My Top Ten 1970-1999 Horror Movies

Oh man – this was a hard list to do since the majority of my favorite horrors are from the ’70s & ’80s. I’ll also have watched shitloads, so am sure I’ve forgotten to add some great ones & I’ll be annoyed I forgot them. Oh well – I can update the list if so!

Some Rules/Notes:

1. I’ve had to make this a Top Forty, and even then I’m missing some favorites. So I have some “honorable mentions” listed at the end. And the ’80s especially was the decade for “franchises” but it’s too hard to rank every single sequel in those cases plus I see each series as a whole. So, where I mention some, I kind of mean the series. I’ve only listed some specific sequels if any were actually really good (Dream Warriors!). And, let’s face it, the first movie is usually a million times better than the rest (Halloween! Almost wish it was a standalone film…).

2. Also, in order to do this, I’ve decided to leave a few films out that I love/really like but I don’t see as “horror” films…

– Alien/Aliens (Two of my all-time favorite films. I don’t think “horror” with these – I think sci-fi)
– Jaws (Again, I just think “action thriller”)
– They Live & Hardware (Sci-fi)
– The Crow (I’m not really sure what genre this one is but I adore this film)
– Blade (See it more as a comic book movie)
– Ghostbusters (Not horror to me – just comedy)

3. And I’ve added horror comedies into this list. I used to keep them separate (I did a list HERE). But… I figure they’re still horror as well. So some of these, including my second favorite, aren’t scary horror.

4. Finally, I’ll just add this (Is anyone actually reading my long & rambling intros?!): This list is absolutely ridiculous. There used to be a blogger I really liked who told me off one day for all the “ties” on my lists & that I need to number them differently if there are ties & I can’t have more than ten in a top ten. And I was all “My blog, my rules!”. He was awesome, though, and I’m really sad he completely disappeared. Anyway – he’d have a meltdown over this list. I mention 17 films in my top ten (seriously) and number 20 alone mentions 8. I admit that’s pathetic but, hey, I’m indecisive & also hate the thought of leaving anything out. Should I also admit that I go back & rearrange my old lists sometimes?! I think I have some sort of disorder. So I dedicate this list to that dude.

So here’s my ranked list counting down to My Top Ten 1970-1999 Horror Movies (but including way more than 40 movies):

Top Forty:

40. The Blair Witch Project (Yes, I liked this first film)
39. Night Of The Creeps
38. The Exorcist (Low, I know – not big on this, mainly just love Tubular Bells)
37. The Hitcher
36. Tremors
35. Waxwork
34. Hausu
33. The Craft
32. The Stepford Children & The Stepford Wives (Children is a cheesy TV movie & big guilty pleasure of mine)
31. Magic

Top Thirty:

30. Society
29. Children Of The Corn (Only the first one)
28. The Changeling (Probably deserves to be higher but in all honesty I need to rewatch it – would maybe move up then)
27. Friday The 13th (I’ve shockingly only seen a few of these, so only really the first couple of films for this one)
26. Child’s Play (First three – Yes, I liked the third one too)
25. Chopping Mall
24. April Fool’s Day
23. The Return Of The Living Dead
22. The Sixth Sense
21. The Wicker Man

Top Twenty:

20. David Cronenberg – The Brood, etc (Sorry for the big cheat but what do you expect from someone who mentions 17 movies in their Top Ten?? 😉 Other than The Fly, I’m lumping all the rest of Cronenberg’s films that I like together. Big fan of his style, although his movies aren’t ones I revisit like a lot of other horrors. In order starting with my favorite of the remaining films of his: The Brood, eXistenZ, Scanners, Videodrome, Shivers, Rabid, Crash. Need to rewatch The Dead Zone)
19. Don’t Look Now
18. The Amityville Horror
17. TIE: Phantom Of The Paradise & The Rocky Horror Picture Show
16. Scream
15. It
14. Fright Night
13. Pet Sematary
12. The Fly (Unlike the other Cronenbergs, I’ve watched this many times)
11. Night Of The Comet

