FFA Top 200 Horror Movies of All Time: #1 - Alien (10 Viewers)

[KarmaPolice]

Yeah, that's fine. I just think the video store standpoint is a little limiting because it means a movie can only be one genre, which just isn't the case.

I think for Alien/Aliens, Alien is a horror movie in a sci-fi setting, Aliens is an Action/Sci-Fi in a horror setting. Both are sci-fi. Both are horror. But each leans a bit more one way than the other.

Nope, and that's not my position at all. I fully agree there is a spectrum to these genres and categories to movies in general. I guess where we disagree is while we agree on that, there are movies that are so far into one or the other that it seems wrong to put them somewhere else (IMO).

I will try to use some examples of what I mean with some horror comedies that have been listed. Shaun of the Dead would have been on my list, but that is by far the most comedy of the ones on my list. It's basically a spoof, but I also feel it is also a decent example of a horror movie at it's core. That is one that I probably wouldn't argue to much if somebody wanted to move it from one genre to another. To me that's pretty much a textbook 50/50 example on the spectrum. 2 other examples that have been drafted are Cabin in the Woods and Young Frankenstein. I laugh my *** off during Cabin, but 0% chance I would put that in a comedy section. That is more 80% horror with comedy mixed in - in this bucket I would put other loves like Deathgasm, or the Evil Dead movies. They aren't comedies, they are horror movies. Spoof movies like Young Frank and are the other end of the spectrum - basically comedy movies. 0 chance they woiuld be in my horror section, just like 0 chance Cabin in the Woods would be in my comedy section. That said, we did have a bit of fun with our Halloween and holiday sections, but that was a different thing. Stuff like Hocus Pocus would be in there too.

One of the biggest surprises to me is how baffled you are by mine and @Dan Lambskin's (I included you because I think I've agreed with you 90% of the time when you said "not horror") reactions as I am with your steadfast opinion some of these fully belong on a horror list, and in the top 30 nonetheless. So what I am saying is that I consider examples like T2, Aliens, and The Predator to be so far into another genre that it makes 0 sense for me that they belong on a list like this. It feels like we are toeing into the realm of saying that anything with brutal death or tense scene is a horror movie. It's usually him saying it, but this thread has me a bit shuked.

 

[Scoresman]

Yeah, that's fine. I just think the video store standpoint is a little limiting because it means a movie can only be one genre, which just isn't the case.

I think for Alien/Aliens, Alien is a horror movie in a sci-fi setting, Aliens is an Action/Sci-Fi in a horror setting. Both are sci-fi. Both are horror. But each leans a bit more one way than the other.

Nope, and that's not my position at all. I fully agree there is a spectrum to these genres and categories to movies in general. I guess where we disagree is while we agree on that, there are movies that are so far into one or the other that it seems wrong to put them somewhere else (IMO).

I will try to use some examples of what I mean with some horror comedies that have been listed. Shaun of the Dead would have been on my list, but that is by far the most comedy of the ones on my list. It's basically a spoof, but I also feel it is also a decent example of a horror movie at it's core. That is one that I probably wouldn't argue to much if somebody wanted to move it from one genre to another. To me that's pretty much a textbook 50/50 example on the spectrum. 2 other examples that have been drafted are Cabin in the Woods and Young Frankenstein. I laugh my *** off during Cabin, but 0% chance I would put that in a comedy section. That is more 80% horror with comedy mixed in - in this bucket I would put other loves like Deathgasm, or the Evil Dead movies. They aren't comedies, they are horror movies. Spoof movies like Young Frank and are the other end of the spectrum - basically comedy movies. 0 chance they woiuld be in my horror section, just like 0 chance Cabin in the Woods would be in my comedy section. That said, we did have a bit of fun with our Halloween and holiday sections, but that was a different thing. Stuff like Hocus Pocus would be in there too.

One of the biggest surprises to me is how baffled you are by mine and @Dan Lambskin's (I included you because I think I've agreed with you 90% of the time when you said "not horror") reactions as I am with your steadfast opinion some of these fully belong on a horror list, and in the top 30 nonetheless. So what I am saying is that I consider examples like T2, Aliens, and The Predator to be so far into another genre that it makes 0 sense for me that they belong on a list like this. It feels like we are toeing into the realm of saying that anything with brutal death or tense scene is a horror movie. It's usually him saying it, but this thread has me a bit shuked.

I feel like Aliens is not the same as T2 or Predator. I get the beef with the other two. It's very subjective. But with Aliens I don't see it like that. I think it leans much more horror than T2 or Predator. It's set in an established horror universe with established horror "creatures".. I've mentioned I think 5 scenes alone that would fit perfectly into any pure horror movie.

I did say from the beginning that the definition of horror for this list would be a bit looser than some may assume. That means things that lean horror will qualify. I think it gives us a better list of movies to pull 200 from.

 

[landrys hat]

[REC] would be in my top 5. Love that one.

 

[UncleZen]

I rated Blair Witch for it's effect on the genre. It really doesn't hold up as well but you can't deny its influence.

 

[Don Quixote]

Yeah, that's fine. I just think the video store standpoint is a little limiting because it means a movie can only be one genre, which just isn't the case.

I think for Alien/Aliens, Alien is a horror movie in a sci-fi setting, Aliens is an Action/Sci-Fi in a horror setting. Both are sci-fi. Both are horror. But each leans a bit more one way than the other.

Nope, and that's not my position at all. I fully agree there is a spectrum to these genres and categories to movies in general. I guess where we disagree is while we agree on that, there are movies that are so far into one or the other that it seems wrong to put them somewhere else (IMO).

I will try to use some examples of what I mean with some horror comedies that have been listed. Shaun of the Dead would have been on my list, but that is by far the most comedy of the ones on my list. It's basically a spoof, but I also feel it is also a decent example of a horror movie at it's core. That is one that I probably wouldn't argue to much if somebody wanted to move it from one genre to another. To me that's pretty much a textbook 50/50 example on the spectrum. 2 other examples that have been drafted are Cabin in the Woods and Young Frankenstein. I laugh my *** off during Cabin, but 0% chance I would put that in a comedy section. That is more 80% horror with comedy mixed in - in this bucket I would put other loves like Deathgasm, or the Evil Dead movies. They aren't comedies, they are horror movies. Spoof movies like Young Frank and are the other end of the spectrum - basically comedy movies. 0 chance they woiuld be in my horror section, just like 0 chance Cabin in the Woods would be in my comedy section. That said, we did have a bit of fun with our Halloween and holiday sections, but that was a different thing. Stuff like Hocus Pocus would be in there too.

