I died eleven times. Eleven? Hell no. That shit hurts.
Oh the horror! I've rounded up of some of my favorite fright flicks just in time All Hallows' Eve
Happy Halloween, my ghouls and ghosts!
To celebrate this spookiest of seasons, I offer a crypt filled with 25 of my favorite horror flicks. They run the gamut from scary to cozy and I love each of them to death.
Like with my list of favorite movies that I shared with you previously (you can catch up with those here), this grouping is not definitive. There are many more horror titles that I adore, but if I listed every last one of them, I’d still be writing and you would never know about the selections below. So for everyone’s sanity — mostly my own — I stopped at 25.
And yes, Norman, we all go a little mad sometimes. I’m just not in the mood to do so at the moment.
So, fire up the cauldron and settle in to see which of your faves made the cut. As always, I hope you discover something new or perhaps even rediscover a movie that may have been buried in the graveyard of your mind.
Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein (1948)
While never a huge fan, I have enjoyed the slapstick hijinks of Bud Abbott and Lou Costello over the years. This monster mash, in particular, has brought me joy since childhood. Bela Lugosi and Lon Chaney Jr. are along for the ride as their most iconic characters.
The Addams Family / Addams Family Values (1991-1993)
Creepy. Kooky. Mysterious. Spooky. My undying love for this clan is eternal. Raul Julia and Anjelica Huston are magnificently morbid as Gomez and Morticia, whose devotion to each other is unparalleled. The scene between Wednesday, Pugsley, and the Girl Scout in the first film lives rent-free in my heart forever. All hail Joan Cusack!
An American Werewolf in London (1981)
John Landis' lupine classic howls in the moonlight at Lon Chaney Jr., while putting a modern twist on the Wolf Man story. The film's MVPs: Griffin Dunne's darkly comic turn as the mauled best friend who returns to haunt David Naughton and Rick Baker's special makeup effects during Naughton's transformation.
Beetlejuice (1988)
Who doesn’t love a sandworm, amirite? Everything that spoke to me about this flick as a kid still resonates with me all these years later. Lydia Deetz was a goth sage. The thing I appreciate now though is how Catherine O’Hara very nearly steals the movie from Michael Keaton. (Psst! The same can be said for the sequel.)
Black Christmas (1974)
A simple premise ("The call is coming from inside the house!") unwraps an exercise in tension that never relents. There's also a welcome thread of feminism woven into main sorority girl Jess that feels organic. This holiday season, have a Bob Clark double feature with this and A Christmas Story. Ho! Ho! Ho!
Bride of Frankenstein (1935)
A perfect example of the sequel surpassing the original. Director James Whale gets the gang back together and snags Elsa Lanchester to boot. Gotta love a movie where the men never once consider that their DIY wife would want to swipe left on her arranged marriage.
Carnival of Souls (1962)
Ethereal isn't typically the first word that springs to mind when describing a horror movie. Nor is elliptical yet both perfectly encapsulate Herk Harvey's moody tale of an organist who survives a car crash. An underrated film that unsettles its audience more with each passing second.
Carrie (1976)
Sissy Spacek is so relatable as Carrie White, suffering from the torment of her bullying classmates at school and her devout mother at home. She’s a girl who could have blossomed had anyone bothered to befriend her. Remember: The meek shall wreak (literal) bloody vengeance over those who humiliate them at prom.
Coraline (2009)
Henry Selick's animated films are precious gems. The jewel in his crown is this adaptation of the Neil Gaiman novel, which dazzles even when it embraces the nightmare elements. Coraline Jones is a shining example of why individuality should be celebrated. After all, it's fine to be weird.
The Craft (1996)
Considering my fondness for Lydia Deetz and Charmed, is it any wonder that this makes my not-so-black heart skip a beat? I bet Nancy Downs would have taken Carrie White under her witchy wing.
Dawn of the Dead (2004)
I'm a big fan of George A. Romero's original, but I gotta say I adore this remake. It's Zack Snyder's best film. Period. Along with the fantastic makeup and effects, there's also an emotional pulse running through the story, courtesy of James Gunn. Plus, the exceptional cast is led by my girl Sarah Polley.
