Definitively, The Best Horror Movie of All Time

[ASoron0424]

It's probably stupid to make a thread like this, I'm sure someone's tried before and made a fool of themselves since it's probably impossible for most people to do. But for those of you who're able to thing of a single horror movie that, to you at least, is undoubtedly the best horror movie of all time, go ahead and list it here, and if you can, an explanation for why you think so (sometimes it's just a gut feeling, so whatever, just list the title, that's cool).
And for those of you who can't come to a decision (which I guess defines a horror movie fan in a way. someone who's unable to see one movie that stands among ALL others may understand all of the different ways in which movies are to be appreciated and sees an equal amounts of flaws as they do qualities), make a list; top ten, top five, whatever.
This is for what you think are the BEST, not necessarily your favorite. If your favorite movie is Maniac Cop 2, it's safe to say that you probably don't think it's the greatest horror movie of all time.


SUMMARY:
List what you think is the greatest horror MOVIE of all time, or the greatest horror MOVIES of all time (keep it short as short as possible). Don't do it according to your favorites, do it by what you think is really the best.

I personally can only speak on behalf of the last quarter of the 20th century, I'm not too familiar with stuff between the twenties and sixties, and in that I'd say:
1. Hellraiser
2. Halloween
3. The Thing (Carpenter's)
4. Dead Alive
5. The Exorcist (not a HUGE fan, but still...)
6. Jaws
That was in no particular order, really...
Although Bride of Frankenstein (maybe more of a drama) and Dracula would definitely have to go up there too. And Wolfman.

[cmurdur]

1. Hellraiser


:coolbeer:
yeah, plenty of these have been made.

[ASoron0424]

yeah, so I figured, but what the hell, it's always a pretty stimulating topic, I'd say.

[BooBerry]

Poltergeist

[steelba]

There is no definative best because we all have varied favorites.
But i'd say The Exorcist imo. It actually scared me when I saw it as a child and still bothers me today.

I can tell you Koolmike's too, NOTLD 68' or possible DOTD 78'. Something Romero did though.

[Misfit]

dawn 78

[Wrathborne]

*laughs at hellraiser and the Exorcist, but kind of agrees with poltergeist...doesnt have a 'top film' though *

[dr_foreverclear]

clownhouse
jaws



1) I can't look at a clown with out thinking 'what kind of sick fuck dresses up as a clown'

2) I can't swim in the ocean with out thinking 'what is below me...what territory
am i in....'

even though jaws ranks number 2 i'll have to admit that it does strike a worse fear into me than clowns...only because i swim in the ocean more often than i go to the circus

[Late For Reality]

The Exorcist and Poltergeist bore me.

[ASoron0424]

The Exorcist and Poltergeist bore me.

Yes, but you apparently enjoyed I Know Who Killed me, so maybe we should take that opinion with a grain of salt.

[Late For Reality]

Don't hate.

[MrNobody]

Dawn of the Dead '78

[H78]

Halloween of 78

[slimeisacharacter]

Can't say myself. In any movie, I can find something I enjoy about it... if not its very rare. I can count the number of movies I cannot stand and will never watch again on one hand and good lord I have seen my share and more of movies. Still, I have my favorites and who can't respect the 'classics' of the genre...

In other words, to each their own. :drunks:

[ASoron0424]

Can't say myself. In any movie, I can find something I enjoy about it... if not its very rare. I can count the number of movies I cannot stand and will never watch again on one hand and good lord I have seen my share and more of movies. Still, I have my favorites and who can't respect the 'classics' of the genre...

In other words, to each their own. :drunks:

That was referenced in the first post. The question is, "What do you think is the best horror movie of all time?"

[VM666]

John Carpenters The Thing, is in my opinion, the perfect horror film.

[ASoron0424]

:coolbeer:

[Joker]

Dawn 78.

[JerkyPuck]

Uh...Texas Chainsaw Massacre!!!!

[skybrick]

Halloween

[slimeisacharacter]

That was referenced in the first post. The question is, "What do you think is the best horror movie of all time?"

That was my answer to the OP. Best is a matter of perspective.

[Creator_and_Destroyer]

NIGHTMARE ON ELM STREET! Freddy before Freddy's Dead is the best!

