Scary Fabulousness
Okay everybody, Halloween is upon us and I thought I'd do a sampling of favorite scary movies. For those who are easily frightened, this post might be enough for you. For the rest—enjoy!
Numero Uno
The Host (2006)
I can't say enough about this film, which I made a point of seeing in the theater. Watch it on a big TV screen if you can. I've never laughed so hard and been on the edge of my seat with fright at the same time. This movie is way beyond your average monster movie. There were points where I actually cried, too. Basically it's about the love of family, specifically a parent for his child. Somewhat of a fairytale, only instead of a dragon, the hero—according to Manohla Dargis of The New York Times "(the wonderful Song Kang-ho), an overgrown baby with a shock of badly bleached blond hair and a moon face that waxes and wanes depending on his proximity to his beloved daughter, Hyun-seo"— has to slay a giant mutant fish monster spawned by an immoral and unethical American scientist, who dumps old chemicals into Korea's Han River. Yes this is K-Horror and way off the charts in terms of not being anywhere near formulaic. If you show anything at your Halloween frightfest, show this one!
I can't say enough about this film, which I made a point of seeing in the theater. Watch it on a big TV screen if you can. I've never laughed so hard and been on the edge of my seat with fright at the same time. This movie is way beyond your average monster movie. There were points where I actually cried, too. Basically it's about the love of family, specifically a parent for his child. Somewhat of a fairytale, only instead of a dragon, the hero—according to Manohla Dargis of The New York Times "(the wonderful Song Kang-ho), an overgrown baby with a shock of badly bleached blond hair and a moon face that waxes and wanes depending on his proximity to his beloved daughter, Hyun-seo"— has to slay a giant mutant fish monster spawned by an immoral and unethical American scientist, who dumps old chemicals into Korea's Han River. Yes this is K-Horror and way off the charts in terms of not being anywhere near formulaic. If you show anything at your Halloween frightfest, show this one!
Two Classics
I don't ordinarily go for Wikipedia as a source, but here goes:
(怪談, Kaidan) is a 1964 Japanese portmanteau film directed by Masaki Kobayashi; the title means 'ghost story'. It is based on stories from Lafcadio Hearn's collections of Japanese folk tales. The film consists of four separate and unrelated stories. Kwaidan is the archaic transliteration of Kaidan, meaning "ghost story". It won the Special Jury Prize at the 1965 Cannes Film Festival[1] and an Academy Award nomination."
I love the quiet spareness of many of the scenes. Watch it for the beautiful painted backdrops if for nothing else.
The Coolest Vampire Film
Let the Right One In
Låt den rätte komma in (2008)
Ringu(1998)/The Ring (2002)
I can't get enough of these films, and must say the English language version is what got me into Japanese horror, while the original Japanese is wonderful in its subtlety. In both creepy crawly not of this Earth Sadako/Samara stays with you long after the movie is over. Of all the movies, this one really, truly scared me, but the most frightening thing was how far a person will go towards self preservation.
I can't get enough of these films, and must say the English language version is what got me into Japanese horror, while the original Japanese is wonderful in its subtlety. In both creepy crawly not of this Earth Sadako/Samara stays with you long after the movie is over. Of all the movies, this one really, truly scared me, but the most frightening thing was how far a person will go towards self preservation.
Kwaidan (1964)
I don't ordinarily go for Wikipedia as a source, but here goes:
(怪談, Kaidan) is a 1964 Japanese portmanteau film directed by Masaki Kobayashi; the title means 'ghost story'. It is based on stories from Lafcadio Hearn's collections of Japanese folk tales. The film consists of four separate and unrelated stories. Kwaidan is the archaic transliteration of Kaidan, meaning "ghost story". It won the Special Jury Prize at the 1965 Cannes Film Festival[1] and an Academy Award nomination."
I love the quiet spareness of many of the scenes. Watch it for the beautiful painted backdrops if for nothing else.
The Coolest Vampire Film
Let the Right One In
This is from Sweden. There are no sexy vampires in it or swooning or steaminess or Brad Pitt, or Gary Oldman. Just two lonely children. Sort of. Just see it
Spoiler Alert: A pool scene to end all pool scenes.
Classic American Gothic Films That Are Often Overlooked
The Sentinel
(1977)
Martin Balsam, John Carradine, José Ferrer, Ava Gardner, Burgess Meredith, Sylvia Miles, Eli Wallach, Christopher Walken, Jerry Orbach, Beverly D'Angelo, Tom Berenger, William Hickey, Jeff Goldblum, and Richard Dreyfuss and an uncredited man on sidewalk talking to girl in red sweater. With a cast like that who can resist a film that made the rounds of the network Late Late Show movies that came on after the 11 o'clock news (way back before cable)? A model moves to New York and takes up residence in a gloomy, if beautiful old house in Brooklyn Heights. Great weird New York, that doesn't feel like New York. There is also a darkly funny party scene reminiscent of that other party scene in Rosemary's Baby.
The Changeling(1980)
George C. Scott fights a demon ghost child in a large, lonely mansion. The incessant pounding scared me witless!
Don't Be Afraid of the Dark (1973)
Another one of those late night movies. C'mon. Uncle Charley from "My Three Sons" is in this one as the foreboding caretaker. "We want you Sally, we want you!" Sally was so dimwitted at times, I couldn't wait for her to be dragged away by the munchkins from hell. This is as corny as can be, but at 11 years old watching it in a darkened basement rec rooms with friends--it couldn't get more spookily fun.
And finally, for a laugh to break the darkness, get a load of the trailer to this creaky fromage festival. I saw this movie dubbed on a Saturday afternoon when I was around 12 or so. It's been alternately titled Necrophagus, The Butcher of Binbrook, and when I saw it Graveyard of Horror.
The image at top is a screen shot from the unreleased trailer to The Exorcist. Apparently it was deemed too intense and over-the-top to run on television, although I remember the ads they did run scared the bejesus out of me.
