# Good Horror Movies? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [June 20, 2011, 4:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/good-horror-movies/586167 "2011-06-20T16:45:21Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Cheerleading\_Dropout](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ac8455/32.png) [@Cheerleading\_Dropout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cheerleading_Dropout)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2011, 4:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/good-horror-movies/586167/1 "2011-06-20T16:45:21Z")
I haven’t seen many horror movies, but I’d like to start watching them. I want to start slow, because I’m not really into horror (yet), which is why I thought of zombie movies first, especially a “RomZomDramCom,” or “Romantic Zombie Drama Comedy.” But I am open to suggestions about all types of horror movies. For a little background, I have read quite a few horror books, and I have read most of the necessary material for understanding horror movies, books like “The Werewolf’s Guide To Life,” “How To Survive A Horror Movie,” and “World War Z.” I am actually still a young teenager; there is a limit on how much gore my mom (and, to a lesser extent, my dad) will let me see :smack: so that is a factor as well. That said, any recommendations? What low-violence horror movies did you enjoy? ---
**Author:** ![MadTheSwine](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/9fc29f/32.png) [@MadTheSwine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MadTheSwine)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2011, 5:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/good-horror-movies/586167/2 "2011-06-20T17:15:59Z")
This might do better at the Cafe The Devil’s Rejects. If you watch it,it is the sequel to House of a 1000 Corpses which wasn’t nearly as good IMO. ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2011, 5:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/good-horror-movies/586167/3 "2011-06-20T17:31:38Z")
Moving thread from IMHO to Cafe Society. ---
**Author:** ![Cheerleading\_Dropout](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ac8455/32.png) [@Cheerleading\_Dropout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cheerleading_Dropout)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2011, 5:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/good-horror-movies/586167/4 "2011-06-20T17:47:38Z")
Thanks. I was wondering whether to put it in Cafe… guess I made the wrong decision, sorry. ---
**Author:** ![Dung\_Beetle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dung_beetle/32/7945_2.png) [@Dung\_Beetle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dung_Beetle)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2011, 5:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/good-horror-movies/586167/5 "2011-06-20T17:55:21Z")
My favorite horror movie is [Poltergeist](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0084516/). Some of the special effects did not stand the test of time, but I think this movie is still capable of scaring the pants off you. ---
**Author:** ![AuntiePam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/f19dbf/32.png) [@AuntiePam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AuntiePam)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2011, 5:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/good-horror-movies/586167/6 "2011-06-20T17:57:05Z")
> [@Cheerleading\_Dropout](#): > > That said, any recommendations? What low-violence horror movies did you enjoy? Do you mind oldies? My all-time favorite is [The Changeling](http://www.amazon.com/Changeling-George-C-Scott/dp/0783116926/ref=sr_1_1?s=dvd&ie=UTF8&qid=1308592450&sr=1-1) with George C. Scott. It’s a ghost story rather than horror though, but it’s scary as heck, and low on violence. On preview, ditto for _Poltergeist_. I was going to suggest _Carrie_ as well, but it’s pretty violent. ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2011, 5:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/good-horror-movies/586167/7 "2011-06-20T17:58:02Z")
> [@Cheerleading\_Dropout](#): > > I haven’t seen many horror movies, but I’d like to start watching them. I want to start slow, because I’m not really into horror (yet), which is why I thought of zombie movies first, especially a “RomZomDramCom,” or “Romantic Zombie Drama Comedy.” But I am open to suggestions about all types of horror movies. > For a little background, I have read quite a few horror books, and I have read most of the necessary material for understanding horror movies, books like “The Werewolf’s Guide To Life,” “How To Survive A Horror Movie,” and “World War Z.” I am actually still a young teenager; there is a limit on how much gore my mom (and, to a lesser extent, my dad) will let me see :smack: so that is a factor as well. > That said, any recommendations? What low-violence horror movies did you enjoy? In your situation I would highly recommend, before you watch, read (some more): [_Danse Macabre,_](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Danse_Macabre_(book)) by Stephen King, who will tell you (and can you imagine a better authority?) about all the films **he** considers horror classics and why. (Of course, it was published in 1981 and covers nothing produced later.) ---
