My Top Ten Horror Movies
I love horror movies. And, I watch a lot of them. Even the terrible ones with bad acting. When I grew up in Pittsburgh, there was a show named Chiller Theatre with a host named Chilly Billy that played a horror movie every Saturday afternoon. In honor of Billy, here are my top ten horror movies in no particular order.
Psycho
Pure genius. A pinch of a psychotic man that lives with his dead mother. And, a dash of a beautiful motel guest taking a shower while the psychotic man watches her through a peephole. Then, the psychotic man stabs the guest to death while she is taking a shower. I don’t know about you, but I look all around my motel rooms for holes and/or cameras. When a movie changes the way you live, it is a total success.
Jaws
Speaking of a movie that changes the way you live, Jaws is probably the best of all time. Since seeing the movie many years ago, I have never gone in the ocean that I don’t think there could be a shark. They just did everything right in this movie. I didn’t particularly care for Richard Dreyfuss, but I loved Robert Shaw. They shouldn’t have shown the shark, especially the fake one they used. I think the movie would have been even scarier if they didn’t show the shark. But, just show the carnage.
The Exorcist
There was so much talk about this movie prior to it’s release. They wanted to change the rating to X. I desperately wanted to see it, but I was too young. So, I watched it at a midnight movie at the theater after I was 18. Dis this movie change my life? You bet. I was always scared of the devil, but this movie made me terrified. Awesome special effects around a nicely woven story of the daughter, mom and priest.
The Girl in Cabin 13
This might not have the notoriety of the other films on my list, but I was on the edge of my seat from start to finish. The masked bad guys scared me to death. And, the cat and mouse game between the girl and the bad guys was thrilling. The writer keeps you guessing the whole time and it’s impossible to guess what will happen. I had to rest myself after watching it because my heart was beating so fast.
A Quiet Place
This is an amazing spin on horror movies. I watched it in one of those special theaters with a huge screen and surround sound. Of course, the movie had very little dialogue. So, that was kind of moot. The scene where the mom went into labor and couldn’t scream was one of the most intense scenes of all time. I didn’t care for the monsters. They should have made them more unique. This film proved that a new idea can be written instead of another sequel.
I Spit On Your Grave
The acting isn’t great. But, the story is well done. A woman is raped and tortured by a group of men. Then, she seeks revenge on the men. I felt so bad for her when they raped her that I was rooting for her to kill them all. It wasn’t so much that she killed them, it’s the way she killed them. Justice can be gruesome, but satisfying too.
Halloween
Another horror movie that changed how we celebrate Halloween. After seeing this movie, I was a little more timid going trick or treating. When Jamie Lee Curtis finds her friend dead on a bed, it is eerie. I found the ending to be a little weird and unbelievable. The soundtrack has become a staple for horror events.
The Texas Chainsaw Massacre
I get it. The film is a little stupid. And, it’s just a slasher film. But, I really like it. The premise that a couple has a son they call ugly results in the son looking for a new face. It makes sense. But, I don’t sympathize with the son. He doesn’t go about his quest in the right way. I was on pins and needles the first time I watched it.
House of Wax
This is NOT the Paris Hilton remake. This is the original black and white film starring Vincent Price. There was no need for blood and gore. Like Psycho, this was written to scare you just because of the story and the great acting. Price’s voice and movements made this a film to see.
Saw
Saw is a quite clever movie. Put people in situations where they must hurt or kill another person to earn their freedom. Then, never free them. The contraptions that were used by the killer were so imaginative that I watched the sequels just to see what else could be used. The storyline was excellent.
