Love him or hate him, you got to love Brian Solomon's top 10 lists he delivers to B-D on a monthly basis. This weekend he brings you a massive list, a pretty important one in fact. "Just to get everyone up to speed, some days ago, HMV put out the results of their highly flawed survey of the top 50 horror movies of all time. After I replaced the lunch I had lost going over their atrocity, I set about putting into a motion a plan to retaliate with a list of my own. A list that I hoped would be representative of the opinions of those who actually love horror, and for whom the genre is a genuine passion." Click here to check out the list of the "Top 50 Horror Films of All Time", as chosen by some of the shining lights of the online horror community. Leave some comments below, how does the list par up?
My problems with the list: The Thing is better than Alien? I hope that's a joke. The Mist shouldn't even be on there. A Nightmare on Elm Street is not better than the majority of movies it's listed ahead of. The Blair Witch Project is better than Aliens? WHAT? Like someone else said, The Evil Dead should not be in the 20s. And, also like someone else said, seriously, Thriller? Come on. That's just laughable. Psycho is not better than The Shining.
the mist? that film didn't have the cultural impact like the others on the list. it wasn't that good. it came across like a stage play with muppet monsters and the slayer ending didn't harmonize with the buckcherry bulk if you dig. The Descent, Hostel, High Tension could easily take it's place among others.
first here's their list
1. Halloween (1978) dir: John Carpenter
2. The Exorcist (1973) dir: William Friedkin
3. Psycho (1960) dir: Alfred Hitchcock
4. Night of the Living Dead (1968) dir: George Romero
5. The Texas Chainsaw Massacre (1974) dir: Tobe Hooper
6. Frankenstein (1931) dir: James Whale
7. The Shining (1980) dir: Stanley Kubrick
8. The Thing (1982) dir: John Carpenter
9. Alien (1979) dir: Ridley Scott
10. Nosferatu (1922) dir: F.W. Murnau
11. Dawn of the Dead (1978) dir: George Romero
12. Bride of Frankenstein (1935) dir: James Whale
13. A Nightmare on Elm Street (1984) dir: Wes Craven
14. Jaws (1975) dir: Steven Spielberg
15. The Blair Witch Project (1999) dir: Daniel Myrick & Eduardo Sanchez
16. The Haunting (1963) dir: Robert Wise
17. King Kong (1933) dir: Merian C. Cooper & Ernest B. Schoedsack
18. Rosemary’s Baby (1968) dir: Roman Polanski
19. Dracula (1931) dir: Todd Browning
20. The Evil Dead (1981) dir: Sam Raimi
21. Poltergeist (1982) dir: Tobe Hooper
22. Black Sunday (La Maschera del Demonio) (1960) dir: Mario Bava
23. The Phantom of the Opera (1925) dir: Rupert Julian
24. An American Werewolf in London (1980) dir: John Landis
25. Creature from the Black Lagoon (1954) dir: Jack Arnold
26. Friday the 13th (1980) dir: Sean Cunningham
27. Evil Dead II (1988) dir: Sam Raimi
28. Alucarda (1978) dir: Juan Lopez Moctezuma
29. Carrie (1976) dir: Brian DePalma
30. Bram Stoker’s Dracula (1992) dir: Francis Ford Coppola
31. The Fly (1986) dir: David Cronenberg
32. The Fog (1980) dir: John Carpenter
33. The Wolf Man (1941) dir: George Waggner
34. House on Haunted Hill (1959) dir: William Castle
35. Night of the Demon (1957) dir: Jacques Tourneur
36. Frankenstein (1910) dir: J. Searle Dawley
37. Dellamorte Dellamore (Cemetery Man) (1994) dir: Michele Soavi
38. Thriller (1983) dir: John Landis
39. The Addiction (1995) dir: Abel Ferrara
40. Aliens (1986) dir: James Cameron
41. Phantasm (1979) dir: Don Coscarelli
42. The Thing from Another World (1951) dir: Christian Nyby
43. Zombi 2 (1979) dir: Lucio Fulci
44. The Mist (2007) dir: Frank Darabont
45. Something Wicked This Way Comes (1983) dir: Jack Clayton
46. The Living Dead Girl (1982) dir: Jean Rollin
47. The Brain That Wouldn’t Die (1962) dir: Joseph Green
48. The Return of the Living Dead (1985) dir: Dan O’Bannon
49. Suspiria (1976) dir: Dario Argento
50. Salem’s Lot (1979) dir: Tobe Hooper
Why, oh why is the original Black Christmas never ever on any "Top Horror Films" lists? This just pisses me off how incredibly underrated it is. People need to see it. It's a true horror-thriller, and personally one of my favorite horror films.
