Opening with Go Go dancer Marianne (Susan George) begins the movie in a bedroom having seduced a sailor the night before in a small Algarve town. Rudely awoken though by the arrival of a shady looking Portuguese man, Marianne sneaks out through an open window to escape, the reason for this escape is shrouded in secrecy. Walking down the road she encounters Sebastian (Christopher Sandford), who whisks her away back to England so she can set up a new life. On the day of her marriage to Sebastian Marianne suspects something is wrong, and falls into the arms of Eli Frome (the late Barry Evans). But as her sinister past in Portugal catches up with her, Marianne, Eli and Sebastian are all forced to go to Portugal to face the sinister Judge, and his daughter Hildegard, who just so transpire to be Marianne's father and sister.

Die Screaming, Marianne is much criticised movie that has its heart in the right place, but it's soul buried elsewhere thanks for its appalling acting skills, and Walker's then harsh direction. But with this taken into account I really enjoyed the movie, I found it a touch refreshing although at times a little predictable.

The movie despite being a British offering has something incredibly European about it, almost as a reflection of the increased interest in the European horror and thriller movies of Italy. What is good though is unlike so many of these Brit movies that look like Brits abroad, Walker direction allows for a genuinely European look. The movie is split 50/50 between time in Portugal and in England.

For fans of 70's cinema this is almost like the ultimate resource, you get a very precise view of life in England, specifically Brighton and London during the 1970's. It's fascinating to look at the way the streets look, the movies at the cinemas, posters, and newspaper stand signs. While all around are the tell tale signs of a rapidly changing society, drugs and free love both hinted at but never properly addressed.

Back onto the movie in general and despite my earlier comment about the poor acting I should add that both Susan George and Barry Evans both put their heart and soul into the movie; George shows the sort of fiestiness she returned to later in the same year with Sam Peckinpah's Cornish Western Straw Dogs, to be fair she is where she is this movie simply due to her smouldering sexuality, and this is played up more than her acting skill. While Evan's is essentially used as a tool for the movie, but his performances is straight up, this was actually the last serious movie Evans starred in. The acting comedy comes from a quartet of clowns; Leo Genn a familiar horror actor delivers an abysmally creepy performance as the Judge. Christopher Sandford a DJ from the likes of Radio Caroline is just diabolical, that's if you can get beyond the humour of his hair. Judy Huxtable here nearing the end of her acting career is just completely vacant; she cannot have the decency to even be attacked in a decent manner, as Marianne's murderously obsessed sister she actually comes across as more of a drag queen than a woman, a very bizarre casting indeed. Finally Kenneth Hendal plays the dodgy butler Rodriguez, here tanned up so that he looks Portuguese but is so obviously British.

The story goes well beyond the boundaries of typical British fare of the era; it's an incredibly sexual piece that once having broken the boundaries of sexual inhibition pushes the envelope a bit further by having a vicious stab at incest. It's hard to believe that the same country that delivered stodgy looking Hammer horror movies around the same time was capable of delivering this sort of very new terror, although personally it gave me no fears.

Despite the flaws I really enjoyed Die Screaming, Marianne; it was a really heavily layered movie with an awful lot of depth to it, it to some degree seemed like two movies jammed into one. The story is well developed, with well rounded corners all the way, although there are a few moments where you almost enter cartoon filmmaking because it seems that script writer Murray Smith literally though on his feet as the script continued. The one thing that let the movie down are those abysmal performances, and even though I did start to warm to Leo Genn his appearances on screen were suddenly cut short just as his performance improved, only allowing you to remember the negatives.

 

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As far as horror movies goes “Milo” is one that deserves to be recognized has a solid independent film that relies less on FX special effects as those horror movies that audiences have come to expect in the 21st century. The real scary parts of this movie come into play using scare tactics that a person would probably be confronted with in real life.

