The family and myself went over to a friend’s house for a get together and it was not half bad.  We barbequed and sat around until about six o’clock talking about all sorts of things and laughing loudly, which should be expected doing these type of events.  We talked about our youth, which seems to be the case with most adults that slowly get older, as they are not able to do the things they did in the past. The conversation consisted of 'shrooms, sex, thunderstorms, spiders, dogs, movies and a several other subjects that I cannot remember at this time.

It began to cool down quite a bit and we moved into the house to watch movies.  After a long debate and several I don’t knows, we decided to watch a horror classic in Halloween. This brings me to the subject of this post…horror films.

I have watched a number of horror films in my time and have found that some do not scare me as bad as they did in the past, and that today’s films are more gore than scare. I have decided to make a quick list of my Top Ten scariest horror films and my Top Ten stupidest horror films. This is just in time for you to make that trip to Blockbuster or your local video store for Halloween…aren’t I a nice person.

Top Ten Scariest Horror Films

1.   The Exorcist – There is just something that is darn scary about a teenager that has their head turn completely around and spew green pea soup.
2.   The Grudge – This movie brings together the great Japanese shock horror and some chick crawling at you clicking this way and that frightening.
3.   The Amityville Horror – This is not the new one that came out a few years ago. I am talking about the one with James Brolin and Margot Kidder. This is a true classic.
4.   Friday the 13th – I went to see this movie when I was around nine years old and the part when Jason pops out of the lake scares the crap out of me.
5.   Exorcist III – I was born in the hospital that this movie mostly took place…Georgetown University Hospital.  The old lady crawling on the ceiling is scary enough.
6.   Phantasm – There is nothing scarier than a mortuary that has a flying ball with three blades going after you…oh, and the end is shocking also.
7.   Dawn of the Dead – The new one is real good and I can watch it over and over and over again. You will be scared throughout.
8.   Halloween – Michael Myers is the original evil dude that has more lives than a cat. In this one, the part when Jamie Lee Curtis is sobbing and you see his image in the doorway is freaky.
9.   The Shining – “Hhheeerrreee’sss Johnny!!!”  Have to love that tagline in this flick that has Jack Nicholson pegged as the superior psycho.
10.   The Blair Witch Project – The real appeal of this one was the fact that it came out to be staged footage. Nevertheless, the last frames of this one still send chills down my spine.

Top Ten Dumbest Horror Films

1.   Pumpkinhead – The plot was terrible and the whole movie stunk so bad that it left a bad smell in my house for days.
2.   Stephen King’s It – I agree that most movies made from King’s books suck hard, but the whole psycho clown was cool until you found out it was being projected by an alien spider…COME ON!!!
3.   All Friday the 13th sequels – I thought the original was scary, but how many different ways can you kill teenagers and not actual kill someone like Jason.
4.   House of Wax – The new one that featured Paris Hilton was so bad that I had to take two days to finish it out.
5.   Halloween III: Season of the Witch – I am not truly sure what Hollywood was thinking on this one…no Michael Myers and pumpkin masks that hypnotized children…not sure how much more dumb you can get.
6.   876-EVIL – Seen this twice in my lifetime…I will never get back those seriously wasted three hours.
7.   Exorcist 2: The Heretic – The original and the third ones were solid, but this one was so out of the way that it just appeared that Linda Blair needed some cash.
8.   The Ring Two – Honestly, I liked the first installment, but they could have left it at that one instead of trying to build on something that was not there.
9.   Cabin Fever – Actually, I do not even need to comment on why this one is dumb…do I?
10.   The Amityville Horror (Remake) – I will say it again as I have said it maybe a thousand times before…why try to improve on perfection the first time, huh?

There you go everyone.  I am sure that you all have your lists and they will likely differ from mine.  I apologize in advance if your selections were not included.  Enjoy the Halloween festivities in your area and be safe.

Nice post, Jay 


Phantasm kicks ass!

I bet you didn't eat spaghetti for a while afterwards without thinking of the film, too.   

Alien and the second one are two of my favorites.  :thumbs-up:

The only issue I have with Japanese horror flicks is the subtitles...I believe it detours from the full effect of the film...I watched the Japanese version of "PULSE"...did nothing cause I had to read the whole darn time...the American version was pretty good (and I did not have to read).

Does "Jaws" count as horror?  I'm still paranoid swimming in the ocean.

I saw "The Howling" as a young teenager & didn't sleep well after watching it...

"The Fog" gave me chills (I was around 10 when I saw it) -- seems cheesy now, though.