Some good old suspenseful horror films...

Karl Hungus

So yeah, mainstream horror seems to be dominated by a certain series of awful films that just won't go away, and I can't help but think there's not really many good suspenseful horrors lately. Of course that's not really anything new, since the 80's mainstream horror has been more about sudden frights than building tension, atmosphere and squeezing our hearts with suspense. I picked up What Lies Beneath today for 3.99, haven't seen it in a few years, but always thought it was a very underrated little gem of a film:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vm4Fw2QElA4

Another exceptional horror film was The Others:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vu494-Dr5po

But there hasn't been a lot of classic, suspenseful horror lately. I'm talking films like Don't Look Now, Rosemary's Baby, The Shining, The Haunting, The Innocents and so forth, you just don't see many these days. Don't get me wrong, there's plenty of exceptional horror films being made, but it just doesn't seem like there's as many suspenseful ones as there used to be.

siobhank

Don't Look Now +1
I really like The Ring

edit: sorry, just realised you're talking about good OLD films, not good oul' films!
in that case I vote for Carrie

MrStuffins

One of my favourites is this one

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l5I1q4KhKNU

Although it's a mix of both! Whn i went to see it i had no idea what to expect, had never even hear dof it.

The first 30 minutes i actually got claustraphobic watching it!

MrStuffins

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u2sDw-XBuKc

And this absolute gem!

Otis Driftwood

Picked up Dead End in cdwow's bargain basement for 4 quid.The ending is a bit predictible but its still an enjoyable little movie.

skaterboy

No doubt about it..Jeepers Creepers

MrStuffins

skaterboy wrote: »

No doubt about it..Jeepers Creepers

Man, that's one of the worst films i ever watched! I couldn't believe how bad it was and could never understand people liking it

skaterboy

MrStuffins wrote: »

Man, that's one of the worst films i ever watched! I couldn't believe how bad it was and could never understand people liking it

Yehhh...but the start is good =] =P

Karl Hungus

skaterboy wrote: »

Yehhh...but the start is good =] =P

Out of curiosity, how many horror films have you seen? Have you ever watched The Shining, or The Thing?

skaterboy

Karl Hungus wrote: »

Out of curiosity, how many horror films have you seen? Have you ever watched The Shining, or The Thing?

Yes, both but theyre obvious ones..and the thing isnt suspense

MrStuffins

skaterboy wrote: »

Yes, both but theyre obvious ones..and the thing isnt suspense

Hhhmmmm.............. The Thing isn't suspense? There's lots of suspense. Like Alien! Movies with creatures can still be full of suspense!

MikeC101

skaterboy wrote: »

Yes, both but theyre obvious ones..and the thing isnt suspense

Surely the first hour of the Thing is building tension and suspense up until the blood test.

Karl Hungus

skaterboy wrote: »

Yes, both but theyre obvious ones..and the thing isnt suspense

That blood testing scene, not suspenseful? Are you kidding me?

MikeC101

I found "The Omen" to be quite suspenseful.

I'd put off watching it for a long time and when I finally did, I was surprised at just how good it is.

The scene where they uncover the real mothers grave in the old graveyard is brilliant.

Otis Driftwood

Another little gem is the French movie Ils (Them)

skaterboy

skaterboy wrote: »

Yes, both but theyre obvious ones..and the thing isnt suspense

Serously watch the film before you talk about it. The Thing is one of the mostrespected and love horror films around especially in those who enjoy old fasioned building of suspense in their films. The blood testing scene is absolutly fantastic.

A recent horror film that I really liked was The Outpost. The way it builds the suspense is absolutly perfect and the last few minutes are superb. It's a low budget, british film that shows that all you need to make a truly great horror film is ideas and not a massive budget.

][cEMAN**

If you think "The Thing" or "The Shining" are obvious, then you're kinda missing the point and going down that "If it's popular, i'm not going to rate it highly" road. It's too much like "I'm cool because I like stuff you don't".

Wrong. This isn't music - it's film. Some may like certain genres over others, but even if you don't like the genre, you still have to admit when a film is good.

MikeC101

Deleted User wrote: »

A recent horror film that I really liked was The Outpost. The way it builds the suspense is absolutly perfect and the last few minutes are superb. It's a low budget, british film that shows that all you need to make a truly great horror film is ideas and not a massive budget.

