Works for me. Bring on the '50's, my favorite decade of horror

Bring on the '50s!

I agree :cool:

Okay, this is the final tally for the 40s. The Honorable Mentions are underlined.


IN THE CUT

Cat People (1942) - 9
The Body Snatcher (1945) - 9

I Walked with a Zombie (1943) - 7
The Wolf Man (1941) - 7

Isle of the Dead (1945) - 6

Bud Abbott Lou Costello Meet Frankenstein (1948) - 5
Dead of Night (1945) - 5
Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde (1941) - 5
House of Frankenstein (1944) - 5
Son of Dracula (1943) - 5
The Spiral Staircase (1945) - 5
The Uninvited (1944) - 5

Bedlam (1946) - 4
Frankenstein Meets the Wolf Man (1943) - 4
Phantom of the Opera (1943) - 4
The Beast with Five Fingers (1946) - 4
The Devil Commands (1941) - 4
The Leopard Man (1943) - 4

The Ghost of Frankenstein (1942) - 3
The Lodger (1944) - 3
The Picture of Dorian Gray (1945) - 3 (backed by Straker, seconded by The Villain, Kandarian Demon, Sculpt) [IN]

The Legend of Sleepy Hollow (1949 Animated Short) - 2 (backed by Despare, seconded by fortunato, Sculpt) [IN]

--------------------------------------------------------------------

HONORABLE MENTIONS

Before I Hang (1940) - 3 (backed by roshiq)
The Fall of the House of Usher (1949) - 3 (backed by hammerfan, seconded by The Villain)
The Tell-Tale Heart (1941 Short) - 3 (backed by hammerfan)
Dragonwyck (1946) - 2 (backed by Kandarian Demon)
The Invisible Man Returns (1940) - 2 (backed by realdealblues, seconded by Sculpt)
The Mummy's Hand (1940) - 2 (backed by realdealblues)


DEBATABLE

The Black Cat (1941) - 3 (backed by hammerfan) (-1)
The Corpse Vanishes (1942) - 3
The Seventh Victim (1943) - 3


MINORITY

And Then There Were None (1945) - 2 (-2)
Black Friday (1940) - 2
Daughter of Darkness (1948) - 2
Dr. Cyclops (1940) - 2
House of Dracula (1945) - 2
Man Made Monster (1941) - 2
Night Monster (1942) - 2
Rebecca (1940) - 2 (-2)
She-Wolf of London (1946) - 2
The Monkey's Paw (1948) - 2
The Mummy's Curse (1944) - 2


SINGLE VOTES TO

A Light in the Window (1942)
Black Magic (1944)
Bluebeard (1944)
Devil Bat's Daughter (1946)
Dr. Renault's Secret (1942)
Dr. Terror's House of Horrors (1943)
Hangover Square (1945)
I Married a Witch (1942)
King Of The Zombies (1941) (-1)
Son Of Ingagi (1940)
Spooks Run Wild (1941)
The Brute Man (1946)
The Devil Bat (1940)
The Ghost and Mrs. Muir (1947) (-2)
The Ghost Breakers (1940)
The Ghost Ship (1943)
The Invisible Man's Revenge (1944)
The Jade Mask (1945)
The Mad Ghoul (1943)
The Mummy's Ghost (1944)
The Mummy's Tomb (1942)
The Portrait (1948)
The Red House (1947)
Valley of the Zombies (1946) (-1)
Woman Who Came Back (1945)
Yotsuya kaidan (1949)


Now we move into the 50s...