The horror factor of “Milo” on a scale of 1 to 5, with 1 representing the lowest value of the scale and 5 representing the highest value of the scale, then Milo would easily earn a 3 in the range. If you want the pee scared out of you, then Milo would not be a good choice for accomplishing that task. However, Milo has an excellent plot and good acting that makes this movie a fun movie to watch.

The movie “Milo” is worthy of (Renting: Yes - Buying: No)

Starring John Cusack as a skeptical paranormal investigator traveling the country investigating the haunted folklore that are rumored around campfires to terrify naïve little children. Writing novels about his haunted adventures and revealing in the pages the techniques he used to debunk the not-so spooky haunts. Until a postcard arrived in the mail containing a stern warning not to visit room 1408 located on the 13th floor of the Dolphin Hotel.

Curiosity leads the young paranormal investigator directly to the lobby of the sheik lobby of the Dolphin and right in the lap of evil. Stepping up to the check-in desk announcing his having a reservation for the mysterious room 1408, where he is then is confronted by a tall, dark and concerned hotel manager played by Samuel L. Jackson, who invites the uptight investigator back to the manager's office for a brief chat.

During the meeting new information about the deadly history of the room are revealed, but no matter how desperately hard the hotel manager tries to convince his eager young guest not to enter the room - “The keys please” seemed to be the only available response left to say.

As the skeptical young paranormal investigator enters the lonesome doorway of room 1408, the room's first impression is nothing special, just outdated furniture and wicket eerie-framed paintings adoring the walls. The room slowly begins showing signs of life if that is what it shall be called only minutes into the investigation. “No big deal it is not real” was surely zigzagging in the darkest corners of newly arrived guest's mind.

From this point on things start spiraling out of control both in the room and in his mind as madness leads to a reality that no one would have ever expected. Nothing is scarier until it becomes real.

1408 is a psychological thrill ride that you will never forget even when you want it to stop.

The movie “1408” is worthy of: (Renting: Yes - Buying: Yes)

 

What we know:

Places of Origin

It is no surprise that zombies originated from the grave, and we have gathered the obvious that they are undead. This means a zombie's main hangout spot is the cemetery, so I would stick to cremation people. There is no need to spend money on a nice casket, because apparently it gives zombies back sores.

Food of Choice

Not only are they dead alive, (no oxymoron intended) the need for brains is what fuels these creatures. It feels sort of strange calling them creatures, considering they were once human beings, but who wakes up and has cravings for flesh? (With the exception of Jeffrey Dahmer, Hannibal Lecter, and the people cast in the movie “Alive”. ) If brains and flesh are not available, zombies will walk around aimlessly until they starve to death.

IQ

Zombies are not gifted in the brain department. They like brains, but they don't have one. We know zombies are stupid when all they eat are brains, and they don't get anything out of it. Consuming the main organ of thought and feeling, you would think they would at least grasp the knowledge to go a little bit faster for yet another, well, brain.

Why it works:

A New Genre

In 1968, George A. Romero made “Night of the Living Dead”, pioneering the “zombie” genre for horror fans alike. Not only were they scared of Vietnam, people in 1968 had George Romero scaring the bejesus out of them with walking corpses. In most recent years, Danny Boyle created a new zombie with 2002's “28 Weeks Later”. Instead of the slow reacting flesh eaters we are so used to, “28 Weeks” gave us people infected with a virus, but still flesh eaters. Case in point, it is movies like this that cause us to be cursed with god awful films such as “Flight of the Living Dead”. (No offense to the zombies.)

Gallons of Gore

Zombies are the essentials that make up a horror film, because basically they have bad personal hygiene. Their clothes are always stained with blood, brains, and guts, their flesh is rotting, but I'm sure they smell great. There is no zombie movie without tons of gory madness, because we can't quite figure out if that is what mashed up brains looks like.

What's The Big Deal?

Attention Hollywood, the above caption is the million dollar question. As an avid horror fan, movie makers are urged to stop creating zombie films.

