HF's top-10 horror films of all time: #4

[Pranzo Oltranzista]

Well, I just linked to my old polls and was curious if it would have picked up a little steam after that long a break.

For those new to the game, I'm not pulling these selections out of my ass. These are the films who finished with the most votes in a series of best horror films per decades. It's a long and exhaustive process, some would say it belongs on the shelves with other great scientific studies.

So, The Exorcist took the third spot on the list. Dawn of the Dead was next in line in the 70s votes so it enters the poll (I'm afraid it will only steal some juice from NOTLD).

HF's best horror films of all-time
1) Alien (Scott, 1979)
2) The Shining (Kubrick, 1980)
3) The Exorcist (Friedkin, 1973)
4) ?

Past decade polls:

Best horror film of the 2010s
Best horror film of the 2000s
Best horror film of the 90s
Best horror film of the 80s
Best horror film of the 70s
Best horror film of the 60s
Best horror film of the 40s & 50s
Best horror film of the 20s & 30s

Click to read more...

 

[Pranzo Oltranzista]

 

[Trap Jesus]

The Thing still remains my favorite horror movie ever. Never seen a movie that has been able to top the practical effects and just sense of dread and isolation it creates.

I'm someone that prefers more recent movies to older movies though, which, for the these polls, has me put The Witch and Hereditary as my 2nd and 3rd favorites of all time (ahead of the ones that already went top 3). I think both were instant classics. I give The Witch the slight nod. Again, the sense of dread, the meticulous commitment to period accuracy, and in my opinion the most satisfying ending for a horror movie I've seen in quite some time.

Rosemary's Baby is right there for me as well. I love Jaws and The Cabin in the Woods but I struggle to think of them as horror movies. I guess Jaws technically is though.

 

[Pranzo Oltranzista]

The Thing still remains my favorite horror movie ever. Never seen a movie that has been able to top the practical effects and just sense of dread and isolation it creates.

I'm someone that prefers more recent movies to older movies though, which, for the these polls, has me put The Witch and Hereditary as my 2nd and 3rd favorites of all time (ahead of the ones that already went top 3). I think both were instant classics. I give The Witch the slight nod. Again, the sense of dread, the meticulous commitment to period accuracy, and in my opinion the most satisfying ending for a horror movie I've seen in quite some time.

Rosemary's Baby is right there for me as well. I love Jaws and The Cabin in the Woods but I struggle to think of them as horror movies. I guess Jaws technically is though.

Although I think The Shining is the best horror film ever, I tend to prefer films where horror is less predominant. I didn't put down a personal top-10 yet, but it would include stuff like Images, Don't Look Now, and Antichrist - films that a lot of people wouldn't consider horror per se.

I voted Rosemary's Baby and Dawn of the Dead. I'd be comfortable with The Thing getting in too.

 

[kihei]

Voted Les Diaboliques and Nosferatu, but it is a shame that Don't Look Now isn't an option because it would be right at the top of my list even though it transcends the genre.

While we are at it, VD, are you familiar with Paul Almond's Isabel with Genevieve Bujold? Saw in the late '60s, but it has seemed to have disappeared. Might be my second favourite horror film and among my favourite Quebec films.

 

[Pranzo Oltranzista]

Voted Les Diaboliques and Nosferatu, but it is a shame that Don't Look Now isn't an option because it would be right at the top of my list even though it transcends the genre.

While we are at it, VD, are you familiar with Paul Almond's Isabel with Genevieve Bujold? Saw in the late '60s, but it has seemed to have disappeared. Might be my second favourite horror film and among my favourite Quebec films.

You asked me already, I don't think I have it. I'll see if I can find it.

 

[McOilers97]

Love the movie, but I don’t see how Se7en qualifies as horror. It’s pretty clearly a crime-thriller.

 

[Pranzo Oltranzista]

Love the movie, but I don’t see how Se7en qualifies as horror. It’s pretty clearly a crime-thriller.

