You are not logged in. Please register or login.
- Topics: Active | Unanswered
Re: Help with Horror
Ok, so heres the thing. After doing a year of a computer programming course at college and discovering that it wasn't right for me, I ventured into Media and Journalism. It looks a pretty good course so far, but I just got handed out the first assignment brief:
I have to write an essay on a particular genre of film and talk about which films were major elements to it's success. Unfortunately, the lecturer took it upon herself to pick a genre for us - horror. I've only taken an intrest to horror this past month or so, and have never really watched horror films before besides the Nightmare on Elm Street franchise. (which I wouldn't really class as horror but whatever)
So I know there is some major horror fans here and would like to ask you guys what horror movies should I seek out (give me about 10 from the past right up until the present if possible)
I'm guessing the Exorcist and Poltergeist would be good ones to start with but as I said im pretty lost as to were to go from there.
Any help would be much appriciated.
Re: Help with Horror
Lets start at a classic, and work our way up to more recent influential films.
Freaks (1932) *not typical horror, but watch it anyways*
Psycho
Texas Chainsaw Massacre (original)
The Exorcist
Black Christmas (original)
Halloween
Scream
Whispering Corridors(started the Asian horror boom)
Ju-On
Saw(basically started the "torture porn" genre)
Poltergeist isn't necessary. Its G rated romper room shit and didn't really influence the genre. It just fattened Spielberg's bank account. I would watch Jaws in place of Poltergeist.
Of course I left tons of great films off that list, but that is a good list consisting of relevant films spanning the genre. Another good addition would be one of the first three Friday the !3th films, preferably II or III.
Re: Help with Horror
Part III (3-D) for Friday the 13th. And James, I'm surprised you didn't start your list at 1931's Frankenstein, one of the greatest horror movies of all time. In fact, A4L2.0, I strongly advise you not skip over Universal's (and others) "Golden Age" or horror.
Re: Help with Horror
Freaks is a pretty good movie, i watched that a few years ago. My grandma owns it.
Saw
Exorcist
Psycho
Halloween (your pick on which one)
TCM
And if you want to get an idea of huge letdowns...
The Sixth Sense and pretty much every movie M. Night has done.
I'd say The Devils Rejects as well.
Re: Help with Horror
Old Era:
Frankenstein, The Wolfman, Dracula, are all good starting points with these classics
Psycho
Night of the Living Dead
Dawn of the Dead
The Texas Chainsaw Massacre
Phantasm
Halloween I, II, III (are very good ones, although III was less successful)
Friday The 13th (anything in the first four would be good for a report)
New Era:
Scream
Saw
House of 1,000 Corpses
The Devil's Rejects
Re: Help with Horror
Depending on your taste, i think there's an order you should watch the Rob Zombie movies in. If you have varying tastes and don't mind movies that are fucked up beyond belief, then start with House of 1000 Corpses and then The Devils Rejects.
But if you're not sure you'd like a movie that is really 'out there', then start with The Devil's Rejects as it's closer to a normal horror movie than is House of 1000 Corpses. Just my opinion.
Re: Help with Horror
Thanks for all your help guys. I should be buying a shitload of em' either tonight or tommorrow. I'm still making my decision as to which ones I should pick, but I'll definitely be picking a lot of these titles that you guys are recommending.
Thanks again guys!
Re: Help with Horror
Nosferatu, you must see. It's public domain, so getting a better copy is no-sweat.
You can't even begin to talk about the historical evolution of horror without knowing the European grand-daddy of the whole genre.
I guess Edison's Frankenstein is technically the first as it goes back to 1910, but Nosferatu still gives me the creeps.
Re: Help with Horror
When I look into the recommendations so far, I see mainly American pieces from the 70's/80's slasher era.
To counterbalance:
Alien (1979)
Audition (1999)
Braindead (1992)
Dracula (1958 - The Hammer Films version, one of the genres most cherished moments in the UK)
Evil Dead (1982)
Hellraiser (1987)
Peeping Tom (1961)
Suspiria (1977)
The Fly (1986)
The Haunting (1963)
The Innocents (1961)
The Thing (1982)
The Vanishing (the 1988 Dutch version instead of the despicable US remake)
Videodrome (1982 - perhaps the first true 'body horror' film)
Even though I personally have a problem with Blair Witch Project (1999), it's something that should probably be watched, as the basic idea (first-person camera) has since been adopted by more venerable filmmakers.