Good point, Scream110. The original Black Christmas blows every other slasher out of the freaking water. I think this list is way too generic and biased. If he's trying to make a list of most influential horror movies, that's one thing. If he's trying to make a list of the BEST, this isn't even close. By a long shot.
this is my 3rd comment ive tried to post on that list that was presented. let me shortly say, the usual crap films that are overated and too serious instead of fun.
it was dumb not including
scarecrows, final destination, black christmas 74, frontiers, pumpkinhead, and at least the first feast, and the crackhead that writes this stuff must think he's a member of the academy of motion pictures because these films are all (*sigh) commonly very high critically praised....yeahh...same old shit. last time i read these garbage lists that are a waste of my time
What a weak ass list. There should be a different list like the most Known horrors and the most unknown horror movies cause theses aren't the best horror movies, these are the most Known!!!!!
I do like the list but it is a popularity contest!
Pretty gay if you ask me. But whatever,
Horrorboy_20
Melchizedek, who the hell are you? really crawl back under the rock.
Jacques; inside is great but its mostly shock-value.
and for the most part i agree with this list. i definitely agree with Halloween as being #1
No matter what, people will say "this list sucks because it doesn't have ____". Which is why B-Sol polled a bunch of horror writers to make their own list, and now people tell us IT sucks. And so it goes on and on and on and on and on....
I agree with Scream110. The original Black Christmas needs to be on this list. Otherwise, not bad. Save for Thriller. That's not a horror film, it's a music video. Halloween at No. 1? Absolutely!!
AgingHorrorFan, I know what you're saying and I agree. But it's just this one tiny thing that bugs me all the time when I see a "Top Horror Films" list online or somewhere else. It's always missing out Black Christmas (1974). The rest, I don't give a damn about but not including Black Christmas isn't fair since it's way, way better than many slasher thrillers out there that get on those lists.
well, my top ten would have been, 1. Halloween (1978) dir: John Carpenter
2.The Shining (1980) dir: Stanley Kubrick
3. Alien (1979) dir: Ridley Scott
4. Dawn of the Dead (1978) dir: George Romero
5. The Descent (2005) Neil Marshall
6. The Ring (2002) Gore Verbinski
7. 28 Days Later (2002) Danny Boyle
8. Black Christmas (1974) Bob Clark
9. High Tension (2003) Alexandre Aja
10. The Thing (1982) dir: John Carpenter
Nice to see the Mist on there, but I think I like the 'bias' list better. It's more representative of my likes.
*Note, 'more' does not mean, 'reflects.'
Also, I'd like to see a list of the scariest, not the best. That being the list of the best had many crappy movies on there. But a list of the scariest wouldn't focus on best at all.
What was the criteria for judging best?
This list is not an atrocity, I agree with over 50% of it. It does have some problems like listing certain things which are not even movies THRILLER for one (an extended music video) and listing KING KONG as horror (it's a sci-fi fantasy masterpiece, but it's not horror!) and several "classics" which suck anyways like Browning's DRACULA and THE THING (1951)- no matter how you slice the original THING, Carpenter's version demolishes it for pure horror and cinematic artistry. That said I would have liked to see some more post-modern horror films listed like David Lynch stuff (LOST HIGHWAY comes to mind as the most unsettling movie I have seen in the last ten years) and NATURAL BORN KILLERS. Once again what was the criteria?
Capecep, do you really think Hostel was that good of a movie? When I first saw it, I loved it (9th grade), but there are so many better/higher quality movies out there. There's no way that (among many others) deserves to be on that list.
my point was at least one splatpack should be on there because that was the last paradigm shift in horror if i recall. the mist had spiders looked swept from big birds attic then the audience was hit with a nonsense, over dramatic ending. even folks being eaten by bears fight to the last or end up looking like ham salad- they don't say "this is looking bad i might as well stick my head in it's mouth and end it all. in psychology it's called fight or flight people don't kill them selves out of fear, at least not often.
it was a silly movie with a silly ending, only adding it on to be hard or nilhlistic - like a pussyass poser with a badass tatoo. horror for kids i say. a good film but not one of the best of all time.
nohandtyper: Hostel is a lot better than half the crap on that list, yes. (The Mist? Thriller? King Kong? WHAT . . .?!)
capecep: The Evil Dead wasn't serious and it was on there. But I agree with you, also.
