The Modern Horror Film
1968 - 1998

INTRODUCTION

The horror film entered a period of transition and seemingly disordered development with the sunset of the great genre studios of American International Pictures and Hammer. Distinct trends or sub-genres are observable in this period. Three appeared very early and marked the transition between the second generation of horror classics, pursuing typically traditional, especially Gothic, themes and the beginning of the modern period (for lack of a better moniker).

The first of these became one of the strongest streams of genre evolution and may seem to hearken to the previous era, but it is truly a divergent trend. That is the occult film sub-genre, inaugurated by Rosemary's Baby and given its archetype in The Exorcist. The differences between the occult film and previous films of occult subject are the contemporary urbanity of the setting, the extreme skepticism, secular viewpoint and lack of faith on the part of the protagonists, and the truly cosmic, ineffable nature of the evil encountered. A parallel trend, similar to the occult film, is the paranormal or psychic film, beginning with Willard, in which uncontrolled power within man (as opposed to outside) is the menace. While both of these trends can be traced all the way back to 1957's Night of the Demon or arguably to even earlier films, the subject became immensely prolific in the 1970s.

The second trend, incipient evidence of which may also be seen back to the early 1960s (notably in Roman Polanski's Repulsion), is that of the psychological development of horror. While many films abandoned subtlety for raw and extreme horror, pushing the envelope for audience sensitivity, others such as The Stepford Wives and Magic explored the interior aspects of fear. Normally, films of this sort are devoid of supernatural trappings and classed as suspense-thrillers (a borderline example being The Eyes of Laura Mars), but there is a definite development in this period toward internalization of fear. Even Gothic subjects became infused with new psychological depths. Good examples of this are Ghost Story and The Awakening.

The third trend is difficult to characterize, but is instigated by The Night of the Living Dead. Certainly, gore became far more prevalent in the late 1960s and early 1970s, but this typifies the evolutionary development of the traditional human-monster film of the past. This last trend, made classic by Halloween, is seen most clearly in the antagonist of "The Shape", the unstoppable maniac, the boogeyman with a meat cleaver. The human monster has become a faceless, quasi-supernatural evil, void of identity, though human in appearance. The form spilled over in the sci-fi realm in The Terminator, which may be a horror film in spite of its sci-fi trappings. All of these threads of development share common elements, characteristic of the shape of fear inspired by the turbulent times of the late 1960s and the cynical mistrust of the 1970s.

Another trend which I will not treat further was the comic-porn-gore horror film, inaugurated probably by Hershel Gordon Lewis and others in the 1960s, furthered by films like Roman Polanski's The Fearless Vampire Killers, or Pardon Me, But Your Teeth are in My Neck as well as the unintentionally comical but pointedly pornographic last few Hammer films (Lust for a Vampire, Lady Frankenstein, etc.), and which reached its zenith (or nadir, as you may perceive the trajectory) in the two deliberately, abysmally absurd films by Paul Morrissey: Flesh for Frankenstein and Blood for Dracula in 1974. This trend has not entirely disappeared, but was blessedly never prominent, and has faded almost to obscurity.

Of course, traditional horror themes did not disappear, as a perusal of the following reviews will quickly reveal, but the supernatural Gothic film became very scarce for a time. The Universal remake of Dracula in 1979 at the height of the disco fever is a notable exception, but its traditional elements are infused with new life by the popular conception of aggressive sexual power, a reflection of the (already fading) age of sexual liberation. On television, the traditional subjects of horror were brought into the present and situated in the very midst of the metropolis with Kolchak: The Night Stalker, the forerunner of The X-Files, and several short-lived anthology series such as Circle of Fear and my childhood favorite, Rod Serling's Night Gallery. The message of these programs was that the underside of modern life still hid shadows of familiar older shapes of evil. In the mid-1980s the new contemporary Gothic emerged with films such as Fright Night, intended as a nostalgic spoof and tribute to the classics, and culminating in 1994's Interview with the Vampire, evidence of the new wave of pop-Gothic culture and especially of vampiric fascination.

This period saw the waning of the great studios and franchises into a twilight of B-movie trash and exploitation films, occasionally illuminated by respectable efforts, but ended at the close of the century (and the millenium) with another rise in horror movie interest, possibly an all-time high, that with the advent of video rental venues nevertheless remains challenged by a flood of junk cinema. Certainly, the horror film emerged from its worst episode of diminished relevance and filmcraft to flourish anew with the evolutionary changes seen in this period in terms of subject, psychological tone and ever increasing shock, but where it will go in the future is yet to be seen... in the next segment.

THE NIGHT OF THE LIVING DEAD
Rating
Film Production Credits
Release Date: 1968
Produced by: Producer
Directed by: George A. Romero
Other: Written by George A. Romero and John A. Russo
Cast of Characters
Duane Jones Ben
Judith O'Dea Barbra
Karl Hardman Harry
Marilyn Eastman Helen
Keith Wayne Tom
Judith Ridley Judy
Frank Doak Scientist
Synopsis and Commentary

A group of people become stranded at an isolated farmhouse surrounded by flesh-eating reanimated corpses. This movie was not the first to have hordes of zombies, but it was the first one (and probably the first B-flick) to achieve classic status. What makes this film, and its sequel Dawn of the Dead, so terrifying is the realism of the performances. The actors were unrecognizable as such and behaved in ways that were only too believable. Romero's films always say more about humanity than they do about ghouls or zombies, which is what makes them true classics. The issues of racism, sexism and self-interest play strongly in this film without being preached by the characters, as we see too often nowadays. The end is the most ironic twist ever. Romero and Russo make cameo appearances (try to find them!).

ROSEMARY'S BABY
Rating
Film Production Credits
Release Date: 1968
Produced by: William Castle
Directed by: Roman Polanski
Other: Written by Roman Polanski
(from the novel by Ira Levin)
Cast of Characters
Mia Farrow Rosemary Woodhouse
John Cassavetes Guy Woodhouse
Maurice Evans Edward Hutchins
Sydney Blackmer Roman Castavet
Ruth Gordon Minnie Castavet
Ralph Bellamy Dr. Abe Sapirstein
Synopsis and Commentary

A young couple in New York fall under the spell of their weird neighbors, and bizarre interest surrounds the naissance of their first child. Based on the novel by Ira Levin (aren't the best films always based on great stories?), this is Roman Polanski's best known film but one which perhaps few attribute to William Castle! Easily one of the best horror films of all time, Rosemary's Baby, is both the definitive classic of Satanic genre films and a well-crafted chiller. At a time when gore was becoming the hallmark of horror films this stands out as a shining example of what is really scary. The contemporary urbane setting makes it all the more creepy. Includes an uncredited cameo appearance by Anton Szandor LaVey, High Priest of the Church of Satan, as the Prince of Darkness himself, and small parts by Castle-veteran Elisha Cook, Jr. and a young Charles Grodin! William Castle also makes a Hitchcock-esque cameo at a phonebooth. Ruth Gordon won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress for her performance.

THE NIGHT STALKER
Rating
Film Production Credits
Release Date: 1971
Produced by: American Broadcasting Co.
(ABC TV) (Dan Curtis)
Directed by: John Llewellen Moxey
Other: Written by Richard Matheson
based on the novel by Jeff Rice
Cast of Characters
Darren McGavin Carl Kolchak
Barry Atwater Janos Skorzeny
Simon Oakland Tony Vincenzo
Carol Linley Gail Foster
Ralph Meeker Bernie Jenks
Synopsis and Commentary

A seedy Las Vegas reporter follows the trail of a series of bizarre murders and robberies to the unlikely conclusion that a real vampire is stalking the City That Never Sleeps. Holding the record for many years as the film with the largest viewing audience in TV history, The Night Stalker inspired a sequel and one of the most cleverly written and successful dark fantasy series, Kolchak: The Night Stalker, which Chris Carter, creator of The X-Files, cites as a seminal influence upon his imagination. In 1971, before the Gothic became a pop culture, before Anne Rice, a modern vampire was a novel concept and creator Jeff Rice brought it thrillingly alive with his admixture of the hard-boiled detective traditions with the familiar vampiric themes and the thoughtful introduction of technological advancements. Although the book is much better than the film (its darker and grittier), this is a great flick and one of the most influential vampire films.

WILLARD
Rating
Film Production Credits
Release Date: 1971
Produced by: Bing Crosby Productions
Directed by: Daniel Mann
Other:
Cast of Characters
Bruce Davison Willard Stiles
Ernest Borgnine Al Martin
Elsa Lanchester Henrietta Stiles
Sondra Locke Joan
Synopsis and Commentary

A disturbed young man discovers that he can communicate with and command rats. What separates this film from its pathetic sequel, Ben, is its focus on the deranged psychology of Willard, rather than the legions of rats which form a living metaphor of the latent inchoate violence residing in his soul. The revolt of the rats, however, does remind the viewer that such power has limits and there are repercussions to obsession. There have been numerous films of this sort, the brilliant-but-disturbed-loner in control of natural forces theme, but few have achieved the effect of this film. Bruce Davison was more recently seen as the antagonistic senator in X-Men.

