In recent year, Korean horror films have become all the rage among knowledgeable movie buffs.  With their bizarre–and often gory–plotlines, Korean horror movies have mirrored the success of their counterparts in Japan.  In fact, modern Japanese horror is referred to a J-Horror, while Korea offers wicked cinematic morsels known as K-Horror.

This article looks at the lean years of Korean cinema and tracse its steps all the way to the modern horror explosion.  I’ll discuss some of the scariest Korean horror films, as well as some of the best-known Korean horror directors.  By the time you’re done reading, you’ll hopefully have a much better idea of the current state of Korean horror cinema.

Korean Horror Cinema – The Lean Years

During its early years, the cinema of South Korea was plagued by a number of problems: civil war, national division, censorship, and restrictive film regulations.  Following World War II, American films also began to have a significant presence in Korea, making it very difficult for local filmmakers to compete with the big-budget Hollywood production.

During this period, Korean movies tended to be low-budget affairs, usually falling into the categories of horror, melodrama or comedy.  Despite their American competition, these films still proved popular with South Korean citizens.

That all changed in 1973, when the film industry was severely altered by the military government of the time.  South Korean filmmakers were suddenly tasked with helping to revive the moral character of a nation, and films tended to either be adaptations of literary works or thinly-veiled pieces of government propaganda (or both).  These films usually lost money at the box office, and studios were forced to churn out low-budget erotica in order to turn a profit.

These strict regulations would last for 20 years, and the ‘80s were a particular low point in Korean cinema.  During this decade, and even into the ‘90s, the domestic market share for Korean films fell to under 20 percent.  That means of all the money spent by moviegoers in Korea, less than 20 percent of it was being spent on homegrown films.

Things finally started to turn around in the ‘90s, and Korean cinema began reaping the benefits of a stable economy, reasonable government, and less restrictive film policy.  Former Korean President Kim Dae-jung established the Korean Film Commission to help fund artistic films, and Samsung became one of the industries largest investors in the new millennium.

By the end of the ‘90s, Korean films were selling more tickets locally than American films such as The Matrix and Titanic.  This led to increased budgets for Korean filmmakers and the willingness of studios to try more ambitious projects.

The Rise of Korean Horror Movies

In 1998, Korean horror films got a shot in the arm with the release of Whispering Corridors.  Set in a Korean high school, the film concerns a ghastly series of murders which may be tied to the spirit world.  While the movie was designed to frighten audiences, it also offered subtle criticism of the Korean educational system.  Whispering Corridors was a success at the box office, and the melding of imperiled schoolgirls and malevolent spirits proved to be a popular combination.  The movie would spawn two sequels and become the first Korean horror movie to leave a real impression on local moviegoers.

The following year saw Memento Mori released in Korean theaters.  A sequel of sorts to Whispering Corridors, it involves a schoolgirl being tormented by an invisible assailant.  Korean censors forced the filmmakers to remove some material relating to certain sexual taboos, but the movie was still met with a decent level of enthusiasm.

With the success of Whispering Corridors and Memento Mori, studios began to see Korean horror films as a viable investment.  This led to increased budgets, which resulted in better production values and a stronger overall product for consumers.  Only a few years later, Korean and international audiences would be gripped by the phenomenon known as K-Horror.

K-Horror

The term K-Horror simply means “Korean Horror,” much as the term J-Horror refers to Japanese horror films.  While the J-Horror explosion was sparked by the film Ringu (remade in America as The Ring), K-Horror really took off with the 2003 debut of Kim Ji-Wun’s A Tale of Two Sisters in 2003.  Considered a technical masterpiece, the film was a commercial and critical success, and it has even been remade for the U.S. market (as 2009‘s The Uninvited).  Prior to A Tale of Two Sisters, other notable South Korean horror releases included Wishing Stairs (2003), Phone (2002), H (2002), Memories (2002), and The Uninvited (2003).

While some K-Horror films are noted for gory effects, many choose to focus instead on the suffering and misery of their characters.  These films are also known for their use of long camera shots and periods of uncomfortable silence.  Much like Japanese films, some of the scariest Korean horror movies may also feature the vengeful spirits known as Onryo.

A recent hit from the Korean horror genre was 2006’s The Host, directed by Bong Joon-ho.  It concerns a rampaging monster which takes away a little girl, and her family is then forced into a desperate rescue attempt.  While it contains many elements of a horror film, it also adds liberal amounts of drama and comedy.  The Host broke numerous box office records in South Korea, and it became the country’s highest-grossing film of all time.  The film was even shown on U.S. screens during a limited run.

Since the success of The Host, other notable South Korean horror films have included APT (2006), Evil Twin (2007), Muoi: The Legend of a Portrait (2007), Death Bell (2008), Loner (2008) and Voices (2008).

Korean Horror Movie Directors

In case you‘re wondering about the best Korean horror movie directors to follow, here are a few names you might want to become familiar with.  As the Korean horror craze continues, these men remain on the cutting edge.

Ahn Byeong-ki - His films include Nightmare (2000), Phone (2002), Bunshinsaba (2004), and APT (2006).

Bong Joon-ho – His most famous work is The Host, the 2006 monster movie which dominated the South Korean box office in 2006.  He has also directed Barking Dogs Never Bite (2000), Memories of Murder (2003) and Mother (2009).

Kim Ji-woon – While he is known for having started the K-Horror craze with A Tale of Two Sisters, Kim has also worked in a wide array of movie genres.  Other works include The Quiet Family (1998), The Foul King (2000), A Bittersweet Life (2005), and The Good, the Bad, the Weird (2008).

Park Chan-wook – Having directed the highly successful Vengeance Trilogy (Sympathy for Mr. Vengeance (2002), Oldboy (2003) and Sympathy for Lady Vengeance (2005)), Park has become an internationally-known filmmaker.  His films are often known for their technical proficiency and their brutality.  Other works include JSA (2000), I’m a Cyborg, But That’s OK (2006) and Thirst (2009).

Kong Su-chang – A Korean horror director known for the films Tell Me Something and R-Point.

Kim Dong-bin – Has directed The Ring Virus and Redeye.

Park Ki-hyeong -The Korean horror director of Whispering Corridors and Acacia.

Scary movies have undergone a revitalization in recent years, and much of this can be attributed to the success of Japanese horror movies, also known J-Horror movies.  Japanese horror films usually have a distinctive narrative and visual style, often with strong violence and sexuality.  Many of the best Japanese horror films also draw from the folklore and cultural mythology of their native land.

This post looks at the beginnings of Japanese horror, the era of exploitative cinema, and the modern J-Horror craze.  Important Japanese horror directors will be examined, as well as the phenomenon of the yurei (or Japanese ghosts).

Japanese Horror Movies – The Early Years

The first true Japanese horror movie was Ugetsu (1953).  Unlike today’s gory Japanese horror movies, these early Japanese horror pictures were more supernatural in nature, often emphasizing suspense and tension.  Other influential Japanese horror films of this early period include The Ghosts of Kasane Swamp (1957), The Mansion of the Ghost Cat (1958), The Ghost of Otsu (1959), Jigoku (1960), Onibaba (1964) and Kwaidan (1964).

Kwaidan is significant as the precursor to the modern Japanese ghost story movies which have become so popular.  In fact, the word kwaidan literally translates to “ghost story.”  Besides dealing with the spirit world, many of these early Japanese horror movies also served as morality tales, extolling the virtues of loyalty, honesty, and determination.

But the high point of this era is considered to be the release of Onibaba.  The film doesn’t shy away from sex and violence, and many viewers of the time were shocked by the amount of on-screen nudity.  Because of this, it’s usually viewed as a more ambitious and edgy work than its contemporaries.  It should also be noted that Jigoku, made four years prior to Onibaba, also includes graphic depictions of sex and violence which were considered groundbreaking for their time.

