The Gracefield Incident
While this film does have some great scenery, it’s extremely boring with nothing happening until towards the end (where you don’t even see anything), the characters aren’t worth carrying about, the acting is bad, and the ending is extremely lackluster in how it tries to teach a heartfelt lesson.

Amitvyille: Awakening
I tried to give this movie the benefit of the doubt, but I was very wrong. This movie is terrible in so many ways, down to the script, the acting, the scares, music, characters, etc. The moments of self-awareness is about all I’d give it for the aspects I like. And initially it seemed like this would be so bad it’s good, but it ultimately just becomes plain bad. I feel so bad for Jennifer Jason Leigh, and especially Jennifer Morrison in the most thankless role I’ve seen in a while (I’m serious when I say I think she owed someone a favor).

Leatherface
This one is just a pointless prequel with no real suspense, and feels nothing like a Texas Chainsaw Massacre film. Instead it appears as a younger version of The Devil’s Rejects. More than anything, this movie only seeks to try be gross and sadistic above anything else. The acting is fine, that’s all I can say about it, but unlike the prequel to the remake (which I didn’t mind), it at least tries to be a good film and gives us character to care about and root for. This one just doesn’t do anything to push the story as a prequel, and it’s very clear it’s pointless to care about the final girl. It’s just a terrible script that makes Texas Chainsaw 3D look good.

Jeepers Creepers 3
Yet another film that suffers from a terrible script. But more than anything, like Leatherface, this is just a pointless film. It revolves around the characters figuring out the Creeper’s origins, and guess what, we don’t even find out what it is or even get some kind of clue. The characters are unbearable except for Meg Foster, Stan Shaw, and Brandon Smith (all providing fine performances). It’s the young cast that are the most expendable and do nothing for the plot. On top of that we have some of the most unintentional laughs, an extremely anti-climactic ending, and a final scene (before the real final scene) that makes no sense whatsoever. The real MVP of this movie though is the creepy BEATINGU truck that is character of itself, and a very welcoming one at that.

Rings
The first act of this film offers promise in that it introduces the cult following the death tape has and how it has suddenly become this twisted death game. I would have loved to have seen this throughout the film, but unfortunately it turns into a teen remake of the original, only it’s boring, uninteresting, and the lead female is terrible in character and performance.

Eloise
Despite a great cast and a creepy setting, this movie is boring, makes no sense, and is completely forgettable. As a matter of fact, I don’t remember anything about this movie other than it being boring and making no sense.

The Dark Tapes
In an attempt to try rank itself up there with V/H/S, this movie just fails. The segments are uninteresting and often laughable, though one segment did stand out more than others as its own take of Ghost Hunters. The wraparound story was good, but it was the most undeveloped of the segments. In general, the segments have nothing in common and don’t connect in any way. And what’s a bad movie without some bad acting?

Jigsaw
It’s not that Jigsaw is a terrible movie, but as a supposed reboot, it’s awful. This movie offers nothing new to the story, the traps are fine and good, as is the acting, but the script is just a complete rehash of the entire series, including some of the twists. And the final twist is just cringe-worthy in how pathetic of an attempt it is to try restart the series. In terms of gore, this is the most tame film in the series, we only get slight glimpses of gore, and that’s what this series is supposed to be known for.

Clowntergeist
I was having a blast with this film for how bad it was up until the mid-point when I felt it should have started to go somewhere, and it ultimately didn’t. By that point until the end, really nothing much happens and when things finally do happen, the movie is basically over. Along with that, the twist towards the end is just a letdown and kind of ruins any fun the film began with.

Friend Request
This was another film I was thought was going to be bad fun, but ultimately just became plain bad. Not only was it boring and uninteresting, but it took itself way too seriously. To be fair, it started out fine, but then once it become more of a supernatural/witchcraft film, that’s when it really started to go downhill. Had it focused more on being a fun supernatural slasher, it would have been a bit better. But at the same time you didn’t care about any of the characters because they were so uninteresting (and poorly acted). Then you get to the ending and that was just the cherry on top of its stupidity. It does have some great occasional imagery however.

–Cody Landman

It
It ranks up there as one of the most perfectly made horror films of all time. For the full 2 hours it completely grasps you and makes you almost a part of this world. You genuinely feel like you are a part of the Losers Club and feel the fear they have of Pennywise. It’s a perfect blend of horror and coming-of-age film. The young cast does an amazing job, as does Bill Skarsgard as Pennywise. The production design and everything down to the costumes and the overall feel is pure nostalgia.

Happy Death Day
What Happy Death Day does is take the slasher genre and breathe new life into it by taking the tired “groundhog day” plot and turning it into something fun and thrilling. We have some great kill sequences, a fun montage, a clever whodunit story, a very creepy masked killer, and most of all a tremendous performance by Jessica Rothe as the leading lady who greatly shows different layers to her character as the story progresses.

