Official Horror Film Thread.

Hello my fellow GFF members! I'm a huge horror film fan but honestly I don't even know that many great horror films and I need some help. I was wondering if we could get a good list going. If you have any suggestions of films, or how we should organize them, let me know. I've just been really wanting to watch more horror movies lately. Unfortunately the horror films being made these days in my opinion aren't too great, so help me out! Thanks.

Monster
28 Days Later | IMDB
Dawn of the Dead | IMDB
Dawn of the Dead Remake | IMDB
Day of the Dead | IMDB
Land of the Dead | IMDB
Mist, The | IMDB


Slasher
A Nightmare On Elm Street | IMDB
Halloween | IMDB
Friday the 13th | IMDB
I Know What You Did Last Summer | IMDB
Scream | IMDB
Texas Chainsaw Massacre, The | IMDB


Suspense


Supernatural
Amityville Horror, The | IMDB
Exorcist, The| IMDB
Skeleton Key, The | IMDB

Jam it back in, in the dark.

[raises hand] Also a horror fan. I'm assuming this is not just a listing thread, but also discussion, recommendation, and genre appreciation are encouraged?

I'd like to recommend the following films, most of them are recent movies, so they might change your mind if you believe horror hasn't been that great lately.

SLASHER
À l'intérieur (aka Inside).
[ IMDB | Rotten Tomatoes | Wikipedia entry ]
A french home invasion movie about a pregnant woman and a stalker. One of the most unsettling, violent movies I've seen in a while. The ending is almost unwatchable (unless you're a sick bastard).

Behind the Mask: The Rise of Leslie Vernon.
[ IMDB | Rotten Tomatoes | Wikipedia entry ]
An outstading horror/comedy, part Friday the 13th, part Blair Witch Project. Three journalists follow Leslie Vernon, a would-be supernatural serial killer, as he prepares for his debut killing spree in an abandoned house in the outskirts of a small town. Witty AND scary, a must watch for fans of slasher movies.

MONSTER.
The Descent.
[ IMDB | Rotten Tomatoes | Wikipedia entry ]
A group of women go cave-diving. Shit happens. And then shit really happens after that. The Descent takes monster movie clichés and spits in their faces.

SUPERNATURAL.
The Abandoned.
[ IMDB | Rotten Tomatoes | Wikipedia entry ]
An adopted woman travels to the old house of the biological parents she never knew. One night, while investigating the source of a weird noise, she stumbles upon... an undead version of herself. A very atmospheric movie, quite different from the crappy Hollywood ghost stories of late.

SUSPENSE.
El Maquinista (aka The Machinist).
[ IMDB | Rotten Tomatoes | Wikipedia entry ]
It's been a while since Trevor Reznik last had a good night of sleep. He's been suffering from insomnia for weeks. After a tragic accident that takes part of a coworker's arm, he begins to question his sanity. This is that movie where Chistian Bale looks like Jack Skellington, and he also delivers a great performance.

ASIAN.
Janghwa, Hongryeon (aka A Tale of two Sisters).
[ IMDB | Rotten Tomatoes | Wikipedia entry ]
Two sisters return home with their father and stepmother, cryptic asian stuff happens, and yes, there's a ghost girl with long hair. Damn, this is a beautifully shot movie. The poster kicks ass as well. It's been a few years since I watched this one, so I can only tell you shallow stuff about it. I remember liking it, though.

VAMPIRES.
Interview with the Vampire.
[ IMDB | Rotten Tomatoes | Wikipedia entry ]
Sorry, nerds, but this is the best vampire movie ever. Great story, great performances, great atmosphere, great, great, great. Based on the book of the same name by Anne Rice, the first entry in The Vampire Chronicles books, a greatly influential series.
Kinda gay, but so what?

ANIME.
Blood - The Last Vampire.
[ IMDB | Rotten Tomatoes | Wikipedia entry ]
A teenage girl named Saya searches and kills dangerous vampiric creatures called chiropterans using only her katana sword. Beautifully animated, intense, violent, and kinda leaves you wating more.

There's nowhere I can't reach.

Awesome Post. I think I'll probably add your entries to my first post and convert to your format. It will take me a while but I will do it.

Yes, I am looking for suggestions and great discussion! Thanks.

This thing is sticky, and I don't like it. I don't appreciate it.

Thanks, man. Glad to be of help.
I hope this thread gets some great film recommendations.

Next time I'll post some of the classics.

I am a dolphin, do you want me on your body?