To no one: And I can't believe no one is backing me up with Inside. Really, come on now.
Jacques, I'll back you up. Inside is probably one of the best horror films of the last decade. (More here: http://is.gd/9yX8 )
I think one of this list's flaws is that there were no criteria. Some people picked their favorite films, some people picked "historical" films, and some people picked Thriller.
listing the directors of the films is unnecessary this is a horror site we usually know all that shit anyways, and listing them next to the film makes it sound like it's some kind of oscar winning film
I must admit I haven't seen the older movies in that list, movies made before 1965. Having said that... Suspiria should be higher up. I liked 'The Mist' but I wouldn't include it on any 'best-movies-of-all-time' list. Rosemary's Baby doesn't belong there either. I would have included 28 Days Later and The Descent.
Both lists suck. Lists suck in general. How about a "collage" of films that were good with no film(s) dominating the list? There can be no true #1, atleast I don't think so. A good horror film is a good horror film.
I agree with many on the list, but where is I Walked with a Zombie, The Old Dark House or Hammer's Dracula? In fact none of Val Lewton's movies made the list, Cat People, Curse of the Cat People and Leopard Man are masterpieces of dark, suggestive horror. I like the quirky and surreal Phantasm, but is it really one of the top 50 horror films of all time or just an endearing cult hit?
Where's Silence of the Lambs? Didn't the movie snobs grant that film an oscar for best picture at one time. Jacob's Ladder inferior to Blair Witch. Give me a break. New List!!!
I like the list in general. But seriously, where the f*** are the asian movies? Ringu? Battle Royale? A Tale of Two Sisters? Tetsuo The Iron Man? oh and The Mist shouldn't be on the list, and neither should The descent, that was so overrated.
Sethcanes: Ringu was on there. But that's a good point about the lack of Asian movies on there. Miike. Nothing of his was on there, and that's just a joke.
The first list was simply a cash-in(It had the Shutter remake. 'Nuff said.) The second list was a major improvement, but I'm still scratching my head on some of the entries. See, some people think Blair Witch Project is one of the most terrrifying movies ever, whereas I thought it was just okay. And I'm surprised Thriller got on when Rocky Horror did not. But again: Much much closer to what I wanted, which I appreciate.
rusted31
'and get all of us true horror fans to vote ?'
Us TRUE horror fans? oh please! No-one is a TRUE horror fan! Just because you preach on a message board and throw your opinions around, doesn't make you a true horror fan?!
I can see so many flaws with that list. But that's MY opinion. 'the greatest horror films?' No set of people can define what is 'great' and what is not. Everyone has different tastes, hence the opinion bashing.
Much better 2nd list ide agree - list 1 actually kinda fuckin blows - but I also totally agree that Thriller and The Myst should NOT be on the list. Awsome to see Rosemary's Baby and Alucarda on there - didnt expect either. Would have switched Dawn of the Dead and Night of the Living Dead... aaand hell yes The Thing is better then Alien. Blair Witch was awsome but shouldt be so high up. Evil Dead 2 doesnt belong. Bugs me a little that Audition was on list 1 but missing from 2 aaand thankyou for omitting Saw & Lost Boys (lol thats like calling The Goonies a horror movie) from list 2.
oh sorry and list 2 is missing The Omen! shame shame! Also I just realized you have Alien(s) on list 2 -- thats a freakin action/scifi movie dammit not horror. Alien was the only true Horror in the series.
I love how other than The Mist (which has no reason being on that list) is the only movie in the 2000's to be on the list.
Shows where horror has been headed
Yeah, I really don't get some of the movies on this list. For instance, Blair Witch? No, I totally disagree with that one. Zombi 2 should be higher on the list, ditto for Suspiria. And where's Child's Play? The original creeped me out big time!
Just an FYI - the way the list was compiled was everyone made a top 10 list, with like a point system. So the #1 movie on each list was worth 10 points, #2 worth 9, etc, all the way down to 1 point for the 10th film on that respective list. Then the final scores were tallied across the board. And since a lot of movies (Halloween, Exorcist, etc) were in just about everyone's list, that means that several sort of random choices (such as Thriller) only needed to be 1 person's number 1 pick (worth 10 points) to make the list. And on the same note, if 9 people put Black Christmas in the #10 slot of their list, and no one else, it would only have 9 total points, which would keep it off in favor of Thriller. (Just to make an example, I doubt that was the exact case). Hope that helps - I admit it's a bit odd that Thriller is in there but if you consider my explanation, it will make a bit more sense.
