What are the Three Scariest Movies of All Time?

[Alex O]

I have a friend who says that modern horror films are not capable of provoking anything more than a superficial scare. I want to show him three movies that will prove him wrong. Which ones do you recommend?

My picks so far:

#1 The Ring
This may be the most debatable of my picks, but no one can deny its disturbing images and well-spaced shocks. There’s already been so much said and written about this movie that I will say no more.

#2 Leprechaun
By far the most underrated horror film ever. It’s got an ordinary plot, the SFX are average, but the writer and director did a masterful job of creating a steadily rising undercurrent of fear and dread. I couldn’t sleep for weeks after seeing this the first time, and the creepy Irish accents will make your skin crawl. Remnants of that fear still remain with me today and I now keep the gold coins my grandfather left to me at the bank instead of in my room. Anyone under 30 should stay away from it, as this is a fairly gory movie that is likely to give them nightmares.

#3 Troll
Perhaps the finest horror movie of the 80's. A family moves into apartment complex, and one by one a terrifying troll enters each apartment in the building and turns the people into trolls. The script is brilliant, the acting is well done, and the horror is unrelenting. The cast includes a virtuoso performance by Sonny Bono and as well as some T & A from a young Julia Louis-Dreyfuss (Seinfeld). The legendary John Carl Beuchler made the creatures, and his trolls are more original and terrifying than HH Giger’s creature from Alien.

[mandor700]

I have to agree with you on all three counts (at least out of the horrors I have seen)
I cant rember troll very well though, saw it a long time ago I think ill get it out this weekend and have another look.

[Alex O]

Mandor,

You clearly have good taste in horror movies. I wouldn't recommend running to the video store to get Troll however. There are probably one, or maybe two people on this forum who would disagree with me on this one.

[mandor700]

I think i will get it out anyway, you can never learn too much (wow, See the negative effects of schooling)
Anyway, I recon you know how to pick em cause if not the best, those are some damb good movies up there.

[Alex O]

Mandor,

Leprechaun, and especially Troll, are both what are called an "acquired taste." I would recommend waiting till Troll comes on TV instead of renting it.

I'll bet you've seen a lot of recent horror movies, so why don't you take a look at some older ones next time you go to the video store? Here are some good ones.

Comedy-Horror:
Killer Klowns from Outer Space - Much better than the name sounds.
Night of the Creeps - fun 80's movie about alien slugs that turn people into zombies.
Eight-Legged Freaks - actually it's a recent film, but it's made in the style of 1950's movies.
Tremors (1990) - also a recent movie, but made like an old B-movie.

Classic Black-and-White Horror:
Bride of Frankenstein (1935)
Last Man on Earth (1964)
Abbot and Costello Meet Frankenstein - comedy
Abbot and Costello in Hold That Ghost (1941)
Forbidden Planet (1954) - color film, interesting idea

[omen]

Yes fine features indeed, however the scariest movies of all time in my opinon are as followed;

1.The Texas Chainsaw Massacre

2.Halloween

3.The Shining



p.s honorable mention goes to- Friday the 13th,NOTLD

[theryno777]

I haven't seen all of the movies that you fellas have talked about, but I've seen most of them. Opinions are opinions and no one has the same as the next person, but all of you have picked great movies... but these are mine based upon what I have seen.

1. Texas Chainsaw Massacre - the new one, that came out Friday. Wow...that's all I can say. It is so amazing with excellent jumps, disturbing images, and suspense that never stops. I almost lost my breath in the movie from it's intensity. I've always wanted a movie that would treat me like that, and TCM succeeded. By the way, can anyone believe that movie only costs 9 million? It made that back on Friday.

2. The Exorcist - Self explanitory...a classic that is king of spiritual horror.

3. Nightmare on Elm Street - It's not that any of these movies makes it hard for me to sleep, but they are awesome movies that can be very scary. Not only was this a new kind of special effects, the idea of the dream sequences and someone killing you in your sleep makes it hard to lay in your bed at night. Freddy kicked some ass back in 84 and is still goin. I was glad to see him for the first time in Freddy vs Jason.

There are other movies that deserve to be on that list, but I'll just name two...Halloween, and Halloween 2. Michael is the man. A dark, evil killer that won't stop, and you CAN'T stop him. That's pretty frightening.

[pulpmovies]

I try to avoid making best of lists as I tend to change my mind on a daily basis. But as of right now, my picks would be:

3. Ring
The Japanese original - consistently disturbing.

2. The Eye
Thai film in which a blind woman receives a cornea transplant. After the operation, she can see dead people...
Visually stunning and with a great score, the film gets more and more tense as the story progresses

1. Ju-On
Another Japanese film revolving around a hauted house. The film itself is a series of interconected short stories, all of them very atmospheric and very disturbing.

