Introducing a newbie to Classic Horror!

[Cap. Vic RobotPants M.D.]

Sounds like a good plan Prince. I'm in the same boat as most people here as I don't have anyone around to watch or chat films with. That's why I joined Cult Labs. Used to have a friend that was into the same films as me but something went wrong and we haven't talked for a long time. Now it's just me and the wife and my son.
Can't wait to hear how it goes for you and your friend. Should be a blast with the films you got picked out.

[gag]

None of my friends are into horrors or my wife etc so basicaly just me..
I was clued up yrs ago when i was a teanager, Then i got married house kids etc then seperated and live on my own with several on off relationships and all all that..By then i lost touch of horrors etc and was just watching what ever was available..Then few years back i got back on track and by then certain horrors that were popular ive never heard off..But to be honest i do all my horror film learning on here now just by reading people"s comment reviews post etc .So well done everyone ..Im always skint so cant afford to buy any horrors mags etc so i to do all my relying on here..

[Prince_Vajda]

Originally Posted by Demdike

Witchfinder General
Living Dead at the Manchester Morgue
Evil Dead
Zombie Flesh Eaters
The Prowler

Switchblade Romance.

Where's Suspiria Prince?

I would switch LDATMM for that.

I haven't included it in my list as it is third and last in my personal "Argento's Three Mothers" list - with Inferno being first, and Mother of Tears coming in a close second. I enjoyed Suspiria quite a lot, but it simply did not overwhelm me the way Inferno did, and it didn't entertain me like Mother of Tears.

Maybe that's reason enough to watch it again? Well, I guess I will include it in my list!

Greetings!

[ReturnToZero]

Of course you should rely on your own taste but i still think you're missing Buio Omega and Cannibal Holocaust on your list

[Daemonia]

My friend's son (yes, I'm getting on a bit now ) is just getting into horror in a big way. Like PV's friend, he's mostly into new horrors, mainly because he's not very familiar with the genre. So I've been having him round and introducing him to the 'classics', so to speak. I put on Living Dead at the Manchester Morgue thinking he'd be unimpressed, but he absolutely loved it. He then went and bought the BU DVD - so BU owe me one on that one. Similarly with the Argento and Fulci stuff. It's been quite heartwarming to know that these films haven't lost any of their charm or magic and that even youngsters today still enjoy them, much as we did when we were young ourselves. It's good to know these films are timeless and that each new generation of horror fans keep discovering them and falling in love with them.

Saying that, on some forums across the 'net, there's a certain demographic - I'll loosely label them the PS3 generation - who want everything to look glossy and like a video game. It's those people I despair of. I mean, people complained that the original release of Predator looked like an old film. Well, it is. And if you want it to look like a new film, then you'd need to artificially age Arnie, he looks too young, giving it away that it's an old film.

[Vampix]

I remember trying to show my wife's sister and her husband (who are only a few years younger than me) Ridley Scott's classic Blade Runner some years back.Within a half-hour of me putting it on they said it was boring and wanted to watch a more recent film.I tried explaining to them that the film is considered a classic of the science fiction genre, they weren't interested.I think we probably watched something like Monster-in-Law instead.

[Prince_Vajda]

Originally Posted by nekromantik

good list but dont forget psycho or the haunting!


none of me mates are into real horror either. one of them was into modern stuff so i went cinema with him to see stuff but now we live apart so gotta watch dvd on me own and cinema!

I'll add Psycho to the list!

Originally Posted by ReturnToZero

Of course you should rely on your own taste but i still think you're missing Buio Omega and Cannibal Holocaust on your list

This would turn our meeting into some kind of shock therapy, I guess.

Originally Posted by Daemonia

Saying that, on some forums across the 'net, there's a certain demographic - I'll loosely label them the PS3 generation - who want everything to look glossy and like a video game. It's those people I despair of. I mean, people complained that the original release of Predator looked like an old film. Well, it is. And if you want it to look like a new film, then you'd need to artificially age Arnie, he looks too young, giving it away that it's an old film.

I'm pretty sure that he has no "HD fetish" - he still buys DVDs instead of Blus when they're quite a bit cheaper. But I think I will talk to him about the phenomenon called "film grain" before we watch the films.

Greetings!

[Demdike@Cult Labs]

if i was in the same situation as you Prince this would be my choice of viewing.

Frankenstein (1931) - This film sums up the best of Universal's classic output and is an ideal choice thanks to the iconic image of Karloff's monster. Agreed there are one or two better films especially from the Lewton stable, but to me this is an ideal choice to fit the whole black and white era.

The Devil Rides Out - A brilliant example of gothic horror, with a fast pace that hardly lets up throughout its ninety minutes. Also encompases the satanic wave of films that took off during the sixties and seventies.

The Omen - The Exorcist may be seen as a better film, but the Omen to me is more exciting and has more thrills and spills. Fortunately it also has a brilliant cast and death scenes that once seen are never forgotten. People i know either find the Exorcist briliantly scary or laughable.

Zombie Flesh Eaters - By far the best of the gut munching zombie films. Decently acted with memorable gory kills which have yet to be bettered to this day. There is a case for a Romero film but which one? As you aren't going for all three of his original classics i would leave them all out and advise your mate to pick them up for a treat if he likes ZFE. This film is a brilliant introduction to classic Italian horror.

Inside - Superb tense French thriller, ultra gory and will appeal to all modern horror fans including the Saw generation. It may just make your mate want to check out other French / Italian horror films. In my opinion the best horror of the last twenty years.

I would completely ignore Argento at first. Although he has made some classic films, i think they could be a bit numbing to a newbie.

[dis]

Great idea,and great list!
Nice to see THE BURNING in there,but what about THE THING ?
Especially with the remake/prequel just out?
Haute tension/Switchblade Romance is a great choice for the modern day horror!

[Rassilon]

I think its fair to say there great older movies just as there are bad ones. The same goes for new ones. I loved Insidious, Paranormal Activity and Rec just as much as I loved the Beyond, Demons and Bay of Blood. I say as long as horror is still being made and released, then its still alive, no matter how bad or hopefully how good it is. It's still going strong getting backing from Shameless and Arrow. There was a time when Westerns were the most popular genre and sadly there few and far between now.