At the same time that these early Japanese horror films were being produced, Japan was also beginning to mimic the popularity of American science-fiction films with works such as Godzilla (1954), Gamera (1965) and Attack of the Mushroom People (1963).  Godzilla proved especially popular, and the Godzilla horror movie franchise has spawned over 20 films and untold millions in merchandising.

Japanese Exploitation Films

During the late ‘60s, the world was in turmoil, and this is reflected in not only American cinema but also in Japanese horror movies of the period.  Much like their Western counterparts, Japanese filmmakers used this as an opportunity to stretch the limits of how much sex and violence could be depicted on film.

“Pink Films” became popular in Japan during this time, and these were essentially softcore porn movies combined with elements of sci-fi or horror.  A number of sub-genres also developed from the Pink Film craze.  One was known as “ero guro,” and it combined both grotesque and erotic imagery.  Examples of this sub-genre include Blind Beast (1969) and Horrors of the Malformed Men (1969).

Another sub-genre of the Pink film was known as “pinky violence.” These films featured the expected amount of eroticism, but they also included large amounts of graphic violence aimed at women.  Women were often held captive, and some of the more popular films featured schoolgirls, nuns or women convicts.  One example of this type of film was 1972’s Female Prisoner 701: Scorpion.

“Splatter Eros” was a sub-genre of the pink film which became popular in the ‘80s.  With the popularity of splatter films in the U.S., these films combined graphic violence directed at women with scenes of rape and sexual humiliation.  1986’s Entrails of a Virgin was a particularly notorious example of this kind of film.  Other films included Entrails of a Beautiful Woman and Female Inquisitor.

During this period, not all Japanese exploitation films included high levels of sensuality.  The Guinea Pig series, for example, rejected the eroticism of the pink films in favor of realistic depictions of murder and death.  They were so realistic, in fact, that the series was eventually banned by the Japanese government.  Years later, actor Charlie Sheen would view one of these films and report it to the FBI as a possible snuff film: it wasn’t, of course.

Other brutal films of the period included Evil Dead Trap (1988) and All Night Long (1992).  Less controversial Japanese horror movies were also being made during this time, including such works as Hiruko the Goblin (1991) and The Guard from Underground (1992).

The J-Horror Movies Craze

J-Horror (which stands for “Japanese Horror”) appeared in the late ‘90s.  The craze was spawned by the release of Ringu in 1998.  This film was a return to the ghost stories of old, and it has since generated a number of sequels and American remakes.  Besides being the highest-grossing Japanese horror movie, Ringu is also considered among the scariest Japanese horror films.

Many modern Japanese horror movies tend to focus on themes of the supernatural, with malevolent ghosts often stalking schoolchildren and unlucky Asian beauties.  These Japanese ghost stories can be traced all the way back to the country’s Edo and Meiji periods.

The ghosts depicted in these films are known as yurei, and they are kept on the physical plane by emotions such as hate and revenge.  They often take the form of pale female ghosts with stringy, black hair (the hair dates back to Kabuki theatre). White clothing is worn, as this is the traditional color of a Japanese funeral garb.  Other elements included from Japanese folklore include shamanism, exorcism, possession and precognition.

Here are some other J-Horror films which you might find interesting.  While opinions vary, any one of these works could be considered among the scariest Japanese horror films.

Ju-on (also known as The Curse of The Grudge) – A popular straight-to-video release involving a killer curse.  A number of American remakes and sequels are available.

Kairo (also known as Pulse) – Ghosts come back into the world via the internet.  It was remade in the United States as Pulse in 2006.

Dark Water – The spirit of a dead child returns to interact with the living.  Also has an American remake starring Jennifer Connelly.

One Missed Call – People receive a phone call which causes them to die.  Their phone then calls someone else, and the cycle continues.  Remade in the U.S..

Shikoku - Another film about the spirit of a young child unable to leave the physical plane.  It’s also got a crazy mother who practices dark magic.

Rasen - The sequel to Ringu, released at the same time as the original film.

Audition - A 1999 Japanese horror film about a lonely man’s search for a female companion.  Unfortunately, he chooses the absolute worst woman possible.  The last 25 minutes of this film certainly qualify it as one of the best Japanese horror movies ever.

Cure - A series of brutal killing take place, and each victim has an X carved into their chest.  But each murder is committed by a different killer, and they can’t remember why.

Noroi (also known as The Curse) – Filmed as a mockumentary, this film is unusually long for a horror film at over two hours.  The film’s tagline promises that everyone will die.

Cursed - A haunted convenience store starts to claim the lives of customers.

Suicide Club – Wave after wave of Japanese residents start committing suicide, many of them high school age children.  Great opening scene when dozens of schoolgirls jump in front of an oncoming subway train.

Marebito - A man explores tunnels deep beneath the city.  He finds a naked girl chained up, and he takes her home.  He quickly realizes, however, that something is not natural about the girl.

Strange Circus – A wheelchair-bound novelist creates disturbing works involving incest, rape, murder and suicide.  But do these stories have something to do with the author’s past?

Tokyo Gore Police – In the near future, mutants and cops wage war in the streets of Tokyo.  Gory.

Versus - Zombies, gangsters and lots of gunfights.  And don’t forget about the reincarnation angle.

Japanese Horror Movie Directors

A large number of Japanese horror movie directors have enjoyed popularity during the J-Horror era:

Hideo Nakata – Making his directorial with Ghost Actress (1996), this eventually enabled him to direct the popular Ringu (1998).  Other notable works include Ringu 2 (1999), Dark Water (2002), The Ring Two (2005), The Ring Three (2009), and Death Note: L, Change the World (2007).

Masaki Kobayashi - The director of the groundbreaking Kwaidan.  He passed away in 1996 at the age of 80.

Nubuo Nakagawa – Famous for folk-inspired horror films of the ‘50s and ‘60s.  His most well-known films remains the 1960 classic, Jigoku.

Takashi Miike - A controversial filmmaker known for graphic depictions of on-screen violence.  His work includes Ichi the Killer (2001), Audition, and MPD Psycho.  He was invited to direct an episode for Showtime’s Masters of Horror series, but his completed film, Imprint, was deemed to be too disturbing for the network to air (although it is available on DVD).

Takashi Shimizu – Known for the Ju-on series of Japanese horror movies (and directing the American remakes), he also created 2004’s Marebito.

Kiyoshi Kurosawa – His first major work was 1997’s serial killer film, Kyua (Cure).  This was followed by Charisma (1999), Pulse (2001) and Doppelganger (2003).

Sion Sono – A poet and filmmaker best known for directing Strange Circus and Suicide Circle (also known as Suicide Club).

Tsuruta Norio - This Japanese horror director has made Borei Gakkyu (A Haunted School) (1996), Ring 0: Birthday (2000), Kakashi (Scarecrow) (2001), and Yogen (Premonition) (2004).

The words “Italian horror” are enough to send shivers of excitement up the spines of hardcore horror fans around the globe. Sure, these movies may sometimes contain lackluster acting and bad dubbing, but Italian horror films are also known for brutal violence and plenty of gore (with neither women nor children being spared). Often containing surreal scenes and plotlines, Italian horror movies tend to be a breath of fresh air when compared to their more formulaic cousins from the United States.

While the scariest Italian horror tends to be found in the films of the ‘70s and ‘80s, the tradition of Italian horror movies stretches back all the way to the ‘50s. In recent years, the number of genre films have suffered a notable decline, but the occasional brutal gem still gets made.

Below, I have attempted to give an overview of the Italian horror movie industry. While this list is by no means complete, it should serve as a guide to some of the more essential Italian horror movies and Italian horror directors. If you see even one movie on this list–and enjoy it–then I’ll feel as though my efforts haven’t been in vain.

