From the macabre, to the sublime, to the ridiculous, to the serious; horror films come in all shapes, sizes, ages and colors and when done well, I dig them more than any other type of film. These are just a few of the ones I’m crazy about. The best the genre has to offer.

Dawn of the Dead

1978

“When There’s No Room in Hell. The Dead Shall Walk the Earth.” 

Director George R. Romero is not the first filmmaker to use zombies to tell his stories, but he is the best. Released in the middle of the horrible Jimmy Carter years, the movie is a metaphor for mindless consumerism. A sort-of sequel to “Night of the Living Dead,” a worldwide pandemic has humans rising from the dead feasting on the living causing utter chaos as the survivors struggle to find refuge. Three of the central characters find it in the Monroeville Mall.
This film and its sequels are only as good as the target they are aiming at. The best of the series, Dawn is sly and gory; Romero claims the sharp social commentary was meant to be subtle, but it is bigger than life and hard not to see where the satire lies. As the zombies amass in the shopping mall and the surviving characters, Ken Foree, the no-nonsense surviving human, comments on how pathetic they look, “it’s all they know.”
A true artist at work as Romero skewers everything in site; the zombies are played somewhat sympathetic as the humans acting stupid and panicking screw up everything they touch.
Innovative special effects by the legendary Tom Savini, creates fake blood with a strangely appealing orange hue that plays up the movies comic book sensibilities, but is subdued in the DVD releases.
Despite the off colored blood, the gory effects still pack a primeval punch and will gross you out when you least expect it. This is not for the weak-minded or causal horror fan.
A box-office smash and critically acclaimed, Dawn is crudely witty and insightful, and it’s postmodern critique of American culture remains as timely as ever.

Brides of Dracula

1961
Oh how I love me some Hammer horror, the prim and proper Victorian British trying to dispatch vampires, Frankenstein’s monster and whatever evil cropped up. Released during Hammer Films golden era, this film became the quality template to which all others were compared. Sadly, most never came close to this films greatness.
Peter Cushing returns in his signature role as Dr. Van Helsing to rid a village of evil vamps. Excellent music, terrific atmosphere from long time Hammer Director Terence Fisher and screenwriter Jimmy Sangster makes this a great study for anyone getting remake ideas in their head!

The Omen

1976

Director Richard Donner said he was not interested in doing a horror film, but a mystery/suspense thriller. Semantics aside, the film works brilliantly and is the very best of the post- Exorcist Satan-themed flicks.
Gregory Peck,(originally offered to Kirk Douglas) a long way from defending Boo Radley, plays Robert Thorn, a US Ambassador to England who has tried for years to give his wife a child. When they finally do, his wife Kathy Thorn (the terrific Lee Remick) gives birth to a stillborn baby. Thorn shields her from the devastating truth and replaces an orphaned infant for their dead child. The horror begins on Damien’s fifth birthday when his nanny stages a dramatic suicide at his birthday party and jumps out a third story window proclaiming, “Look Damien! It’s all for you!” Soon after, a priest who tries to warn Damien’s father is killed in a freakish accident. As the death toll mounts, Robert realizes his son is the Antichrist and decides he must kill the boy to prevent him from fulfilling a cataclysmic prophecy. The biblical stuff is all BS from the movie’s POV, but the actors pull it off with great conviction and terror.
Sounds rather contrived and preposterous on paper, but thanks to air-tight editing, swift direction, truthful performances from the actors and a highly memorable score from Jerry Goldsmith makes you look at that creepy little kid from down the street in a totally differently light. The creepy babysitter offing herself, (“Damien, it’s all for you!”) in the film’s early moments still freaks me out. Two decent sequels followed, the last, “Omen III” is the best of the series with Sam Neil playing an adult Damien as a serious contender to be President of the US.

Psycho

1960

“We all go a little mad sometimes.” 

The Granddaddy of them all, Director Alfred Hitchcock changed the face of horror forever in his low-budget masterpiece that is considered the first slasher film. Tame by today’s standards, but still effective and the premise shocked moviegoers of the day with its frank depiction of violence and sexuality. Not even toilets were shown in movies in those days, yet audiences accepted all of Hitch’s taboos and allowed him to play them like a fiddle. In lesser hands, the film would have been cheap, exploitative sleaze or campy trash. Hitch, knew what he could and could not get away with and used the restrictions of the day to his advantage. Clever editing, lighting and solid restrained performances turned a picture no studio wanted to finance into a classic.
The movie is remarkable in that it not only subverts most of Hitchcock’s favorite themes and plots of the day, especially romance as its quite bleak; its basically one ironic joke of everything he was known for. One of the first to explicitly play with audiences expectations by introducing characters played by big name stars and killing them off in the first reel. Anthony Perkins as Norman Bates was typecast for the rest of career as an unctuous, nervous pervert and Janet Leigh as victim Marion Crane never achieved higher fame past her death scene in the shower, which has now become an iconic horror moment. Composer Bernard Herman’s shrill score still sends chills down the spine when heard. Revered today, its influence is still felt, John Carpenter’s 1978 classic Halloween being one of the most obvious progeny that starred Janet Leigh’s daughter Jamie Lee Curtis.

Bride of Frankenstein

1935

Hailed as the first, best sequel, this acclaimed continuation of the tortured monster still tops the best of lists seventy plus years later.
Boris Karloff returns as the monster who now seeks a mate of his own. The overly ambitious Dr. Frankenstein heeds the call and creates an ill-fated bride for the creature. Directed by James Whales, the film is loaded with a great sense of humor, as well as brimming with vitality and sadness as Karloff taps into the creature’s pathos. From one iconic shot to the next, the film never lets up as the monster is heaped with rejection and fear. Although fitting, it works more as a tragedy than a classy horror film, as the monster is rejected by the very one created just for him. Elsa Lanchester gives a memorable, if short screen-time performance as the reluctant Bride. All of it topped off with a magnificent and haunting score. A real crime is that Karloff was never recognized by the Academy for his superior work as the tortured monster, which goes beyond a guy in make-up and gives a performance full of sadness, humor, and compassion.