One of the biggest surprises to me is how baffled you are by mine and @Dan Lambskin's (I included you because I think I've agreed with you 90% of the time when you said "not horror") reactions as I am with your steadfast opinion some of these fully belong on a horror list, and in the top 30 nonetheless. So what I am saying is that I consider examples like T2, Aliens, and The Predator to be so far into another genre that it makes 0 sense for me that they belong on a list like this. It feels like we are toeing into the realm of saying that anything with brutal death or tense scene is a horror movie. It's usually him saying it, but this thread has me a bit shuked.

I did not think of Aliens either, but maybe that is one reason why I fell short of 75 when pulling together. Themes remind me of Jurassic Park, which Scoresman posted that he vetoed. But always thought similar; just different location/setting and monster.

 

[Todem]

#26 - Aliens​

Decades after surviving the Nostromo incident, Ellen Ripley is sent out to re-establish contact with a terraforming colony but finds herself battling the Alien Queen and her offspring.

James Cameron
1986
Sci-Fi, Action
USA

IMDB: 84
Metacritic: 84
RottenTomatoes: 98

Trailer:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oSeQQlaCZgU

Streaming:
https://www.justwatch.com/us/movie/aliens

Voter Ranks
BroncoFreak_2k3 14
Brunell4MVP 40
dickey moe 40
ilov80s 63
The Gator 22
Tick 1
Todem 4
Yambag 1

#26? C’mon. Laughable

Agree….it’s at a minimum a Top 10 horror film of all time!!!!

 

[KarmaPolice]

Yeah, that's fine. I just think the video store standpoint is a little limiting because it means a movie can only be one genre, which just isn't the case.

I think for Alien/Aliens, Alien is a horror movie in a sci-fi setting, Aliens is an Action/Sci-Fi in a horror setting. Both are sci-fi. Both are horror. But each leans a bit more one way than the other.

Nope, and that's not my position at all. I fully agree there is a spectrum to these genres and categories to movies in general. I guess where we disagree is while we agree on that, there are movies that are so far into one or the other that it seems wrong to put them somewhere else (IMO).

I will try to use some examples of what I mean with some horror comedies that have been listed. Shaun of the Dead would have been on my list, but that is by far the most comedy of the ones on my list. It's basically a spoof, but I also feel it is also a decent example of a horror movie at it's core. That is one that I probably wouldn't argue to much if somebody wanted to move it from one genre to another. To me that's pretty much a textbook 50/50 example on the spectrum. 2 other examples that have been drafted are Cabin in the Woods and Young Frankenstein. I laugh my *** off during Cabin, but 0% chance I would put that in a comedy section. That is more 80% horror with comedy mixed in - in this bucket I would put other loves like Deathgasm, or the Evil Dead movies. They aren't comedies, they are horror movies. Spoof movies like Young Frank and are the other end of the spectrum - basically comedy movies. 0 chance they woiuld be in my horror section, just like 0 chance Cabin in the Woods would be in my comedy section. That said, we did have a bit of fun with our Halloween and holiday sections, but that was a different thing. Stuff like Hocus Pocus would be in there too.

One of the biggest surprises to me is how baffled you are by mine and @Dan Lambskin's (I included you because I think I've agreed with you 90% of the time when you said "not horror") reactions as I am with your steadfast opinion some of these fully belong on a horror list, and in the top 30 nonetheless. So what I am saying is that I consider examples like T2, Aliens, and The Predator to be so far into another genre that it makes 0 sense for me that they belong on a list like this. It feels like we are toeing into the realm of saying that anything with brutal death or tense scene is a horror movie. It's usually him saying it, but this thread has me a bit shuked.

I feel like Aliens is not the same as T2 or Predator. I get the beef with the other two. It's very subjective. But with Aliens I don't see it like that. I think it leans much more horror than T2 or Predator. It's set in an established horror universe with established horror "creatures".. I've mentioned I think 5 scenes alone that would fit perfectly into any pure horror movie.

I did say from the beginning that the definition of horror for this list would be a bit looser than some may assume. That means things that lean horror will qualify. I think it gives us a better list of movies to pull 200 from.

Gun to my head, I will agree that T2 and Predator are less horror than Aliens, but I guess our point of disagreement is that I think it's still close and you don't seem to. A few scenes of horrorific things in a 2 1/2 hour movie that's tone is more way more action movie than horror is not near enough for me.

I read your warning at the start of this and assumed we'd be arguing about the usual stuff when you said the definition would be loose - Seven, Silence, older movies, etc. Not T2. Again, nothing but love here even if we are baffled about each other's stances. I love the discussion and time you put into this. As somebody who has done several countdowns, rankings, threads like this I understand the time and frustration involved - especially when you have mouth posters like me mucking up the thread.

I said it before, and I guess it's more of a "me" thing. I also think action has a higher bar to clear to be a horror movie because they are in many ways opposite. One you have special forces, chases on foot and in vehicles, stuff blowing up, lot's of one-liners, special forces and trained fighters, etc... Often in bigger, open areas. Lots of big budgets and famous actors. The other is more low budget, no-name stars, it revolves around normal people and teens, tight/isolated spaces, on and on. I guess a better way to put it is that I think action and horror themselves are at such an opposite starting point in general that it is very hard to overcome that and become a horror for me. I can't think of any movies offhand that I would code as mostly action that I would consider a horror movie. Sci fi sure, but not action.

 

[KarmaPolice]

Yeah, that's fine. I just think the video store standpoint is a little limiting because it means a movie can only be one genre, which just isn't the case.

I think for Alien/Aliens, Alien is a horror movie in a sci-fi setting, Aliens is an Action/Sci-Fi in a horror setting. Both are sci-fi. Both are horror. But each leans a bit more one way than the other.

Nope, and that's not my position at all. I fully agree there is a spectrum to these genres and categories to movies in general. I guess where we disagree is while we agree on that, there are movies that are so far into one or the other that it seems wrong to put them somewhere else (IMO).