Origins of the Italian Horror Movie

To find the origins of Italian horror, we must journey back to 1956. It was in this year that director and sculptor Riccardo Freda made I Vampiri (also known as The Devil’s Commandment), a film revolving around young women being abducted and having their blood drained. While the film was a box office disappointment, it did pave the way for more successful Italian horror movies. It should also be noted that Freda left the project with two days to go, and the film was completed by a cameraman named Mario Bava (who would himself go on to become one of the best-known Italian horror directors).

In 1960, Renato Polselli directed The Vampire and the Ballerina, but it wasn’t met with much enthusiasm. At this point, the Italian horror movement looked to be over before it even got started. That all changed later in 1960, however, as Mario Bava exploded onto the scene with The Mask of Satan (also known as Black Sunday in the U.S.). Considered one of the all-time scariest Italian horror films, The Mask of Satan told the story of a witch who returned from the grave to seek revenge on the descendents of her killers.

The film was a hit in Italy and abroad, and many critics pointed to Bava’s intricate use of light and shadow to create mood and tension. The film launched Bava’s directorial career, and it also served as a star vehicle for actress Barbara Steele (who would star in a total of nine Italian horror movies).

With the origin of Italian horror now firmly set, the genre was allowed to flourish throughout the rest of the ‘60s. Riccardo Freda (under the pseudonym Robert Hampton) returned to the horror genre with The Terror of Dr. Hitchcock (aka The Horrible Dr. Hichcock) in 1962 and a sequel, Ghost, in 1963. Antonio Margheriti made Castle of Blood in 1964, and later that year the Italian horror director would also release The Virgin of Nueremburg and The Long Hair of Death.

Mario Bava was especially busy during this period. Coming off his success with The Mask of Satan, Bava followed up with The Evil Eye (1961), Black Sabbath (1963), What!The Whip and the Body AKA (1963), Blood and Black Lace (1964), and Kill, Baby, Kill (1968). The latter, a story about a series of murders in a small village, is considered another high point of the Italian horror movie genre.

Rise of the Giallo

Giallo, a style of Italian horror film known for its combination of sex and violence, emerged onto the cinematic landscape in the ‘70s. In Italian, the word giallo means “yellow,” which indicates its origins in cheap paperback mystery novels with yellow covers. In English, the word has come to mean an entire range of Italian horror films, especially those with unique musical scores (often featuring the works of composer Ennio Morricone or the rock band Goblin), stylized scenes of blood and mayhem, nudity, and creative camerawork. While many of these films retained the element of mystery found in their literary predecessors, the conventions of the slasher film were also added. Themes of paranoia and madness are also quite common. In their native land, these films are known as “Giallo all’italiana” or “Thrilling.”

While these giallo films were separate from those of the gothic-horror genre, the two began to combine over time. This resulted in even more creative cinematic endeavors, and a legion of devoted fans flocked to such films. Many giallo were not initially well-received in the U.S., however, as the films were often poorly dubbed and re-edited. But their fan base grew over time, establishing the reputations of Italian horror directors such as Lucio Fulci, Umberto Lenzi, Pupi Avati, Dario Argento, Mario Bava, Sergio Martino and Aldo Lado.

The first giallo film, The Girl Who Knew Too Much, actually appeared in 1962, and it was made by none other than Mario Bava. Now a veteran director, the former cameraman for Riccardo Freda cemented the popularity of the genre in 1964 when he made Blood and Black Lace (or Six Women for an Assassin). While containing a whodunit aspect, the film was also shockingly violent for the time. Bava would later make the giallo films Five Dolls for an August Moon (1970) and Bay of Blood (or Twitch of the Death Nerve) (1971).

Of all the Italian horror directors, the one to become best-known to international audiences was Dario Argento. With his unique visual style and over-the-top violence, Argento brought giallo into the Italian mainstream and provided a face for the global horror community. His first film, Bird With the Crystal Plumage, was released in 1970 and inspired a number of Italian horror movies containing the names of animals. Argento’s next films were Cat o’ Nine Tails and Four Flies on Grey Velvet, both released in 1971.

Dario Argento made Deep Red (or Profondo Rosso) in 1976. It took giallo films to new heights, and while it did retain a certain narrative structure, Argento was clearly more interested in exploring visual symbology throughout the movie. The trademark Dario Argento violence is still present in Deep Red, as teeth are bashed out, heads are decapitated, and one unlucky victim is severely scalded in a bathtub full of water.

Giallo films would continue to be popular throughout the ‘70s and ‘80s, with the following titles being some of the best examples of the genre:

• The Strange Vice of Mrs. Wardh (aka Next!) (Sergio Martino, 1971)
• Don’t Torture a Duckling (Lucio Fulci, 1972)
• Your Vice is a Locked Room and Only I Have the Key (Sergio Martino, 1972)
• What Have You Done to Solange? (Massimo Dallamano, 1972)
• Torso (Sergio Martino, 1973)
• Eyeball (Umberto Lenzi, 1974)
• A Dragonfly for Each Corpse (Leon Klimovsky, 1974)
• The Psychic (Lucio Fulci, 1977)
• Tenebrae (Dario Argento, 1982)
• The New York Ripper (Lucio Fulci, 1982)
• Deliria (Michele Soavi, 1987)
• Opera (Dario Argento, 1988)

The Golden Age of Italian Horror Movies

The Italian horror movement entered its golden age with the release of Dario Argento’s Suspiria in 1976. This was followed up by his equally influential Inferno in 1980. During this period, many Italian horror films were also turning to themes of zombies and demonic possession, obviously inspired by movies such as Dawn of the Dead and The Exorcist. Lucio Fulci’s Zombi II (1979), for example, remains a film which is still talked about due to its high gore content and the surrealistic showdown between a zombie and a shark. Gates of Hell, also known as City of the Living Dead (1980), is another Lucio Fulci film which still receives attention from fans of Italian horror movies. Exceedingly graphic, Gates of Hell features a scene in which a character vomits up her own intestines (in reality, the actress actually vomited up sheep intestines).

As the zombie genre continued to grow in popularity, a number of cannibal-themed films also began to get made. The most notorious of these is Cannibal Holocaust, made in 1980 by Ruggero Deodato. In it, a documentary crew heads into the Amazon jungle to search for a mythical tribe of cannibals. In order to get more interesting footage, they take to raping, torturing and killing the natives they encounter. Besides the extreme violence simulated in the film, Cannibal Holocaust is also known for showing the real-life deaths of a number of animals. Deodato continued to work in the genre after this film, with 1993’s Washing Machine widely regarded as his other notable work.

Mario Bava’s son, Lamberto Bava, also made his mark with films such as Demons (1985) and Demons II (1987). Lamberto Bava outdid those who were ripping off The Exorcist or Dawn of the Dead or by combining the themes of zombies and demonic possession into one film.

The Decline of Italian Horror Movies

As the 1990s rolled around, the momentum of the Italian horror film had started to slow. Dario Argento tried his hand at Hollywood, but the results were disappointing. Mario Bava passed away in 1980, and Lucio Fulci died in 1996.

One of the few significant Italian horror movies to be released in the ‘90s was Cemetery Man (aka Dellamorte Dellamore), directed by Michele Soavi. Starring Rupert Everett, Cemetery Man tells the story of a cemetery caretaker whose corpses won’t stay in the ground. Filled with plenty of nudity, gore, and dark comedy, many credit it with single-handedly keeping the Italian horror movie alive during the decade.

But by the dawn of the new millennium, the state of the genre was rapidly deteriorating. Dario Argento’s movies lacked their former visceral power, Sergio Martino had transitioned to working in Italian television, and even Lamberto Bava expressed a preference for making movies aimed at children.

At the same time, the mainstream Italian cinema was experiencing a resurgence led by men such as Giuseppe Tornatore, Gabriele Salvatore, Roberto Benigni and Nanni Moretti. This, coupled with the explosion of the Asian horror market, served to diminish the popularity of Italian horror films both at home and on the international market.

