MovieChat Forums > Prince of Darkness (1987) Discussion > The October Ten (scariest movies)

The October Ten (scariest movies)

posted 17 years ago by Miss_October
36 replies | jump to latest

The ten scariest movies of all time, according to me, listed in reverse chronological order.
Feel free to disagree, but these are the only ones ever to disturb MY sleep.

1)The Ring (2002) If this one doesn’t scare you, you must already be dead. More twists than a licorice whip and a truly corrupt, truly evil villain, plus some really unforgettable imagery. Definitely a must-see. Some say the Japanese-language original, Ringu, is better, but I can’t see how it could be.

2) The Woman in Black (1989) An extremely atmospheric, spine-tingling story of a malevolent ghost who haunts a small English seaside town. This British TV movie is extremely difficult for Americans or Australians to get ahold of, but well worth the trouble; some scenes are literally terrifying.

3) Prince of Darkness (1987) Would have been a better film without the gratuitous gore and a few silly moments, but still ultra-scary, especially on an intellectual level. A seeming throwaway bit of atmosphere eventually gives birth to a revelation that will likely poison your sleep for days.

4) The Shining (1980) Kubrick’s masterful manipulation of the spinal nerves yields some of the scariest moments ever committed to film. An intensely claustrophobic film whose scariest moments are not the most obvious ones.

5) Phantasm (1979) is a very strange, very disconcerting look at a young teenage boy’s psyche using fairly conventional horror-movie elements in an original and truly frightening fashion. The existence of inane sequels does nothing to rob the original of any of its power to scare.

6) Don’t Be Afraid of the Dark (1973) A made-for-TV (!!!) creepfest which expertly plays with childhood fears of nasty, dark little places and nasty, dark little creatures that GET you. Slowly turns the screws on you until you are about to scream.

7) The Exorcist (1973) Floating beds and floating images, horrific implications, heads turning completely around and especially the spider walk; try to forget about the satires and see it as though for the first time. Often imitated but never equalled.

8) Let’s Scare Jessica to Death (1971) This film dares to begin with the last scene, and guess what? It doesn’t remove one iota of the suspense. Moving pictures and wallpaper, a creepy old town, a maybe-crazy woman and a maybe-vampire keep the viewer’s skin crawling throughout and mind guessing long after it’s over.

9) The Haunting (1963) Forget the idiotic special-effect-laden remake. The original does a better job with NO special effects whatsoever, proving that scary is not about money; it’s about atmosphere, and the atmosphere in this is tangible. The knocking scene almost made me jump out of my skin!

10) Curse of the Demon (1957) Very subdued, very atmospheric and very, very scary. Even the eventual on-screen appearance of the demon does not ruin this film’s understated creepiness.

Note that a movie had to be scary THROUGHOUT to make the list. For instance, even though Psycho has some genuinely scary moments, it is predominantly a suspense/mystery and not a horror movie and so misses. The Blair Witch Project, though very frightening in the middle third, wastes its energy in the final third of the film and so loses out. Slasher films are also not included because they are primarily designed to shock rather than frighten (not at ALL the same thing, though the original A Nightmare on Elm Street comes close).

Woman is the Earth and Man is the Sky.

[–] MadSimian 17 years ago

Since you seem to have some UNcommon sense and understand what is truly scary as opposed to just shocking or gory, I'm going to totally agree with your list(even though I haven't seen all of the movies you listed). In fact I'm going to look around for the movies I haven't seen yet; thanks for bringing them to my attention. :D

Don't watch Beavis and Butthead expecting Kubrick and don't listen to Beethoven expecting ICP.

[–] m-board 17 years ago

I may not agree with the order, but that is a damn good list (though I now need to track down 8 and 10 since I've never heard of either.) I'd also probably want to find a slot for JC's The Thing and perhaps Exorcist 3 (an amazingly understated film) as well.

[–] Miss_October 17 years ago

Thanks, M! But how can you disagree with the order, when it's reverse chronological?

Woman is the Earth and Man is the Sky.

[–] mojojobob 17 years ago

Your list is alright. The Shining should be at the top, but then it would be my list. Some to add.

Texas Chainsaw Massacre

The Brood

Nosferatu

Inland Empire

Rosemary's Baby

http://whatsnewinspace.blogspot.com

[–] Miss_October 17 years ago

How could The Shining be at the top, when it's in reverse chronological order and the other movies are newer?

Woman is the Earth and Man is the Sky.

[–] mojojobob 17 years ago

I obviously misunderstood. I've never seen a list ordered that way. I should read more closely.

http://whatsnewinspace.blogspot.com

[–] Miss_October 17 years ago

It's hard enough to pick a top ten, let alone figure out EXACTLY what order of scariness they belong in! That's just a little too arbitrary for me.

