Top 10 Groundbreaking Horror Movies of All Time
Halloween (1978)
Directed by John Carpenter
If Psycho could be considered the first slasher film, Halloween has to be thought of as the film that molded the sub-genre into what we know it as today. Where Normal Bates killed for a very specific reason, Michael Myers needed none. Yes, Black Christmas came earlier, but Halloween gave us a name and a character to haunt us. Carpenter used our fears of unknowingly being watched and wove them expertly into the film. And then he unleashed Michael Myers on the unsuspecting people of Haddonfield. As the film rolls on, we become terrified and enthralled by the character (as you should with any great villain). Carpenter helped set the rules of horror with this film and even showed future directors how to set up for a killer sequel. The films inspired by Halloween, one of the most successful indie films of all time, are countless. This film drew up the slasher blueprint which would be adapted and adjusted to fit so many movies which came afterward. Fans of the sub-genre know exactly where to look when talking of the original.
The Blair Witch Project (1999)
Directed by Daniel Myrick and Eduardo Sanchez
Fans of horror may be looking at this list and saying, “Okay, Nosferatu. Good one. Psycho. Yeah, I agree with that one… Wait. What! The Blair Witch Project?! How does that get on this list?” Here’s how: The Blair Witch Project was a groundbreaking film in a number of ways, the first being its first-person/found footage style. The technique was used in Cannibal Holocaust, but obviously Blair Witch was the film that inspired the current craze. The thought is, of course, that if you feel you’re watching actual footage of an event or incident, it’s that much more chilling than a produced movie. Whatever your personal opinion on that style may be, we can’t discount the fact that The Blair Witch Project had a huge hand in the popularity it now possesses. But even more important than the way The Blair Witch Project was shot was the way it was marketed. Virally. Blair Witch became a huge success because a lot of the audience wasn’t actually sure if they were watching a production or actual found footage because of what they had read on the Internet. Additionally “The Curse of the Blair Witch,” a companion piece to the film, aired on the Sci-Fi Channel on July 11, three weeks before the film was released, creating even more uncertainty amongst viewers as to whether what they were watching was production or actual found footage. The Blair Witch Project‘s filming style and marketing approach ushered in two huge changes to the horror genre, and cinema as a whole, indeed making it a truly groundbreaking work.
I’m sure you guys have some titles that I may have overlooked. Share them and drop some knowledge on us in the comments section!
And be sure to check out The Theatre Bizarre (review here), which John Anderson of Variety says is “devious, demented and occasionally delicious.” Exclusive engagements start Friday, January 27th, at midnight.
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