Halloween

1978

“I met him, fifteen years ago. I was told there was nothing left. No reason, no conscience, no understanding; even the most rudimentary sense of life or death, good or evil, right or wrong. I met this six-year-old child, with this blank, pale, emotionless face and, the blackest eyes… the *devil’s* eyes. I spent eight years trying to reach him, and then another seven trying to keep him locked up because I realized what was living behind that boy’s eyes was purely and simply… *evil*.” 

The Elvis Presley of slasher films; it did not invent the genre, but it did give it a face and turn it into a star, the go-to, that is still imitated to this very day. Ignore Rob Zombie’s whorish and pathetic attempt at…not sure what he was trying to do. He failed miserably, no one cared for the remake and here we are at the beginning with the original.
Director John Carpenter’s cheap, suspenseful B movie is a marvel of simplicity, stylish direction, creepy music, and restrained sensibilities created a horror classic.
In 1963, 6 year-old Michael Myers stabs his older sister Judith to death. He is sentenced to a mental hospital upstate and 15 years later, 1978, he escapes to Haddonfield and starts all over again with Dr. Sam Loomis, (Donald Pleasance) hot on his trail determined to stop him.
An ironic answer to the times when most horror films were going gore crazy, The Exorcist, Dawn of the Dead, even The Omen, (save one, Texas Chainsaw Massacre has practically zero blood) Carpenter dialed it down, the kills are never flashy, but realistic and chilling.
We never see the killers face, except in shadows and never once does he utter a word. He merely stands, cocks his head, and slowly walks, one of the finest and scariest distillations of pure evil.
Unlike Jason, (and the Halloween sequels) he never kills for the sake of killing, only those who he sees stand in his way.
John Carpenter’s first foray into horror was his biggest success. His first best work is on display here as he makes use of those glorious wide shots. Hardly ever cutting, he lets the camera act as voyeur; Michael Myers too, standing in the background watching, studying his victims ratcheting up the tension.
The Carp nails small town, Middle America with the fictional Haddonfield, Illinois, (even though it was shot in Pasadena California) milieu and the sense of dread we feel is creeping up on these group of likeable kids. Among the group is the lovely Jamie Lee Curtis, in her film debut. It is no wonder she became a star as her natural beauty is hard to resist and her lungs anoint her “Scream Queen.”
Pleasance is the film’s pivotal performance; he explains everything and scares the crap out of us defining what evil really is. He comes off crazy, but we soon learn why as he explains, “I spent seven years trying to reach him and another eight trying to keep him locked up…He has the darkest eyes…the Devil’s eyes.” By Loomis screaming and ranting about the evil Myers, we have no choice but to go along and fear for the rest. It is a clever performance, sort of a twisted Van Helsing.
Originally offered to Christopher Lee, (he would later regret turning the role down) Pleasance plays Loomis with a slow burn of obsession and slight regret. Myers is his Moby Dick.
A great ending in its day, (that great montage shots saying evil never really dies) producers and studios saw only dollar signs as they made one sequel after another. Halloween II being an acceptable closer and Part III that tried something very different. Part 4 onward is crap. In 30 more years this one will still be talked about and studied. The remakes, sequels and rip-offs will be forgotten and no one will remember Rob….what’s-his-name?

Alien

1979

On what should have been a simple trip back to Earth, the Nostromo, a mining freighter, is automatically re-routed to a desolate planet in response to a mysterious SOS.
After the crew is awakened, they investigate the source of the SOS, and discover a derelict alien ship on the planet. One of the crewmembers is put into a coma by an alien creature while investigating the ship. However, the small ordeal was only a prelude for greater things to come…
The first Art house Horror film, Director Ridley Scott seamlessly brings the two genres into one creating the perfect example of mood. The film sets a deliberate pace that eases the viewer in the mire of things. We get to know these people, some we will like, others we will cheer their demise, but we will sympathize with them all once the carnage begins. Jerry Goldsmith delivers another suggestive score as it immediately sets the tone- dark and oppressive.
The production design is equally impressive. The set is not just one photogenic prop, but practical, working gizmos that give off a realistic feel. Even though the film was shot thirty years ago, it never once comes off dated, (except for the green monitors). The costumes eschew anything that may give off a goofy sci-fi feel. Realism is the key, as Scott wants us to be immersed in this world, so he can slowly and deliberately rip it apart.
Sharing a trait with JAWS, Scott too decided that seeing the monster all the time would be a big mistake. Instead, we get flashes; a head shot here, some hands over there, leading to a very effective, creepy atmosphere. The tension is raised by the characters, squabbling especially Lambert, hyping up the creature’s malevolence and how they must kill it. Sure, he rolls out the required horror clichés, loud, sudden noises, a cat jumping out all of a sudden, fleeting shadows, but we never notice since they work brilliantly.
Acting by all the cast is outstanding. Sigourney Weaver, in star making role, has a lasting presence; not just a damsel in distress, her Ellen Ripley is resourceful, fully capable and subverts all male/female dynamics and expectations. She gets great support from Tom Skerrit as Captain Corbin Dallas, Veroncia Cartwright as Lambert, the most strident of them all, but actually, she is us- reacting to the horror around her in the most honest, humane fashion. Her character suffers the worst fate as the creature, in a very subtle, restrained scene, rapes her then kills her off screen. John Hurt as Kane, in his brief, role as carrier of the alien bug in his chest that sent many movie goers running to the exit. Ian Holm as the mysterious Ash who will make you look at milk in a completely different way. Yaphet Kotto and Harry Dean Stanton are Scott’s equivalent of space truckers and even in the distant future they are as gross and greasy as ever and give the film its few moments of welcomed humor.
Alien created many iconic horror moments; the infamous chest-bursting scene, a marvelous shock that is evidenced by the look on the actor’s faces for they are sincere in their reactions as they were unaware of the blood squirting out.
A genre trendsetter, Alien was a surprise hit in the summer of 79. FOX, touting the science-fiction element in an attempt to capitalize on the box-office thunderclap created by “Star Wars,” were taken aback by the films horror elements. Despite it’s sci-fi trappings, the film is a horror film first, take away the space ship and replace it with just about anything else and its just as effective. Scott always professed a soft spot for his first big film, so much so he is returning to the same universe with a prequel of sorts titled, “Prometheus,” for summer 2012.
In an amusing trivial note, the film had a considerable amount of merchandise advertised upon release. Most notably the Alien itself, a ghastly creature that could crush its victims head with a flick of its teeth, all of this was printed on the side of the toys box. Subsequently, the marketing department and those responsible were fired for selling toys to kids for a movie they were unable to see.

