90.
Manhunter
Considered by many the first film by Michael Mann to demonstrate his unique visual sensibilities, Manhunter is also the often neglected first film version of Thomas Harris's notorious cannibal psychiatrist, Hannibal Lecter. Adapted from Harris's Red Dragon, Mann's film marks a major visual and aesthetic departure from the traditionally gothic vision of the serial killer. While the plot generally follows that of Harris's novel - an FBI profiler is coaxed out of retirement to track down the murderous 'Tooth Fairy' before he strikes again - the film's real success is in using its distinctive visual style to create a sense of the character's interior points of view. Shot with gleaming, postmodern architectural sets and deep color filters, Manhunter presents a visual puzzle that works more at an aesthetic than logical level. Added to this unique directorial vision are some outstanding performances by William Petersen (as profiler Will Graham), Brian Cox (Hannibal Lecter), Tom Noonan (the 'Tooth Fairy') and Joan Allen as the woman who unknowing begins a relationship with the killer. -
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89.
Haute Tension (aka High Tension) (2003)
This brutal and frustrating film co-directed by Alexander Aja and Gregory Levasseur provides an interesting French take on the American slasher films. Cleverly recycling any number of slasher cliches, High Tension benefits from blistering pacing and an exquisite lack of sentimentality (a young child is unceremoniously shot in the back). Drawing on the almost mythic case of the Papin sisters (in 1933 these two sisters, working as maids and rumored to be lesbian lovers, mysteriously murdered their two female employers), High Tension mixes savagery with sexuality. While the film achieves some great frights and provides plenty of gore, the twist ending left many viewers frustrated and feeling unnecessarily cheated. -
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88.
Creepshow
The movie made by two of the most legendary masters of horror, Stephen King and George A. Romero. This is a film of several short stories that are chilling as-well as fun. A movie that should be seen by any fan of horror, and ignored only by people ignorant to the horror genre.
It takes elements from the TV show's such as Tales From The Crypt and The Twilight Zone and molds them together into a rather odd wrap-around story that all makes up for a worthwhile experience. -
VampiricClown
87.
The House on Haunted Hill (1999)
I'm not in favor of remakes in many cases, but I flat out loved the House on Haunted Hill the second time around. My friends and I went to see it two days before Halloween, and I actually yelled out loud within the first 5 minutes of the movie, during the pencil-through-the-neck scene. The scares were original(the scene with the girl and the video camera was terrifying to me)and the twists were pretty entertaining. I still watch it every year around Halloween. -
Miss Olivia
86.
Kwaidan
Classic old-style filmmaking. If Akira Kurosawa made a horror movie, it would be something like this. Some of the stories may be a bit predictable, but it's still creepy and atmospheric at all the right times. And it's just flat-out great to look at. -
the STE