In the 80's, a new kind of horror began. After being introduced to the iconic Jason Voorhees, many slasher films followed that were panned during their release, but several of them actually have something strong in them. These are the best slasher films of the 1980's.
1) Happy Birthday To Me (1981)- Melissa Sue Anderson and Glen Ford star in this classic slasher about a high school girl traumatized by her troubled past. Slowly, her friends, whom are known as The Crawford Academy Top Ten, begin to die one by one in the events leading up to her birthday. Could she have something to do with it? This one is deeply underrated. It's a horror film that is truly ahead of its time. It's smart, it's strange, it's bloody, and it has a great cast. This is one delicious slice of cake for any horror fan.
2) Friday the 13th Part 2 (1981)- After Pamela Voorhees struck terror into the hearts of counselors at Camp Crystal Lake, along came a sequel to the classic horror hit. A new batch of horny, drugged-up, fun-loving teens start training to be counselors at a camp near Camp Crystal Lake. Does anybody smell trouble already? "Friday the 13th Part 2" was the first film in the series to feature Jason as the actual killer. It's great fun to watch, there are wonderful kills, and in a weird way, you sympathize with Jason. "Part 2" is good luck, not bad.
3) He Knows You're Alone (1980)- Armand Mastroianni's film is different from the others in that the killer mostly targets women scheduled to get married. This one is not too gory, and that's good. "He Knows You're Alone" is more about suspense and paranoia than sex and blood. Caitlyn O' Heaney gives a likeable performance as Amy, and the music is very creepy.
4) The Burning (1980)- Another camp slasher in the tradition of "Friday the 13th," but is almost better, in a way. Thanks to our three enjoyable leads, some interesting cameos, plenty of nudity, and Tom Savini's makeup effects, this one's a winner!
5) Terror Train (1980)- After "Halloween" and "Prom Night" came "Terror Train," another Jamie Lee Curtis slasher vehicle that is fun and scary. College kids celebrate their graduation by having a party on a train. Now, here's the bad news. An unwelcome guest is on board, slicing his way through the masked teens. Could it be somebody from their past? Check this one out.
6) My Bloody Valentine (1981)- Miner attacks locals on Valentine's Day with a large pickaxe. The movie that inspired the remake. It's damn creepy and good fun for the genre fan.
7) Halloween 4: The Return of Michael Myers (1988)- My favorite "Halloween" sequel. Enough said.
8) The Funhouse (1981)- Tobe Hooper's slasher about four teens who spend the night in a carnival funhouse and get sliced and diced by someone, or something, in a Frankenstein mask. Chilling atmosphere is the highlight of this horror romp.
9) Hell Night (1981)- Teens pledging Alpha Sigma Rho begin intiation by spending the night in Garth Manor, home to a mysterious madman. Linda Blair is awesome in this film that feels like a mix of "The Funhouse" and old Universal monster movies.
10) The House on Sorority Row (1983)- Have you ever seen "Sorority Row?" This is the movie that inspired it. Give it a watch. It's a slasher filled with pizazz and energy.
Saturday, June 12, 2010
My Favorite Horror Films of the 1970's
1) Halloween (1978)- Jamie Lee Curtis makes her big debut in this classic movie about a serial killer who escapes from a mental asylum and returns to his hometown to kill on Halloween Night. Super scary and creepy, and the acting is top-notch all around. If it weren't for this movie, there wouldn't be such an iconic masked killer by the name of Michael Myers.
2) The Texas Chainsaw Massacre (1974)- Kids are traveling through Texas, run out of gas and find a house that belongs to a skin-ripping cannibal family. Tobe Hooper takes a simple premise and creates one of the most disturbing, horrifying, and insane horror classics ever made. Leatherface's name has become synonymous with the genre. Actress Marilyn Burns's screaming will last in your head for hours. Multiple showers are guaranteed.
3) Jaws (1975)- Steven Spielberg's masterpiece about a 25-foot, 3-ton Great White shark that attacks a New England town, leading to the showdown between the shark, Chief Martin Brody, marine biologist Matt Hooper, and sea captain Quint. Without a doubt the most frightening PG-rated movie of all time.
4) The Exorcist (1973)- Two priests join forces to end the demonic posession of an innocent 12 year-old girl. The movie that changed horror forever. Need I say more?
5) The Omen (1976)- Ambassador Robert Thorn and his wife Katherine adopt a baby that grows up to be Damien, which leads to horrifying accidents. Could Damien be the Antichrist? Suspenseful, shocking, and atmospheric are all perfect words to describe Richard Donner's film. Jerry Goldsmith almost dominates the movie with a blood-curdling score.
