Good Horror Movies

[GeeWhiz]

I'd put the corpse in A Drop of Water way, way up there in the personal pantheon of 'things that make me uncomfortable just thinking about them.' She's in fine company alongside Wilford Brimley as The Thing reaching into another man's face, the sofa scene from the original Pulse and this particular moment from the Nigel Kneale tv Woman in Black - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bhuc-ot7Ryg

[Noodle Lizard]

this particular moment from the Nigel Kneale tv Woman in Black - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bhuc-ot7Ryg

Aha, yeah that bit is quite unpleasant, especially the first time watching it.  They sort of tried to recreate it in the Daniel Radcliffe version but spectacularly arsed it up (as I predicted, guys).

The stage adaptation certainly stuck with me.  Any horror fan should definitely try and see it at the Fortune Theatre in London.  You'd be amazed how effective a cast of three with a very basic set can be when it comes to scaring the shit out of people.

[ColonelVolestrangler]

I'll give you Ghostwatch and Ringu.  Though that scene in the latter is now so widely-referenced and overplayed that it's become far less distressing, for me anyway.  It's astounding how much more effective it is in the original than the remake, despite the remake trying so hard to outdo it.  The image itself looks far scarier in the original, less like something you might see on a 3D TV ad.

Yeah, the lack of flashy effects on the Ringu ending gives it a very matter-of-fact feel that the American remake misses. It's very Jamesian in that respect - his ghosts or demons are never over-sensationalised, so come across much more believably. Ghostwatch benefits from a similar approach, the realistically 'boring' build up makes it so much nastier when things start to happen.

Going to watch The Innocents tonight to see if I enjoy it more than the first time I saw it, where Deborah Kerr's performance put me off what was otherwise a beautifully shot and atmospheric film.

I don't know if Don't Look Now has been mentioned yet, but since it is the film that scared me most and haunted me for many years, I have to add it. Nearest I've been to dread since then is Lawrence Gordon Clark's version of M.r. James' A Warning to the Curious, which I'm still nervous about watching alone after dark, and the Kneale version of The Woman in Black, though that's eased off after several viewings. Ringu was effective but didn't cause any trauma - though I showed the film to about a half dozen people on separate occasions when it first came out on DVD and every one of them told me they'd had nightmares about it.

[zomgmouse]

It wouldn't be a massive Spoiler though as it's given away in every review I've read about it so far.

Really? What arses! For the record, I don't mean the

Spoiler alert

"girl fights back really well"

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bit, I mean the

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"brothers conspiring to kill their family for inheritance"

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bit. That's being revealed? What arses!

[Jawaka]

Session 9 is worth watching, Thriller/Horror.
House of 1000 Corpses & it's 'sequel' The Devil's Rejects
Hellraiser series
Nightbreed?

[SteveDave]

Session 9 is worth watching, Thriller/Horror.

Whenever that film is mentioned someone must post this

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CudA99mUoz0

[Jawaka]

Whenever that film is mentioned someone must post this

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CudA99mUoz0

Haha yes, that did cross my mind.

[Ignatius_S]

....it's 'sequel' The Devil's Rejects....

That one is a complete shocker... but not in a good way.

[Johnny Townmouse]

Like Blair Witch Project, Martyrs and Kill List, I have noticed that Session 9 really does seem to split people.

Like those other films, there is something about it that either really gets under your skin OR seems utterly ridiculous and silly.

Despite the fact that it is made on a small budget, and has a few clunky devices (stash of tapes in the basement), there is something genuinely unsettling about it that really fucked with my head.

[Noodle Lizard]

I don't know, 'Session 9' never really bothered me all that much.  It's a good enough film, but I couldn't fathom why people found it scary.  And, as you can probably see from my suggestions, I'm firmly of the mind that what you don't see is scarier, so it's not like I was longing for a giant CGI demon to chase them into a coffin full of guts or anything.

Brad Anderson showed a lot of promise, actually, but he's sort of vanished into the odd TV episode now.  He did make some thriller with Halle Berry last year, but I haven't seen it yet.  Didn't look like something I'd enjoy, but I should probably give him the benefit of the doubt.

[BritishHobo]

Are there any recent horror movies that actually have a good story? One of the main failings with most of the ones I've seen is that they're just by definition a string of deaths and horror and then an ending. Slasher movies and ghost-killers, endless Final Destination films, they're all populated by characters that are impossible to care about, the equivalent of putting a bunch of plastic dummies on a conveyor belt and just watching them get smashed to bits, one by one. You're Next is getting a lot of praise

Spoiler alert

but even that's pretty much just a back-and-forth of a bunch of people murderizing each other.