Zombies are a tired subject. They are slow, stupid, and disgusting (with the exception of the break dancing zombies in the music video “Thriller”). There is a lot of other subject matter that can be really scary (clowns, evil dolls, ghosts, Britney Spears), so why not take the time and explore. For those who are still confused on what a zombie's main purpose is, just remember this:

(No pun intended.)

How Did Gale Know?

In the beginning of the movie, there are people watching a screening for the movie “Stab”. It is about the murders that happened in Woodsboro. The audience was watching a reenactment of what happened to Casey in Scream. My problem with this is that there is no way for Gale to know what happened to Casey. The only people who know what happened to her were killed off in Scream.

Phil's Death

How did the killer know where Phil was standing in the stall in the bathroom? When the killer stabbed him through the wall of the stall, he must have developed the ability to see through walls when he stabbed Phil because his head could have been anywhere. He also didn't have to be listening to what was going on in the next stall.

The wall that the killer stabbed Phil through moved when he tried to take the knife out of it.

Maureen's Death

When the killer first stabbed Maureen, there was no blood on the knife.

CiCi Could Have Left The Sorority House

When she was on the phone with her friend, she heard a noise in the sorority house. Her friend suggested calling campus security when CiCi said she was leaving the house. Instead of going to campus security, she chose to call them. She would have been better off going to security instead of going back into the house.

CiCi Listened To The Killer

Why would she listen to the killer when he told her to set the alarm? That must have meant that he was in the house.

CiCi's Death

When CiCi was pushed off the sorority house balcony, the killer pushed her forward, but she landed on her back.

Where Was Randy's Protection? (Spoiler)

Once Maureen, Phil, and CiCi were killed, the police wanted Sidney under protection. She was given two cops to watch her. Where was Randy's protection? He was from Woodsboro too and he was actually killed. He certainly could have used police protection.

Tori Ruins The Plot of the Movie Stab

There was a joke made in the first Scream when Sidney said that Tori would end up being her character if the murders became a movie. That did actually happen in this one. Tori was talking to Nancy O'Dell from Access Hollywood about the movie Stab. She ends up giving away the plot of Stab by telling Nancy how her character's boyfriend tries to kill her and that he killed her movie the year before that. What was the point of having the killer's face covered on the poster if the star was going to give away the mystery of the movie?

Gale's Number

How did the killer get Gale's number? It's not as if she gave it out to anybody.

The Cops Were On Campus (Spoiler)

During Randy's death, you can see the cops sitting in a car not too far from the van where he was stabbed. There was no reason why they didn't see him get snatched into the van by the killer.

Dewey's Blood

When the killer stabbed Dewey, the blood on his head kept changing. It was thin one minute then thick the next.

Sidney Wanted To See The Killer

When Sidney was being taken to protective custody, the killer killed the cops who were guarding her. The killer also got in a car accident. When Sidney and Hallie had to climb out of the cop car, Sidney had the chance to see the killer's face. She reached for the mask but didn't take it off because she hit the horn. Once she and Hallie were free to go, she chose to go back to the care to see who the killer was. She should have taken the mask off when she had the chance instead of waiting until the killer was gone.

Sidney Went Back

Sidney could have been off the campus and away from the killer(s), but she chose to go back. She made this same mistake in the first movie.

But horror isn't just limited to the supernatural. Sometimes the monster in a horror film is a very human one, such as a serial killer or other type of demented person. People you could very well meet on the street and not know what they are until its too late. Here's a list of some of the best and most deranged or horror's human villains, who could be the scariest monsters of them all.

ANNIE WILKES (MISERY)

“I'm Your Number One Fan. You Have Nothing To Fear From Me”

Misery's Annie Wilkes has made it so that phrase, once heard, makes celebrities run like hell. A fan of writer Paul Sheldon and his romance novels featuring the character Misery, former nurse Annie was elated when she found Paul following a car accident in the mountains near her farm. Never mind that she doesn't take him to a hospital, she really shows her colors when she learns that Paul has killed off her beloved Misery in the latest book, sending her into a mad rage. She then forces Paul to write a new Misery novel to bring the character back, just for her. And any time Paul tries to defy her, she punishes him, the worst being when she hobbles his foot when he tries to escape.