Woman is the Earth and Man is the Sky.

[–] kaiju0 16 years ago

Miss O, did you ever get around to watching Ringu? I was helping a buddy pick out some good horror and remembered your list.

If not, I'm going to do something most people don't...I'm going to recommend that you don't see it. Clearly I have an appreciation of Japanese film, but I often find myself frustrated with some certain tendencies, and Ringu does indulge in one of my most hated. It's a minor spoiler, so if you haven't seen it and plan on seeing it, I'll let you find it on your own.

[–] Miss_October 16 years ago

I am also frustrated with certain tendencies in Japanese cinema, and since A) I like The Ring just fine, and B) my husband dislikes subtitles, I see no compelling reason to buy Ringu.

Woman is the Earth and Man is the Sky.

[–] solaribalu 16 years ago

Kaiju and Miss October, I'm curious to know what you mean by "certain tendencies"....? I quite liked the Japanese Ring myself.

I'm interested in the recommendations I haven't seen, as I think really good horror is hard to come by (and by really good, I mean tasteful and frightening at just the right balance). I always think I'm more interested in it than I end up being, and I think it's because I can't say I like horror as a genre, as there's just so much of it I don't think I like.

[–] Miss_October 16 years ago

I think horror is probably my favorite genre. There is a great deal of bad horror, of course, and the genre is only barely alive today. Unfortunately, most people's idea of "horror" is slasher movies, which are acually not even related to horror; of all other genres they are most closely related to porn, since both slasher movies and porn descend from the old exploitation genre, which featured both nudity and graphic violence. Indeed, one would be hard-pressed to find a slasher movie in which there is no gratuitous nudity and the violence is not at least somewhat sexualized.

As for Japanese cinema, I can't speak for Kaiju but the conventions which annoy me most are the insistence on comic relief in nearly every movie and the tendency to explain everything (for instance in The Grudge, any possibility of horror is destroyed by explaining the whole thing in literally the first minute of the movie).

Woman is the Earth and Man is the Sky.

[–] kaiju0 16 years ago

Ugh. Ju-On is HORRIBLE, and The Grudge is WORSE!

Amazingly bad. Visuals great, story unbelievably bad.

A friend of mine and I have a pretty heated discussion regarding the state of horror today. I maintain that it is an almost dead art form (I'm punny!) while he was saying that due to the rise on on-line entertainment that it is growing. I think in a way he's correct, but the talent level that is creating horror is more amateurish, and the high quality, top tier talent horror is a thing of the past. There may be more actual titles available, but overall they aren't nearly as good. I think this transcends horror, that there are multiple avenues in which poor product is made more available.

Also, Kairo...fantastic. The Pulse...horrible.

And I'm still raving about The Host (Gweomul), Korean movie, but Paladin might not like it, the dub is THE WORST I've ever heard. Seriously. But the subtitles are minimal, so maybe he would be okay with it. And of course, as dopey fun, The Brotherhood Of The Wolf, which I prefer in the original French, but it is actually a really good dub job. Not really a horror film, though. I love the tremendous Hammer homage in it.

[–] kaiju0 16 years ago

Well, every third person being psychic is one of my beefs, and Ringu definately indulges.

One of the things that I love about Japanese cinema is that they often rely on the camera to tell much more story than the dialogue, however, that has led them to a weakness with dialogue. So, when most Japanese filmmakers have to use dialogue it is much weaker than American efforts to do the same. That's another reason why I prefer The Ring to Ringu.

Good horror is increasingly rare. Part of the problem is that it isn't truly popular, so it's not going to get the support of the studios.

On a slight side note, if you get the chance, I do encourage you to find a few of Miss O's recommendations. Her taste in horror is excellent. I would also recommend The Wicker Man (the original NOT the Nick Cage version), the original Halloween (only, no others), Fright Night (lot of comedy mixed in, but a great vampire film), Carpenter's The Fog, Carpenter's The Thing, and Behind The Mask: The Rise of Leslie Vernon (which is in a way a deconstruction of slasher films, very entertaining).

[–] solaribalu 16 years ago

Thanks for your responses and sorry for such a delay replying. Interesting points...That’s funny, maybe that’s why I was put off The Grudge so quickly, though I can’t remember any humour in the Japanese Ring – or is it just me! Yes, Miss O’s selection is good and that’s why I’ll be looking out for those on the list I haven’t seen. As for yours Kaiju, I have seen a few of those. I tend to prefer old horror classics, though I’m not sure why. Perhaps it’s because they’re more about their spooky ideas than about wanting to shock. They are not gratuitously nasty as a slasher movie would be. I can’t sit through those.

