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Post by peteyt on Apr 12, 2020 20:29:13 GMT -5
Hi all. As I'm new here I'm just wondering what are peoples favourite horror films, the ones that have influenced you, your reasons etc. I'll start with mine. I was going to make this just a basic introduction list but wrote a lot more than planned
1. Halloween original 1978 version:
This is the first proper horror film I watched when I was young with my dad and possibly my younger brother. It didn't really bother me although I remember dreaming that night, knocking on neighbours doors shouting Michael Myers was back.
Today I feel it's just as important because it shows how you don't need over the top gore to make a good horror film. I haven't got a problem with gore and love some gory films but I do feel some over-rely on it e.g. not much of a plot and try to use the gore to hide the fact. Halloween is still quite scary today and uses this without really much or any blood. I love the way Michael walks so slowly yet you know he'll catch up. The fact that you don't know it he's human or not is also great as right until the end it could be real. The soundtrack also is great. Scary but in a simplistic way.
I also love the fact Michael comes from what appears to be a well off family. I'm not really a fan of the Rob Zombie remakes and one reason is it tries to explain Michael by having him come from a broken family with a prostitute mother and an alcoholic violent father. The unknown part of the original is far much scarier with the idea that your neighbour who seems and acts normal could be a murderer.
2. Dawn of the dead original 1978 version:
To me this is the ultimate zombie film. It's scary, gory, fun and funny. I saw.this before night which might explain why this is my favourite. Night of the living dead is a good film and it basically started the whole zombie craze but to me Dawn is just on another level. I love the whole setting of the mall and the characters are great. I know some find the makeup too basic and you can sometimes see where it ends but people wouldn't be rotting straight after death. It has a comic book feeling that I love to.
The first time I watched it when I was young I didn't get the whole social commentary side of it which to me is a sign of good filmmaking because while there's other stuff there if you don't see it it doesn't really take away too much. I still loved the film without seeing the extra and loved it even more when I saw what it was trying to say. If anything the whole message about consumerism is even more relevant today. Dawn of the dead also lead me to discover Dario Argento my favourite director.
3. Suspira original 1977 version:
It was dawn of the dead that led me to discover Dario Argento as he was one of the films producers. After looking into him I kept reading about Suspiria which people claimed was apparently the most colourful horror film. This interested me because when I thought of horror I thought of darkness so I was curious.
When I first saw Suspira it was at a time that horror was starting to bore me and so I was losing interest. It was at the time that so called torture porn films where becoming the norm. I didn't mind some but it just seemed a lot where more about trying to outdo each other and trying to be as sick as possible over story.
Suspira blew me away. For a film that was well over 20 years old it felt so new and fresh to me and in a sense revitalised me and my passion for horror. It is basically an artists nightmare, a dark fairytale. Its use of colour and music was an attack on the senses with its music being so out there. Suspira is the film that taught me the importance of atmosphere something i was finding missing in a lot of the current horror films at the time. Its deaths are also like set pieces rather than a simple kill.
4. Henry portrait of a serial killer:
The first time I saw this film it left me with a weird feeling and I wasn't sure really what I'd just watched. I think part of the reason was the way it is shot in a kind of simple way makes the film seem like a documentary at times, as if what you are watching is actually real. Apparently when the director was given the money to make the film the people funding it expected him to make a teen horror film and where shocked when he made a real horror film. That is what I love about the film. It basically doesn't sugar coat anything, it just feels real. I remember seeing someone commenting on the scene in the TV shop on YouTube saying saw and many other films where far more gory and to me that is the point. A lot of films that rely heavily on gore can sometimes end up feeling over the top. This film however by being controlling with the blood makes it seem real which to me is far more effective.
It is well known for the scene where henry and his friend break into a family house and rape the family only for us to realise we are seeing them watching as they recorded it. Michael rooker is great as henry, the way he talks and his mannerisms. Apparently he remained in character all the time on set. It is interesting that the film is based on the confessional of a real killer although like rookers portrayal the real henry Lee Lucas lied a lot so there is no telling what is true or not.
I should add the opening is really good showing not him killing people but the aftermath of his kills, seeing the body and carnage around it and also hearing parts of the actual murder. There's a sequel I need to see and Netflix has a documentary on the real killer.
5. Demons aka Demoni:
This is a film made from a collaboration of Dario argento and Lamberto Bava son of Mario Bava. It kind of reminds me of evil dead as both have similar over the top elements. It involves the reopening of a closed cinema showing a film about the awakening of demons. As you can imagine the demons appear in the cinema. This film reminded me that horror can be fun and camp. It doesn't seem to take itself too serious.
