The 25 Greatest Horror Movies Ever, Part 5

Since it is Monster Fest here on YDKS Movies, I figured it was the perfect time of year to work on a countdown of what I consider the 25 greatest horror movies of all-time. Although you may not agree with my list, it is my opinion based on the large amount of horror films that I have consumed over the years. Unfortunately, there still are some "classics" I have yet to see such as Rosemary's Baby and Jacob's Ladder. Because of that, these titles will not appear on the list. However, all of the horror films on this list are nothing but solid films and, if you haven't seen them already, you should check them all out.

Check Out Part 1 of this List Here

Check out Part 2 of this List Here

Check out Part 3 of this List Here

Check out Part 4 of this List Here

Part 5 of 5.

5. Psycho (1960)

Alfred Hitchcock basically invented the slasher genre with this film. Psycho is one of the greatest horror films ever created. One of the reasons for that is that it simply tricks you. It makes you think that Janet Leigh is the main character of the film, getting you to invest in her for the first half of the film, before having her get killed brutally with a knife while taking a shower. It’s still shocking today and I cannot imagine the impact it must have had on audiences back in 1960. The direction is absolutely superb (especially in the infamous shower kill), the music by the great Bernard Herrmann is scary and exhilarating, the acting, especially in the case of Anthony Perkins, is great, and the black and white really adds to the appeal of the film. Norman Bates is one of the best horror film villains because he feels so real. I’m sure this kind of guy is really out there (in fact, he’s partly based on real life serial killer Ed Gein, as is the killer in the next film on our countdown). 

Plus, it’s the first movie to ever feature a toilet (terrifying!). 

Anyways, if you want a really solid horror film that’s guaranteed to satisfy almost any audience, go no further than Psycho.

Oh and here’s that infamous shower scene.

4. The Texas Chainsaw Massacre (1974)

Tobe Hopper’s The Texas Chainsaw Massacre feels real. The first time I saw it, by the end of the film, I actually felt like I was starting to lose my mind along with the main character of the film. The experience of watching this film is really not like any other film viewing experience you will ever have. From the insanely creepy opening shots of the Hitchhiking taking pictures of dug up corpses (with that eerie camera flash sound) to the insanity-filled dinner scene, you really start to feel like you are there. It’s just a really bizarre and maddening viewing experience. In fact, the first time I watched this movie, I truly didn’t like it. It just bothered me. I felt incredibly uncomfortable watching it. However, please note that Hopper manages to create this terrifying and almost-documentary-like atmosphere with barely any gore once so ever. For some reason or another, The Texas Chainsaw Massacre has gained the conation of being one of the goriest movies of all-time without really have a drop of blood spilled on camera. That just shows you how powerful the film is. It’s an incredibly visceral experience getting through this film. There really isn’t anything else out there that slightly resembles it.

3. Dawn of the Dead (1978)

Dawn of the Dead is my favorite zombie movie of all-time. It’s scary, fun, has a lot of social commentary and is incredibly entertaining. George A. Romero manages to make a film that works in so many ways and, honestly, manages to be both disturbing and really, really fun to watch. At one point, you kind of get the feeling that it would be fun to live in a mall surrounded by a bunch of zombies. Then, as things get terrible, you begin to think otherwise. Romero also manages to stick in some ample social commentary in there on consumerism and materialism. That’s what I like in my zombie movies: blood, guts and a message. The movie also has a great cast, especially in the case of Ken Foree as Peter. I’ve stated this a couple of times during Monster Fest but Peter is definitely my favorite character in horror history. He is such a bad a it’s not even funny. He also knows how to perform an abortion… the most random and inappropriate fact that he discloses to Stephen during the film. Other highlights in the movie include a zombie versus a helicopter propeller, amazing special effects by horror legend Tom Savini, an awesome score by Goblin, some nice direction and the works. This movie really has it all. Zombie movies just don’t get any better than this.

2. The Shining

The Shining is so scary. Really, it is. Out of all the movies on this list, this is the one that really just gets under my skin and gives me chills the most. The first time I saw this movie, I was pretty young (anyone seeing a pattern here?) and it was a pretty tough watch. For me, this is actually my favorite Stanley Kubrick movie. It’s his least detached (a problem that I have with some of his other films) and his most visceral. I know Stephen King had a lot of problems with the changes Kubrick made to his novel but I still just love this movie. The direction is absolutely perfect, the acting (especially by crazy old Jack Nicholson) is great and it’s just so damn creepy. The scenes with the lady in the tub, the people dressed like animals having sex in one room and the blood bursting out of the elevators all still haunt my mind. I have those images so ingrained in my head that I’m pretty sure they will never leave. However, who could forget the scene with Jack Nicholson chopping down the door with an axe and yelling like a crazy man? Shelley Duvall’s reaction to the axe breaking through the door absolutely sells the scene like no body’s business. Really, this is an amazing horror film. It’s so good that you can basically see this entry and the number 1 entry as interchanged if you like. Well… maybe I like number 1 a little more. But man, The Shining is really an amazingly solid horror film. It’s as good as they get… plus a little more.

For kicks, here’s the infamous “Here’s Johnny!” scene.

1. Halloween (1978)

Halloween is the granddaddy of the modern horror film. Although Psycho started the slasher genre, Halloween is the film that kicked off the slasher movement in horror. Surprisingly, it did that with little blood and gore, something that would come to be quite abundant in the genre for the years to come. The first time I saw Halloween I was absolutely traumatized. I can still remember the day. It was a Friday, November 2, the day of my dad’s 40^th birthday. I was ten years old. My mom had rented the film for me by request. I was so scared the entire time that I watched it from the doorway of the room, standing up. Never… never in my entire life have I been so terrified of a film. Never have I been so terrified of a film character like I was terrified of Michael Myers. I’m not sure what it was that tapped into me and caused so much fear. I’m not sure if it was John Carpenter’s subtle but tension-building direction, his incredibly creepy score, or Myers himself. I think it was a combination of all of those things. But, mostly, I think it was that white, blank, faceless mask. It was just so void of emotion and feeling. For Carpenter, Myers was just a shape- a symbol of evil itself. I agree with this notion. There’s a reason I kept seeing him and his empty, faceless mask everywhere I went after seeing this movie. I’ll be honest- I really did not sleep right for a month after seeing this film. It was crazy. Halloween is the scariest movie I have ever seen and I think there is an easy answer as to why- it’s just so simple. A kid kills his sister when he’s six years old. Fifteen years later, he breaks out of an asylum, puts on a white mask and starts killing a bunch of teenagers. It’s so simple it shouldn’t be scary at all. However, by keeping the story on the basics, Carpenter was able to make a dread-filled, atmospheric horror classic.

Watching this movie today, I still get a little creeped out. When I turn the lights out, I make sure to move to my bed as quickly as possible. Before closing my eyes, I can’t help but think I see Michael’s mask through the dark of the room. I look around for another five minutes. Then, maybe, I close my eyes. It’s still a little hard to sleep at night after watching this one. After all, Michael’s still out there. Evil never dies.

I really hope you all have enjoyed this The 25 Greatest Horror Films Ever Countdown. It’s been a lot of work to keep up with it because, honestly, I’ve never been this busy in my life. Anyways, I hope that you kind of agree with all my choices. They came from the heart. If you haven’t seen any of the choices, be sure to get out there and watch them. They are all great.

Thanks for reading.