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Just Keep Telling Yourself It's Only a Thread: Talking Time's Top 50 Horror Movies!
- Thread starter Dracula
- Start date
Relevant to an earlier entry...
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I only saw Creepshow 2, where Stevey Ks only contribution was a story about making the dumbest possible choices when confronted with an acid blob
That's very respectful...
Creepshow scared the h*ck out of me as a child. (I think The Crate most of all, followed by the lake blob one - wait, that was from the sequel? probably won't show up but I dunno!)
Never seen Phantasm; guess I ought to. Octo talking about regrets made me realize an appalling missing franchise I forgot to put on my list. I expect it'll show up later but probably not my favorite entry... I'll keep monitoring the list.
Creepshow scared the h*ck out of me as a child. (I think The Crate most of all, followed by the lake blob one - wait, that was from the sequel? probably won't show up but I dunno!)
Never seen Phantasm; guess I ought to. Octo talking about regrets made me realize an appalling missing franchise I forgot to put on my list. I expect it'll show up later but probably not my favorite entry... I'll keep monitoring the list.
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Thrills and Chills pay the bills.
I have an extended history with the Phantasm franchise. I originally discovered the movies through a friend who got me into this little story called John Dies at the End (back before that was an actual book, it was a collection of short stories on a blog). Through that, the author David Wong wrote at one point about his influences, citing Phantasm and Don Coscarelli specifically. This led to me and my friend tracking down all of the Phantasm movies and marathoning as much as we could. Eventually, John Dies at the End would get turned into a full-fledged book and then even later it got developed into a feature film, directed by Don Coscarelli himself! I can't imagine how David Wong must've felt during that entire experience, to get one of his horror idols to direct his own book adaptation.
And also, 2 years ago we went to an Alamo Drafthouse showing of Phantasm because it was part of a tour Don Coscarelli was doing for his new memoir/autobiography, True Indie. So we both met him, told him all about how we came across his movies, and had him sign the book. Unfortunately I was a dope and didn't think to bring my actual Phantasm DVD to get signed too, but oh well.
And also, 2 years ago we went to an Alamo Drafthouse showing of Phantasm because it was part of a tour Don Coscarelli was doing for his new memoir/autobiography, True Indie. So we both met him, told him all about how we came across his movies, and had him sign the book. Unfortunately I was a dope and didn't think to bring my actual Phantasm DVD to get signed too, but oh well.
Some genre appropriate news.
www.themarysue.com
Clive Barker Has Gotten the Right for 'Hellraiser' Back! | The Mary Sue
Clive Barker has officially gotten back the American rights to the horror film series 'Hellraiser', based on his own short story, that he wrote and directed back in 1987.
www.themarysue.com
2 is also my only experience with the Creepshow franchise, and only one short at that. A coworker way back when though Thanks for the Ride Lady was the most hilarious thing ever and so, naturally, had to show it to me.
I didn't even think of this one when making my list, though I probably wouldn't have put it on anyways. The story isn't quite as fun without Wong's writing style.
I am begging both of you to watch the first one. Not only is it much better just in general, but is has Ed Harris doing a horror movie dance that is only rivaled by Crispin Glover in Friday the 13th Part IV. In answer to Drac's question, "The Crate" is definitely my favorite segment. Great performances by Adrienne Barbeau, Fritz Weaver (also known for a couple great Twilight Zone episodes), and Oscar Nominee Hal Holbrook. Plus Fluffy is just a great effect.
My first thought on Phantasm was "dang, that should have been on my list," but I thought about it and honestly... it's probably in the top 50, but wouldn't honestly crack my top 25. THAT SAID... if you haven't seen it and like really fuckin' trippy horror movies, I recommend it.
funny enough, i just saw inferno the other day (which i think is the first without any clive involvement). It's actually very good. I definitely liked it more than the third, but it might even just be one of the best hellraisersSome genre appropriate news.
Clive Barker Has Gotten the Right for 'Hellraiser' Back! | The Mary Sue
Clive Barker has officially gotten back the American rights to the horror film series 'Hellraiser', based on his own short story, that he wrote and directed back in 1987.
I have a fondness for anthology horror movies and Creepshow is the reason why. It is spooky and silly and scary and full of ham and cheese.
That's a good question. I don't really remember that much about the Father's Day or The Crate segments. I think it might be a tie between the The Lonesome Death of Jordy Verrill and Something to Tide You Over.
The crew must have been glad that they were able to use "nuts and raisins" as stunt doubles for the roaches.
You can read more about Creepshow and the roaches here (trigger warning: BUGS!)