As of this writing, the horror genre has been somewhat forgotten in Italian cinema. While fans can still choose from hundreds of “classics,” anyone looking for new Italian horror films will have to wait patiently until the next Argento, Bava or Fulci comes along and reignites the industry.

If you are old enough, you might remember growing up and watching some of the old horror movies from the 1970’s. They were groundbreaking in terms of terror, gore, and (in some cases) outright corniness. These early films really pushed the envelope as far as setting up the foundation for the horror movies today. They created the clichés, the atmosphere, and the buckets of blood that were splashed around haphazardly across the screen. If you missed out on that classic decade, here is a list of 100 horror films from the 70’s.

Hammer Flicks

These British horror films are a favorite of any horror fan. Produced by Hammer Films in Britain, they were low budget but used quality British acting talent.

1. The Horror of Frankenstein (1971) – This film parodies the Frankenstein story. Follows the story of the arrogant Baron Von Frankenstein, a descendant of the original Baron. He drops out of medical school after knocking up the dean’s daughter and sets up a lab to experiment with dead bodies.
2. Taste the Blood of Dracula (1970) – Starring Christopher Lee. A traveler in Europe collects the dead Dracula’s ring, cape, and blood. After drinking the blood mixture, he turns into Dracula who then gets to continue his rampage.
3. Dracula AD 1972 (1972) – At the beginning, Dracula and Van Helsing die when the coach they are dueling on crashes. 100 years later, Dracula is resurrected, and it’s up to the descendants of Van Helsing to stop him.
4. Blood from the Mummy’s Tomb (1972) – Originally a support movie for another production, this flick has an explorer venturing out to discover the cursed tomb of the mummy and bring it back to London. Later his daughter grows up to bear a striking resemblance to the Egyptian queen in the sarcophagus.
5. Lust for a Vampire (1971) – A writer falls in love with a young woman at a finishing school. But she is secretly a vampire and does her best to finish him off.
6. Countess Dracula (1972) – A Countess in Hungary kills young women and bathes in their blood to keep her eternal beauty. To hide her secret she takes the role of her own daughter which works fine until her actual daughter shows up.
7. Frankenstein and the Monster From Hell (1974) – The now insane Dr. Frankenstein is the resident surgeon of an insane asylum. With the help an accomplice, they try to create another monster who wreaks havoc on the inmates.
8. Scars of Dracula (1970) – A swarm of bats kill all the women and children in a village. When the bats drip the villager’s blood on his remains, Dracula is (again) brought back to life. After a man disappears near the count’s castle, his brother and fiancée come looking for him.
9. Twins of Evil (1972) – Twins sisters, one good and one evil, are sent to live with their puritanical aunt and uncle after the death of their parents. Turns out ol’ Uncle belongs to a secret brotherhood that hunts down witches and satanists.
10. Vampire Circus (1972) – When a vampire count is killed, a traveling circus led by the count’s vampire cousin shows up and takes his vengeance out on the town.

Vincent Price Movies

Some consider him to be the grandfather of horror movies. With is creepy voice and penetrating stare, he has become an icon of past creepy films. Even Michael Jackson got him to do a voice over on his Thriller album.

11. Cry of the Banshee (1970) – While not the best of his films, it is one of Price’s earliest horror flicks. He plays an evil landlord out to destroy a coven of witches. To get rid of the pesky landlord, the witches summon a banshee to kill him and his family.
12. Abominable Dr. Phibes (1971) – One of the best of Price’s horror movies. He plays the disfigured Dr. Phibes who wants to get revenge against the surgeons who failed to save his wife. He goes about setting up elaborate ways for the victims to die using the ten plagues if Egypt as inspiration.
13. Theatre of Blood (1973) – Vincent Price pushed his acting chops as he plays a murderous Shakespearian actor who is out to get the critics who gave him bad reviews. He uses scenes from the various stage plays to pull off the murders.
14. Dr. Phibes Rises Again (1972) – Price reprises his role as the murderous doctor. Waking up from years of hibernation, the doctor continues his quest to revive his not-quite-but-darn-near dead wife. He retrieves a map to a spring of eternal youth in Egypt but there is competition for the map.
15. Mad House (1974) – The perfect role for Price. He plays a famous horror movie actor who suffers a nervous breakdown. As his mind spirals into madness, his fellow cast and crew members start dying similar to the way characters did in his movies.
16. Scream and Scream Again (1970) – This obscure Vincent Price movie involved a serial killer and missing body parts. Kind of confusing but worth a watch for any horror fan.
17. Once Upon A Midnight Scary (1979) – Okay, this one is not a movie but anyone who likes Vincent Price should see this one. It was an hour-long television special where Price narrates three tales in that great storytelling voice of his: The Legend of Sleepy Hollow, The Ghost Belonged to Me, and The House With The Clock in Its Walls.
18. An Evening With Edgar Allan Poe (1971) – Again, this was a television special. Price recites three tales by Edgar Allan Poe while dressed up in costumes. The stories are The Black Cat, The Pit and the Pendulum, and the Cask of Amontillado.

Foreign 70s Horror Movies

The U.S. is not the only country to ever produce a horror flick. Foreign countries have proved very adept at capturing the genre’s elements on film. Some are good and some are cheese but they are all entertaining. These films were all produced outside the U.S.

19. A Bell From Hell (1973) – A Spanish film where a man is released from an insane asylum. He decides to get revenge against his aunt and her three daughters who had him placed in the asylum so they could get ahold of his inheritance.
20. Curse of the Devil (1973) – Another movie from Spain, this one is about a count who destroys a coven of witches only to be cursed. Years later an ancestor of his triggers the curse which turns him into a werewolf.
21. The Tenant (1976) – Directed by Roman Polanski, this French movie follows a tenant, played by Polanski, who moves into an apartment where a woman committed suicide. He comes to believe that the neighbors drove the woman to suicide and are now trying to do the same thing to him…
22. Necrophagus (1971) – A Spanish horror film that may be a bit difficult to follow because of the flashbacks and weird narrative but still worth a watch. After the death of his wife, a man goes back to his family’s castle to investigate her death. He discovers a cannibalistic monster and creepy relatives.
23. Profondo Rosso aka Deep Red (1975) – An Italian thriller, the story revolves around a guy who witnesses the murder of a psychic. He then goes around trying to solve the crime while avoiding becoming Victim #2.
24. The Vampire Happening (1971) – This one is more of a tongue-in-cheek movie than real horror. A young woman inherits a castle in Transylvania (where all the vampires seem to live). When she goes there to try to sell the place, she accidentally releases the castle’s vampires. Filmed in Germany.
25. All The Colors Of The Dark (1972) – A great gothic Italian flick, a woman has witnessed tragedy all her life. When her baby dies in a car crash, she seeks a way to get rid of the nightmares. Naturally, she ends up participating in a coven’s ritual to solve her problems.
26. The Blood Stained Shadow (1978) – An Italian giallo murder mystery film that follows two brothers, one a professor the other a priest, as they try to uncover a series of murders in their hometown. A classic by director Antonio Bido.
27. Zombi 2 (1979) – Probably one of the best zombie films of all time and one of the earliest zombies-take-over-the-world films. When a boat shows up in New York harbor carrying a rotting zombie, a woman goes looking for her father on an island where the dead rise.
28. Bay of Blood (1971) – Another great Italian horror flick. In this one, another serial killer works his way through the movie hacking and stabbing anybody he can get his hands on. Truly gory for its time and a predecessor to slasher films of the future.

70s Comedy Horror

Not all horror films are intense, turn-all-the-lights-on, gore fests. Some of them are pretty humorous. Some horror films were intended to be funny while others are funny simply because they are so bad.