6) Black Christmas (1974)- Olivia Hussey, Keir Dullea, Margot Kidder, Andrea Martin, and John Saxon star in this cult slasher film about a stranger who hides out in the attic of a sorority house and kills each girl one by one on Christmas Day. Extremely creepy and unnerving, and a hilarious performance by Margot Kidder as one of the girls. Who knew Bob Clark, director of "Porky's" and "A Christmas Story" would start his career with this?
7) Phantasm (1979)-Don Coscarelli's eerie nightmare about The Tall Man and his funeral parlor of horrors. The acting isn't the best component, but this movie is all about atmosphere and surrealism, and Angus Scrimm's performance as The Tall Man is unforgettable.
8) The Amityville Horror (1979)- Your classic modern-day haunted house movie about a family who moves into a house on Long Island that is plagued by the murders of the family that lived there before. Ghosts are aplenty in this film, and it will creep you out. Let's not forget the star power of James Brolin and Margot Kidder as George and Kathy Lutz. Inspired by a true story.
9) Suspiria (1977)- The best of all foreign horror films. Dario Argento weaves a tale of a girl who travels to a ballet school and discovers it's a witch coven. While it is a brutal and frightening film, Argento's trademark murders are filmed beautifully and with loads of style. Don't watch this at night!
10) Carrie (1976)- Based on the classic novel by Stephen King, this is the story of Carrie White, an outcast bullied by everyone in her school and labeled a sinner by a religious nutcase of a mother. When things are taken too far on the night of her senior prom, Carrie decides to use her newly-discovered power of telekinesis and make these teenagers pay. This intense drama takes a hard left turn and becomes a horror movie to remember. Brian De Palma's directorial skill is aided by the outstanding performances of his cast, especially Sissy Spacek as Carrie and Piper Laurie as Margaret White.
11) The Stepford Wives (1975)- After the adaptation of Ira Levin's "Rosemary's Baby" came the next story in his repertoire, "The Stepford Wives." Joanna Eberhardt, her husband, and their two children move to the town of Stepford, where the housewives seem a little too human. Levin's story is satirical at times, mocking the 60's generation of a Beaver Cleaver-like Americana. At other times, it's weird and creepy. Katharine Ross gives a great performance as Joanna.
2) The Texas Chainsaw Massacre (1974)- Kids are traveling through Texas, run out of gas and find a house that belongs to a skin-ripping cannibal family. Tobe Hooper takes a simple premise and creates one of the most disturbing, horrifying, and insane horror classics ever made. Leatherface's name has become synonymous with the genre. Actress Marilyn Burns's screaming will last in your head for hours. Multiple showers are guaranteed.
3) Jaws (1975)- Steven Spielberg's masterpiece about a 25-foot, 3-ton Great White shark that attacks a New England town, leading to the showdown between the shark, Chief Martin Brody, marine biologist Matt Hooper, and sea captain Quint. Without a doubt the most frightening PG-rated movie of all time.
4) The Exorcist (1973)- Two priests join forces to end the demonic posession of an innocent 12 year-old girl. The movie that changed horror forever. Need I say more?
5) The Omen (1976)- Ambassador Robert Thorn and his wife Katherine adopt a baby that grows up to be Damien, which leads to horrifying accidents. Could Damien be the Antichrist? Suspenseful, shocking, and atmospheric are all perfect words to describe Richard Donner's film. Jerry Goldsmith almost dominates the movie with a blood-curdling score.
6) Black Christmas (1974)- Olivia Hussey, Keir Dullea, Margot Kidder, Andrea Martin, and John Saxon star in this cult slasher film about a stranger who hides out in the attic of a sorority house and kills each girl one by one on Christmas Day. Extremely creepy and unnerving, and a hilarious performance by Margot Kidder as one of the girls. Who knew Bob Clark, director of "Porky's" and "A Christmas Story" would start his career with this?
7) Phantasm (1979)-Don Coscarelli's eerie nightmare about The Tall Man and his funeral parlor of horrors. The acting isn't the best component, but this movie is all about atmosphere and surrealism, and Angus Scrimm's performance as The Tall Man is unforgettable.
8) The Amityville Horror (1979)- Your classic modern-day haunted house movie about a family who moves into a house on Long Island that is plagued by the murders of the family that lived there before. Ghosts are aplenty in this film, and it will creep you out. Let's not forget the star power of James Brolin and Margot Kidder as George and Kathy Lutz. Inspired by a true story.