Annabelle: Creation
Having not liked the first Annabelle film at all, I was massively surprised by how great this sequel was. But at the same time, when you have David F. Sandberg who brought us the pretty damn scary Lights Out, I shouldn’t be entirely surprised. Creation is extremely atmospheric and suspenseful with some great and effective jump scares and two great and likable performances by the two young leads, Talitha Bateman and Lulu Wilson. It’s doesn’t push the story or the Conjuring franchise really anywhere, but it’s a fun and effective supernatural horror film.

The Babysitter
This straight to Netflix horror film is probably the most fun you’ll have this year. We have a great young lead in newcomer Judah Lewis and a deliciously fun, sexy, and evil performance from Samara Weaving as the title character. The supporting cast does a great job as well, particularly Robbie Amell and a surprisingly hilarious performance from Bella Thorne. If you want a fun, hilarious, and bloody horror film, check this one out.

Split
M. Night Shyamalan’s best film in a while is also one of great thrills and performances. James McAvoy gives an Oscar-worthy performance as a man with multiple personalities and McAvoy tremendously exhibits them all. And Anya Taylor-Joy, who is continuing to make a name for herself in the horror genre is brilliant as the lead female and a character you hardcore root for who uses her smarts while also showing emotion when her inner demons are shown. Also worth mentioning is Betty Buckley who is just as terrific as her two co-stars.

Raw
This French film revolves around cannibalism, but more than anything its strength comes in the form of a character study. We see this young girl go from a shy and sheltered girl and gradually become this monster that’s always been within her. Garance Marillier is amazing as our main character as she portrays her characters’ change mentally and even physically, definitely one of the best female performances in horror this year.

Get Out
The politics regarding this movie aside, it’s a brilliant and well-made horror film with a great lead that you are rooting for the whole time even though he’s clearly not an idiot. It also has a great way of making you feel just as uneasy as the lead, brilliantly played by Daniel Kaluuya (who also deserves an Oscar nomination), as things start to be uncomfortable to complete insanity as the climax nears. Along with Kaluuya we also have solid performances from Catherine Keener, Bradley Whitford, and Allison Williams. Jordan Peele really delivers in his directorial debut the provides extremely thrills and major laughs (particularly from Lil Rel Howery).

The Blackcoat’s Daughter
This dreary and haunting film, brilliantly directed by Oz Perkins, takes you on a suspenseful, twisted, but also emotionally-driven ride. It’s definitely one you have to pay close attention to as the two storyline reach their ultimate collision that will leave you pretty mind-blown and pondering about the ending. Kiernan Shipka and Emma Roberts are brilliant in their roles, showing a great amount of mystery and haunting in their performances. It’s also a huge breath of fresh air in that it’s not like your conventional possession film.

Mother!
Probably the most controversial and divisive film you’ll see this year, Darren Aronofsky brings us this nightmare-like film. And I mean this very literally. The film has such a great build-up that is very nightmare-like and when it reaches the final act where everything just goes insane to really fucked up and you just waiting to wake up. The ending and much of the events that happen in it are like a punch in the gut. Aronsofky really strives to make this film visually striking and work to fit the tone of the film as it progresses. He and Jennifer Lawrence (who provides her most dedicated and Oscar worthy performance yet) work their asses off you really make you feel what Lawrence’s character is feeling, and you most definitely do. The whole time you are right there with her, so as her emotions change, so do yours. Michelle Pfeiffer (who should have gotten much more screentime) and Javier Bardem also are brilliant in their respective roles, especially Pfeiffer.

47 Meters Down
What 47 Meters Down succeeds at is really putting you on edge and holding your breath as much our two leads are. And this happens several times throughout the film, and the jump scenes are extremely effective, even if you see them coming or not. It’s a perfect blend of survival film and shark film. Claire Holt and Mandy Moore are great as the two leads and have solid chemistry as two sisters fighting for survival.

–Cody Landman

The horror genre in my opinion is so underrated in terms of recognition for performances and in some cases the films in general. The Oscars always seem to turn the other cheek towards them, with the exception of a few iconic ones (Misery, Silences of the Lambs, etc.). Besides dramas, I honestly think horror offers the more stronger performances of other genres. The actors and actresses have to convey so much emotion and sometimes really get into the psyche of the characters they play and channel the hell out of them. This isn’t the case for every horror movie of course, but a person can’t deny that there’s a lot of effort to be put into these performances. This is my personal list of my five favorite male and female performances in horror. Some of them are the obvious and iconic performances, and some are performances that definitely deserve to become iconic and ranked with them.

Anthony Hopkins as Hannibal Lecter in Silence of the Lambs
Right from the moment we see Anthony Hopkins appear on-screen, you immediately feel a sense of terror and his villainy. The way he stands there anticipating Clarice’s arrival and his greeting. It’s something that shouldn’t be threatening, but the physical way Hopkins portrays Lecter is chilling, and when we get to his dialogue and emotionless expression and the ease of how he speaks, that adds even more to the performance. What really sells Hopkins performance for me every time are his eyes. They burn holes into the viewer and you can see the evil in them. That is a trait that most actors who play villains can’t accomplish. Especially one in which he doesn’t completely act psychotic. He can be sitting there looking at Clarice and the viewer, calm as can be, and you do see the evil in those eyes looking back at you.

