Five Great Horror Films

Horror films have been around pretty much since the beginning of filmmaking. From Robert Wiene's 1920 "The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari" to the most recent sequel in the long-running Friday the 13th series, horror films have thrilled audiences by playing on their fears and social taboos. Over the years there have been great films in the genre and laughably bad entries. Some people prefer monster movies, some prefer ghost stories, others like slasher films, and then there are people who don't like any horror movies at all. For those that like a scare it's always a pleasure to find one that transcends the jump-out-of-your-seat scares and represents a truly impressive cinematic effort and a prime example good story-telling.

One of the hallmarks of horror has been the willingness to experiment with styles and film techniques. The 2009 film "Paranormal Activity" is a good example of this and also a genuinely scary horror film. Shot and presented as a series of home movies documenting a young couple's attempts to investigate a suspected haunting in their home "Paranormal Activity" makes use of the limited nature of this style to draw the audience deeper into the story and push the tolerances of tension. While not a perfect film, it is engaging and terrifying in a way few horror films rise to.

Among die-hard horror fans the late-70s and early-80s represent a sort of renaissance period for horror films. Many modern classics come from this era, "The Texas Chainsaw Massacre," "A Nightmare on Elm Street," "The Exorcist," "Alien," "Friday the 13th," "Halloween," and "The Thing," are just a few examples. Few modern horror films have managed to capture the qualities of those films that made them so effective. "The House of the Devil" is an exception. Released in 2009 the film is shot to resemble the look and feel of those classic horror films of the 70s and 80s. More than that the film is also presented with a slow build of tension not usually found in modern horror films, which tend to be more fast-paced. An excellently written and terrifying horror film.

Foreign horror films often take more chances than studio released American horror. The 2008 Swedish film "Let the Right One In" provides a unique look at a classic horror monster, the vampire. There is a beauty and romance to the film that doesn't sacrifice the scares. There are very touching moments in this story about a lonely boy finding a friend and there are moments of heart-pounding terror.

No list of great horror would be complete without "The Exorcist," William Friedkin's 1973 film about a little girl possessed by the devil and the people who try to save her soul has been a favorite of many since its release. The film has become a cultural touchstone and deservedly so. Friedkin builds the tension slowly and removes any doubt from our minds that our heroes are battling the devil himself for the soul of this little girl. A little girl he makes terrifying.

Finally, in the same vein as "The Exorcist," there is "The Omen," Richard Donner's film about a diplomat who discovers his adopted son is the anti-christ. The film plays on parental fears regarding the death of children, illness, and those that influence the child with their presence. It plays on self-doubt and paranoia. Is Damien really the anti-christ? Has Robert Thorn lost his mind? Is there a vast hidden conspiracy to place the child of the devil within the ranks of the political elite? The movie circles around these questions as it builds to its climax. In addition to the excellent story the film also features Gregory Peck and David Warner, two actors who elevate any film they appear in.

All five of these films can be rented now. Pick them up, turn off the lights, and prepare to watch from a comfortable hiding spot behind your couch.