Don't Look Now
An ultimate classic, this film is a must watch. It's the best example of how you don't need blood, guts and special effects for a good scare. For extra fear, read up about all the different theories people have had about the film.
Fun Fact : The love scene from the film - between Julie Christie and Donald Sutherland - is very well known - for years people have claimed that rather then acting the scene, Julie and Donald were actually participating in actual sex!
The Exorcist
Not that I need to explain this! The Exorist was one of the most controversial films at the time of its release leading it to be banned! The 360 head spin, the spider walk and even the subliminal imagery all work together to make this one of the most disturbing films of all time. Warner actually had to hire bodyguards for Linda Blair for six months after the films release because of death threats!
Fun Fact : Many theaters supplied 'barf bags' with the viewing of this film.
The Fourth Kind
This is a film with a truly excellent astounding story line based around alien abduction. If you don't believe in aliens then you will certainly think again after seeing this film. It's disturbing, jumpy and creepy. Best of all though is the way it is shot and edited to make it completely realistic.
Fun Fact : The film - based in Nome, Alaska, realistically uses the fact that there are a string of disappearances in Nome. When police looked into 20 cases, 9 bodies were never found of these 20.
The Shining
Another classic that is based on the 1977 novel by Stephen King. This chilling film is the perfect scary movie to watch on Halloween and some of its most famous scenes - such as the 'Here's Johnny!' scene have been recreated time and time again in modern culture.
Fun Fact : Film historian Geoffrey Cocks has noted that the film contains many illusions to fairy tales, Hansel and Gretel being one example.
A Nightmare On Elm Street
Who can watch this film and not get scared?! Both versions of this film - the original, slightly humourous classic and the much darker and disturbing modern remake are excellent, providing lots of scares and hiding-behind-the-cushion worthy moments. Apart from the first film in the series, number 3 - Dream Warriors is the most spooky in my opinion.
Fun Fact : Johnny Depp actually has a role in this film from when he was still a relatively unknown actor. He initially went along to the audition to accompany a friend who wanted to audition, and was then given the part. The friend was Jackie Earl Hardy, who went on to fulfill the roll of Freddie in the 2010 remake, 64 years later!
Final Destination
Okay, so this franchise has completely sold out now but the first three - in particular the first ever film - were genuine and good. This film is more gory then anything and centers around the idea of cheating death. This is another film that is worth researching about afterwards as they're are loads of little spooky and quirky facts from the film.
Fun Fact : The latest Final Destination film is 'Final Destination 5', released earlier this year. When filming, a massive steel gimbal knuckle was needed, so the special effects team went in search of one. They found a man selling one he had sat in his warehouse for over a decade gathering dust - the team then discovered that it was actually the original gimbal used in the first film which had been missing for years!
The project executive from New Line Cinema took the screenplay of the first film to read on a flight with him to New York. The script was titled 'Flight 180' (the one from the film). He refused to read it after that.
During filming of Final Destination 5, an extra was sorting through old boxes of paperwork. He discovered a call sheet and a set of script slides from the first original film, in which he'd been an extra on 11 years earlier!
Scream
Scream is one of the most famous slasher films of our generation with the scream character becoming a regular halloween outfit since the release of the film. The first film starred Drew Barrymore and other famous stars such as Courteney Cox, David Arquette and Neve Campbell (who of course is best known for this role). Earlier this year a fourth film was released, 11 years after the last/third film.
Fun Fact : Dewey was supposed to die from his injuries in the first film!
The Frighteners
The Frighteners is a comedy horror film, but personally it is one of the scariest movies I have seen! It stars Michael J Fox - who can talk and see ghosts - who cons people with this ability. However when a spirit of a mass murderer comes back from Hell, he has to investigate.
Fun Fact : Michael J Fox had to redo some of his lines as he accidently called John Astin's character 'Doc' - which is obviously the name of Christopher Lloyd's character in Back To The Future!
Paranormal Activity
Paranormal Activity is most spooky because it is all centered around what happens when you sleep - aka the time when you are most vunerable! It has a simple storyline with the fear being built up so well - it's very jumpy! The third one is out in cinemas now!
Fun Fact : Apparently Steve Spielberg believes the film itself to be haunted. In 2008 he took a copy of the DVD to his Pacific Palisades estate and after watching it, the door to his bedroom locked by itself. He had to call out a locksmith.
Poltergeist
This film is another spooky horror film that is also a 1982 classic. It centers around the storyline of a family whose home is haunted by a ghost that abducts their daughter. This film has gone on to produce many sequels.
Fun Fact : Because of so many premature deaths featuring people involved with the film, it is believed that the film is cursed. Heather O'Rourke, who played the little girl that was abducted, sadly died shortly after filming (she appeared in three of the poltergiest movies) when she was just 12 years old. Apparently her ghost now haunts Paramounts Pictures Stage 19 where she filmed Happy Days.
The Amityville Horror
What's spooky about this film is that it actually is based on true events - the horrific Amityville Horror murders and then the supposed haunting of the house. It is a very well known haunted house and again, it's definitely worth reading up more about it and the spooky going ons. There are also some excellent documentaries about The Amityville Horror too.
Fun Fact : Who's that man - the main character going a bit mad - sporting a dodgy beard? Oh, it's only Ryan sexpot Reynolds!
What are some of your favourite horror movies? Have I missed any note worthy ones off this list?