2) Kevin Spacey as John Doe in Seven
For such a small amount of screentime, Kevin Spacey leaves one hell of a mark on the film and viewer. Towards the end of the movie when the killer known as John Doe appears and we see Spacey covered in blood, calm as can be, that alone instantly sends you the chills. The rest of the film as Spacey acting as calm as can be, speaking his lines with no emotion and the lines themselves are creep enough. When the field scene comes and Spacey gives his monologue to Brad Pitt leading to the reveal of the box, Spacey is horrifying. This is a role I feel most actors couldn’t accomplish the way Spacey does it. The emotionless, empty, uncomfortably calm performance as this serial killer, along with the reveal in the climax leaves you feeling shaken and disturbed. Without Kevin Spacey’s performance as John Doe, I really don’t think the film’s ending would have had the same impact.

3) John Goodman as Howard in 10 Cloverfield Lane
One of the more recent performances I feel deserves to go down in horror history is John Goodman in 10 Cloverfield Lane. What’s so brilliant about Goodman’s performance here is just how uncomfortable he can make the viewer as well as the characters in the film. There are so many instances where his character Howard can come off as reasonably normal and collected, but in an instant he can change into this monster. Even in scenes where you aren’t even sure of what Howard is going to do next. You think he’s going to completely go crazy, or if he may just shrug it off. But even in silence and without moving, Goodman has a way of bringing in how deranged his character is. In one scene where he lunges at Mary Elizabeth Winstead’s character and has her trapped against the wall, you can feel just as intimidated and freaked as she is. This performance is one that I really feel Goodman deserved a chance at the Oscar for because of how into character Goodman gets and leaves you guessing of where his character is going to go as well as scaring you and making you so uncomfortable.

4) Daniel Kaluuya as Chris in Get Out
The most recent performance (and a non-villain one) I think should be recognized in horror history as one where we have the most relatable leading male in a long time. Kaluuya plays Chris as this very down-to-earth and super likable guy. He’s meeting his girlfriend’s parents for the first time and you can tell how nervous he is. This is displayed really relatable as well. But when shit hits the fan during this visit, Kaluuya perfectly shows how uncomfortable Chris is with everything and shows his paranoia. But at the same time, he’s capturing Chris at how he’s trying to keep his cool and not completely lose his head, but also knows he needs to get the hell out of there. Apart from this we see the tortured side of his character when aspects of his past is brought up and Kaluuya just lets out all the emotions his character has been building up. This is such an authentic performance in so many ways, and one that you don’t see too often in horror. We see so many characters that we laugh at and say “oh that’s so me!” but with Kaluuya’s portrayal of Chris, you think, this is a real person acting and thinking like a real person. That is just how much his performance is one worth remembering.

5) Christian Bale as Patrick Bateman in American Psycho
What sets this actor and character apart from the others is that, while the others have more subtle performances that make them incredible, this one is off-the-wall, in your face excellent. Sure, Bale has a few subtly moments in his performance, but when he shows Bateman in full psycho mode, you are immediately freaked out by this guy. And it’s not angry psycho, as most know, but a guy who thinks killing people is just your average routine. And you can see how much he gets a kick out of and has fun with is murders. Bale does all of this so perfectly and disappears into character so well that, like the others, you’re not seeing them as actors, you’re seeing him as Patrick Bateman.

–Cody Landman

The horror genre in my opinion is so underrated in terms of recognition for performances and in some cases the films in general. The Oscars always seem to turn the other cheek towards them, with the exception of a few iconic ones (Misery, Silences of the Lambs, etc.). Besides dramas, I honestly think horror offers the more stronger performances of other genres. The actors and actresses have to convey so much emotion and sometimes really get into the psyche of the characters they play and channel the hell out of them. This isn’t the case for every horror movie of course, but a person can’t deny that there’s a lot of effort to be put into these performances. This is my personal list of my five favorite male and female performances in horror. Some of them are the obvious and iconic performances, and some are performances that definitely deserve to become iconic and ranked with them.

1) Isabelle Fuhrman as Esther in Orphan
With child performances, they can be hit or miss. The performances can be way too “cute” or they can be downright annoying. But with Fuhrman’s performance, it’s mind-blowing how a child turn in such an adult and deranged performance. This another actress who can make you feel unease with subtlety in her performance, and most of it is subtle. With just a look, or how close and in your face she gets in this movie, it’s enough to bring the chills. And when she finally goes full on psycho, you are just in shock of how this little girl is bringing out this psychotic little bitch. Like where the hell does it come from? Fuhrman’s performance is honestly, for me, what makes Orphan such a great movie.

2) Rebecca De Mornay as Mother in Mother’s Day (2010)
Here is yet another performance that, like Goodman’s character in 10CL, is one in which you have no idea what to feel around this character initially. De Mornay first appears as this woman who seems friendly enough, but just has some fucked up kids. And she makes you feel a bit more comfortable despite the chaos that just happened. But her performances takes a gradual turn as you see just how deranged she actually is. She goes full on psycho at the end, and she’s fantastic there, but she’s at her best when she’s punishing or killing these characters for breaking her roles. And the way De Mornay acts like these punishments are justified and reasonable with so much calm and ease is excellent. She makes you fear her calm side more than her full on crazy side.