9) Suspiria (1977)- The best of all foreign horror films. Dario Argento weaves a tale of a girl who travels to a ballet school and discovers it's a witch coven. While it is a brutal and frightening film, Argento's trademark murders are filmed beautifully and with loads of style. Don't watch this at night!
10) Carrie (1976)- Based on the classic novel by Stephen King, this is the story of Carrie White, an outcast bullied by everyone in her school and labeled a sinner by a religious nutcase of a mother. When things are taken too far on the night of her senior prom, Carrie decides to use her newly-discovered power of telekinesis and make these teenagers pay. This intense drama takes a hard left turn and becomes a horror movie to remember. Brian De Palma's directorial skill is aided by the outstanding performances of his cast, especially Sissy Spacek as Carrie and Piper Laurie as Margaret White.
11) The Stepford Wives (1975)- After the adaptation of Ira Levin's "Rosemary's Baby" came the next story in his repertoire, "The Stepford Wives." Joanna Eberhardt, her husband, and their two children move to the town of Stepford, where the housewives seem a little too human. Levin's story is satirical at times, mocking the 60's generation of a Beaver Cleaver-like Americana. At other times, it's weird and creepy. Katharine Ross gives a great performance as Joanna.
Friday, June 11, 2010
My Favorite Horror Films of the 1960's
The title speaks for itself.
1) The Haunting (1963)- A group of people spend a few nights at the infamous Hill House to find any sort of supernatural occurrences. And that's what they get. Robert Wise's ghost story is probably the best ever made, keeping the audience completely in suspense and letting their imagination run as a ghostly apparition is never found onscreen. Indeed, what you don't see is scarier than what you do see. Based on Shirley Jackson's "The Haunting of Hill House," there's no doubt that this film will give you chills.
2) Psycho (1960)- Marion Crane embezzles 40,000 dollars and spends the night at the homey Bates Motel, run by the shy Norman Bates, who's got a terrifying secret hidden in his house on the hill. Gotta love Alfred Hitchcock! "Psycho" is not only a perfect horror film, but a template in the history of cinema as well. Pitch-perfect atmosphere, a classic mind-numbing score by Bernard Hermann, and a performance by Anthony Perkins that will be remembered forever. To this day, the shower scene is still a shocker!
3) Rosemary's Baby (1968)- Guy and Rosemary Woodhouse, a happily married couple, buy an apartment in the Bramford, which leads to Rosemary's weird dreams, paranoid ideas of the elderly Castevet couple next door, and fear that something terrible is going to happen to her unborn baby. Roman Polanski's journey into the heart of paranoia and psychological horror is to die for. Not a single moment in this film goes by that isn't creepy or surreal. And Mia Farrow's performance as Rosemary is perfect. Aided by a strong cast, including John Cassavetes and Ruth Gordon, who won an Oscar for her portrayal of Minnie Castevet, and a bizarre musical score, you should be ashamed if you haven't seen "Rosemary's Baby."
4) The Innocents (1961)- Classic gothic horror about Miss Giddens, an 1800's governess who travels to the Blye mansion to care for the young Miles and Flora. Not all is well at the Blye mansion as Miss Giddens begins to experience strange happenings and see horrific figures around the house. Could Miles and Flora have something to do with it? Another ghost story in the vein of "The Haunting" that is weird and eerie. Great atmosphere is the sole purpose of the film, and it succeeds nicely. A wonderful performance from Deborah Kerr as Miss Giddens.
1) The Haunting (1963)- A group of people spend a few nights at the infamous Hill House to find any sort of supernatural occurrences. And that's what they get. Robert Wise's ghost story is probably the best ever made, keeping the audience completely in suspense and letting their imagination run as a ghostly apparition is never found onscreen. Indeed, what you don't see is scarier than what you do see. Based on Shirley Jackson's "The Haunting of Hill House," there's no doubt that this film will give you chills.
2) Psycho (1960)- Marion Crane embezzles 40,000 dollars and spends the night at the homey Bates Motel, run by the shy Norman Bates, who's got a terrifying secret hidden in his house on the hill. Gotta love Alfred Hitchcock! "Psycho" is not only a perfect horror film, but a template in the history of cinema as well. Pitch-perfect atmosphere, a classic mind-numbing score by Bernard Hermann, and a performance by Anthony Perkins that will be remembered forever. To this day, the shower scene is still a shocker!
