one (again).
1. If you were one of the fortunate ones to have seen this in the theater, you might remember the collective audience response when ‘alien’ Norris’ head separated itself from his burning body, sprouted legs, and began to walk away as a new spider-like entity. Palmer spoke for everyone in the theater when he uttered, “You gotta be fuckin’ kidding!”
2. Gary (still tied to the test chair after it is revealed that he is human): I know you gentlemen have been through a lot, but when you find the time, I’d rather not spend the rest of this winter TIED TO THIS FUCKING COUCH!
3. That final scene. The base has been destroyed and is in flames, the Things have been killed, and only MacReady and Childs remain. There is a quiet tension as each person stares and wonders if the other has been assimilated.
Childs: Fire’s got the temperature up all over the camp. Won’t last long though.
MacReady: Neither will we.
Childs: How will we make it?
MacReady: Maybe we shouldn’t.
Childs: If you’re worried about me….
MacReady: If we got any surprises for each other, I don’t think we’re in much shape to do anything about it.
Childs: Well. What do we do?
MacReady: Why don’t we just… wait here for a little while. See what happens.
This ending has been one of the most controversial closings of all movies, talked about to this very day, amidst fans on social media, Comic Con, etc.
And despite the many fan theories, to this day, we still don’t have an answer.
BONUS MOVIE: Special Recognition (because it’s actually a television miniseries, disqualifying it as a movie):
Stephen King’s The Stand (1994) After a deadly plague kills most of the world’s population, the remaining survivors split into two groups – one led by a benevolent elder and the other by a malevolent being – to face each other in a final battle between good and evil.
Why I Love It: What made this story so powerful was how, in the novel, Stephen King detailed how one carrier of a lethal virus led to the death of over 99% of the world’s population. It took the first fourth of the book, but as mankind’s survivors sifted through the ashes, the real terror began.
Favorite Scene/Line: When Trash Can Man showed up in Las Vegas with the live Nuclear Warhead. Randall Flagg was already feeling his power wane as his follows began to show doubt and rebel against him. The presence of the bomb created widespread panic, causing the majority of them to fear as he screamed, “Come back, you cowards!” To quote Abdullah in the 70s comedy Car Wash, “It’s alllll falling apart…”
And that’s it. 10 of my favorite horror films. I’m sure I forgot one or two, but that means I can come up with another 10 next year. What are some of your favorites? Did any of these make the list? Leave your titles in the section below and be sure to sign up at the bottom for email notification of future blogs from Kenny’s Camera, Cooking & Crazy Confessions at ZootsBlogSpot!
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