3) Leah Pipes as Jessica in Sorority Row
This performance is much more different than most because it’s not the villain, nor is it a hero. Leah Pipes plays the queen bee bitch character Jessica so profoundly that she deserves to be in this list. Pipes perfectly balances this line between where you know you’re supposed to hate her character, but yet you fricken love her. Much of Jessica’s character involves many wise-cracks or using her bitch-face. And my god, Pipes nails this. Her comedic timing is so on-point and she perfectly uses bitch face to her advantage. She tackles this character so well, makes you laugh, and often time cheer because of how bad ass she can be that (if you’re like me) you are rooting for her the whole time as opposed to the main lead. And what Pipes brings here is that you know you’re supposed to hate her, and she does make you do that, but she also brings to the table elements where you just can’t help but love the hell out of her. Most actress with this performance would either go one way or the other. But Pipes was a special actress to capture both sides.

4) Neve Campbell as Sidney in the Scream series
It would be unfair to critique Campbell based on just the first film alone. To get a full grasp on Sidney and how Campbell portrays her, you have to look at the series as a whole. In the first film we see Campbell portray Sidney as this pretty tortured girl who had seen her mother murdered. Not only this but also the pressure she feels from Billy. Campbell captures this really well, but there’s more to Sidney than just a tortured character. She has some realism to her character, she’s not Mary Sue nice like Laurie Strode, but she’s a good person who is not afraid to be a bitch when she has to (insert Sidney punching Gale). Even in the moments where we do see Campbell kicking the killer’s ass, you still her conveying the emotional turmoil that Sidney is feeling. This is just the first film. For the rest of the film, we still see the emotional damage that Sidney has, and once again Campbell shows this well, but doesn’t overdo it to where we get annoyed. Campbell shows Sidney’s struggle to try find normalcy in her life but also how she’s haunted and not sure who to trust. When you look at the whole series, you see Neve Campbell showing Sidney’s rise to strength and overcoming all of this emotional barriers she faces and by the forth film she comes character who is willing to chase down her demons instead of running.

5) Rachel McAdams as Lisa in Red Eye
This is one performance I feel is as under-looked as the film itself. McAdams shows Lisa as this workaholic who tries to keep her cool under dire circumstances, but you can also see in her performance how much stress she feels. When Lisa finds herself in the biggest dire circumstance where not only her life, but the life of several others are on the line, this is when McAdams shows her chops big time. The fear and helplessness McAdams shows is pretty heartbreaking and you are waiting for her to reach that moment for her to rise. There are moments sprinkled out where you see Lisa’s cunning and bravery rising in McAdams’ performance, but also her fears are keeping her back. It’s in the final act when McAdams shows Lisa’s courage and anger kick in and we are rooting for her the whole time during the cat and mouse game she plays with Cillian Murphy’s character, and finally when they are in a face to face battle. By the end you are pumped for her character after her ordeal. But then in the very last scene, you know that Lisa has had enough after her ordeal and throwing her calm and collected self out the window by delivering the most epic final line in a movie ever to a couple of characters who totally had it coming. Like Campbell’s portrayal of Sidney, McAdams shows Lisa’s journey into finding strength in herself and overcoming her fears.

–Cody Landman

SPOILER ALERT!!! DO NOT READ IF YOU DON’T WANT TO BE SPOILED FOR THE FOLLOWING FILMS: SAW, CRY_WOLF, THE SKELETON KEY, THE UNINVITED, HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO ME

More often than not, most twist endings these days are pretty predictable or they are carbon copies of other twists. Hell some twists aren’t even twists a lot of the time, but that can also be subjective. However, there are still plenty of twist endings in horror films that can leave you jaw-dropped or immediately want to go pack and pick up on clues you may have missed. And then there are some twists that may be predictable but they’re still enjoyable twists nonetheless. Here are a few of my personal favorites.

1) Saw
Never before have I been so shocked at a film’s ending. And never before have I seen a movie with an audiences who went crazy when it happened, not to mention literally at the very end. The whole time we are thinking the character Zepp is the villain known as Jigsaw. And we have reason to believe this. But what we don’t have reason to believe is that the dead man in the middle of the floor between our two leads is the real Jigsaw and has been listening to and often controlling them the whole time. I can still recall how I felt when the iconic music begins to play as Adam starts the tape and you see John Kramer/Jigsaw rising up and we see Adam’s shocked and horrified expression as he then gets locked in his dark prison to rot. The scene itself is so well done is so many aspect that amplifies the shock of it.