IN THE CUT

Creature from the Black Lagoon (1954) - 10
Invasion of the Body Snatchers (1956) - 10
The Curse of Frankenstein (1957) - 10
The Fly (1958) - 10

Godzilla (1954) - 9

Horror of Dracula (1958) - 8
The Blob (1958) - 8
The Tingler (1959) - 8

Diabolique (1955) - 7
House of Wax (1953) - 7
House on Haunted Hill (1959) - 7
The Mummy (1959) - 7
Them! (1954) - 7

Curse of the Demon (1957) - 6

A Bucket of Blood (1959) - 5

The Revenge of Frankenstein (1958) - 4
The Thing from Another World (1951) - 4
The War of the Worlds (1953) - 4 (backed by The Villain, seconded by Sculpt, Kandarian Demon, metternich1815) [IN]

The Bad Seed (1956) - 3
The Incredible Shrinking Man (1957) - 3

The Hunchback of Notre Dame (1956) - 2
The Night of the Hunter (1955) - 2 (backed by neverending, seconded by roshiq, Straker, The Villain) [IN]

-----------------------------------------------------------


DEBATABLE


I Was a Teenage Werewolf (1957) - 4 (backed by neverending, seconded by realdealblues)
Tarantula (1955) - 4 (backed by The Villain, Sculpt) (-1)
The Beast from 20,000 Fathoms (1953) - 4 (backed by The Villain, seconded by realdealblues, Straker, Sculpt, neverending)


Rear Window (1954) - 3
The Day the Earth Stood Still (1951) - 3 (backed by Sculpt, seconded by Kandarian Demon, metternich1815)
The Quatermass Xperiment (1955) - 3 (backed by neverending, seconded by metternich1815, Kandarian Demon)


MINORITY

20 Million Miles to Earth (1957) - 2
Attack of the 50 Foot Woman (1958) - 2
Fiend Without a Face (1958) - 2
Invaders from Mars (1953) - 2 (backed by The Villain)
Plan 9 from Outer Space (1959) - 2
Rodan (1956) - 2 (backed by The Villain)
The Abominable Snowman (1957) - 2 (backed by neverending)
The Amazing Colossal Man (1957) - 2 (backed by The Villain, Sculpt, neverending)
The Bat (1959) - 2
The Crawling Eye (1958) - 2 (backed by The Villain)
The Ghost of Yotsuya (1959) - 2
This Island Earth (1955) - 2
Ugetsu (1953) - 2


SINGLE VOTES TO

Abbott and Costello Meet the Mummy (1955)
Attack of the Crab Monsters (1957)
Blood of Dracula (1957)
Bride of the Monster (1955)
Corridors of Blood (1958)
Dementia (1955)
El Vampiro (1957) (backed by Straker, seconded by neverending)
Frankenstein- 1970 (1958)
Godzilla Raids Again (1955)
Godzilla, King of the Monsters! (1956)
I Bury the Living (1958)
I Married A Monster from Outer Space (1958)
It Came from Beneath the Sea (1955) (The Villain)
It Came From Outer Space (1953)
Kronos (1957)
Lust of the Vampire (1956)
Not of This Earth (1957)
Revenge of the Creature (1955)
Teenage Zombies (1959)
The Alligator People (1959)
The Beast with a Million Eyes (1955)
The Black Castle (1952)
The Body Snatcher (1957)
The Creature Walks Among Us (1956)
The Giant Behemoth (1959)
The Giant Claw (1957)
The Killer Shrews (1959) (Sculpt)
The Man From Planet X (1951)
The Monolith Monsters (1957)
The Screaming Skull (1958)
War of the Colossal Beast (1958)
X: The Unknown (1956)


SPECIAL SECTION - REST OF THE GIANT MONSTER FILMS OF THE 50s :-

Attack of the Giant Leeches 1959
Beginning of the End 1957
Behemoth, the Sea Monster 1959
Earth vs. the Spider 1958
Half Human 1955
Monster from Green Hell 1958
Monster from the Ocean Floor 1954
The Black Scorpion 1957
The Deadly Mantis 1957
The Giant Gila Monster 1959
The Monster That Challenged the World 1957
Varan the Unbelievable 1958



The initial backings/negations stay.

Adding a special "Giant Monster" films section at the end for due consideration, since it was demanded by Sculpt and supported by a few other members.

Remember, we are here to select TWO films from the remaining ones from the DEBATABLE section onwards.
The "In The Cut" section is NOT for debate.