3) Rosemary's Baby (1968)- Guy and Rosemary Woodhouse, a happily married couple, buy an apartment in the Bramford, which leads to Rosemary's weird dreams, paranoid ideas of the elderly Castevet couple next door, and fear that something terrible is going to happen to her unborn baby. Roman Polanski's journey into the heart of paranoia and psychological horror is to die for. Not a single moment in this film goes by that isn't creepy or surreal. And Mia Farrow's performance as Rosemary is perfect. Aided by a strong cast, including John Cassavetes and Ruth Gordon, who won an Oscar for her portrayal of Minnie Castevet, and a bizarre musical score, you should be ashamed if you haven't seen "Rosemary's Baby."
4) The Innocents (1961)- Classic gothic horror about Miss Giddens, an 1800's governess who travels to the Blye mansion to care for the young Miles and Flora. Not all is well at the Blye mansion as Miss Giddens begins to experience strange happenings and see horrific figures around the house. Could Miles and Flora have something to do with it? Another ghost story in the vein of "The Haunting" that is weird and eerie. Great atmosphere is the sole purpose of the film, and it succeeds nicely. A wonderful performance from Deborah Kerr as Miss Giddens.
Wednesday, June 9, 2010
A Nightmare on Elm Street: The Sequels
We all know how classic the 1984 horror film was and is. Do I really need to grade it? No. But after watching the documentary "Never Sleep Again: The Elm Street Legacy," I realized that the films that followed have something that makes them better than I thought they were. Time to grade the "Nightmare On Elm Street" sequels.
1) A Nightmare On Elm Street 2: Freddy's Revenge (1985)- In this sequel, a boy named Jesse Walsh and his family move into Nancy Thompson's old house on 1428 Elm Street, and he discovers what happened there. Jesse slowly realizes that Freddy Krueger is not finished with his work in Springwood, and he's found a new companion to kill for him...Jesse himself! With the help of his high school sweetheart Lisa, Jesse must stop Freddy's reign of terror before it's too late. Freddy is still pretty scary in this sequel, and not a single sense of humor in him is evident at all. If you can overlook the awkward and unintentional gay overtones(including the line "Something is trying to get inside my body" and the shower sequence), "Freddy's Revenge" is actually a good sequel. B-
2) A Nightmare On Elm Street 3: The Dream Warriors (1987)- Heather Langenkamp returns as Nancy, who is now a psychologist trying to help damaged teens in a mental hospital who can't sleep. After one kid dies, it is obvious that Freddy Krueger is back to kill what's left of the Elm Street children. And it's up to the remaining 6 teens to use their hidden power and kill the dream-stalker. There is almost nothing wrong with this third "Nightmare." It boasts great dream sequences, a Freddy who is funny but still very creepy, Langenkamp's triumphant return as well as John Saxon's, and the big debut of Patricia Arquette. Just the music could have used a bit of work. Overall, a great sequel. A-
3) A Nightmare On Elm Street 4: The Dream Master (1988)- Another batch of Elm Street kids are terrorized by Freddy, and it's up to Alice to stop him once and for all. This is the point when Freddy isn't scary anymore. However, Robert Englund delivers his wisecracks with relish, making Freddy a very macabre comedian. The dream sequences are quite cool, and there's great special effects. Lisa Wilcox makes Alice a very plucky and sympathetic heroine, and I liked her performance very much. Certainly not the original, but still very good. And I'm big fan of director Renny Harlin(Die Hard 2 and Deep Blue Sea). B+
4) A Nightmare On Elm Street 5: The Dream Child (1989)- "It's a boy!!!!" Freddy Krueger returns to haunt more dreams while taking over the nightmares of Alice's unborn son. Great special effects, as always, abound in this one. And it has an interesting story. But it does have its flaws. Some of these people look a little bit too old to be graduating high school, the script feels a little bit rushed, and Freddy's jokes are a little close to hitting the line of stupidity. But thankfully, they don't. I'm not saying you should steer clear of Part 5, but altogether, it's just decent. C+
5) Freddy's Dead: The Final Nightmare (1991)- Another group of teens battle Freddy in their dreams while a young woman figures out her dark secret that connects to the dream figure. "Freddy's Dead" is almost laughably bad. Some of Freddy's wisecracks are tasteless and very bland. The acting isn't terrible, that's one good thing. But the story isn't interesting and feels formulaic. However, if you don't take it seriously, it's an okay bad movie. Let's be thankful I'm not giving this one an F. D+