Theres probably other films that I've forgotten to include.
As well as demoni I'd say the films pieces and Frankenhooker kind of got me into the more cheesy low budget style horror films. Zombi 2 and zombi 3 also helped with that. I feel zombi 3 gets a lot of bad flack but it's a great fun film. I was lucky to see a screening of zombi 2.at my university with the lead actor doing a talk and Q&A. I've not seen all of Fulci's film but feel the city of the living dead is very underrated.
I'd also add cat o'nine tails as one of my favourite argento giallos which is apparently his least favourite. This and bird with the crystal plumage are the films that got me interested in exploring the giallo genre.
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Post by endo on Apr 12, 2020 23:16:17 GMT -5
I love the original Halloween. Such a simple concept, and movie really, and yet it's an all time classic. But, if I had to pick one horror movie that's my favorite, it would be The Thing from 1982.
And, go figure, it's another Carpenter movie, lol.
The Thing, to me, is everything a horror movie should be. Great characters, great story, fantastic effects...even the ending was great. I saw it in the theater with my cousin and his family, and it terrified me.
I've always tried to think about ways it could be improved upon and I draw a blank every time.
Other movies that really left an impact on me were An American Werewolf in London, Hellraiser, Evil Dead, Night of the Living Dead and of course the one that probably started it all for me, Trilogy of Terror.
I really can't rank any of them, I just love them. So many more, but these are the ones that really got me into the genre.
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Post by peteyt on Apr 13, 2020 5:12:21 GMT -5
I love the original Halloween. Such a simple concept, and movie really, and yet it's an all time classic. But, if I had to pick one horror movie that's my favorite, it would be The Thing from 1982. And, go figure, it's another Carpenter movie, lol. The Thing, to me, is everything a horror movie should be. Great characters, great story, fantastic effects...even the ending was great. I saw it in the theater with my cousin and his family, and it terrified me. I've always tried to think about ways it could be improved upon and I draw a blank every time. Other movies that really left an impact on me were An American Werewolf in London, Hellraiser, Evil Dead, Night of the Living Dead and of course the one that probably started it all for me, Trilogy of Terror. I really can't rank any of them, I just love them. So many more, but these are the ones that really got me into the genre. The thing is such a great film. Uses suspense and tension so good. The acting is great to, not knowing who is infected. I remember the x files had an episode called ice or something similar think in series 1 which was a homage to it. I still need to watch the original a thing from another world. There's also a prequel to carpenter's thing which I've yet to see but remember it looked like a remake disguised as a prequel. The others you mentioned are also great. An American werewolf in London is a classic horror comedy. I have a signed picture of pinhead from Doug Bradley somewhere. Not heard of trilogy of terror but googling it sounds like something I'd like so will have to check it out |
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Post by MacReadyOrNot on Apr 13, 2020 22:22:00 GMT -5
1. Halloween original 1978 version: This is the first proper horror film I watched when I was young with my dad and possibly my younger brother. It didn't really bother me although I remember dreaming that night, knocking on neighbours doors shouting Michael Myers was back. Today I feel it's just as important because it shows how you don't need over the top gore to make a good horror film. I haven't got a problem with gore and love some gory films but I do feel some over-rely on it e.g. not much of a plot and try to use the gore to hide the fact. Halloween is still quite scary today and uses this without really much or any blood. I love the way Michael walks so slowly yet you know he'll catch up. The fact that you don't know it he's human or not is also great as right until the end it could be real. The soundtrack also is great. Scary but in a simplistic way. I also love the fact Michael comes from what appears to be a well off family. I'm not really a fan of the Rob Zombie remakes and one reason is it tries to explain Michael by having him come from a broken family with a prostitute mother and an alcoholic violent father. The unknown part of the original is far much scarier with the idea that your neighbour who seems and acts normal could be a murderer. |
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Post by MacReadyOrNot on Apr 13, 2020 22:47:12 GMT -5
John Carpenter's The Thing has influenced me so much. It is my favorite movie of all time after all. John Carpenter is my favorite horror director as well.
Everything about that film just works on every level. The pacing. The humor. The ensemble cast. The ending. Rewatchable to the nth degree.
The original A Nightmare on Elm Street and Dream Warriors gave me nightmares for years. Every now and again I still have the occasional Freddy Krueger nightmare. The whole serial killer controlling your dreams will never cease to scare the hell out of me, and those two entries of that franchise are my favorite. Nancy is the best final girl ever.