But

were the Nazi soldiers ghost, zombies, some combination of ghost zombies, or some sort of vibration in electromagnetic fields caught in a time loop by the machine? No matter, it was damn good stuff. Nazis + Crazy experimentation + horror movie = win. Usually.

The propoganda cartoon they found on the film reel was very good.

smithcity

Yeah "the thing" is a real beauty. Work of art.
Another suspenseful horror I really love is the old 1963 version of "The Haunting."
It's incredibly well done, the suspense is built mostly through sound and imagery. I don't think there's a single creature effect in the whole movie!

discostick12

Yeah I agree! Always thought that the old horrors where the best!
Carrie
The Shinning
Misery... Well any Stephen King film:D

The Other's was actually one of the best I've seen great twist!

Don't know where all these new horrors get their ideas from, but some of them are alright but not worth been called horror

SuperInfinity

The Last House On The Left... I have viewed this so many times... it never gets old.
My Bloody Valentine.
Sleepaway Camp.
Psycho.
Return of the Living Dead.
Return of the Living Dead 3.
Night of the Living Dead.
The Fly (1980s version).
A Nightmare on Elm Street.
The Shining.
The Shivers of the Vampires.
Zombie Flesheaters.
The Thing... oh wait.. actually I surprising didn't like that one too much.. it was alright. I find Carpenter's movies a bit of a bore compared to Cravens.

skaterboy

Karl Hungus wrote: »

That blood testing scene, not suspenseful? Are you kidding me?

OKOKOK you got me, .... I.....Ive never seen John Carpenters: The Thing:(

skaterboy

skaterboy wrote: »

OKOKOK you got me, .... I.....Ive never seen John Carpenters: The Thing:(

Otis Driftwood

SuperInfinity wrote: »

The Thing... oh wait.. actually I surprising didn't like that one too much.. it was alright. I find Carpenter's movies a bit of a bore compared to Cravens.

Carpenter

Halloween
The Fog
The Thing
Big Trouble in Little China
Assault on Precinct 13
Christine
Vampires
They Live
Escape from New York

All excellent movies.

Craven

Last House on the Left
The Hills Have Eyes
A Nightmare on Elm Street
People Under The Stairs
Scream
New Nightmare

All excellent movies.

Craven has had alot more turkeys than Carpenter (Scream 2+3,Cursed,Red Eye,Serpent and the Rainbow,Vampire in Brooklyn)

L31mr0d

skaterboy wrote: »

OKOKOK you got me, .... I.....Ive never seen John Carpenters: The Thing:(

On topic though, if you want suspense watch Hitchcocks 1944 "Lifeboat". Amazing film, and ageless. It will be as relevant 200 years from now as it was when it was released.

Another is Spielbergs 1971 "Duel"... so simple yet whenever it's on I can't help but get sucked into watching it again.

0ubliette

Another great horror i can think of, even tho its not too old, (2000's sometime), is Deathwatch. Set in the trenches in WW1 starring Andy 'gollum' Serkis, its fantastic. A bit low budget and kind of a cult film but brilliant nonetheless

Decuc500

I watched a pretty good, suspenseful little chiller recently, 'The Children' made by the guy who made 'Waz' (a not so bad serial killer movie). Both worth checking out.

budhabob

I found "the descent" very good in the suspense area, mainly because of the small spaces, i'm not claustraphobic, but some of those scenes would they get stuck, get out etc, that freaked me out.

spurious

The Haunting (1963) is pretty good, as is
The Innocents (1961).

SuperInfinity

nedtheshed wrote: »

Carpenter

Halloween
The Fog
The Thing
Big Trouble in Little China
Assault on Precinct 13
Christine
Vampires
They Live
Escape from New York

All excellent movies.

Craven

Last House on the Left
The Hills Have Eyes
A Nightmare on Elm Street
People Under The Stairs
Scream
New Nightmare

All excellent movies.

Craven has had alot more turkeys than Carpenter (Scream 2+3,Cursed,Red Eye,Serpent and the Rainbow,Vampire in Brooklyn)

Don't forget Shocker and Deadly Blessing for Wes Craven, also extremely good movies. I just find Carpenter's a bit boring.

Whatever about the other ones, I don't think Scream 2 was a "turkey" at all, it carried on in the same vein as Scream. Scream 3 wasn't as great, but I don't know how it goes from "excellent" to "turkey"...