The Texas Chainsaw Massacre

1974

Growing up, I had always heard how terrible, in a depraved sense, this film was by my parents who caught it one night on a double feature at the local Drive-in. I had apparently feel asleep and not one to skip a movie, they stayed, at least for the first 30 minutes. My mom never went beyond describing the premise, “some crazy sucker chases this girl through the woods with chainsaw,” is the extent of her discussions and she would get this disgusted look on her face and change the subject. Same goes for my Dad. From the giddy up, this was on my radar and was one of the few movies they refused to let me rent on video. Neither parents were into horror movies of any kind so I knew at a young age, this was going to be a trip once I was able to track it down. I finally did, I was NOT disappointed. I made the mistake of watching it alone one Saturday night, the entire house to myself.

This horror masterpiece directed by Tobe Hooper is a low-budget gritty little number that grabbed hold of me like a scared date or frightened child as it slowly built to an unnerving and unflinching last act that was damn near impossible to watch alone, but I’m glad I did.

A gritty, greasy, grimy, dirty slimy insane trip into humanities heart of darkness that revolutionized low-budget horror filmmaking as well as giving birth to its own sub- genre; the maniac on the loose.
The film begins as a Hansel & Gretel story set in the Texas backwoods. On a blistering hot summer afternoon in 1973, five young friends, Sally, her brother Franklin, Kirk, Pam and Jerry, set out to check on family graves after hearing news reports on grave robbing. They stop at an old family locale to reminisce when they suddenly find themselves in the clutches of the murderous Leatherface and the rest of the crazed cannibal Sawyer clan. A relentless, sparse, excursion into the things we only read or hear about through hushed tones and those fascinated with the macabre. Hopper’s statement of A testament to its genius is its misinformed reputation of being extremely gory, which is just not true. The filmmakers originally suggested the film be rated PG with its lack of blood, but the MPAA felt the title alone was too grisly for those under 17 so they slapped it with an R. Director Tobe Hooper shows the world he is a mad genius with an impressive debut, which sadly never surpassed Chainsaw. His work is neither flashy nor pretentious, but the cinema verte’ style feel lends a certain authority to it all, as if this shit is real. A look so convincing that to this day many still feel the events were true, which of course they were not. Although they were based on the exploits of Ed Gein, a Wisconsin farmer who was imprisoned in 1957 for murder, robbing graves and dressing up in women’s skins and making belts out of their nipples. Hooper got the idea for the movie after hearing relatives who lived in the Gein area relate tales of a ghoulish old coot playing with dead people. If you notice, the opening narration by actor John Laroquette, says the following events occurred in the summer of 1973, the same time when the film was shot.
Filmed on a meager $100,000, the films cheapness lend to its snuff-film vibe. The charnel house atmosphere lets us know that death is happening soon to these characters. There are no quick cuts or creative editing, just Hooper and his camera acting like some detached observer recording things only seen in nightmares. As horrific a picture Hooper paints, he refrains from going too far. Even though the “hook scene” is one of the most uncomfortable moments ever put to film, it lacks no money shot; no blood is visible and we never see the hook enter the woman’s back, but we see her react which is plenty. Clever direction by Hooper and convincing performances by the actors, especially Gunnar Hansen as Leatherface make us squirm while our imaginations give us a good ole’ fashion creep out. Where our imaginations leave off, Marilyn Burn’s bravura performance as Sally Hardesty fills in the blanks. The best Scream Queen performance to date, suffered almost as much as her character by busting both knees, enduring unbearable heat inside the maniacs farmhouse, becoming nauseated by the smell of rotting animal carcasses that filled the sets, chased and poked in the face with branches along with countless scrapes, cuts and bruises. The entire last act is unprecedented as Burns constantly screams and runs at full pitch putting the viewer on edge… The films intensity and appetite for terror is still amazing. It was banned in Ireland, Chile, and Sweden and on three separate occasions in Great Britain because of its raw, unyielding power, which just added to its appeal. It is only recently that it has been allowed in the British video stores.
The rest of the cast is excellent with their natural and unassuming performances. The lone exception is Paul Partaine as Sally’s crippled brother, Franklin, is a whiny self-pitying ass who is usually met with cheers from the audience upon his demise. His method acting alienated Hooper and the rest of the crew. Edwin Neal as the Hitchhiker never fails to give me the creeps. Of course, Gunnar Hansen became a cult star and still stirs up fans today with his appearances at conventions with his horror icon performance that has yet to be surpassed. It would have been so easy to make the character straight evil and a lesser actor would have done exactly that, but Leatherface gets pathos. Not one word is ever spoken, but body language and squeals of delight or angry come through.
The most influential horror film of the 70’s is for anyone appreciative of quality, smart, gonzo horror. It is not made for everyone, as its no bullshit approach is jarring and something of a bygone era. Inferior sequels and a lame-ass remake have diluted its creditability and legacy somewhat, but it still remains the granddaddy of them all is a true classic in the every sense of the word. An anticipated sequel is expected in October 2012 taking place immedietly after the events in this film.

The Mist

2007

The third time is still the charm as Writer/Director Frank Darabont goes to the Stephen King well and creates a minor classic with unexpected power.
A stellar cast led by Thomas Jane, Marcia Gay-Harden, Frances Sternhagen and Andre Bauher as members of the small town of Bridgton, Maine, who after a severe thunderstorm that causes the power to go out the night before meet in a supermarket to pick up supplies. While they struggle to survive an unnatural mist which envelops the town and conceals vicious, otherworldly monsters, extreme tensions rise among the survivors as their worst fears come alive.
A simple plot McGuffin sets things in motion as Darabont dissects and examines the human condition when put into extreme circumstances. Two extremes on both sides; one is religious the other practical and weak, neither cannot seem to arrive at a logical plan of action. They fight, they scheme, the plot each other’s demise. The performances are intense and the tension is nearly unbearable, but Darabont’s snappy dialogue, most of it kept from King’s story, is lean and mean and keeps the pace up. Just enough gore to keep the viewers interested, this is a true horror film that shows the real bad guy is not the monsters outside, but the lack of communication and understanding we have each other as a society. The extremes we sometimes go to prove a point or just to be heard.
It’s a no nonsense and effective story that could have rested on that alone, yet packs one of the best, darkest, powerful endings in recent memory, a true ball-buster.