We hear about people like Annie all the time in the news. Celebrities are always being stalked by obsessed and deranged fans, who make the objects of their affection so a part of their lives that any change in the routine causes them to snap. Some celebrities have even been attacked and killed by these fans, the most notable being John Lennon at the hands of Mark David Chapman. Other films such as Play Misty for Me and The Fan have used deranged fans as their antagonists, but Annie Wilkes, created by horror master Stephen King, tops them all.

JOHN DOE (SE7EN)

Nothing's worse than a serial killer who feels he has a moral message to send out via his victims. And that's what John Doe, the killer of the psychological thriller Se7en, is. He not only picks his victims based on the seven deadly sins (gluttony, greed, sloth, wrath, pride, lust and envy), he also kills them in ways that he feels are appropriate for the sin. The overweight man he targets for gluttony he forces to eat until he literally bursts. A greedy lawyer is forced to cut a pound of flesh from himself. To tell you more would spoil things, especially as the best is saved for last and shows just how twisted he is.

Morality killers are common in horror films, especially slashers, as the victims are always teens doing things they shouldn't be doing, like drugs and premarital sex. John Doe, however, is truly one of a kind in not only his methods, but mainly his character. He shows a rare intelligence you usually don't see in the movies, having carefully laid out plans and staying one step ahead of the police, adapting when necessary. He's even the calmest of movie killers, almost literally stone cold save for his angry justifying the killing of his victims. That's what makes John Doe so frightening and comparable to his real life counterparts: an utter lack of remorse.

JOHN “JIGSAW” KRAMER (SAW SERIES)

Speaking of killers with moral messages, how about one who puts you in an elaborate trap you have to escape from by any means necessary, even mutilating yourself or killing someone else, to prove you want to live? That's what John Kramer, aka Jigsaw, does in the Saw films. Discovering he was dying of cancer, Kramer realized he had wasted his life and, after seeing others doing the same, decided to teach them the value of life. Under the identity of Jigsaw, he devised his signature traps and schemes and placed his victims in them and then watched to see if they could figure out how to escape. And all without hardly getting his own hands dirty.

Like John Doe, Jigsaw is highly crafty and intelligent, with his carefully laid out plans and always staying one step ahead of his pursuers. You might think Jigsaw might be a little too over-the-top to exist in real life, but don't be too sure. The traps used in the Saw films are based on actual devices used in medieval times and the Inquisition to bring about so-called “confessions”, which Jigsaw made his own modifications on. And some serial killers are known to torture their victims before killing them, usually psychologically by putting them through all sorts of mental anguish before killing them. Add to the fact that he manages to inspire others to see things his way and carry on his work and that he really has nothing to lose since he's already dying, and you can see how a person like Jigsaw can be dangerous.

NORMAN BATES (PSYCHO)

Raised by a domineering mother, Norman Bates had the idea that women and sex were evil. Still, he loved her and couldn't do without her, so after he killed her and her new boyfriend, he stole her corpse and preserved it using his taxidermy skills so he could be in her presence. He then added to the illusion by dressing and acting like her, to the point where “Mother” became a separate individual in Norman's head. And if anyone tried or even seemed to come between them, like poor Marion Crane, “Mother” would take care of it. With a very sharp knife.

Very rarely is a killer truly crazy, but Norman Bates is, to pardon the pun, a textbook example. He was even inspired by an actual person, Ed Gein, who had a similar background to Bates and even had a penchant for cross-dressing. But while Gein always seemed disturbing to those who knew him, Norman Bates came across as so normal that you'd never know how dangerous he really was just by looking at him. Whether it's the pudgy, middle-aged man in Robert Bloch's original novel or the handsome, boy-next-door type played by Anthony Perkins in Alfred Hitchcock's hit movie, you'd probably never think Bates was a killer. Until, as they say, it was too late.