That's an odd way to describe it. But who am I to second-guess a Video Knight?Video Knight said:
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Johnny Unusual
(He/Him)
Creepshow is great. I'm a huge EC Comics fan (as much as I like the horror, I think the horror adjacent Shock SuspenStories was their best series, which had a similar karmic bent except a lot of the stories were often "your bad karma ruins the life of someone you love and that's far worse") and this scratches my itch. I think Father's Day is the weakest story for me and... best is tough. I really like the Crate but Something to Tide You Over is really fun (fun fact, that has an alternate ending where Leslie Nelson gets away from the zombies and tries to convince the police what happened by showing them the security tape... which is replaced by the zombies with his murder tape. Cut to Nelson in the gas chamber, laughing maniacally "I can hold my breath for a long time..."
I wrote a thing for Phantasm...
I wrote a thing for Phantasm...
No. 39 Pan’s Labyrinth (2006)
Points: 74 | Lists: Falselogic (#18); Issun (#16); Kirin (#3)
“He won’t even know your name.”
Pan's Labyrinth (Spanish: El laberinto del fauno, lit. 'The Labyrinth of the Faun') is a 2006 dark fantasy film written and directed by Guillermo del Toro. The film, a Spanish-Mexican co-production, stars Ivana Baquero, Sergi López, Maribel Verdú, Doug Jones, and Ariadna Gil. The story takes place in Spain during the summer of 1944, five years after the Spanish Civil War, during the early Francoist period. The narrative intertwines this real world with a mythical world centered on an overgrown, abandoned labyrinth and a mysterious faun creature, with whom the main character, Ofelia, interacts. Ofelia's stepfather, the Falangist Captain Vidal, hunts the Spanish Maquis who fight against the Francoist regime in the region, while Ofelia's pregnant mother Carmen grows increasingly ill. Ofelia meets several strange and magical creatures who become central to her story, leading her through the trials of the old labyrinth garden. The film employs make-up, animatronics, and CGI effects to bring life to its creatures.
Drac’s Notes: Pan’s Labyrinth is a movie I drove to an art theater in another town specifically to watch, and I’d say it was my real introduction to the movies of Guillermo del Toro. Sure, I knew about Hellboy, but this movie opened my eyes to his artistry. It’s not quite horror, but the horrifying elements in it bridge it between genres. What I love most about this movie is how it spans fantasy and reality, and you’re never quite sure if the creatures Ofelia encounters are real or constructs of her mind as she navigates the very real-world horrors happening around her. It masterfully combines beauty and sadness. If there’s ever been a movie that felt like a real-life Ghibli film, this is it.
Remind me to never be part of any civil war, government coup, fascist takeover, or anything similar. I'd much rather be trapped in a basement with that man-eating eyeball troll.
I know that guy. He's pretty chill except for the whole man-eating thing.
I do recall hearing a similar anecdote about the worms in... I think The Lost Boys?
It's been quite a while since I've seen Pan's Labyrinth, which is why I didn't put in on my list. For that matter, I've still been meaning to watch Crimson Peak too... at least I've seen The Shape of Water! Which uh, doesn't really qualify for this list probably.
Lots of Del Toro horror-adjacent movies making the list, which I don't mind. They're good!
Del Toro is so good at writing and then finding actors to play the "Man is the Real Monster" in unorthodox ways. I was tempted to put Shape of Water on my list, but like Raiders of the Lost Ark with the previous movie thread, it's too near and dear to me to feel like it was fair to try and force it into the main list.
Yeah, these Del Toros being well into the list even though they're not exactly horror is mostly my fault, as I love them a lot and haven't watched a lot of standard horror and well, they're horror-adjacent. 
I did leave off Shape of the Water, though, which I also love but the only creature there is pretty much entirely sympathetic.
Anyway, Pan's definitely has plenty of creepy stuff in, the iconic standout obviously being the Pale Man, though the Faun also inhabits a sort of space between comforting and unsettling. And of course, there's once again the horror of real people and a lot of stuff about the choices you face when dealing with fascists. Like all of Del Toro's films, the one side is always in the service of the other, and vice versa.
I did leave off Shape of the Water, though, which I also love but the only creature there is pretty much entirely sympathetic.Anyway, Pan's definitely has plenty of creepy stuff in, the iconic standout obviously being the Pale Man, though the Faun also inhabits a sort of space between comforting and unsettling. And of course, there's once again the horror of real people and a lot of stuff about the choices you face when dealing with fascists. Like all of Del Toro's films, the one side is always in the service of the other, and vice versa.
Troll 2 (1990)
Points: 16 | Lists: Dracula (#21)
“You can’t piss on hospitality!”
Points: 16 | Lists: Dracula (#21)
“You can’t piss on hospitality!”
Troll 2 is one of my absolute favorite B-movies. My first exposure to it was via this beautiful, immortal clip. It’s a perfect storm of bad movie elements: A sequel that has nothing to do with the original; a misleading title (there are no trolls); a cast of actors who feel like they rolled right out of community theater; a plot which always hovers on the edge of total nonsense; dozens of eminently quotable lines; and a director who took the whole thing seriously.
