These
are the movies that keep us up at night. Their images creep into our
subconscious and change the way we feel about the dark corners of our lives.
Everyone has their own top 10 films that scared them the most. Here's mine. They
all succeed, in their own ways, of affecting the audience on a deeply
psychological level. Consider these 10, in no particular order, and see if you
agree.
1)
The
Exorcist Director William Friedkin had the formidable task of translating William
Peter Blatty's novel to the screen, and succeeded with flying colors -
mostly a sickening green. The film maintains its suspense
without getting campy and with its judicious use of startling special
effects. The recent re-release with restored footage and enhanced
effects make it even better. This is arguably the most frightening film
of all time, due in no small part to the claim that it was based on true
events. Creepiest scene: Walking down the upstairs hallway
toward the bedroom where the demon waits.
2)
The
Haunting (1963) Forget the dumb 1999 remake, the original, directed by Robert Wise
in 1966, is the truly scary one. Julie Harris effectively portrays
the innocent and unstable Eleanor who, along with others, are
induced to stay one night in an old mansion that is reputed to be
haunted. And indeed it is. The special effects are
understated, but stick with you. Creepiest scene: Something's
pounding on Eleanor's door and she asks roommate Theo to stop squeezing
her had so tightly... but Theo is across the room!
3)
Jacob's
Ladder Jacob Singer (Tim Robbins) is a Vietnam
vet who seems to be
profoundly affected by his nightmarish war experiences. Is it
because of some Army experiments? Is Jacob going insane? Or is
something else going on? There seem to be demons everywhere, and
Jacob doesn't know who to trust. This remarkable film takes us into Jacob's
nightmare and we, like him, are kept wondering what is real and what isn't. Creepiest scene: Jacob is on the subway,
about to step off the train. He looks down at an ordinary-looking passenger
sitting near the door. Was that a tail curling beneath the passenger?
4)
Poltergeist
This is still one of the best ghost stories ever made. The film takes the
safety and ordinaryness of the American suburb and turns it into a house of
horrors. And it all begins with some strange and amusing poltergeist activity in
a young family's home, and gets serious when five-year-old Carol Anne
disappears. A team of paranormal investigators is called in, but it's a task none of them are
quite prepared for. Creepiest scene: A psychic, describing the
circumstances of the missing little girl, informs her parents that there are
many arms about her, including those of an evil presence... "to her it is
just another child, but to us it is... the beast."
5)
The
Sixth Sense Nine-year-old
Cole Sear (Haley Joel Osment) always seems disturbed, frightened... and
his mother cannot figure out why. He finally confesses to psychiatrist
Malcolm Crowe (Bruce Willis) that it's because he sees dead people -
everywhere... and they're not always pleasant to look at. Director M.
Night Shyamalan is leading the way in bringing back good old-fashioned
scary movies in the "Twilight Zone" tradition, without an over-reliance
on special effects. The film is cleverly constructed and provides a
truly surprising twist at the end. Creepiest scene: Cole has
built his own protective tent in his room, but as he approaches it, he
knows there might be the ghost of a young girl in there.
6)
Rosemary's
Baby Made
in 1968 by Roman Polanski, Rosemary's Baby is still creepy on a
number of levels: its theme song, Mia Farrow's terrific, neurotic
performance, the Dakota apartment building, Ruth Gordon's quirky and
funny character, and even a room full of old, naked Satan worshipers.
Although she doesn't know it, Rosemary (Farrow) has been chosen by a New
York-based coven to be the mother of the Devil himself. But once she
suspects that the unthinkable might be true, who's going to believe her?
Creepiest scene: Rosemary's dream sequence.
7)
The
Omen This
is one of the first films to take on the subject of The Antichrist as a living
person in our time - and in this case, in the form of a small boy, Damien. A
switch at birth places the boy (born of a jackal) in the home of the American ambassador
to Great Britain (Gregory Peck, who is always great), and therefore in a
position to assume future world power. The boy himself, although capable of some
unnerving leers, is rather harmless, but the people and forces at work to
protect him will stop at nothing. Creepiest scene: It's Damien's birthday
party, and his nanny decides to prove her loyalty to him by hanging herself from
the roof.
8)
The
Innocents Based
on Henry James novel "The Turn of the Screw," this 1961 film is a
subtle, thriller/ghost story that slowly draws you into its creepy world in
Victorian England. Deborah Kerr stars as a governess who is hired to care for an
orphaned boy and girl, and soon enough the happy household becomes the setting
for strange goings-on. The governess begins to see things - ghosts? - and then
learns of the horrible secret past of the house and how it might be affecting -
even possessing - the children.
9)
Psycho Don't
make the mistake of getting the lame 1998 remake of this classic. Alfred
Hitchcock's 1960 black-and-white thriller is still the one to see: the
performances, the direction and the photography are all far superior. And no
one, of course, can possibly match Anthony Perkins' amazing, subtle and creepy
performance as Norman Bates. Hitchcock shot the film on a shoestring budget and
with no elaborate special effects to speak of - just atmosphere and character.
Just about everything about this film is memorable, from the title design to the
indelible score by Bernard Herrmann. Creepiest scene: No, not the shower
scene - Norman Bates having a nervous conversation with Marion Crane (Janet
Leigh) in the company of all those stuffed birds.
10)
The
Shining Stanley
Kubrick wanted to make the definitive horror film from Stephen King's
novel, and although it doesn't quite measure up to that ambition, it has
its share of shocks, scares and memorably creepy images. On first
viewing, Jack Nicholson might be accused of going berzerk in the
overacting department, but upon subsequent viewings and later
reflection, it's a performance that gets under your skin and sticks with
you. Parts of the plot are hokey and Shelly Duvall is dreadful, but
there's something about this movie that makes you want to watch it time
and again. Creepiest scene: The ghosts of those twin girls in the
hallway.