6) Wes Craven's New Nightmare (1994)- Heather Langenkamp is living with her son and husband, and has a good life. But dreams become a reality as those involved with the "Nightmare On Elm Street" movies begin to die one by one. Is Freddy really the cause of these deaths? Unfortunately, yes. Now this is what I'm talking about. Craven's return to his roots is perfect. It's witty, terrifying, gory, and fun. An intelligent premise is not the only thing that's great about this movie. The performances of the cast are marvelous as everyone from the "Elm Street" movies play themselves. Heather Langenkamp's dynamite performance is one to remember. And Robert Englund takes you on a frightening roller coaster ride, playing Freddy with no wisecracks or mercy. He has brought back Freddy's fear factor. Before "New Nightmare," I thought Part 3 was the best of the series. But I think it's safe to say that this one's the best of them since the original. A+
1) A Nightmare On Elm Street 2: Freddy's Revenge (1985)- In this sequel, a boy named Jesse Walsh and his family move into Nancy Thompson's old house on 1428 Elm Street, and he discovers what happened there. Jesse slowly realizes that Freddy Krueger is not finished with his work in Springwood, and he's found a new companion to kill for him...Jesse himself! With the help of his high school sweetheart Lisa, Jesse must stop Freddy's reign of terror before it's too late. Freddy is still pretty scary in this sequel, and not a single sense of humor in him is evident at all. If you can overlook the awkward and unintentional gay overtones(including the line "Something is trying to get inside my body" and the shower sequence), "Freddy's Revenge" is actually a good sequel. B-
2) A Nightmare On Elm Street 3: The Dream Warriors (1987)- Heather Langenkamp returns as Nancy, who is now a psychologist trying to help damaged teens in a mental hospital who can't sleep. After one kid dies, it is obvious that Freddy Krueger is back to kill what's left of the Elm Street children. And it's up to the remaining 6 teens to use their hidden power and kill the dream-stalker. There is almost nothing wrong with this third "Nightmare." It boasts great dream sequences, a Freddy who is funny but still very creepy, Langenkamp's triumphant return as well as John Saxon's, and the big debut of Patricia Arquette. Just the music could have used a bit of work. Overall, a great sequel. A-
3) A Nightmare On Elm Street 4: The Dream Master (1988)- Another batch of Elm Street kids are terrorized by Freddy, and it's up to Alice to stop him once and for all. This is the point when Freddy isn't scary anymore. However, Robert Englund delivers his wisecracks with relish, making Freddy a very macabre comedian. The dream sequences are quite cool, and there's great special effects. Lisa Wilcox makes Alice a very plucky and sympathetic heroine, and I liked her performance very much. Certainly not the original, but still very good. And I'm big fan of director Renny Harlin(Die Hard 2 and Deep Blue Sea). B+
4) A Nightmare On Elm Street 5: The Dream Child (1989)- "It's a boy!!!!" Freddy Krueger returns to haunt more dreams while taking over the nightmares of Alice's unborn son. Great special effects, as always, abound in this one. And it has an interesting story. But it does have its flaws. Some of these people look a little bit too old to be graduating high school, the script feels a little bit rushed, and Freddy's jokes are a little close to hitting the line of stupidity. But thankfully, they don't. I'm not saying you should steer clear of Part 5, but altogether, it's just decent. C+
5) Freddy's Dead: The Final Nightmare (1991)- Another group of teens battle Freddy in their dreams while a young woman figures out her dark secret that connects to the dream figure. "Freddy's Dead" is almost laughably bad. Some of Freddy's wisecracks are tasteless and very bland. The acting isn't terrible, that's one good thing. But the story isn't interesting and feels formulaic. However, if you don't take it seriously, it's an okay bad movie. Let's be thankful I'm not giving this one an F. D+
6) Wes Craven's New Nightmare (1994)- Heather Langenkamp is living with her son and husband, and has a good life. But dreams become a reality as those involved with the "Nightmare On Elm Street" movies begin to die one by one. Is Freddy really the cause of these deaths? Unfortunately, yes. Now this is what I'm talking about. Craven's return to his roots is perfect. It's witty, terrifying, gory, and fun. An intelligent premise is not the only thing that's great about this movie. The performances of the cast are marvelous as everyone from the "Elm Street" movies play themselves. Heather Langenkamp's dynamite performance is one to remember. And Robert Englund takes you on a frightening roller coaster ride, playing Freddy with no wisecracks or mercy. He has brought back Freddy's fear factor. Before "New Nightmare," I thought Part 3 was the best of the series. But I think it's safe to say that this one's the best of them since the original. A+
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