FREDDY KRUEGER (A NIGHTMARE ON ELM STREET)

Okay, I know what you're thinking. What's Freddy Krueger doing on this list? He's a dead guy who haunts dreams, not very realistic. That's true that in death Freddy couldn't be real. But in life, he was just as real as you or me.

Known as the “Springwood Slasher”, Freddy Krueger was a child murderer. He'd lure unsuspecting kids to the boiler room where he worked, then proceeded to slowly kill them using his signature weapon, a glove equipped with razor-sharp blades at the fingertips. He claimed numerous victims before he was caught and, after being let go on a legal technicality, torched to death by a mob of angry parents, thus kicking off the events of the Elm Street films.

What makes Freddy Krueger truly scary is not that he was a killer, which in itself is scary enough. It was that the law, which is supposed to protect decent citizens and punish criminals, failed to keep him locked up. Krueger was arrested, but a mis-signed search warrant was all that it took to allow him to be let free. And even if that didn't happen, a lawyer could still have probably gotten Krueger off on a psychiatric basis due to his background, being the product of a rape and growing up in an abusive environment. Criminals can and do escape justice thanks to being able to find loopholes in the legal system, and Freddy Krueger is an example of how easy it can be.

RAYMOND LEMORNE (THE VANISHING)

He wanted to see if he could do something evil. That's what Raymond Lemorne's motivation was when he kidnaped Sasika Wagter, girlfriend of Rex Hofman. As Rex spent three years frantically searching for Sasika, Lemorne went on with his life until he sees Rex on TV, pleading for help. He then meets Rex and admits to the crime, engaging in a cat-and-mouse game with the poor man knowing that Rex won't kill him because he knows where Sasika is. And with that kind of power, he can get Rex to do anything.

They say a killer is often the last person you'd expect to be one. This is definitely true of Raymond Lemorne, the antagonist of the 1988 Dutch film The Vanishing. He's not your traditional cinema killer in that he's a demented individual with a history of abuse, nor does he have any bizarre quirks or behaviors. He's actually a perfectly normal person, with a job as a chemistry teacher and a family who just wanted to see if he could kill someone. And when you compare him to killers who do have histories of abuse or have problems with psychosis, that makes him even more frightening and disturbing.

THE KRUG STILLO GANG (THE LAST HOUSE ON THE LEFT)

Most criminals who escape from prison try to lay low and avoid trouble to keep from getting caught again. Krug Stillo and his partner Fred “Weasel” Patowski, after being broken out by Krug's dimwitted son Junior and girlfriend Sadie, try that at first, but then end up kidnaping a pair of girls, Mari and her friend Phyllis. They spend proceed to put the girls through all sorts of torment, torture and rape before brutally killing them. All in the woods behind Mari's house, where her parents remain unaware of what's happened to their daughter. They even, after a quick change of clothes, manage to con their way into getting Mari's parents to put them up for the night after the deed. The crooks get their's in the end, but the damage has been done on numerous levels.

You have to admit escaped prisoners are scary. This may be one of the most realistic portrayals of what could happen (barring, of course, the comical scenes of the two dimwitted cops who don't realize at first what's going on and then can't get there in time when they do), and Wes Craven captures it perfectly in one of his earliest films. Krug and company (save for Junior, who is at least somewhat sympathetic) are sick, mean, twisted individuals with little regard for human life, exactly as you'd expect criminals to be. The brutal and graphic murder of Phyllis (in which Sadie proves she may just be sicker than her boyfriend) and Krug's pressuring Junior to take his own life more than proves what could happen in such a situation.

HARRY POWELL (NIGHT OF THE HUNTER)

A preacher is someone we're supposed to trust and confide in, right? Self-appointed preacher Harry Powell is definitely not in that category. After being released from prison, he goes off to woo the widow and children of his cell mate, Ben Harper, who was hanged for robbery and murder. Powell wants the money Ben stole and hid, and his only clue is that the children know something. He's able to marry Willa, Ben's widow, to get closer to the family, but can't get the trust of the children, John and Pearl, the only ones who know where the money is. Armed with his trusty switchblade, Powell's not afraid to kill to get what he wants, especially not young John and Pearl.