[–] kaiju0 16 years ago

I find extremely few slasher films to be good films in any respect. That's why I will occasionally heap praise if I find a good one.

Behind The Mask is a film ABOUT horror films, and by default, horror fans. It treats the fans with a bit of good natured ribbing for putting up with what they have in the past.

If a slasher film is put together properly, it can be tremendous. Alien is a classic slasher film. But most people don't recognize it as such.

Personally, my favorite horror films seem to be the ones I saw on late night TV as a kid, and most of those were Hammer films from the 60's and early 70's. I find myself constantly moving towards those or those in that style.

I would also recommend the Hammer box set if you can afford it. I don't have it, but if I can afford it I will be picking it up eventually.

[–] solaribalu 16 years ago

my favorite horror films seem to be the ones I saw on late night TV as a kid, and most of those were Hammer films from the 60's and early 70's. I find myself constantly moving towards those or those in that style.

Same here! But you know what, they don't always scare me too much, which maybe defeats the object. The truth is I'm a bit of a scaredy-cat and I'll be frightened by films not technically horror, such as David Lynch's films and Tales of the Unexpected!!!

The Hammer box - is that a collection of Hammer films, or Hammer House of Horror? That did scare me as a youngster! (Can't afford it; usually I wait patiently for TV showings and my DVD rental service).

[–] kaiju0 16 years ago

I was thinking of the set of films, but the House Of Horror is very good as well.

[–] Miss_October 16 years ago

I love horror movies of the 50s and 60s, even the ones which are more spooky-fun than scary (like anything with Vincent Price in it). A few of my favorites which didn't quite make the list:

Burn, Witch, Burn (1962 - http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0056279/) incredibly stupid title, but a great film adapted by Charles Beaumont and Richard Matheson from the novel Conjure Wife by their friend Fritz Leiber.
The Night Walker (1964 - http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0058403/) a very creepy, very atmospheric film by William Castle.
The Black Cat (1934 - http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0024894/) with Lugosi and Karloff; it contains some genuinely shocking scenes with powerful sexual overtones.
The Mummy (1932 - http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0023245/) with Karloff again as an evil undead high priest, rather than the usual lumbering bandaged robot of later "mummy" films.
Gargoyles (1972 - http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0068622/) was a TV movie with an excellent concept and some genuinely scary scenes; this movie was the basis for the favorite make-believe among the children in my grandmother's neighborhood, and I was ALWAYS Diana!
The Monster Club (1980 - http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0081178/) has three stories and a frame; the frame is absurd, the first story is sad and the second comical, but the third is pure horror.

And any of the old Amicus anthologies (I know you like those as well, Solari!)

Alien is a classic slasher film. But most people don't recognize it as such.

Bang on, Kaiju! I have always referred to that movie as "Jason in Space", to the annoyance of my friends who liked it.

Woman is the Earth and Man is the Sky.

[–] solaribalu 16 years ago

Thanks for another great-looking list of recommendations! It's quite frustrating that more than half the films on my personal rental list are on an indefinite reserve list, meaning they're unavailable for now. A few of the films you recommend aren't even listed! Still, I intend to get to see at least a few over the next few cold autumnal weeks.

[–] Miss_October 16 years ago

I assume you're talking about Netflix or a UK equivalent? Which movies on that list don't they have? I own them all and could easily be persuaded to copy them for you.

Woman is the Earth and Man is the Sky.

[–] solaribalu 16 years ago

That's right, the UK equivalent is Lovefilm (I gave up with my local stores as they didn't have a great selection). But please don't go through all that trouble, I'm bound to see most of them eventually... it's just that they'll entail a longer wait. I have added your films to an existing list of other '50s-'70s horror some of which have been on a long wait - and then of course there are the other (non-horror) films - loads of them! It will take me time to get round to all of them anyway. One which really interested me on your list that I couldn't find was The Night Walker, but I'm not too surprised, as I often go looking for films that don't appear on the site at all (Curse of the Demon comes under a different title - Night of the Demon, and is on the Reserve list. I must remember to check the UK v US titles!)

However, a few of those films you recommended are on the OK list (with a possible short wait) and there are plenty of films to keep me watching there. But thanks so much for your kind offer.

[–] solaribalu 16 years ago

I recently got to see Night of the Eagle and really enjoyed it...I was gripped from the start. I wondered if you've seen Whistle and I'll Come to You http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0063381/ based on the very chilling short story by M R James. The short film is really understated with a creepy atmosphere.