**Author:** ![Tequila\_Mockingbird](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/41988e/32.png) [@Tequila\_Mockingbird](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tequila_Mockingbird)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2011, 6:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/good-horror-movies/586167/8 "2011-06-20T18:16:06Z")
Some of these are rated R but I didn’t consider them to have a really high gore factor. It’s more language and suspense for more of them. Lake Placid ® The Mummy - the one with Brendan Fraser (PG-13) Paranormal Activity (not sure of the rating on this one) You might also like The Sixth Sense (PG-13) If you and your parents can handle some gore, I really suggest Shaun Of The Dead. My son and I both love this one. ---
**Author:** ![Spoke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a88e57/32.png) [@Spoke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spoke)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2011, 6:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/good-horror-movies/586167/9 "2011-06-20T18:22:51Z")
[The Crazies](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0455407/) might be pushing the gore envelope, but it’s a good recent horror film. Also recommend [Session 9](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0261983/). [Pandorum](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1188729/) is a good science fiction/horror pic. (Speaking of which, see [Alien](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0078748/) if you haven’t.) ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2011, 6:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/good-horror-movies/586167/10 "2011-06-20T18:30:18Z")
> [@Cheerleading\_Dropout](#): > > I am actually still a young teenager; there is a limit on how much gore my mom (and, to a lesser extent, my dad) will let me see :smack: so that is a factor as well. In _Danse Macabre,_ King expounds on the different emotional levels at which a horror writer can aim – the “Thriller,” the “Horror,” and the “Gross-Out.” The Thriller is the finest. As King puts it: When the thing that has been knocking on the door finally opens it, now matter how horrible it turns out to be, it no longer has the suspense, the special terror of the unknown. A six-foot bug?! Whew!! I was afraid it was gonna be a \*\*twelve-\*\*foot bug! A really good thriller, or film of suspense as distinct from horror, is [_Link_](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Link_(film)) (1986), where **all** the killings happen off-camera. This is partly because they used real apes in filming and you can’t train an ape to **pretend** to tear somebody’s arms off and it might be dangerous even to try; but it might also have been an artistic choice. ---
**Author:** ![needscoffee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/needscoffee/32/1076_2.png) [@needscoffee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/needscoffee)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2011, 6:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/good-horror-movies/586167/11 "2011-06-20T18:31:41Z")
The 2004 version of [Dawn of the Dead](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0363547/) is _great_. The DVD special features include showing how some of the more frightening special effects were achieved, which made it seem much less gruesome. With my younger teens, we watched the making-of special feature before we watched the movie. [The Haunting](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0057129/) (the 1963 version) is still one of my favorite movies. For fun and creepy, there’s [Mr. Sardonicus](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0055200/). I second Session 9, but it might be a bit gruesome for you or your parents. Most of the grue is not shown, though. ---
**Author:** ![Alka\_Seltzer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/c89c15/32.png) [@Alka\_Seltzer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alka_Seltzer)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2011, 6:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/good-horror-movies/586167/12 "2011-06-20T18:34:37Z")
_Shadow of the Vampire_ is my favorite horror film, it’s about the filming of 1920’s horror [Nosferatu](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nosferatu), with a very interesting premise. It’s more of a psychological horror, and is paced fairly slowly. _Poltergeist_ is well worth watching, and should fit the bill. It’s creepy rather than gory. _Shaun of the Dead_ and _Gremlins_ are good fun. There is gore, but it is slapstick. ---