Grayland, that did clear things up a bit. But it still disturbs me that Audition didn't make the 2nd list (thanks Vasquez. Didn't even notice.)
But again, at least we got a list that wasn't done by coporate bull sessions.
Why do so many keep hating on Blair witch? that was a great movie, when's the last time you all watched it? Anyways, I like the mist, but it should not be on the list, if the decent, or feast is not there as well... "It" and "Re-Animator" should be there also. "Scream" and American Psycho" deserves a mention as well. I like "The Howling" and "Silver Bullet" more than "An Amereican werewolf in london"
HMV’s list was culled from a survey of more than 6,000 customers, conducted on HMV.com over a four-week period between September 19 and October 20, 2008 (source: http://is.gd/9DvO ). How this makes the first list a "cash in" or the product of "coporate bull sessions" is beyond me.
It seems that the HMV list was compiled by a bunch of Top 40 listening, Hot Topic wearing,Twilight reading, salad eating, Zack and Cody watching soccer moms...
I feel there are not enough modern movies in the list. Come on, only 1 movie from the 2000s ??? It seems they choose to completely ignore modern movies. Even critically-acclaimed modern movies like The Descent, 28 Days Later, Shaun of the Dead, The Ring and the first Saw are surprisingly not included, which is a shame.
For a good analysis of the list, check out
http://fangoriaonline.com/blogs/raising-hell/679-the-cy ber-horror-elites-top-50-horror-films-of-all-time-a-respons e.html
I would put Black Christmas, Saw and The New HIlls Have Eyes on that list. I would also put THE STRANGERS...which I thought was the best horror movie in years.
yeah ide agree 28 days later should be there, helluva damn movie that was. I think the problem is that "modern movies" havent had the time to sink in as, say, movies that people have "Grown up with".... they need time to be watched a gazillion times in order to be treated like a classic. Me i cant think of much outside 28 days worthy of list in the last 8 years -- 10 years from now possibly shit like "Inside" would do it? and please dont you dare say f*cking The Ring. That movie and its popularity was an insult to horror.
Thrillers rocks. Music video or not. John Landis + Vincent Price + MJ + Rick Baker = 100% win.
Not sure whether I'd put it in my top 50 but it's bad ass all the same. Best music video ever made.
The list is ok. I would have liked to see more modern horror as well haha. There's a lot of new FUN horror movies that I would have liked to see, rather than some of the movies listed, but I'll just mention Behind the Mask. this is all my opinion. Also, exorcist is not one of the BEST horror movies.... maybe most disgusting, or most creepy, or scariest movie, but It's not a movie that I watch on regular basis, or at all for that matter.
I agree with rusted31, let's do a survey on BD. Maybe a poll when you pick ten of the (insert ridiculously huge number here) movies, and (obviously) rank them on the number of votes from true horror fans.
wow honestly this list is so far from what i would consider the 50 best. i agree with many on the list but to totally disregard the last 15 years as far as numbers are concerned is a travesty. 28 days later should have definately been on the list as well as plenty others how about (rec), theres too many to list now but definately not the definitive list.
I'm with shitbuster and Quint's Machete on this (what a sentence). The original Black Christmas was not only a great film but it inspired Halloween and When A Stranger Calls. Throw that fucker in there - towards the top of the list too!
And yes I wouldn't mind a roll in the hay with Olivia Hussey either. Well, not now. I guess that film was made in the 70's so I should be careful what I wish for.
"it was a silly movie with a silly ending, only adding it on to be hard or nilhlistic - like a pussyass poser with a badass tatoo. horror for kids i say. a good film but not one of the best of all time."
Yet another in a long line of mongoloids who think the ending is "tacked on"/came out of leftfield".
Nice to see "Something Wicked This Way Comes" get some love. Jonathan Pryce plays a great villain in that one.
The ending wasn't the one in the story, I do realize that King approved of it though. I'm sorry if your self esteem is so low that you have to call people retarded to feel good about yourself. If your daddy touched your no no spot when you were a kid, I'm sorry and I'll give you a hug if you need it.
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