I will try to use some examples of what I mean with some horror comedies that have been listed. Shaun of the Dead would have been on my list, but that is by far the most comedy of the ones on my list. It's basically a spoof, but I also feel it is also a decent example of a horror movie at it's core. That is one that I probably wouldn't argue to much if somebody wanted to move it from one genre to another. To me that's pretty much a textbook 50/50 example on the spectrum. 2 other examples that have been drafted are Cabin in the Woods and Young Frankenstein. I laugh my *** off during Cabin, but 0% chance I would put that in a comedy section. That is more 80% horror with comedy mixed in - in this bucket I would put other loves like Deathgasm, or the Evil Dead movies. They aren't comedies, they are horror movies. Spoof movies like Young Frank and are the other end of the spectrum - basically comedy movies. 0 chance they woiuld be in my horror section, just like 0 chance Cabin in the Woods would be in my comedy section. That said, we did have a bit of fun with our Halloween and holiday sections, but that was a different thing. Stuff like Hocus Pocus would be in there too.

One of the biggest surprises to me is how baffled you are by mine and @Dan Lambskin's (I included you because I think I've agreed with you 90% of the time when you said "not horror") reactions as I am with your steadfast opinion some of these fully belong on a horror list, and in the top 30 nonetheless. So what I am saying is that I consider examples like T2, Aliens, and The Predator to be so far into another genre that it makes 0 sense for me that they belong on a list like this. It feels like we are toeing into the realm of saying that anything with brutal death or tense scene is a horror movie. It's usually him saying it, but this thread has me a bit shuked.

I did not think of Aliens either, but maybe that is one reason why I fell short of 75 when pulling together. Themes remind me of Jurassic Park, which Scoresman posted that he vetoed. But always thought similar; just different location/setting and monster.

Jurassic Park is a good and interesting example. Here's an odd one that popped into my head just now - Robocop. Board room scene, dude getting disintigrated after falling in the toxic waste, and other scenes as terrible as scenes we are talking about in other movies. I vividly remember seeing that in the theater too young and freaking out. Would people also consider that horror that listed Predator and Terminator? How about Starship Troopers - gruesome scenes and horrible aliens. Do people consider that horror like other creature horrors?

 

[Andy Dufresne]

Sorry, I can't consider Aliens to be horror.

 

[zamboni]

The Blair Witch Project.

So I was part of that incredible build up hype machine.....bought into it hook line and sinker and that made the theater experience of seeing this genre ground breaking film.

But after that.......it was over. It really has no rewatch ability what so ever. There are so many other far better found footage flicks out there.

But you had to experience that initial release, during the months leading up to it’s theatrical debut to truly grasp and appreciate it’s effect on the genre. It was pretty awesome.

I think this ranking is way way too high though. It’s really not a great horror movie that has absolutely not stood the test of time.

I agree with this take. It’s a bit of revisionist history to say BWP is a poor film, now that we know it was conjured up. But if you go back in time and saw it in the theaters before knowing the deal, it was pretty damn scary/effective.

 

[The Gator]

I ranked Aliens but knew it was iffy. IMDB doesn’t even list horror in it’s 5-6 categories under the title

 

[jamny]

The Blair Witch Project.

So I was part of that incredible build up hype machine.....bought into it hook line and sinker and that made the theater experience of seeing this genre ground breaking film.

But after that.......it was over. It really has no rewatch ability what so ever. There are so many other far better found footage flicks out there.

But you had to experience that initial release, during the months leading up to it’s theatrical debut to truly grasp and appreciate it’s effect on the genre. It was pretty awesome.

I think this ranking is way way too high though. It’s really not a great horror movie that has absolutely not stood the test of time.

I agree with this take. It’s a bit of revisionist history to say BWP is a poor film, now that we know it was conjured up. But if you go back in time and saw it in the theaters before knowing the deal, it was pretty damn scary/effective.

I've never even watched it a second time. My rating @#20 is strictly based on the experience at the time in the theater.

 

[zamboni]

The Blair Witch Project.

So I was part of that incredible build up hype machine.....bought into it hook line and sinker and that made the theater experience of seeing this genre ground breaking film.

But after that.......it was over. It really has no rewatch ability what so ever. There are so many other far better found footage flicks out there.

But you had to experience that initial release, during the months leading up to it’s theatrical debut to truly grasp and appreciate it’s effect on the genre. It was pretty awesome.

I think this ranking is way way too high though. It’s really not a great horror movie that has absolutely not stood the test of time.

I agree with this take. It’s a bit of revisionist history to say BWP is a poor film, now that we know it was conjured up. But if you go back in time and saw it in the theaters before knowing the deal, it was pretty damn scary/effective.

I've never even watched it a second time. My rating @#20 is strictly based on the experience at the time in the theater.

Agreed - it’s definitely a movie that doesn’t need to be seen again now that the secret is out.

 

[Tick]

When we do the reranking, can we all agree that every movie on the current 200 is rankable, and rank accordingly? So if Aliens was a top 20 movie for you, but you didn't think it was horror, it now is one of your top ranks in this list?

ETA: Maybe put some polls up for the borderline movies to decide which belongs, then nobody lists those that don't make the cut?

 

[Tick]

This thread remains my favorite thing to jump into when I'm finished with the work day, even during rookie draft season.

 

[WVU Alum]

This thread remains my favorite thing to jump into when I'm finished with the work day, even during rookie draft season.

Mine is the hot tub, but you decompress your way.

 

[Scoresman]

Yeah, that's fine. I just think the video store standpoint is a little limiting because it means a movie can only be one genre, which just isn't the case.

I think for Alien/Aliens, Alien is a horror movie in a sci-fi setting, Aliens is an Action/Sci-Fi in a horror setting. Both are sci-fi. Both are horror. But each leans a bit more one way than the other.

Nope, and that's not my position at all. I fully agree there is a spectrum to these genres and categories to movies in general. I guess where we disagree is while we agree on that, there are movies that are so far into one or the other that it seems wrong to put them somewhere else (IMO).