Otis Driftwood

SuperInfinity wrote: »

Whatever about the other ones, I don't think Scream 2 was a "turkey" at all, it carried on in the same vein as Scream. Scream 3 wasn't as great, but I don't know how it goes from "excellent" to "turkey"...

Scream = Inventive,full of gentle nods to horror cinema classics,new idea,huge twist ending,killing its star name in the opening scenes all elements of a great movie.

Scream 2 = As above without the charm and a slightly better looking cast.We've seen it already,boring.

Scream 3 = As above with less attractive cast and tries to parody the parody.Boring,predictible and horsesh1te.

In summary

Scream,excellent.
Scream 2+3,turkeys.

SuperInfinity

SuperInfinity wrote: »

Don't forget Shocker and Deadly Blessing for Wes Craven, also extremely good movies. I just find Carpenter's a bit boring.

Whatever about the other ones, I don't think Scream 2 was a "turkey" at all, it carried on in the same vein as Scream. Scream 3 wasn't as great, but I don't know how it goes from "excellent" to "turkey"...

It's calle dth elaw of diminishing returns. While Scream remains a classic and I do like Scream 2 a lot part 3 is poor. The only saving grace it has is the casting of Lance Henriksen.

Both Carpenter and Craven have rather odd quality control but over all Carpenter wins and with Cigarette Burns it would appear thhat he has found his voice once more.

Otis Driftwood

Ive heard alot of good things about CB.Must dig it out.Ive seen all the Masters of Horror sets on sale but have also heard they are kinda hit and miss.
Still,Im sure I will invest if I can get em cheap enough or if my cousin can lend them to me.

Venom

Salems Lot - The return is a damm good horror flick but probley hasnt aged to well. Worth a look if you havent seen it before or are around age 9

nedtheshed

nedtheshed wrote: »

Ive heard alot of good things about CB.Must dig it out.Ive seen all the Masters of Horror sets on sale but have also heard they are kinda hit and miss.
Still,Im sure I will invest if I can get em cheap enough or if my cousin can lend them to me.

It's well worth picking up. You can get all 4 volumes for less than 40 euro these days and while it is very hit an miss there are some absolute classics in there. I'm waiting on Fear Itself to be released, ordered it awhile back for lss than 30 dollars.

SuperInfinity

nedtheshed wrote: »

Scream = Inventive,full of gentle nods to horror cinema classics,new idea,huge twist ending,killing its star name in the opening scenes all elements of a great movie.

Scream 2 = As above without the charm and a slightly better looking cast.We've seen it already,boring.

Scream 3 = As above with less attractive cast and tries to parody the parody.Boring,predictible and horsesh1te.

In summary

Scream,excellent.
Scream 2+3,turkeys.

Horror films are known to be derivative of others all the time. You may say you didn't like Scream 2, but calling it a "turkey"? Come on, that's a bit much.

I notice you're defiantly saying the exact same thing again:
"Scream,excellent
Scream 2+3, turkeys."

Which to me sounds like a very obstonate person. I wouldn't mind if you acknowledged "turkey" was a bad word to use there. There is no logic to call Scream an excellent movie and then Scream 2 a turkey, even though I will agree Scream 3 was a little less good.

EVEN if you thought it was excellent and then Scream 2 was a turkey, don't go around saying it like it's an established fact. You might want to say it about Halloween 2 or Friday 13th 2, but it's not as if Scream 2 was some hashed together piece of crap and established to be bad. It was NOT a turkey. Nobody ever thought it was a turkey except YOU.

Otis Driftwood

Hmmm.

Im quite drunk at the moment so I will respond fully to your post tomorrow,however,if Scream 2 + 3 are not turkeys,would you mind explaining/elaborating why they are good movies?

MikeC101

nedtheshed wrote: »

Ive heard alot of good things about CB.Must dig it out.Ive seen all the Masters of Horror sets on sale but have also heard they are kinda hit and miss.
Still,Im sure I will invest if I can get em cheap enough or if my cousin can lend them to me.

Although I constantly confuse the "Fear Itself" and "Masters of Horror" series, I think Fear Itself is a bit more consistent in it's quality.

The "Skin and Bones" episode is one of the best horror stories I've ever seen on a tv series - very well done.

Karl Hungus

SuperInfinity wrote: »

Nobody ever thought it was a turkey except YOU.

I thought it was a turkey also.