**Author:** ![Miller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/miller/32/481_2.png) [@Miller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Miller)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2011, 6:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/good-horror-movies/586167/13 "2011-06-20T18:37:26Z")
My all time favorite horror movie is John Carpenter’s _The Thing_: a bunch of guys at an arctic weather station find spaceship frozen under the ice. The ships passenger proves to be a shapeshifter, who begins killing and replacing the crew of the weather station, one by one. Pretty gory, though the actual horror part comes from the intense paranoia over who is and is not currently human. ---
**Author:** ![Attack\_from\_the\_3rd\_dimension](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/b38774/32.png) [@Attack\_from\_the\_3rd\_dimension](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Attack_from_the_3rd_dimension)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2011, 6:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/good-horror-movies/586167/14 "2011-06-20T18:39:28Z")
Here are some that don’t rely on gore as much as the slasher-type films, although _American Werewolf_ and _The Thing_ are still pretty bloody, it’s central-to-the-plot blood, not gratuitous blood. \*Poltergeist \*- a family has ghost trouble _Lost Boys_ - moving to a new town can be tough for teens _American Werewolf in London_ - or - how my vacation went awry _The Fly_ - or - how my science project went awry _Alien_ - or - how my trip in space went awry _The Thing_ - I hope none of your close relatives were ever scientists in Antarctica Edited to add: \*Nosferatu \*is a good suggestion ---
**Author:** ![Billy\_Baroo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/76d3ee/32.png) [@Billy\_Baroo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Billy_Baroo)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2011, 6:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/good-horror-movies/586167/15 "2011-06-20T18:47:50Z")
Funny Games. This movie won’t just scare you, it will fuck you up for life. ISTR there was an American remake which I never saw. I’m referring to the German original. +1 for Session 9. ---
**Author:** ![Tim\_R.Mortiss](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tim_r.mortiss/32/142_2.png) [@Tim\_R.Mortiss](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tim_R.Mortiss)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2011, 6:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/good-horror-movies/586167/16 "2011-06-20T18:48:42Z")
If you want Zombies with some comedy, you can’t beat _Return of the Living Dead_. And when you are ready for some real, haunt-your-dreams scary stuff, check out the original _Night of the Living Dead_. ---
**Author:** ![NAF1138](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/naf1138/32/3245_2.png) [@NAF1138](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NAF1138)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2011, 6:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/good-horror-movies/586167/17 "2011-06-20T18:50:44Z")
> [@Cheerleading\_Dropout](#): > > I haven’t seen many horror movies, but I’d like to start watching them. I want to start slow, because I’m not really into horror (yet), which is why I thought of zombie movies first, especially a “RomZomDramCom,” or “Romantic Zombie Drama Comedy.” But I am open to suggestions about all types of horror movies. > For a little background, I have read quite a few horror books, and I have read most of the necessary material for understanding horror movies, books like “The Werewolf’s Guide To Life,” “How To Survive A Horror Movie,” and “World War Z.” I am actually still a young teenager; there is a limit on how much gore my mom (and, to a lesser extent, my dad) will let me see :smack: so that is a factor as well. > That said, any recommendations? What low-violence horror movies did you enjoy? Start with **Shawn of the Dead** for your Zombie comedy fix. While you are there catch **Night of the Living Dead** and **Dawn of the Dead** to find out why Shawn is funny. **Zombieland** is pretty good too. In a similar vein, but not zombies is **An American Werewolf in London**. Next. **Evil Dead 2** and **Army of Darkness**. In that order and back to back. Both funny, scarey, and awesome. Catch **Evil Dead** the original at some point, but it isn’t necessary (or even advisable) to start there. Moving to slightly more serious stuff, the best slasher flick of all time is **Halloween.** Genuinely scary, some gore, some T&A but nothing your folks will likely object to. Watch it \*late \*at night with all the lights off. **Nightmare on Elm Street** holds up reasonably well (as does Nightmare 3 the rest aren’t worth your time) but \*\*Friday the 13th \*\*is kind of a snore. Watch only if you are really interested. Finally, catch the **Texas Chainsaw Massacre** (the original), again late at night with the lights off. After you have watched the above check out \*\*Scream \*\*and if you have time **Scream 2.