TALES FROM THE CRYPT
Rating
Film Production Credits
Release Date: 1972
Produced by: Amicus Films
Directed by: Freddie Francis
Other:
Cast of Characters
Sir Ralph Richardson The Cryptkeeper
Peter Cushing Mr. Grimsdyke
Joan Collins Joanne
Patrick Magee Carter
Synopsis and Commentary

An anthology film of vignettes describing the destinies of the persons inadvertantly locked in a old crypt. One of the first anthology films which flourished about this time, this is actually based on the old EC comics series by William F. Gaines, but it briefly created a sub-genre of sorts, which occasionally is revisited (eg, Creepshow), characterized by macabre and darkly ironic or vengeful stories and the hallmark character of the spectral narrator. Tales from the Crypt includes an adaptation of the famous story, The Monkey's Paw, by W. W. Jacobs. The sequel was The Vault of Horror, also based on an EC comic, but I have not seen it.

THE EXORCIST
Rating
Film Production Credits
Release Date: 1973
Produced by: Warner Brothers (William Peter Blatty)
Directed by: William Friedkin
Other: Written by William Peter Blatty
Cast of Characters
Ellen Burstyn Chris MacNeil
Max von Sydow Father Merrin, the Exorcist
Linda Blair Regan MacNeil
Jason Miller Father Damien Carras
Lee J. Cobb Lt. Kinderman
Synopsis and Commentary

Ancient supernatural evil invades the incredulous contemporary urban world when a demon possesses a young girl and modern psychiatrists are unable to cure her from the violent fits and shifting personalities, requiring that an expert be called in that even the Church doesn't want to talk about. This movie created a sensation when it came out. I remember picket lines outside the theatres. Many considered it the most offensive film ever made. The Exorcist is undoubtedly one of the finest horror films of all time, the more disturbing because it strikes right into the normalcy of everyday life and victimizes an innocent child. Actress Mercedes McCambridge uttered the words of the demon. Mike Oldfield created the famous "Tubular Bells" score, one of the three most recognizable and thrilling horror film scores (along with the theme music from Psycho and Halloween). This film is probably in the minds of most the cornerstone of the Catholic horror sub-genre, even though it follows Rosemary's Baby by several years.

TALES THAT WITNESS MADNESS
Rating
Film Production Credits
Release Date: 1973
Produced by: Amicus Productions
Directed by: Freddie Francis
Other:
Cast of Characters
Donald Pleasance Dr. R. C. Tremayne
Kim Novak Auriol Pageant
Jack Hawkins Dr. Nicholas
Joan Collins Bella Thompson
Georgia Brown Fay Patterson
Donald Houston Sam Patterson
Synopsis and Commentary

A series of vignettes related by the director of an asylum for the mentally disturbed, describing the uncanny circumstances of his patients' interment. In common with both earlier and later anthology films, this has the hallmark narrator and a common thread relating the stories. Tales that Witness Madness is one of the better anthology films, with original and clever stories. I find the final tale with Kim Novak to be particularly unpleasant (you'll never feel the same about a luau).

YOUNG FRANKENSTEIN
Rating
Film Production Credits
Release Date: 1974
Produced by: 20th Century Fox
Directed by: Mel Brooks
Other: Written by Gene Wilder and Mel Brooks
Cast of Characters
Gene Wilder Dr. Frederick Frankenstein
Peter Boyle The Monster
Marty Feldman Igor
Madeline Kahn Elizabeth
Cloris Leachman Frau Blücher
Kenneth Mars Police Inspector Kemp
Gene Hackman The Blind Man
Teri Garr Inga
Synopsis and Commentary

The grandson of the infamous mad scientist is summoned to his ancestral home to receive his inheritance and embarks upon the path of creation trod by his forebear, in an effort to exonerate his family honor. Filmed entirely in black and white and following largely on the plotline of Universal's last fairly serious effort in the series, 1939's Son of Frankenstein, as well as material from the original 1931 Frankenstein and 1935 Bride of Frankenstein, Brooks' and Wilder's genre spoof masterpiece is filled with sly, subtle humor (the hanged corpse is "Swinging in the Rain") as well as outrageous gags and corny jokes so bad that you have to laugh. Madeline Kahn and Cloris Leachman are paralyzing and Marty Feldman creates a non-stop sideshow of bizarre banter and physical comedy that is classic. For those familiar with Lionel Atwill's performance in the Universal original, Kenneth Mars' police inspector is particularly hilarious. Even Gene Hackman takes a comic turn in a great parody of the famous blind man's hut scene. While this film is far more accessible to audiences less familiar with the old Universal films than Brook's less well received Dracula - Dead and Loving It, the cognoscenti will have the most fun watching.

JAWS
Rating
Film Production Credits
Release Date: 1975
Produced by: Universal Pictures
Directed by: Steven Spielberg
Other: Screenplay by Carl Gottlieb and Peter Benchley, from his novel
Cast of Characters
Roy Scheider Police Chief Martin Brody
Robert Shaw Quint
Richard Dreyfus Matt Hooper
Murray Hamilton Mayor Larry Vaughn
Lorraine Gary Ellen Brody
Lee Fierro Mrs. Kintner
Synopsis and Commentary

The police chief of Amity Island must conquer his fear of the sea to hunt and destroy a gigantic great white shark that is prowling off the beaches just as the tourist season opens. Looking back now, after all the exploitative and totally unnecessary sequels and the last thirty years of cliche', it is difficult to see this film in the way that it was first seen by innocent eyes in the summer of 1975. It was the first PG film that my Dad let us boys go see. It ruined the beach for me forever. Prior to Jaws I thought sharks were cool; after this film I was unable to venture into water deeper than I could see to the bottom or farther than fifty yards from shore. I don't know anyone who can't tell a similar story. How many films have had that kind of impact on the primal fears of a whole society? Certainly Psycho, with its shower scene, had that effect, but few others. Steven Spielberg got his start making horror films with Roger Corman and this first big budget effort, which launched his career, is arguably his directorial masterpiece. The signature musical theme by John Williams is instantly recognizable; possibly the most recognizable music in pop culture. Jaws is the last word in the nature gone berserk sub-genre that blossomed in the early 1970s, and it has truly lost none of its force.

THE STEPFORD WIVES
Rating
Film Production Credits
Release Date: 1975
Produced by: Palomar Pictures
Directed by: Bryan Forbes
Other:
Cast of Characters
Katherine Ross Joanna Eberhart
Paula Prentiss Bobbie Markowe
Tina Louise Charmaine Wimperis
Patrick O'Neal Dale Coba
Synopsis and Commentary

A young couple relocate from New York City to a small town in Connecticutt to get away from the madness of big city life and encounter an infinitely more terrifying menace. Author Ira Levin has given us some of the most disturbing thrills of the last thirty-odd years, with Rosemary's Baby, The Boys from Brazil, and others. While some may consider this to be a science fiction film of sorts, I maintain that it is a true horror film in that it deals with the most dominant and recurrent theme of the horror genre (both fiction and film) over the last century: the loss of identity. From Stevenson's The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde through werewolves, vampires and alien body snatchers to the psychological thriller What Lies Beneath, we have feared nothing so consistently and deeply as the possibility of becoming something other against our will. This film created a sensation at the time it appeared, but enough time has passed and it has fallen into relative (and undeserved) obscurity such that it will affect a new generation of viewers with the same terror. Call it a feminist nightmare, The Stepford Wives is a parable for the modern age, about the dark undercurrents within relationships and social norms, and also the dehumanizing influence of technology designed to better and enrich our lives. Actress Tina Louise, best known for her role as Ginger on Gilligan's Island, makes a sadly rare appearance here, demonstrating the talents that were wasted by a system not unlike the subject of this film. Look for a very young Mary Stuart Masterson as the daughter of Joanna Eberhart. I hope that the ridiculous and trivial remake will inspire a new generation to revisit the classic original.

THE OMEN
Rating
Film Production Credits
Release Date: 1976
Produced by: 20th Century Fox
Directed by: Richard Donner
Other:
Cast of Characters
Gregory Peck Ambassador Robert Thorne
Lee Remick Katherine Thorne
David Warner Jennings
Harvey Stephens Damien Thorne
Billie Whitelaw Mrs. Baylock
Synopsis and Commentary

An ambassador secretly adopts an orphaned infant with a mysterious origin when his own child dies at birth, and grapples with the meaning of a series of alarming and tragic circumstances surrounding the child. The Omen belongs beside Rosemary's Baby and The Exorcist as the penultimate trinity of Catholic horror sub-genre films. An outstanding cast, led by Gregory Peck, delivers brilliant performances. David Warner, too often associated with low budget efforts, shines here. A story which becomes more apparently ludicrous in the sequels, this film is made by the seriousness of its performances, as the characters struggle with the question of apocalyptic destiny. Crisp direction and cinematography enhance the effect (notably the tricycle scene). The violence is more shocking in its simplicity (the runaway cart sequence is unforgettable).

