 Originally Posted by shootemindehead
In no particular order...
1. Don’t Look Now
One word. Boring. Unbelievably tedious so called horror film, that has managed to earn itself an incredible reputation, mostly due to its ending, which I personally found laughable. But, love or hate the ending, the viewer has to trudge though a ridiculous amount of tedium to get to the punch line.
2. Night of the Hunter
Utterly ridiculous “classic” where Robert Mitchum chews up the scenery and featuring some of the worst lines of dialogue in movie history. Some people say Laughton filmed it deliberately this way. I don’t care. It still makes for an awful film. Laughton’s only director effort…thank god.
3. Halloween
For some people, the most horrifying film they ever saw. Or, at least that’s what they say. It may claim to be the first slasher (it’s not, ‘Psycho’ is), but that still doesn’t stop it from being simply an OK film. The performances are generally ok too, the two main stars being the best, but it still feels twice the length of it’s 90 minute running time, because so little happens.
4. Rosemary’s Baby
Another bore fest. A “horror” film with no horror. While competently directed, it’s still a terribly boring film and ends up being somewhat laughable at its conclusion. Notoriously devoid of shocks or creepiness, Polanski (himself incredibly overrated) should have taken a leaf out of his own book and made the film more like ‘The Tennant’, or the earlier ‘Repulsion’.
5. The Blair Witch Project
Brian Griffin summed it up very well. “Nothing’s happening, nothing’s happening, nothing’s happening…it’s over. A lot of people in the audience look really pissed.” One of the greatest gimmicky films, since ‘The Tingler’. William Castle would have been proud. I’m happy the guys who made this (on a shoestring budget) made a ton of money from it, but really, it’s fans would make you old.
6. The Ring
Oh dear…Asian horror as a whole is one of the most overrated genres ever. Most of the films generally follow the “nothing happens for an hour, then bam” rule and they are tedious in the extreme. This film, which sparked the current cycle, takes that rule to its heart. It contains one genuine shocking scene early on and then nothing for ages. But, its worst sin is its villain. A girl that comes through the telly and frightens people…ha ha…fuck off.
7. Phantasm
Another OK movie that has managed to garner a reputation that’s all out of proportion to what it deserves. While not an awful film, it certain doesn’t deserve the laurels that it has gained.
8. Scream
Oh, where to start with this. Wes Craven must have popped his eyes out of his head when the zeitgeist on this got a hold. I’ve never understood the popularity of this incredibly tame flick. It’s slasher-lite and boring as hell, featuring two non-entities as its starring roles. Just…rubbish…and what’s worse is it spawned sequels!
9. The Hills Have Eyes
Another Wes Craven failure that again has managed to get a word of mouth reputation as a gory and horrifying horror film. Banned in some countries, I’ve never been able to figure out why. It’s completely inept and notable ONLY for introducing the world to Michael Berryman. Part II is even worse! Craven, actually, has managed to gain a lucrative horror career on the back of some of the most overrated films in the genre, beginning with ‘The last House on the Left’, itself a terribly overrated film right up to the awful ‘Scream’ franchise. Mind boggling, when you consider that his only really good film was ‘A Nightmare on Elm Street’.
10. The Texas Chainsaw Massacre
THERE! I said it!
Actually, I love this film, but again it’s a movie that has been elevated to a status totally unbecoming of its content. It contains some truly stupid scenes and some rubbish, rubbish makeup (Grandpa anyone?). Some of the acting is beyond a joke, even for a film of its type (Franklin) and the worst crime is that it simply doesn’t deliver the goods promised by the eye-catching title. On saying that, it does feature one of the most memorable movie monster introductions ever filmed and when Sally gets hung on a meathook, its hard not to squirm. Problem is, it goes rapidly downhill when the rest of Leatherface’s family are introduced.
Special mention should go to the following…’Witchfinder General’, ‘The Amityville Horror’, ‘The Evil Dead’, ‘Donnie Darko’, ‘The Thing (1958), ‘Hellrasier’, ‘Friday the 13th’ , 'Hostel' , ‘The Birds’ and any Universal / Hammer film or Corman’s Poe movies.
One problem we have is a generation gap, and the fact that a couple of these movies rely on atmosphere to get you through. Secondly, there are folks who go to movies and those of us who love movies, so 'Don't Look Now. " works quite well in that regard.
The same with Rosemary's Baby, which unfortunately has become dated, but on an elemental level is still quite effective.
Both Hills and Texas Chain Saw succeeded, again it's the times, in pressing certain primal buttons in the audience. I like the latter one somewhat better, especially after we're dragged into the house along with our heroine and Hooper keeps pressing in on her reaction to the lunacy around her.
Phantasm ... is a silly fun film, with far too many sequels, and a memorable villain in Angus Scrimm (haven't met another tall man quite like him )but it's such an over the top goof you can't help but enjoy it.
In regards to Psycho being the first slasher film, possibly, but Halloween clearly molded the way that films were packaged for almost twenty years after (notice the difference in execution and the level of graphic violence between the original Halloween and it's first sequel )
Psycho is still amazing, and oddly enough the Tony Perkins produced sequels weren't too shabby.
Scream was too slick and self indulgent for me, like a movie buddy who keeps nudging you in the ribs at key moments "You see that? You get the joke? "
Yah, Wes, we get it.
Now, Blair Witch, is not a film to be separated from the hype, since it was the whole package (Internet, two Sci Fi specials, a Showtime special, and several books ) which made it fun and added a level of credibility to the project. The second movie even did something unexpected ( and fairly cool. ) which was to goof on the whole reality vs fiction aspect of the first film. This pisses some folks off ... which makes me smile.
If you really want to see the witch, rent Darkness Falls ( stupid movie, ultimately. )
Oh, and everytime someone says 'This is a Horror Film, this isn't a Horror Film.' (like all Sci Fi is Space Ships and Ray Guns. )I always recommend this little tome from 1992 entitled 'Horror Writers on Horror Film; Cut! ' as Clive Barker waxes eloquently on how hopelessly narrow our definitions are, and how other types of films might actually be pretty Horrific (Marathon Man was one of his favorites )
But like with any genre of film, if you take it too seriously, that's when your enjoyment of it goes down hill pretty fast.
Wayne Z
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