I have never understood why people watch horror movies at all. To be honest, I still don’t. But horrifying as the genre is, movies are still art. Horror movies are not only about being scary. There is a reason why people say some movies are particularly well-made. Some horror films just tend to have no story, put some serial killers and angry ghosts and splatter blood everywhere. However, if you are to appreciate the genre of ‘horror’ in a serious way, it is only right to start off with classics, gain some high-leveled taste, and henceforth choose the right movie to watch.
Psycho
A classic horror movie list would not be trustworthy without [Psycho]. Directed by Alfred Hitchcock, the father of horror movies, it is based on the novel ‘Psycho’ written by Rober Bloch. The movie was filmed in black and white to reduce the production cost, but the effect gave the movie a rather heavy atmosphere, so I guess that turned out to be good.
Source: The Shower – Psycho (5/12) Movie CLIP(1960) HD by Movieclips
Although ‘Psycho’ is considered one of the greatest horror films and is called the textbook of horror movies, it was not really appreciated when it was first released to the public. The greatest thing about this movie is how the director managed to express the emotions of the characters through camera movement and other elements such as music, rather than with lines. Hitchcock knew how to magnify horror without provocative and stark cruelty. This movie plays your emotion like a violin, and that is the beauty of it.
The Shining
Source: The Shining (1980) – Here’s Johnny! Scene (7/7) | Movieclips
A man with crazy eyes trying to shove his face through a ripped crack on the door. I believe you have at least once seen this picture or clip lying around on the internet. This is the famous scene from the famous movie, The Shining. Although based on the novel written by Stephen King, the movie is quite different from the original work. But how can that matter when the actor is doing his job perfectly like this.
The Shining is a psychological horror film released in 1980, directed by perfectionist Stanley Kubrick. It features terrible things happening to a family who moved to a hotel in one winter, starring Jack Nicholson. This movie is considered to be a masterpiece for its magnificence in exploring real horrors with fictional horrors, its beautiful visuals, and the fact that there are endless debates on how to interpret this work of art. All work and no play makes a man mad, and if you want to see how it turns out, The Shining is the one for you.
The Silence of the Lambs
Source: the Silence of the Lambs Blu-Ray Trailer – 2013[HD] by Mark’s Movie Trailers
Psychological horror is quite charming. Playing with people’s minds, reading their intentions, and getting ahead of people just to surprise them…there is no reason why people would doubt this. Another famous, must-see horror film is The Silence of the Lambs. This film puts psychological tension right in the center, with Hannibal Lector and the FBI profiler bonding to catch a serial killer who skins women alive.
It seems like its “Silence” was loud enough to achieve a Grand Slam at the Oscars. That makes it the 3rd and the last Grand Slam in history. Also, this movie is the only horror movie to win Best Screenplay. I don’t think there is more to explain about the greatness of this film. Just keep silent and watch the movie, and you will hear them.
Halloween
An American slasher, the original Halloween released in 1978 is known to have inspired the descendants of slasher films. The movie focuses on a character named Michael Myers, who committed the murder of his sister as a child and then escapes from a mental hospital as he embarks on a bloodthirsty romp, leaving a wake of teenage bodies behind him. All of these killings occur, obviously, on October 30th, and every sequel takes place on this very day. There are certainly some good quality movies that made it through the list of slasher films, but I think it is safe to say that nothing can top this classic textbook slasher formula.
Nosferatu
Many of you would be more familiar with the movie Dracula when you think of, well, Dracula. But the first movie about a bloodsucking, human-figured nightmare was in fact released in 1922, in the form of a silent film. Nosferatu is an unauthorized and unofficial adaptation of Stoker’s famous gothic novel, which showcases chiaroscuro design and angular, brutalist scenery. Though silent, the movie successfully delivers the horror a man can possibly feel. Many movies about vampires and dracula have been released ever since this silent horror movie came out. However, it seems to me that this is definitely the first movie to start off with. This movie inspired and influenced other auteurs as the footprints of Nosferatu can still be seen throughout the works of Tim Burton, Guillermo del Toro, and many more.
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