If you’re not familiar with this masterpiece, the basic gist is this: A typical nuclear American family goes on a roadtrip to a rural town known as “Nilbog” for a relaxing getaway. Instead, they find the town to be ruled by a tribe of cannibalistic goblins who intend to trap the family, transform them into vegetables (yes), and eat them. Only Joshua, the youngest member of the family, catches onto the plot, and his only ally is his grandfather, who just so happens to be dead.
This movie is a never ending source of joy for me. If you have any interest at all in bad movies, and you haven’t seen this one, please make it a priority. And if you have seen it, but you haven’t watched Best Worst Movie, the documentary hosted by the now grown-up actor who played Joshua, please check that out too.
Troll 2: Hypertroll is a movie that's always been at the top of my list of movies to watch some day.
Sadly, that day has yet to dawn, but I hold in my heart the dream that it shall.
Sadly, that day has yet to dawn, but I hold in my heart the dream that it shall.
Honestly? I feel like it's so hyped at this point that you might not enjoy it as much as if you had seen it like a decade ago. It's very bad, for sure, and amusingly so, but it's been meme'd so much that you've almost certainly already seen all the best bits.
Seriously, why did they cast the McElroys, of all people.
Johnny Unusual
(He/Him)
I love Pan's Labyrinth but I definitely put it in the "Dark Fantasy" box rather than the horror box.
Don’t think I’ve ever seen Troll 2 but the original was a childhood staple and - I think - taught me to call garbage disposal units garburators which is apparently a Canadian thing. Maybe I got it from somewhere else and that words not even in that movie.
anyway blah blah blah gotta watch both now... someday...
anyway blah blah blah gotta watch both now... someday...
For what it's worth, Troll (the first one) is a perfectly cromulent piece of low-to-mid-range budget horror cinema. But like I mentioned, it has nothing at all to do with Troll 2.
And taking this one step further, there is a film sometimes known as Troll 3 which is actually the final film in the bargain basement Italian Conan ripoff series, Ator. It isn't a horror film, and doesn't feature trolls. But it does have some of the masks from Troll 2.
Oh yeah, and there's another movie also called Troll 3, and is also known as The Crawlers. It also does not feature any trolls, instead featuring evil ambulatory tree roots.
Essentially there's this whole movie franchise of unrelated films that say they have trolls in them, but don't.
And taking this one step further, there is a film sometimes known as Troll 3 which is actually the final film in the bargain basement Italian Conan ripoff series, Ator. It isn't a horror film, and doesn't feature trolls. But it does have some of the masks from Troll 2.
Oh yeah, and there's another movie also called Troll 3, and is also known as The Crawlers. It also does not feature any trolls, instead featuring evil ambulatory tree roots.
Essentially there's this whole movie franchise of unrelated films that say they have trolls in them, but don't.
The Devil’s Backbone (2001)
Points: 0 | Lists None
“What is a ghost? A tragedy condemned to repeat itself time and again? An instant of pain, perhaps. Something dead which still seems to be alive. An emotion suspended in time. Like a blurred photograph. Like an insect trapped in amber.”
Points: 0 | Lists None
“What is a ghost? A tragedy condemned to repeat itself time and again? An instant of pain, perhaps. Something dead which still seems to be alive. An emotion suspended in time. Like a blurred photograph. Like an insect trapped in amber.”
I don’t actually remember a whole lot about this film, other than that I really liked it, but since we’ve spent some time with Del Toro on this list, and we won’t see him on the list again, I figured we could go over one more of his films, and one which is probably more of a strictly horror film than the ones we’ve already discussed.
Here’s a plot summary:
The Devil's Backbone (Spanish: El espinazo del diablo) is a 2001 gothic horror film directed by Guillermo del Toro, and written by del Toro, David Muñoz, and Antonio Trashorras.After losing his father, 10-year-old Carlos (Fernando Tielve) arrives at the Santa Lucia School, which shelters orphans of the Republican militia and politicians, and is taken in by the steely headmistress, Carmen (Marisa Paredes), and the kindly professor, Casares (Federico Luppi). Soon after his arrival, Carlos has a run-in with the violent caretaker, Jacinto (Eduardo Noriega). Gradually, Carlos uncovers the secrets of the school, including the youthful ghost that wanders the grounds.
The Human Centipede: First Sequence (2009)
Points: 0 | Lists: None
"Oh shit! I have to shit!"
Points: 0 | Lists: None
"Oh shit! I have to shit!"
I'm also including this today as a bonus movie, mostly because nobody voted for it, and it received no points. Congratulations, everyone! You did it!
I'm proud of you!
Same here! I should probably watch it again.