You'd have to know something's not right with Powell when you first see him. True, his little trick of telling the story of the battle between love and hate using his tattooed knuckles (LOVE on the right hand and HATE on the left) is rather clever. But I doubt many real preachers go around sporting tattoos, nor would I trust one who just got out of prison. Powell's twisted use of religion, pretending to be a preacher and claiming to kill people in the name of the Lord, truly makes him despicable, probably even more so than his conning his way into the hearts of the Harper family and his willingness to kill the children to get the money. Even scarier is that this man was based on a real preacher who was hanged for killing several people, which shows how evil a person who twists religion to his own ends can be.

ALEX FORREST (FATAL ATTRACTION)

Ever had a bad date that just wouldn't go away? Alex Forrest was just that. When married attorney Dan Gallagher has a weekend affair with her while his family's away and then ends it, Alex refuses to let the “relationship” be over. She calls and visits him repeatedly (“I won't be ignored, Dan!”), claims she's pregnant with his baby, and even spies on and targets his wife and daughter. She really hits below the belt by killing the pet rabbit and boiling it on the stove. It ends up having to fall to Beth, Dan's wife, to kill Alex, shooting her with Dan's gun, after Dan fails to drown her.

Stalkers are right up there with obsessed fans in that they're pretty much the same thing. They just seem to be two different labels, depending on who they're going after. But they both amount to the same methods: they obsess on a certain target, and when said target wants nothing to do with them, things get ugly. They follow around, make threats, and even go so far as to kill either any obstacles perceived to be in the way or the target him/herself. And as far as the stalker is concerned, it's no the stalker's fault, but the target's. Sick, isn't it? Alex Forrest and Fatal Attraction both prove perfect examples not only of what can happen if you cheat on your respective loved one, but also what the pinnacle stalker can be like.

JERRY BLAKE (THE STEPFATHER)

All Jerry Blake wanted was the perfect, all-American family. The kind he saw on The Brady Bunch and Leave it to Beaver. But when his family doesn't quite meet up to his expectations, Blake kills them, assumes a new identity and relocates. He then meets and marries a widow with a teenage daughter, hoping to start anew. But his new stepdaughter distrusts him, and it isn't long before reality sets in again and Blake has to kill again.

There are numerous reports on the news about people, most often mothers, who have killed their families because things aren't turning out the way they want them to. Jerry Blake is not only a psychotic killer, he's also delusional and a bit rather childish when it comes to facing reality. And his solution, of course, is killing those he feels are responsible for ruining his ideal life. It seems rather petty, but people tend to do things for petty reasons all the time. Murder is not in the least an exception, and the reasons for them, petty as they may seem, may be even more shocking than the crime itself.

BUFFALO BILL (THE SILENCE OF THE LAMBS)

Hannibal Lecter may be the most recognizable face and name from The Silence of the Lambs, but Jame Gumb, AKA “Buffalo Bill”, was the real villain of the story. Bill desired to be a woman, but was found mentally unstable for a sex-change operation. So he decided to do it another way: he'd kidnap women of a certain size, kill them, and then cut off sections of their skin to make a “woman suit” for himself. Some victims, like Catherine Martin, he kept in a basement pit to fatten up and make sure they kept their skin nice. It was thanks to FBI trainee Clarice Starling, getting cooperation from Lecter, that Bill was caught and his would-be victim rescued.

Buffalo Bill is another inspired by Ed Gein. In addition to his cross-dressing, Gein was also infamous for making his own “woman suit” that he paraded around his property in. But while Gein used the skins of corpses he dug up, Bill killed live victims and used their skins for his little project. Bill even showed all the classic signs of a serial killer: in addition to his demented psychosis and reasoning for killing, he sadistically tortured both his victims and their families, and led law enforcement officials on an insane chase to try and catch him, even while deliberately leaving clues to be found and interpreted. Real serial killers do this all the time, and sometimes they're never even caught. Which makes them even scarier.