A category you need is: "Comedy"

Here are some MUST SEE for Horror enthusiasts:
-Evil Dead II
Evil Dead II (1987)
A lone survivor of an onslaught of flesh-possessing spirits holds up in a cabin with a group of strangers while demons continue their attack. This is basically a remake of the original Evil Dead with a humorous tone. A renown classic featuring the great Bruce Cambell.

-Army of Darkness
Army of Darkness (1992)
A man is accidentally transported to 1300 A.D., where he must battle an army of the dead and retrieve the Necronomicon so he can return home. This is a hilarious sequel of Evil Dead II

-Braindead
Braindead (1992)
A young man's mother is bitten by a Sumatran rat-monkey. She gets sick and dies, at which time she comes back to life, killing and eating dogs, nurses, friends, and neighbors. This was directed by the infamous Peter Jackson...back before his Lord of the Rings days.

-Re-Animator
Re-Animator (1985)
A dedicated student at a medical college and his girlfriend become involved in bizarre experiments centering around the re-animation of dead tissue when an odd new student arrives on campus. This flick was inspired from a HP Lovecraft work.

-Shaun of the Dead
Shaun of the Dead (2004)
A man decides to turn his moribund life around by winning back his ex-girlfriend, reconciling his relationship with his mother, and dealing with an entire community that has returned from the dead to eat the living.
Everyone should see this, even if you are not a horror enthusiast. If you have yet to do so, GO SEE IT NOW! It is a hilarious nod to George Romero's masterpieces.

-Eight Legged Freaks
Eight Legged Freaks (2002)
A variety of horrible poisonous spiders get exposed to a noxious chemical that causes them to grow to monumental proportions.
This is NOT an absolute must see. However, it is a fantastic tribute towards the classic "giant mutant monster" flicks. Can't get any better than giant spiders.

-Dead and Breakfast
Dead & Breakfast (2004)
Spending a night at a local bed and breakfast turns into a bloody supernatural fight to the death.
A hidden gem I found randomly when digging around at the local blockbusters. How often have you horror fans watched a zombie Horror flick with upbeat singing? I haven't (until I found this flick). A great treat for those who want a great helping of grisly gore and ridiculous humor.

Then for my other personal Favorites in different categories:

*Monster*

-Deep Rising
Deep Rising (1998)
A group of heavily armed hijackers board a luxury ocean liner in the South Pacific Ocean to loot it, only to do battle with a series of large-sized, tentacled, man-eating sea creatures who have taken over the ship first. This one is definitely more action oriented and a worthwhile watch. It is utterly hilarious.

-Night of the Living Dead
Night of the Living Dead (1968)
For shame, you put up all those renown zombie movies and neglect to acknowledge the original classic?
A group of people hide from bloodthirsty zombies in a farmhouse.

(The 1990 remake is also a great watch too)
Night of the Living Dead (1990)

-Dog Soldiers
Dog Soldiers (2002)
A routine military exercise turns into a nightmare in the Scotland wilderness.
This one is also more action oriented. It is extremely rare to find a good Werewolf movie. This one puts a unique spin concerning werewolves. Best werewolf flick I have seen so far (and probably for a very long time).

-Brotherhood of the Wolf
Pacte des loups, Le (2001)
In 18th century France, the Chevalier de Fronsac and his native American friend Mani are sent by the King to the Gevaudan province to investigate the killings of hundreds by a mysterious beast.
I had no idea what category to put this in so I placed it in the "Monster" section. Though, the monster isn't the entire focus of the flick. It is refreshing to find a great "history" oriented horror setting.

-Sleepy Hollow
Sleepy Hollow (1999)
Ichabod Crane is sent to Sleepy Hollow to investigate the decapitations of 3 people with the culprit being the legendary apparition, the Headless Horseman.
Clearly a Tim Burton Work. Yet, I believe this is his most intriguing work due to its interesting twist on the Sleepy Hollow tale. Likewise, I appreciate this work for its "history" oriented horror setting as well.

-Rogue
Rogue (2007)
An American journalist on assignment in the Australian outback encounters a man-eating crocodile.
Personally, I found this more entertaining than Lake Placid. Still, giant crocodiles have yet to be fully crafted into a geat movie so far.

-Deep Blue Sea
Deep Blue Sea (1999)
Searching for a cure to Alzheimer's disease a group of scientists on an isolated research facility become the bait as a trio of intelligent sharks fight back.
Contrasting from Crocodile flicks, Sharks have been a great subject in many horror flicks. In particular, this movie was a real "on the edge of your seat" flick (well...when I was 11 at least).