I will try to use some examples of what I mean with some horror comedies that have been listed. Shaun of the Dead would have been on my list, but that is by far the most comedy of the ones on my list. It's basically a spoof, but I also feel it is also a decent example of a horror movie at it's core. That is one that I probably wouldn't argue to much if somebody wanted to move it from one genre to another. To me that's pretty much a textbook 50/50 example on the spectrum. 2 other examples that have been drafted are Cabin in the Woods and Young Frankenstein. I laugh my *** off during Cabin, but 0% chance I would put that in a comedy section. That is more 80% horror with comedy mixed in - in this bucket I would put other loves like Deathgasm, or the Evil Dead movies. They aren't comedies, they are horror movies. Spoof movies like Young Frank and are the other end of the spectrum - basically comedy movies. 0 chance they woiuld be in my horror section, just like 0 chance Cabin in the Woods would be in my comedy section. That said, we did have a bit of fun with our Halloween and holiday sections, but that was a different thing. Stuff like Hocus Pocus would be in there too.

One of the biggest surprises to me is how baffled you are by mine and @Dan Lambskin's (I included you because I think I've agreed with you 90% of the time when you said "not horror") reactions as I am with your steadfast opinion some of these fully belong on a horror list, and in the top 30 nonetheless. So what I am saying is that I consider examples like T2, Aliens, and The Predator to be so far into another genre that it makes 0 sense for me that they belong on a list like this. It feels like we are toeing into the realm of saying that anything with brutal death or tense scene is a horror movie. It's usually him saying it, but this thread has me a bit shuked.

For Aliens, it's probably 5-6 pivotal scenes from the movie that are pure horror. I mean, that's pretty significant and more than enough to categorize it as horror. I don't think we disagree that it's probably more action than horror, but that's not the point. There's more than enough horror for it to count here.

And I now totally get how questionable Terminator and Predator is.

Also, a lot of it is very movie specific. One thing that makes one movie lean horror may not be enough if present in another movie to call it horror, etc.

 

[Scoresman]

When we do the reranking, can we all agree that every movie on the current 200 is rankable, and rank accordingly? So if Aliens was a top 20 movie for you, but you didn't think it was horror, it now is one of your top ranks in this list?

ETA: Maybe put some polls up for the borderline movies to decide which belongs, then nobody lists those that don't make the cut?

The reranking will not eliminate any movies that have already been submitted. It's the opportunity for you all to re-rank based on new movies seen, movies you forgot about, etc. and the list will be finalized.

There will be a separate exercise where I will take out the top questionable movies, rank everything up as needed and post that list.

So far, these are the movies I've highlighted to remove.

The Terminator
Young Frankenstein
Predator
Donnie Darko
Terminator 2
Black Swan
Frailty
They Live
Rear Window
Oldboy
Se7en
Aliens (I might pull rank as thread creator and keep this one. I feel strongly about it being horror).

 

[Scoresman]

#25 - Dawn of the Dead​

During an ever-growing epidemic of zombies that have risen from the dead, two Philadelphia SWAT team members, a traffic reporter, and his television-executive girlfriend seek refuge in a secluded shopping mall.

George A. Romero
1978
Zombie/Virus
USA

IMDB: 79
Metacritic: 71
RottenTomatoes: 93

Trailer:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y_EviQj5tvA

Streaming:
https://www.justwatch.com/us/movie/zombie-1980

Voter Ranks
BroncoFreak_2k3 21
dickey moe 69
IvanKaramazov 12
jamny 8
Keith R 19
shuke 37
The Gator 37
Todem 36
WVU Alum 18

 

[IvanKaramazov]

I tried very hard not to list more than one film in a franchise, but I had to make an exception for Romero's "Dead" series. I love the first three of these. They messed with me so much as a kid.

 

[KarmaPolice]

Yeah, that's fine. I just think the video store standpoint is a little limiting because it means a movie can only be one genre, which just isn't the case.

I think for Alien/Aliens, Alien is a horror movie in a sci-fi setting, Aliens is an Action/Sci-Fi in a horror setting. Both are sci-fi. Both are horror. But each leans a bit more one way than the other.

Nope, and that's not my position at all. I fully agree there is a spectrum to these genres and categories to movies in general. I guess where we disagree is while we agree on that, there are movies that are so far into one or the other that it seems wrong to put them somewhere else (IMO).

I will try to use some examples of what I mean with some horror comedies that have been listed. Shaun of the Dead would have been on my list, but that is by far the most comedy of the ones on my list. It's basically a spoof, but I also feel it is also a decent example of a horror movie at it's core. That is one that I probably wouldn't argue to much if somebody wanted to move it from one genre to another. To me that's pretty much a textbook 50/50 example on the spectrum. 2 other examples that have been drafted are Cabin in the Woods and Young Frankenstein. I laugh my *** off during Cabin, but 0% chance I would put that in a comedy section. That is more 80% horror with comedy mixed in - in this bucket I would put other loves like Deathgasm, or the Evil Dead movies. They aren't comedies, they are horror movies. Spoof movies like Young Frank and are the other end of the spectrum - basically comedy movies. 0 chance they woiuld be in my horror section, just like 0 chance Cabin in the Woods would be in my comedy section. That said, we did have a bit of fun with our Halloween and holiday sections, but that was a different thing. Stuff like Hocus Pocus would be in there too.

One of the biggest surprises to me is how baffled you are by mine and @Dan Lambskin's (I included you because I think I've agreed with you 90% of the time when you said "not horror") reactions as I am with your steadfast opinion some of these fully belong on a horror list, and in the top 30 nonetheless. So what I am saying is that I consider examples like T2, Aliens, and The Predator to be so far into another genre that it makes 0 sense for me that they belong on a list like this. It feels like we are toeing into the realm of saying that anything with brutal death or tense scene is a horror movie. It's usually him saying it, but this thread has me a bit shuked.

For Aliens, it's probably 5-6 pivotal scenes from the movie that are pure horror. I mean, that's pretty significant and more than enough to categorize it as horror. I don't think we disagree that it's probably more action than horror, but that's not the point. There's more than enough horror for it to count here.

And I now totally get how questionable Terminator and Predator is.

Also, a lot of it is very movie specific. One thing that makes one movie lean horror may not be enough if present in another movie to call it horror, etc.

