Top 20 Horror Movies - #15) Suspiria (1977)

One of the things that I'm doing this month as I celebrate Halloween here in the Land of Way is taking the time to rank my Top 20 Horror Movies and my Top 20 Horror Novels.

Note:
I want to be clear that I'm basing these choices on my own humble opinion.  I'm not trying to rank these movies in accordance with their place in pop culture, but I'm offering up my take on the best horror films that I have ever watched and enjoyed.  There are some familiar candidates that I consider to be great pictures that didn't make the cut because there wasn't room, and there are some films that are widely regarded as great pictures that didn't make the cut because I feel that they are overrated.  There are also a few instances where it was difficult to determine whether or not a movie belonged to the horror genre (I said "no" to Aliens but "yes" to Jaws), and it may also be worth noting that this is largely a modern list (as long as you're okay with my classification of modern as anything after 1960) that only features one lonely creature from the so-called "Classic Monsters" films produced by Universal Studios.

Thus far, the list includes:

#20) The Fly (1986) 
#19) The Howling (1981)
#18) Night of the Living Dead (1968)
#17) Alien (1979) 
#16) Invasion of the Body Snatchers (1978) 

So far, we've been hanging with monsters, werewolves, zombies, and aliens.  Today, we keep the late 70s motif that started at #17 alive and invite some witches to the party.

Top 20 Horror Movies - #15) Suspiria (1977)

Suspiria, a gruesome nightmare that many consider the finest example of Italian horror, is one of two such pictures to make my list.  The other is also directed by Dario Argento, a gifted filmmaker who spent much of the 70s and 80s churning out stunning motion pictures before descending into mediocrity in the 90s and beyond.  This inventive yarn is a dark fairy tale of sorts, with a roving camera and a bold color palette which give the picture a surreal tone that is positively enchanting.  The score by Goblin is one of the most striking scores that the horror genre has ever been blessed with, and the bloody effects work is top-notch.  The script is simple but effective; Jessica Harper's Suzy Bannion travels to a prestigious dance school where something is seriously amiss.  After a number of grisly murders occur and our heroine starts to investigate some spooky shenanigans taking place, Suzy discovers that the academy is merely a front for a coven of witches.  Argento was at his peak here, and the ominous atmosphere and the outright terror that he is able to conjure up throughout this fascinating picture is damn impressive.  Some of the kills in this movie are incredibly disturbing, and there are a handful of less violent sequences in the mix that are ridiculously creepy.  The cast performs well, with Harper giving her best performance and genre vet Udo Kier popping up in a brief but welcome part.  Despite his recent misfires, of which there are many, I still consider Dario Argento a legend in the realm of horror cinema for his incredible body of work--and Suspiria undoubtedly ranks among his very best.  In fact, while I favor another picture (those who follow my blog closely are already aware of this, but the rest of you will have to wait and see), most probably consider this to be his greatest achievement.

I'm not sure which of Suspiria's potent assets is more impressive, Dario's deft camera work or the surreal color palette.

Top 20 Horror Movies - #16) Invasion of the Body Snatchers (1978)

One of the things that I'm doing this month as I celebrate Halloween here in the Land of Way is taking the time to rank my Top 20 Horror Movies and my Top 20 Horror Novels.

Note:
I want to be clear that I'm basing these choices on my own humble opinion.  I'm not trying to rank these movies in accordance with their place in pop culture, but I'm offering up my take on the best horror films that I have ever watched and enjoyed.  There are some familiar candidates that I consider to be great pictures that didn't make the cut because there wasn't room, and there are some films that are widely regarded as great pictures that didn't make the cut because I feel that they are overrated.  There are also a few instances where it was difficult to determine whether or not a movie belonged to the horror genre (I said "no" to Aliens but "yes" to Jaws), and it may also be worth noting that this is largely a modern list (as long as you're okay with my classification of modern as anything after 1960) that only features one lonely creature from the so-called "Classic Monsters" films produced by Universal Studios.

Thus far, the list includes:

#20) The Fly (1986) 
#19) The Howling (1981)
#18) Night of the Living Dead (1968)
#17) Alien (1979)

For my last selection, we journeyed to outer space.  This time, alien spores designed for global domination are going to save us the trip.

