My Favourite Horror Movies

You voted for it, and here it is! A list of my favourite horror movies. 👻

Like all of my lists, this is a bit of a mixed bag. And like most of my favourite things, I've loved horror since I was a kid. By the time I turned 7 I'd watched movies like Dracula, Hellraiser and Interview with the Vampire, though I was too young to understand what any of it meant. I just knew I loved the weirdness of them, the darkness, the terror of things that may or not come and get me in the night. Being scared is a thrill in itself, an adrenaline rush that I love getting. This is a list of the movies that I've loved long since after, and some of which I've seen so many times that I've lost count. But like a good book, I always come back to them. Whenever I'm feeling ghoulish, these movies are my go to. And it's not just because they're so good at freaking me out, rather I'm also in love with the stories, the characters, the cinematography. There are some scenes in these movies that are absolutely beautiful, even some that make me cry! So, instead of going on about them, here they are....

CONTAINS SPOILERS 

Silent Hill (2006)
   

I bet none of you are surprised to see this one on my list! (I wrote about my love for Silent Hill in a previous post about my fave video games). But I honestly think this movie is a rarity; a movie based on a video game that actually ticked all the right boxes for me. I know for other Silent Hill fans, this movie is not so well received. I've read scathing reviews that it takes itself too seriously, that the first half is terrifying but then it unravels into a completely different story arc to what it started with. But personally, from the moment I sat in my cinema seat to watch this at the tender age of 15, I was captivated by this grim and poignant movie. Not entirely based on the video game, Silent Hill stars Radha Mitchell (an absolutely bad ass) as Rose, a mother who takes her 9 year old daughter Sharon to the town of Silent Hill to try and help her bad dreams. After crashing her car following a police chase, Rose wakes up to find Sharon missing. Panicked, Rose descends into a fog of smouldering ash through the town in a desperate attempt to try and find her.

         

What follows is a multitude of terrifying encounters with monsters, a cult and the infamous Pyramid Head. This movie had everything I loved about a horror story. A bittersweet story between mother and daughter, monsters to make your skin crawl and movie sets and CGI that are so repulsive, and yet you can't look away. The game and the movie will both always stay with me. If you haven't yet played it or watched it, I suggest you do, and with the lights off.

The Blair Witch Project (1999)

 

Next up is arguably the most hyped up horror movie from the past 18 years. (excluding IT but I haven't seen that yet 😱) A movie that most don't care for any more, or that people didn't find scary in the first place. However, I watched this as an adult for the first time, so I could appreciate every minute of it. I think if I'd have watched it as a kid when it came out, it wouldn't have even made me flinch, because I wouldn't be able to appreciate the layers of tension built over 78 minute movie that's all filmed with a hand held camera.

 Although the main character Heather got on my nerves like nails on a chalkboard, the overall story completely unsettled me. I mean, even now, could you think of anything more freaky than wandering around in some haunted woods looking for a witch that killed children? This is just one of those movies you have to watch to appreciate. If you enjoy horror movies that aren't all about blood and guts, monsters and ghouls, then you might just like this. It's tense, yet subtle in its terrors, and although not a jump-scare kind of movie, towards the end you might just be turning away from the screen like I was...

This is the End (2013)

Possibly the only goofball horror movie that I've seen and enjoyed since The Evil Dead, This is the End was a rare find for me. I hadn't heard of it, or even seen it promoted around the time of its release. I found it by chance on Sky movies one dark and rainy night, and as a Rogan and Franco fan am not ashamed to say that the cast alone made me want to watch this. The movie starts with James Franco (who plays himself) holding a massive house party in Los Angeles that Seth Rogan and his friend Jay Baruchel are attending. Every one is having a good time, right up until there is an earthquake that splits the ground open, and swallows most of Franco's guests, including Rihanna and Aziz Ansari.

 

As every one else either flees or dies, the last six that you see in the poster are left to fend for themselves in Franco's mansion, as the world outside is engulfed in flames. I don't want to give any more than that away, but this movie had me equally laughing my ass off, and freaked the hell out from start to finish.