****Top Ten:****

10. Dario Argento – Deep Red, etc (Did it with Cronenberg so might as well with Argento too! Deep Red is my favorite followed by Suspiria, although I need to rewatch that. Next is Phenomena, which isn’t nearly as good, but the rest of what I’ve seen of his wouldn’t make this Top 40 list)

9. TIE: Carrie & Halloween (Only the first Halloween film & honestly for the score more than the film itself)

8. TIE: Poltergeist & An American Werewolf In London

7. The Lost Boys

6. The Thing

5. The Omen

4. A Nightmare On Elm Street (A Nightmare On Elm Street 3: Dream Warriors is also great – Love the whole series but these two by far the best)

3. The Shining

2. Gremlins (Do like Gremlins 2 as well but the first one is much better)

1. Dawn Of The Dead & Day Of The Dead (Dawn Of The Dead is my favorite horror film while Day Of The Dead may not be quite as good but it’s a lot of fun & I love it too. Obviously, the Romero “Dead Trilogy” tops my overall favorite horror movies list I may post on Halloween)

Honorable Mentions:

– Stephen King (I have several in the list but I watch every King adaptation & even like most of the bad ones. I ranked them all HERE once – the top two not horror! – but need to add ones from recent years. Some more I liked: Cujo, Maximum Overdrive, Silver Bullet, Cat’s Eye, Misery, Firestarter, etc)
– Body Horror (I did a separate list HERE as I find these fascinating but they’re not exactly Top 40 material: From Beyond, Re-Animator, Tetsuo: The Iron Man, Altered States, Basket Case)
– More: The Toxic Avenger (Didn’t feel right putting Troma in the 40 but I do like this one. Actually, I like the first three), The Evil Dead Series (Sorry, I don’t hate these but I never really got into them), Hellraiser Series (Also not really a fan overall but appreciate its fucking weirdness), The Texas Chain Saw Massacre (Not big on these either), Candyman (Meh), Arachnophobia, Killer Klowns From Outer Space, The Entity, Sisters, Dolls, Alice Sweet Alice, Pumpkinhead, The People Under The Stairs, From Dusk Till Dawn, Audition

Some I Need To Rewatch Again Before Really Knowing Where To Rank Them:

– Stephen King (‘Salem’s Lot & The Dead Zone. Crazy I’ve not rewatched these when I’m obsessed with Stephen King & these are actually my favorite of his books – But I did rank them with the other King movies because my lists make no sense. Should also rewatch Creepshow, Misery, The Stand & Christine)
– John Carpenter (Really liked The Fog but, again, need to rewatch it as well as these: Prince Of Darkness & Christine, as mentioned with King)
– More: Ringu (I know I included it in my Top Foreign Horror Movies list but I really do need to rewatch it before knowing where to rank it here), The Hidden, The Blob, Phantasm, Near Dark, Black Christmas, Dracula

Want To See These!:

The Amusement Park
Martin
The Exorcist III
Puppet Master

My Top Ten Nightmare On Elm Street Deaths

I’ve always loved the Nightmare On Elm Street films although I’ve never been in love with bloody slasher flicks. Give me a creepy psychological or supernatural “horror” instead and I’m happy. I liked a few slashers in the fake-looking gore of my beloved Eighties but I stay the hell away from gory modern day films. Gross. There was something about the Elm Street series, though, that I found fascinating from the first time I saw the first film at a party at the age of 13. Dream Warriors was my second Elm Street movie a year or so later and remains my most-watched as I recorded it off of TV & played it over & over again. I eventually watched the rest but, let’s face it, those two are by FAR the best. 

Admittedly, this top ten list is very heavy on Elm Steet 1 & 3 as those are the most special to me. And as with all my lists, this is my own personal top ten so I’m sure some won’t agree with all my choices. For the record, I’ve not included any Freddy “deaths”, only those of his victims. So here are My Top Ten Nightmare On Elm Street Deaths:

**SPOILERS (obviously)**

10. Ceiling Death: Part II

Victim: Julie Peyton McKenna in Wes Craven’s New Nightmare

This one probably deserves to be a bit higher but I’ve not watched New Nightmare since the night I went to it when it came out in 1994. It deserves a mention, though, for re-creating one of the original film’s most iconic scenes. 