-Jaws
Jaws (1975)
When a gigantic great white shark begins to menace the small island community of Amity, a police chief, a marine scientist and grizzled fisherman set out to stop it.
Another great classic. A must see for horror enthusiasts. However, it may be slow for those who are accustomed to the modern "fast paced, jump in your face" horror flicks. However, I do not recommend the sequels at all.

-The Thing
The Thing (1982)
Scientists in the Antarctic are confronted by a shape-shifting alien that assumes the appearance of the people that it kills.
This is John Carpenter's most popular work in the horror industry. It is a revered classic! Highly recommended for thriller, sci-fi and horror fans. A true gem.

-Jeepers Creepers
Jeepers Creepers (2001)
A brother and sister driving home for spring break encounter a flesh-eating creature in the isolated countryside that is on the last day of its ritualistic eating spree.
Another film I fondly recall from my childhood. Pretty much a slasher and monster oriented movie. Think of it similar to Friday the 13th or Nightmare on Elm St. This monster is perhaps my favorite due it being completely random and out of the blue.

Jeepers Creepers II (2003)
The sequel is even more hilarious than the first. Nothing beats watching idiot jocks getting massacred in various ways. Great for a good laugh. Personally, I like this one more than the first Jeepers Creepers.

*Supernatural*

-House on Haunted Hill
House on Haunted Hill (1999)
A millionaire offers a group of diverse people $1,000,000 to spend the night in a haunted house with a horrifying past.
If you are a fan of haunted house flicks, you might like this one. However, this one is more faster paced and more "action" oriented.

-Thirteen Ghosts
Thir13en Ghosts (2001)
When Cyrus Kriticos, a very rich collector of unique things dies, he leaves it all to his nephew and his family. All including his house, his fortune, and his malicious collection of ghosts!
Another Haunted house flick. Likewise, this one is also faster paced, but more "suspense" oriented.

-Prince of Darkness
Prince of Darkness (1987)
A research team finds a mysterious cylinder in a deserted church. If opened, it could mean the end of the world.
This is an older movie. John Carpenter has been one of the more finer directors of the Horror genre for quite some time. This movie is a little slower than the contemporary "in your face" horror movies. Rather, Carpenter takes his time developing the foreboding evils that emerge. The synthetic music in this flick is rather outdated, but it seems to fit very well with this classic.



*Suspense*

-Final Destination
Final Destination (2000)
After having a vision of his friends crashing in a plane, he tells them not to get on only later his friends start getting killed one by one.
God, some of these deaths are awfully hilarious. A good one for a couple of laughs. It is always entertaining to see idiotic highschoolers get killed in very gruesome ways.
I also recommend the sequels if you find this one entertaining. They all have the same premise.

Final Destination 2 (2003)
Final Destination 3 (2006)

-Dead Silence
Dead Silence (2007)
A widower returns to his hometown to search for answers to his wife's murder, which may be linked to the ghost of a murdered ventriloquist.
Pretty creepy overall. This is far more interesting than Child's Play, I assure you.

-Cube
Cube (1997)
7 complete strangers of widely varying personality characteristics are involuntarily placed in an endless kafkaesque maze containing deadly traps.
An utterly bizarre movie. Kinda has the premise of "Saw" but better (also this preceeded Saw).

*Fantasy Horror?*
Sorry, I have no idea what to categorize this film serie. But it is an ABSOLUTE for Horror fans to check out.

-Phantasm
Phantasm (1979)
A young boy and his friends face off against a mysterious grave robber known only as the Tall Man, who keeps a mysterious arsenal of terrible weapons with him.
Very low budget. However, this serie has a rather loyal fanbase. These serie is pretty much a mind fuck. An atmospheric serie I absolutely LOVE. Once you watch the first one, it is very difficult to not watch the rest of the serie to figure out what the hell is going on.

-Phantasm II
Phantasm II (1988)
Mike, now released from a psychiatric hospital, continues his journey to stop the evil Tall Man from his grim work

-Phantasm III
Phantasm III: Lord of the Dead (1994)
Mike and Reggie continue to hunt the mysterious Tall Man
This one is more action oriented and faster paced. Most fans seem to like this one the best.

-Phantasm IV
Phantasm IV: Oblivion (1998)
Taking off immediately where the last one ended, in this episode Mike travels across dimensions and time fleeing from the Tall Man...



Sorry if the list seems kinda disorganized. As you can see, I am a huge enthusiast for horror flicks. There are A LOT more flicks I enjoyed...but I am too tired to put them up at the moment.

I was speaking idiomatically.

Ah, Deep Rising. Awesome movie! It's been a while since I last saw it, but it's definitely one underappreciated monster movie. I've never seen the Phantasm series, I should get around doing that sometime...

Thir13en Ghosts sucks, though.

What kind of toxic man-thing is happening now?

Yeah Thir13en Ghosts wasn't all that great. Though, give me a great "Haunted House" flick and I will give you props. Unfortunately I am a sucker for that specific horror genre XD.

Phantasm is brilliant, nothing beats Agnus Scrimm's character "Tall Man."

FELIPE NO

Originally Posted by valiant

Though, give me a great "Haunted House" flick and I will give you props.

Hmmm, I think my answer to that would be The Shining.
[ IMDB | Rotten Tomatoes | Wikipedia entry ]


I now post some classic stuff! Look at me go!

MONSTER.
Tremors.
[ IMDB | RT | Wiki ]
Ha! This thread is as good as closed after this! A few strange deaths occur in a small Nevada town, caused by subterranean, carnivorous worms.
You can still enjoy this Kevin Bacon classic after 20 views. If you hate Tremors, you phail at life.

SUPERNATURAL / DEMONS
Hellraiser.
[ IMDB | RT | Wiki ]
A woman's dead lover comes back from hell, and he needs to drink blood in order to fully restore his human body. Meanwhile, a young woman inadvertedly summons the demons that took him to hell by solving an ancient puzzle box. One of the best horror movies of the 80s by british auteur Clive Barker. This movie and its sequel (Hellbound) are my favorite horror flicks of all time.

SUPERNATURAL / WITCHES
Suspiria.
[ IMDB | RT | Wiki ]
A young ballet student attends a prestigious academy in Germany, where a series of gruesome murders begin to take place. The colors in this movie give it a surreal, dream-like quality. An beautiful and creepy masterpiece by Dario Argento.

SUSPENSE / PSYCHOLOGICAL
Jacob's Ladder.
[ IMDB | RT | Wiki ]
"New York postal worker Jacob Singer is trying to keep his frayed life from unraveling. His days are increasingly being invaded by flashbacks to his first marriage, his now-dead son, and his tour of duty in Vietnam. Athough his new wife tries to help Jacob keep his grip on sanity, the line between reality and delusion is steadily growing more and more uncertain." - Summary from IMDB.
If you're into horror games, you might recognize this movie as one of the influences for the Silent Hill series. Great psychological thriller.

What, you don't want my bikini-clad body?

Jacob's Ladder is a damn good movie. It is one of those flicks where it is open to interpretations and such.

How could I forget about Tremors though X_X. What a classic.

Jam it back in, in the dark.

My tastes in horror films tend to stray away from the graphic, goriness (although I do watch those... most are already mentioned), and more toward the 'what is unseen' type stuff:

The Haunting (1963) -- solid psychological horror film from the 60s. Despite the G rating this movie can still invoke chills.
IMDB
RT

House of Wax (1953) -- typical Wax Museum grind, but still a classic. With Vincent Price
IMDB
RT
Also check out the original film (the 1953 one is a remake as is the Paris Hilton one): Mystery of the Wax Museum (1933). Directed by the director of Casablanca, Michael Curtiz: IMDB RT

The Andromeda Strain (1971) -- little sci-fi/horror film from the early 70s. This movie is so long, but the pacing is precise to perfection teasing you with information just interesting enough to keep you watching until the end.
IMDB
RT

The Abominable Dr. Phibes (1971) -- this ones a horror film with a classy and campy style. Vincent Price
IMDB
RT

The Asphyx (1973) -- campy little British horror film that is hard-to-find
IMDB
RT

And a bit more makeup effects and gore heavy, but just as psychologically pleasing:
David Cronenberg's The Fly (1986)
IMDB
RT

There's nowhere I can't reach.

Originally Posted by valiant

Though, give me a great "Haunted House" flick and I will give you props. Unfortunately I am a sucker for that specific horror genre XD.

If it's Haunted House movies you're after, you can't go wrong with The Amittyville Horror. The original from 1979 though. Fuck the Ryan Reynolds remake. Someone brought up The Shining a few posts up, which is another good one. If you're into Asian movies as well, A Tale of Two Sisters was pretty creepy. Made me jump a couple times, and I never jump. Though from the ending of that one, I'm not sure if you could call it a Haunted House movie.

Some of my personal favorites are A Nightmare on Elm Street, (In an auction I won a few pictures and DVDs signed by Robert Englund. ) The Texas Chainsaw Massacre, the Saw series, and Silence of the Lambs. I guess that one's more suspense than horror though.

This thing is sticky, and I don't like it. I don't appreciate it.