2) Cry_Wolf
This is a film that I find extremely underrated (but that’s another story). Throughout the film we see these young friends playing a prank on the school that a killer is on campus. But coincidentally, the killer they’ve created is brought to life and preying on the group. This is another film that I found myself completely caught off-guard (to an extent). We are given a first twist revealing that the killer wasn’t real, it was all a prank played on the main character Owen, but also a few pranks made on each other within the group. However, this prank results in the death of one of the characters and the main guy is held responsible. We think this is the end of the movie, but we get another twist, and we find out this whole thing was a plot set up by one of the other characters to ensure the death of the deceased character. The main guy figures this out, but the true villain of the story says they’ll get away with it because no one will believe him (he has a track record of lying and troublemaking), leaving the lead screwed. The initial twist is a little predictable, and while it’s still interesting, it wouldn’t have been much of a satisfying conclusion. However, the final twist, I did not have a clue about, it blew my mind. As a result, this make the first twist more enjoyable than it would have been on its own.

3) The Skeleton Key
When this film’s climax approached, I had a vivid idea of what going to happen. I knew the house wasn’t haunted and that the elderly woman Violet (played by Gena Rowlands) was the true villain and was trying to take over Caroline (Kate Hudson), whom has been staying with her to care for her husband. And that the realtor Luke (Peter Sarsgaard) was in on the plot. But the two final shockers I didn’t expect at all. It’s revealed that Violet and Luke aren’t who they seem to be. It turns out their bodies are possessed by the slaves in the story Violet told earlier to Caroline. The couple have been using Hoodoo to transfer their souls into younger bodies in order to have everlasting life (starting with the two children of the family they worked for). Caroline believes she has the ability to defeat this evil and for a moment we think she has. But when she awakes the next morning after being knocked out, it’s revealed the transfer was complete. Caroline is now in the body of Violet, and the slave woman now inhabits Caroline. It’s also revealed that Violet’s husband Ben’s body has been the vessel for Luke’s soul the whole time and Ben was never actual ill from a stroke. It ends with the slave couple (now in Caroline and Luke’s bodies) basking in their glory as the real Caroline and Luke are hauled away in their elderly bodies (obviously to meet death much sooner than they may have anticipated, cause you know, they’re old now). This is a very bleak and dark ending, but the twists involved are so damn good and it leaves you thinking back on all the clues that were right there, and one that you pay closer attention to when you re-watch it.

4) The Uninvited
This film’s twist ending I admit can be really predicted. I didn’t particularly expect it, but despite its predictability I think it’s a great twist to an already pretty dark and engaging story. The lead character Anna comes to realize that her sister Alex has been dead the whole time since she arrived home after being in a mental hospital (and has been in her head the whole time). To add to the twist, Alex (and the girls’ mom) died due to Anna’s actions (accidentally) after trying to kill her father and his mistress. All of this was blocked out of her mind. And the mistress the two sisters are suspecting of killing their mother is actually a decent woman and this whole thing was made up in Anna’s mind due to her hatred of the woman, mixed of course with the fact that Anna is crazy as hell. By the time Anna realizes this, she has already killed the mistress (believing Alex killed her). This is quite a bit too and seems pretty complex, but I still found it a mind-blowing, and also pretty heartbreaking twist. Especially seeing the close bond she has with her sister (the chemistry between Emily Browning and Arielle Kebbel was fantastic) only to find out she died. To make this reveal sequence even better, the performances by Browning, Kebbel, and their father (played by David Strathairn) make it even more affecting.

5) Happy Birthday to Me
This cult classic has hands down the best twist ending of its time. I saw this about 5 years ago or so for the first time after hearing a friend of mine talking a lot about it. Our lead character spends much of the movie believing she has been committing the murders of her classmates. By the end of the movie she’s accepted this. When her father arrives home he sees the dining table surrounded by the dead bodies of the classmates. He then sees in horror as his daughter comes out, now completely crazy. After she kills her father, the REAL lead girl awake from the table. She sees her doppelganger/twin in front of her. She realizes she’s not crazy but still not sure what is happening. Add another twist by revealing this psycho killer is not her twin as the killer pulls off their (rather quite perfect) mask of the main girl and it’s revealed that it’s one of her friends who has faked their death and is seeking revenge (they’re not twins but half-sisters and blaming the main girl for her problems). The films itself isn’t exactly one of my favorite horror movies (it is quite good though), but here again, a twist(s) I sure as hell didn’t see coming, and they are one right after another, just never leaving you time to let your mind catch up. So by the end of the movie you’re thinking “what the f**k?!”

–Cody Landman

Nothing makes us giggle with delight quite like a bad horror movie tagline. More puny, more funny as we always say. Today we’d like to bring to you a collection of taglines that might make you laugh, might make you groan, and might just make you wish it was the 1980’s all over again. What horror movies have your favorite taglines and has a horror movie tagline ever sold you on a movie that you weren’t quite sure about? Let us know in the comments below!

This top 10 favorite Lucio Fulci list comes from our horror friend Alex Aspin. Make sure to follow him on instagram for more horror reviews and pics.

Lucio Fulci is my favorite horror director of all time, and is honestly tied with the likes of Vittorio De Sica, Charlie Chaplin, Akira Kurosawa, and Fritz Lang. So I thought I would honor my
personal favorite horror director with a top ten. So without further ado, lets begin.