Could you please tell me what you are talking about here? I can think of a scene that I can see that way. I can think of some imagines that I could see that way, but not 5-6 whole scenes, as ones I am guessing are going to be talked about are still framed in action movie mode and filming. I fully concede that 2nd point, and that's the important one - it's your countdown after all. I am just trying to get to other people's lines of what horror is and why. I wasn't joking with some of my other examples for people who think Predator and Aliens are horror - Jurassic Park? Starship Troopers? Robocop? If we are talking scenes in movies justifying the rankings we probably could keep going on more examples from movies that wouldn't be thought of for this countdown.

Long story short, Wednesday is my hump day/favorite movies night if I watch something, so I think Aliens might be in order tonight. I will give it the honest Silence of the Lambs/Se7en treatment. I've changed my mind once this thread, so who knows.

 

[jamny]

#25 - Dawn of the Dead​

During an ever-growing epidemic of zombies that have risen from the dead, two Philadelphia SWAT team members, a traffic reporter, and his television-executive girlfriend seek refuge in a secluded shopping mall.

George A. Romero
1978
Zombie/Virus
USA

IMDB: 79
Metacritic: 71
RottenTomatoes: 93

Trailer:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y_EviQj5tvA

Streaming:
https://www.justwatch.com/us/movie/zombie-1980

Voter Ranks
BroncoFreak_2k3 21
dickey moe 69
IvanKaramazov 12
jamny 8
Keith R 19
shuke 37
The Gator 37
Todem 36
WVU Alum 18

I was 14 when this came out and me and 2 other friends talked an old guy (who knows how old he was...lol) into taking us in. The only time I ever did that but there was no way I was going to miss it in a theater. It surpassed all expectations!

 

[Mr. Mojo]

#25 - Dawn of the Dead​

During an ever-growing epidemic of zombies that have risen from the dead, two Philadelphia SWAT team members, a traffic reporter, and his television-executive girlfriend seek refuge in a secluded shopping mall.

George A. Romero
1978
Zombie/Virus
USA

IMDB: 79
Metacritic: 71
RottenTomatoes: 93

Trailer:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y_EviQj5tvA

Streaming:
https://www.justwatch.com/us/movie/zombie-1980

Voter Ranks
BroncoFreak_2k3 21
dickey moe 69
IvanKaramazov 12
jamny 8
Keith R 19
shuke 37
The Gator 37
Todem 36
WVU Alum 18

Too low for the #1 film on my personal list.
It's a masterpiece of gore, horror, humor and consumerism.
We used to stay up to see midnight shows of it after it's main run.

 

[Scoresman]

Yeah, that's fine. I just think the video store standpoint is a little limiting because it means a movie can only be one genre, which just isn't the case.

I think for Alien/Aliens, Alien is a horror movie in a sci-fi setting, Aliens is an Action/Sci-Fi in a horror setting. Both are sci-fi. Both are horror. But each leans a bit more one way than the other.

Nope, and that's not my position at all. I fully agree there is a spectrum to these genres and categories to movies in general. I guess where we disagree is while we agree on that, there are movies that are so far into one or the other that it seems wrong to put them somewhere else (IMO).

I will try to use some examples of what I mean with some horror comedies that have been listed. Shaun of the Dead would have been on my list, but that is by far the most comedy of the ones on my list. It's basically a spoof, but I also feel it is also a decent example of a horror movie at it's core. That is one that I probably wouldn't argue to much if somebody wanted to move it from one genre to another. To me that's pretty much a textbook 50/50 example on the spectrum. 2 other examples that have been drafted are Cabin in the Woods and Young Frankenstein. I laugh my *** off during Cabin, but 0% chance I would put that in a comedy section. That is more 80% horror with comedy mixed in - in this bucket I would put other loves like Deathgasm, or the Evil Dead movies. They aren't comedies, they are horror movies. Spoof movies like Young Frank and are the other end of the spectrum - basically comedy movies. 0 chance they woiuld be in my horror section, just like 0 chance Cabin in the Woods would be in my comedy section. That said, we did have a bit of fun with our Halloween and holiday sections, but that was a different thing. Stuff like Hocus Pocus would be in there too.

One of the biggest surprises to me is how baffled you are by mine and @Dan Lambskin's (I included you because I think I've agreed with you 90% of the time when you said "not horror") reactions as I am with your steadfast opinion some of these fully belong on a horror list, and in the top 30 nonetheless. So what I am saying is that I consider examples like T2, Aliens, and The Predator to be so far into another genre that it makes 0 sense for me that they belong on a list like this. It feels like we are toeing into the realm of saying that anything with brutal death or tense scene is a horror movie. It's usually him saying it, but this thread has me a bit shuked.

For Aliens, it's probably 5-6 pivotal scenes from the movie that are pure horror. I mean, that's pretty significant and more than enough to categorize it as horror. I don't think we disagree that it's probably more action than horror, but that's not the point. There's more than enough horror for it to count here.

And I now totally get how questionable Terminator and Predator is.

Also, a lot of it is very movie specific. One thing that makes one movie lean horror may not be enough if present in another movie to call it horror, etc.

Could you please tell me what you are talking about here? I can think of a scene that I can see that way. I can think of some imagines that I could see that way, but not 5-6 whole scenes, as ones I am guessing are going to be talked about are still framed in action movie mode and filming. I fully concede that 2nd point, and that's the important one - it's your countdown after all. I am just trying to get to other people's lines of what horror is and why. I wasn't joking with some of my other examples for people who think Predator and Aliens are horror - Jurassic Park? Starship Troopers? Robocop? If we are talking scenes in movies justifying the rankings we probably could keep going on more examples from movies that wouldn't be thought of for this countdown.

Long story short, Wednesday is my hump day/favorite movies night if I watch something, so I think Aliens might be in order tonight. I will give it the honest Silence of the Lambs/Se7en treatment. I've changed my mind once this thread, so who knows.

- the scene where Ripley and Newt are trapped in the room with the facehugger. (this scene alone might make the dictionary as an example of the definition of horror).
- Ripley's chest burst dream
- The Alien with Newt in the water.
- Dormant aliens coming out of the walls.
- when they discover the colonists being "stored" and the jump scare when the one colonist asks them to kill her. This is pure body horror.

Outside of the 4th bullet, none of these have any action in them really.