THE CURSE OF THE BLACK WIDOW
Rating
Film Production Credits
Release Date: 1977
Produced by: American Broadcasting Corp. (ABC)
Directed by: Dan Curtis
Other:
Cast of Characters
Tony Franciosa Mark Higby
Donna Mills Lee Lockridge
Patty Duke Astin Laura Lockridge / "Valerie Stefan"
June Allyson Olga
Vic Morrow Lt. "Gully" Conti
Synopsis and Commentary

A private investigator follows a mysterious series of murders, in which all the victims have been poisoned, drained of blood and wrapped in spider silk. This is one of the most frightening made for TV movies I've ever seen. As a barely pubescent and girl-shy 13 yr old with an aversion to spiders, it only aggravated my unease and gave me years of dreadful nightmares. Combining elements of the hard-boiled detective and weird horror genres, it is also among the most original adaptations of the idea of the lycanthrope (or arachnanthrope!). Sometimes shown as The Love Trap, it is very obscure. Recognizing the limits of a low budget, or perhaps the true art of the horror film, the director doesn't fully reveal the monstrous metamorphosis until the finale. With a lot of the style of Curtis' The Night Stalker, this is a really fun flick. Arachnophobes beware! This film has a surprising cast, including cameos by Sid Caesar and June Lockhart. Blooper trivia: the credits erroneously list Patty Duke Astin as "Laura Lockwood".

SNOWBEAST
Rating
Film Production Credits
Release Date: 1977
Produced by: Wilford Lloyd Baumes
Directed by: Herb Wallerstein
Other:
Cast of Characters
Bo Svenson Gar Seberg
Yvette Mimieux Ellen Seberg
Clint Walker Sherriff Paraday
Michael J. London The Snowbeast
Synopsis and Commentary

A ski resort in the Rockies is terrorized by a gigantic ape-like creature that lives in the the high forests and stalks isolated skiers as prey. I don't care what anyone may say to the contrary, this is a truly frightening movie. Made for TV on a very low budget, the film wisely gives the audience only glimpses and partial views of the beast. Most of the impression of the monster is created by the hideous roar that it utters and by the reactions we see in those who hear it and see it, but the effect is even more terrifying. Being an unknown, it assumes a form in the imagination proportionately more awful. When its face finally is seen, fleetingly through a window pane, the gigantic distorted travesty of a humanoid visage is absolutely apalling. Another interesting feature of this film (which has been exploited far too much since this time) is the relative innovation of using a camera perspective and movement from the vantage of the monster. Very difficult to find, like all old TV movies, this is highly recommended for late night viewing alone on a bitterly cold wintry evening. A curious bit of trivia regarding this film is that it was co-written by Roger Patterson, the man made famous for his shaky hand-held film footage of Bigfoot in northern California in 1967.

DAWN OF THE DEAD
Rating
Film Production Credits
Release Date: 1978
Produced by: United Film
Directed by: George A. Romero
Other: Special effects by Tom Savini,
Music by The Goblins (with Dario Argento),
Written by George A. Romero
Cast of Characters
Ken Foree Peter
David Emge Stephen
Scott H. Reiniger Roger
Gaylen Ross Francine
Synopsis and Commentary

As an epidemic of hysteria, violence and civil chaos attends the plague which causes the dead to return in hunger for human flesh, an odd assemblage of SWAT team and TV production crew members take refuge in a nuclear-powered shopping mall. How's that for an apocalyptic setting? Banned in 59 countries, this is without question the most upsetting film I have ever seen. I find it interesting that laughter is the usual reaction; most people cannot handle it on a serious level (try to watch it alone for the first time). I actually left the theater and had to come back with friends to finish it. It looks like the 6 o'clock news. Roger Ebert, whose dislike of the genre is well known, called it the finest horror film he'd ever seen. In contrast with the myriad similar ultra-violent gore films which it spawned, Dawn of the Dead makes exceptionally poignant commentary (with brilliant black humor) on materialism and the vanity of humanity.

HALLOWEEN
Rating
Film Production Credits
Release Date: 1978
Produced by: Falcon Films (Debra Hill)
Directed by: John Carpenter
Other: Written by John Carpenter & Debra Hill,
Music by John Carpenter
Cast of Characters
Donald Pleasance Dr. Loomis
Jamie Lee Curtis Laurie
Synopsis and Commentary

A psychopathic maniac, catatonic for years, suddenly escapes from a detention center and returns to quiet Haddonfield, Illinois, the scene of his first murder, on its anniversary... Halloween. Simple plot, huh? What makes this film so remarkable is that with a budget of only $ 320,000, a cast of unrecognized actors (with the exception of the wonderful Donald Pleasance) and no further plot complication, John Carpenter created a film which is an undeniable classic. The essence of horror is refined and distilled in this film. There are no frills. The antagonist in his very character seems to embody that faceless, malevolent unknown which is at the root of all fear. Halloween is a brilliant film which spawned a sub-genre and numerous sequels that never even approached the original. Carpenter composed and performed the famous score.

MAGIC
Rating
Film Production Credits
Release Date: 1978
Produced by: 20th Century Fox
Directed by: Richard Attenborough
Other: Music by Jerry Goldsmith
Cast of Characters
Anthony Hopkins Corky / "Fats"
Ann-Margret Peggy Ann Snow
Burgess Meredith Ben Greene
Synopsis and Commentary

A disturbed ventriloquist, whose bizarre and intimate relationship with his dummy continues off-stage, becomes entangled in an affair that leads to murder. Long before he played Dr. Hannibal Lechter, the marvellous Anthony Hopkins showed that he had the talent to convey complicated psychosis. But it is the dummy that frightens. I have a deep aversion to dummies and dolls and this movie scares me silly. There is one scene in particular which is reminiscent of that scene in Poltergeist (some of you know precisely the one to which I am referring). The trailer for this film was so frightening that I refused to watch the movie for years, but it is well worth seeing.

DRACULA
Rating
Film Production Credits
Release Date: 1979
Produced by: Universal Pictures
Directed by: John Badham
Other: Music by John Williams
Cast of Characters
Frank Langella Count Dracula
Lord Laurence Olivier Prof. Abraham Van Helsing
Donald Pleasance Dr. Jack Seward
Kate Nelligan Lucy Seward
Trevor Eve Jonathan Harker
Jan Francis Mina Van Helsing
Synopsis and Commentary

A major production film remake on the occasion of the revival, starring Langella, of the 1925 Hamilton Deane and John L. Balderston Broadway version of Bram Stoker's novel (which originally featured Bela Lugosi and Edward Van Sloan in the roles they reprised on film). This film would be better if it didn't appear so clearly influenced by the (now very dated) late 1970s model of disco-sexiness, but this is a slight complaint. Langella is a bit young and way too flamboyant for Stoker, but delivers a fine performance. The emphasis here is on the sexual power of the Count, and women probably like this version best (so do I!). It does make the story more interesting. The conflict within Lucy (not Mina, as in the book) is far more compelling and darker (though less complicated) than in Coppola's version. Kate Nelligan simmers with hidden desire. It is nearer to Stoker's vision of the dark side of the soul. Olivier's portrayal of Van Helsing is all that is expected of this veteran; he brings an air of dignity rarely associated with the genre and is the closest to Van Sloan's presence. Truly Gothic, Badham's film makes perfect use of shadow and creepy sets. The device of a white mare to find the grave of the vampire is authentic folklore and a nice touch.

`SALEM'S LOT
Rating
Film Production Credits
Release Date: 1979
Produced by: Warner Bros.
Directed by: Tobe Hooper
Other:
Cast of Characters
James Mason Straker
David Soul Ben Mears
Lance Kerwin Mark Petrie
Bonnie Bedelia Susan Norton
Elisha Cook, Jr. Weasel
Lew Ayres Jason Burke
Synopsis and Commentary

The residents of a small town in Maine begin to die after a dealer in antiques and his mysterious business partner inhabit a house reputed to be haunted. Based on Stephen King's novel, this film by Tobe Hooper (director of Poltergeist), originally aired as a four hour miniseries and that is the version one should watch. The video release cut two hours and suffers. King pays due homage to Stoker's Dracula in the story and Hooper casts his vampire in the likeness of Max Schreck's Count Orlok from Nosferatu. At once inventive and faithful to the traditions, `Salem's Lot is a great vampire flick. James Mason is one of my favorite actors and seeing this, one wishes he had done more in the genre.

THE AWAKENING
Rating
Film Production Credits
Release Date: 1980
Produced by: Robert H. Solo
Directed by: Mike Newell
Other:
Cast of Characters
Charleton Heston Matthew Corbeck
Stephanie Zimbalist Margaret Corbeck
Susannah York Jane Turner
Patrick Drury Paul Whittier
Synopsis and Commentary

The secret tomb of an accursed Egyptian princess holds a terrible destiny for the daughter of the archeologist who unearthed it. Based upon my favorite book by Bram Stoker, The Jewel of Seven Stars, this film is one of the most fiendishly clever and frightening mummy movies, as well as one of the least conventional. Charleton Heston, who made a small career among genre films (usually sci-fi), is great as the doggedly skeptical (to the point of denial) archeologist. Stephanie Zimbalist went from this to the popular TV series, Remington Steele. There was an earlier effort by Hammer, Blood From the Mummy's Tomb, which is closer to the novel in many respects.

