The Most Terrifying Horror Movies of All Time: Part One

The horror film genre has been around almost as long as film itself, dating back to the silent era. There are many subcategories of the fear-inspiring category known as horror. These categories are often defined by the type(s) of villain(s) that they feature. Classic horror films often feature legendary monsters as the frightening force. Universal Studios created a series of films based on such creatures, including: Dracula, Frankenstein, Wolfman, The Creature from the Black Lagoon, The Invisible Man and The Mummy. Many horror films cast zombies and the living dead as their villains, for example: George A. Romero's infamous 1978 film, Dawn of the Dead and its successors. Others are considered paranormal thrillers and feature ghosts or unseen forces as the antagonist. Included in this category are Tobe Hooper's Poltergeist and Stuart Rosenberg's The Amityville Horror. Many horror films exhibit satanic or demonic elements as a means of inciting fear, for instance: The Omen, The Exorcist and Rosemary's Baby. In the 1970's, a new type of horror film came about ... the "Slasher." Movies in this category usually feature some type of immortal scoundrel preying upon teenagers, for example: Friday the 13^th, Halloween and A Nightmare on Elm Street.

I am and always have been an avid horror movie fan. While most of them are entertaining and fun to watch, I find that a majority of them are not all that scary. I am not desensitized, but it is not easy to scare me. I find it difficult to be frightened by something that I know is not real. Although a majority of horror films do not affect me, every now and again one will come along that ends my streak of imperviousness. These are reviews of five horror films that are guaranteed to horrify even the most hardened fans of the genre:

Wrong Turn (2003): Desmond Harrington plays Chris Flynn, a young man driving through West Virginia on his way to a job interview. He is detoured and turns onto an abandoned dirt road, at which point all of his tires blow out for no apparent reason. He runs into a group of people who are also stranded, including Jessie (Eliza Dushku). They agree that two people should wait with the wrecked vehicles while the rest search for help. Francine (Lindy Booth) and Scott (Jeremy Sisto) volunteer to stay behind. The rest of the group sets off and comes upon an isolated cabin in the woods. They enter the cabin, hoping that its owner will grant them the use of a phone. Inside the cabin, the group comes upon the preserved remains of countless people. Just as they are about to flee, they hear the villains approaching. They quickly scamper and hide as three severely mutated cannibals walk into the cabin ... I do not want to ruin anything, but this movie is truly one of the most terrifying and disturbing that I have ever seen. If you're looking for a good scare, I strongly recommend Wrong Turn.

High Tension (2003): Marie (Cecile De France) and Alexa (Maiwenn Le Besco) are two college students. They take a trip to Alexa's parents' secluded farmhouse to study for their upcoming exams. Late in the night, a vicious killer breaks into the homestead and the girls' idyllic weekend becomes an endless nightmare. The man and murders Alexa's parents, brother and dog. Marie manages to remain out of the killer's sight, but Alexa is kidnapped. Marie follows along, trying to avoid detection and rescue her friend simultaneously. There is a huge surprise in this film that even I did not see coming. This is a foreign film, originally entitled Haute Tension and released in Germany. It is available for sale in the U.S. The movie was originally filmed in French, but English subtitles are offered. For those who prefer not to read their movies (like me), English dubbing is also featured on the DVD.

Hostel (2005): Paxton (Jay Hernandez), Josh (Derek Richardson) and Oli (Eythor Gudjonsson) are friends that are backpacking through Amsterdam. They are locked out of their hotel and a seemingly friendly stranger recommends another local hotel that is infested with beautiful women. Needless to say, the three head over to the hotel and were having the time of their lives until they discovered the youth hostel's deadly secret. Behind its alluring facade, the inn is home to a hidden torture chamber. The chamber is owned and operated by a murder-for-profit company that exclusively lures and murders tourists. This film was written and directed by Eli Roth. The sequel is currently in theaters.

The Hills Have Eyes (2006): This is a remake of the 1977 film of the same name, directed by Wes Craven. After WWII, from 1945 to 1962, the U.S. government conducted a series of nuclear experiments in the deserts of New Mexico. A majority of the inhabiting people left, but some refused to abandon their homes. Those who stayed took refuge in the mines and became severely deformed as a result of radioactive decay. With no other source of food, they began eating the human flesh of passersby. They reproduced and raised their children to do the same. Sometime in the seventies, the Carters were traveling through the desert. They were on their way to California to celebrate the wedding anniversary of Bob (Ted Levine) and Ethel Carter (Kathleen Quinlan). The tires of their trailer are blown out and they are stranded in the middle of nowhere. They write off the incident as bad luck, not realizing that it was the first part of a sinister plan that is being orchestrated by the cannibalistic cave dwellers. What disturbed me most about this movie and Wrong Turn is the fact that both are based on true events. For more information, please see my true crime article, "The Beanes: A Family of Cannibals." The sequel to this movie was made this year (2007) and will be released in DVD on July 17, 2007.

Wolf Creek (2005): Ben (Nathan Phillips), Liz (Cassandra Magrath) and Kristy (Kestie Morassi) are three friends who are traveling through Australia. Shortly after beginning their journey, they run into a bit of trouble when their car refuses to start. A seemingly kind stranger named Mick Taylor (John Jarrat) offers them a tow and the promise of fixing their car the following day. They accept the offer and their fun getaway becomes a horrid nightmare. Mick Taylor is undeniably one of the best horror movie villains of all time. This movie is completely shocking and terrifying. Again, part of the reason for this is the fact that it was based on true events. The story is closely based on the life and crimes of Ivan Milat, known as the "Backpacker Killer." For more information about him, please see my article entitled, "Ivan Milat: The Backpacker Killer."

All of the aforementioned movies are excellent, but I will warn you that they are terribly gruesome. I do not recommend them to the highly sensitive.