Again, I do agree it's probably more action than horror, but not by as much as you thing, and there's more than enough horror in this movie to count for this list.

 

[Scoresman]

I've never been drawn to the Romero zombie films. I just don't like how goofy and slow the zombies are. Again, my main gripe with most horror comedies, it's not funny enough to make me laugh and not scary enough to impact me.

 

[KarmaPolice]

Yeah, that's fine. I just think the video store standpoint is a little limiting because it means a movie can only be one genre, which just isn't the case.

I think for Alien/Aliens, Alien is a horror movie in a sci-fi setting, Aliens is an Action/Sci-Fi in a horror setting. Both are sci-fi. Both are horror. But each leans a bit more one way than the other.

Nope, and that's not my position at all. I fully agree there is a spectrum to these genres and categories to movies in general. I guess where we disagree is while we agree on that, there are movies that are so far into one or the other that it seems wrong to put them somewhere else (IMO).

I will try to use some examples of what I mean with some horror comedies that have been listed. Shaun of the Dead would have been on my list, but that is by far the most comedy of the ones on my list. It's basically a spoof, but I also feel it is also a decent example of a horror movie at it's core. That is one that I probably wouldn't argue to much if somebody wanted to move it from one genre to another. To me that's pretty much a textbook 50/50 example on the spectrum. 2 other examples that have been drafted are Cabin in the Woods and Young Frankenstein. I laugh my *** off during Cabin, but 0% chance I would put that in a comedy section. That is more 80% horror with comedy mixed in - in this bucket I would put other loves like Deathgasm, or the Evil Dead movies. They aren't comedies, they are horror movies. Spoof movies like Young Frank and are the other end of the spectrum - basically comedy movies. 0 chance they woiuld be in my horror section, just like 0 chance Cabin in the Woods would be in my comedy section. That said, we did have a bit of fun with our Halloween and holiday sections, but that was a different thing. Stuff like Hocus Pocus would be in there too.

One of the biggest surprises to me is how baffled you are by mine and @Dan Lambskin's (I included you because I think I've agreed with you 90% of the time when you said "not horror") reactions as I am with your steadfast opinion some of these fully belong on a horror list, and in the top 30 nonetheless. So what I am saying is that I consider examples like T2, Aliens, and The Predator to be so far into another genre that it makes 0 sense for me that they belong on a list like this. It feels like we are toeing into the realm of saying that anything with brutal death or tense scene is a horror movie. It's usually him saying it, but this thread has me a bit shuked.

For Aliens, it's probably 5-6 pivotal scenes from the movie that are pure horror. I mean, that's pretty significant and more than enough to categorize it as horror. I don't think we disagree that it's probably more action than horror, but that's not the point. There's more than enough horror for it to count here.

And I now totally get how questionable Terminator and Predator is.

Also, a lot of it is very movie specific. One thing that makes one movie lean horror may not be enough if present in another movie to call it horror, etc.

Could you please tell me what you are talking about here? I can think of a scene that I can see that way. I can think of some imagines that I could see that way, but not 5-6 whole scenes, as ones I am guessing are going to be talked about are still framed in action movie mode and filming. I fully concede that 2nd point, and that's the important one - it's your countdown after all. I am just trying to get to other people's lines of what horror is and why. I wasn't joking with some of my other examples for people who think Predator and Aliens are horror - Jurassic Park? Starship Troopers? Robocop? If we are talking scenes in movies justifying the rankings we probably could keep going on more examples from movies that wouldn't be thought of for this countdown.

Long story short, Wednesday is my hump day/favorite movies night if I watch something, so I think Aliens might be in order tonight. I will give it the honest Silence of the Lambs/Se7en treatment. I've changed my mind once this thread, so who knows.

- the scene where Ripley and Newt are trapped in the room with the facehugger. (this scene alone might make the dictionary as an example of the definition of horror).
- Ripley's chest burst dream
- The Alien with Newt in the water.
- Dormant aliens coming out of the walls.
- when they discover the colonists being "stored" and the jump scare when the one colonist asks them to kill her. This is pure body horror.

Outside of the 4th bullet, none of these have any action in them really.

Again, I do agree it's probably more action than horror, but not by as much as you thing, and there's more than enough horror in this movie to count for this list.

Awesome, thanks. I have rebuttals for at least 3 of those, but I also want to watch again too so I can form my thoughts better. Do you have an answer if movies like Starship Troopers or Robocop would qualify? or why was Jurassic Park cut from contention but not others?

Ultimately, I probably think a bit in run time when I am talking about tone and thrust of the movie. If a movie is 2hrs and 17 mins and 10mins is horror....

 

[KarmaPolice]

I ranked Aliens but knew it was iffy. IMDB doesn’t even list horror in it’s 5-6 categories under the title

Interesting. Same with T2 and Terminator, but They Live and Predator have horror listed.

 

[Tick]

I'm a zombie guy, but I only saw Dawn once long ago and didn't like it. I was a kid, I need to watch it again... but it seems like such a screwed up movie when it comes to finding the right version to watch. It also never seems to show up on any streaming service I have.

I really disliked Day of the Dead, but really liked NOTLD. I suspect I won't like Dawn when I find it, but need to give it a good shot.

 

[Todem]

Dawn of the Dead is probably my favorite in the trilogy (everything Romero made after Day of the Dead was crap….Land of the Dead and The Dead Won’t Die).

Day of the Dead is criminally underrated.

But Dawn is just so good. I may not have had it ranked high personally, but that’s because well…..it was not really scary per se. Even so…..a great movie and one I return to often.

 

[Scoresman]

Yeah, that's fine. I just think the video store standpoint is a little limiting because it means a movie can only be one genre, which just isn't the case.

I think for Alien/Aliens, Alien is a horror movie in a sci-fi setting, Aliens is an Action/Sci-Fi in a horror setting. Both are sci-fi. Both are horror. But each leans a bit more one way than the other.

Nope, and that's not my position at all. I fully agree there is a spectrum to these genres and categories to movies in general. I guess where we disagree is while we agree on that, there are movies that are so far into one or the other that it seems wrong to put them somewhere else (IMO).