Once that is done, we can proceed to select SIX films from the rest for our Honorable Mentions.

OR, if everyone is in joint agreement, we can select TWO films from the 4-votes section with enough backings, and get the Honorable Mentions from the rest which see backings behind them.

OR we can go the old-fashioned way and debate till we get our chosen films.

Either way, let's hear it.

Tough choices, as more than usual, we have to deal with what can be included as a Horror film. I'm in with defining a Horror film with at least one genuine scene of horror, and of course, that's going to be subjective, but also go with some common sense about it.

For 1950's #21 and #22, I back:

Gojira/Godzilla, King of the Monsters - together as one film selection. They are both the same and different films, but both were very good, and had many scenes of suffocating horror in it. Obvious and solid selection to me.

The War of the Worlds (1953) - I found many many scenes, and the whole film, horrifying. It's sci-fi subject matter to the core, but the film was made with a bus load of horror elements. We've just got sneak attacked by intelligent monsters from outerspace that appear to intend to wipe us out completely, and we're getting beaten so bad, it looks like were going to lose. To me, this script/film is us getting wiped out by mass murder. In that way, it plays as sci-fi/horror, like The Thing & Body Snatchers.

I think these two films are much better films than any of the others in the Debate and lower sections, with the exception of two films I don't consider Horror films (mentioned below).


(These aren't 'Negative Votes', just my reasons for not considering these Horror films.)

I've changed my mind on "The Day the Earth Stood Still". I don't see it as a Horror film anymore, as I don't think the film intended to horrify the audience, and I don't think I felt any horror viewing it.

I also don't consider "Rear Window" a Horror film either. I'd say it's suspenseful, not horrifying.

I agree with Sculpt and give a negative vote to Rear Window. It's a thriller, not a horror film.

I'm also going to break the rules and back Night of the Hunter as one of the 22. Oh, I see- I already backed it. Well, I call upon the rest of you to lend it your backing as well. It's not only a great horror movie, it's a damn good movie, period. Robert Mitchum's preacher is a chilling portrayal, a true monster.

I'd also like to know why Hunchback of Notre Dame is in the cut with two votes, when the movies in the debatable section all have 3 and 4 votes.

Here's the original 1950's Top 20 post. Looks like "Hunchback 56" was back in the Minority List with just 2 votes, and then you (never), Villain and I backed it during the Debate round, and it got into the Final 20.

I join Neverending in withdrawing my backing of Hunchback 1956 for the Final 20/22. (not really Horror; not the version I thought it was; great story, not great version) If that's acceptable.

In place of Hunchback 56, I back "Them!", a highly regarded 1950s monster/horror film.

So we'd really be asking everyone for 3 films to make our 22 list.

I didn't withdraw my support of Hunchback... I just didn't check how it got in the cut. V says the In the Cut section is not up for debate.

Them! Is already in. Its been in

I'll back

I Was a Teenage Werewolf (1957) - 4 (backed by neverending)
The Beast from 20,000 Fathoms (1953) - 4 (backed by The Villain)

I will back:

The War of the Worlds
The Day the Earth Stood Still



That depends on who you ask. I think it's a lot creepier than some of the sci-fi movies that are usually considered to be horror too.

Good god, people, NIGHT OF THE HUNTER!

I am so disappointed in all of you in multiple threads today.

How many negative votes are we allowed?

:mad: :confused: :eek:

If this masterpiece gets ignored and shlock like I Was a Teenage Werewolf, and straight science fiction like The Day the Earth Stood Still make it in the cut, a real flaw in methodology is revealed. It's just unbelievable!

Leaving aside the rule issue which I guess V is gonna have to decide on, I'm happy to back Night of the Hunter.

With that said, I also I have to back El Vampiro, I know I've already spoken about it first time round, so I wont go back over it, but I really think its a significant movie and massively over looked. The fact that this came out before the Terence Fisher Hammer Horror masterpiece makes this movie all the more significant.

