Ten Must See Modern Horror Films

by Peter D

Psycho (1960): Considered by some to be the beginning of the modern horror genre, Alfred Hitchcock's Psycho is one of the most memorable films in modern horror. In a time when gore did not exist, Hitchcock was the master of using suspense to put fear into his audiences. And Psycho's twist ending shocked many people at the time.

The Exorcist (1973): What do you get when a child is possessed by a demon? A foul mouthed child with supernatural abilities, spinning heads and green vomit, or at least that is the case in The Exorcist, where the child, played by Linda Blair, is trying to be saved by two priests seeking to rid the girl of her demon. With one of the all-time spine chilling soundtracks, it still remains as one of the greatest modern horror movies.

The Texas Chainsaw Massacre (1974): Tobe Hooper's classic can be seen as one of the earliest examples of gore taking a major role in horror films. The classic character of Leatherface, believed to be based upon real-life serial killer Ed Gein (and also believed to be the inspiration for Norman Bates in Psycho) defines the modern horror icon, a seemingly psychotic and almost superhuman character that puts fear into everyone they encounter. No one who sees Leatherface leaves unscathed - psychologically that is.

Halloween (1978): Considered to be one, if not the, greatest independent films of all time, Halloween made Michael Myers a cult horror icon. With little reliance on actual violence, John Carpenter turned his movie into horror gold with his effective use of suspense. And his character of Michael Myers, a seemingly ordinary person until the movie's ending, was popular enough to spawn six sequels (not including Halloween 3, in which Michael did not appear) and a remake.

Friday the 13th: Part 2 (1981): Many may be wondering why Part 2 instead of the original? Well the reason is based upon the identity of the killer. Those who have seen the original know that Jason was someone’s motivation but not the killer. And before Jason went into space or battled Freddy Krueger, he appeared in Part 2 as a deformed man, less hockey mask, seeking revenge for his mother. In order to appreciate where the series has gone and the horror icon that Jason Voorhees has become you must understand what the character was originally and Part 2 provides that.

Poltergeist (1982): With a screenplay by Steven Spielberg and directed by Tobe Hooper, the man who brought us The Texas Chainsaw Massacre, horror fans knew that this movie would be something special. And they did not disappoint with almost two hours of well paced horror and the mentionable acting performances of the late Heather O'Rourke (Carol Anne) and the creepy Zelda Rubinstein (Tangina). One viewing and you will definitely be looking at your television in a brand new light.

A Nightmare On Elm Street (1984): By now everybody should know who Freddy Krueger is and why the children on Elm Street suffer from some serious insomnia. Unlike similar earlier horror movies, specifically The Texas Chainsaw Massacre, Halloween and Friday the 13th, the character of Freddy Krueger, played by the memorable Robert Englund, another horror icon, was actually given a personality. So instead of stalking and killing his victims, he would make them fear him first. There aren't a whole lot of characters able to be both scary and funny at the same time.

Hellraiser (1987): Clive Barker's film about a wife trying to save her lover from the torture he is receiving in the afterlife is most memorable for the character of Pinhead, a Cenobite, trying to return the lover to his world of torment. The ending is so gruesome it will probably leave some desiring a second helping while others run for the bathroom. It is unfortunate that the powers that be have decided that it too is ready for a remake.

Freddy vs. Jason (2003): Whenever two horror icons get together to battle it out, a horror fan can't be too far behind. A movie a decade in the making received much fanfare when it was released in 2003 to delight of horror fans. With a better than average script and a solid cast it left many horror fans wanting this pair to once again duke it out in a sequel and proved that horror movies can still create a buzz at the box office.

Saw (2004): Bringing suspense and gore together, Saw mesmerized people with its smart script and unusual death contraptions. And like Psycho, its twist ending makes it that much better. It is the beginning of a new franchise, that through the third release in the series, has not lived up to the original.

The above top ten list of must see modern horror films is a far cry for the numerous noteworthy and classic horror films that horror fans should see. Fans of zombie films will blast my exclusion of George Romero's Down of The Dead, while others may criticize the exclusion of some other noteworthy franchises (Child's Play). Please be aware that this list is not definitive and not meant to be a list of the 10 best horror films of all-time (many great classics are excluded). But if you have not seen any of the movies above you are definitely missing out on something that no horror fan should miss out on - a good scare.