THE SHINING
Rating
Film Production Credits
Release Date: 1980
Produced by: Warner Brothers (Stanley Kubrick)
Directed by: Stanley Kubrick
Other: Co-written by Stanley Kubrick
Cast of Characters
Jack Nicholson Jack Torrance
Shelley Duvall Wendy Torrance
Scatman Crothers Dick Halloran
Danny Lloyd Danny Torrance
Synopsis and Commentary

A recovering alcoholic writer takes a position as a winter caretaker in a turn of the century grand hotel in the Rockies and slowly succumbs to the lingering evil presences residing in the haunted inn. A highly acclaimed and popular translation of the novel by Stephen King, Stanley Kubrick's The Shining has brilliant casting (especially Scatman Crothers), direction and cinematography, but Kubrick's alterations to the plot effectively ruin the effect achieved by King in the novel and shift the focus of the story to Jack Torrance. Nicholson's character is crazy before the credits finish rolling and he finds none of the pathos in the viewer that is present (and necessary) in the book. Moreover, the significance of Danny (the one with the "shining") in the story is completely lost. Still, some scenes were so brilliantly conceived that they have become archetypes of American horror. I particularly like the stalk within the snow covered maze and the long scene of Danny riding about the halls on his Big Wheel and encountering the two little girls.

THE WATCHER IN THE WOODS
Rating
Film Production Credits
Release Date: 1980
Produced by: Walt Disney Productions
Directed by: John Hough
Other:
Cast of Characters
Bette Davis Mrs. Aylwood
Lynn Holly Johnson Jan Curtis
Kyle Richards Ellie Curtis
David McCallum Paul Curtis
Synopsis and Commentary

Children of an American family that has moved into an old country manor house in England encounter a terrifying spectral force in the forest nearby. Rarely has Disney devoted its efforts to the horror genre, but always the results are impressive (see Something Wicked This Way Comes). In this, grand dame Bette Davis delivers her best brooding and intimidating demeanor in a film that largely succeeds by what it doesn't reveal. Based on the classic children's novel by Florence Engel Randall, The Watcher in the Woods works the elements of suspense and terror very skillfully. This is a great one for young kids, to introduce them to the delicious joys of being terrified silly. Kudos to Disney for not rationalizing away all the supernatural elements in the end.

AN AMERICAN WEREWOLF IN LONDON
Rating
Film Production Credits
Release Date: 1981
Produced by: PolyGram
Directed by: John Landis
Other:
Cast of Characters
David Naughton David Kessler
Griffin Dunne Jack Goodman
Jenny Agutter Nurse Alex Prince
John Woodvine Dr. Hirsch
Brian Glover Belligerant Chess Player in Pub
Rik Mayall Sympathetic Chess Player in Pub
Synopsis and Commentary

Two Americans hiking the British Isles on vacation are attacked by a savage beast on the moors and the survivor becomes obsessed with the thought that he may have been afflicted with the curse of lycanthropy. John Landis, director of Animal House creates a surprising film in this overtly comic horror opus that never falters. Landis manages to accomplish an unheard of achievement, making a film that is genuinely funny, horrifying, shocking and movingly tragic. In one of the most striking transformation scenes on film, special effects wizard Rick Baker gives us the original evidence that becoming a wolf is not a painless or easy process. While the transformed werewolf may lack the lupine grace of other cinematic werewolves, Landis wisely gives us only glimpses, leaving its victims faces to tell the story. Rik Mayall may be more familiar to fans of British comedy as the anarchist Rick on The Young Ones and in numerous other roles.

THE ENTITY
Rating
Film Production Credits
Release Date: 1981
Produced by: 20th Century Fox
Directed by: Sidney J. Furie
Other: Special effects by Stan Winston
Cast of Characters
Barbara Hershey Carla Moran
Ron Silver Phil Sneiderman
Synopsis and Commentary

A woman, physically assaulted and raped by a malevolent force, seeks the help of a parapsychologist. This is based on a true story and is (possibly for that reason) the most believable parapsychological research / haunting film ever made. Unlike in The Exorcist, Science, as opposed to the Church, comes to the rescue. Of course the results are not as satisfying... Lacking much of a plot or any explanation of the terrifying phenomenon, this film is for that reason truly frightening and such a very powerful statement about the contemporary disillusionment with Science as the new religion to solve all humankind's ills and answer all our questions.

GHOST STORY
Rating
Film Production Credits
Release Date: 1981
Produced by: Universal Pictures
Directed by: John Irvin
Other:
Cast of Characters
Alice Krige Alma Mobley / Eva Galley
Fred Astair Ricky Hawthorne
John Houseman Sears James
Douglas Fairbanks, Jr. Edward Wanderley
Melvyn Douglas Dr. John Jaffrey
Patricia Neal Stella Hawthorne
Craig Wasson Don Wanderley / David Wanderley
Synopsis and Commentary

A group of elderly gentlemen who meet as The Chowder Society to tell ghost stories, begin to experience the revisitation of an evil long held secret. Based on Peter Straub's novel, this adaptation is one of the most artfully constructed horror films ever. It simply must be watched on a cold winter's night (as I first saw it). With a cast of veteran actors (Fred Astair is especially wonderful) as well as the unearthly Alice Krige, this film has the solid dramatic skill to render a well wrought tale. The effectiveness of Ghost Story is the desire it creates on the part of the watcher to learn the secret, even though the sensation of horror becomes more intense as it progresses. Don't dare let anyone ruin the experience by telling what happens at the end! Definitely a film that is best the first time you see it, so do it right! You won't be disappointed.

WOLFEN
Rating
Film Production Credits
Release Date: 1981
Produced by: Warner Brothers
Directed by: Michael Wadleigh
Other:
Cast of Characters
Albert Finney Dewey Wilson
Diane Venora Rebecca Neff
Edward James Olmos Eddie Holt
Gregory Hines Whittington
Synopsis and Commentary

A police lieutenant and a medical examiner pursue a series of brutal slayings which point to the existence of a pack of unseen wolf-like creatures living in the heart of New York City, preying on its dregs and certain prominent individuals. Based on the novel by Whitley Strieber, Wolfen is as original a concept as I have seen on film. Not exactly a terrifying film, it is definitely chilling as the watcher slowly reaches the realization that these beings perceive humans as nothing more than prey. Though the audience is treated ofttimes to the weird infrared view of the hapless victim as seen through the eyes of the hunters, one always feels affinity with the humans. Perhaps one of the best aspects of this film is its ineffability. They exist, and that is all we need know.

CAT PEOPLE
Rating
Film Production Credits
Release Date: 1982
Produced by: Universal Pictures (Jerry Bruckheimer)
Directed by: Paul Schrader
Other: Music by Giorgio Moroder
(Theme song by David Bowie),
Written by Alan Ormsby
(from a story by DeWitt Bodeen)
Cast of Characters
Nastassja Kinski Irena Gallier
Malcolm McDowell Paul Gallier
John Heard Oliver Yates
Annette O'Toole Alice Perrin
Synopsis and Commentary

A young woman finds the terrifying secret of her heritage, and dangers of sexual hunger, when she meets her long lost brother in New Orleans. Forty years after Jacques Tourneur's classic, this remake took the bare elements of the story and went places impossible to explore in 1942. The curious mixture of predation and sexual desire is very effectively treated. Irena is both a figure of extreme sympathy and ultimately also of fearful antipathy. Malcolm McDowell's role as the lost boy of the panther people is one of his finest. Few other actors could capture the hopeless longing and perverse malevolence of his character as he does. This film pays a nice tribute to the original film with the mysterious other cat woman and a recreation of the pool scene. Incidentally, this film has an excellent soundtrack by Giorgio Moroder. Alan Ormsby, who wrote the screenplay, is both a huge fan of the genre and a filmmaker in his own right, but I first was introduced to him in a cool little classic monster makeup book I bought as a kid from Scholastic Books (remember that?).

CREEPSHOW
Rating
Film Production Credits
Release Date: 1982
Produced by: Laurel Entertainment/Warner Brothers
Directed by: George A. Romero
Other: Written by StephenKing
Cast of Characters
Stephen King Jordy Verrill
Hal Holbrook Prof. Henry Northrup
Adrienne Barbeau Billie Northrup
Vivica Lindfors Bedelia Grantham
Leslie Nielsen Richard Vickers
E. G. Marshall Upson Pratt
Synopsis and Commentary

An old copy of Creepshow comic read by an adolescent boy unfolds an anothology of five terrifying tales. This homage to the EC Comics of the 1950s and 60s draws on Stephen King short stories and the film making talents of George A. Romero (co-writer and director of Night of the Living Dead). The stories have the same themes of revenge and the horror, ironic twists and darkly moralistic outcomes that were hallmarks of the old EC Comics' Tales from the Crypt and Vault of Horror and other similar serials such as Warner's Creepy and Eerie. This film sports a rather respectable cast, with Hal Holbrook, Vivica Lindfors, Ed Harris (then relatively new) and E. G. Marshall. Leslie Nielsen makes a suprisingly strong villain in "Something to Tide You Over". King often appears in cameo in his films, but here has a comic-tragic starring role in the lead story, "The Lonesome Death of Jordy Verrill", playing a New England redneck who discovers a meteorite with properties reminiscent of H. P. Lovecraft's The Colour Out of Space. Adrienne Barbeau is perhaps best remembered for her all too convincing portrayal of the shrewish wife of a quiet professor in "The Crate".