My grandfather got me into more classic stuff, especially Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein. I loved growing up with that because of all the Universal Monsters being in it. Frankenstein's Monster being my favorite. But this movie had humor, great scares, and utilized the oft-forgotten tradition of animated opening titles.
My love of horror anthologies stem from the original Tales from the Crypt movie from the '70s and Creepshow. Creepshow being my favorite horror anthology movie of all time. Just great scary, fun all-around.
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Post by peteyt on Apr 14, 2020 9:36:55 GMT -5
John Carpenter's The Thing has influenced me so much. It is my favorite movie of all time after all. John Carpenter is my favorite horror director as well.
Everything about that film just works on every level. The pacing. The humor. The ensemble cast. The ending. Rewatchable to the nth degree.
The original A Nightmare on Elm Street and Dream Warriors gave me nightmares for years. Every now and again I still have the occasional Freddy Krueger nightmare. The whole serial killer controlling your dreams will never cease to scare the hell out of me, and those two entries of that franchise are my favorite. Nancy is the best final girl ever.
My grandfather got me into more classic stuff, especially Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein. I loved growing up with that because of all the Universal Monsters being in it. Frankenstein's Monster being my favorite. But this movie had humor, great scares, and utilized the oft-forgotten tradition of animated opening titles.
My love of horror anthologies stem from the original Tales from the Crypt movie from the '70s and Creepshow. Creepshow being my favorite horror anthology movie of all time. Just great scary, fun all-around. It's years since I've seen any of the nightmare on elm street but loved the first. The idea of having to stay awake because he gets you in your dreams is a great one. Freddy while scary had a kind of charm to him. Unlike michael and freddy he talks and taunts his victims a lot more. I think new nightmare is the only one I've yet to see. I've not really seen any classics yet but I plan to. I recently rewatched the first creepshow which is a great film. Not seen the others and need to get round to watching the series on shudder. I do remember one anthology film, possibly vault of terror or something similar which has the one and only tom Baker as a kind if mad artist |
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Post by endo on Apr 14, 2020 10:09:16 GMT -5
Yeah, the one with Tom Baker is from The Vault of Horror and the segment "Drawn and Quartered". Both Tales from the Crypt and The Vault of Horror, which is basically it's sequel I guess, are two of my favorite anthology movies and were inspirations for Creepshow, another of my favorites.
Actually, any anthology made by Amicus studios is a pretty good watch. Some stories are a little cheesy and campy, but that's part of the charm!
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Post by magicmuggle01 on Aug 12, 2020 11:05:10 GMT -5
Halloween Series.
The Halloween series was excellent, though what they were thinking where Halloween 3 (Season of the Witch) is concerned, I don't know.
The Thing.
The idea of an alien that could mimic another organic being was brilliant. One of the best parts was the dog/alien in the kennels trying to absorb the other dogs. But it only took a small part of the organism to survive and the terror continues.
Nightmare on Elm Street.
Freddy Kruger was quite a character. To invade peoples dreams was a pretty good idea for causing mayhem. The end of the first one made me jump nearly out of my skin.
Island of Terror (1966).
I first saw this film when I was about 11/12 years old so you could say that this is the one that introduced me to the world of terror/horror. So this film was the greatest influencer in my life.
A British horror of lifeforms that can remove all the bones from a body.
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Post by NDX on Aug 12, 2020 19:18:50 GMT -5
I draw a lot of zombies thanks to Romero.
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Post by endo on Aug 12, 2020 22:49:35 GMT -5
Halloween Series. The Halloween series was excellent, though what they were thinking where Halloween 3 (Season of the Witch) is concerned, I don't know. The thing with Season of the Witch was that Carpenter didn't want to do another sequel at the time, so they made the movie without him or Michael Meyers. Calling the movie Halloween 3 led to a lot of po'ed people thinking it was a sequel and going to see it based on that alone. Of course word of mouth spread about it not being a sequel, but being the age of no internet, not very fast. I think it was given the Halloween 3 name for exactly that reason, to cash in on the success of the first two movies, which wasn't very ethical, but maybe I'm wrong. But, if you can get past the title and give the movie a fair shot, it's actually not too bad. I like it a lot and try to watch it every year in the 31 Days of Halloween marathon. But, yes, it would have been much better off just being called Season of the Witch with no inclusion of the Halloween title. |
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Post by NDX on Aug 13, 2020 7:07:33 GMT -5
It's my favorite Halloween movie.
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