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[Noodle Lizard]

There aren't many new stories, no.  Even when the details are unique like in 'Pontypool' or 'The Orphanage', the overarching narrative is more or less generic.  But you could probably say that about the bulk of most genre films.

Weirdly enough, I was reading Phil Anselmo's (of all people!) opinion on this just this morning.  He had this to say:

There's directors out there that I believe are making an honest attempt at films that don't have to rely so heavily upon CGI and stuff like that – Ty West with his 'House of the Devil' comes to mind, very '80s look and '80s feel to it, along the lines of the early 'Friday the 13th' films. I do agree with you, I'm not a big fan of CGI at all, however – and this is a cop out, but if it's used correctly it doesn't bug me so much. If I see the creativity in it but I am old-school when it comes to horror and I'm with you 100 percent and as far as developing characters it's a pretty piss poor job these days.

Back in the day, as you were talking about there was this thing called character development where you cared one way or another about the people that you're watching through this entire film and let this story unfold in front of you, whereas today it's like they give you this bland introduction to people.

For a complete meathead, he does know his horror movies.

[Mini]

I watched William Friedkin's Bug the other day, maybe more of a psychological thriller or whatever but yeah, I recommend that.

[Noodle Lizard]

I watched William Friedkin's Bug the other day, maybe more of a psychological thriller or whatever but yeah, I recommend that.

Weirdly, I was looking at the cinema listings the other day and despairing at how there was nothing I wanted to watch when that came along.  It seemed like it might be half-interesting and had William Friedkin directing, so I figured I'd found my answer.  Then I soon realised it was from 2006 and could probably watch it for free, so I didn't go.
Still haven't seen it. 

Thanks for listening guys.

[prwc]

I hadn't seen this for years but recalled enjoying it so decided to pick up the fancy new blu-ray set. Even better than I remembered, totally macabre atmosphere without resorting to graphic imagery and a gleefully sick sense of humour that doesn't get in the way of the creepiness. Arrow Video did an amazing job on this release, near flawless transfer and plenty of intriguing extras. Highly recommended release/film, I dare say essential. It has shades of Eraserhead, The Texas Chainsaw Massacre and Carnival Of Souls, all of which are very high up in my and many others pantheon of great horror films, yet it pre-dates two of those.

[acrow]

I hate to come across all noodle lizardy, but i judt got back from seeing you're next and it wss shit as fuck. I was hoping to see something (anything) different but i got the same shit. I genunely don:'t understand how anyone  who has seen at least one horror film in their life could possibly react to this with anything othrr than a "meh". It's not terrible. It's far from terrible. But anyone who can claim that it's interesting or in any way differrnt must have seen a differentnfilm.

Fake edit: spider baby is awrsome

[BritishHobo]

There aren't many new stories, no.  Even when the details are unique like in 'Pontypool' or 'The Orphanage', the overarching narrative is more or less generic.  But you could probably say that about the bulk of most genre films.

I suppose you're right. I feel the same way about a lot of action/thriller movies. I know I'm overthinking it and not focusing on the point of the film, but I just always come away feeling a little depressed, in a strange way, at how generic and pointless all of the characters are. It just reminds me that it's a made-up story.

I just saw The Conjuring and while it had a good attempt at an interesting story, I can't help but feel that

Spoiler alert

the little girl never seeing her parents because they're always out 'fighting ghosts', would have made for a much better story, since any faults the Warrens had/might have had were ignored in favour of 'scary ghosts want to hurt our children'. I quite like the idea of a psychological horror about this young girl growing up under a couple like the Warrens - they're convinced that they're fighting evil spirits, there's a room in their house filled with 'possessed' objects, and the mum is fucked up after 'seeing something' during an exorcism. That's a fascinating story.

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Spoiler alert

Although of course, Carrie sort-of kind-of does that, just with general devout Christianity rather than balls-to-the-wall paranormal investigators. There's a horror with a good story, and I'm hopeful for the new film. The 'original' was obviously a classic, but this one appears to be staying true to the book's finale, which... c'mon. I don't know why I'm still spoilering this.

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Plus the BFI Gothic trailer was scarier than the entire movie. Although every time I see it, I'm baffled by the inclusion of Twilight. Not to sneer at it, the sneering got obvious and boring about four years ago, but I'm intrigued why the folks at the BFI thought a film which gets roundly and constantly trounced for being shit for teenage girls, and a woeful, embarrassing take on the vampire mythos, was something they should include in a festival of classic gothic horror. I suppose giving fans another opportunity to watch Twilight on the big-screen might be quite a big draw though.