Scream was a great film at the time, but the sequels added nothing. The way they poke fun at the "rules" or horror in the first is clever, but when they set out the rules of the sequel in the second film, it pretty much sums up exactly what the film itself aspires to, eg; higher body count. It's just a rehash, without anything that made the original a success in the first place, it was just a crappy horror film.

][cEMAN**

It was a horror?

Otis Driftwood

SuperInfinity wrote: »

Horror films are known to be derivative of others all the time. You may say you didn't like Scream 2, but calling it a "turkey"? Come on, that's a bit much.

I notice you're defiantly saying the exact same thing again:
"Scream,excellent
Scream 2+3, turkeys."

Which to me sounds like a very obstonate person. I wouldn't mind if you acknowledged "turkey" was a bad word to use there. There is no logic to call Scream an excellent movie and then Scream 2 a turkey, even though I will agree Scream 3 was a little less good.

EVEN if you thought it was excellent and then Scream 2 was a turkey, don't go around saying it like it's an established fact. You might want to say it about Halloween 2 or Friday 13th 2, but it's not as if Scream 2 was some hashed together piece of crap and established to be bad. It was NOT a turkey. Nobody ever thought it was a turkey except YOU.

Last time I checked,this was an internet discussion forum where people give their opinions,I didnt think I had to write in my opinion after everything I write,I would have thought that it was pretty obvious that it was just my opinion,not a statement of fact.I will spell it out in future,just so I dont confuse you,that ok?

And Karl Hungus's post above sums up why I think (<my opinion )Scream 2+3 suck much more eloquently than I ever could.

SuperInfinity

I think you're are off the ball. A "turkey" is something that got a very poor reception and failed to garner any support. There's no way that Scream 2 falls into that category. Again it is typical in the horror movie genre that it happens, but not with the Scream movies.

It'd be like if you were discussing the Brosnan Bond movies, calling Goldeneye great, and yet Tomorrow Never Dies, The World is Not Enough and Die Another Day turkeys. The only "turkey" there is Die Another Day, which is a notoriously bad movie. It doesn't really matter if two of you agree on this or what my opinion is, objectively speaking... it was in no way what you would label a "turkey". Those are my thoughts on the matter.

Otis Driftwood

SuperInfinity wrote: »

I think you're are off the ball. A "turkey" is something that got a very poor reception and failed to garner any support. There's no way that Scream 2 falls into that category. Again it is typical in the horror movie genre that it happens, but not with the Scream movies.

PS I love you made millions at the box office and is loved by crap loads of people.That doesnt mean its not bullspit of the highest calibre.

Just because people pay to see it doesnt mean its not crap.The Saw franchise is a prime example of this.

smithcity

The Prince of Darkness

It's a great old John Carpenter film. The suspense just builds and builds.

That scene near the end, where the Woman is pushed through the mirror, into hell. It's all dark and underwater. She's swimming back towards the light to escape when the mirror is smashed from the other side. Then nothing but darkness.
Classic Carpenter.

Dr Hfuhruhurr

The Flick Dont look now....

A dwarf in a freekin red raincoat..now that's a combination of terror :eek:

Dr Hfuhruhurr

Dr Hfuhruhurr wrote: »

The Flick Dont look now....

A dwarf in a freekin red raincoat..now that's a combination of terror :eek:

You might want to spoiler that for those who have never seen the film.

Dr Hfuhruhurr

:oThanks darko...I had malfunction there .

tommyfitz

Has anyone watched R-Point and Gp 506 (also called The Guard Post).
Both are Korean films, very creepy. Part horror, part war films. I think R-Point is going to be remade in America, but they will probably make a mess of it.

Otis Driftwood

It may have been mentioned already but The Mist in black and white and extended is all kinds of awesome.

To anyone that hasnt seen this,watch it.Its so much better than the colour version.I re-read the original story a couple of weeks ago and the b+w version is as close to the original story as anything Ive ever seen,save for the ending and one scene.In the colour version,the CGI is a little intrusive but in b+w it almost seemlessly integrates with the movie.The lack of colour adds a better sense of dread to proceedings too.I would love to see it on the big screen in this format.

SuperGrover

Audition

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0235198/

Eirebear

I think theyve pretty much all been mentioned at this point to be fair.

I'm not sure i would put Dont Look Now in the "suspense" catagory however, thats not to put it down its a wonderful film.
I just wasnt tense or scared, that is

untill that little bastard midget turned around and gave me the firght of my ****ing life!"

.

up untill then i completely forgot i was watching a horror movie.