Top 20 Horror Movies - #16) Invasion of the Body Snatchers (1978)

The second of three remakes to grace my list is a creepy sci-fi/horror hybrid that greatly improves upon the original Invasion of the Body Snatchers from 1956, which was a damn good movie itself.  This creepy affair has a stellar cast and impressive effects, and Phillip Kaufman showed a deft touch with his direction.  In particular, Kaufman did a great job of utilizing the city of San Francisco as the setting and capturing some really wonderful images of the alien spores that threaten our heroes.  The plot is obviously a real winner; we've seen a couple of different versions of the same story since this remake was released, and there are a number of other films that are clearly imitations of this sinister saga as envisioned by the author of the source novel, Jack Finney.  Things start slowly, but soon paranoia gives way to outright terror as our weary players struggle to survive, wondering who they can trust and who has already been replaced.  Donald Sutherland and Brooke Adams are outstanding in the lead roles.  The supporting cast includes Leonard Nimoy, Jeff Goldblum, Veronica Cartwright, and Art Hindle, and Kevin McCarthy (the star of the 1956 version) briefly pops up in a significant cameo.  I like the score from Denny Zeitlin and I really like the way that this Invasion of the Body Snatchers slowly builds to a terrifying crescendo.  The last scene is a genuine shocker, and as many times as this tale has been brought to the screen, there can be no doubt that this is the best version.  It remains one of my favorite horror films, and it is certainly deserving of the #16 spot on my list.   

This stellar remake benefits from groovy effects, a sinister mood, and an awesome cast.

Top 20 Horror Movies - #17) Alien (1979)

One of the things that I'm doing this month as I celebrate Halloween here in the Land of Way is taking the time to rank my Top 20 Horror Movies and my Top 20 Horror Novels.

Note:
I want to be clear that I'm basing these choices on my own humble opinion.  I'm not trying to rank these movies in accordance with their place in pop culture, but I'm offering up my take on the best horror films that I have ever watched and enjoyed.  There are some familiar candidates that I consider to be great pictures that didn't make the cut because there wasn't room, and there are some films that are widely regarded as great pictures that didn't make the cut because I feel that they are overrated.  There are also a few instances where it was difficult to determine whether or not a movie belonged to the horror genre (I said "no" to Aliens but "yes" to Jaws), and it may also be worth noting that this is largely a modern list (as long as you're okay with my classification of modern as anything after 1960) that only features one lonely creature from the so-called "Classic Monsters" films produced by Universal Studios.

Thus far, the list includes:

#20) The Fly (1986) 
#19) The Howling (1981)
#18) Night of the Living Dead (1968)

Now, we turn our attention to space as I unveil the next movie on my list.

  
Top 20 Horror Movies - #17) Alien (1979)

First off, I want to say that I do believe that Alien is a stellar horror film.  Secondly, I will acknowledge that I think that this film's sequel, Aliens, is a much better picture.  However, Alien made my list and Aliens will not.  Why?  Well, Alien is a horror film, but I think Aliens is a bit more like Predator.  Is it a science fiction movie?  Is it an action movie?  I'm not sure, but despite the presence of some horrifying content, Aliens just doesn't feel like a horror movie to me.  Alien, on the other hand, is most certainly worthy of a spot on this list.  It's not a thrill ride with guns blazing, it's a subdued tale of terror that relies more on escalating tension and big scares than escalating machismo and big explosions.  The mood and the sets are incredible, the effects are totally convincing, and the cast is superb.  Sigourney Weaver's work here made her a star, and she is backed by talented performers like Tom Skerrit, John Hurt, and Yaphet Kotto, among others.  There isn't a wealth of gore, but the scene where the alien bursts out of John Hurt's chest is one of the most disturbing sequences that the horror genre has ever produced.  The design work by H. R. Giger is one of the picture's biggest assets and Ridley Scott's direction is splendid.  Alien is bolstered by one of Jerry Goldsmith's finest scores and the sceenplay from Dan O-Bannon is terrific.  In short, Alien is a gripping horror film that fires on all cylinders thanks to the presence and the efforts of a first-rate cast and crew.  It remains the best horror film set in space (though Event Horizon is pretty damn scary too) and I am pleased to include it on my list.

In addition to being a great flick, Alien also boasts one of the most
gut-wrenching scenes in the history of horror movies.