POLTERGEIST
Rating
Film Production Credits
Release Date: 1982
Produced by: Steven Spielberg
Directed by: Tobe Hooper
Other: Written by Steven Spielberg
Cast of Characters
JoBeth Williams Diane Freeling
Craig T. Nelson Steve Freeling
Beatrice Straight Dr. Lesh
Zelda Rubinstein Tangina Barrons
Dominique Dunne Dana Freeling
Oliver Robins Robbie Freeling
Heather O'Rourke Carol Anne Freeling
Synopsis and Commentary

A developer moves his family into Cuesta Verde, a model new suburban development and is plunged into a living nightmare when his young daughter is abducted by spectral forces. One of the most original haunting films ever made, Poltergeist translates the Gothic into the late 20th century techno-age. Although some sequences have the clear imprint of Steven Spielberg action excess and the special effects are now very dated, it is Tobe Hooper who must bear the majority of credit for bringing this frightening tale to life and creating those moments that still inspire real terror. I hate dolls and I think Tobe Hooper must share my pediophobia. There is a scene in this film that is one of those universal nightmares (you know the one I mean!). Zelda Rubinstein delivers a performance here towering beyond her small stature as the child-voiced, yet commanding psychic. While I don't credit such things, Poltergeist is a film that many believe to have been cursed, owing to the unusual number of deaths and mishaps that befell its cast and crew during and after production.

THE HUNGER
Rating
Film Production Credits
Release Date: 1983
Produced by: Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM), Inc.
Directed by: Tony Scott
Other:
Cast of Characters
Catherine Deneuve Miriam
David Bowie John
Susan Sarandon Dr. Sarah Roberts
Synopsis and Commentary

A vampire of ancient Egyptian antiquity seeks a new lover when her current paramour suddenly succumbs to a withering deterioration. Based on the novel by Whitley Strieber, this beautiful and brooding film by Tony Scott (brother of Ridley Scott), explores the dark psychology of the immortal who must steal life in order to sustain her youth. Although slow moving, there is certainly ample horror in the story, for her lovers inevitably wither, yet never die... This film is most famous for its overt sexuality and particularly for the lesbian seduction of Miriam for Dr. Sarah Roberts.

SOMETHING WICKED THIS WAY COMES
Rating
Film Production Credits
Release Date: 1983
Produced by: Walt Disney Productions
Directed by: Jack Clayton
Other: Music by John Horner
Cast of Characters
Jonathan Pryce Mr. Dark
Jason Robards Charles Halloway
Vidal Petersen Will Halloway
Shawn Carson Jim Nightshade
Pam Grier Dust Witch
Diane Ladd Mrs. Nightshade
Synopsis and Commentary

"By the pricking of my thumb, something wicked this way comes..." Based on Ray Bradbury's classic novel, this is the story of a mysterious carnival show which comes on a phantom train to a small town in the Midwest. Combining all the elements of classic American horror, this adaptation of Bradbury's tale is one of the finest horror films ever made. Jonathan Pryce is all that is wanted in a sinister and frightening villain (why do comedians make the best villains?) and Pam Grier (famous as "Christy Love") is especially creepy as the sultry, exotic Dust Witch. This movie is best described as Faust meets A Christmas Story. The consequences of seduction by Mr. Dark and his evil minions are inventive and dreadful. A must see.

TWILIGHT ZONE - The Movie
Rating
Film Production Credits
Release Date: 1983
Produced by: Warner Brothers, Inc. (Steven Spielberg and John Landis)
Directed by: Steven Spielberg, John Landis, Joe Dante, George Miller
Other: Music by Jerry Goldsmith
Cast of Characters
Dan Aykroyd Ambulence Driver
Vic Morrow Bill
Scatman Crothers Mr. Bloom
Kevin McCarthy Uncle Walt
John Lithgow Valentine
Synopsis and Commentary

An anthology of stories taken from the original TV series hosted by Rod Serling. This film is most famous for causing the death of the fine actor, Vic Morrow, and two illegally employed Asian children. Burgess Meredith, a frequent denizen of The Twilight Zone, narrated in lieu of Rod Serling. The movie nicely reflects the range of feelings communicated by that very clever series from vitriolic irony to pathos to pure terror. Cameo and bit parts by Carol Serling, Richard Matheson and Bill Mumy.

THE COMPANY OF WOLVES
Rating
Film Production Credits
Release Date: 1984
Produced by: ITC Entertainment Group
Directed by: Neil Jordan
Other: Written by Neil Jordan and Angela Carter
(from her story)
Cast of Characters
Angela Lansbury Granny
David Warner Father
Sarah Patterson Rosaleen
Synopsis and Commentary

Based upon Angela Carter's story, Wolf Alice, this film is a knowing fairy tale, filled with metaphorical lessons about sexuality and the painful, frightening transition from childhood innocence to adult intimacy. Not truly a horror film, the imagery is horrific in many cases and loaded with both cautionary connotations and elements of repressed sexuality. A very clever and fascinating dark fantasy about human psychology. Neil Jordan also directed Interview with the Vampire.

GHOSTBUSTERS
Rating
Film Production Credits
Release Date: 1984
Produced by: Columbia Pictures
Directed by: Ivan Reitman
Other: Written by Harold Ramis, Dan Aykroyd and Rick Moranis
Cast of Characters
Bill Murray Dr. Peter Venkman
Dan Aykroyd Dr. Raymond Stanz
Sigourney Weaver Dana Barrett
Harold Ramis Dr. Egon Spengler
Rick Moranis Louis Tully
Annie Potts Janine Melnitz
William Atherton Walter Peck
Ernie Hudson Winston Zeddemore
Synopsis and Commentary

Ejected from their offices and laboratories at Columbia University, three parapsychologists launch a desperation private venture as professional exterminators for spectral pests. Ghostbusters is one of my all-time favorite movies. Top-notch story, acting and special effects make this a home run that is as strong 20 years down the road as when it first came out in the summer of 1984. This is a great movie for bizarre quotes (my favorite is below).
"Gozer the Traveler! He will come in one of the pre-chosen forms. During the Rectification of the Vuldronaii, the Traveler came as a large and moving Torb! Then, during the Third Reconciliation of the Last of the Meketrex Supplicants, they chose a new form for him, that of a giant Sloar! Many Shubs and Zuuls knew what it was to be roasted in the depths of the Sloar that day, I can tell you!"
THE BRIDE
Rating
Film Production Credits
Release Date: 1985
Produced by: Columbia Pictures
Directed by: Franc Roddam
Other: Music by Maurice Jarre
Cast of Characters
Jennifer Beals Eva
Sting Baron Frankenstein
Clancy Brown Viktor, the Creature
David Rappaport Rinaldo
Geraldine Page Mrs. Baumann
Aleksei Sayle Magar
Synopsis and Commentary

Baron Frankenstein, disgusted by the result of his first effort at creating life devotes himself to creating the perfect woman and introducing her to society as his master achievement. Though sometimes burdened with maudlin emotion, The Bride is one of the best versions of the classic story (though it departs completely from Mary Shelley's plot). Sting is magnificent as the brilliant but egoistically aristocratic and chauvanistic scientist, while Beals effects a convincing portrayal of a woman with no past, yet haunted by strange and terrible memories. The dramatic tension between these two is fascinating, as the Baron's jealosy and pride ultimately belie his voiced ambition to create the "perfect modern woman, equal to a man". Clancy Brown, malefic as The Kurgan in Highlander, plays a surprisingly subdued and gentle Creature, evocking a pathos unseen since Karloff. His friendship with the dwarf, Rinaldo, explores possibilities never suggested by previous films, namely that he could find a place in society as a normal person. This movie is really an unexpected love story and the end is remarkable. Paying tribute not only to the work of James Whale, but also to Tod Browning's Freaks, this film combines classic gothic elements with truly innovative storytelling.

FRIGHT NIGHT
Rating
Film Production Credits
Release Date: 1985
Produced by: Columbia Pictures
Directed by: Tom Holland
Other:
Cast of Characters
Chris Sarandon Jerry Dandrige
Roddy McDowell Peter Vincent
William Ragsdale Charley Brewster
Amanda Bearse Amy Peterson
Stephen Geoffreys Evil Ed
Jonathan Stark Billy Cole
Synopsis and Commentary

A teenage boy believes that his new next-door neighbor is a vampire, but no one believes him... and he's right! Despite its sometimes tongue-in-cheek orientation as a fun tribute to the horror genre, this is actually one of the finest serious efforts at a vampire film, combining all the time honored elements of both the vampire sub-genre and the American surburban teenage horror traditions. It is stylish, smart and familiar as the best horror has always been. Fright Night is a well-crafted film that works equally as a thriller and a spoof, and I see it as the turning point in the development of horror films in the eighties away from low-budget exploitation films and back into clever, well written stories along traditional themes.

LIFEFORCE
Rating
Film Production Credits
Release Date: 1985
Produced by: The Cannon Group (Golan-Globus)
Directed by: Tobe Hooper
Other: Special effects by John Dykstra; Musical score by Henry Mancini (!)
Cast of Characters
Steve Railsback Col. Carlsen
Matilda May Female Space Vampire
Frank Finlay Dr. Hans Fallada
Peter Firth Col. Caine
Patrick Stewart Dr. Armstrong
Aubrey Morris Sir Percy Heseltine
Synopsis and Commentary

An American astronaut, an eccentric Eastern European scientist and an SAS operative race to understand and stop a being that is spreading a plague of vampiric horror, following the return of a manned probe to Halley's Comet in which only one crew member survived. Lifeforce treads the dividing line between horror and science fiction. I like to think of it as a 21st century horror story. It owes far more to the kind of cosmic horror imagined by H. P. Lovecraft than to the futuristic visions of, say, Asimov or Wells. I think author Colin Wilson would agree, though the novel, The Space Vampires, is quite different in tone and development. Marred by poorly conceived special effects in just a few moments, Lifeforce is nevertheless, by dint of a great story and solid acting (and gorgeous special effects overall), one of the most original, absorbing and haunting vampire films. Steve Railsback is marvellous, giving us the kind of intensity and believability that virtually ruined his career (ironically) after his unnervingly faithful portrayal of Charles Manson in the film Helter Skelter. Classical veteran Frank Finlay brings a presence to the role of Dr. Fallada that banishes disbelief without a trace of melodrama and newcomer Matilda May is far more than an alluring, beautiful woman - she is positively eerie, while irresistably entrancing. All of this talent is well guided with veteran genre director Tobe Hooper at the helm.

