Archive for the ‘Horror’ Category:
The Shining
The most cinematic and artistically genius horror film ever made. Forget the ghosts, Kubrick has made a movie about domestic violence within a dysfunctional family. Brilliant performances and soundtrack. In the late 70s, America’s divorce rate was at an all-time high. Kubrick taps into our cultural anxiety brilliantly. It’s insane just how original The Shining is. Kubrick’s pacing and use of space is what sets this masterpiece apart from most horror films. The over-the-top performances totally get under your skin. Nicholson and Duvall are perfectly cast. I saw this movie when I was eight and it scarred me for life.
The Exorcist
Scariest film ever made. Outstanding sound design. A story that leaves you with a feeling that haunts and provokes your deepest fears. Makes a very convincing argument for the possibility of true evil in this world.
Possession
One of the most sacred hidden gems that I’ve come across. How did this slip through the radar for so many years? Every single scene is free from cliche and holds some secret jewel waiting to be discovered. Neil and Adjani are spectacular. It’s impossible to take your eyes off them. Adjani has a few moments that would make Cassavetes proud. The horror is both psychological and explicit. The direction is faultless with each shot being artful and evocative. I spent the entire two hours wide-eyed in awe, at times laughing at the absurdity, at other times riveted at the honest emotions lurking under the surface. As surreal as this film is, it’s also very autobiographical. Think Cronenberg meets Polanski. Easily the finest video nasty I’ve come across. (Anchor Bay released it double-billed with Bava’s last film Shock.)
The Thing
Carpenter’s one truly GREAT movie. The ultimate monster movie. Bleak and brilliant effects. Very Hitchcockian suspense.
Antichrist
It’s insane how much Lars Von Trier accomplishes with basically just two actors in the woods. I can’t recall the last time I was this terrified while watching a movie. It felt as if anything could happen. Not only is this one of my all-time favorite horror films but also one of the most supremely intelligent horror films ever made. Inspired by the silent Swedish classic, Haxan, as well as elements from both Tarkovsky and Dreyer, Antichrist achieves a profound terror that manages to balance between marital domestic violence and satanic witchcraft. The stunningly gorgeous book-ending sequences are unforgettable. The cryptic, harrowing and enthralling animals scattered throughout the story evoke ancient fairy tales. I’ve never been so frightened by a fox. Yes, the film is provocative but thank God there are directors who still push the envelope and actually have something to say. Lars Von Trier continues to explore the ART of cinema and I for one eagerly anticipate his next experiment. Fans of the film should check out Zulawski’s Possession. They both share a great deal of the same horror and intrigue.
Nosferatu: The Vampyre
The greatest vampire film ever made. Owes a great deal to the original Nosferatu. Herzog and Kinski surpass it with a haunting mood and creepy atmosphere. A visually stunning art film. What is especially unique about my favorite Herzog film is the way he creates supernatural environments with natural means.
The Texas Chainsaw Massacre
One of the most disturbing films ever made. Hooper must have fluked out with the brilliance behind this pseudo-documentary approach.
Halloween
A classic that re-invented the genre, spawning the slasher film. From the concept to the mis-en-scene and score, Carpenter made a classic in a brilliant minimalist approach to storytelling. At age seven, this was the first horror film I ever saw. Gave me nightmares for months.
Poltergeist
The ultimate ghost story / roller-coaster ride. Definitely a Spielberg movie. Characters you care about, FX that astonish, and a story that knows how to scare children.
The Fly
A flawless Cronenberg film. Tragic, operatic and gruesome.