[Small Man Big Horse]

Finally, a vote for Eden Lake which really managed to get under my skin.

I watched this tonight after prwc and your good self mentioned it in this thread, and it's a nasty bastard of a movie.

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As a well known child hater it had me slightly on edge from the beginning (what with the radio show signposting future events in a slightly unsubtle manner), and as the film went on it became tenser and tenser. I did think it almost bordered on torture porn at times (Fassbender's knifing is particularly unpleasant) but didn't quite cross over that line to the point I couldn't bear to watch it.

My only disappointment is that it denied me the joy of seeing all of the kids being stabbed to pieces, but hey, at least she took out two of them. And yeah, yeah, I know we're supposed to have some sympathy for them, they're young and frightened of the lead guy, and a product of a broken society and all that, but I still wanted the little cunts to die.

There's a couple of minor things that frustrated - Fassbender, stop dropping weapons, you twat! / Now she calls the police??? - but otherwise it was a great if evil little film. And it taught us all an important lesson: If you're ever bothered by kids, kill them before they have the chance to kill you. And surely no one can argue with that.

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[Johnny Townmouse]

I think 'nasty bastard' is a good way of putting it. It's one of those films that I guess could easily be viewed as just another people in the woods being chased film, with a dose of contemporary torture porn on top. It has been called 'Chav-Horror' which is interesting, but completely misunderstands the point of the film.

There is something horribly bleak about the violence. It manages to deal with masculinity, communities, modern moral responsibility, and the breakdown of society in a way that I think is genuinely brave and innovative.

Spoiler alert

The final moments are just fucking ghastly - it really does not shy away from the complete hopelessness of her situation. There is no happy resolution for the viewer and her fate is given to us in distant, plaintive cries.

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[Small Man Big Horse]

I think 'nasty bastard' is a good way of putting it. It's one of those films that I guess could easily be viewed as just another people in the woods being chased film, with a dose of contemporary torture porn on top. It has been called 'Chav-Horror' which is interesting, but completely misunderstands the point of the film.

There is something horribly bleak about the violence. It manages to deal with masculinity, communities, modern moral responsibility, and the breakdown of society in a way that I think is genuinely brave and innovative.

Spoiler alert

The final moments are just fucking ghastly - it really does not shy away from the complete hopelessness of her situation. There is no happy resolution for the viewer and her fate is given to us in distant, plaintive cries.

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I'd agree with all of that, and dismissing the film as 'Chav-Horror' is definitely doing it a disservice. It's certainly the bleakest film I've seen in a long while,

Spoiler alert

though once she'd killed the first child I had a terrible feeling there wasn't going to be even the slightest hint of a happy ending, so wasn't too shocked by the outcome. Though still definitely appalled.

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[Noodle Lizard]

I just saw The Conjuring and while it had a good attempt at an interesting story, I can't help but feel that

Spoiler alert

the little girl never seeing her parents because they're always out 'fighting ghosts', would have made for a much better story, since any faults the Warrens had/might have had were ignored in favour of 'scary ghosts want to hurt our children'. I quite like the idea of a psychological horror about this young girl growing up under a couple like the Warrens - they're convinced that they're fighting evil spirits, there's a room in their house filled with 'possessed' objects, and the mum is fucked up after 'seeing something' during an exorcism. That's a fascinating story.

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A better story would have been the:  "My parents are insanely creepy frauds who spend their days scamming vulnerable people out of money and then selling their stories on for millions".

At least one of them's dead now.  I genuinely do wish that it turns out Hell and demons and all that actually do exist, but only for him.  And his wife when she's run out of other stories to make up to keep the cash flowing.

[BritishHobo]

Oh, exactly, that's what I mean. Even in the final film the potential of a story about that shines through, but any interesting notes about their daughter growing up in a household where the parents are always off on 'religious' missions, often staying the night at other houses to 'track ghosts', is ignored for a pretty general 'angry ghost'[nb]sceptical quotation marks ahoy![/nb] story in which the ghost is evil and everyone else is just nice and wholesome. I mean, these guys have been involved in a lot of famous cases, and ones that have become classic horror movies. A horror film that's properly about them and whether they're for real or just deluded/despicable scam artists[nb]Although deluded is much more fascinating to me.[/nb], and what the toll (if any) is on their daughter - imagine growing up in a house with a room full of creepy objects that your parents tell you are possessed with demons and should never be touched - would be fantastic. But the film just treats them as undeniable ghost-hunting heroes, their absence in their daughter's life getting a hand-wave.