Best "Haunted House" movie of recent years has to be the Ju-On remake. (The Cinema version WITHOUT Buffy! The ENTIRELY japanese one)

And Shining, in my book, is the best horror flick ever created.
I really can't think of a movie that did creeping you out better.

How ya doing, buddy?

Oh, man. The Fly. I couldn't watch the ending of that movie when I was a child. I turned off the TV when Brundlefly merged with the pod because I was so scared! I knew I would not be able to handle whatever creature had resulted from that fusion.

Of course I got the DVD recently. And to think that Jeff Goldblum is actually weirder when he's not acting...

Most amazing jew boots

Originally Posted by valiant

Jacob's Ladder is a damn good movie. It is one of those flicks where it is open to interpretations and such.

How could I forget about Tremors though X_X. What a classic.

I took your guys recommendations and I watched a couple movies including Jacob's Ladder.

JL is a great movie, one of my favorites already!!!

How ya doing, buddy?

DAMN, SON!
I just watched one of the most disturbing movies ever, the french Frontière(s).
[ IMDB | Rotten Tomatoes | Wikipedia entry | Bloody Disgusting ]
It starts in a moment of civil unrest in Paris. The city is being torn by riots, and a band of small-time thieves takes advantage of the situation to commit a robbery. Their plan doesn't go well, and the group is forced to split in two because of an injured member and the pursuit of the police. While two of them try to take their injured friend to a hospital, the remaining two leave Paris and take refuge in a hostel by the countryside. And you know what happens in hostels. Worse yet, this particular hostel is run by a deranged family which sadism and depravity knows no bounds.

I was struggling in my seat the whole damn movie. It's freakin' brutal. The acting is great and there's enough blood to satisfy even the most demanding gorehounds. If you have the stomach, I highly recommend it, but make no mistake, this is an unrelenting rollercoaster ride.

How ya doing, buddy?

Originally Posted by Nintendonomicon

SLASHER
À l'intérieur (aka Inside).
[ IMDB | Rotten Tomatoes | Wikipedia entry ]
A french home invasion movie about a pregnant woman and a stalker. One of the most unsettling, violent movies I've seen in a while. The ending is almost unwatchable (unless you're a sick bastard).

HOLY SHIT! This movie is great. A MUST SEE horror film. Thank you for the recommendation!

What, you don't want my bikini-clad body?

Originally Posted by Nintendonomicon

VAMPIRES.
Interview with the Vampire.
[ IMDB | Rotten Tomatoes | Wikipedia entry ]
Sorry, nerds, but this is the best vampire movie ever.

Try saying that again with a straight face after seeing Vampyr.

One of the most beautiful movies ever. The atmosphere is thick and colourful, even though the movie is bw, which says something.

Jam it back in, in the dark.

Since Shin mentioned in another thread of someone making bad suggestions to the horror genre...

Communion (1976)

There's nowhere I can't reach.

ASIAN.
Bunhongsin (aka The Red shoes).
[ IMDB | Rotten Tomatoes | Wikipedia entry | Youtube Trailer (english sub) ]
A woman who finds a pair of pink high heels on a subway platform soon realizes that jealousy, greed, and death follow them wherever they go.

This movie is almost as good as Tales of Two Sister, so it's definitely a must see! The photography and visuals are incredible, the score is great and the acting is also very high quality. You can't go wrong with this one.

Independent psychological horror
The Signal.
[ IMDB | Rotten Tomatoes | Wikipedia entry | Youtube Trailer ]
A science fiction horror film told in three parts in which all telecommunication devices broadcast only a mysterious transmission ("the signal"), turning people insane. The film is broken up into three "transmissions" (chapters) each of which had different directors during shooting. Each part manifests one of the following genre: visceral horror, black comedy, and mystery-love story.

This movie might not be for everyone, I did enjoy it a lot but it's the kind of film where you love it or hate it. Since the three chapter have clearly different approach, it might kill the mood for some or really make them enjoy this movie even more. Still I suggest to watch it, it's clearly in my opinion a good watch.

This thing is sticky, and I don't like it. I don't appreciate it.

Quote:

-Deep Rising
Deep Rising (1998)
A group of heavily armed hijackers board a luxury ocean liner in the South Pacific Ocean to loot it, only to do battle with a series of large-sized, tentacled, man-eating sea creatures who have taken over the ship first. This one is definitely more action oriented and a worthwhile watch. It is utterly hilarious.

Just saw Deep Rising! Kick ass film. Thanks for the recommendation!

I am a dolphin, do you want me on your body?