GOTHIC
Rating
Film Production Credits
Release Date: 1986
Produced by: Virgin Films
Directed by: Ken Russell
Other: Music by Thomas Dolby
Cast of Characters
Gabriel Byrne Lord Byron
Julian Sands Percy Shelley
Natasha Richardson Mary Wollestonecraft
Timothy Spall Dr. John Polidori
Miriam Cyr Claire Clairmont
Synopsis and Commentary

Exiled poetic geniuses Lord Byron and Percy Shelley take refuge in a manor on the shores of Lake Constance in Switzerland, accompanied by their mutual lover, Mary Wollestonecraft and Byron's infatuated physician, Dr. Polidori, where their excesses of imagination and indulgence lead to an orgy of nightmare passions. Not a horror film in the conventional sense, Ken Russell's semi-historical depiction of the events at the Villa Diodati is nevertheless one of the most unsettling films I have seen. Fair warning: this film (and any Ken Russell film) is not for delicate sensibilities. The casting is inspired and (apart from poor Polidori, ever maligned) the performances are probably fairly accurate. They were an eccentric troup, to be sure. For anyone who is a fan of the novel Frankenstein, and wants to see the bizarre circumstances in which it was conceived and written, this is for you. Timothy Spall has appeared more recently as the craven Peter Pettigrew in Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban.

ANGEL HEART
Rating
Film Production Credits
Release Date: 1987
Produced by: Tri-Star Pictures, Inc.
Directed by: Alan Parker
Other: Written by Alan Parker
Cast of Characters
Robert DeNiro Louis Cyphre
Mickey Rourke Harry Angel
Lisa Bonet Epiphany Proudfoot
Charlotte Rampling Margaret Krusemark
Synopsis and Commentary

A seedy private investigator follows a trail of murder regarding the mysterious disappearance of a singer named Johnny Favourite. Mickey Rourke hasn't done much since, but I really liked him after seeing this movie. DeNiro is extraordinarily creepy ("Some religions believe that the egg is the symbol of the soul..."). Based on the novel Falling Angel by William Hjortsberg, Angel Heart is a classic blending of the occult and film noir genres. This is weird, unreal and effective in a way that David Lynch has never been. Alan Parker also directed Pink Floyd's The Wall.

THE DECEIVERS
Rating
Film Production Credits
Release Date: 1988
Produced by: Four Film International, Ltd. (Merchant Ivory)
Directed by: Nicholas Meyer
Other:
Cast of Characters
Pierce Brosnan William Savage
Saeed Jaffery Hussein
Neena Gupta The Widow
Shashi Kapoor Chandra Singh
Synopsis and Commentary

Based upon actual events, this is the story of a British officer's investigation into the thugee cult of the goddess Kali in 1825. A beautiful, mysterious and fascinating film, The Deceivers transcends drama by the subtle introduction of supernatural elements. One is never quite sure what is real or only dreamed, and that is the essence of this disturbing tale.

PET SEMATARY
Rating
Film Production Credits
Release Date: 1989
Produced by: Paramount Pictures
Directed by: Mary Lambert
Other: Written by Stephen King from his novel
Cast of Characters
Dale Midkiff Dr. Louis Creed
Denise Crosby Rachel Creed
Fred Gwynne Jud Crandall
Miko Hughes Gage Creed
Synopsis and Commentary

A young physician comes under the spell of a Micmac burial ground haunted by ancient malevolent forces, when he learns that dead things buried there return... This was the last Stephen King novel I read because it was too much (I'd probably plunge headlong now!), yet I couldn't quit reading. The movie is the same; probably the best adaptation of his work to film. The audience becomes obsessed with the awful knowledge. But is it obsession or possession? The very end may be a burial too far, it stretched my disbelief, but that's just me. Stephen King makes a cameo appearance as the pastor (just imagine!).

FLATLINERS
Rating
Film Production Credits
Release Date: 1990
Produced by: Columbia Pictures (Michael Douglas, et al)
Directed by: Joel Schumacher
Other: Cinematography by Jan de Bont
Cast of Characters
Kiefer Sutherland Nelson
Julia Roberts Rachel
Kevin Bacon Labraccio
William Baldwin Joe
Oliver Platt Steckle
Synopsis and Commentary

A group of medical interns conduct secret experiments into near-death experience to discover what lies beyond the threshold of eternity. An original idea and a well-written and performed story. It leaves enough mystery (is it psychological or supernatural?) to preserve the audience's imaginative variations, although it invokes the time-honored genre tradition of injunctions against "dabbling in things better left alone" and "playing God".

TALES FROM THE DARKSIDE
Rating
Film Production Credits
Release Date: 1990
Produced by: Laurel Productions / Paramount Pictures
Directed by: John Harrison
Other: Written by George A. Romero, Stephen King,
Sir Arthur Conan Doyle and Michael McDowell
Cast of Characters
Deborah Harry Betty
Christian Slater Andy
David Johansen Halston
Rae Dawn Chong Carola
Synopsis and Commentary

A collection of stories told by a boy to postpone his being cooked as the main course for a very unusual dinner party. The wrap-around story is a modern adaptation of the Grimm Brother's Hansel and Gretel. I never appreciated (since childhood, if then) the extreme horror to be found in this simple tale. An anthology film the like of Tales from the Crypt, Cat's Eye and Twilight Zone - the Movie, this is based on George Romero's early 80s TV series of the same name, featuring stories by Romero, Stephen King and others. Lot 249, the first tale, is one of the few horror stories written by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. David Johansen is better known as "Buster Poindexter".

BLOOD TIES
Rating
Film Production Credits
Release Date: 1991
Produced by: Gene Corman (Fox TV)
Directed by: Jim McBride
Other:
Cast of Characters
Patrick Bauchau Eli
Harley Venton Harry
Michelle Johnson Celia
Jason London Cody
Bo Hopkins Chief Hunter
Kim Johnston Ulrich Amy
Synopsis and Commentary

One of a race of vampires, in conflict with the ancient traditions of his kind, must choose his loyalty when a group of fundamentalist vampire slayers uncovers their existence. Although a low budget film, this is one of the most intriguing and cleverly envisioned vampire concepts on film. These creatures are the descendents of Adam and Lilith, an alternate race, living secretly alongside ordinary humans. With much of the realism of the Highlander series, this could have made an interesting TV series itself, possibly more believable than Kindred: The Embraced.

Bram Stoker's
DRACULA
Rating
Film Production Credits
Release Date: 1992
Produced by: Columbia Pictures / American Zeotrope Films
Directed by: Francis Ford Coppola
Other: Written by James V. Hart
Cast of Characters
Gary Oldman Prince Vlad / Count Dracula
Sir Anthony Hopkins Prof. Abraham Van Helsing
Winona Ryder Mina Murray Harker / Elisabetha
Keanu Reeves Jonathan Harker
Cary Elwes Arthur Holmwood, Lord Godalming
Sadie Frost Lucy Westenra
Tom Waits R. M. Renfield
Synopsis and Commentary

A Rumanian nobleman of the 15th century, cursed with vampirism for his blasphemous renunciation of Christ, journeys to Victorian England in search of the reincarnation of his lost love. This lush, beautiful, brilliantly written and filmed version of the classic tale by Bram Stoker has so much to recommend it ... and so many flaws. Hart's story is fascinating, particularly the clever blending of historical truth with traditional fiction in the origins of the vampiric count. The imagery is breathtaking throughout and Eiko Ishioka won an Academy Award for Best Costumes for her efforts. I love the powerful, evocative soundtrack by Wojciech Kilar, and the three vampire brides of Dracula beat all others hands down! However, the acting performances are not always superlative (Keanu Reeves is mis-cast, though he really tries) and Coppola creates an aura of the Gothic in modern England (especially in Seward's Bedlam-like asylum) more harrowing than found in Castle Dracula. Mina was meant to be a strong modern woman, but is weaker than the character in the book. It is nothing like Bram Stoker's Dracula! Having said that, I acknowledge that I like this film very much in spite of, and sometimes because of, its departure from the novel and previous versions.