Also want to get behind a few of the other movies like The Beast from 20,000 Fathoms, just rather see them in the honourable mentions section, or waiting until we get a ruling from V and then I'll switch my votes around if needed. Trying to avoid neg voting movies right now but my finger is on the red button! :p

Finally, I'm assuming The Hunchback of Notre Dame (1956) is safe despite Sculpt's backing withdrawal. If not, then I'll back it to keep it in the final cut. Definitely against any adjustments to the final cut at this point even if we did feel like mistakes were made, but I don't think its inclusion was a mistake anyway. It's a great example of gothic horror and although I didn't originally back it, Anthony Quinns performance was quality and the atmosphere and set design were amazing. While far from my favourite version, its a fine inclusion in the final cut.

In solidarity with Straker, I back El Vampiro. There must be an uprising!

I guess I should add that I would be fine with the rule being stretched for Night of the Hunter, but not El Vampiro.... Night of the Hunter had a little more support initially both in votes and backings, so it seems more logical to allow it.

That said, I still say El Vampiro should have been in the cut from day one!!

:cool:

...............

I've never seen Night of The Hunter but I'll trust Neverendings opinion of it and I will also back it and go and watch it

I've never thought of "Night of the Hunter" as a horror movie to be honest, but again, sometimes it's debatable what makes something a horror movie or not.

Added Night of the Hunter and El Vampiro to my watchlist. Gotta love this thread.

I've seen Night Of The Hunter probably 50 times and there is no doubt it's a great movie but I just don't consider it horror. Thriller Yes, Drama Yes, Film-Noir sure, but Horror...I just don't really think so.

I couldn't find a picture of the scene where Mitchum evokes the Frankenstein monster, but these will do:

http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-a8Hsc_OCto...00/hunter2.jpg

http://www.morethings.com/fan/night_...hunter-019.jpg

http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-c6y3wNPP4s...010d26b22a.jpg

http://www.morethings.com/fan/night_...hunter-104.jpg

http://monstergirl.files.wordpress.c...pg?w=490&h=342

HDC Top 100 Horror Villains.
http://horror.com/forum/showpost.php...9&postcount=21

Neverending, I honestly love your passion for the movies you love and the horror genre in general, and I love reading your posts, so please don't take this personally :)

But if I remember correctly, you said recently that you didn't consider Alien to be a horror movie (and I actually agree!), but I am sure you can find that on many "best of horror" lists as well.

Anyway my honest opinion is, if we vote/give negative votes/back/withdraw backings based on other people's opinions and not on our own, then we might as well just copy one of the other many many lists of "horror movies that the critics were paid to say that we must like, so we will add them even if we haven't seen them". The list wouldn't actually reflect if the movies on it are any good or not.

What will make this list interesting is seeing the opinions of "real people", and not movie critics who aren't brave enough to have their own individual opinions. Sure, some choices so far have made me think "whaaaat?!", but I am curious to see what a list created by actual horror fans will look like when it's completed.

I question the veracity of any "horror fan" who doesn't consider this one of the best horror films of the 50s, if not of all time.

I don't think its such a bad thing to make a small leap of faith now and then, especially when its coming from the opinion of someone you respect.... I agree with what you are saying in principal, but the truth is when it comes to people backing movies they haven't seen, we are actually talking about a tiny percentage of the final vote (I imagine less than 1%). I think there's actually an irony to what you are saying, because I believe the exact opposite is what happens if people aren't prepared to make the odd leap of faith now and then, or maybe bend a little here and there, why? Well that's simple.... Most people have only seen 'cookie cutter' movie lists and 'classic' movies. I actually think what can elevate the list beyond the typical staple diet of movies everyone has seen or everyone can put in a box is making small leaps of faith here and there.

Maybe I'm just biased because I've had a few people step up and 'blind' back a few movies that I have supported but the truth is they are movies that should be there and that you probably wont find on many horror lists available online because they simply haven't had the exposure of the movies that every single one of us have seen. I don't think the list becomes interesting by having 200 movies that every single person has seen or is aware of, I actually think it becomes interesting when the spotlight gets put on movies that people simply haven't seen.