I'm not a fan of the film, but I absolutely agree that it's really a stretch calling it horror. It's still included in most best-of horror lists, and was voted in in a previous poll (Best horror film of the 90s). The 90s really weren't a very good decade for horror - my own two picks (Funny Games and Audition) are were too debatable.

 

[Osprey]

I voted Rosemary's Baby and Dawn of the Dead.

I re-watched and wrote a glowing review of Rosemary's Baby just a month ago in the "Last Movie..." thread and not a single person "liked" it or even responded to it. I was puzzled and wondered if it wasn't a very popular movie around here. Now, I see that it's leading this poll and I'm puzzled all over again. Really, though, I guess that I'm just hurt and acting petty because my review was ignored .

 

[ORRFForever]

Where is the Exorcist?

 

[Pranzo Oltranzista]

Where is the Exorcist?

Are you kidding?

It won the last poll.

 

[Pranzo Oltranzista]

I re-watched and wrote a glowing review of Rosemary's Baby just a month ago in the "Last Movie..." thread and not a single person "liked" it or even responded to it. I was puzzled and wondered if it wasn't a very popular movie around here. Now, I see that it's leading this poll and I'm puzzled all over again. Really, though, I guess that I'm just hurt and acting petty because my review was ignored .

There you go.

 

[Osprey]

There you go.

Thanks! I feel validated now.

 

[ORRFForever]

Are you kidding?

It won the last poll.

I didn't know there was previous poll. Now it makes sense.

 

[Pranzo Oltranzista]

I didn't know there was previous poll. Now it makes sense.

I took a long break because interest was fading after a lot of horror polls. But as there is mostly music stuff going on now, I thought I'd take a chance at it.

 

[ORRFForever]

I took a long break because interest was fading after a lot of horror polls. But as there is mostly music stuff going on now, I thought I'd take a chance at it.

TBH, I don't remember the previous polls but I'm glad the Exorcist did well.

 

[Osprey]

I didn't know there was previous poll. Now it makes sense.

Did you think that he just randomly decided to start off with the 4th-best horror film of all time? Then again, you did ask where The Exorcist was, even though four movie posters of it were included in the first few posts .

 

[ORRFForever]

Did you think that he just randomly decided to start off with the 4th-best horror film of all time? Then again, you did ask where The Exorcist was, even though four movie posters of it were included in the first few posts .

You'll have to forgive me, I m nun 2 brite.

 

[Fantomas]

Maybe consider adding Texas Chainsaw Massacre, Black Christmas and The Changeling. I don't watch a lot of horror, but I liked these.

 

[Pranzo Oltranzista]

Maybe consider adding Texas Chainsaw Massacre, Black Christmas and The Changeling. I don't watch a lot of horror, but I liked these.

The movies that get in the poll are the ones that were voted as best of each decades. The Texas Chainsaw Massacre is next in line for the 70s, but in the 80s poll, The Changeling only had one vote, and Black Christmas none. For the record, big fan of The Changeling too.

 

[MetalheadPenguinsFan]

Went with Night Of The Living Dead and Halloween

 

[KallioWeHardlyKnewYe]

One for the heart: The Thing
One for the head: Night of the Living Dead

 

[Pranzo Oltranzista]

Oh, Halloween took the lead. Didn't see that coming.

 

[Tkachuk4MVP]

Voted for The Thing and Nightmare on Elm Street.

Up next: Jaws, Psycho, Les Diaboliques, and Night of the Living Dead

Overrated: Halloween, Rosemary's Baby

 

[Pranzo Oltranzista]

Voted for The Thing and Nightmare on Elm Street.

Up next: Jaws, Psycho, Les Diaboliques, and Night of the Living Dead

Overrated: Halloween, Rosemary's Baby

Partially agree, Halloween wouldn't make my top-50. In fact, I even prefer Halloween II. On the other hand, Rosemary's Baby is to me everything a horror film should be: it uses both the uncanny and abjection to be effective, but in very controlled and subtle doses, and it stays a long time within the ephemeral conditions of the fantastic. Few films do better at that (in fact, maybe only one: Don't Look Now).