Best Horror Movies of All Time

Horror movies have been around for a while now. They seem to get gorier, bloodier, and less impressive. As modern times embraced the horror movies entire sub-genres were born such as slasher flicks, grindhouse flicks, monster movies, to name a few. Unfortunately most of these movies tend to lose track of plot and become an incoherent bloody mess on the screen. So I searched through hundreds of horror flicks to bring you my top ten list of horror movies. These horror movies were chosen not only cause they fit the horror billing but also because they were great movies as well. My list is in no particular order:

1) Saw - There are four Saw movies out now and the first one is by far the best, with the sequel scoring high marks as well. Our super-villian, Jigsaw, sets elaborate traps and tests the morals and concreteness of a person's character. The story is told very well and the movie is low budget giving a gritty edge to the overall quality of the flick. The ending of this movie blows you away and is definitely a movie to watch with someone who has never seen it. Due to the success of the Saw franchise you can expect the studios to churn out sequels every year on Halloween.

2) Evil Dead II - The original Evil Dead was groundbreaking but really did not age well. Evil Dead II was shot with more budget and better planning. Sam Raimi is a genius and his camera movements are the closest thing this generation will have to an Akira Kirosawa of Seven Samurai fame. Bruce Campbell's whole career is due to Evil Dead II. The story follows are hapless hero into the woods to battle some supernatural baddies. Chainsaws replace hands, people become possessed, and the world enters chaos (well at least a few acres in the woods). An absolute must see.

3) Hellraiser - Pinhead is born. Clive Baker brings us this tale of hellish proportions. Pretty much anything Clive Barker does personally is great, however he puts his name on too much crap which ends up diluting his legacy, in my opinion. This movie all start with the opening of an ancient puzzle box which ultimately unleashes the minions of hell. And that is a bad thing. As far as creepy characters this movie reigns supreme.

4) 28 Days Later - I know there are plenty of zombie movies out there and some that you might think belong on this list ahead of 28 Days Later but you're wrong. Danny Boyle took the zombie genre and made it his own. Believable and beautiful at the same time this movie scares you and scares you again. Forget the slow moving zombies of yesterday, these zombies are radically different and bloodthirsty to the Nth degree.

5) From Dusk till Dawn - Robert Rodriguez is the man, pure and simple. This movie starts out as any other normal flick for about the first 40 minutes. Then the actors end up at the Titty Twister in some remote location and BLAM! Vampires are on the loose. George Clooney and a host of supporting actors make this a fun fun horror movie worth watching over. Screenplay was done by Mr. Quentin Tarantino who also makes a special guest appearance.

6) Slither - Mutant. Alien. Slugs. That pretty much sums up this movie. A funny movie at time but still managing to keep its horror edge this movie begs for a viewing at your house. The effects are great and truly believable. The DVD is packed with cool information, as well, like how they did all those slugs and the giant mutant slug at the end. Watch it and make sure your door is closed next time you take a bath, on second thought just don't take a bath.

7) The Shining - "Heeeereess Johnny!" Jack Nicholson's amazing performance keeps this 1980 movie looking great after 25 years. Trapped in a elegant hotel due to bad weather conditions our leading man develops a case of cabin fever. Shelley Duvall and the son spend the rest of the movie getting terrorized by a psychotic nut who used to be there husband/father.

8) A Nightmare on Elm Street - Johnny Depp's first movie, who could forget it? Along with the birth of Freddy Krueger this movie becomes a must-own by any horror fan. Wes Craven is the other horror mastermind who tends to lend his name to too much crap. Aside from that little sidestep this movie spawned a over a dozen remakes and sequels. Careful when you watch it because you might not want to sleep after it.

9) 30 Days of Night - A awesome take on the vampire movie adapted from a popular graphic novel. Decent star power helped propel this movie in the box office with Josh Hartnett as the leading man. The setting is in a mysterious place where there are actually 30 days of night. The small Alaskan town where this happens becomes a buffet for vampires as they follow the darkness for a snack or two.

10) Gremlins - Weird, I know, but this movie is rated PG and should not be allowed to be seen by small children. Seriously, this movie was a box office hit and scared the crap out of me in the 80's as I was growing up. I still never eat chicken after midnight!

That concludes my top ten horror movie list. A few new movies sprinkled in with some old classics and you are sure to get a fright watching them on a dark night in the log cabin you rented for the weekend...