Horror Films: from classic to modern

[AmericanPie]

The discussion inside the post about the TV show "From" has made me wonder how many fans of horror are on the Pride of Nottingham. The 80s were a great year for the genre, with films like The Blob, A Nightmare on Elm Street, The Shining, Hellraiser, Creepshow, The Thing and Friday 13th being just a few of the films I recall enjoying.

The 90s were also quite enjoyable, but I am not a fan of those films that use jump scares as their main focal point. I also dislike the first person, self-filming camera type movies. The Blair Witch Project did it right, but most films after that which tried this unique method made it unbearable and distracting.

What horror films have you enjoyed? If you were to name 3, what would they be?

Let's discuss what films within the horror genre we define good entertainment.

[Chris]

I would be surprised if there's a cult classic or major horror film from the 80s which I haven't seen.

I really enjoy horror films, but like mentioned I do not like third person/camera style films. They tend to have actors who can't hold my attention, because they seem to be acting as annoying people. I like zombie films, but I do like other things like creatures, werewolves, vampires etc.

Recent horror films (although it's very loosely horror IMO)

Renfield is great.
The Pope's Exorcist was enjoyable, although a little predictable and drawn out in parts.
Cocaine Bear - Not remotely horror but falls within that enjoyable silly style story.
Knock at the Cabin - another enjoyable film labelled as horror, but it's not.
Smile - I thought it was a creepy enjoyable film, but it's a more supernatural thriller.

The only film you didn't mention, @AmericanPie which I would have added was 'The Lost Boys'.

[KB1862]

@AmericanPie funny story about Nightmare on Elm Street. My brothers are all 10+ years older than me and they often babysat me and my sister. One night they thought it'd be funny to "scare me" by letting me watch Nightmare on Elm Street at the age of 7 but I wasn't fazed by it. They told me not to tell my mum and dad but being a kid I was just too excited to tell them about a man named Freddy Krueger. My brothers got a real good telling off

Great film though enjoyed it

Still need to watch Blair Witch Project heard many good things about it. 

Horror Films aren't my go to choice of film but I don't mind watching them, they don't really bother me too much. 

[Joshua]

I like horror films myself. I don’t like those like Annabelle, but I do like Scream and I think they’ve done well to revive the franchise. I’m keen to see how that plays out. I like things like the first two Ghostbusters - the women’s one and the newer one didn’t feel like the originals and that makes me less interested. I might watch some of the films mentioned and give my thoughts on them as I’m sure I could see more that I haven’t before.

[KB1862]

@Joshua the first 2 ghostbusters are brilliant films. Not seen any of the new ones. I don't like films that don't feel like the originals. 

The Wrong House was a good film to watch. 

Things like Resident Evil and Final Destination are also good ones to watch. Another good one to watch is The Hole. Watched it in 3d as the dvd came with 3d glasses, only watched it twice but a while back so don't remember much about it but I do know it made for a good watch. 

[allardyces tash]

The Hills Have Eyes, Wrong Turn, Reeker, Descent, and Jeepers Creepers are among the best that I last watched. I gave up with the genre when directors started thinking that doors being slammed and weak efforts to scare you were enough. The 80s was the best decade for horror!

[CliftonMagpie]

My favourite film genres are thrillers, crime, comedy and horror. I don’t get much chance to watch them at the cinema now that I’m working. I used to go regularly with a group on Tuesdays and Fridays. The new Resident Evil film was great; the previous series was dreadful. I actually bought the remastered versions of Resident Evil I, II and Nemesis because people said the last one was so true to the franchise.

[liampie]

i love horror, i used to watch it with my dad. my mum has never liked horror films, its not the blood or gore but the darkness. shes easily creeped out, so i would watch them with my dad. after they split, i would have regular horror film nights with him. i remember when i was like 10, watching a film about new york i think, it had the underground in and there was murders happening. at the same time the lead character was exploring bugs and insects. there is this boy who plays spoons and i think he has learning problems as i can remember relating to his isolation. i cant remember what its called but it was a human like bug killing and eating people.

it looked a bit like the jeeper, from jeepers creepers but a lot more mysterious.

final destination, scary movie, i know what you did last summer all great classics.

[AmericanPie]

Anyone interested in watching a film in their own time and coming back to give their thoughts on it?

@KB1862 Have you seen a of the Nightmare on Elm Street films?

@liampie Mimic 1997

Very good film.

 

[KB1862]

@AmericanPie just the first one all the way through and bit of the 2010 one bout it

[DangerousSausage]

I like them, but I have to watch them on my own!

I prefer psychological horror to the "man with hammer/chainsaw/knife runs after screaming woman" type. The Shining, The Exorcist, Psycho... I really enjoyed Jeepers Creepers right up to the end, which I found really anticlimactic. 

If you like ghost stories, you could do a lot worse than look up Uncanny on BBC Sounds. Some of those really hit home. 

[Chris]

@DangerousSausage Have you seen the UK film, Ghost Stories? It was released in 2017.

I would recommend it to you, if you haven't.

 

[TheSkipper]

I like horror films, especially around Halloween. I prefer those from the 80s and 90s compared to the newer ones. The reboot films seem to miss the point of the originals, such as Halloween - Michael Myers is not as intimidating in the remakes. It’s sort of pandering to younger people, so it’s not as shocking, but it takes away the horror feel.

[liampie]

i watched a film called american carnage, its pretty much your modern twisted story. pretty messed up but enjoyable for the most part.

[BromPie]

I haven’t watched a good horror film in years. I don’t like these ghost trends or creepy dolls. None of them are remotely creepy; they just try to make you jump with cheap thrills.

[Robbie]

Liked the Frankenstein movies with Boris Karloff & the Wolf Man with Lon Chaney Junior.

Those films tend to be looked upon as Comedy nowadays.

The Hammer Horror films were popular too in the late 50s & 60s with Christopher Lee as Dracula.

Probably my favourite horror film is King Kong 1933, with Robert Armstrong & Fay Wray.

[Piethagoram]

https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/articles/3sH9vRz4Lbq58dtyjRB0Kvx/the-fright-stuff-what-makes-horror-movies-tick

The original Candyman gave me the heebie-jeebies.