Fear and Horror in Region 1:
Some weeks back I was telling Tony about a great indie horror movie from
2001 that I had recently rented on DVD. Neither of us had heard anything
about it, and we wanted a way to advise our readers of what we felt were
the better horror films on the market. We decided we would give our
readers a list of our Halloween faves so we could laud our favorite fearful
films. For my fellow DVD enthusiasts, here are my recommendations of
what you should rent or pull out of your broom closet on the 31st.
All but one of the movies below has spawned a number of sequels--all of
which you can ignore since they in no way achieve nearly the same level of
quality as the originals.
Stine’s Top Five DVD Picks for Halloween 2002
The Exorcist (1973), directed by William Friedkin, adapted from
the novel by William Peter Blatty
This was the first of the demon child movies in the 1970’s.
Blatty’s novel had already enjoyed literary success since its publication
in 1971, and is even still available in print. The movie adaptation
is an excellent work of cinema. I first saw the original trailer when
still in elementary school, and I was haunted for years by the silhouette
of a man in a dark coat and fedora. I wasn’t the only victim of the
strong imagery of this film. The narrator for the documentary on the
DVD of the director’s cut that traces the movie’s influence over the decades
was just 11 when he saw the same trailer, and he was equally affected.
The movie has just as intense an impact on the viewer. It centers on
Regan, the young daughter of an actress, who is possessed by the Devil.
The movie also focuses on the crisis of faith of the priest who assists at
the exorcism. Moviegoers in the 1970’s literally left cinemas to go
straight to church. The DVD features commentary and a couple of featurettes.
If you enjoy this one, try other demon-child movies from the 1970’s such as
Audrey Rose, The Other, Rosemary’s Baby, and the next
horror classic listed below . . .
The Omen (1976), directed by Richard Donner, novelization by David
Seltzer
This is the penultimate demon-child movie of the 1970’s. Though Seltzer’s
novel is out of print, the movie for which he has writing credits is still
in print in DVD and VHS and is one of the top classic horror films of the
1970’s. The plot is centered around the adopted child of a top diplomat
in Britain. Though the boy, Damien, does not appear much in the movie,
the adults around him must deal with the idea that he may be the actual
antichrist. The movie’s final climax scene was one of the most controversial
in horror movie productions of the period. Be sure your little devil
is spending the night at a friend’s house when you view this one.
You don’t want the little darling getting any ideas. The DVD features
commentary and a making-of featurette.
Phantasm (1979), directed and written by Don Coscarelli
The last of the great 1970’s horror films, this was the first horror movie
to scare me out of my britches. Its tag line was something like, "If
this movie doesn’t scare you, you’re already dead.” And nothing was
further from the truth. The visuals were the most frightening aspects
of the movie. The plot combines horror and sci fi as a young teenager
deals with the death of his parents and the strange goings-on at the local
mortuary. Various plot twists kept audiences tense until the ending
credits rolled. This movie features one of the most memorable figures
from modern horror films, the Tall Man. The movie has had such
an impact, that yet another sequel is in production this year. The
DVD is loaded with goodies such as commentary, deleted scenes, a making-of
featurette, and radio spots used to advertise the film on its initial release.
Candyman (1992), directed by Bernard Rose, from the story by Clive
Barker
In my not-so-humble opinion, this was the best horror film of the 1990’s,
and it was the first horror film in over a decade (since Phantasm)
to actually scare me. Its visuals have an intense effect on the viewer.
I actually slept with the light on, and to this day I will not say or think
the name Candyman five times in a row, the means by which Candyman is invoked
into our realm. Candyman is the topic of a lovely young master’s student’s
thesis on urban legend. Her investigation of the Candyman legend leads
her to his realm, and her own horrific immortality. This one
is a must-see, especially for younger horror fans who may think works from
the 1970’s are just too old. Don’t go to the bathroom without company
after this one (and beware your medicine cabinet). No special features
on this DVD (BIG frown from this reviewer), but a must-see film nonetheless.
Session 9 (2002), directed by Brad Anderson
This is the best and scariest horror movie of 2001 that nobody heard about,
and the movie that triggered this year’s Halloween lists in our humble ezine.
This may be an indie, but it packs more plot and atmosphere than any big
budget Hollywood movie. Part of its terrifying allure is that it was
filmed in the very real very abandoned Danvers mental hospital outside Boston.
The production team actually had to make very few changes to make the sprawling
building fit their needs. Much of the spooky gothic environment you
see was there already. Director Anderson notes that this is not an
MTV type of horror movie (can you say Valentine?).
He notes that the horror takes its time in coming and is more the horror
of dread, but the movie will keep viewers spellbound the whole way through.
The DVD features a commentary tract, deleted scenes, and the featurette
The Haunted Palace that gives more details about the movie’s fascinating
and terrifying location. This locale will rival The Overlook
resort in Kubrik’s The Shining for scariest place on film.