29. Young Frankenstein (1974) – Directed by the great Mel Brooks, this movie was the ultimate spoof of early horror films. Full of great gags and puns, it is one of Brooks’ best films. And for once, the monster has a happy ending.
30. Sugar Hill (1974) – A ‘blaxploitation’ movie that involves voodoo and zombies. When a black gang murders the boyfriend of our heroine, Sugar Hill, gets a voodoo queen to raise some zombies to get her revenge. The ghetto language of this genre is what makes this flick truly memorable and funny.
31. Blacula (1972) – Another blaxploitation film from that era. In this flick, Dracula is, you guessed it, a black guy in modern day LA. He finds a woman who resembles his long lost love from hundreds of years ago (or something like that) and does his evil best to make her his.
32. The Cars That Ate Paris (1974) – This one is intentionally supposed to be somewhat comedic if on a morbid level. The small town of Paris in Australia gets its kicks out of crashing cars and doesn’t care who gets hurt in the process. Directed by the great Peter Weir.
33. Invasion of the Blood Farmers (1972) – A film about a set of druids who are preying on the folks of a rural town and using their blood in an attempt to raise their long dead queen (who has been sleeping on the living room table, it seems). This one is suppose to be a serious film but the bad acting, plot, make-up, and everything else just makes it ridiculous.
34. Attack of the Killer Tomatoes (1979) – What can I say about this film? Yes, it is about giant killer tomatoes rolling down the street and devouring people. It is so over-the-top, so ridiculous, that it became a cult classic and is included in many lists for all-time favorite cult movies.
35. Son of Dracula (1973) – This is not the movie with Lon Chaney Jr. This is the musical comedy with Ringo Starr and Keith Moon that is so bad it isn’t even that funny. But it still deserves an honorable mention.
36. Trog (1970) – Starring the legendary actress Joan Crawford, this was her last feature film. In it she plays an anthropologist who is studying a ‘trog’ that lives in a cave. All is well until the trog gets loose and starts terrorizing the neighborhood.
37. Satan’s Cheerleaders (1977) – Another horror satire. A janitor at a high school is on the lookout for virgins to sacrifice for his cult. So he kidnaps four cheerleaders as his victims.
38. The Rocky Horror Picture Show (1975) – If you haven’t been to a midnight showing of this movie, you haven’t lived. This musical/horror/comedy/fetish show is the ultimate in cult films.

70s Slasher Films

These films all have something in common: a deranged psychopath chasing a bunch of innocent people with the intent of killing them in some gruesome manner. You’ll usually find the most blood and gore in these films.

39. Halloween (1978) – The mask-wearing killer Michael Myers (not the actor) escapes from a mental ward to return to his hometown and terrorize Jamie Lee Curtis. This was one of the most influential horror movies of all time.
40. The Texas Chainsaw Massacre (1974) – The original, low-budget  version went on to become a classic slasher film and a predecessor of modern day horror movies. It also introduced the horror icon Leatherface and his cannibal white trash family.
41. Black Christmas (1974) – There is nothing like a good horror flick to bring on the Christmas spirit. This early slasher is about several girls in a sorority house who get terrorized by creepy phone calls. When the girls start to disappear, it definitely puts a damper on the holiday.
42. When a Stranger Calls (1979) – Another movie about a threatening phone call, this original is really creepy and keeps you on the edge. When a man who killed several children after delivering a phone call from inside the house gets back out on the street, he goes after the woman who was babysitting those kids that night.
43. The Last House on the Left (1972) – Wes Craven’s first film as a director. Two teenage girls are abducted by an escaped gang from prison who then seek refuge in one of the girl’s homes.
44. Eaten Alive (1976) – Another film by Tobe Hooper. And another one about a crazed cannibal. Except this time the loony that owns a hotel throws the leftovers to his pet crocodile.
45. I Spit On Your Grave (1978) – Probably one of the most controversial horror movies ever made. In it a woman is assaulted by four good-ol’ boys and decides to get her revenge on them in some pretty gruesome means.
46. Magic (1978) – Before he ever played Hannibal Lector, Anthony Hopkins creeped us out by playing a comedian with a ventriloquist dummy. He eventually starts to go insane and thinks the dummy is telling him things to do.
47. Martin (1978) – Although this seems to be a vampire flick, it doesn’t have any of the usual elements such as fangs, coffins, and holy water. A teenage boy believes himself to be a vampire who drinks the blood of young girls.
48. And Soon The Darkness (1970) – Two girls go on a bike tour of France and meet up with a stranger. When they become separated, one of the girls disappears.

70s Suspense Movies

These are all films that are more suspenseful than terrifying and blood-filled. While they can keep you at the edge of your seat and keep you guessing who the villain is, they do not necessarily contain crazed mutant killers or blood-sucking vampires.

49. Sisters (1973) – Directed by Brian De Palma, this tale involves two orphaned twin sisters. After years of being together they are separated. Then a murder occurs after a one-night stand and one of the twins has to uncover the mystery.
50. See No Evil (1971) – A good stalker flick where a blind Mia Farrow faces off against a killer in a deserted house.
51. Let’s Scare Jessica To Death (1971) – A woman named Jessica is released from a mental hospital. To help her adjust, she and her husband rent a nice cottage in the country. Then she starts seeing things that aren’t there.
52. Die Screaming, Marianne (1971) – When their parents divorced, two sisters are split up. But when one inherits a fortune, she finds out that everyone is out to get her.
53. The Other (1972) – A thriller about twin boys (it’s always about twins). One good twin and one bad twin are involved in a set of mysterious deaths. The ending though has a good twist.
54. The Bird With the Crystal Plumage (1970) – An American tourist and his girlfriend witness a murder on the streets of Rome. After they report it, the killer begins to stalk them.
55. The Last Wave (1977) – Directed by Peter Weir, this is a mysterious tale of the end of the world. Pretty much a big tsunami is going to engulf everything. But the plot is top-notch.
56. The Man Who Haunted Himself (1970) – A successful businessman undergoes surgery after a car accident. Afterwards, he finds out that his alter ego was somehow released and is making his own decisions. Sort of a take on Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde.
57. Delirium (1972) – A man with a deadly sexual habit sets himself up to get caught by the police. But when a copycat killer shows up, it throws the plan off.
58. Fear in the Night (1972) – Starring Peter Cushing, this thriller is about a woman who is recovering from a mental breakdown. Before she can get on with her life, she is attacked not once, but twice. And she soon suspects her husband isn’t the man she thinks he is.
59. The Stepford Wives (1975) – This movie is nothing like the lame recent remake starring Matthew Broderick and Christopher Walken. The original is creepy and scary, and it has a message.
60. Obsession (1976) – Another classic from Brian Depalma, about a kidnapping and rescue attempt gone awry.

70s Monster Movies

They’re big, hairy, scarey, scaley, or even dead. These films are all about monsters either natural or unnatural.

61. Jaws (1975) – The movie that made you stay out of the water. A giant great white just can’t get enough of the beachside swimmers and boaters. Meets his end in an explosive way.
62. Jaws 2 (1978) – The big shark is back and terrorizing the town’s beaches. When the mayor refuses to believe it, it is up to the police chief (again) to take care of the big fish. A decent sequel at a time when sequels were really bad.
63. Blood for Dracula (1974) – The poor Dracula is dying so sets off to Italy to find a virgin. The idea is that if he feeds on virgin blood, he will be revived. Also known as Andy Warhol’s Dracula.
    
