GENRE: Horror


  1. kenstachnik
  2. Ken

Seriously Scary Cinema

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1
Nosferatu, eine Symphonie des Grauens (Nosferatu, a Symphony of Horror) (Nosferatu the Vampire) (1922,  Unrated)
Nosferatu, eine Symphonie des Grauens (Nosferatu, a Symphony of Horror) (Nosferatu the Vampire)
I held off on seeing this...why I'm not sure. It's everything I expected it to be...and a little more. It really should be seen by everyone...just as a reference
2
M (1931,  Unrated)
3
The Leopard Man (1943,  PG)
The Leopard Man
Sweet little suspense film about a killer panther...or a man who kills like a panther...or is a panther...they never really say
4
Orphée (Orpheus) (1950,  Unrated)
Orphée (Orpheus)
The special effects are what really standout about this really interesting film.

A precursor to David Lynch, Tim Burton, Rex Meyer and Guillermo del Toro.
5
The Night of the Hunter (1955,  PG)
The Night of the Hunter
Damned near a masterpiece. An almost perfect visualization of a nightmare on screen. Mitchum will give you the Heebee Jeebees
6
Peeping Tom (1960,  Unrated)
Peeping Tom
I feel all dirty...but in a classy British sort of way.

One of the creepiest movies of all time. Fantastic performances all round.
7
Psycho (1960,  R)
8
La Maschera del demonio (Black Sunday) (House of Fright) (Mask of the Demon) (1960,  R)
La Maschera del demonio (Black Sunday) (House of Fright) (Mask of the Demon)
Bava where have you been all my life?
9
Nóz w Wodzie (Knife in the Water) (1962,  Unrated)
Nóz w Wodzie (Knife in the Water)
Polish Lake country has never looked more beautiful or haunting
10
The Haunting (1963,  Unrated)
The Haunting
Unsettling or disturbing is a term that gets thrown around a lot today. Usually in regards to Cronenberg or Miike or Irreversible.

This film a text book of how to achieve an atmosphere of menace and unease without showing a thing
11
Onibaba (1965,  Unrated)
Onibaba
Crazy Japanese topless chicks fill a giant hole with dead Samurai whom they kill in order to buy food. After fighting over a dude who moves in next door, another dude, wearing a freaky mask, shows up. Badness ensues
12
Terrore nello spazio (Planet of the Vampires) (1965,  Unrated)
Terrore nello spazio  (Planet of the Vampires)
I'm not quite as bat shit crazy about this movie as everyone else is(I'm not a HUGE sci-fi fan), but this movie is a must for any fans of Bava or Sci-Fi

The production design and cinematography are top notch, The Scott Brothers were definitely taking notes on the use of smoke for atmosphere.
13
Sei donne per l'assassino (Blood and Black Lace) (Six Women for the Murderer) (1960,  Unrated)
Sei donne per l'assassino (Blood and Black Lace) (Six Women for the Murderer)
One of the most incredibly shot films of all time.

Bava uses color to accent the beauty of the victims and the plainness of the murderer.

However this is not one of Bava's most enjoyable fims to watch from a story sense, but then again story has never been the Italian films strongest point.
14
Kill, Baby, Kill (Operazione paura) (Curse of the Living Dead) (Don't Walk in the Park) (1966,  PG)
Kill, Baby, Kill (Operazione paura) (Curse of the Living Dead) (Don't Walk in the Park)
A whole lotta fun. Great colors. Creepy atmosphere...the "going crazy" sequences are classic
15
Spider Baby, or The Maddest Story Ever Told (Attack of the Liver Eaters) (1968,  Unrated)
Spider Baby, or The Maddest Story Ever Told (Attack of the Liver Eaters)
Fantastically bizarre horror spoof/homage featuring a very young, very bald Sig Haig
16
Targets (1968,  R)
Targets
An amazing little seen film. Well worth your time.

Karloff's last great performance. Watch for future super producer Frank Marshall as the ticket taker at the drive in.
17
Hour of the Wolf (Vargtimmen) (1968,  Unrated)
Hour of the Wolf (Vargtimmen)
Bergman's Horror Film
18
Rosemary's Baby (1968,  R)
19
Night of the Living Dead (1968,  Unrated)
Night of the Living Dead
Pure hand held grainy terror. One of the first and possibly the best Zombie film ever made.
20
The Devil Rides Out (1968,  G)
The Devil Rides Out
Christopher Lee fights Satan and Blofeld in this Hammer Horror Classic. An obvious influence on Dr. Orpheus in the Venture Brothers.
21
L'uccello dalle piume di cristallo (The Bird With the Crystal Plumage) (1970,  PG)
L'uccello dalle piume di cristallo (The Bird With the Crystal Plumage)
Really fantastic Giallo and the birth of Dario Argento as a horror auteur.

