Halloween is coming. In Australia Halloween is kept low key. We do get some kids trick or treating but they are just hoping to score some free lollies. You might get some Halloween parties and theme nights at clubs but that's about it.
OK so Halloween is pretty much an American thing. But that does not mean we can let the Yanks have all the fun. One thing I like to do during the month of October is watch horror movies. Yes the films that made to give you a bit of scare and chill the bones. OK there is a ton of shit horror movie clogging the horror section at JB Hi Fi so I have compiled my top 10 personal favorite horror films that should be essential viewing and require a change of underwear ;) :
10. Scream (1996)
Director: Wes Craven
Starring: Neve Campbell, Courtney Cox, Rose McGowen, Jaime Kennedy, Skeet Ulrich, Matthew Lilliard, David Arquette, Henry Winkler and Drew Barrymore
I remember when this film came out in 96 I dismissed as it looked too much like those teen dramas that were on TV at the time. But with Wes Craven's name attached to the movie I should of known better. This film is genuinely scary with some good psychological horror and call backs to classic horror films. The story of the movie in a small town, teenagers are being picked off by killer dressed as the guy in the scream painting and what the killer does is phone the victims first and bate them until they are vulnerable and that's when the killer pounces. You might of noticed I did not reveal the sex of the killer because I don't want to spoil it. There is a mystery to the movie as well. So see this film and don't answer the phone. ;) BTW whatever happened to Neve Campbell? You don't see her in anything anymore.
IMDB Trivia: All the killer's phone calls were really done by Roger Jackson on set with a cell phone. At one point, the crew were contacted by the police demanding to know who they were because they thought there was a real killer making the phone calls.
9: Evil Dead II (1987)
Director: Sam Raimi
Starring: Bruce Campbell
The sequel to the cult classic I is think better. It has quite a bit of humor too. The story is Ash and his girlfriend go to a secluded cabin for the weekend. After they play a tape (containing a passage from the book of the dead) that was left there, evil spirits are let loose. The girlfriend is possessed and the woods seem to come alive. Also Ash's hand seems to get a mind of it's own. I have not seen this film in a while. I should really dust the DVD off I have it somewhere. But I recommend this film for it's scares and humor.
Trivia: Sam Raimi would go on to direct the Spider-Man trilogy of film with star Bruce Campbell playing a different minor role in each film. (Wrestling Announcer in SM 1, Theater Doorman in SM 2, Waiter in SM 3)
8. A Nightmare On Elm Street (1984)
Director: Wes Craven
Starring: Heather Langenkamp, Robert Englund and Johnny Depp
Another Wes Craven makes the list. Well he knows how to make them. A true classic of the genre. Johnny Depp's first ever acting role. I bet that makes Heather Langenkamp jealous. Anyway A,N,O,E,S is well you should know about a disfigured killer murdering teens from beyond the grave by going into their dreams. Another film I have not seen in a while so the details are lacking. Anyway I heard there is a remake in the works with the guy that played Rorschach in Watchmen playing Freddy Kruger. Should be shit. All horror remakes are (with one exception - coming up). Anyway this gem is often forgotten in a sea of shit sequels so see this one if you have not.
IMDB Trivia: Director Wes Craven claims to have named Freddy Krueger after a kid who bullied him in school and to have based his appearance on a disfigured hobo who scared him as a youth.
7. The Mist (2007)
Director: Frank Darabont
Starring: Thomas Jane, Marica Gay Harden and William Sadler.
Based on the Stephen King short story of the same name. The Mist is about well a mist. After a storm a man and his son go to a supermarket to get supplies when a mist descends over the town. The mist contains strange monsters with a hunger for human flesh so a group of survivors are trapped in the store. It's not long before cabin fever kicks in and one of the survivors is a mad preacher women who does her best to rile everyone up. One of the great recent horror films.
TRIVIA: Frank Darabont before this film directed two Stephen King stories into movies; The Shawshank Redemption and The Green Mile
6. Dawn Of The Dead (2004)
Director: Zack Snyder
Starring: Sarah Polley, Ving Rhames, Mekhi Phifer and Michael Kelly
This is that remake I mentioned above. A remake to the George Romero cult classic. This film really shows how much of a threat the crisis in this film is (a zombie apocalypse). Yes in this film the recently deceased are waking up and want some BRAINNNNNS. A group of survivors hole up in a shopping mall where they pretty much await their fate. The DVD has some the best extras I have ever seen. One of the extras is on going news coverage of the zombie outbreak and you see just how serious it gets. Also I love the use of the Johnny Cash song 'The Man Comes Around' during the opening credits.