Poltergeist

1982

“Theyyy’reee heeeere.” 

 

1982 will always be regarded as the single best year of genre releases, ever, released in June two weeks before “E.T.-The Extra Terrestrial” and three weeks before “The Thing,” this brilliantly creepy haunted house collaboration between Steven Spielberg and Tobe Hooper turned suburbia upside down as one of the scariest and best films of its time.

Life in the California suburb of the Cuesta Verde is quiet for the Freeling family, headed by typical American couple JoBeth Williams as Diane the do-gooder housewife, Craig T. Nelson as Steven the hardworking clueless father, both pot-smoking former hippies, now making it as yuppies. The three kids, eldest, sixteen-year-old daughter Dana (Dominique Dunne), and the younger two eight-year-old son Robbie (Oliver Robins), 6-year-old as Carol Anne (Heather ‘O Rourke). Likeable, hardworking, they appear to have achieved the American dream when early one morning, the pronouncement of “They’re here,” by daughter Carol Anne, sets things in motion. At first the family takes it all in stride, they don’t panic; objects moving by themselves, lights flicker, kids being pulled across the kitchen floor for no apparent reason- until one night when ghost/demon/Indian spirit abducts Carol Anne into some vague ethereal plane. The family does everything to get her back, via scientists and mediums alike.
The film works because the family is so ordinary, relatable. When their world begins to crumble with so much absurdity, we buy it. This effectiveness lies in the truth of the situation, as great pains were taken to make the family appear real and likeable as they make a good life for themselves in the suburban housing track called Cuesta Verde Estates where the only difference in the houses is their address.
One might expect this to set up as part of the drama, or even a critique or satire of suburbia or family dynamics, but no, writer Spielberg merely lays it out there as foundation for the bad stuff to rest. No one cares about the family drama, we like them, that’s enough to sympathize when their world is ripped apart.
For years rumors circulated over who actually directed the picture, Spielberg’s touches are certainly visible throughout. The stuff with the family, themes touched on in his previous films, “E.T.,” and “Close Encounters,” all bear his mark and its hard to imagine Hooper would come up with any of the this considering his resume and post-Poltergeist output.
Some have criticized the film for these elements, calling them syrupy, sappy, etc… but they are dead wrong as this gives the film heart. If the Freelings were a pack of dysfunctional scumbags constantly quarrelling packed to the gills with drama, we would not give one squirt what happened to them so to call that a flaw is missing the films point. Besides, they are a romanticized, idolized version of what a typical American family is or at least how Spielberg seems it or saw it at the time.
Besides dreams of the family unit, he taps into the nightmares of children; dark closets grow monsters, the unknown behind the door, and especially the spooky killer Clown doll and that scary looking tree outside the younger kid’s window. The film is moody and slick, thanks to Hooper, whose contribution over the years has been debated, but it must be recognized. His touches add a bit of the macabre as when Ma Freeling is stuck in the swimming pool with the skeletons that were real, (shipped over from India). The maggoty piece of fried chicken and the guy ripping his face off, were all Hooper ideas/touches. No matter who was at the helm, technically, the film is flawless, pre computers, it rivals anything released today, namely the sequence where Carol Anne disappears into the closet.
Relatively cheap at the time, the film looks like a big budget FX at its disposal. A true assault on the senses, as it dredges up images that are equal parts horrifying and beautiful.
No matter how much was spent, the razzle, dazzle is apparent and tells a fantastic, compelling story peppered with excellent performances from the cast. The parents, Williams and Nelson, dive into the emotion, dug down deep for the panic that comes with a missing child.
However, the stand out is by the late Zelda Rubenstein as Tangina, the diminutive actress with a charming southern drawl, that makes a huge impression as an eccentric exorcist who gets all the best lines, (“This house is cleeeean!) and plays her part with good humor yet totally straight-faced.
Jerry Goldsmith’s score is one of his absolute best. A wonderful lesson in contrasts; the main theme Carol Anne’s Lullaby, compared to the rest of the score is vastly different; going from sweet and playful to suspenseful, religious awe to outright strident horror. His best score of the 80’s, earned an Oscar nomination. Two lame sequels followed, but the original still packs a suspenseful punch; the best haunted house story, ever.

An American Werewolf in London

1981

“A naked American stole my balloon.”

 

Release during the height of the slasher frenzy, Director John Landis delivered a more traditional horror movie, but with a twist. This unusual hybrid of horror and comedy was mostly out of favor at the time, (not seen since the Abbott & Costello days and their Universal monster mash-ups), a gimmick many predicted would fail. It didn’t and spawned many imitators, “Ghostbusters,” and “Evil Dead 2,” took their cues from this clever and often excellent film.
The comedy mostly works and the horror elements are down right iconic. Director John Landis, hot off his double winning streak with “Animal House” and “The Blues Brothers,” starts off with two American college buddies, David (David Naughton) and Jack (Griffin Dunne) backpacking in England. They get thirsty and head for the pub “Slaughtered Lamb.” In a mocking fashion, they go in to soak up the local color. The patrons are cold, shooting the duo dirty looks and suspicious glances. The pair asks too many questions and are told to leave, but not before getting a warning of DO NOT go into the moors, stay on the road. They ignore said warning of course. They are savagely attacked, David is wounded, and Jack is killed. David spends his recovery in the hospital in London dealing with horrible realistic nightmares, questioning his sanity and the intentions of those around him while making hot love to the perfect Nurse Jenny Agutter and dealing with ghostly apparitional visits from his friend Jack acting as his guilt.
Two pictures away before his career defining disaster with the accidental deaths on his segment of “Twilight Zone: The Movie,” this was Landis working in top form. Walking the fine line between horror and comedy, the film is surprisingly cohesive as the humor gradually merges into the horror elements, which are quite startling and the jokes clever; as said by the 8 y/o English boy, “A naked American stole my balloon.” The best jokes are delivered by Jack described by David as a “walking meatloaf,” with his grisly, open gashes and lacerations. The running gag throughout the film is that Jack decays from each appearance, thus, the last time we see Jack he is in skeletal form.  Landis has fun with the premise by using only songs with pertaining to or have “Moon” in the title, for example, “Bad Moon Rising” is played as David begins his painful transformation.