Beautiful cinematography by Vittorio Storaro and shockingly, a story you can actually understand.
22
Il Gatto a Nove Code (The Cat o' Nine Tails) (1971,  PG)
Il Gatto a Nove Code (The Cat o' Nine Tails)
Decent Giallo from Argento. Couple of good kills, a great ending fight sequence and Karl Malden turning in an interesting performance
23
Punishment Park (1971,  R)
24
Non si sevizia un paperino (Don't Torture a Duckling)(Don't Torture Donald Duck) (1972,  Unrated)
25
Frenzy (1972,  R)
Frenzy
British Giallo...Hitchcock finally being able to show, in delightfully grizzly detail, all of the quirks and fetishes that had laid under the surface in his previous films
26
The Last House on the Left (1972,  Unrated)
The Last House on the Left
Brutal
27
Death Line (Raw Meat) (1972,  R)
Death Line (Raw Meat)
Great, early, over the top performance by Donald Pleasance.
28
Don't Look Now (1973,  R)
Don't Look Now
Nicholas Roeg's wickedly creepy ghost story is well worth watching on a dark and stormy night.
29
The Exorcist (1973,  R)
The Exorcist
The scariest movie i've ever seen. The only movie to keep me up all night. Michael Kermode is right when he called this the best movie ever made.
30
The Texas Chainsaw Massacre (1974,  R)
31
Black Christmas (1974,  R)
32
Andy Warhol's Frankenstein (Flesh for Frankenstein) (1974,  R)
Andy Warhol's Frankenstein (Flesh for Frankenstein)
To know death Otto, you have to fuck life... in the gall bladder!
33
The Wicker Man (1973,  R)
34
I corpi presentano tracce di violenza carnale (Torso) (Bodies Bear Traces of Carnal Violence) (1973,  R)
35
Deep Red (Profondo rosso) (The Hatchet Murders) (1975,  R)
Deep Red (Profondo rosso) (The Hatchet Murders)
Great Giallo... Argento is at the top of his game
36
Jaws (1975,  PG)
Jaws
The movie that changed the industry.
37
Taxi Driver (1976,  R)
Taxi Driver
Great Gripping Gritty Genre Gem
38
The Tenant (1976,  R)
The Tenant
SOOOOO CREEPY...oh my god I saw this 2 years ago and I'm still having nightmares
39
Suspiria (1977,  R)
Suspiria
One of the most beautiful movie ever made. The last 3 strip techno-color film to be shot. Haunting and terrifying with a kick ass Goblin soundtrack
40
Halloween (1978,  R)
Halloween
A perfect slasher film.
41
Dawn of the Dead (1979,  R)
42
Alien (1979,  R)
43
Stalker (1979,  Unrated)
Stalker
Tarkovsky's masterwork of science fiction is a must see for fans of the genre.

This dark highly atmospheric film is photographically on par with any Bergman or Kubrick film.
44
Cannibal Holocaust (1979,  NC-17)
Cannibal Holocaust
Disgusting, amazing, sickening and poignant
45
Nosferatu: Phantom der Nacht (Nosferatu the Vampyre) (1979,  PG)
46
The Shining (1980,  R)
The Shining
So after seeing this movie Steven King decided to direct Maximum Overdrive so another director wouldn't butcher his work...

Now I don't know what movie King saw...but I did see Maximum Overdrive...not so much...
47
Zombi 2 (Zombie) (Zombie Flesh Eaters) (Zombie 2: The Dead are Among Us)(Island of the Flesh-Eaters) (1980,  R)
Zombi 2 (Zombie) (Zombie Flesh Eaters) (Zombie 2: The Dead are Among Us)(Island of the Flesh-Eaters)
A zombie fights a shark...nuff said
48
Star 80 (1983,  R)
Star 80
Bob Fosse's Boogie Nights.

Eric Roberts gives a fantastic psychopathic performance in this heavy drama by the master director.
49
An American Werewolf in London (1981,  R)
An American Werewolf in London
Mommy, a naked American man stole my balloons...classic
50
E tu vivrai nel terrore - L'aldilà (The Beyond) (1981,  Unrated)
51
The Evil Dead (1981,  NC-17)
The Evil Dead
My least favorite in the series, and the only one I would really call scary.
52
The Thing (1982,  R)
The Thing
The best horror remake of all time...one of the best horror movies of all time...Love me some MacReady
53
Lo Squartatore di New York (The New York Ripper) (1982,  Unrated)
54
Manhattan Baby (Evil Eye) (The Possessed) (Eye of the Evil Dead) (1984,  R)
55
Lo strano vizio della Signora Wardh (The Strange Vice of Mrs. Wardh) (1971,  R)
Lo strano vizio della Signora Wardh (The Strange Vice of Mrs. Wardh)
Hands down one of the greatest giallo's ever made. Stylish, Sadistic and Sexy.

oh and did I mention Edwige Fenech
56
La Ragazza che sapeva troppo (The Girl Who Knew Too Much) (The Evil Eye) (1963,  Unrated)
La Ragazza che sapeva troppo (The Girl Who Knew Too Much) (The Evil Eye)
Solid little thriller from Bava. The B/W photography of this film is what really sets it apart from the other contemporaries of it's day.
57
Opera (1987,  Unrated)
Opera
Worth seeing for the slow mo bullet through the eye shot alone.