I will try to use some examples of what I mean with some horror comedies that have been listed. Shaun of the Dead would have been on my list, but that is by far the most comedy of the ones on my list. It's basically a spoof, but I also feel it is also a decent example of a horror movie at it's core. That is one that I probably wouldn't argue to much if somebody wanted to move it from one genre to another. To me that's pretty much a textbook 50/50 example on the spectrum. 2 other examples that have been drafted are Cabin in the Woods and Young Frankenstein. I laugh my *** off during Cabin, but 0% chance I would put that in a comedy section. That is more 80% horror with comedy mixed in - in this bucket I would put other loves like Deathgasm, or the Evil Dead movies. They aren't comedies, they are horror movies. Spoof movies like Young Frank and are the other end of the spectrum - basically comedy movies. 0 chance they woiuld be in my horror section, just like 0 chance Cabin in the Woods would be in my comedy section. That said, we did have a bit of fun with our Halloween and holiday sections, but that was a different thing. Stuff like Hocus Pocus would be in there too.

One of the biggest surprises to me is how baffled you are by mine and @Dan Lambskin's (I included you because I think I've agreed with you 90% of the time when you said "not horror") reactions as I am with your steadfast opinion some of these fully belong on a horror list, and in the top 30 nonetheless. So what I am saying is that I consider examples like T2, Aliens, and The Predator to be so far into another genre that it makes 0 sense for me that they belong on a list like this. It feels like we are toeing into the realm of saying that anything with brutal death or tense scene is a horror movie. It's usually him saying it, but this thread has me a bit shuked.

For Aliens, it's probably 5-6 pivotal scenes from the movie that are pure horror. I mean, that's pretty significant and more than enough to categorize it as horror. I don't think we disagree that it's probably more action than horror, but that's not the point. There's more than enough horror for it to count here.

And I now totally get how questionable Terminator and Predator is.

Also, a lot of it is very movie specific. One thing that makes one movie lean horror may not be enough if present in another movie to call it horror, etc.

Could you please tell me what you are talking about here? I can think of a scene that I can see that way. I can think of some imagines that I could see that way, but not 5-6 whole scenes, as ones I am guessing are going to be talked about are still framed in action movie mode and filming. I fully concede that 2nd point, and that's the important one - it's your countdown after all. I am just trying to get to other people's lines of what horror is and why. I wasn't joking with some of my other examples for people who think Predator and Aliens are horror - Jurassic Park? Starship Troopers? Robocop? If we are talking scenes in movies justifying the rankings we probably could keep going on more examples from movies that wouldn't be thought of for this countdown.

Long story short, Wednesday is my hump day/favorite movies night if I watch something, so I think Aliens might be in order tonight. I will give it the honest Silence of the Lambs/Se7en treatment. I've changed my mind once this thread, so who knows.

- the scene where Ripley and Newt are trapped in the room with the facehugger. (this scene alone might make the dictionary as an example of the definition of horror).
- Ripley's chest burst dream
- The Alien with Newt in the water.
- Dormant aliens coming out of the walls.
- when they discover the colonists being "stored" and the jump scare when the one colonist asks them to kill her. This is pure body horror.

Outside of the 4th bullet, none of these have any action in them really.

Again, I do agree it's probably more action than horror, but not by as much as you thing, and there's more than enough horror in this movie to count for this list.

Awesome, thanks. I have rebuttals for at least 3 of those, but I also want to watch again too so I can form my thoughts better. Do you have an answer if movies like Starship Troopers or Robocop would qualify? or why was Jurassic Park cut from contention but not others?

Ultimately, I probably think a bit in run time when I am talking about tone and thrust of the movie. If a movie is 2hrs and 17 mins and 10mins is horror....

It's definitely a movie by movie thing for me. I might dismiss one movie as not horror for one specific reason, and then go allow another that has the same thing going for it, but probably has other qualities that make up for it and make it count. That's why I wanted to make this thing open and not too rigid. Who am I to define what someone considers horror?

Starship Troopers - I have to rewatch this one, but I think definitely more Sci-Fi. The difference between this and Aliens, are the horror-style scenes I already brought up and the fact that Alien was already an established horror franchise. That counts.

Robocop - Definitely not horror. It's a cop movie. Yes, it's gory, but there needs to be more than this.

Jurassic Park - You could probably argue and get me to change my mind, because there are legitimately scary, horror-esque scenes in this, but I think here, the tone of the movie was not one of being horror and it outweighs the horror elements it had.

The closest definition you'll get from me is the following

Pure horror movie - The movie was made as a horror movie and has undeniable horrific elements. No debate here.
Horror Comedy - This counts if the movie is clearly based on a horror franchise or trope. It does not have to scare me.
Horror/Action/Sci-Fi - Depends how much it leans horror and how much it leans the other genres. Also, atmosphere, tone, tension, all count in some way towards determining if it's horror.
Horror Thriller - This is all atmosphere and tone. Se7en, for example, absolutely has a horror "feel" and vibe going throughout. SotL too. But something like The Departed, or Memento? Nope.

 

[dickey moe]

#29 - The Witch​

In 1630, a farmer relocates his family to a remote plot of land on the edge of a forest where strange, unsettling things happen. With suspicion and paranoia mounting, each family member's faith, loyalty and love are tested in shocking ways.

Robert Eggers
2015
Occult
Italy

IMDB: 68
Metacritic: 83
RottenTomatoes: 91

Trailer:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iQXmlf3Sefg

Streaming:
https://www.justwatch.com/us/movie/the-witch-2016

Voter Ranks
Brunell4MVP 43
dickey moe 7
Frostillicus 53
ilov80s 64
IvanKaramazov 8
jamny 28
Keith R 9
Scoresman 66
shuke 61
The Gator 5

Good to see this in the top 10 for a few of us. I thought it was absolutely brilliant.

 

[dickey moe]

I'm not a huge zombie movie fan, but did any of you rank Zombie (1979) by Lucio Fulci? I remember seeing the trailer in movie theaters as a kid and it scared the **** out of me. I finally watched it later in my teens and thought it was just OK. There is a cool underwater scene of a zombie fighting a real shark, though.

 

[Scoresman]

I’m rewatching Aliens too right now and there’s already one more thing that I would like to add that is absolutely horrific

Paul Reiser’s haircut.

 

[KarmaPolice]

FFA movie party - everybody click on Aliens!!!

