Favorite scary/suspense films

[wallofboingo]

Black Christmas is a really good one! Has one of the single scariest shots I've ever seen in a movie.
Another one I want to add is Lamberto Bava's "Shock." The movie isn't that great, but near the end there is a "jump scare" that never fails to make me leap out of my seat. If you watch it, you'll know what I mean.

[bruiser]

i wish black christmas was on dvd- i've only seen bits of it, and it's only on vhs i think...

as for "shock"- i tried and tried to like it after enjoying the first 30 minutes or so, and i'm a fan of the bavas. and i loved the hand coming out of the wardrobe, that was great. but the end... er.. not so much. and i'm a huge daria nicoladi fan, and the goblin score was great too... oh well, different strokes. my b.f. didn't care for "the beyond" at all, and i loved it, mostly. even the hell/limbo ending. (i've spoiled nothing, it won't make sense any way you watch it)

[wallofboingo]

Fulci films aren't made to make sense, they are solely there to provide moments of visceral reaction. I don't like Shock, either. I was just commenting that it had a really good jump scene at the end.
By the way, Black Christmas does exist on DVD. There is a 25th anniversary edition with commentary by Bob Clark, the director, on it.

[phillyidol]

Whats black christmas about?

[devildog]

[quote][i]Originally posted by phillyidol[/i]
<br>Whats black christmas about?
[/quote]

Phillyidol, Trust me, just rent it. Although it may seem a bit dated since it was made in 1974 and does not have buckets of gore, I still think you will find it creepy and suspenseful. Plus, their is no definite ending or resolution to the film, which makes it doubly disturbing. That is all I will say. I do not want to give up any of the plot.[}:)]

[wallofboingo]

It is about a group of girls in a sorority house over Christmas break that are harassed by a "breather" over the phone. What starts off as an apparent prank becomes much more serious when one of the girls disappears and it becomes clear that they are being watched. Builds to a very suspenseful ending. Since it was filmed in 1974, it was years ahead of the early 80's slasher craze that it may have contributed in creating.

[phillyidol]

I'm getting it this week.

Anybody remember the hills have eyes? Want to talk about dated? Check out the son in his way too tight high water pants.

[wallofboingo]

Nearly every film made in the 70's is severely dated. That's probably part of the appeal, in my eyes. Black Christmas is less dated than a lot of them, though.

[bruiser]

[quote][i]Originally posted by wallofboingo[/i]
<br>Nearly every film made in the 70's is severely dated. That's probably part of the appeal, in my eyes. Black Christmas is less dated than a lot of them, though.
[/quote]


i agree about the appeal of great 70's horror. i also like it when there is a really low budget too, so film makers have to get creative i.e. "texas chainsaw massacre" or "don't look in the basement." there is a certain charm to these technically unaccomplished films, making them more interesting and entertaining than a lot of big budget crap.

p.s.
(i'm about c.g.i.'d out by the way. i've had it with high concept computer trickery).

[wallofboingo]

Bruiser, I love you. If you weren't a man, I'd give you a big sloppy kiss. And I'm not ruling that out for later.
Not one CGI effect has ever frightened me before. It totally takes me out of the film when a CGI effect (especially a bad CGI effect) is used for no good reason. Gore should never be done using computers when there are so many good makeup artists working right now.
In my opinion, a low budget is great for a horror film. I'm not saying you can make a scary flick by rounding up your friends, picking up a Panasonic, and mixing some Karo syrup and red food coloring, though. But the scariness of something like Texas Chainsaw Massacre is in how gritty and realistic it is. If that had been made by a major studio with "name" actors, the result wouldn't have been half as good. When I first watched that movie, I was floored by how intense it was and how good the performances were. The main girl, Marilyn Burns, is bar none the best "terrified" actress I have ever seen. You really think that she is going insane in that flick by the end. The remake is a complete bastardization of that film and I hate it. The only good thing about it is R. Lee Ermey's performance, because he can play a great psycho at the drop of a hat. Everything else absolutely blew.

[phillyidol]

I agree with you two. The build up of suspence is the scariest thing in a movie. The first alien movie. You never knew what was going to happen(all new concept)next and you were supprised alot. Blair witch 2- you never really saw anything but it scared you. When I'm yelling don't go in there to my tv set, it's good.

But my favorites are the cheesey old b movies. I love seeing the plastic head of the costume falling off. Stuff like plan 9 from outer space.

[wallofboingo]

Phillyidol, I suggest you see Session 9. I think this is a very underrated horror film for exactly the reason you provided. You have no idea what is going on and are kept in the dark for the whole movie until the ending, which scares me every time I watch it.

[MARV]

The Shining w/Jack Nicholson without question, hands down! A truly awesome film directed by a truly awesome director, Stanley Kubrick.

This creepy, psycho - horror is still disturbing for me to watch, even to this day!

[WolverineSyr]

Seems appropriate to ressurect this thread from the dead.

My favorites:
Blair Witch - don't know why it scared me so much. I slept with the lights on for 2 nights![:I] I think being lost in the woods and something is out there, after you - really freaks me out.

When a Stranger Calls - It was the first "huge shock" I ever saw in a movie. I'm sorry to hear they're remaking it.

Frankenstein - the original. I love the goth atmosphere - maybe one of the most spooky looking movies ever made. It makes me sad though - he didn't want to be a monster - but people made him that way. Very cool movie.

Dark Night of the Scarecrow - old TV movie about a dead retarded man who comes back as a scarecrow, stalking the rednecks who murdered him.

The Others.

The original Halloween.

Near Dark - Vampires in a Winnebago hunting for stupid cowboys & white trash - how can you go wrong??? Great death scene at the end - "good times...good times..." If you've seen it - you'll know what I'm talking about.

And, the usual 50's B-movie stuff - Creature From the Black Lagoon, etc.

[My Aural Stimulator]

Thanks, Wolverine, for bumping this. I had NO idea so many creepy movies existed. I guess I'd better get hot on it.