10) “Four of the Apocalypse” (1975)

A group of petty criminals consisting of 3 men, and a pregnant woman make their way through the countryside of Wild West Utah while being followed and constantly attacked by Mexican bandits.

Honestly one of my favorite spaghetti westerns. It has everything you would expect from a Fulci film, from mean-spirited sadistic men, wonderful shots, and great locations. This film is a little bit of a slow burner, but it’s never really boring. All of the characters are likable, while at the same time dislikable enough to keep you watching. In my opinion, the film reaches its peak in the second half which takes place in a small town during a snowstorm. There’s just something about snowstorms and westerns that I love. This one might not be for every Fulci fan, especially if you’re one whose only really ever seen his later-career splatter films, but it has enough gore and violence to keep anyone watching. Plus it has Fabio Testi. I mean, c’mon.

9) “The Black Cat” (1981)

A psychic man who has the ability to communicate with the dead, also is able to control a black cat that he uses to take vengeance on his enemies.

I know that in all of my reviews I harp on about camerawork a lot. And I know I say this a lot, but this is honestly one of the most beautifully shot films (at least horror films) I’ve ever seen. Especially the opening scene. This film has lots of beautiful shots of the black cat walking on various rooftops, and walls, and it even has some great POV shots of the cat, which works great for establishing our cats size in comparison to everything else.

Obviously this film is based on the Edgar Allen Poe story. As someone who has always been a Poe fan, I think that probably helps me enjoy the film even more so. I’d highly recommend it to Poe fans and Fulci fans alike, but like the last film, this one is different from the usual Fulci splatter film, and I don’t think it’s for every Fulci fan. Nonetheless, I can still recommend it.

8) “Conquest” (1983)

A warrior (played by Andrea Occipinti) embarks on a journey armed with a magic bow and arrow (given to him by the ghostly god Cronos, to mark his passage into manhood) to rid the land of evil, and defeat the evil witch who wants the bow for evil.

I don’t even know where to begin. There are no words I can use to fully explain how awesome this film is. Extremely gory, and violent, and has some amazing set pieces. Some of the creatures in this film will blow your mind, from the Wookie looking things in league with the evil witch, to the weird mummy zombie things that I can’t put into words. If you haven’t seen this film before, buy it. Just buy it. Don’t even think about it or try to find it online or anything. Just buy it.

7) “A Lizard in a Woman’s Skin” (1971)

A woman has a dream of herself killing her neighbor, only to wake up and find that not only is her neighbor actually dead, but that she is a suspect.

Probably one of the most original giallo films to come out of the giallo golden age. Full of twists and turns, it requires multiple viewings, but still stands alone as an amazing film after is first. Full of incredible dream sequences, and amazing camera work. One I’m sure most Fulci fans, and giallo fans alike have seen.

6) “Don’t Torture a Duckling” (1972)

The townspeople of a rural Italian village work together to solve a series of child murders. This leads to everyone being a suspect, distrust of outsiders, and superstition.

Actually one of the first Fulci films I ever saw. Before I was completely and utterly desensitized, and left an empty husk of a person, this film was actually incredibly shocking to me. This film was actually banned in Italy, and was given an extremely limited theatrical run in Europe, due to its blatant dislike, and criticism towards the Catholic Church. Funny, because this film is full
of dead children’s bodies found face down in the water, or beaten to death, and also contains a buried skeleton of an infant, but what upset the Italian censors was its criticisms on the highly Catholic Italian society.

Lucio Fulci considered this film to be his favorite of his career, and I can definitely see why. If you haven’t seen this one yet, and want to see a genuinely shocking or disturbing giallo, definitely check it out.

5) “Cat in the Brain” (1990)

A horror director (played by Fulci himself) is haunted by nightmares of the many violent scenes in his films. So he decides to start seeing a therapist, who ends up being s psycho serial killer
determined to frame Dr. Fulci for the many crimes modeled after the murders in his films.

This film is nearly impossible to group into any genre, so I have dubbed it as a “Post Proto Slasher”, since it’s similar enough to the proto -slashers of the 70’s, but being made in the 90’s, it obviously can’t be a true proto slasher. Anyway, this film is absurdly gory, and violent, and it’s amazing. I don’t want to say too much about it, mostly because it’s hard to even put it into words. The film leaves you in sort of a meta-overload state of satisfaction from the obscene amounts of gore.

Also, not just because this is the obvious joke to make, but the psycho therapist honestly does look alarmingly like my grandpa.

4) “The New York Ripper” (1982)

A police detective and a psychoanalyst go on the hunt for the person responsible for a brutal series of murders in New York City, where young women are being killed in extremely grisly fashions.

The 80’s was sort of the start of a new (short lived) life for the giallo genre, due to the popularity of the American and Canadian slasher films. And The New York Ripper is in my opinion the best of the gialli to come out of that era. Showing a considerable amount of influence from past gialli, and at the time recent slashers, The New York Ripper is sort of a hybrid between a Giallo, and a slasher; a “spaghetti slasher” if you will. Some of the most noticeable influences for this film are Argento’s “The Bird With The Crystal Plumage”, Brian De Palma’s “Dressed to Kill” (which is a giallo rip off itself) and William Lustig’s “Maniac”. This film contains so much sleaze, and brutal murders throughout its entire duration, it’s sure to make
you feel at least a little uncomfortable. From live sex shows, and women being toe raped, to a woman getting a broken bottle to the crotch and a woman getting her eye slashed with a razor (all on camera for those who haven’t seen it).

