With Halloween right around the corner the season to be spooked is upon us! As the leaves slowly change and fall from the trees, the cold wind blows in, and jack-o-lanterns light up windows, the world looks a little more ominous. It’s the perfect time of year to get scared out of your mind watching a great horror film. There are generally two camps when it comes to horror films; those who prefer the classics before it because all guts and gore, and those who love the edge modern technology has give to the genre. So, in honor of both of those camps, and Halloween, let’s take a look at the five (arguably) best horror films from each time period. While these are entirely subjective lists, chances are you’ll agree with at least a few.
5 Best Classic Horror Films (Pre-1980)
This classic Hitchcock film has long served as a shining beacon in his trophy case of horror and suspense films. Based off the 1952 novella of the same name written by Daphne du Maurier, it tells the horrific story of what happens when nature turns on man, or more specifically in the film, woman.
Hitchcock based the film around his trademark “Hitchcock Blonde”, this time an unknown actress named Tippi Hedren. Hedren plays the San Franciscan socialite Melanie Daniels in the film who is present to a growing number of mysterious incidents involving birds. After two separate incidents involving attacks by seagulls and sparrows, we soon realize that it’s all the birds that are out for blood. As more and more people begin to report bird attacks they start to increase in frequency and aggressiveness before reaching a frantic climax (which includes the infamous telephone booth scene.)
What the film managed to do was create an irrational fear in all of us since we’ve all been around flocks of birds. Hitchcock was a master at manipulating reality and making his viewers completely terrified of the everyday. The Birds is a shining example and is still regarded as one of the best horror films of all time.
Another gem in Hitchcock’s resume is this 1960 thriller that made all of us completely terrified to take a shower for at least a week after watching it. The film follows Marion Crane (played by Janet Leigh) as she goes on the lamb after stealing money from her office to help fund her pending marriage. As she flees the scene and tries to evade the authorities she comes across the rundown and largely empty Bates Motel with it’s strange proprietor Norman Bates (Anthony Perkins) who takes care of the hotel and his aging mother Norma.
From there the film delved into completely uncharted territory with its violence and sexuality, but these only served to create even more buzz for the film with lines around the block when it hit theaters. It’s also proved to be one of the most successful horror films of all time with a box office take of $32 million for a film made on only $800,000.
Based on the best-selling novel of the same name by Ira Levin, this 1968 Roman Polanski film put a whole new sense of fear into expectant mothers thanks to it’s creative storyline involving carrying the spawn of Satan. Starring Mia Farrow at the titular character in her most famous role, it follows Rosemary’s difficult pregnancy that sees her become so ill it appears as if she’s slowly dying, a far cry from the typical glow and fullness that typically comes with pregnancy.
As her body is thrown into turmoil she slowly begins to question those around her including her strange neighbors and new friends of her husbands. She soon uncovers the truth about what’s happening to her, the shocking role her husband played in it, and the shocking secrets of those around her.
