Top 25 Horrors of the last 20 years

I admit I'm a bit behind with this post, as it was the 20th that B-SOL at Vault of Horror posted the list for the top 25 horrors since 1990, and again I was included in the polling. Although admittedly Classic Horror is by far more interesting to me I do acknowledge that this time frame produced some very interesting films for the horror genre. In fact there was a lot of discussion amongst the voters about what actually was the criteria for a horror film. And this topic of discussion was indeed enlightening. But in the end it really comes to the individual viewer and what their personal criteria is. Now as relevant as it is to this post, I'm about to drag my feet on that topic and post separately what my personal feelings and criteria for what constitutes a horror movie when compared to other related genre films. So for the moment I will stay on topic. From Brian at Vault of Horror here is the accumulated list:

1. The Descent (2005) dir: Neil Marshall
2. The Blair Witch Project (1999) dir: Daniel Myrick & Eduardo Sanchez
3. The Silence of the Lambs (1991) dir: Jonathan Demme
4. The Ring (2002) dir: Gore Verbinski
5. Scream (1996) dir: Wes Craven
6. The Mist (2007) dir: Frank Darabont
7. 28 Days Later (2002) dir: Danny Boyle
8. Braindead (Dead Alive) (1992) dir: Peter Jackson
9. Inside (2007) dir: Alexandre Bustillo & Julien Maury
10. Shaun of the Dead (2004) dir: Edgar Wright
11. Saw (2004) dir: James Wan
12. [REC] (2007) dir: Jaume Balaguero & Paco Plaza
13. Audition (1999) dir: Takashi Miike
14. Ginger Snaps (2000) dir: John Fawcett
15. American Psycho (2000) dir: Mary Harron
16. Session 9 (2001) dir: Brad Anderson
17. Dawn of the Dead (2004) dir: Zack Snyder
18. Army of Darkness (1993) dir: Sam Raimi
19. Dog Soldiers (2002) dir: Neil Marshall
20. Cabin Fever (2002) dir: Eli Roth
21. Let the Right One In (2008) dir: Tomas Alfredson
22. Bram Stoker's Dracula (1992) dir: Francis Ford Coppola
23. Eyes Wide Shut (1999) dir: Stanley Kubrick
24. Halloween: 20 Years Later (1998) dir: Steve Miner
25. Dellamorte Dellamore (Cemetery Man) (1994) dir: Michele Soavi

Be sure to stop by his blog for further details on how the entrants were ranked, and some other interesting facts and in sites, not to mention the ensuing discussion.

I do well believe that it's a great addition to such as list to have the contributors sound off on why they selected some of the films they did. Lets face it every time a list as such is published the sabre rattling and guffawing can be heard from the other banks of the Styx.

Well I already bashed Blair Witch after the top 50 poll(to that nobody had anything to say) so no point being derisive there, but alas I have to admit my top ten actually rank on nether regions of the lists top 10. While titles like Descent: Kill Bill vs. Weekly World News' Bat Boy, The Bad Itch project, the Ring, and Scream never even got a sniff on my list. And while Silence of the Lambs was undoubtedly about to make the top 5 I chose not to include it for a couple of reasons. 1: I believe the elements of the film are far more grounded in the Thriller genre than the Horror genre as per my personal definitions and criteria, and 2: well it was going to make it anyway, why not put together a more interesting list.

Now you're wondering, what would G. Macabre, Classic Horror fan put on a list of top horror films since 1990? OK maybe you're not, but damn it you're still reading aren't you. So here it is my list of Top 10 Horrors since 1990.




1. Shawn of the Dead
2. Sweeney Todd
3. Night Watch
4. Gingersnaps
5. 28 Days Later
6. Dead Alive
7. Army of Darkness
8. The Crow (does that count as horror? Dead guy coming back from the grave
for revenge, close enough)
9. Sleepy Hollow
10. Shadow of the Vampire

I had originally penned Mist in the final slot, but recanted as I feel as much as I enjoyed the film, the finale was poorly written and inanely inconsistent with the characters' depictions as we had seen them up to that point. More the end was done for shock factor and media hype than any contribution to the film. Shadow of the Vampire when all is said and done, I felt was a far more unique and interesting film.

While on the former top 0 list I made my selections based on what I felt were movies of notable quality in a variety of aspects, this list was more a compilation of films that I found very much enjoyable on a more personal level.
I honestly feel that Sweeney Todd is completely under rated. Although everyone involved knew this wasn't going to make any waves, it was really about going out there to make a film that they simply wanted to make and push their own boundaries. Dark, angry Macabre and perverse, and out in left wing this is the kind of film I get into. I admit I'm saddened my comrades did not see it as such. And speaking of comrades (hows that for a segue) the Russian gem Night Watch to not appear while Cabin Fever makes the list is again disappointing. But hey I admit I don't swim in the same waters as may of the other bloggers that were polled, and that the contemporary view of horror films such as the pseudo psychological spook stories like Rec, Blair Witch and Ring leave me glassy eyed and in search of the remote.

So anyway if you're in need of some good unconventional horror themed movies of the 90's to today, you now have my suggestions.

Gary D. Macabre