I was fairly young the first time I saw this film, so maybe that had something to do with it, but after seeing this film for the first time I genuinely felt anxious every night that my girlfriend got out of work, as she worked nights alone and often had to wait outside after work for her aunt to pick her up, as we were teenagers. If you are a fan of gialli, slashers, gore, sleaze, and just general extreme violence, definitely check this one out.

3) “City of the Living Dead” aka “The Gates of Hell” (1980)

A priest commits suicide by hanging himself in the church cemetery, causing the gates of hell to open, and allowing to dead to walk the earth, and plenty of other supernatural events to take place. In order to close the gates of hell before the dead can take over the earth, a reporter (played by Christopher George) and a psychic must rush to the city of Dunwich, and find a way to close the gates before All Saints Day.

There’s a little bit of a story about this one for me. This was actually the very first Fulci film I ever saw, and probably the first 2 or 3 times I watched it, I hated it. I tried watching it alone, and shut it off. Went to see it with a friend, and he just got up and walked out. And to tell the truth, I don’t know why I ever disliked it. It’s such an incredibly fun, nightmarish film, with some of the best gore I’ve ever seen. Yeah, a lot of the film doesn’t make much sense, and that’s probably what I didn’t like about it being new to Italian horror, as a young teen, but being older now, I realize it’s not supposed to make much sense. It’s a nightmare-logical film, and if you look at it that way, it’s pretty much perfect.

City of the Living Dead also has some of the coolest looking zombies I’ve ever seen too, although they don’t come in until the end of the film. I absolutely love this film, and even though I only watch it every once in a while, every time it ends, I immediately want to re watch it, because it’s really that good.

2) “Zombie Flesh Eaters” aka “Zombie” aka “Zombi 2” (1979)

A group of 4 goes on a search for a woman’s father on a tropical island, but unbeknownst to them, the island is plagued by the dead coming back to life, and they become mixed up in the business of the islands doctor who is trying to figure out what is happening.

This is, in my opinion the greatest zombie film ever made. Although on a greater scale of zombie films overall, this is actually tied with Day of the Dead as my favorite, I do think this is the better film. Everything about this film is just amazing. Set both in New York City, and the tropical island of Matul, every shot of this film is incredible, and every location used is beautiful. Along with all of the beauty of the film, there’s loads of beautiful, mind-blowing gore, and probably the best looking zombies ever put on film. I don’t want to spoil much about it for those who haven’t seen it, so I’m just going to meander on about how beautiful every aspect of this film is.

Look at that. If you’ve never seen this one, and are a fan of zombies, extreme gore, or sharks and zombies fighting under water, this film has it all. I’m going to include a few more screenshots of this one below.

1) “The Beyond” aka “Seven Doors of Death” (1981)

A woman inherits an old hotel in Louisiana, that was build on one of the seven gates of hell, and where a man named Schweik was executed after being accused of being a warlock 50 years earlier. Soon after moving in, and beginning restoring the old motel, a series of supernatural events begin, including a painter being startled by something, causing him to fall off his latter, a plumber getting his eye gouged out by a zombie in the basement, and hallucinations of a zombie Schweik.

This is not only my favorite Fulci film, but my favorite horror film of all time, and my second favorite film overall. This is also my “go to” horror film when showing friends horror films. It’s just so great. I really love the Louisiana setting, even though Louisiana is one of the last places I’d ever want to go. Not that you could expect any less from Fulci, but of course this film is full of amazing gore, from eyes being gouged out, and facing being burned with acid, to a child getting her head blown off. The zombies aren’t as cool looking in this one as they are in Zombie Flesh Eaters, and resemble the zombies from Let Sleeping Corpses Lie more than anything, they’re still great and way more convincing than anything you’ll see today.

If you somehow haven’t seen any of the films on this list, and are only ever going to check out one of them, make it this one. Just go buy it immediately. Just buy the Grindhouse blu ray immediately. Or if you live in the UK, and it’s cheaper, immediately buy the Arrow blu.

And there you have it. My top 10 favorite films by the Italian master of horror, and worlds most beautiful man, Dr. Lucio Fulci.

Before I go, I would like to give an honorable mention to a film that just barely missed the cut.

“Contraband” (1980)

Great Italian crime film, starring Fabio Testi about rival groups of smugglers in Naples fighting for their turf. This results in our main characters brother being kidnapped by the rival gang, and they have to team up with the Mafia, and the police in order to find his brother.

I hope everyone enjoyed my list. This was definitely the most fun list I’ve made so far. Let me know some of your favorite Fulci films in the comments.

This top 10 slasher list comes from our horror friend Alex Aspin. Make sure to follow him on instagram for more horror reviews and pics.