64. Flesh for Frankenstein (1974) – The sister film to Blood for Dracula and produced by Andy Warhol. In this flick, Baron Frankenstein creates a female creature for his Monster to mate with.
65. King Kong (1976) – Dino De Laurentis’ remake is one of the best Kong versions ever. Very dark and serious, it still paints Kong as a tragic character at the end. Much better than Peter Jackson’s loooong remake.
66. Nosferatu: The Vampyre (1979) – This German film was a remake of the classic silent film. Set in nineteenth century Transylvania, it is a retelling of the original Bram Stoker book, Dracula.
67. Piranha (1978) – A great movie about genetically altered piranha that escape from a military testing site. The little buggers end up in the local lake waters and rapidly eat anyone who sets a foot (or toe) in the water.
68. Willard (1971) – If you like movies about rats, this is THE rat movie for you. A withdrawn young man named Willard befriends a pack of rats and manages to communicate with them. He gets them to perform some pretty creepy stuff until he has a showdown with them.
69. Dawn of the Dead (1979) – One of the original zombies-take-over-the-world films and probably one of Romero’s best flicks. In this one, zombies are everyone across the U.S. and a group of survivors take refuge inside a mall.
70. The Swarm (1978) – A deadly swarm of killer bees fly up from South America and cover the U.S., killing thousands of people and putting the country into a panic.

70s Sci-Fi Horror

Not all monsters originate in Transylvania. Some of them come from space. These movies are all hybrids of science-fiction and horror as they combine elements of both.

71. Alien (1979) – This is THE sci-fi horror movie to watch and the beginning of the Alien franchise. An unstoppable alien gains entry into a ship by bursting from the chest of one of its victims.
72. Invasion of the Body Snatchers (1978) – The remake of this 1956 original is much better. Basically, an alien invasion takes place where aliens that look like people are born from pods.
73. The Clonus Horror (1979) – A clone living on a remote desert outpost with other clones, begins to question the real reason for their existence. Turns out they are all replacement parts for the real people.
74. The Asphyx (1973) – This film is about a scientist who discovers that a demon called an asphyx shows up right before someone dies. If you can manage to capture the demon, then in theory, you can never die.
75. Thirst (1979) – A modern day vampire cult uses a high-tech facility to drain the blood from drugged victims. They discover a woman who they believe to be the descendent of one of their founders and try to get her to join their club.
76. The Boys From Brazil (1978) – A former Nazi scientist and his group want to clone Adolf Hitler and create the next Reich. A Nazi hunter must track down the scientist before he can complete his plan.
77. The Island of Dr. Moreau (1978) – A doctor on an island is conducting experiments to turn animals into men. Maybe not one of the best versions of this story, it still has Burt Lancaster and Michael York.
78. Track of the Moonbeast (1976) – This is what happens when a meteor smacks a guy in the head. Now every time the moon rises, he turns into a lizard-like monster that runs around killing people.
79. Phantasm (1979) – A truly creepy film about a mysterious undertaker of a funeral home. It turns out that the man, with help from his flying balls of death, is transforming dead bodies into killer dwarves through a dimensional portal in the mausoleum.
80. Horror Express (1973) – A scientist finds a frozen specimen in Manchuria that he believes is man’s missing link. He puts it on a train to transport it home but the monster, who is actually an alien, thaws and starts wreaking havoc on the train.

70s Mutant Movies

They’re creepy and ugly. These mutants might have been human at one time but act anything nothing like a human. They are definitely some of the more grotesque creatures to look at in horror filmdom.

81. Rabid (1977) – One of David Cronenberg’s ealiest films, it involves a woman injured in a motorcycle accident. She undergoes an experimental surgery that leaves her rabid and craving blood. When she bites others, they get infected, too.
82. The Brood (1978) – Another Cronenberg flick. A woman who cannot have children the traditional way develops tumors on her body. The tumors soon develop and grow into mutant children.
83. The Crazies (1973) – A group of townspeople get infected after they drink water that has been poisoned from a crashed military helicopter. When the town goes crazy, the government steps in to control the problem.
84. It’s Alive (1974) – This is what happens when your wife gives birth to a mutant baby with teeth and claws. The little tyke, who is not going to win any baby pageants, goes on a killing spree.
85. It Lives Again (1978) – After you have had one mutant killer baby, what do you do? You have several more. This sequel has a group of mutant babies running around slashing people with their claws and teeth.
86. The Omega Man (1971) – Before Will Smith did his bit in I Am Legend, Charlton Heston portrayed the last man on earth (or at least the United States. But instead of vampirish ghouls, he has to contend with albino mutants.
87. Prophecy (1979) – This flick involves a mutant bear that, after drinking mercury-poisoned waters (and thus becomes a mutant bear) goes through the countryside eating people.
88. Shivers (1975) – Another Cronenberg flick that deals with people in an apartment complex that are being taken over by internal parasites. A scientist kills a woman and replaces her organs with a parasite.
89. Eraserhead (1977) – A dark and surreal tale by David Lynch, it follows a guy with a big head of hair in a depressing industrial landscape. His life, already complicated, is made worse when he and his girlfriend give birth to a premature alien baby. The movie is more than about the baby but hey, that alone is pretty weird.
90. The Hills Have Eyes (1977) – The ultimate family mutant cannibal film. A group of mutant killers roam a desert region and prey on any motorists that happen to drive through the area.

70s Supernatural Horror Movies

This is the largest category of horror films and there are too many good ones to name them all. All of these films involve some aspect of the supernatural from ghosts to haunted houses to evil spirits from the underworld.

91. The Exorcist (1973) – The classic tale of demonic possession and one of the most disturbing horror movies ever. When a young girl gets possessed by the devil, two priests must intervene to save her.
92. The Exorcist II: The Heretic (1977) – The young girl Regan is still plagued by demon possession. A priest goes to Africa to research the demon’s origins. The sequel disappointed many fans but the original was such as hard act to follow.
93. Legend of Hell House (1973) – Probably one of the best haunted house movies ever made, this flick centers on a house inhabited by the spirit of its former owner. A research team arrives to investigate the house and creepiness occurs.
94. The Wicker Man (1973) – A classic movie that puts Christopher Lee as the head of a group of pagans. When a young girl goes missing, an investigator arrives to find out what happened but ends up being the victim.
95. Burnt Offerings (1976) – A couple, their aunt, and their young son rent a house for the summer for vacation. But it turns out the house feeds off of people as a mean to rejuvenate itself.
96. Don’t Look Now (1973) – When the young daughter of a couple drowns, the couple run off to Italy to work through their loss. While there, they run into two sisters who claim to have psychic contact with their dead daughter.
97. Carrie (1976) – One of the best horror films of that decade. It revolves around a insecure with psychic powers who is taunted by the other kids in her school. When a cruel prank is pulled on her at prom, she unleashes her powers. Based on a Stephen King novel.
98. The Omen (1976) – Young Damien seems like a nice quiet boy. But mysterious deaths happen wherever he goes. It turns out the young boy is actually the Anti-Christ reborn. Talk about brats from hell.
99. Amityville Horror (1979) – Based loosely on true events, a couple move into a house that turns out to be possessed. After the family moves in they discover that a year ago a grisly mass murder took place in the house.
100. Audrey Rose (1977) – A couple become alarmed when a man (played by Anthony Hopkins) they believe is a child molester begins stalking their young daughter. But then the man admits to them that he believes their daughter is the reincarnation of his own dead daughter. They don’t believe him until the girl starts having strange nightmares.

H2 Trailer – Rob Zombie’s Halloween Sequel Trailer

Rob Zombie’s H2 is coming out on August 28, 2009. We can only pray that it’s not as bad as Rob Zombie’s terrible remake of Halloween, but that’s probably just too much to hope for. I don’t think Malcolm McDowell is good at all as Loomis. I don’t like the idea of Michael without his mask. I’m not sure why Michael needs to be 6’9″. I don’t need to know the reason behind his evil. The attraction of the John Carpenter Halloween was that his evil was unknowable. He’s the boogie man. You don’t get to figure out why he’s the boogie man; if you did, then he wouldn’t BE the boogie man.

I’m predicting that H2 will be a big box office success and that it will be followed by a third movie in this series very quickly. I’m also predicting that the movie will suck.