The Woman in Black (2012)

     

Written in 1983 by Susan Hill, The Woman in Black is one the most well revered Gothic novels of English literature. Fortunately, the movie stayed very true to the book and therefore did not disappoint me. I went to watch this at the cinema, and I remember during some parts hiding behind my hands. Some of the jump scares in this movie are honestly gut churning, and Daniel Radcliffe's performance was incredibly captivating. Set in the early 1900's, Radcliffe plays Arthur Kipps, a lawyer who is sent to attend to some legal paperwork of the recently deceased owner of Eel Marsh House.

   

Whilst staying alone in the mansion surrounded only by water and a family graveyard, Kipps begins to see a woman dressed in black wandering the same grounds as him. Of course, like in every horror movie, he goes out of his way to try and find out who she is, and why she seems to appear and disappear, as if like a ghost. Not only did I find the adaptation from book to screen impressive, the script and casting stellar, but the sets, locations and sheer eeriness of this film blew me away. I loved it, but was pleased when it was all over. To this day, I can't watch this haunting and nerve shattering movie alone, or at night in the dark. If you want to scare yourself silly, this is one to watch.

Dracula (1992)

Being exposed to this at such a young age, (I don't even wanna say how young) naturally gave me nightmares. Yet as I got older, I would watch this movie over and over again, despite not really knowing or understanding any of its underlying themes. Francis Ford Coppola is to thank for this stunning adaptation, following the well known tragic love story between Dracula and Wilhelmina Murray. I hope most of you will agree with me here, that Gary Oldman's performance as Dracula is absolutely incomparable. His talent knows no bounds, as he manages to portray Dracula as a terrifying entity that will make your skin crawl, but also as the charmingly beautiful Prince Vlad, his younger self whom he uses to seduce Mina (Winona Ryder).

     

There are some scenes in this movie that genuinely give me the creeps, and others that have made me weep real tears. The cast is brilliant, and I feel like Coppola managed to create a world about Dracula that cannot be touched, or compared to. The cinematography is beautiful, the lighting and special effects used in the Castle scenes I think are spine-chilling and unforgettable. Even if you're not into vampires, I recommend this movie for its sheer uniqueness and Gothic beauty. 

The Invitation (2015)
   

The Invitation unnerved and fascinated me so much that it easily made its way to number 1 on my list. I found it whilst looking through Netflix last year, and loved it so much I watched it twice in the same day. Here's how the story goes;  Will (a dead ringer for Tom Hardy) and his girlfriend Kira are on their way to Will's ex wife's dinner party that they've been invited to in the Hollywood Hills. Once there and introduced to every one, Kira and Will mingle with the other guests of the party. Later on in the evening, Eden (the ex wife) and her new partner decide to tell their guests about a spiritual 'group' that they joined whilst holidaying in Mexico. Not sounding too freaky just yet is it? (I really don't want to give anything away about this movie, I just really want you to watch it if you haven't). So I'll quickly say this; this movie is a rare gem in the sense that you can't predict anything that happens. The incredible cast, script and camera shots used are enough to make you feel uneasy, and portray a unique and dreadful story with a shocking twist.

   

I really hope you enjoyed reading this list. As my own worst critic and a perfectionist, I'm not too pleased with how this post turned out. I found it difficult to not sound so repetitive whilst talking about the movies that I love so much. However, you guys voted to read about this on my Instagram poll, and I just want to thank you for taking the time to do that, and for reading. I love writing these for you, and I love hearing about what you thought, so please, as ever feel free to leave a comment either on here, or on my Instagram page which is:

@VioletKingWrites

See you guys next week!

Violet x

As with all my blog posts that are lists, I really could have included so many more amazing films that gave me the heebie jeebies, but alas there just isn't enough time in the day, nor do I want to waffle on. So here is a list of more honourable mentions;

Interview with the Vampire, Crimson Peak, The Orphanage, The Conjuring, Gerald's Game, The Shining, Scream, Paranormal Activity, Insidious, It Follows, Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde (1932), Seven

and Psycho.