CANDYMAN
Rating
Film Production Credits
Release Date: 1992
Produced by: PolyGram (Clive Barker)
Directed by: Bernard Rose
Other:
Cast of Characters
Virginia Madsen Helen Lyle
Tony Todd Candyman
Xander Berkeley Trevor Lyle
Kasi Lemmons Bernadette Walsh
Synopsis and Commentary

A graduate student researching urban legends uncovers the tale of the hook-handed Candyman, a malevolent spirit alleged to be that of a black man killed by a mob about the turn of the century and strangely associated with recent murders. Not the least impressed by what Hellraiser promised, I shied away from Clive Barker inspired films for a long time, but this is a surprisingly good film. Though gory, it is the story that hooks the imagination (forgive that!). Taking elements from numerous familiar campfire or dormroom tales, the legend of the Candyman finds resonance and Madsens' character's dogged insistence on reason works to build the conflict between confidence in the sane working of everyday existence and superstitious fear in the viewer.

INNOCENT BLOOD
Rating
Film Production Credits
Release Date: 1992
Produced by:
Directed by: John Landis
Other:
Cast of Characters
Anne Parillaud Marie
Anthony LaPaglia Joe Gennaro
Robert Loggia Sal "The Shark" Macelli
Chazz Palmintieri Tony
Don Rickles Emmanuel Bergman
Angela Bassett U.S. Attorney Sinclair
Synopsis and Commentary

A French vampiress with a taste for Italian and an undercover cop infiltrating the mob come together to fight a mafia boss who has become a vampire. Also known as A French Vampire in America, this was (as suggested by the title) a second foray into the genre (after An American Werewolf in London) by comic director, Landis, famous for films such as Animal House and The Blues Brothers. Parillaud starred in the original Luc Besson film, La Femme Nikita, and is equally outstanding here, conveying the same mixture of lethal ferocity and vulnerability. Loggia and Rickles are marvellous. Cameo appearances include genre fan guru Forrest J Ackerman (!!), FX master Tom Savini, Frank Oz (the voice of Kermit the Frog), Italian horror director Dario Argento, "scream queen" Linnea Quigley and Evil Dead director Sam Raimi.

THE TURN OF THE SCREW
Rating
Film Production Credits
Release Date: 1992
Produced by: Jeremy Bolt
Directed by: Rusty Lemorande
Other:
Cast of Characters
Patsy Kensit Jenny
Julian Sands Mr. Cooper
Stephane Audran Mrs. Grose
Bryony Brind Miss Jessel
Peter Whitman Peter
Joseph England Miles
Claire Szekeres Flora
Synopsis and Commentary

A prim and inexperienced governess takes over the guardianship of two children at an isolated country estate, whereat she begins to sense that malevolent presences hold sway over their minds. A faithful and effective contemporary adaptation of the classic novel by Henry James, The Turn of the Screw is an unnerving descent into horrors of vaguely sexual suggestion. The effect is heightened by one's uncertainty of what is real and the ill-defined form of the menace. Patsy Kensit is perfect; it is difficult to conceive that another actress could better communicate the growing panic within the governess than she.

ARMY OF DARKNESS
Rating
Film Production Credits
Release Date: 1993
Produced by: Universal Pictures
Directed by: Sam Raimi
Other:
Cast of Characters
Bruce Campbell Ash
Embeth Davidtz Sheila
Marcus Gilbert Arthur
Ian Abercrombie Wiseman
Richard Grove Duke Henry
Synopsis and Commentary

The stalwart slayer of the evil dead, Ash, is hurled backward through time to the Middle Ages where he must capture the dreaded Necronomicon and battle legions of the dead. The third installment in Sam Raimi's Evil Dead series, this is by far the most entertaining (although I offer kudos to the design project for a film class that became a cult classic). Bruce Campbell is hysterical, the best straight man in years and Raimi's direction is right on target. Army of Darkness is filled with pop culture allusions from The Three Stooges to The Day the Earth Stood Still. A must see. Look for cameos by Sam and Ted Raimi.

FRANKENSTEIN
Rating
Film Production Credits
Release Date: 1993
Produced by: David Wickes (Turner Network Television (TNT))
Directed by: David Wickes
Other: Written by David Wickes
Cast of Characters
Patrick Bergin Victor Frankenstein
Randy Quaid The Monster
John Mills De Lacey
Lambert Wilson Clerval
Fiona Gillies Elizabeth
Jacinta Mulcahy Justine
Synopsis and Commentary

A secular-minded professor of natural philosophy creates a living man. Though produced on a pitiful budget (not quite as bad as a Dr. Who episode) this British production of Mary Shelley's classic, more than any other version, explores the possibilities suggested by the author. It was the first to include the wilderness confrontation between the Creature and his creator and implies the existence of a psychic union between them, as did Mary Shelley. The creation scene also has interesting contemporary allusions and is more faithful to the sort of thing implied by the text. In conception, this is probably the best version of Frankenstein on film, but it was apparently rushed to completion to capitalize on the imminent release of Branagh's film and suffers for it.

INTERVIEW WITH THE VAMPIRE
Rating
Film Production Credits
Release Date: 1994
Produced by: Geffen / Warner
Directed by: Neil Jordan
Other: Written by Anne Rice
Cast of Characters
Tom Cruise Lestat
Brad Pitt Louis
Kirsten Dunst Claudia
Antonio Banderas Armand
Synopsis and Commentary

The tale of an 18th century plantation owner from New Orleans who becomes a vampire, as related to a freelance journalist. A faithful version of the Anne Rice novel which launched her career and made vampires a national craze. This is the new archetype of the vampire and the film is lush, voluptous, beautiful, decadent and disturbing in all the ways Rice's novels are (though far tamer!). One of Tom Cruise's best performances, though Brad Pitt may be too subdued. Kirsten Dunst is extraordinary; so like the character she portrays that it is difficult to believe and the more unsettling.

Mary Shelley's
FRANKENSTEIN
Rating
Film Production Credits
Release Date: 1994
Produced by: American Zeotrope (Francis Ford Coppola)
Directed by: Kenneth Branagh
Other:
Cast of Characters
Kenneth Branagh Victor Frankenstein
Robert DeNiro The Creature
Helena Bonham Carter Elizabeth
John Cleese Dr. Waldeman
Tom Hulce Henry Clerval
Aiden Quinn Capt. Walton
Synopsis and Commentary

A brilliant medical student, haunted by the untimely death of his mother, seeks the secret of life and constructs a living man from the bodies of the dead. I am a tremendous fan of Kenneth Branagh, and I waited for over a year in unbearable anticipation for the release of his version of my favorite gothic novel; however I must confess that I was bitterly disappointed by the film. While faithful to the novel in odd details and occasionally in spirit, Branagh's Frankenstein strays too often and ultimately is absorbed in artless attempts at horror. It is genuinely horrible in the end, but the richness of the story is lost along the way. Admittedly, Shelley wrote a novel which is filled with absurd coincidences and laborious recounting of events, but there are unfathomed depths which no film has yet explored that I hoped Branagh would. In its praise I must say that the performances of Branagh, DeNiro, Carter and Cleese (I really like him in this role!) are all stellar. Were I not such a devoted fan of the novel, my affection for this film would doubtless be greater.

WOLF
Rating
Film Production Credits
Release Date: 1994
Produced by: Columbia Pictures, Inc.
Directed by: Mike Nichols
Other: Music by Ennio Morricone
Cast of Characters
Jack Nicholson Will Randall
Michelle Pfeiffer Laura Alden
James Spader Stewart Swinton
Kate Nelligan Charlotte Randall
Christopher Plummer Raymond Alden
Om Puri Dr. Vijay Alezias
Synopsis and Commentary

A man is bitten by a wolf and undergoes a metaphysical transformation brought on by the spirit of the beast. Wolf is easily the most clever and fascinating treatment of the lycanthrope myth. Rather than following the predictable path of werewolf movies, the nature of the lycanthrope is explored. Nicholson, ruinous in The Shining (under Kubrick's direction), is marvellous here, proving that he is an actor with range and depth when he wants (and is permitted) to be. James Spader progresses from annoyingly despicable to truly menacing. Michelle Pfeiffer, purringly in touch with her primal nature from the outset, portrays a subtle yet particularly appealing evolution of character.

DRACULA - DEAD AND LOVING IT
Rating
Film Production Credits
Release Date: 1995
Produced by: Brooksfilms, Ltd / Castle Rock Entertainment (Mel Brooks)
Directed by: Mel Brooks
Other:
Cast of Characters
Leslie Nielsen Count Dracula
Peter MacNicol R. M. Renfield
Steven Weber Jonathan Harker
Amy Yasbeck Mina Murray
Mel Brooks Dr. Abraham Van Helsing
Lysette Anthony Lucy Westenra
Harvey Korman Dr. John Seward
Synopsis and Commentary

Transylvanian vampire Count Dracula journeys to modern 19th century England where he is opposed by Professor Van Helsing in this loving spoof of Universal and Hammer films. Not well received by most critics, this is a film that I think most genre fans will really appreciate. It requires a thorough familiarity with the vampire and Dracula film traditions to catch a lot of the humor. Mel Brooks is fabulously intense as Van Helsing and Peter MacNicol gives a performance as Renfield that pays homage to Dwight Frye while exploiting the full comic space afforded by the character. Long time Brooks collaborator Harvey Korman (see Brooks' sendup of Hitchcock in High Anxiety) lends manic weirdness to Dr. Seward. Nielsen, fresh from the Naked Gun efforts, doesn't get the best lines and gags in this film, but does a fair turn anyway. Dracula - Dead and Loving It offers both sincere homage and good-humored mockery to the Browning and Coppola interpretations, with a nod to Hammer in the gloriously sexy and gory confrontation with the vampiric Lucy; overall it achieves a great deal more success than nearly all other vampire spoofs.
"Do you have Nosferatu?" "Yes, I believe we have Nosferatu...We have Nosferatu today!"
IN THE MOUTH OF MADNESS
Rating
Film Production Credits
Release Date: 1995
Produced by: Michael De Luca (New Line Cinema)
Directed by: John Carpenter
Other: Written by Michael De Luca
Cast of Characters
Sam Neill John Trent
Jurgen Prochnow Sutter Kane
Charlton Heston Jackson Harglow
Julie Carmen Linda Styles
Frances Bay Mrs. Pickman
Synopsis and Commentary

An insurance investigator is called in to investigate the disappearance of a best-selling author of horror stories whose latest novel, yet unfinished, is set to be released, just as a rash of violence spawned by reading his stories erupts. John Carpenter's tribute to the works of H. P. Lovecraft is as unearthly, surreal and disturbing as any of the master's work. Though not truly Cthuloid, In the Mouth of Madness is very much in the Lovecraftian milieu. Of all the films released in the last three decades supposedly based on the works of Lovecraft, I like this homage the best.

