The Jambar
Today is Halloween and for many, it will be filled with trick-or-treating, dressing up to bar hop or staying home and watching movies.
From horror movies to animated classics, there are several genres of Halloween-themed movies to choose from. For those seeking a thrill on the holiday, horror movies arguably deliver their fair share of frights.
Horror movies are arguably the most creative movie genre with the use of lighting, distinct sounds and practical effects to create realistic scenes.
The Jambar has compiled a list of the top-five scariest movies of all time.
The criteria is based around the fear factor each movie delivers. The list itself will omit gory, obscure and banned horror films such as “House of 1000 Corpses,” the “X” film series and the “Terrifier” series.
To start the ranking at No. 5 is the recently-released film “Longlegs.” Having come out July 12, the movie stars scream queen Maikia Monroe as Lee Harker, an FBI agent tasked with investigating a series of murders related to the 14th day of each month.
The self-titled antagonist is played by Nicolas Cage, who delivers a thrilling performance by smashing his head off a table during his interrogation. “Longlegs” does a great job of keeping the audience engaged by revealing the serial killer and how they relate back to the protagonist.
With twists and turns, the 2014 psychological horror film “Babadook” crashes its way to No. 4. The Australian screenplay, directed by Jennifer Kent, follows a mother who reads her son a pop-up book titled “Mister Babadook.” The top hat-wearing monster eventually shows up and torments the family of two.
The name “Babadook” is based on babaroga — the Serbo-Croatian word for boogeyman. The creature in the film is arguably one of the scariest and most slender-looking portrayals of a monster in film history.
However, the plot of the movie could have been avoided if the book was never opened. Besides, why read a bedtime story that’s scary?
Summoning its way to No. 3 is the 1973 film, “The Exorcist.” The film is considered one of the key movies that helped pioneer the horror genre. “The Exorcist” portrays two priests as they perform an exorcism on a 12-year-old girl possessed by the devil.
Whether it’s the 360 degree head spin or the projectile vomit, “The Exorcist” captures the horrors of the expanding film genre. Even the film’s theme song is enough to feel uneasy while watching “The Exorcist.”
The 2018 film “Hereditary” rolls to the No. 2 spot. The camera angles and sound effects add a sense of originality to the horror genre. From random jump scares to clicking noises, the whole experience will leave the viewer on edge.
A controversial pick at the No. 1 spot is the 1982 horror and science-fiction film, “The Thing.” Directed by John Carpenter, the movie depicts an alien encounter in Antarctica, with a group of men tasked with figuring out who is infected by the creature.
The movie’s chest defibrillation scene is arguably one of the most iconic horror movie scenes of all time. “The Thing,” also features some of the most captivating and horrific use of special effects.
With thousands of horror movies to choose from, the top-five list will surely leave those in shock for Halloween.
