Claire is...

ANOTHER TOP FIVE: HORROR MOVIES

I realized when making the last top five that I love horror films so much and there are so many good ones that I couldn’t leave it at one top five so as it’s Halloween and all here’s another list…

1. THE HAUNTING (1963)

The remake of this doesn’t even come close to the original. It’s a truly haunting story of a group taking part in a paranormal experiment in a super creepy house. The scenes with the banging coming from just outside the door make actual hairs stand up on the back of my neck.

2. DEAD OF NIGHT (1945)

The original, and in some ways the best, British anthology horror film. It starts with a man talking about a strange dream, which leads to others in the group to tell their tales of the supernatural, the ventriloquist dummy is the one that stands out here though.

3. HIGH TENSION (2003)

This is a gory entry into the top five, I don’t shy away from gore, I just don’t find it as scary as the kind of horrors that are more understated and uses your own imagination to create the fear. That being said, I was on the edge of my seat watching the seemingly unrelenting dread-fest that was this film. The suspense was immense and the ending was unusually surprising.

4. MISERY (1990)

This is one of those films that I can watch over and over. It’s maybe not classed as a horror by everyone – but the scene with the legs (if you’ve seen it, you know) I think is more horrific that a lot of modern gore-based horror. The psychology behind the character of Annie Wilkes is fascinating and the idea of a kindly sinister psychopath is terrifying.

5. THE EXORIST (1973)

This is a classic, and for a good reason. When I was a kid I was so keen to watch this (and wasn’t allowed to) that I read the book (some of it was a little dull and the film is a lot better). Not only is the film great, with some really ingenious tricks to make the special effects (the documentary of the making of is a really interesting watch), but the added bonus of the stories of the curse surrounding it makes it one of the most famous horror films of all time. Plus a bonus piece of trivia – did you know that a real life murderer was cast as an extra in this film?  See more information here: http://www.blumhouse.com/2017/04/13/did-you-know-theres-a-serial-killer-in-the-exorcist/

Just because I could go on forever I’m going to add more honorable mentions to the list:

PONTYPOOL (2008)

THE TEXAS CHAIN SAW MASSACRE (1974)

A NIGHTMARE ON ELM STREET(1984)

ROSEMARY'S BABY (1968)

THE CONJURING (2013)

THE STRANGERS (2008)

JU-ON: THE GRUDGE (2002)

THE COLLECTOR (1965)

THE BEAST WITH FIVE FINGERS (1946)

TWISTED NERVE (1968)

DOROTHY MILLS (2008)

BASKET CASE (1982)

EYES WITHOUT A FACE (1960)