The horror elements work just as well, especially once David is a werewolf and stalks his first several victims, the best being a nice bit of suspense in the London subways. There is nothing terribly innovative or original about the storyline, but it’s all in the execution! The true star of the film is make-up artist Rick Baker who put himself on the map with his outstanding work. Every piece of work stands out as some of the most imaginative make up ever produced. One iconic image after another is due to Baker’s mad genius for which he won a deserved Oscar. One sequence that scared the heck out of me as a kid and stuck with me into adulthood was the monster Nazis. Although there are no swastikas visible, it’s implied that’s exactly what they are considering the family is Jewish. It has nothing really to do with the overall plot other than to get the audience in a frenzy and to show the fear created by he original Nazis and how those images of evil still resonate. The money shot, the one sequence that everyone talks about is David’s werewolf transformation. An amazing feat, it reaches deep down into our collective nightmares and brings fourth one of the best special effects sequences ever put to film. To see the actor writhe on the floor in pain is not for the sissies watching. What use to be done with trick photography and time-lapse gimmick was done with then-state of the art effects that brought the werewolf legend into the modern age. It is astounding we see it all in real time; with muscles tearing, bones cracking, the single best Werewolf transformation scene in ever filmed. Effects and make-up genius Rick Baker won a much deserved Oscar for said sequence.

Acting wise, all are good, Griffin Dunne offers the comedy relief and David Naughton, whose career went mostly to television, is good as the every man dealing with an extraordinary situation. Jenny Agutter provides moral support and other…stuff as the hot nurse who takes David home and three cameos by Frank Oz, one as Miss Piggy, round out the cast.

Even though I sing its praises and the movie gets right way more than it gets wrong; the ending is a huge letdown. Considering what we got moments before, the bedlam in Piccadilly Circus, cars being crashed, decapitated heads rolling, werewolf on the loose eating, slashing and killing; an orgy of gore and violence that is quite gorgeous that Landis pulled off with perfect skill. To have it all end abruptly in the alley is anti-climatic to say the least. Still considering the many imitators that followed, the film is still a remarkable achievement and remains the quintessential werewolf story.

 

Night of the Creeps 

1986

“I’ve got good news and bad news, girls. The good news is your dates are here. The bad news is, they’re dead!”

In the 1980’s, when they were not remaking horror movies from the 1950’s, they aped them, borrowed heavily and gave them an 80’s spin. Although this looks like an alien invasion movie on the surface, it steals from many other genres as it sings loud and proud what it really is; a hilarious, gory, bizarre love letter to the best of the B movies and the inspirations within. The uneducated watcher might call it a schizoid piece of crap, but they’d be wrong-o as its more than obvious a mixture of aliens, slug-like parasites, cryogenics, slasher, and zombies while set in the middle of some kind of teen romantic comedy, with a homicide detective pulled right out of a 40′s film noir. DUH!
It is 1959; a strange canister from outer space crash lands near make-out point, the teen investigating is suddenly attacked by a leech-like creature. Almost thirty years later, young college students Chris Romero (Jason Lively) and J.C. Hooper (Steve Marshall) try to pledge a fraternity by stealing the body from a cryogenics lab, which Chris hopes will impress the pretty Cynthia Cronenberg (Jill Whitlow). Still carrying the alien parasite inside, the reanimated body spews more of the invading bugs, transforming their hosts into bloodthirsty zombies. With the help of Det. Ray Cameron (Tom Atkins), it is up to Chris and Cynthia to save the campus.
Not as sophisticated as Romero’s Dead series or as gross as Fulci, on its own, its funny, sometimes clever and always a total blast and wears its homage pedigree as a badge of honor with all the main characters being named after famous Directors; Chris Romero, Cynthia Cronenberg, Ray Cameron, J.C. (John Carpenter) Hooper, Detective Landis and Sergeant Rami.

 M.I.A. (Missing In Action) writer/Director Fred Dekker (creator of the also brilliant “The Monster Squad” and Director of the awful “Robocop 3) does not make fun his story, he celebrates the inherent absurdity and plays up the seriousness behind the camp. It’s a celebration of B-movie making at its finest; cheap special effects, speedy schedules, bad production values and tiny budgets, its all here to ingest and enjoy, the movie is having fun and wants us to participate as the characters drop one-liners faster than Schwarzenegger on speed. It is not a spoof nor is it filled with annoying self-ware meta-humor jokes, it fashions its own story, yet it is mindful of the clichés, stock characters, and situations that came before and plays them up. Even though it’s a bit of a stretch to call this a horror film, Dekker does keep things just serious enough without it being campy, yet still with plenty of jokes.
Performances are hard to gage in a movie like this since they are either intentionally bad or over-the-top, but either way, they work. Jason Lively (Rusty from “European Vacation, half-brother to Blake Lively) never set the world on fire with anything after this, but he is acceptable. He has a few good lines and gets to cut up a zombie with a push-lawnmower. Jill Whitlow (Weird Science) as his (yeah, right) object of affection tries to keep up, but almost gets lost in the insanity, but holds her own and is great to look at (whatever happened to her?) as she gets to use a flamethrower while wearing a homecoming dress.
The stand out, and one of the single best performances in a horror film of the 1980’s (Campbell as Ash and Freddy Krueger complete the list) is Tom Atkins as Ray Cameron. A clichéd film noir cop, he is played to the macho hilt. A hard-bitten, two –bit, hard drinking, smoking flatfoot that has seen this alien strangeness before and knows how to deal with them. Armed with a gun and a one-liner, Atkins is hilarious and iconic as he spouts off several memorable lines, totally deadpan, “Thrill Me,” when he gets some news or when the zombies arrive on the sorority’s girls doorsteps, “I have good news and bad news girls. The good news is your dates are here. The bad news, they’re dead!”
Twenty-five years later the film still has legs. Very much in the tradition of “Fright Night,” “Night of the Creeps” does not make fun of its heritage, but it does have a great time honoring it. It is a big block of cheese and total blast from start to finish. Where the hell is that sequel????

