With a massive resurgence of horror films on the market today, and with almost every ‘80s film being remade, which films do you check out this Halloween? I say let’s throw it back to the greats. These are the films that not only scared the shit out of me as a kid, but also helped catapult the horror genre into a new era. What Lugosi and Hitchcock started in the ‘40s and ‘50s was carried on by these fine boys and girls and continues to live on today. So here it is! A collection of gore, nudity and blood-fueled fun!
10) Dead Alive (1992)
Years before Peter Jackson took Frodo and the gang up Mt. Doom, he gave us a delightful little story chalked full of blood, guts and dead baby fun. It’s full to the brim with bad acting, zombie sex and enough blood to make the heaviest of periods look like a paper cut. Jackson amps up the carnage in this zombie classic and “Dead Alive” takes home the title of “goriest film ever made.”
09) Puppet Master (1989)
Describe your perfect evening. If it involves being brutally killed by blood-thirsty puppets, all jacked up on brain juice, then you’ve got a date! An Egyptian life tonic brings a puppet masters creations to life, wreaking havoc on an unsuspecting group of psychics. With some of the best characters of the 80’s and with the 10th installment slated for release in 2010, it’s a must see for any horror buff.
08) Night of the Living Dead (1968)
Holed up in a barn house, a small group must survive hoards of the living dead and work together to escape a gruesome fate. Widely regarded as the father of zombies, director George A. Romero hits a home run with this black and white classic. Tension and a lust for brains fuel this baby. Often imitated, never duplicated, the one that started it all.
07) The Evil Dead (1981)
The undead? Ya! Shotguns? Yes please! A chin that just won’t quit? Fuck yeah! That silly man in all the Spiderman movies is Bruce Campbell and in 1981 he gave the “dead-ites” what for, with a sparkling smile, a never quit attitude and a fist full of boomstick! Stuck in a cabin in the middle of nowhere, Ash and company must survive the weekend and fend off the evil unleashed by an ancient book of the dead.
06) Halloween (1978)
A killer returns after a 15-year stint in a mental hospital and rains hell on Haddonfield, IL once more. You know him, you love him. Michael Myers. ‘Nuff said!
05) The Texas Chainsaw Massacre (1974)
Hauling in over US$30 million at the American box office alone, and inspiring directors the likes of Alexandre Aja and Rob Zombie, TCM brought horror into a new era. After watching this gritty, fast paced, kill-a-thon at the hands of an inbred and seriously dysfunctional Texan family, you will forever question southern hospitality. If you like chainsaws, cannibals and flesh eating grandpas, (and let’s face it, who doesn’t?) then this is the film for you.
04) Friday the 13th (1980)
With 12 films in the bag, and the second remake on the way, the Friday franchise has forever cemented Jason’s place among the greats. So cuddle up with a warm blanket, pop some corn and watch Mama Voorhees avenge her son by butchering a bunch of horny and boozed-up teens. If nothing else, you’ll have another movie to add to your six degrees of Kevin Bacon arsenal.
03) IT (1990)
Say what you will of Mr. King, but Pennywise is one scary fucking clown! The (then) master of terror brings us a tale of pure evil that can manifest itself into our worst fears. The two-part TV movie spans the lives of seven childhood friends and their battle against the ancient evil haunting their town. IT offers up classic horror scares and has forever ruined the circus for thousands of children everywhere.
02) The Exorcist (1973)
Complete with a “fuck me, Jesus” and a crucifix dildo, The Exorcist sparked both controversy and gripped audiences in pure terror. To this day it can reduce a grown man to tears and give way to more “I need a young priest and an old priest” jokes than could ever be counted. A truly frightening tale about the exorcism of a possessed young girl.
01) A Nightmare on Elm Street (1984)
Most kids go to sleep and dream of being rich and famous, or in my case of being the fifth Ninja Turtle (my name was Paulangelo, before you ask), but the children of Elm St. got a raw fucking deal. A burnt up child murderer with a glove full of razor blades is looking to make them a little lighter in the blood department — and he’s doing it in their sleep! With the most terrifying concept ever conceived, Mr. Krueger tops this list out at No. 1.