9. Waterbed Death

Victim: Joey Crusel in A Nightmare On Elm Street 4: The Dream Master

It was only a matter of time before a waterbed was used in an Elm Street death scene! Waterbeds were weird things… Has anyone here ever had one?? Anyway, the water turning red with blood was pretty effective. And there were boobs in this scene, too! 

8. Video Game Death

Victim: Spencer Lewis in Freddy’s Dead: The Final Nightmare

I know this might not make most lists. It’s indeed one of the more “cheesy” kills but, hey – at least I’ve not included the roach motel kill! I also admit to having a soft spot for Freddy’s Dead as it’s the first Elm Street film I was able to go & see and I had a fun time seeing it with a couple of friends. And… Breckin Meyer! Someone who actually went on to do some non-horror stuff after being in a horror film! 

7. Impaled On Car’s Tail Fin Death

Victim: Donald Thompson in A Nightmare On Elm Street 3: Dream Warriors

This is the first of two Elm Street deaths that upset me. Well, upset is a strong word… Anyway, I was still young when I first watched this & I think I somehow thought that heroes from the first film would somehow survive (I’d clearly not yet watched enough slashers). This death ties in with the more obvious one that’ll be higher on the list. And… John Saxon! Did this dude love being in movies or WHAT?! (IMDB lists him as being in 201 things. Way to go, John Saxon!)

6. Television Death

Victim: Jennifer Caulfield in A Nightmare On Elm Street 3: Dream Warriors

Another cheesy but fun death and one of my favorite Elm Street lines: “Welcome to prime time, bitch!”

5. Comic Book Death

Victim: Marcus “Mark” Gray in A Nightmare On Elm Street 5: The Dream Child

Do people like this one? I have no idea but I always loved it. It also lacks gore, which is nice for a wuss like me. I suppose it totally rips off A-ha’s Take On Me video but, oh well – that video rules. 

4. Cruel Trick By Freddy Death

Victim: Nancy Thompson in A Nightmare On Elm Street 3: Dream Warriors

This one made me so mad. How could they kill off Nancy?! And to have Freddy pretend to be her dad was just cruel. 😦 😦 😦 😦 (okay, I’m over it now)

3. Sucked Into Bed Death

Victim: Glen Lantz in A Nightmare On Elm Street

Ah, my beloved Johnny Depp… I miss you, 80s & 90s Johnny Depp! Come back to us! What an awesome scene this was. Sucked into a bed! A geyser of blood! So weird but so original. And cool. 

2. Ceiling Death 

Victim: Christina “Tina” Gray in A Nightmare On Elm Street

I’ll never forget this one. Unlike a lot of Elm Street deaths in later films, which started becoming cheesy and almost played for laughs, this death was genuinely disturbing. I’ve always preferred the mood of the first film and the fact that it feels like an actual scary horror film in a way that the rest don’t. Well, I don’t need to convince anyone that the first film is by far the best – we all know that. But this was the very first slasher movie I ever watched and this death did creep me out (well, I was 13!). That’s what horror movies are meant to do, though. Yet so few manage it. 

1. Marionette Death

Victim: Phillip Anderson in A Nightmare On Elm Street 3: Dream Warriors

This one is pretty messed up. It’s also a bit gross for me but I think it’s Freddy’s most clever kill. This is the first death where I thought “Oh… That was cool”. Which is disturbing as I don’t exactly like watching people get killed! (This is why fans of only horror movies do scare me a bit). 😉 Seriously, though, who thought this scene up? Was it Frank Darabont? I’d like to think so – I’m a big fan of so much of his work. Whoever actually wrote this death is a sick & twisted genius. It still kind of grosses me out. Here you go!: