Just read Martin Scorsese's list of the 11 scariest movies of all time.
These lists are totally subjective, I mean, duh, so I'm not going to argue with his selection. Instead, here's my 11 scariest movies of all time. Like that Facebook quiz that asks me to list 15 books I'll always take with me, I'm not spending any time on this. Great horror is visceral, and this list is jotted down viscerally.
1. Psycho - No question.
2. The Exorcist - I went to Catholic school. This one hits where I'm most vulnerable.
3. David Cronenberg - I know Cronenberg is not a film, but this guy creeps me out like no other, especially the body transformation stuff.
4. The Audition - I can't even think of this film without getting freaked out.
5. Freaks - One of us, one of us! Of course Freaks does more than just deliver the chills, that's why it's one of the most brilliant films ever.
6. The Unknown - Another Tod Browning film, this one silent. It's deranged.
7. Hour of the Wolf - Maybe because I just saw it and I'm on a Bergman kick.
9. The Hills Have Eyes - That bald guy. Eeeeiiiii!!!
10. Texas Chainsaw Massacre I & II - I think I prefer II because of Dennis Hopper. I also remember feeling assaulted by the sound in that film.
11. Evil Dead II - It's got to be in there somewhere. It's a work of genius.
As I look this list over, I wonder what "scary" is. Is it that "jump out of your seat" reflex you get when you're primed for something horrible and then a cat leaps on the table top. Those don't seem to stay with me. Instead, this list seems to be about atmosphere, about the dread that drips in every frame. I guess that's what scares me most.
Give it up. What are your scariest films ever?