WGAF if it's horror or not, it's awesome and Paxton is amazing.

 

[The Gator]

FFA movie party - everybody click on Aliens!!!

i'd totally be down for one of these

 

[KarmaPolice]

You may also like: Leviathan.

HBO knows me too well.

 

[higgins]

GAME OVER

 

[Scoresman]

This whole sequence where the marines find the colonists and then start to get picked off one by one is pure horror.

 

[dickey moe]

FFA movie party - everybody click on Aliens!!!

WGAF if it's horror or not, it's awesome and Paxton is amazing.

I like the discussions generated by the more controversial entries.

 

[KarmaPolice]

I’m rewatching Aliens too right now and there’s already one more thing that I would like to add that is absolutely horrific

Paul Reiser’s haircut.

I hate you for this.

 

[DocHolliday]

FFA movie party - everybody click on Aliens!!!

WGAF if it's horror or not, it's awesome and Paxton is amazing.

I’m not much of a horror movie guy and haven’t seen most of the movies listed but this is a fun thread to follow. Maybe I will eventually watch a few of the movies. Not sure if Aliens is a horror movie but it’s a top 5 movie for me.

 

[Scoresman]

I’m rewatching Aliens too right now and there’s already one more thing that I would like to add that is absolutely horrific

Paul Reiser’s haircut.

I hate you for this.

What do you have the same ppoof thing going on in the front or something?

 

[Andy Dufresne]

You want horror regarding Aliens? You should read the negative reviews the nerds have the new 4k release (which to almost anyone reasonable looks fantastic). You'd have thought they went Spanish fresco on it.

 

[shuke]

The Blair Witch Project.

So I was part of that incredible build up hype machine.....bought into it hook line and sinker and that made the theater experience of seeing this genre ground breaking film.

But after that.......it was over. It really has no rewatch ability what so ever. There are so many other far better found footage flicks out there.

But you had to experience that initial release, during the months leading up to it’s theatrical debut to truly grasp and appreciate it’s effect on the genre. It was pretty awesome.

I think this ranking is way way too high though. It’s really not a great horror movie that has absolutely not stood the test of time.

100%. My ranking is not based on rewatchability at all, but about the experience.

 

[Scoresman]

Something ironic I’m noticing in the Aliens rewatch. Outside of a few scenes, this doesn’t really become an action movie until all the marines are pretty much dead, and Ripley duct tapes two guns together to go rescue Newt.

Up until that point, the marines might as well have been camp counselors.

 

[KarmaPolice]

Something ironic I’m noticing in the Aliens rewatch. Outside of a few scenes, this doesn’t really become an action movie until all the marines are pretty much dead, and Ripley duct tapes two guns together to go rescue Newt.

Up until that point, the marines might as well have been camp counselors.

Link

 

[KarmaPolice]

Such a great movie.

Here is the short version of my position: there is more horror here than I was giving it credit for, but Cameron was still more interested in making it an action movie and shot it that way. Or he actually tried to make a horror movie and couldn't help himself with the action movie.

The longer version:

• A better point to my previous one about an action movie having a higher bar for me: the level of weaponry and training the characters have drastically change the dynamic of the scenes. that's why I can't get behind Scores' point above that the marines might as well as be camp counselors. To me it steers out of horror territory when you are able to kill most things and take out a few aliens in the battle. To use a similar method replace the aliens with an overpowering force in an action or war movie - does it feel that much different the way it's shot?
• while I will admit to soon why there is more horror here than I thought, one thing that also stood out tonight while watching was how Cameron shoots the scenes you referred to and how he bookends the scenes and what he ends with. They often still have an action movie feel to me. The dream sequence he focuses on people running down the hallway a lot and we cut away before the gore on the chest burst vs. in Alien where we are in a confined spot and focused on the gore and faces. The scene where Ripley describes the aliens to the crew could be a campfire horror story in a Friday the 13th movie ..... until he ends with a joke and puff of the chests. In the scene where they first encounter the aliens, he chooses to leave us with Ripley kicking *** and coming to the rescue - and back to the point above, that part of the scene is shot like an action movie.
• I had the same thought as scores above but it fed into the point above - Cameron chooses to end the movie as an action movie.

I gave it a fair eye, and here is some stuff that really stood out as effective horror movie stuff. I did come around a bit on to what people are talking about with the in the movie:

• The face hugger in the jar jump scare was great
• shortly after that the lead up to Newt and the jump scare there. Very horror movie.
• The scene with the face hugger in the room with them is still well done. That was one I had in mind when I asked the question to scores
• before I think it ends action, the intro to the aliens is so well done and very horror movie. What impressed me that I hadn't noticed before is the tone shift leading up to it - we start with a scared Newt and Ripley, not the marines strutting around like the previous similar scene. Then my previous beef is addressed a bit when they are told they can't use live rounds, smart choice there to ramp up the tension, then I forget just how freaking gross and terrifying it is in there and how horrific it gets. Straight out of a horror movie. I argue it lasts until Vasquez starts kicking *** and actually kills a few.

Final assessment: more horror (and quite well done) than I gave it credit for, but Cameron couldn't help but make an action movie as a final product.

Random odd thought on a 100+th rewatch: Wtf is with all the smoking? Ripley right by a severely injured marine had me laughing a bit tonight.

 

[Andy Dufresne]

Although I remain unconvinced, if Aliens IS a horror movie then Ellen Ripley is the best Final Girl ever.

 

[zamboni]

I'm not a huge zombie movie fan, but did any of you rank Zombie (1979) by Lucio Fulci? I remember seeing the trailer in movie theaters as a kid and it scared the **** out of me. I finally watched it later in my teens and thought it was just OK. There is a cool underwater scene of a zombie fighting a real shark, though.

I never got around to seeing that one, but I remember the movie poster alone was pretty terrifying.

 

[Leroy Hoard]

I'm not a huge zombie movie fan, but did any of you rank Zombie (1979) by Lucio Fulci? I remember seeing the trailer in movie theaters as a kid and it scared the **** out of me. I finally watched it later in my teens and thought it was just OK. There is a cool underwater scene of a zombie fighting a real shark, though.

I never got around to seeing that one, but I remember the movie poster alone was pretty terrifying.

Perfect movie poster to stare at while eating a bowl of spaghetti.