Cult Labs' Favourite Horror Film

[bizarre_eye@Cult Labs]

The most difficult thing for me at the moment in terms of this list is which films to leave off in reference to them being 'horror' or not. Not liking genre constraints anyway, I've sort adopted a 'if in doubt leave it on' attitude at present... although, the reverse would probably be the more sensible approach. It's a good job I'm not sensible though!

[Demdike@Cult Labs]

Originally Posted by bizarre_eye@Cult Labs

All I'll have is a rubber-walled cell for company.

You'll be right at home then.

[sjconstable]

I find it really difficult to stop myself from just listing every horror film that I like, here's a stab at a 'top 20' but putting them into order is near-impossible so don't look too much into it, it's the fact that they've made the list that's important (except Ringu is definitely my favourite horror film ever, IDST ):

1) Ringu
2) Possession (1981)
3) Antichrist (2009)
4) Kairo
5) Videodrome
6) Rosemary's Baby
7) Lost Highway
8) Cure (1997)
9) The Shining
10) Inferno (1980)
11) Jacob's Ladder
12) Candyman
13) Suspiria
14) Dark Water (2002)
15) Inland Empire
16) Halloween III: Season of the Witch
17) Hour of the Wolf
18) Noroi
19) Halloween (1978)
20) Suicide Club

[bizarre_eye@Cult Labs]

Great list.

I'm not a massive fan of J-horror, but the ones you've listed are amongst the better ones (that I've seen anyway). Great to see Possession, Videodrome, Rosemary's Baby, and some Lynch on there too (Lost Highway is also my favourite).

[Nosferatu@Cult Labs]

I echo what bizarre_eye said. Great to see Inland Empire on your list, because at least I'm not the only one who considers it a horror film!

[sjconstable]

Originally Posted by bizarre_eye@Cult Labs

Great list.

I'm not a massive fan of J-horror, but the ones you've listed are amongst the better ones (that I've seen anyway). Great to see Possession, Videodrome, Rosemary's Baby, and some Lynch on there too (Lost Highway is also my favourite).

Cheers, yeah I've waded through all of the countless J-horror clones and it mainly boils down to Hideo Nakata, Kiyoshi Kurosawa, and Sion Sono making the great ones. Plus Noroi and Okaruto are great found-footage ones but otherwise Koji Shiraishi tends to make mediocre films.

[sjconstable]

Originally Posted by Nosferatu@Cult Labs

I echo what bizarre_eye said. Great to see Inland Empire on your list, because at least I'm not the only one who considers it a horror film!

I first saw it at the cinema by myself and it scared me half to death at at least two points, and the rest of it is creepy fever dream material so it absolutely qualifies as a horror film

[bizarre_eye@Cult Labs]

Originally Posted by Nosferatu@Cult Labs

I echo what bizarre_eye said. Great to see Inland Empire on your list, because at least I'm not the only one who considers it a horror film!

Lynch's films are always a little questionable, what with the man himself having gone on record to state that he has never attempted to make a horror film - however, I'd say that audience interpretation counts for a lot. I certainly consider his films to be more in tune with 'horror' than say, some annoying over-dramatic jump scares.

It's all down to interpretation though and there are good arguments on both sides, which is why I don't really like rigorous genre classification structures and am much more open to a broader outlook when looking at a film's genre.

Strangely enough where Lynch is concerned, Lost Highway, Eraserhead, and Blue Velvet currently occupy my 'horror' list whereas Mulholland Drive and Inland Empire don't. I'm maybe going to have to re-think that.

[Nosferatu@Cult Labs]

Originally Posted by bizarre_eye@Cult Labs

Lynch's films are always a little questionable, what with the man himself having gone on record to state that he has never attempted to make a horror film - however, I'd say that audience interpretation counts for a lot. I certainly consider his films to be more in tune with 'horror' than say, some annoying over-dramatic jump scares.

It's all down to interpretation though and there are good arguments on both sides, which is why I don't really like rigorous genre classification structures and am much more open to a broader outlook when looking at a film's genre.

Strangely enough where Lynch is concerned, Lost Highway, Eraserhead, and Blue Velvet currently occupy my 'horror' list whereas Mulholland Drive and Inland Empire don't. I'm maybe going to have to re-think that.

You're right that strict genre classification can be to constricting and, for example, what one person thinks is a science, another calls a horror – especially with films which leave a lot to the imagination. Because of their nightmarish content, this is why many of David Lynch's films (particularly those you listed) fall under the 'horror' umbrella – at least as far as I'm concerned expression

[Demdike@Cult Labs]

Originally Posted by sjconstable

I find it really difficult to stop myself from just listing every horror film that I like, here's a stab at a 'top 20' but putting them into order is near-impossible so don't look too much into it, it's the fact that they've made the list that's important (except Ringu is definitely my favourite horror film ever, IDST ):

1) Ringu
2) Possession (1981)
3) Antichrist (2009)
4) Kairo
5) Videodrome
6) Rosemary's Baby
7) Lost Highway
8) Cure (1997)
9) The Shining
10) Inferno (1980)
11) Jacob's Ladder
12) Candyman
13) Suspiria
14) Dark Water (2002)
15) Inland Empire
16) Halloween III: Season of the Witch
17) Hour of the Wolf
18) Noroi
19) Halloween (1978)
20) Suicide Club

Have you never seen a film pre 1968?