1. THE EXORCIST (1973)
William Friedkin's adaption of the eponymous novel about a demon-possessed child and the attempts to banish said demon became the highest-grossing R- rated horror film ever and the first to be nominated for best picture Oscars ( it earned nine other nominations and took home two trophies). But outside of its critical and commercial bona fides, the film is well known for the mass hysteria it inspired across the country, from protests over its controversial subject matter to widespread reports of nausea and fainting in the audience. Its dramatic pacing and somewhat dated effects may seem quaint compared to some contemporary horror, but there's no denying the power the film continues to have over those who see it for the first time.
2. HEREDITARY (2018)
Writer-director Ari Aster made a huge splash with his feature directorial debut, a dark family drama about the nature of grief couched within a supernatural horror film. Toni Collette earned a spot in the pantheon of great Oscar snubs with her slowly ratcheted up to 11 performances as a bedeviled mother, Annie. Still, the movie's biggest shock came Courtesy of... Well, we won't spoil that here. Suffice it to say HEREDITARY struck such a nerve with moviegoers that it instantly
Turned Aster into a director to watch and shot up to second place on our list.
3. THE CONJURING (2013)
James wan has staked out among the modern masters of horror, directing films like Saw, Dead Silence, Insidious, and this inspired by true events chiller based on the experiences of real-life paranormal investigations Ed and Lorraine Warren. The Warrens, best known for their work on the strange case that inspired the Amityville Horror movies ( which played a part in The Conjuring 2), were portrayed by Patrick Wilson and Vera Farminga, who grounded the effective jump scares and freak out moments with a believable world-weariness. Together, Wan and his co-lead found fresh terror in familiar genre tropes, and the result is a sprawling cinematic universe that only continues to grow.
4. THE SHINING (1980)
Literally, dozens of Stephen king's novels and stories have been adapted for the big screen, and several of those films are considered classics today, like Carrie, Misery, and Pet Sematary (and that doesn't even account for nonhorror stuff like The Shawshank Redemption and Stand By Me). But the mother of them all is easily Stanley Kubrick's adaptation of The Shining. A marvel of set and production design and a genuinely unnerving take on the traditional haunted house story, The Shining features a host of memorable images and iconic Jack Nicholson performance. The film's relatively few jumps scares are still absolutely chilling, but its true power lies in the way it crawls under your skin and makes your experience Jack Torrance's slow descent into madness. It's rightfully considered one of the greatest horror films ever made.
5. The Texas Chainsaw's Massacre (1974)
Texas Chainsaw's grimy aesthetic helped lend it an air of authenticity, which made it all the more frightening (“ This could actually happen, you guys!”), and the massive, menacing presence of Gunnar Hansen's Leatherface paved the way for other brutes like Michael Myers and Jason Voorhees. Multiple attempts have been made to breathe new life into the franchise.
You must be logged in to post a comment.