Most of the movies in the cut so far are no different from every single critics top lists anyway, so real people or critics, it doesn't matter, the vast majority of our list is cookie cutter and can be found on every other horror site. I say embrace the over looked and under valued, even if it means trusting the judgement of others now and then. :cool:

But a vote for a movie you haven't seen means nothing. Except that you like and respect the person who asked you to vote for it. Maybe if you had actually watched the movie, you would have hated it. It's possible you would have loved it, too - but watch it first and then form your OWN opinion. Well, I don't make the rules - but that's my opinion :cool:


I'm definitely not saying that we as a group should all have seen every single movie on the list :) I'm saying that when someone gives their vote/backing for a movie that they personally haven't seen yet, then it's not really worth anything. The movie might make the list, but it doesn't mean it actually deserves to be on it.

But yes, it's DEFINITELY interesting to see some not so well known titles in these threads, and I'm always interested in hearing other people's opinions and checking out movies I haven't seen before. A lot of crap has won awards, and a lot of gems get no attention.

I have been a horror fan all my life, and I respect the opinions of others, but I also respect my own - even if that means that someone thinks I'm an idiot or "not a real horror fan". I don't feel the need to impress anyone - but I do love a good debate :)

Found our 21st finalist in The Night of the Hunter.

Two films have equal backings/secondings - The War of the Worlds and The Beast from 20,000 Fathoms. One of them might be our 22nd finalist, if they garner 1 more supporter.

That is, if no other film(s) spring up more backers/seconders.

http://www.horror.com/forum/showthre...616#post953616

As for the ruling for the "In The Cut" films, they stay out of this debate.

If no one else casts a vote I'll remove my backing from War of The World's since I backed both it and Beast from 20,000 Fathoms and i consider that the better film one which I thought to be inspiration for other monster movies that came later

Okay, I am happy...lol...

I just want to add one more thought to this debate. These lists we create are not just amusing passtimes for us to fool around with and forget. People read them. They take them into account in their formation of opinions.

Just a few weeks ago a small press that specializes in horror fiction posted a link to our Sub-Genres of Horror list on their facebook page as a good example of horror genres. So, we have a responsibility to try and reflect some kind of reality. That's why I argue so hard in some cases. These lists are going to be around for a long time.

I disagree and its something I've discussed previously in this thread too.... If there is a weight of evidence to demonstrate how significant a movie is or how much impact it had on the genre we are discussing, I think a case can certainly be made for a blind backing. Its fine to give your own opinions and have a certain level of due diligence and no one is being made to conform to anyone else opinion. However, if someone can convince me of the importance and impact a movie has had on the genre, you better believe I'm going to sit up and take notice. Or do you really think that the people who have blind backed movies are doing so because they want to appear 'cool'?

It's my understanding that we are trying to vote for more than just 'our favourite' movies.... I can name a ton of movies that have immense nostalgic value to me personally that would not even come close to any of the lists I have made for this project.

I just think there is more room than people realise in this debate. Are we saying that if we had only seen 20 movies from a decade that we should list those as the top 20 movies of the decade, simply because they are the best by default? That just seems wrong.

Ultimately these lists are what they are and I don't mind how people vote or what people back or don't back, but I am going to continue backing the movies I do, despite the majority failing to get much support. I also appreciate anyone who has blind backed any movie I have supported and I don't feel the backings 'mean nothing' or have been done because they 'like me'... I hope my backings have stood on their own merit...

I'll back War of the Worlds.

I get where you're coming from. I just don't agree that there's only one "right opinion" when it comes to art. If there was, it would be boring anyway!

Also, I find it surprising that anyone would not consider Alien (1979) a horror movie. The film might possess obvious sci-fi themes, but, in my opinion, the horror aspect of it is very strong. In my opinion, it is clearly a horror movie. Aliens you could make the argument is not a horror movie (although, I classify the entire series as horror), but find it hard not to classify that film as horror.