** Both legitimately good and legitimately scary and funny too if you have some familiarity with the slasher genre. You should probably go from slashers to monsters. I would start with **Alien** , which is SciFi horror, but is brilliant, and follow it up with \*\*The Thing \*\*(1980s version by John Carpenter) which is the same. Get your classic horror film watching in with things like **Dracula** , and **The Wolfman** , maybe the original **The Thing** and **Bride of Frankenstein**. \*\*Frankenstein \*\*is great too, but from a different perspective. Then go for the supernatural stuff. **The Haunting** , **The Exorcist** , **Poltergeist** , **The Ametyville Horror** , and **The Shining**. Finish up the best scary animal movie ever, **Jaws** , and you are set to start exploring on your own. Have fun. ---
**Author:** ![NAF1138](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/naf1138/32/3245_2.png) [@NAF1138](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NAF1138)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2011, 6:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/good-horror-movies/586167/18 "2011-06-20T18:52:16Z")
> [@Billy\_Baroo](#): > > Funny Games. > > This movie won’t just scare you, it will fuck you up for life. ISTR there was an American remake which I never saw. I’m referring to the German original. > > +1 for Session 9. You are mean. I am still fucked up from seeing this movie years later. The American remake was good too but gets crap because it’s a remake. Worth seeing, not for a beginner. While I am at it, the first Saw movie is very good and not nearly as gory as you would be led to believe by the follow ups and reputation. ---
**Author:** ![Ellen\_Cherry](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ellen_cherry/32/3600_2.png) [@Ellen\_Cherry](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ellen_Cherry)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2011, 6:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/good-horror-movies/586167/19 "2011-06-20T18:54:13Z")
I nominate _Silence of the Lambs_. And a close second, _The Exorcist_. Both are completely convincing, to me. ---
**Author:** ![Attack\_from\_the\_3rd\_dimension](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/b38774/32.png) [@Attack\_from\_the\_3rd\_dimension](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Attack_from_the_3rd_dimension)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2011, 7:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/good-horror-movies/586167/20 "2011-06-20T19:14:15Z")
> [@NAF1138](#): > > Next. **Evil Dead 2** and **Army of Darkness**. In that order and back to back. Both funny, scarey, and awesome. Catch **Evil Dead** the original at some point, but it isn’t necessary (or even advisable) to start there. I’d argue that watching Evil Dead first is a good idea, since you really appreciate how freakin’ scary it is, despite the low grade effects > [@](#): > > Moving to slightly more serious stuff, the best slasher flick of all time is **Halloween.** Genuinely scary, some gore, some T&A but nothing your folks will likely object to. Watch it \*late \*at night with all the lights off. **Nightmare on Elm Street** holds up reasonably well (as does Nightmare 3 the rest aren’t worth your time) but \*\*Friday the 13th \*\*is kind of a snore. Watch only if you are really interested. Finally, catch the **Texas Chainsaw Massacre** (the original), again late at night with the lights off. > > After you have watched the above check out \*\*Scream \*\*and if you have time **Scream 2.** Both legitimately good and legitimately scary and funny too if you have some familiarity with the slasher genre. > > You should probably go from slashers to monsters. I would start with **Alien** , which is SciFi horror, but is brilliant, and follow it up with \*\*The Thing \*\*(1980s version by John Carpenter) which is the same. I’d suggest monsters, aliens, supernatural THEN slashers, as slashers are intrinsically more scary. I’m slightly more likely to encounter a cannibal or psychopath than an Alien, or even gigantic shark in real life. _Jaws_ should wait a bit, because it can screw up your enjoyment of the bathtub, much less the ocean. I’d also suggest you check these with your dad, since some of these are more intense than you’re probably ready for. _Silence of the Lambs_ and _Funny Games_ can probably wait for quite a while - like years - till the end of the slasher queue. You might consider seeing if he’d like to watch any of these with you for starters. You could also start off with some less terrific, therefore less terrifying horror movies. Nothing blunts the edge like some MST3K-style bad acting. By the way, I meant _Shadow of the Vampire_, not _Nosferatu_. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/good-horror-movies/586167.md?page=2)