Friday, 29 May 2020

Best Horror Ever?

The horror movie, The Exorcist has beaten rival horror movies .....

The Exorcist - Most Terrifying Film
The Most Terrifying? - Some People Think So.

....to the title of most terrifying movie of all time. 

The film, which incidently is often referred to as the 'best movie ever made', by UK film critic Mark Kermode, headed a poll of 2,000 cinema goers conducted by Meerkat Movies, to determine the best horror movie ever. On the subject of The Exorcist Mr Kermode is quoted as saying: 

"There's a theory that great films give back to you whatever it is you bring to them. It's absolutely true with The Exorcist—it reflects the anxieties of the audience. Some people think it's an outright horror-fest, but I don't. 

It was written by a devout Catholic who hoped it would make people think positively about the existence of God. William Peter Blatty, who wrote the book, thought that if there are demons then there are also angels and life after death. He couldn't see why people thought it was scary. I've seen it about 200 times and every time I see something I haven't seen before."

The full poll list was: 
  1. The Exorcist.
  2. The Silence Of The Lambs.
  3. The Shining.
  4. Pyscho (original).
  5. Saw.
  6. The Texas Chainsaw Massacre.
  7. A Nightmare on Elm Street.
  8. The Omen.
  9. The Blair Witch Project.
  10. IT.

Like all these lists, there is always room for alternative opinions. Personally I find torture movies such as the Saw franchise to not really be classic horror as such .... they are frightening, because of the element of reality of kidnap and torture (which sadly happens in the real world). Horror in my world is the classic unnatural variety such as Vampires, Werewolves, The Mummy, Frankenstein etc ...

HELLRAISER - Last Great In The Classic Horror Genre?
HELLRAISER - Last Great In The Classic Horror Genre?

...... personally I think Hellraiser (featuring Pin Head), is the most frightening of these true horror movies.

SAW .... Too Stomach Churning To Be Classic Horror
SAW .... Not My Cup Of Tea.

Another survey by the Onepoll.com organisation, found that more than half of us British enjoy the heart-pounding thrill of horror movies, despite many of us saying that they often leave a lasting impression on them. Almost two-thirds of those asked, admitted to feeling nervous ahead of watching a horror film, with more than a third saying that they have to be dragged to the cinema to watch one.

During the movies, many resorted to coping mechanisms to get through it  .... Thirty-five per cent admitted to closing their eyes during the especially scary parts, while one in 10 use their smart-phone as a distraction tool to look away from the screen.

Even when its over, the horror doesn't end for some, with many resorting to superstitious measures after seeing one. One in five questioned will make sure they double lock the doors at home, and a further 20 per cent leave the lights on to keep themselves safe. 18 per cent of the most nervous admitted to checking under the bed, and behind the door, just to see if something is lurking there.

The most common remedy amongst those who feel the need to remove themselves from the nearness of the horror experience, was for 25 per cent to watch some light-hearted TV before they went to bed, so they can switch off mentally from the scary film.

..... But all this doesn't stop the horror movie from remaining one of the most consistently popular of the movie worlds genres ...

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