Well, would you look at that? It's almost Halloween again. But before you have to fill up the candy bowl and set the plastic cauldron of dry ice out on the porch, your good friends at RT have taken the time to refresh our list of the best horror movies of all time!
What makes a horror movie? The definition is open to interpretation, but if it made a sizeable portion of its audience scream, jump involuntarily, or dive for the covers, then you'll probably find it on this list. (Notable exception: The Hottie and the Nottie.) We've assembled all the usual suspects -- Freddy, Dracula, that cat with the leathery face -- and, as always, have taken care to add a few choices you may not expect.
As you'll know if you've read any of our previous lists, each entry has 20 reviews or more to back up its inclusion here, and the final rankings were devised using a weighted system that takes into account both the movies' Tomatometers and number of reviews.
Now that we've established the parameters and laid out the ground rules, there's nothing left to do but start the scariest countdown of the year!
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Jason K. writes: on Oct 29 2008 09:30 AM I agree. I'm really surprised by a lot of the rankings on this list. The biggest problem I have is where Psycho and Halloween fall in the rankings. How are these two movies, which are widely considered cinematic classics, not AT LEAST in the top 10? Does Fright Night really belong in the Top 10? Anyone agree? (Reply to this) |
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SionnachOghma writes: on Oct 29 2008 03:58 PM In reply to this comment (#2092954) Scariest thing about "Halloween"? The fact that while Myers was stalking his idiotic victims, my little sister could be heard sleepwalking around the house, bumping into things and making floorboards creak. Only thing that kept me awake, really. (Reply to this) |
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SionnachOghma writes: on Oct 29 2008 04:10 PM In reply to this comment (#2098315) The guy with the bloody face is Bruce Campbell, and the picture is from Evil Dead 2. The first Evil Dead is the scary one. ED2 is the funny one. Both are classics. (Reply to this) |
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SionnachOghma writes: on Oct 29 2008 04:17 PM When compiling lists like this, there should be two versions: Version One - As above, put together by the RT staff using their very strange system that leaves out some truly great movies and makes a lot of people yell and stomp their feet. Version Two - Compiled by fan votes, the way the gods intended. (Reply to this) |
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scifimark writes: on Oct 29 2008 05:29 PM obviously the exorcist and the shinning should be on this list but how about predator. its not as strong as alien but it should be there at least in the 40 to 50 range (Reply to this) |
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PacingPete writes: on Oct 29 2008 11:50 PM This list is crazy, who gets to pick these anyway. I guess it doesn't surprise me though. I'm still baffled that on their sports list Bend it like Beckam is ranked higher than Hoosier. I think that says it all. (Reply to this) |
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Shea W. writes: on Oct 29 2008 11:54 PM Wow! Just because a movie is old and many people have not seen it, doesn't make a great film. A lot of the older movies definetely deserve to be on that list (Psycho for one example) but not every horror movie made before 1970! With greats such as The Shining and the Exorcist left out I am a little dissappointed. (Reply to this) |
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pixarian72 writes: on Oct 30 2008 05:23 AM How predictable. Every pretentious so-called film credit feels that by fawning over every old movie they somehow gain credibility and some sort of classical virtuosity. Get over yourselves and get real. The Omen and the exorcist are the greatest HORROR movies,i.e. they are GENUINELY scary, Aliens also is a good pick. American werewolf in London scary/funny-classic. The sixth sense also a scary classic, it's the masterful manipulation of suspense and using people's fear of the unknown and unseen that makes a great horror, it's often what you don't see that makes it scary. Hacker/slasher flicks - NOT scary they just irritate me and I know that I could've killed the baddie many times before then by using my head and not screaming. (Reply to this) |
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Jason K. writes: on Oct 30 2008 09:51 AM In reply to this comment (#2101460) SionnachOghma...Halloween is not the in-your-face type film that horror movies became after it. Not a ton of blood & gore, heads chopped off, etc. It used cinemetography, direction, lighting and music to create mood and emotion. Suspenseful and creepy. Definitely a classic, and ahead of its time. I do agree on the Exorcist though. I don't understand how it was missing. The list was aweful. (Reply to this) |
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TheHonestMarine writes: on Oct 30 2008 10:24 AM Rotten Tomatoes is such a yuppy, look at me and my crappy B-rated movies, site that it even put together a crappy B-rated list of Horror Movies. I used to love using this site to find good movies, now the only movies they give good reviews to are the stupid Indie films and all the artsy little wanna-be, no-one-wants-to-see films that you couldn't find in a theatre if you tried. (Reply to this) |
