Top Five Horror Movies. Of several times.

Everybody loves lists. So here's a list of horror movies that will make you act like a toddler or a super sensitive guy and cry.



5. 28 Days Later



Normally not in the typical Top 5 list but definitely a horror classic from our generation, 28 Days Later is seen as one of the best zombie movie made in years.









4. Frankenstein



The monster movie that started it all. Arguably the first famous western horror movie that inspired an entire genre. Besides, it's Frankenstein, nobody does Frankenstein anymore.








3. The Ring



Arguably the scariest movie made we've been alive to see in theaters. It introduced Japanese horror to the west and now people are totally afraid of 3D TV.








2. Psycho



A revolutionary film by a revolutionary man. Hitchcock changed the way horror was made and what we had to fear with his masterpiece. As well as the way we take showers.







1. The Exorcist



Did you see this coming? Probably. But it's not like the Exorcist has stopped being the scariest, creepiest, cringiest, and movie of all time. It's got everything. Creepy kids, evil spirits, psychos. And the special effects of almost 40 years ago still hold up to today's standards. Maybe not as shiny or glossy. But the Exorcist wasn't shiny or glossy. It was real. And it was scary.



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o-4f_NMUxcY

WE'RE BEING INVADED BY ALIENS!!!!

Around the 1950s, there were vast improvements in space technologies because of the space race with Russia. New fears also roared throughout America because of the controversial Roswell incident. This era was full of space invasion movies and fears of UFOs, aliens, alien abduction and the simultaneous fear and realization that we really don't know what's out there. Filmmakers capitalized on this fear and made alien invasion movies. During more modern times, alien horror movies are few and far between as our feelings towards life outside of earth has progressed from fear to fascination.

Sources!

http://photos.bravenet.com/272/478/925/3/EC3A777B04.jpg

http://www.horror-extreme.com/images/gingerdead-man/slasher-movies-the-gingerdead-man.jpg

http://www.impawards.com/2002/posters/swimfan_ver3.jpg 

http://cinefantastiqueonline.com/wp-content/theringtwo_big.jpg

http://www.wisconsinbigfoot.com/images/MessinWithSasquatch_1.jpg

http://i367.photobucket.com/albums/oo116/poxgirl3/Twilight/watchinusleep.jpg

http://moviesmedia.ign.com/movies/image/article/103/1037236/ign-graveyard-horror-movie-cliches-20091021115633998_640w.jpg

Target the Teens!!!!

Most movies try to appeal to a teen audience and horror movies are completely the same. Teens enjoy sex, drugs, alcohol and violence so why not combine all of this with death, blood and gore?

The 1950s reflected an increased targeting of teens for horror movies and profits for corporations. The 1970s reflected the increasing wildness of America's youth and pop culture, such as more daring rock and roll music, while also subliminally issuing a stern moral warning to the consequences of this lifestyle. Teens increasingly became the subject of horror movies, especially in the "slasher" genre where a group of immoral teens are punished in a severe and gruesome way.

Monsters OH MY!

Back in the 1930's, one of the original horror themes were monsters, as seen in Frankenstein, Dracula, Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. Monsters are classified as big scary animals; fictional creations that stumble around while scaring people, and sometimes even eating them. Much of this stems from folklore; the Sasquatch monster, Bigfoot etc. And has somewhat disappeared in our modern culture to a more realistic monster: people. These fears were an early showcase of the fantastical times of the early 1900s for America where everyone felt the nation was a land of limitless possibility and amazement.

Why do we love Horror Movies?

Yes, they are campy, over the top, and ridiculous -- but also somewhat believable. It's as if we can see all the cheesiness in horror movies but we still get terrified by them, we still scream at all of the appropriate moments. This is so because we become accustomed to several themes repeating themselves. We love the predictability of horror films, which is why we love the Scary Movie movies even more. They continually mock the scenes we as audiences have grown accustomed to. And just like watching a car, several oil tankers, and maybe even your grandma's nursing home blow up in an action movie, we enjoy the thrill of being on the edge of our seats as we delve into the mind of a psychopath or see a group of stupid teenagers slaughtered from the safety of our popcorn, dark rooms, and comfy chairs.

A Slasher Movie with. . . Chainsaws?

Over the years the "slasher" theme has come into its own. Before recent years the genre was falling in and out of general appeal, in: when there was a news story about multiple deaths, and out: when it was overdone. However Texas Chainsaw Massacre (2003), just like the original did in in the late 1900's, cut the slasher movie genre back into the scene (get it?) and left audiences appalled, disgusted, and coming back for more.

Since when do vampires sparkle?

Remember when vampires were actually scary? Probably not. Vampires and other mythical monsters have always been a staple in the horror genre since the release of Dracula in the 1930s, but Stephanie Meyer has totally revolutionized the way we perceive these once terrifying villains. Over several decades (assisted by Blade in 1998) the idea of Vampires has changed. With Meyer's portrayal of vampires in Twilight, the focus of the pale predators began to shift to love and fascination, rather than terror and disgust. As Twilight and similar representations of sexy vampires (as in the television series True Blood) have become more popular, they have horizontally integrated into other mediums: now we can carry backpacks with Bella's face on them and wear t-shirts endorsing Team Edward.

Behold: the Lisa Frank vampire. Thanks, Twilight.

Day 47: I'm lost in the woods.

When the Blair Witch Project was first released in 1999, some critics hailed it as "the scariest movie of all time," thanks to its home video-style filming - a technique that made the movie all the more terrifying. The film was so believable and realistic that audiences actually believed that the story and footage were true - or at least my 8-year-old self did.

Cloverfield and Paranormal Activity may imitate, but never duplicate this classic scene.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DuyeQYQqnhk

Japanese Horror

Horror movies featuring Japanese people have been very popular through the years, especially in the modern era when they helped build a new wave of horror centered around ghosts. Japan is known as a country that interested by ghostly themes and these genre exploded onto the scene with The Grudge (2004) and The Ring (2002).

The remaking of Japanese horror films such as The Ring and The Grudge in the west reflected the world's increased connectivity and cultural amalgamation brought about by changes in technology such as the internet. Where before, Japanese and Western horror differed in their portrayal of the spirit, the west have a forgivable, exorcism spirit demon, the east and Japan having an irredeemable gruesome, violent spirit, the increasing worldwide connectivity has brought a fusion of cultural norms.

Cliches

In most horror movies there is a sense of cheesiness with examples like: a girl walks down a dark alley way by herself, or the very common "who's there?" question. As the audience, we thrive on these points; we can see what they're missing, we can hear the eerie music and know that something bad is coming. This idea is called dramatic irony because the audience knows what the characters -- and normally victims -- will soon find out.