Overall very effective and enjoyable., but marred by a ridiculous ending. The acting and story are also a little shoddy at times, but that's par for the course in this sub genre.

Argento's moving camera in this film is stunning. Easily on par with Scorcese & Ballhau's and Coen & Levinson's work.
58
Phenomena (Creepers) (1985,  R)
59
Tenebre, (Unsane) (1982,  Unrated)
60
Two Evil Eyes (1991,  R)
61
Trauma (Dario Argento's Trauma) (1993,  R)
62
La sindrome di Stendhal (The Stendhal Syndrome) (1996,  Unrated)
63
Giallo (2009,  Unrated)
64
A Lizard in a Woman's Skin (Una Lucertola con la pelle di donna) (1971,  Unrated)
A Lizard in a Woman's Skin (Una Lucertola con la pelle di donna)
Prettyand pretty boring too.
65
Halloween II (1981,  R)
Halloween II
A wonderful example of how 2 directors with the same material, can come up with wildly different levels of effectiveness.
66
Drag Me to Hell (2009,  PG-13)
Drag Me to Hell
One of the best times I've had at the theater in ages. More fun than a barrel full of monkeys! Raimi is back!
67
Il Tuo Vizio è una Stanza Chiusa e Solo Io ne ho la Chiave (Eye of the Black Cat) (1972,  Unrated)
Il Tuo Vizio è una Stanza Chiusa e Solo Io ne ho la Chiave (Eye of the Black Cat)
Beautiful blacks and rich reds create a beautiful photographic look in this classic Giallo by Sergio Martino. The story leaves a little to be desired, but that is typical for this genre. The style and camera movement more than make up for it's story pitfalls.
68
Next of Kin, (Hell House) (1982,  PG)
Next of Kin, (Hell House)
Imagine The Shinning and Suspiria had an Australia film baby and you'll start to get an idea of what Next of Kin is like. While the film has it's flaws, it's use of atmosphere is unbelievable. Great elegant cinematography and really amazing slo-mo.

A true undiscovered gem. I'm not going to lie, it's a little hard to find. I had to buy a used, out-of-print, German, region 4 bootleg off ebay.
69
Road Games (1981,  PG)
Road Games
A total diamond in the rough. Stacy Keach is amazing. Direction and cinematography are both top notch. To quote a friend "It's like Hitchcock and Tarantino had an Australian film baby."
70
Friday the 13th (2009,  R)
Friday the 13th
Nothing more or less than what it promises on the poster. Nispel's reboot of the franchise is the first in the series to feature all of the Jason hallmarks simaltaniously. The hockey mask, sexually active teenagers, camp crystal lake and Jason as the killer.

The script leaves a lot to be desired. With lines like "you have such perfect nipple placement baby." You have to wonder what was going through the mind of the writer when he wrote that gem.

The kills leave much to be desired. Only one or two have any creativity too them. The being roasted in a flaming sleeping bag being the best of the bunch.

In it's defense the nudity is top notch and plentiful.
71
Låt den Rätte Komma In (Let the Right One in) (2008,  R)
Låt den Rätte Komma In (Let the Right One in)
The death toll for Anne Rice.

Hands down one of the best films of the year, and the best vampire film since Nosferatu (Herzog's version)
72
Repulsion (1965,  Unrated)
Repulsion
A taunt, paranoid thriller that hinges on Deneuve's amazing performance. Polish creep master Polanski masterfully crafts this low budget masterpiece.
73
Orfeu Negro (Black Orpheus) (1959,  PG)
Orfeu Negro (Black Orpheus)
Gorgeous, touching, funny, beautiful and an absolute delight to watch. Marcel Camus' imaginative retelling of this Greek myth will leave you smiling, crying and dancing in your seat.
74
The Plague of the Zombies (1966,  Unrated)
The Plague of the Zombies
The most dignified Zombie film of all time and one of Hammer's best works.
75
Children Shouldn't Play with Dead Things (1972,  PG)
Children Shouldn't Play with Dead Things
More interesting than entertaining, this Bob Clark film is like a mix of Evil Dead (minus the style) and Diary of the Dead. The acting is okay and the story is very uneven. It's hard to rate the cinematography because the DVD print currently in release is terrible.
76
Dèmoni (Demons) (1985,  Unrated)
Dèmoni (Demons)
So so so much fun. Highly recommended for the Evil Dead crowd.
77
¿Quién puede matar a un niño? (Who Can Kill a Child?)(Death is Child's Play)(Island of the Damned) (1976,  R)
¿Quién puede matar a un niño? (Who Can Kill a Child?)(Death is Child's Play)(Island of the Damned)
Plenty of fun but in need of more pedicide.
78
Tutti i Colori del Buio (All the Colors of the Dark) (They're Coming to Get You) (1972,  R)
Tutti i Colori del Buio (All the Colors of the Dark) (They're Coming to Get You)
Great title, decent Giallo. Oddles of naked Fenech doesn't hurt.

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