[dead breed]

Jaws
Rear Window
Ravenous

[pastor_ice43]

Halloween '78

[DeathBanana]

5. The Exorcist (not a HUGE fan, but still...)

You should replace that... don't feel required to put that on the list.

[koolmike]

I can tell you Koolmike's too, NOTLD 68' or possible DOTD 78'. Something Romero did though.


NOTLD '68

Probably the only horror movie to have
it's original film reels in the Museum of Modern Art.

Truly, a groundbreaking movie that works on many levels. Scary to children, yet thought provoking enough to keep a an intelligent conversation moving amongst educated adults. Social issues of that time were delt with in a subtle way by a major horror movie craftsman.


(The Exorcist and Dawn ('78) are very, very close.)

[RIP]

I'd say it's a toss up between THE EXORCIST, NIGHT OF THE LIVING DEAD '68, THE TEXAS CHAINSAW MASSACRE '74 and ALIEN.

I'll give the other three the edge because of the hybrid (horror/sci-fi) nature of ALIEN. If I have to only pick one from the list, I'll pick THE EXORCIST.

[Officefan]

Texas Chainsaw '74
Nightmare On Elm Street

[koolmike]

If I have to only pick one from the list, I'll pick THE EXORCIST.


How did you feel about the version with added footage?

[GruesomeDuece]

I'd say it's a toss up between THE EXORCIST, NIGHT OF THE LIVING DEAD '68, THE TEXAS CHAINSAW MASSACRE '74 and ALIEN.

I'll give the other three the edge because of the hybrid (horror/sci-fi) nature of ALIEN. If I have to only pick one from the list, I'll pick THE EXORCIST.

I'd agree with those, but at Carpenter's The Thing to it.

[Metapher]

To me it would have to be Evil Dead or Jaws.

[GruesomeDuece]

Damn, I would have to add Jaws too. So, pretty much just like every other thread we've had like this, we just have to conclude that their is not ONE best horror movie.

[Gilly]

The Exorcist

[desiredisaster]

The Exorcist with The Shining close behind. The Exorcist is, in my opinion, one of the best movies every made from any genre. ive loved this movie ever since i saw it when i was little. maybe thats the difference, i viewed this at too young of an age and the subject matter fucked me up, i dont know. Whatever it may be this movie is incredible. I love that raw style of directing that was applied to the exorcist. The same " make the cast actually experience it" directin style is another reason why I love TCM so much.

[Godfatha]

Probably the Exorcist because it brought the entire mass culture to its knees with its questioning of paternal society and religion. Maybe Dawn of the Dead '78 because it truly had something to say about our mindless dive into unrelenting capitalism.

Of course, i'd also be willing to say Bride of Frankenstein because it was so many different movies all rolled into one, was a huge spectacle, and even has some moral underpinnings to keep it interesting beyond Karloff.

I dunno. make of that what you will.

[RIP]

I'd agree with those, but at Carpenter's The Thing to it.

Fuck me...agreed...1000%

[RIP]

How did you feel about the version with added footage?

The "version you've never seen" is the version you should skip. Not a fan of the 'spiderwalk' scene. It's too much too soon. In short, they got it right the first time.

[TacK]

I can't really decide on what I think is the best but my favorite is A Nightmare on Elm Street

[koolmike]

The "version you've never seen" is the version you should skip. Not a fan of the 'spiderwalk' scene. It's too much too soon. In short, they got it right the first time.


Agreed.

[smokey]

Dawn 78 for me.

[ASoron0424]

Romero's Dawn seems to be the most popular here next to Exorcist...I wasn't anticiptaing that.

My discovery of Hellraiser was relatively recent so I'm still in that awe-struck phase about it, I think it's undoubtedly one of the best, but maybe not number one.

[Lemmywinks]

For me Halloween 78. Simple,straight to the point,no mind blowing effects(yeah I know when it came out) and has creepy scenes that give me chills to this day.

[Dr. Awesome]

Mine would be Halloween 78'. It's the only movie that still to this day I can't watch alone in the dark without having to look over my shoulder as Michael's stalker music plays.....dun....dun....dun,dun.....dun.... :shakes:

[WarBeast]

All of you morons with your pitiful choices absolutely nauseate me....