Candyman 

1992

“Sweet to the Sweets”

Criminally underrated, a forgotten gem in the 90′s, with its urban decay; cynical, disillusioned sensibilities, its courageous take on the role of minority was the first of its kind as it had a black man as the main baddie. It is a cerebral, sleek, menacing and outright creepy good old fashion ghost story told flawlessly that morphs into an unlikely love story.
Tony Todd stars as the title character born from an urban legend who comes to life in the ghetto neighborhood of Chicago at the infamous housing project known as Cabrini-Green.
Director Bernard Rose uses the landscape to get the thrills. With no Hollywood assistance, Chicago ghettos look like a warzone, graffiti and trash everywhere, there is a dread, evil permeates every urban scene and Rose’s direction takes the viewer on a smart, fierce, and pounding ride. Plenty of depth here as themes of racism, poverty and crime are explored to a delicate degree, it’s never bashed over the viewer’s head, more with a wagging finger.
Virginia Madsen is Helen, the Graduate student researching “Urban Legends” and is pulled into hell when she investigates the reports of sightings of a real “Candyman.” An excellent performance full of tragedy and sympathy as she is put in situations where she has to question her own sanity and the Candyman pursues her and acts as Satan-like figure offering many temptations. Surprising solid, as the original story is from Clive Barker, whose work has never really been given a decent treatment, but then it doesn’t really deserve it as his stuff is not all that good.

Composer Phillip Glass is the real star of the movie, I’m not sure if the film would still be talked about all these years later without it, as it stands, it’s memorable, catchy as it supports and gives weight to Glass’ lamenting black angels in kaleidoscopic dreamy rotting landscapes. Organs, horns and choral back ground singers give it a hint of g Gothic pretense and impending doom as Helen’s sanity slowly slips away.

 

BEST HORROR REMAKES
Horror films have been remade more than any other genre. Here are the absolute best ones. These are either on par or surpass the orginal.

 

Invasion the Body Snatchers

1978

The second incarnation of a total of four so far, (1956’s Invasion of the Body Snatchers, 1993’s “Body Snatchers,” 2007’s “The Invasion-all are based on Jack Finney’s 1955 book The Body Snatchers. It would seem the next remake will be called, “OF,”) is now regarded as a classic; taking the alien invasion of a small town and transporting it to the city of San Francisco, CA as strange pods from outer space attempt to replace its residents with alien duplicates.
Directed by Phillip Kaufman takes this very seriously and manages to create a moody, sinister, paranoid vibe draped in shadows and whispering voices. It’s a stretch to think anyone would notice other pod people in a city so large, but the story is convincing and the actors sell it.
It’s a constant tightrope of tension to watch as the characters try and figure out who is human or pod, we don’t know and the screenplay slaps us around until the Twilight Zone-style ending.
The main cast is excellent led by Donald Sutherland, Brook Adams, Veronica Cartwright, Jeff Goldblum and Leonard Nimoy.
Several faces from the original film make cameos, Kevin McCarthy, and the film’s Director Don Siegel as a Taxi driver.
The original film was a metaphor for communism, the tyranny of McCarthyism; the film replaced it with the skewering of the Me Decade and the self-help, touchy feely gurus of the day who tried to purge pain with a best-seller and turn everyone into the same person with bland conformity. This is embodied in his best non-Trek performance by Nimoy as Dr. David Kibner, a smug Psychiatrist. Stylish, clever effects never over power the story, especially the dog with the man’s face or the creepy pod people transformations, the effects merely propel the story to its scary conclusion. It is accomplished, knowing, and best of all: it works!

Fright Night

2011

On the surface it appears to be a pointless remake of the 1985 original, but dig a litter deeper and you will see a new identity has been carved out and the new version is just as funny and clever as the original, more so in a lot of ways. The gimmick is the right balance; it has equal shares of scares and laughs.
Who says your horror movies can’t laugh at themselves?
The proceedings are transplanted to Las Vegas where High School kid Charlie Brewster, (Anton Yelchin) lives with his mom (Toni Collette in a rare non-weeping role) and quickly suspects his new neighbor, Jerry Dandridge (Colin Ferrell) might be a Vampire. His mom, friends and girlfriend Amy, (Imogene Poots) all think he’s nuts. The trouble is, he has to prove it. He enlists the help of Kriss Angel look-alike Magician and self-proclaimed Vampire expert, Peter Vincent, (David Tennant), who of course tells him to get lost, at first, but eventually agrees to help.
After the deluge of the torture porn and the Tripe-light garbage, “Fright Night” is a welcomed throwback. Like the original, it’s a love letter to the Hammer horror days of yore. When Vampires were vamps; they didn’t emote, have angst or sparkle like cheap jewelry and could be dispatched relatively easy with stakes, garlic, holy water and sunlight. Although this incarnation is a bit too hip to embrace the Hammer kids, it follows the same path of not being too serious with it’s tongue firmly planted in cheek, but seriously enough that we are invested in the characters and have a good time.
Writer Marti Noxon knows a thing or two about vampires since ‘cutting her teeth’ as writer/producer of “Buffy the Vampire Slayer,” and like that brilliant series, delivers some genuine scary moments laced with a smart-alecky joke or two. The screenplay has the most fun with Collin Ferrell as Dandrige, for once the actor uses his ladies man reputation to its full advantage, turning it up full blast as he comes off charismatic and in balls deep douche bag mode. Toni Collette is great as Ma Brewster who is smitten by Jerry’s charms. Christopher Mintz-Plasse as Evil Ed is funny, but not nearly as inspired as Stephen Geoffreys from the original.
His utterance of the film’s iconic line, “You’re so cool, Brewster,” falls flat compared to the original. Yelchin as Brewster is the film’s best performance, convinced about Jerry, he’s obsessive, but not as crazed as William Ragsdale was in the original and far more resourceful. Tennant as Vincent is no Roddy McDowell, but he will do. He is there more to make fun of the goth/Kriss Angel culture than as a true Vampire killer.
Director Craig Gillespie uses Las Vegas surroundings effectively and to create an eerie mood and the city’s reputation for sin; for instance who would question a guy who only comes out at night? Although the 3D is a huge waste of time, “Fright Night manages to be one of the best horror remakes in recent years. It’s not high art, but it is tons of scary fun.