Are you saying that, for example, the fact that something won an award means that it IS good no matter what you personally think? In that case, I feel the need to remind you that Justin Bieber is an award winning performer :D Peer pressure created by the media doesn't mean that something is actually good.

If we all blindly followed the masses, nothing would ever change for the better in this world.

Some movies are only "classics" because someone had the money and the connections to start a hype. Just like some great movies gets completely overlooked simply because no one involved were particularly well known or had the money to promote the movie properly.

If I haven't watched a movie and someone recommends that I do, I usually will. But if I think the movie is crap, I won't pretend that I don't. I don't think this particular movie we've been talking about today is crap, though - like I said, I just never thought of it as a horror movie.

I didn't back "Plan 9 From Outer Space" because I felt it was wrong to back a movie that is actually famous for being so BAD that it's entertaining - even though I love the movie. So in that way, I agree with you. BUT I will not back something that I don't think deserves it just because someone else thinks it does. Who gets to have "the right opinion"?


No absolutely not, but I am saying that I don't agree with "blind backing" a movie just because it is the best by default.

I hope so! And so will I... that's my whole point :D

No, I'm saying that it is possible to be moved by an argument someone puts forward without having every single fact available on the given subject.... You must have opinions about things that you don't fully understand or appreciate and sometimes those opinions must change based on other information that you receive that isn't primary source.

The thing I have questioned is your comment that a blind vote, based on a strong argument put forward by a peer, is 'worthless'.

Also, no one has asked you to back anything you don't want to, so I'm not sure why you feel that you are standing against some sort of peer pressure. It's you that is criticising other peoples backing of a tiny percentage of movies they haven't seen.

And as for the whole Justin Beiber angle.... Did you ever stop to think that maybe you are the horror equivalent of a Justin Bieber fan? :p

Judging a movie you haven't even seen? That makes no sense to me, sorry.


I don't feel that I am. When I was talking about peer pressure, I was referring to how the popularity of some movies are created, and why I don't nescesarily think that, for example, the fact that a movie won an award means that it's actually any good.


I did, yes. I also said "I don't make the rules", though. It's just an opinion, as others have stated their opinions about how mine or others votes can't be taken seriously.

It has also been implied several times that I or other were more or less morons and "not real horror fans" for not sharing certain opinions about certain movies, and I'll admit that I was pretty annoyed when I wrote my first post on this subject.

And there you go... I'm not a "real horror fan" because I don't agree :D

Seriously though, it's not personal... I just really don't agree that there is "one right opinion" that we should all support blindly.

I don't get what you are talking about if I'm being honest.... Who has told you that there is only one right opinion? I feel like you are trying to rebel against an authority that doesn't exist.

Some of the comments that have been made by people in this thread go beyond simply watching a movie and forming an opinion that stops at 'good or bad'. Context is important and it is something you cant define by simply watching a movie. We are lucky at HDC to have members with a little more in depth knowledge on the genre or perhaps some of our older members who are able to put movies into a historical context. Do you really think you can get a feel for the importance of a movie simply by watching it? If I can talk to a guy who made the movie or maybe went and watched it at its first showing on release, then I am going to take that into consideration. If someone can present an argument and explain to me why a specific movie is a landmark in the genre and its something I hadn't previously considered, then its something I want to take into consideration when making my decisions.

Straker, I have immense respect for YOUR assessment of films YOU'VE seen. I really mean that.

I also have to strongly agree with Kan. Everyone, to take your responsibility seriously in selecting these films, PLEASE, never back or Neg a film you haven't seen!

You can best show your respect for opinions of any of your fellow HDC members by keeping our lists accurate and valid -- which is done by not assuming and/or copying others' opinions, and instead by only voting on films you've seen yourself.

Honestly, I thought this was an unspoken obvious rule. In fact, I feel so strongly about it, I think we should vote on it being a rule.