[–] Miss_October 16 years ago

No, but it's on my wish list now! And BTB, And Now the Screaming Starts is steadily working its way up the stack, and we'll be seeing it in the next few months.

Woman is the Earth and Man is the Sky.

[–] solaribalu 16 years ago

And Now the Screaming Starts - I also got around to seeing that again, after more than 25 years! I was amazed at how much I remembered and amused by the parts I thought I'd remembered. I think they should have stuck by its original title The Bride of Fengriffen, based on a book - something I didn't know until this viewing.

[–] negro_octubre 15 years ago

Agree with the OP

Kairo (Pulse)
The Exorcist 3
Night of the Living Dead
Day of the Dead
28 Days Later
The Innocents
Dawn of the Dead Remake. I like the original but it's not as scary as the other two

[–] browsertoo 15 years ago

Guys, can't we fit Jacob's Ladder in this list somewhere? That scene where Tim Robbins is watching his girlfriend (Elizabeth Pena) dance with some random guy and then it gets all sexual and she start sprouting fangs and claws and who knows what else just completely freaked me out as no movie had before. The only thing I can compare it to for "freak-out" value is the scene in The Thing where the head sprouted spider legs and crawled off. Both of those scenes still wig me out to this day.

[–] richwicz 15 years ago

Films that scared me on first viewing include:
Invasion of the Body Snatchers (1978)
The Sentinel (1977)
Black Christmas (1974)
The Changeling (1980)
Prince of Darkness
Salem's Lot (1979)
The Exorcist
The Evil Dead

[–] mwhite182 15 years ago

I agree with most of your list Miss October, with the exception of The Ring which I never found to be scary at all. Other than that your list is excellent. If I could chime in on some good slashers that are actually not full of gratuitous violence and nudity, Black Christmas (1974) is genuinly creepy and John Carpenters Halloween is of the same style and very effective in it ability to bring out the creepy factor first and the violence second. Another good movie that hasn't been mentioned at all is a French film called Spoorloos (The Vanishing). It's not so much a horror film, so I wouldn't expect it to have made your list, but the ending is so horrible (not bad, but what happens to the character is horrible) that it sends chills down your spine. There was an American remake in the early ninties with Kurt Russel and Jeff Bridges, but it changed up the ending and wasn't nearly as good. I'd also recommend The Serpent and The Rainbow, it was a different take on zombie sub-genre and is based on reality which makes it so frightening.

"Eternal damnation your just reward. A servent of our lord, by your accord." - Slayer

[–] shawn_381 15 years ago

Great thread - I remember many of the movies mentioned from my youth and through to today. I don't agree with every choice mentioned here, but that's just taste - i do agree with horror being about atmosphere and timing rather than gore and all that.

The Haunting is at the top for me - saw it as an adult and was literally looking behind my back as I walked up the stairs later that night. Recent film that creeped me that same way was "Paranormal Activity", and once again all about atmosphere and the unseen horror.

BTW, the american version of The Vanishing starred Keifer Sutherland and Jeff Bridges, not Kurt Russell. Just FYI.

[–] colour-blind-hedgehog-in-a-bag 15 years ago

I'm sorry. I love Prince Of Darkness and indeed The Haunting and The Shining, but you lost me straight away with your number one. It is inferior to the original in almost every way.

[–] Miss_October 15 years ago

you lost me straight away with your number one

Did you miss the words "reverse chronological order"? I ask because many people seem to, somehow.

Woman is the Earth and Man is the Sky.

[–] colour-blind-hedgehog-in-a-bag 15 years ago

Alright then - it shouldn't be number one or number ten. It's crap.

[–] Miss_October 15 years ago

I take it the concept of "opinion" is unfamiliar to you?

Woman is the Earth and Man is the Sky.

[–] colour-blind-hedgehog-in-a-bag 15 years ago

Do I really have to stick "in my opinion" on the end of ALL my posts? Couldn't you have filled in that blank yourself?

[–] bloodrose47 15 years ago

When Micheal Calls

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0067977/

Get ready for The Obamanation!

[–] InfiniteInertia 11 years ago

Nice to see some of the old "true horror, not slasher" titles in your list Miss O, like Woman in black (original) obviously remade now, The haunting, etc.

If you liked those check out "The Stone Tapes" another made-for-tv affair, similar to "Whistle and I'll come to you".

I agree that horror as a meaningful story-telling genre is on a downward spiral, and with the sentiment regarding more available due to online streaming services, but not necessarily delivering in terms of quality.

...You can never put too much thought into something worthwhile; merely not enough...