The Thing

1982

Opening just one week after “E.T.-The Extra Terrestrial,” in the summer of 1982, this gore-infected, machismo-laden shock fest didn’t stand a chance against Spielberg’s feel good opus or “Blade Runner’ which opened the same day.
What is now regarded as Carpenter’s masterpiece was a notorious box-office flop and met with hostile reviews from the critics and sci-fi fans who felt Carpenter had betrayed some kind of trust…whatever.
The first and the best in what the Director called his Apocalypse Trilogy, followed by “Prince of Darkness” and “In the Mouth of Madness” due to their bleak endings and sinister horror elements.
The trouble begins with a crashed space ship discovered under the ice and several members of an arctic research team that is menaced by an alien presence capable of imitating other life forms.
A remake of Howard Hawk’s 1951, “The Thing”, more accurately, based loosely, Carpenter took what worked in the original; the isolated location, the bickering characters and the menacing alien and imprinted his own frightening images. He was pressured from the studio to stick a woman in there, but he refused and the film works brilliantly because of it creating one of the best ensemble horror films ever made.
Kurt Russell stars as MacCready leads the charge as no-nonsense pilot that hates his current gig and hates his colleagues more, but when a mysterious creature begins to wreak havoc, they are forced to work together to survive.
A great supporting cast led by Wilford Brimley, Richard Dysart, T.K. Carter, Richard Masur and Keith David gives the film plenty of machismo and hubris as they fight amongst themselves trying to figure out what the hell is going on.
The best performance is not by the actors, but the main husky dog. He was given very little direction yet he appears to be under a trainers spell and would do whatever Carpenter wanted by a simple command or gesture.
Many critics complained the characters were unsympathetic and foul-mouthed, but they are missing the point. It is not about liking these people it’s about deciphering who is who, are they alien or human? Being in cramped quarters with people you do not trust while a killer is on the loose would make anyone cranky so to say they lack sympathy is utter bullcrap, its implicit.
Another critique was aimed at the gruesome monster effects, make-up, which is quite startling, to this day, the effects are flawless and stomach-churning. I could not imagine CGI even touching the palpable realism the effects display, especially the dog kennel sequence.
The constant parade of strange hybrid monsters is the point of the flick, to show how clever and insidious the alien is. Never knowing if it’s a man or a dog, that’s quite disturbing and the imagery backs it up.
Like John Landis’s own FX orgy per Baker in “American Werewolf in London;” Botten challenges the viewer to look away with the various changes and switcheroos between human, alien, dog and back again. The scene in the dog kennel is one of great artistry and disgust and still hard to watch as an ardent animal/dog lover. Another great sequence is splashed with some welcomed humor, has a character utter an oft- quoted line for disbelief when he witnesses the head of an infected colleague grows legs, scurries away like a spider and says “You’ve got to be f******’ kidding!”
Italian composer, Ennio Morricone offers up yet another great score, this time full of dread and atmosphere very much in the Carpenter spirit, so much so, I use to think it was Carpenter’s work.
A sad irony as this is the Director’s masterpiece, flawlessly written and executed, it’s the perfect study in paranoia, absolutely spellbinding at times. Thanks to cable, video rentals and DVD over the years, Carpenter, and the film have been vindicated.  Carpenter’s career took a major hit and never fully recovered forever relegating him to B movies.

Let Me In

2010
Rob Zombie and all the other hacks, take note, THIS is how you do a horror remake! If you cannot improve it or offer a unique perspective-, do not touch it. Forget that gooey trash unleashed with the idiotic “Twilight” saga tripe or the brain dead “Vampire Diaries!- it is time for the adults to play now.
It is also criminal how little publicity this film received. With the exception of some notable, positive reviews via the internet, the film came and went without sound or fury ignored by the ignorant masses more interested in the trashy SAW sequel.
A rare instance of a remake, this case the western interpretation of a stylish Swedish horror film from 2008 called “Let the Right One In,” exceeding expectations and being just as good as the original. Usually these adaptations lose something either in the translation or stupid studio heads ordering change just for the sake of change. That is certainly not the case here as everything great about the original is left intact, save for the location, this time in 1983 Los Alamos, New Mexico. Everything else, including and especially the creepy milieu set against the snowy landscape and the wonderful performances remain and exceed their original counterparts. Richard Jenkins stars as Abby’s father, Kodi Smit-McPhee as Owen and Chloë Grace Moretz as Abby. The kids own this movie; it is hard to believe they are not even teenagers as they tread some heavy emotional territory and reward us with intimacy instead of cheap sentiment. These kids are real actors, not mimics.
Practically perfect films are so rare, good horror films are even more so, “Let Me In,” is both. Not only emotionally, but on a technical level, the film is surprising as the level of sophistication is startling for an American horror film and for that alone Reeves needs to be applauded. Great effort was taken to not make this a vampire/horror film, even though it is and those elements are embraced, they aren’t the star. The real meat of the story is the effects and despair caused by divorce; the loneliness, the self-doubt it triggers.
My favorite moment is not even related to horror, but Hitchcock as Jenkins’s father character is in the backseat of an intended victim. He is about to do the unthinkable, but makes a mistake and loses his courage. Full of tension, we root for the guy when we know we should not; shot and performed brilliantly.
The film asks some tough questions about what it truly means to be evil. The nastiest character in the film is the boy next-door type that torments Owen for no discernible reason. Abby the Vampire, ironically, shows the most humanity by first befriending Owen and then later rescuing him from drowning by the bullies. Owen eventually learns what Abby is and doesn’t seem to mind that she eats people.
Composer Michael Gianchinno does his best yet, a retro feel, it captures the nuance of the characters and conveys abject terror and unconditional love with a beautiful texture and ease.
A true genre-buster; it works as a coming-of-age, horror and strangely sweet love story. Director Matt Reeves should be a household name by now in horror circles with this quiet masterpiece.