1) “My Bloody Valentine” (1981)
A small town is haunted by the memories of a massacre on Valentine’s Day, after an accident in a mine. 20 years later, they decide to organize their first Valentine’s Day dance since the massacre, and the killings start again.

This was one of the first movies I just had to re-watch immediately after my first time viewing, and to this day is one of the first horror films I show to people.

2) “The Burning” (1981)
A summer camp groundskeeper is burned beyond recognition due to a prank gone wrong. 10 or so years later he is released from the hospital, he returns to the summer camp to stalk and kill the campers.

Another film I feel is necessary to show to everyone I know. This film, and My Bloody Valentine usually bounce back and forth as my #1, but for the sake of this list, i decided to make this one #2, but I love it just as much. I can’t say enough good things about it.

3) “Blood Rage” (1987)
Filmed in 1983, but shelved until 1987 under the title “Nightmare at Shadow Woods”, Blood Rage brings everything necessary for being considered a top tier slasher.

In the beginning, we see twin brothers Terry, and Todd as children at the drive-in with their mother. 10 year Terry kills a man in his car, and blames it on Todd. Todd is then institutionalized. 10 years later on Thanksgiving, Todd escapes from the hospital, while at the same time a killing spree has started in the neighborhood. But has the real killer been among them the entire time? (Spoiler: Yes, he has)

I had never seen Blood Rage until Arrow Video released it on Blu ray, and it immediately became one of my favorites. I think I watched it 3 times the day I got it in the mail, once alone, once with my girlfriend, and once with the commentary on. If you want to check this one out, I recommend just buying the Arrow Video blu ray. It comes completely packed with extras, and 3 cuts of the film.

4) “Intruder” (1988)
The night crew of a supermarket that’s going out of business find themselves being stalked and killed one
by one. Great atmosphere, score, and insane over the top kills. Out of all the films I love to show people, this is honestly probably my favorite, just because I love seeing how people react to the twist ending, and some of the incredible kills.

5) “The Dorm that Dripped Blood” (1982)
A group of college students decide to stay on campus during Christmas break to help clean out their dorms, only to find themselves being stalked and killed.

I honestly didn’t care for this film the first few times I saw it, but after time with each viewing it continued to grow on me, and I’ve heard similar stories from others. I love literally everything about this film. From the score, to the kills, to the atmosphere and location. Not one I find my non-horror fan friends enjoying all that much, but I love it, and would recommend it to any slasher fan.

6) “Nightmares in a Damaged Brain” (1981)
A man is haunted by, and literally driven to the point of insanity by constant nightmares of a traumatic (and extremely gory) experience as a child, and eventually embarks on a gore soaked killing spree. Among this, in what was one of the most notorious banned films on the UK’s Video Nasty list, we find; extreme gore, frothing mouths, annoying children, explicit nudity in 42nd Street sex shops, and all the screams from a grown man going insane you can handle. Highly recommend to anybody, slasher fan or not.

7) “Stagefright” (1987)
A group of actors lock themselves in the theater they’re rehearsing their new play in, after one of the actresses is murdered, while the police keep watch outside, however the killer has already found himself into the theater and is locked in there with him.

Anyone who knows me knows that Euro horror, and especially Italian horror is my favorite type of horror. And Stagefright has to be one of the best Italian slasher films. There’s nothing about this film I don’t enjoy. If you want to see a great Italian slasher film, with a killer Owl, and some great kills, check it out.

8) “Madman” (1982)
A small town with an urban legend about a farmer who murdered his family, and was hanged for his crimes, only to escape into the woods. The legend says if you say his name “Madman Marz” above a whisper, he’ll come and kill you. And of course the obnoxious teenagers in the woods ignore what they’re told, and yell his name in the woods, only to find themselves being killed off one by one

I first saw this film on a British imported Anchor Bay DVD. The PQ wasn’t the greatest, but I couldn’t get enough of the film. It’s not too overly gory, but all of the kills are memorable and fun. I highly recommend anyone pick up either the Arrow Video, or Vinegar Syndrome blu rays. Both use the same transfer, and the film looks amazing.

9) “Slaughter High” (1986)
A prank gone wrong leaves a student horribly burned and disfigured. 10 years later, they’re all invited to a “high school reunion” where they find themselves alone in their abandoned high school, getting killed off one, by one. This is actually my girlfriends favorite slasher film. It’s a really fun, extremely 80’s slasher with some brutal kills. If you like 80’s punk rock, killers in Jester masks, exploding stomachs, and annoying teenage bullies, I highly recommend this film.

10) “Curtains” (1983)
A group of actresses are brought to an isolated mansion in the middle of winter to audition for a new film, only to find themselves being killed off, naturally.
Curtains has an atmosphere like no other film. The location is amazing, and the winter setting makes it all the more haunting. The killers mask definitely adds to the creepiness as well. If you’ve never seen this one, check it out just for the ice skating murder scene alone.

And there you have it. My personal top 10 slasher films, as of right now.

Make sure to follow Alex on Instagram for more horror pics and reviews: https://www.instagram.com/hossst/