TALES FROM THE HOOD
Rating
Film Production Credits
Release Date: 1995
Produced by: Savoy Pictures
Directed by: Rusty Cundieff
Other: Written by Rusty Cundieff & Darin Scott
Cast of Characters
Clarence Williams III Mr. Simms
Joe Torry Stack
De`Aundre Bonds Ball
Samuel Monroe, Jr. Bulldog
David Alan Grier Carl
Corbin Bernsen Duke Metger
Synopsis and Commentary

A series of stories told by a strange undertaker to a group of tough youth gang members, regarding the causi mortem of his "clients". There have not been many African-American ethnic horror films over the years, Blacula being the film that most often comes to mind, along with numerous similar "blaxploitation" thrillers. What makes this film so good is its cross-cultural appeal; it is accessible to anyone passingly familiar with American pop-culture. Horror, when it is conjured well as it is here, is universal. Like many anthology films, the stories told have strong moral undertones. I particularly enjoy the one in which the Klan politician (an obvious reference to David Duke) is visited by the horrors of the past.

VAMPIRE IN BROOKLYN
Rating
Film Production Credits
Release Date: 1995
Produced by: Paramount Pictures
Directed by: Wes Craven
Other: Co-Written by Eddie Murphy
Cast of Characters
Eddie Murphy Maximillian
Angela Bassett Rita
Zakes Mokae Dr. Zeko
Allen Payne Justice
Kadeem Hardison Julius Jones
Synopsis and Commentary

A vampiric African prince journeys to New York to seek fresh blood and vengeance. This is basically a quasi-comedic version of Blacula, or Wes Craven and Eddie Murphy's tribute to that icon of `70s exploitation horror. Besides being quite funny, it is also effective as a serious horror film, much in the vein (pardon) of Fright Night. This has all the traditional elements but with an African / Caribbean motif. Eddie Murphy gets to highlight his many faces as an actor (as he does in many films) when the vampire morphs into "Preacher Pauly" and "Guido".

THE CRAFT
Rating
Film Production Credits
Release Date: 1996
Produced by: Columbia Pictures, Corp.
Directed by: Andew Fleming
Other:
Cast of Characters
Robin Tunney Sarah
Fairuza Balk Nancy
Neve Campbell Bonnie
Rachel True Rochelle
Synopsis and Commentary

A psychically gifted teen, haunted by the loss of her mother, moves to Los Angeles and falls in with a threesome of teen witches with malevolent inclinations. I almost passed on this film because it looked so like a macabre version of Beverly Hills 90120, but it is one of the finest crafted (pardon) horror films I've ever seen and my pick for the best psychic powers / witchcraft movie ever made (aside from my favorite, Night of the Demon). I honestly cannot find a single fault and it fulfills all my desires for richness, depth and development. They thought about this one.

THE FRIGHTENERS
Rating
Film Production Credits
Release Date: 1996
Produced by: Universal Pictures
Directed by: Peter Jackson
Other: Music by Danny Elfman,
Special Makeup FX by Rick Baker
Cast of Characters
Michael J. Fox Frank Bannister
Dee Wallace Stone Patricia Bradley
Jeffery Coombs Special Agent Milton Dammers
John Astin Judge
Chi McBride Cyrus
Jake Busey Johnny Bartlett
Synopsis and Commentary

A con artist who really can speak with the dead is drawn into a mystery involving a murder rampage that occurred many years ago and a copycat killer. My tolerance for Michael J. Fox is usually a little thin, but he is great in this as the deceptively complex psychic exterminator who must use his skills to defeat a deadly ghost. Although played for laughs, The Frighteners has its chills and pays homage to the traditions of psycho and psychic movies. I really don't get into the latest rash of "Lovecraft" movies starring Jeffery Coombs, but he is wonderful as a very different sort of X-Files type Bureau man.

FROM DUSK TILL DAWN
Rating
Film Production Credits
Release Date: 1996
Produced by: Los Hooligans Productions
(Roberto Rodriguez & Quentin Tarantino)
Directed by: Quentin Tarentino / Roberto Rodriguez
Other: Cinematography by Guillermo Navarro
Cast of Characters
George Clooney Seth Gecko
Harvey Keitel Jacob Fuller
Quentin Tarentino Richard Gecko
Juliette Lewis Kate Fuller
Salma Hayek Santanico Pandemonium
Synopsis and Commentary

Two desperate murderous criminals kidnap a cynical ex-preacher and his children, cross into Mexico on the run and hold up in a wild bordello that is actually a den of vampires. This is really two distinct films. The demarkation between Tarentino's introductory crime drama and Rodriguez's and Tarentino's comedy-horror flick is stark. The malevolence of Clooney's character is so extreme early in the film that it is difficult to see him in a heroic sense later (of course both directors would have it that way and yet strive to make him an appealing figure in masculine terms). Although a bit overdone and too quickly resolved, this is an entertaining vampire flick. Salma Hayek as Santanico Pandemonium is pure seduction and riveting power. Harvey Keitel, always magnificent, is especially compelling as the "mmmm mmmm man of God" (you have to see it to understand). Look for appearances by Cheech Marin (3 times!), FX guru Tom Savini, Fred Williamson and John Saxon.

MARY REILLY
Rating
Film Production Credits
Release Date: 1996
Produced by: Tri-Star Pictures
Directed by: Stephen Frears
Other:
Cast of Characters
Julia Roberts Role
John Malkovich Role
George Cole Poole
Michael Gambon Mary's Father
Kathy Staff Mrs. Kent
Glenn Close Mrs. Farraday
Synopsis and Commentary

A housemaid takes on service with a respected London physician and gradually becomes intimate to the activities of his dark alter-ego. This retelling of the classic tale by Robert Louis Stevenson from the perspective of a domestic deserves recognition. I am no particular fan of Julia Roberts films, but in this role she demonstrates that she has a respectable talent. Between her and Malkovich's Jekyll, I confess that she strives more successfully (Malkovich seems to eshew any effort at a passable British accent - which is only annoying because he has such a strange natural voice). As Hyde, Malkovich is a great success, one of the best on film (the voice works here). He has the psychopathic virility conveyed by Stevenson. Glenn Close, always fabulous, is especially so here as the leering madame of a London whorehouse.

Stephen King's
THE SHINING
Rating
Film Production Credits
Release Date: 1997
Produced by: Producer
Directed by: Mick Garris
Other: Screenplay by Stephen King
Cast of Characters
Steven Weber Jack Torrance
Rebecca DeMornay Wendy Torrance
Melvin Van Peebles Dick Halloran
Courtland Mead Danny Torrance
Elliot Gould Stuart Ullmann
Pat Hingle Pete Watson
Synopsis and Commentary

A recovering alcoholic takes takes a job as winter caretaker to a grand hotel in the Rockies, unwittingly placing his psychically gifted son in the nexus of the hotel's evil memories. Stephen King was never pleased with Stanley Kubrick's interpretation of his classic novel of the Bad Place and if you have thoroughly read this site, you know that I found fault with it too. This six hour miniseries corrects the mistakes of the Kubrick version. Most significantly, this version (which originally aired on ABC and now appears annually on SciFi) gives us a stronger Wendy, a Danny who is articulate and a Jack whose inherent goodness and pitiful struggle makes his descent into madness truly heart wrenching. In short, this film gives us characters about whom we care. Real terror is undermined where antipathy exists between the audience and the players. Weber's performance is outstanding. While this film is more drawn out in its development, I think it gives up nothing to the Kubrick version in terms of real moments of fear (and brings back the topiary, one of the things that frightened me most in the book).

LINKS TO THE OTHER PAGES

The Best Horror Films: Main Index

A complete linked alphabetic index of all the films on this site, plus links to other sites.

The Classic Horror Films (1919 - 1949)

The classic originals of genre cinema from The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari to The Picture of Dorian Gray.

The Classic Horror Films (1953 - 1973)

The post-war renaissance of horror, with the emerging masters of British horror cinema, Peter Cushing and Christopher Lee, and the new American icon, Vincent Price. From House of Wax to Frankenstein - the True Story.

The New Millenium (1999 - ?)

From the resurgence of interest in remaking the classics to a new renaissance of independent films. From The Blair Witch Project onwards.