The Burrowers Trailer

I don’t know if The Burrowers got a theatrical release or not, but it just came to DVD on April 21, and it looks pretty cool to me. It’s a western combined with a horror movie, which is like peanut butter and chocolate to me — two great tastes that taste great together. I’m predicting that this movie will be quite good but won’t make any money.

Laid To Rest Trailer

The villain looks like Michael Myers with a fancy new chrome mask. The main character looks like she’s busty. Looks like a crappy straight to DVD movie to me, but I might give it a shot anyway. Couldn’t be much worse than Rob Zombie’s Halloween, anyway. By the way, this one just became available on DVD.

Thirst Trailer

Thirst is written and directed by Park Chan-wook. If you’ve seen Oldboy, then you know how good he is. This movie is being released on April 30. My prediction? This one’s a masterpiece of cinema and a must-see.

The Devil’s Tomb Trailer

The Devil’s Tomb stars Cuba Gooding Jr. and also features Ron Perlman and Henry Rollins. I loved Henry Rollins in Feast, and I love Ron Perlman in just about everything. So why do I get the feeling that watching this movie is just another episode in the disintegration of Cuba Gooding. Jr’s career?  The Devil’s Tomb will be available on DVD on May 26.

Dracula is the most popular horror movie character of all time. According to Guinness Attraction, Dracula is featured in 161 movies, as contrasted with the 2nd most popular horror movie character of all time, Frankenstein, who is only in 115 movies. So we thought it would be fun to make a list of some of the more notable Dracula movies ever made. Here are 60 Dracula movies; please note that we’ve linked to interesting on-topic blog posts on other bloggers’ sites where possible. We like to support the blogging community that way.

1. The Death of Dracula – 1921 – A Hungarian film version of Dracula, The Death of Dracula was the first adaptation of Bram Stoker’s novel.
2. Nosferatu, A Symphony of Terror – 1922 – This was an unofficial film version of Stoker’s novel, so they changed the name of the character to Count Orlok.
3. Dracula – 1931 – Directed by Tod Browning and starring Bela Lugosi as the count.
4. Dracula – 1931 – A Spanish version of the Tod Browning film with a different cast that was filmed on the same sets.
5. Mark of the Vampire – 1935 – This wasn’t really a sequel to Universal’s Dracula, but it might as well have been. Bela Lugosi stars as Count Mora in this film from MGM that was also directed by Tod Browning.
6. Dracula’s Daughter – 1936 – This really was a sequel to the 1931 Dracula, and it features Gloria Holden as the titular Dracula’s daughter.
7. Son of Dracula – 1943 – This one starred Lon Chaney Jr. as Dracula, and it’s set in the American South.
8. The Return of the Vampire – 1944 – Bela Lugosi plays Armand Tesla, but he might as well have everyone call him Dracula, because he’s essentially the same character.
9. House of Frankenstein – 1944 – This was the first movie to feature the Wolfman, Dracula, and Frankenstein all in the same film. John Carradine portrays Dracula in this one.
10. House of Dracula – 1945 – A direct sequel to House of Frankenstein, again featuring the big three – Wolfman, Dracula, and Frankenstein.
11. Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein – 1948 – Bela Lugosi reprises his role as Count Dracula for this silly B-grade comedy.
12. Dracula Istanbul’da – 1953 – A Turkish movie production of Dracula.
13. The Blood of Dracula – 1957 – After the success of I Was a Teenage Werewolf, producer Herman Cohen tried to duplicate that success with an “I was a teenage Dracula” movie.
14. Horror of Dracula – 1958 – The first of the Hammer Studios Dracula films, starring Christopher Lee as Dracula and Peter Cushing as Van Helsing.
15. The Return of Dracula – 1958 – A B-movie version of Dracula that’s well thought of.  Francis Lederer plays the Count.
16. Brides of Dracula – 1960 – The 2nd Hammer Dracula movie, but this one doesn’t have Christopher Lee. (But it does feature Peter Cushing as Van Helsing again.)
17. Dracula, Prince of Darkness – 1966 – Features Christopher Lee’s return as Count Dracula, and Peter Cushing again portrays Van Helsing.
18. Billy the Kid VS Dracula – 1966 – An Old West Dracula storyline where the Count battles Billy the Kid. John Carradine reprises his role as the Count.
19. The Fearless Vampire Killers – 1967 – This is another of those “not-really-a-Dracula” movies, this one directed by Roman Polanski. It’s a spoof of the Hammer Dracula movies, and the vampire has a different name, but come on. We all know he’s Dracula.
20. Dracula Has Risen From the Grave – 1968 – The 3rd film to feature Christopher Lee as Dracula.
21. Blood of Dracula’s Castle – 1969 – Count Dracula has a wife in this one, and their butler is played by John Carradine, who had portrayed Dracula himself seveal times.
22. Jonathan – 1969 – A German retelling of the Dracula story
23. Taste the Blood of Dracula – 1970 – More Christopher Lee Dracula goodness from Hammer. But this time without Peter Cushing
24. Scars of Dracula – 1970 – Another Christopher Lee Dracula film from Hammer, again without Peter Cushing.
25. Countess Dracula – 1970 – This is another Hammer film, but it’s unrelated to the other Hammer Dracula films.
26. Jess Franco’s Count Dracula - 1973 – Stars Christopher Lee as Dracula, but it’s completely unrelated to the Hammer Dracula movies. This is one of the most faithful adaptations of the novel available.
27. Vampyros Lesbos – 1970 – Count Dracula isn’t in the movie, but one of his descendants is. This is Jess Franco’s followup to Count Dracula.
28. Dracula VS Frankenstein – 1971 – A really low budget B-movie set in California. You do get to see Dracula battle Frankenstein though.
29. Dracula A.D. 1972 – 1972 – Christopher Lee and Peter Cushing, together again, this time retelling the Dracula story in a modern setting.
30. Dracula’s Great Love – 1972 – Paul Naschy as Dracula in this Spanish-language film. The plot has no resemblance to the original novel.
31. Blacula – 1972 – A “blaxploitation” retelling of the vampire classic.
32. Scream, Blacula, Scream! – 1973 – A sequel to 1972′s Blacula.
33. The Satanic Rites of Dracula – 1973 – Christopher Lee and Peter Cushing appear together again as Dracula and Van Helsing.
34. The 7 Brothers Meet Dracula – 1973 – This was the last of the Hammer Dracula movies. This one features Peter Cushing again, but this time without Christopher Lee.
35. Blood For Dracula – 1974 – An incredibly over the top version of Dracula produced by Andy Warhol. Udo Kier’s performance will leave you speechless, but not necessarily in a good way.
36. Dan Curtis’ Dracula – 1974 – Stars Jack Palance as Dracula. (He was the inspiration for the Marvel Comics version of the character, so great minds must think alike.)
37. Dracula, Father and Son – 1976 – A French spoof of Dracula movies starring Christopher Lee. A comedy.
38. Count Dracula – 1977 – This is a BBC miniseries, with 150 minutes of Dracula goodness. In spite of its low budget, it’s remarkably faithful to the original novel.
39. Zoltan, Hound of Dracula – 1978 – Dracula’s dog is the villain in this one, and the main character is a psychiatrist.
40. Dracula – 1979 – Frank Langella portrays another version of Dracula, this time as an extraordinarily sexual and attractive predator. Also stars Lawrence Olivier and Donald Pleasance. (This was another Universal Dracula movie, although it’s not related to the earlier films.)
41. Love at First Bite – 1979 – George Hamilton plays Dracula in this comedy spoof of other Dracula films. The disco scene is great.
42. Nosferatu the Vampyre – 1979 – A Werner Herzog remake of the 1922 Nosferatu, A Symphony of Terror, starring Klaus Kinski as Count Orlock.
43. Monster Squad – 1987 – A cheesy, fun kids’ movie with some genuinely scary moments (for the kids at least). Duncan Regehr makes a great Dracula.
44. Bram Stoker’s Dracula – 1992 – A lavish production starring Gary Oldman as Dracula. Directed by Francis Ford Coppola.
45. Ed Wood – 1994 – Not really a Dracula movie, but Bela Lugosi is a prominent character in the film, and the performances are terrific. Martin Landau won a Best Supporting Actor award for his portrayal of Lugosi.
46. Dracula, Dead and Loving It – 1995 – Stars Leslie Nielsen as Dracula. Obviously a spoof/parody.
47. Dracula 2000 – A Wes Craven produced update of the original Dracula novel. Christopher Plummer is excellent as Van Helsing, and Jeri Ryan is terrifically hot. Gerard Butler makes a pretty cool Dracula too.
48. Shadow of the Vampire – 2000 – Not really a Dracula movie, but a fictional retelling of the making of Nosferatu. The premise is that Max Schreck really was a vampire.
49. Dracula, Pages from a Virgin’s Diary – 2002 – Guy Maddin’s ballet version of Dracula. Incredible.
50. Dracula II – 2003 – A sequel to Wes Craven’s Dracula 2000.
51. Dracula 3, Legacy – 2004 – The third in the series of Dracula movies that Wes Craven produced. Rutger Hauer plays Dracula in this one.
52. Blade: Trinity – 2004 – Dracula is called “Drake” throughout the movie, but he’s a pretty important character. (Albeit not the main character. Wesley Snipes’ Blade is still the star of the show.)
53. Dracula 3000 – 2004 – Basically Dracula in space. Stars Erika Eleniak.
54. Van Helsing – 2004 – The unmistakable appeal of having the Wolfman, Dracula, and Frankenstein appear together is exploited again in this action movie starring Hugh Jackman as Van Helsing. Another Universal film.
55. Batman VS Dracula – 2005 – A full length animated movie pitting the Dark Knight against the original creature of the night.