IMDB Trivia: Some of the camera crew would wear plastic sheeting during the filming of some of the more gorier scenes, due to the amount of fake blood flying around.
5. The Thing (1982)
Director: John Carpenter
Starting: Kurt Russell, Keith David and Wilford Brimley
A loose remake of 'Thing From Another World'. is another one of those cabin fever films. A U.S research base in Antarctica are menaced by a alien life form that can mimic and consume any living thing it wants. So the movie is also a test of paranoia. The film contains some great prop special FX. The movie is also very gory. A classic
IMDB Trivia: John Carpenter and Kurt Russell both admit that after all of these years they still do not know who has been replaced by the creature and when.
4. The Exorcist (1973)
Director: William Friedkin
Starring: Ellen Burstyn, Max Von Sydow, Linda Blair a Lee J. Cobb
Oh god I have only seen this film once and I still get freaked out by it. Everyone knows the story a little girl gets possessed by a demon and a couple of priests try and rid the demon from the girl while being insulted and vomited on by the demon. A true classic if you have not seen this then go and see it now.
Trivia: Linda Blair would sort of reprise her role in the 1990 comedy spoof 'Repossessed' also starring Leslie Nielson.
3. Let The Right One In (2008)
Director: Tomas Alfredson
Starring: Kare Hedebrant and Lina Leanderrson
A horror film from Sweden! A different sort of horror film is one. It's more of a drama but there is some really creepy horror scenes. Here is review I wrote for a forum I post at:
In 2008 there was two films about a kid and relationship they have with a vampire. One them of was Twilight and the other is this film. This film is like Twilight except it's 10000x more creepy and does not suck (pun truly intended). This is the story of a lonely 12 year old boy in Sweden who becomes friends with the "girl" next door who just happens to be a 200 year old vampire. Unlike those p*ssy Twilight Vampires this "girl" actually chows down on human blood and actually Kills her victims. Now that's a veal Vampire.
Anyway this film is great. You feel for the characters (unlike that other Vampire film). It's genuinely creepy and scary at times. And the ending will f*** you up. A must watch.
So there you go.
Trivia: A U.S remake is in the works (groan). The studio making it wanted to increase the age of the kids to late teens (Gee I wonder why? *cough*cashinginonTwilight*cough*) but smarter heads prevailed and the story will made closer to the original film.
2. Creepshow
Directed by: George Romero
Starring: Hal Holbrook, Ted Danson, Leslie Nielsen, Ed Harris, E.G Marshall and Stephen King.
A favorite from my childhood. Creepshow is not one but five stories of horror:
i: Father's Day: The corpse of man murdered by his daughter on Fathers Day returns from the dead to extract revenge and get that cake he wanted
ii: The Lonesome Death of Jordy Verrill: After a meteor lands in a Farmer's yard the farmer thinks he has hit the jackpot..Until he discovers the meteor was carrying a horrible virus.
iii: Something To Tide You Over: A drowned couple come back from their watery grave to get revenge on the man that did them in.
iv: The Crate: A man tries to kill his wife with monster in a box.
v: They're Creeping Up On You: A reclusive and germaphobe business man in a apartment is terrorized by a cockroach infestation.
All this stories are spooky. The film is hard to find these days. But give it a look if you can it's good fun.
IMDB Trivia: Rice Krispies were used as maggots on the corpse's eyes in the first story, "Father's Day". In addition, real maggots were also utilized.
1. [REC] (2007)
Director: Jaume Balaguero & Paco Plaza
Starring: Manuela Velasco & Pablo Passo
OK if your having a Halloween party you must watch this film. It's almost a ride this film. It will f**k with you. A horror film from Spain. A documentary crew are hanging out with the fire brigade and are called to a building. Once in that building a horror is unleashed and the building is quickly quarantined by the authorities trapping those with the nightmare inside. The film is filmed like The Blair Witch Project and Cloverfield with Steadicam so you get a first hand look at the horror. I don't want so say too much I don't want to give too much away. But this film is great. The last 10 minutes are the most intense. Skip the U.S remake 'Quarantine' and head straight for this one. I'm happy to hear that sequel has been made.
IMDB Trivia: Made and shot in real locations. No sets were built to make this movie.
SO that's it for my list. If you have a problem with what I included then stiff shit it's my personal list. So over Halloween you need a horror film to watch you can't go wrong with any of the films above.
And turn those lights out..
I'm Richard
