Essential Horror Films

We are all eager to get out and about – but some are still inclined to stay in for a bit longer. For those of you who are itching for good horror here is Stephen King’s essential horror films list … just in time for the weekend, the legend shares his must-watch horror movies ….

Cancel the plans you don’t have for this weekend and get your popcorn ready. Lock the doors if you must. But remember, they’re just movies…

• The Exorcist (1973): “Scary from the start, when, in the prologue, the clock suddenly stops. It’s very claustrophobic for a studio movie, and every time we go back to that bedroom with Regan, we dread even more what we’re going to see. But for me, it’s the grisly grace notes that make the film. Who can forget, ‘Couldya help an old altar boy, fadder?’”

• Dawn of the Dead (1978): “Kudos to Tom Savini, who dreamed up the special effects, with no CGI. And again, there’s the constant claustrophobia of the diminishing band of survivors being trapped in a shopping mall.”

• Alien (1979): “I loved the working-class ethic of the guys on the ship (Ripley included), and all the swinging chains. But of course, with that one, it’s all about the ‘chest-bursting’ scene. At that time, no one had ever seen anything like that.”

• The Brood (1979): “David Cronenberg’s first great film, with Samantha Eggar (‘BAD mummies! FUCKED-UP mummies!’) and Oliver Reed (who looks on the verge of exploding) playing parents from hell…only hell turns out to be the children.”

• The Blair Witch Project (1999): “Scared the living daylights out of me, I think because it was so unpolished. And nothing tops the final shot.”

Earlier this month Stephen King tweeted:

“God, how I wish I could go to a movie tonight. Popcorn, Junior Mints, big old soda, sitting in the third row and watching some action flick or goofball comedy. I’d love that.”

We couldn’t agree more. Until then ~ watch one of these classics.

An original article from ‘The Academy’