Some of these horror trailers are meant for adults, so be warned ahead of time. I don’t think any of these horror movie trailers are gruesome or gory enough to be rated “R”, but just to be safe, let’s assume that they are.

You’ll probably notice that most of the horror trailers listed are from movies that came out a long time ago. There’s a pretty simple reason for that; most newer horror movies, (and newer horror movie trailers) just aren’t very good.

Where possible, I’ve linked the name of each movie to a fan site or blog article about the movie that I enjoyed.

I enjoyed putting this list of the top 50 horror movie trailers together though. It made me want to re-watch some of these movies.

1. The Exorcist

William Peter Blatty, who wrote the novel on which The Exorcist is based, won $10,000 on the show You Bet Your Life. When asked by Groucho Marx, the host, what he was going to do with the money, Blatty replied that he was going to take some time off and write a novel. The Exorcist was the result.

2. Halloween (1978)

John Carpenter made the most successful independent film of all time when he made Halloween or $325,000. And it’s still a far better movie than the dull and lifeless Rob Zombie remake.

3. The Thing

John Carpenter didn’t just make slasher movies. The Thing still holds up as one of the best scifi, horror, thriller movies of all time.

4. The Fog

Another John Carpenter movie that’s as good today as it was in 1980.

5. Christine

This 1983 film has a dual pedigree; it’s not only directed by horror director legend John Carpenter, but it’s based on a novel from horror novelist legend Stephen King.

6. Prince of Darkness

Alice Cooper as a homeless zombie. Another John Carpenter classic that’s truly creepy and not as well-known as his other movies.

7. Night of the Living Dead (1968)

The original George Romero zombie movie, which was clearly inspired by Hitchcock’s The Birds.

8. Dawn of the Dead (1978)

As long as you can get past the blue zombies (and you can) then this is a zombie classic from George Romero that you shouldn’t miss.

9. Day of the Dead

The George Romero original is terrific. The recent remake was so bad that all copies of it should be destroyed. (Unlike the Dawn of the Dead remake, which was as good as the original.)

10. Zombi 2

This unofficial “sequel” to George Romero’s zombie movie is a pretty decent picture in its own right, and the trailer is really cool.

11. 28 Days Later

The zombies aren’t really dead in this movie; they’re just infected with the Rage virus.

12. Dawn of the Dead (2004)

The rarest of remakes, Dawn of the Dead is as good as its source material, and possibly better. A great movie.

13. The Shining

Stephen King didn’t like Kubrick’s version of The Shining, but watch the trailer and remember how brilliant and original this movie was when it came out.

14. Nightmare on Elm Street

Another horror classic that really doesn’t need a remake but is getting one anyway.

15. Psycho

Hitchcock was too cool.

16. The Birds

I was amazed at how clearly this was the inspiration for Night of the Living Dead.

17. Evil Dead

This was the movie that made Sam Raimi and Bruce Campbell superstars, as far as I’m concerned.

18. Carrie

I saw this as a kid, and it scared me then, and it still scares me now.

19. Texas Chainsaw Massacre

This was never one of my favorite horror movies, but the trailer is still darned cool.

20. Frailty

This is really one of my favorite horror movies, and the cast is just amazing.

21. Jaws

I wonder why this classic isn’t being remade right now.

22. The Silence of the Lambs

Some horror movies become dated. Silence of the Lambs is a horror movie that has not become dated at all, and I suspect it never will.

23. Black Christmas

The original Black Christmas was a trendsetter for slasher movies. Much of what is cliched in slasher films originated here. (Black Christmas was never as popular as Halloween, but some people have noticed that a lot of what was innovative about Halloween originated in Black Christmas.)

24. Saw

The sequels have all been pretty bad, but the original Saw was a masterpiece. And so was the trailer for the movie.

25. The Abominable Dr. Phibes

Love means never having to say you’re ugly.

26. Hostel

The Quentin Tarantion presents gimmick almost kept me away from this movie, but I’m glad I saw it.

27. Ginger Snaps

Women as werewolves.

28. Hellraiser

This was released back when Stephen King was calling Clive Barker “the future of horror”. It’s still a cool horror movie trailer.

29. Cemetery Man

A radically different kind of zombie movie, and it’s clearly a different horror trailer too.

30. Misery

Kathy Bates STILL creeps me out.

31. Rosemary’s Baby

Back when Mia Farrow was REALLY hot.

32. The Omen

Gregory Peck brought a much-needed gravitas to his role in this 70s horror masterpiece.

33. The Amityville Horror

Margot Kidder is in this one, back when she was still really hot.

34. Poltergeist

A classic horror movie trailer.

35. Phantasm

Go visit the Tall Man for yourself.

36. Prom Night

This movie helped solidify Jamie Lee Curtis as the scream queen of the 70s.

37. The Stepford Wives

A quick look at this horror movie trailer will leave you wondering what the makers of the 2004 remake were thinking.

38. Event Horizon

Yes, it had it’s cheesy moments. But the horror trailer for Event Horizon makes you expect a masterpiece.

39. Se7en

Not just a great horror movie, but one of the greatest movies ever, with a stellar cast.

40. Pet Sematary

Sometimes dead is better. I took my mom to see this in 1988; she loved it, and so did I.

41. The Lost Boys

A cool 80s vampire movie.

42. Scream

Obviously inspired in no small part by When a Stranger Calls, this movie is probably better than its inspiration.

43. When a Stranger Calls

The trailer to this movie is scarier than the actual movie, but When a Stranger Calls is still worth seeing.

44. It

We all float down here.

45. The Hitcher

Another movie with an ill-advised and needless remake.

46. Child’s Play

Chucky’s debut, baby!

47. From Dusk Til Dawn

One word. Badass!

48. Cujo

The scariest dog movie ever, except maybe for Turner and Hooch.

49. Fright Night

A still-great vampire movie that is often forgotten on horror best-of lists.

50. Let the Right One In

The best movie I saw last year, period. Also the most original vampire movie ever.