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TheHonestMarine writes: on Oct 30 2008 10:24 AM Rotten Tomatoes is such a yuppy, look at me and my crappy B-rated movies, site that it even put together a crappy B-rated list of Horror Movies. I used to love using this site to find good movies, now the only movies they give good reviews to are the stupid Indie films and all the artsy little wanna-be, no-one-wants-to-see films that you couldn't find in a theatre if you tried. (Reply to this) |
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TheHonestMarine writes: on Oct 30 2008 10:30 AM That and all the people who comment on here seem like the cross-dressing, look I'm trying to be different because I had no friends in high school, losers that I used to beat up. I'm only leaving these comments because I can't find any of you to punch in the face in person. Quit hiding behind your Starbucks coffee and tree you just got done hugging and rate some movies fairly. No one cares about the Indie movie festival or what movie BOB made in his closet. (Reply to this) |
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Sasquatch27 writes: on Oct 30 2008 01:44 PM An interesting list anad even more interesting comments that followed. I read four of the seven pages so far and here, for what it's worth, is my take. There are different genres of films that break down like this: Horror, Suspense, Science Fiction and, perhaps Splatter-gore-porno even though this last one is closer to Horror. For the most part if there are supernatural forces at work and those forces are causing fear, death, insanity or loss of large quantities of type O then you've got Horror. There are exceptions and blends of these things that muddy up(or bloody up) the waters. "Alien" was a Horror movie that happened in a Sci-Fi environment and was unique in Horror. "Aliens", on the other hand, was more Sci-Fi with major Horror overtones. On the list was "Night of The Hunter", an awesome film. Clearly in the Suspense genre, not Horror. Nothing supernatural and no flying saucers to be found, hence Suspense. "King Kong" wasn't supernatural and he wasn't created in a laboratory...Suspense? I don't know about that one but I do agree with the majority that it shouldn't be #1 on a list of Horror films. The original 50's film "The Thing" was Sci-fi, Carpenter's "The Thing" was Sci-Fi too with cool Horror elements. "Halloween" has to be Horror though it has the best elements of Suspense. Mike Meyers is a supernatural killing machine of some sort, hence, Horror. I'll say this, RT has provided a few films on the list that I haven't seen yet so I appreciate the insight. Also, the commentary from all and the alternate recommendations have given me some more films to check out. A couple of Horror films that really creeped me out: "1408", "The Grudge" and "American Werewolf in London". Check 'em out and Happy Halloween! (Reply to this) |
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maraschino writes: on Oct 30 2008 02:11 PM In reply to this comment (#2093060) i am in total agreement.....i'll buy 2 buckets, one for each of us to barf in! (Reply to this) |
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jaysix writes: on Oct 30 2008 05:19 PM I am surprised that 2 of my favorites are on the list : Fright Night & Near Dark. Both those films are terrific and aren't that well know from the mainstream so check em' out. Some of my favorites : - Return of the living Dead - Re-Animator - Event Horizon - In the mouth of madness - The Shining - Evil Dead 1&2 (although the 2nd is more a comedy) - Poltergeist - Exorcist - Night of the living dead - The Thing (john Carpenter version) (Reply to this) |
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Jeffery S. writes: on Oct 30 2008 06:45 PM Hmmmmm, I love the movie King Kong but it would not have been top on my list. I think Frankenstein for classic horror. But the movies Suspiria, The Cabinet of Dr. Caliguri and Repulsion are on my MUST WATCH list!! Happy Halloween (Reply to this) |
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Jeffery S. writes: on Oct 30 2008 06:45 PM Hmmmmm, I love the movie King Kong but it would not have been top on my list. I think Frankenstein for classic horror. But the movies Suspiria, The Cabinet of Dr. Caliguri and Repulsion are on my MUST WATCH list!! Happy Halloween (Reply to this) |
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blackbrown writes: on Oct 30 2008 07:13 PM In reply to this comment (#2092903) Esoteric? Holy ****, that just saddens me to think that anyone can find this list even near the same realm as esoteric. (Reply to this) |
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pixarian72 writes: on Oct 30 2008 07:54 PM Yes, and the grudge was extremely creepy (Reply to this) |
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stinkyfish75 writes: on Oct 30 2008 07:55 PM This is the most ridiculous list ive come across in along time. Having Halloween at #39 i think, The Exorcist not mentioned at all, King Kong at #1. Then all the movies from the early 1900's on the list, they might have been the first of their kind but that doesnt make them the best, Its like saying the Model T Ford is better than the cars of today, it might have been a great truimph of engineering at time and pioneered the way for future cars, but it doesnt compare to automobiles today. (Reply to this) |
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