Classic Horror Movies

[Randy]

If you were going to go through each decade and choose the two "classic" horror movies of that decade, which ones would you choose and why?

I'm going to start with the 2000's and work backwards:

2000's: I'm going to say Saw and Hostel. These two movies seem to exemplify where the horror movie industry is going these days: dark, gruesome, violent, and well-written.

Other choices might have included the remake of Dawn of the Dead and Shaun of the Dead, since the zombie movie sub-genre has been resurrected recently. I think part of the reason for this rise in popularity is because of the success of the Resident Evil video game franchise.

1990's: Scream is one of the most important horror movies of the 1990's, largely because of its focus on the tropes of the genre. The Blair Witch Project was another big movie that made people think that a horror film could actually succeed. (The 1990's were actually pretty bleak for the genre, IMO, but things are definitely looking up these days.)

1980's: I don't know how anyone could not mention A Nightmare on Elm Stree when talking about 1980's horror movies. When I think of 1980's horror films, that's the first movie to come to mind. Friday the 13th came out in 1980 and spawned tons of sequels too, even though it seems so much like a 70's film to me.

Another great one from the 1980's was John Carpenter's The Thing.

1970's: It's impossible to narrow the 1970's down to 2 movies. The 1970's brought us:

• Halloween
• The Texas Chainsaw Massacre
• Rosemary's Baby
• The Omen
• The Exorcist
• Dawn of the Dead (the original)

The 1970's were a horror film fan's nirvana.

I'm going to stop here, but I might pick up with the 1960's in a few hours or tomorrow or something.

[Shane]

What's the criteria? Are we talking personal favorites or the 2 films which had the greatest impact and influence in each decade and beyond?

[MacGuffin]

I think you are right about Saw and Hostel reprenting the aughties. But I think I would choose only one.

I'll choose Hostel, because I have never seen Saw. (Since Saw came first, it probably should be the one.)

The zombie flick has become such a phenomenon, a tale of the undead must be chosen to represent our decade. I would probably choose Dawn of the Dead. Remakes of old movies also happen to be a mark of the age.

I'll have to think about the other decades.

[Randy]

Originally Posted by Shane

What's the criteria? Are we talking personal favorites or the 2 films which had the greatest impact and influence in each decade and beyond?

Heck, why don't we do both?

[Shane]

For the 2000s, I would choose:

1. 28 Days Later
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/28_days_later

2. American Psycho
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_Psycho_%28film%29

I loved Shaun of the Dead, but it's just too much of a comedy to be included, in my opinion.
I enjoyed the Dawn of the Dead remake a bit more than 28 Days Later, but the latter was an original film. It was also a better film in regards to artistic merit, as it was superior in atmosphere, score, and characterization.

And I thought Bale's portrayal of Patrick Bateman was spot on. A wonderful portrait of gleeful insanity.

[Shane]

For the 90's:

1. Scream (re-energized the genre and brought about the rise of hipper, smarter horror films.)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_Psycho_%28film%29

2. The Blair Witch Project (I have to include this film because it was such an achievement. Made on a shoestring budget, it went on to become the most successful independent movie of all time.)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blair_Witch_Project

[Randy]

Hey! Those were my picks too!

Originally Posted by Shane

For the 90's:

1. Scream (re-energized the genre and brought about the rise of hipper, smarter horror films.)

2. The Blair Witch Project (I have to include this film because it was such an achievement. Made on a shoestring budget, it went on to become the most successful independent movie of all time.)

[Shane]

Great minds think alike, I guess.

There were movies in the 90s which I enjoyed more, but these two seemed to demand inclusion based on their impact on the genre.

[Shane]

For the 80's:

1. The Shining
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Shining_%28film%29

2. The Thing
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Thing

Friday the 13th was released to cash in on the success of Halloween, so that's why I didn't include it on the list. Nightmare on Elm street was heavily inspired by the slasher films which had come before it. I felt that The Shining and The Thing were important and influential films, but they were also more original (yes, The Thing is a re-make, but it's extremely different from the original).

[Shane]

For the 1970's:

1. The Exorcist
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Exorcist_%28film%29

2. Halloween
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Halloween_%28film%29

Halloween inspired an entire generation of movies, so it's inclusion is a no-brainer. While I personally found The Exorcist to be somewhat laughable, its impact on the audience and enduring legacy warrant its place on the list.

The Wicker Man was very close behind.