Definately, without a doubt, the best horror movie of all time has to be...

Poultrygeist: Night of the Chicken Dead...

[K.I.N.G]

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[LadyFrankenstein]

The Thing to me is the perfect horror film. The effects are amazing, even by today's standards, and proof that we are fine w/o CGI!. The cast was great, the plot was simple yet effective, and standard with all Carpenter films, the sense of isolation and helplessness was heightened with the Arctic setting creating a much more horrific and tense atmosphere. And if you think about it, it's rare to find an all male cast in horror films.
Jaws is also amazing. It changed my perspective of the ocean forever. It reminds us that we are not invincible and that there are miles of ocean unexplored that hold all kinds of creatures, perhaps even some more fearsome than Bruce. You might not want to know what could be swimming below you next time you're in the water.

[koolmike]

The Thing to me is the perfect horror film. The effects are amazing, even by today's standards, and proof that we are fine w/o CGI!.


I agree. I'm not a fan of CGI in horror films.

[IKickAssForTheLord]

All of you morons with your pitiful choices absolutely nauseate me....

Definately, without a doubt, the best horror movie of all time has to be...

Poultrygeist: Night of the Chicken Dead...

Thats what I'm talkin' 'bout, I fuckin' love that movie.... I think I'm gonna review that! :D

[koolmike]

I gotta admit...I liked that flick.

[glamorilla]

as far as "best" as in groundbreaking, attention getting,successful films that helped define the genre?

!)the exorcist
2)whatever happened to babyjane
3)halloween
4)a nightmare on elm street
5)scream

[IKickAssForTheLord]

I gotta admit...I liked that flick.

Yea I know right? I'm not big into musical's but the music in that movie just cracks me up! And the Gore is very nice! :D

[Metapher]

as far as "best" as in groundbreaking, attention getting,successful films that helped define the genre?

!)the exorcist
2)whatever happened to babyjane
3)halloween
4)a nightmare on elm street
5)scream


If those are "groundbreaking, attention getting,successful films that helped define the genre", why aren't there any old classics like Dracula, Wolf Man, and everything else that came before 70's? Three of those films mostly defined the slasher and teen horror genre, not the entire horror genre (especially not Scream), and I think that there are alot of movies that you forgot. There are more important films than more than half of those. Obviously, you're stating your opinion, but it doesn't make it less wrong.

[koolmike]

I would say one of the most daring horror films ever was, "The Bride of Frankenstein"

Classic for sure.

[LadyFrankenstein]

If those are "groundbreaking, attention getting,successful films that helped define the genre", why aren't there any old classics like Dracula, Wolf Man, and everything else that came before 70's? Three of those films mostly defined the slasher and teen horror genre, not the entire horror genre (especially not Scream), and I think that there are alot of movies that you forgot. There are more important films than more than half of those. Obviously, you're stating your opinion, but it doesn't make it less wrong.
He did state that he was only speaking on behalf of the last quarter of the 20th century, and isn't too familiar with horror from the 20's-60's so I guess his focus was primarily from the 70's to the present, something he knows better.
If you were going to go earlier than that, Freaks was groundbreaking and daring for sure. It pretty much destroyed Todd Browning's career using real 'freaks' or human oddities and of course who can forget the ending? That was one hell of a film for 1932.

[Get Some]

The Thing is my favorite TCM and halloween are very close though

[glamorilla]

If those are "groundbreaking, attention getting,successful films that helped define the genre", why aren't there any old classics like Dracula, Wolf Man, and everything else that came before 70's? Three of those films mostly defined the slasher and teen horror genre, not the entire horror genre (especially not Scream), and I think that there are alot of movies that you forgot. There are more important films than more than half of those. Obviously, you're stating your opinion, but it doesn't make it less wrong.

correct!

funny the things that pop in your head when you cant sleep at 3 am.

[RampantChaos]

Scream

Alien

Suspiria

Those three represent very different things about horror that I absolutely love, but all three are fantastic pieces of film that made major waves on the industry for all movies to come thereafter.

[haze]

Hellraiser,Halloween,Dawn 78 are the best

[Cataclysm]

Gutterballs

Everything else is ass by comparison.