[lthrby1]

My 3 picks are:

1. The Exorcist-It still remains to me one of the scariest movies ever made.

2. Suspiria-Dario Argento is a genius in suspense and horror. I was glued to the set when I first saw this.

3. Texas Chainsaw Massacre-The original ( I haven't seen the new one yet). The screams and the sound of the chainsaw-a perfect recipe for insomnia.

Honorable mentions-Halloween and the original Dracula with Bela Lugosi.

The Guinea Pig series out of Japan is pretty brutal as well.

[armagecko]

Well, there's actually ten movies listed here and I must admit that this is not my list. This list of ten SCARIEST movies belongs to Darryl Wiggers, Program Director for Canada's Scream TV.

1. Texas Chainsaw Massacre (US, 1974)
2. Sporloos [aka The Vanishing] (Neth/France, 1988)
3. Targets (US, 1968)
4. Miracle Mile (US, 1989)
5. The Collector (US, 1965)
6. Seven (US, 1995)
7. Dressed To Kill (US, 1980)
8. Alien (US, 1979)
9. John Carpenter's The Thing (US, 1982)
10. The Chekist (Russia, 1992)

Interesting choices from the head of a horror channel. Not necessarily what you would expect. Just thought I would pass this on. You can read more of Wiggers' comments concerning this list at:

www.screamtelevision.ca/essays/top_ten_3.asp

[Multiplex Manner]

Three scariest of all time, ey? Well, mine might include:

The Blair Witch Project - Some people may disagree - but I watched this in a dark room by myself late and night and i had to look over my shoulder wherever I went for the next few days.

The Texas Chainsaw Massacre - You know that there's no reasoning with Leatherface, and that is one mean chainsaw.

The Ring (original) - Very well-paced, very well acted. Original and abnormally frightening.

The French Doors - I mentioned this short film in a post a while ago - if anyone gets a chance, you should watch it. Very scary.

Chitty Chitty Bang Bang - The childcatcher? Hello? Could there be a more obvious manephestation of evil? Chills me even today.


That's all for now. ciao.

[jstxanothrxstory]

Well, here are my top choices for scariest movies of all time:

I - Halloween
Very well written, very well acting. Caused all kinds of spin-off movies.

II - Night of the Living Dead (Original 1968 version)
Very well paced and set up exquisitly for the time alotted.

III - The Exorcist/The Exorcist Uncut
Although I've never seen these two works of art, the reviews I've heard consider it a "scary" movie. Especially since it was based on a true story.

[brain_eater]

1)the exorcist new release - the crab walk down the stairs was beautiful
2)halloween - so dark and carpenters score is bone-chilling
3)original chainsaw massacre

[Eva 02]

Hmmm... Movies don't really scare me... The only time I can say this is movies that you see in theaters where the sound is so jacked up your ears implode at every 'startling scene' the only movies that have seriously corrupted me are

Predator (when I saw it, now I enjoy it more as a comedy or action film)

Alien/Aliens (I dunno, still it finds a few startling moments)

Night of the living dead ([old one]I was mortified, at age 5. And not to mention, the greatest ending to a movie ever)

Jaws(I've seen this so many times, I can act out ever scene better than the actual actors)

Dawn of the dead ([new] this movie really corrupted me. I mean, waking up to Zombie invasion for me would be the worste thing ever to ever even think to occor, the old one was just funny)

The night evelyn came out of the grave( I could not watch this all the way through. It is scary how UNELIEVABLY BORING this movie is.... =/)

Texas chainsaw massacre(old and new are just.... wow.)

Teh Ring(I dunno... the make-up on the first 'kill' still haunts me in my dreams)

Return of the living dead(It was funny, and made me wet my pants ;D )

28 Days Later (well, the first time I saw it)

If I had to pick 3.... Return of the living dead, Night of the Living dead, Dawn of the dead. I am traumatized by zombies, and I will always have a pre-natal fear of them.

[Drifter]

Alex,

If your friend is looking for modern horror, here is where I'd send him:

The Cell - Try to forget that J. Lo is the star. This movie scared and horrified me more than any other I've ever seen. I refuse to watch it again, it freaked me out so much. Everything about that movie-- Vicent Donofrio's performance as the psycho, the horrific visuals, the suspense, had me out of breath by the time it was over.

The Evil Dead - Undoubtedly one of the best made low-budget horror films ever made. Young Sam Raimi and Bruce Campbell produced a roller-coaster ride of a horror film. As Bruce put it so well in his recent book, "once the horror started, it did not stop or slow down," or something to that effect. I don't normally go for the blood-and-guts horror movies, but this is an exception, because the gore was at least a part of the horror and not just a cheap substitute. I think it's sad that the two sequels made the franchise a joke. The first was awesome.

The Changeling - This one is not so well-known, but it is the best haunted house movie ever. It stars George C. Scott as a man who moves into a big old house, only to be haunted by the ghost of a small child. It rocks!