There was even that fantastic moment where

Spoiler alert

upon learning that the demon has started to chase after their daughter, they rush home and kick open a door to save her from being hit by a chair... and then they just fucking go right back out again and leave her there! These guys are terrible people.

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[Noodle Lizard]

They're real people, too.  About the only real thing about this "true story".

In other suggestions, I recently rewatched The Hole, Joe Dante's horror film from 2009 (not the Thora Birch one where Keira Knightley gets her ganosterhoggins out).  It's ... well, it's terrible, really.  But Joe Dante has a serious knack for ... something, which makes me feel a bit warm and fuzzy inside.  It's not really scary, but it's also somehow less silly than some "serious serious" horror films like 'Insidious' or one of the 'Paranormal Activity' sequels.

And Dick Miller is in it for all of a moment.  Points awarded.

[Obel]

Whoooaaaa... Insidious is supposed to be serious!? I took that film as completely tongue in cheek after the gasmask scene, it had some legitimately funny moments in it! One of those films that when people recommend as a recent scary horror movie I laugh at them, it was goofy as fuck!

[Junglist]

Has anyone mentioned Angst yet?

Look, right, just fucking watch Angst, its brilliant.

[holyzombiejesus]

I quite enjoyed The Conjuring but it's no great.

I think the way that we watch horror films has changed as more and more cliches are involved. Whereas once, if, for example, a woman looked in a bathroom cabinet mirror, opened the door and when she closed it a figure could be viewed, the shock and excitement would be gained from the shock of the figure, whereas nowadays the 'thrill' is all in the anticipation of waiting for the apparition. We're not scared when something goes BANG!, we're 'scared' for the few seconds of silence leading up to the bang because we know that a bird's gonna smash into the window or something. With the vast majority of modern horrors, it's like watching a penalty shoot out instead of enjoying a match. There's not enough unsettling stuff out there anymore.

[Moribunderast]

With the vast majority of modern horrors, it's like watching a penalty shoot out instead of enjoying a match. There's not enough unsettling stuff out there anymore.

I agree with that and it's more your unsettling psychological horrors that I enjoy - The Shining, Wake In Fright, Rosemary's Baby, etc. One recent film that really unsettled me was Magic Magic. There were some dreadfully uncomfortable moments for me in the cinema during that one and I'd recommend it for people who care more for psychological disturbance than gore. It's about a young woman visiting her cousin in Chile and really nails the atmospheric tensions and fears of culture shock and feeling isolated in a foreign place.

[Junglist]

I got roughly 45 minutes into Magic Magic before having to switch off through tedium. Please tell me something of note happens, preferably Cera not appearing any more.

[Jawaka]

That one is a complete shocker... but not in a good way.

Bah, not keen on it? I know it's not as good as House of 1000 Corpses but I still like it. I've been meaning to watch Rob Zombie's latest film, it's had a lot of negative feedback though.

Like Blair Witch Project, Martyrs and Kill List, I have noticed that Session 9 really does seem to split people.

Yeah seems that way. Don't think I've ever watched Blair Witch and actually been paying attention to it, maybe it needs revisiting. Martyrs was alright. Kill List was pretty good.

I don't know, 'Session 9' never really bothered me all that much.  It's a good enough film, but I couldn't fathom why people found it scary.  And, as you can probably see from my suggestions, I'm firmly of the mind that what you don't see is scarier, so it's not like I was longing for a giant CGI demon to chase them into a coffin full of guts or anything.

It's a bit creepy, I'm terrible at explaining why I like things, but I know the first time I watched it I thought it was a bit stupid. But then bits of it stuck in my head and I had to watch it again and again. I just find it ever so good. Great cast too, but I think Peter Mullan is excellent in all the films I've seen him in.

I've gone through your posts, and a lot of them I haven't even heard of. However, I do get what you mean. When there is a Demon or whatever chasing someone, it's not scary. That doesn't mean I don't find silly creature/monster films enjoyable, they really are. But I can't stand over use of CGI, hence my love for Troma films. The examples I gave, with the exception of Session 9, are pretty much due to the design of the films. Hellraiser is a brilliant example there, same with House of 1000 Corpses really.

Then also, there are films like Wrong Turn, Hills Have Eyes, Saw series, that kind of usual rubbish which I just kinda like, yet wouldn't really recommend. They're watchable, predicable, that's about it. I did start going through lists of Greatest Horror Movies etc some time back, that's when I first saw Martyrs. Then Salo. Then sat through A Serbian Film and decided to give it a rest for a bit.

[clingfilm portent]

I got roughly 45 minutes into Magic Magic

You're made of stronger stuff than I.