Director William Friedkin had the formidable task of translating William
Peter Blatty's novel to the screen, and succeeded with flying colors -
mostly a sickening green. The film maintains its suspense
without getting campy and with its judicious use of startling special
effects. The recent re-release with restored footage and enhanced
effects make it even better. This is arguably the most frightening film
of all time, due in no small part to the claim that it was based on true
events. Creepiest scene: Walking down the upstairs hallway
toward the bedroom where the demon waits.
Forget the dumb 1999 remake, the original, directed by Robert Wise
in 1966, is the truly scary one. Julie Harris effectively portrays
the innocent and unstable Eleanor who, along with others, are
induced to stay one night in an old mansion that is reputed to be
haunted. And indeed it is. The special effects are
understated, but stick with you. Creepiest scene: Something's
pounding on Eleanor's door and she asks roommate Theo to stop squeezing
her had so tightly... but Theo is across the room!
Jacob Singer (Tim Robbins) is a Vietnam
vet who seems to be
profoundly affected by his nightmarish war experiences. Is it
because of some Army experiments? Is Jacob going insane? Or is
something else going on? There seem to be demons everywhere, and
Jacob doesn't know who to trust. This remarkable film takes us into Jacob's
nightmare and we, like him, are kept wondering what is real and what isn't. Creepiest scene: Jacob is on the subway,
about to step off the train. He looks down at an ordinary-looking passenger
sitting near the door. Was that a tail curling beneath the passenger?
This is still one of the best ghost stories ever made. The film takes the
safety and ordinaryness of the American suburb and turns it into a house of
horrors. And it all begins with some strange and amusing poltergeist activity in
a young family's home, and gets serious when five-year-old Carol Anne
disappears. A team of paranormal investigators is called in, but it's a task none of them are
quite prepared for. Creepiest scene: A psychic, describing the
circumstances of the missing little girl, informs her parents that there are
many arms about her, including those of an evil presence... "to her it is
just another child, but to us it is... the beast."
Nine-year-old
Cole Sear (Haley Joel Osment) always seems disturbed, frightened... and
his mother cannot figure out why. He finally confesses to psychiatrist
Malcolm Crowe (Bruce Willis) that it's because he sees dead people -
everywhere... and they're not always pleasant to look at. Director M.
Night Shyamalan is leading the way in bringing back good old-fashioned
scary movies in the "Twilight Zone" tradition, without an over-reliance
on special effects. The film is cleverly constructed and provides a
truly surprising twist at the end. Creepiest scene: Cole has
built his own protective tent in his room, but as he approaches it, he
knows there might be the ghost of a young girl in there.
Made
in 1968 by Roman Polanski, Rosemary's Baby is still creepy on a
number of levels: its theme song, Mia Farrow's terrific, neurotic
performance, the Dakota apartment building, Ruth Gordon's quirky and
funny character, and even a room full of old, naked Satan worshipers.
Although she doesn't know it, Rosemary (Farrow) has been chosen by a New
York-based coven to be the mother of the Devil himself. But once she
suspects that the unthinkable might be true, who's going to believe her?
Creepiest scene: Rosemary's dream sequence. 
This
is one of the first films to take on the subject of The Antichrist as a living
person in our time - and in this case, in the form of a small boy, Damien. A
switch at birth places the boy (born of a jackal) in the home of the American ambassador
to Great Britain (Gregory Peck, who is always great), and therefore in a
position to assume future world power. The boy himself, although capable of some
unnerving leers, is rather harmless, but the people and forces at work to
protect him will stop at nothing. Creepiest scene: It's Damien's birthday
party, and his nanny decides to prove her loyalty to him by hanging herself from
the roof.
Based
on Henry James novel "The Turn of the Screw," this 1961 film is a
subtle, thriller/ghost story that slowly draws you into its creepy world in
Victorian England. Deborah Kerr stars as a governess who is hired to care for an
orphaned boy and girl, and soon enough the happy household becomes the setting
for strange goings-on. The governess begins to see things - ghosts? - and then
learns of the horrible secret past of the house and how it might be affecting -
even possessing - the children.
Don't
make the mistake of getting the lame 1998 remake of this classic. Alfred
Hitchcock's 1960 black-and-white thriller is still the one to see: the
performances, the direction and the photography are all far superior. And no
one, of course, can possibly match Anthony Perkins' amazing, subtle and creepy
performance as Norman Bates. Hitchcock shot the film on a shoestring budget and
with no elaborate special effects to speak of - just atmosphere and character.
Just about everything about this film is memorable, from the title design to the
indelible score by Bernard Herrmann. Creepiest scene: No, not the shower
scene - Norman Bates having a nervous conversation with Marion Crane (Janet
Leigh) in the company of all those stuffed birds.
Stanley
Kubrick wanted to make the definitive horror film from Stephen King's
novel, and although it doesn't quite measure up to that ambition, it has
its share of shocks, scares and memorably creepy images. On first
viewing, Jack Nicholson might be accused of going berzerk in the
overacting department, but upon subsequent viewings and later
reflection, it's a performance that gets under your skin and sticks with
you. Parts of the plot are hokey and Shelly Duvall is dreadful, but
there's something about this movie that makes you want to watch it time
and again. Creepiest scene: The ghosts of those twin girls in the
hallway. 
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