The Fly

1986

Director David Cronenberg delivered this strangely sympathetic story, based on the 1956 original starring Vincent Price, of a scientist who’s DNA becomes combined with a housefly after his teleportation experiments fail.
Geena Davis plays the reporter, Veronica Quaife, tracking the story. Jeff Goldblum plays Seth Brundle and he is very good, capturing the good doctor’s slow decent into madness that turns into desperation, futility and eventually nihilism as his dreams disintegrate and have to be terminated.
One of his most engaging roles; he is poignant, disturbing and darkly comic at the same time. Davis mirrors his reactions perfectly, as she is faced with the strangest of strange situations. A well-modulated performance that does not turn into a screeching harpy so we feel for her when she is faced with profound dilemmas.
The real star of the film is its Director Cronenberg, known for his intense, bizarre imagery, he does not disappoint. The gore factor is turned up to stomach-turning levels of a mad genius at work. For instance, when Brundle-fly wants to eat something, he vomits on it, like a real fly and scoops up the residue- yum or when Quaife has a nightmare of giving birth to Brundle’s “maggot,” ick!
Similar in resolve to Carpenter’s The Thing, a few barf-bag moments do not a movie make so we get plenty of thematic sustenance; like the dangers of playing God and tampering with nature and the complexities of what they are attempting to emulate. The film isn’t against technology, it’s merely stressing its limited capacities along with humanity’s hubris and ego to surpass its creator.
His personal touches are there; the stylish somber tones, gross-out effects, ambiguous, gruesome biological masses and sex scenes that make us queasy as much as they titillate. For some Directors that would be enough, but “The Fly” moves beyond and is a smart, compelling allegory that constantly pushes the characters in daring directions giving off a psychological claustrophobia and eventual sadness- a masterpiece in every sense of the word.

Dawn of the Dead

2004

Before the zombie genre was over-saturated and depleted. Remake fever in Hollywood had hit its zenith with this announcement- critics and fans rightfully scoffed at the mere idea of a remake of such a perfect horror film.
A foolish idea from the giddy-up for sure, yet Director Zack Snyder makes an impressive debut and comes out of it as one of the new Hollywood golden boys. Although not nearly as witty or snide as the original, this redo is damn fine by itself and offers plenty of quality gruesome imagery.
Sarah Polley and Ving Rhames star as two of the last remaining people on an earth that has been ravaged by flesh-eating zombies. After escaping to a shopping mall with a handful of other survivors, they decide that they only way to truly elude the approaching mass of undead is to somehow make their way to an island that is supposedly zombie-free.
Other than the shopping mall, allusions to the original stop right there. I give credit to Snyder for trying to distinguish his take. Like or hate them, the running zombies add some nice elements to an already overdone sub-genre. Granted, there was something prophetic and poetic about Romero’s slow-moving lumbering creations, the running ones scare the piss out of you as if a rabid dog is baring its fangs ready for action.
This film had me at hello when I heard the great song, “The Man Comes Around” by Johnny Cash, about The Rapture, playing over the opening credits. Running zombies, crashing vehicles and overall mayhem- what a sight- this was going to be a hard movie to dislike. Like George’s this one is not without a sense of humor, my favorite was the celebrity look-alike game, (Rosie O’Donnell!, Burt Reynolds?) as the sniper shoots the approaching zombies.
The only flaw of the film is that it is named after a horror icon. Had this been named anything else, it may have been greeted more warmly from horror fans. As it is, it’s far better than it deserves and manages to tell one helluva of an apocalyptic tale. Completely pointless, this one won me over and although not nearly as clever or knowing as Romero’s, it is a damn fine zombie movie and even better remake.

 

The Blob

1988

A hot trend in the 1980’s was to remake horror/monster movies from the 1950’s and it mostly worked; The Thing, The Fly, and The Blob being the best of the lot, while others, Invaders from Mars, flopped and were largely forgotten.
The 1958 original Blob’s only known distinction is that it was Steve McQueen’s and Anita Corsaut first’s (Andy Griffith Show) first starring roles as teenagers, despite their ages, she 25 and he 28. It is a stretch to call this a horror film considering it is about as scary as an episode of the “The Munsters,” but as a monster movie, it mostly works. Still with its campy tone, this cheapie, aimed at the drive-in crowd, made lots of money on its miniscule budget and quickly became a cult classic.
The remake is a vastly different affair; with changed sensibilities and improved special effects, it eschews the campy tone of the first, (no goofy theme song for one or stilted acting) and plays up the horror elements and gross-out moments.
Written by Chuck Russell, who would also Direct and Frank Darabont, (yes, THAT Frank Darabont) the film follows the same path; strange meteor falls from the sky engulfs anything in its path until two young people bring attention to the deadly menace.
Performances are a fine, Kevin Dillon’s hairstyle is a separate story of another kind of horror, but is amusing as the male lead as his machismo goes into overdrive. Some strange miscasting with Joe Seneca as a Government stooge, but it’s Shawnee Smith being the stand out, cute and very capable, but honestly, who cares? With a title like this, I do not tune in for Shakespearian style acting that moves the soul- BAH! I want to see people eaten by the ooze and thankfully, that is provided without mercy.
My favorite moment is the transient, whose lower half is turned into a pizza-like gooey soup or the guy sucked down the sink drain.
Plenty of action and adventure, its miles ahead of the original is every way. Its great fun and the special effects are top-notch. A shame, since the film was a box-office disaster and was ignored by genre fans, but it has gained some ground over the years and acknowledged as one of the best horror remakes of its time.
A goofball sequel to the original followed in 1972, called “Beware, the Blob!” Directed by Larry Hagman has fun with the concept but is played mainly for laughs, both intended and unintentional. Hack, purveyor of crap, Rob Zombie has threatened us with his own version of a remake. Please don’t.

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