Top 10 Horror Films

Who doesn’t love a good fright? Indulge in some of the “best” horror films ever made according to a variety of movie critics. We tallied a list of the best 50 and added these to the dvd collection here at Heterick. Check out these “Top Ten” as suggested and annotated by Vittorio Carli at Reelmoviecritic.com. See if you agree.

1. Psycho, 1960. Alfred Hitchcock's shocking masterpiece, starring Anthony Perkins and Janet Leigh, was revolutionary because it switched the emphasis of horror films from the supernatural to the psychological.
2. The Bride of Frankenstein, 1935. Boris Karloff's Frankenstein monster is the most tragic figure in horror history. In this film, he tries to threaten his maker into creating a mate for him. OR Is “Young Frankenstein” (Video | DVD) the best monster film of them all?
3. The Night of the Living Dead, 1968. George Romero's terrifying zombie film captures the authentic feel of a documentary and it inspired countless inferior imitations, including a terrible 1990 remake.
4. Nosferatu the Vampyre, 1979 and "Nosferatu," 1922. F. W. Murnau's silent original makes great use of expressionistic lighting. Max Schreck is the repulsive and most pathetic vamp in film history. Werner Herzog's eerie remake leaves every other modern vampire film in the dust.
5. Nosferatu,1922. F. W. Murnau's silent original makes great use of expressionistic lighting. Max Schreck is the repulsive and most pathetic vamp in film history. Werner Herzog's eerie remake leaves every other modern vampire film in the dust.
6. "Rosemary's Baby," (Video | DVD 1968. Roman Polanski's dark, funny. tale of the birth of a demon child has a clear, pro-feminist message.
7. The Innocents, 1961. Classy, psychologically complex adaptation of Henry James's "The Turn of the Screw," stars Deborah Kerr and Michael Redgrave.
8. "The Exorcist," (Video | DVD) 1973. William Friedkin's horrifying tale of demonic possession of the little girl (Linda Blair) has convincing makeup and terrific special effects.
9. Freaks, 1932. Early horror-film master Tod Browning gathered a cast of real-life sideshow performers for this creepy film about a group of "freaks" who get revenge on the evil, attractive characters. Original version was severely cut in the U.S. and banned in Britain.
10. "Jaws," (Video | DVD) 1975. I had to cover my eyes the first time I saw this well-acted, suspenseful thriller as a kid.

For an overview of the collection, type in the term "horror film" in the basic search box at the library homepage. You may also choose to search by individual titles. We have an eclectic collection on both tape and DVD so you may narrow your choices this way as well.