Drag Me to Hell (2009)
I absolutely love Sam Raimi and he's at the top of his game here. A gypsy curse. A young woman looking to prove herself in her romantic relationship and at work. It's the perfect recipe for terror and bodily fluids with a dash of dark humor thrown in for flavor.
The Evil Dead trilogy (1981-1992)
Every one of the Evil Dead flicks are groovy, but the franchise will always belong to Sam Raimi, Rob Tapert, and Bruce Campbell and his chainsaw wielding, Deadite slashing hero Ash Williams. The gore, the humor, the practical effects, the special makeup effects — all of it makes these films standout in a genre littered with films about the undead and what happens when you read aloud from the wrong book.
The Exorcist (1973)
One of my favorite things about William Friedkin's film (and the same goes for William Peter Blatty's novel) is that it's about so much more than exorcism and possession. It's about faith and devotion and seeking answers where there don't seem to be any. The demon Pazuzu is just a small part of this story.
Halloween (1978)
When it comes to my favorite horror Boogeymen, no one beats Michael Myers. And when it comes to this franchise, John Carpenter's original reigns supreme. Can't you hear the score as performed by The Bowling Green Philharmonic Orchestra (aka Carpenter himself) as you read this?
Happy Death Day / Happy Death Day 2 U (2017-2019)
Horror's answer to Groundhog Day, this duology has owned my heart since I saw each of them in cinemas with my best friend. Jessica Rothe is a damn delight as final girl Teresa "Tree" Gelbman, while both flicks are the funniest, sweetest, most satisfying slasher films this side of Scream.
The Haunting (1963)
The ultimate haunted house tale, director Robert Wise deftly brings Shirley Jackson's Gothic chiller to the screen. Julie Harris, Claire Bloom, Russ Tamblyn, and Richard Johnson are the ultimate Scooby gang. (I wrote about the film [link here] last year.)
The Invisible Man (1933)
Claude Rains gives one of my favorite performances as the delightfully homicidal scientist whose hubris catches up with him. His glee while wreaking chaos is infectious, particularly when his target is innkeeper Una O'Connor. Rains and his director have a (James) Whale of a time in this adaptation of the H.G. Wells novel that was co-written by the great Preston Sturges.
Night of the Living Dead (1968)
"They're coming to get you, Barbara!" George A. Romero lit the spark of the contemporary zombie craze — and for using horror as social commentary — right here. It's just as relevant now as it was more than 25 years ago; the palpable tension of the story simmering until it's brutally extinguished.
Poltergeist (1982)
Directed by Tobe Hooper. Co-written by Steven Spielberg. One of the best ghost stories ever put to celluloid. If you don't love this movie, we can't be friends.
Psycho (1960)
One of my favorite Hitchcock films, the story of Norman Bates (a superb Anthony Perkins) and his unhealthy devotion to his mother works on a number of levels. And it just so happens to have also inspired my beloved Bates Motel TV series.
The Rocky Horror Picture Show (1975)
A horror musical with a killer score and a dream cast? There was no way this wasn't making an appearance. Hot patootie, bless my soul! I'll be over at the Frankenstein place.
Scream (1996)
Ghost Face joined the pantheon of classic slasher antagonists for good reason. Brutal, snarky, and with an unhealthy love of scary movies, this Big Bad makes horror films bloody good fun. We also get the holy trinity of Neve Campbell, Rose McGowan, and Courteney Cox facing off against the unpredictable killer.
Saint Maud (2019)
Religious horror done right. It's a spiritual clash of the titans featuring the glorious one-two punch of Morfydd Clark as the young nurse Maud and Jennifer Ehle as her dying artist patient, whom Maud is desperately trying to lead to salvation. In writer-director Rose Glass, I trust.
You’re Next (2011)
Nothing like the family coming together to instigate a bloodbath. Sharni Vinson is one of my favorite final girls and I love that she shares the screen with the iconic Barbara Crampton.
What are some of your favorite scary movies? Let me know in the comments!
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