Are you scared, yet? You should be. After all, who needs vampires and werewolves when we got these guys? Monsters of these types have existed for years, probably long before we even had terms for them. Remember that the next time you watch a horror flick... or better yet, when you watch the news.

PSYCHO

Alfred Hitchcock's original classic, based on the novel by Robert Bloch, may be more of a suspense thriller than a horror film, but in many ways it was the precursor to the slasher genre by having a killer who wore a disguise. As Norman Bates, Anthony Perkins gives a chilling performance as a man who appears normal but then turns out to have some obvious issues. Who can beat that classic shower scene with Janet Leigh being stabbed to death, accompanied by the now famous violin score? Even if you've seen it before, this old classic is still guaranteed to send serious chills up your spine.

HALLOWEEN

It may not have been the first of its kind, and even the original version of Black Christmas beats it by having the story center around a holiday, but as far as many fans are concerned, John Carpenter's original 1978 classic is by far the definitive slasher film. And for good reason. From his initial murder of his sister at the start of the film to his hunt for Laurie Strode at the climax, Michael Myers set the standard for a slasher: masked, silent and unstoppable. Sure, it has probably the least amount of blood for a slasher flick, but who needs gore when you have excellent timing combined with an awesome musical score? Very appropriately, this is one that you have to watch every Halloween.

THE TEXAS CHAINSAW MASSACRE

Take your pick of either Tobe Hooper's original 1974 classic or the 2003 remake because both are equally good films to watch. Following the same plot (a group of teens traveling through Texas run into a family of cannibals, one of whom wields a chainsaw and wears a mask of human skin) and although there are some differences, both films make great use of all the horror elements and provide some great scares. The original isn't quite as bloody as some make it out to be, but it still has its terrifying moments such as the sudden appearances of Leatherface before he makes a kill. The remake is rather bloody, although tame by today's standards (especially the prequel that followed it), and has some great performances by R. Lee Emery and Jessica Biel. Besides that, who can beat a film that has a villain going by the name of “Leatherface”?

THE FOG

Forget the newer remake that starred Tom Welling. It may have provided some good special effects, but the revisions to the plot made little sense. Stick to John Carpenter's original about a town besieged by a mysterious fog containing the very vengeful ghosts of a sailing crew murdered by the town's founders. This version keeps it simple, and the ghosts look more frightening when seen in shadow. And the cool part? This is the first time Janet Leigh and Jamie Lee Curtis (mother and daughter for those who don't know) were in the same movie together, 18 years before Halloween: H2O!

NIGHT OF THE LIVING DEAD

Zombie flicks as we know them, owe it all to this little number directed by George Romero. It's not as gory as his later zombie films (the scene where a group of zombies feed on the burned remains of some poor humans following a car wreck is as bad as it gets), but it did set up the basic formula. You know, the dead rise mysteriously, start attacking and eating people, and one group of survivors try to fend some off while trapped in a farmhouse. You just can't beat a classic like this, especially since it gave us one of the best stalker lines in cinema: “They're coming to get you, Barbara.”

DAWN OF THE DEAD (2004)

I had my doubts when I heard they were doing this remake, but I convinced myself to go see it and was actually impressed. Unlike the original (a follow-up to Night of the Living Dead), Zack Snyder's remake is a stand-alone story showing what happens to a group of zombie apocalypse survivors trapped inside a mall surrounded by killer ghouls. Probably the best update to this film is the characterization of the zombies; instead of lumbering around, they actually run after their victims, giving further reason to get away ASAP. While there is some blood and gore (which is to be expected), compared to Romero's recent Land of the Dead, it's all rather tame.

THE BLAIR WITCH PROJECT

Getting lost in the woods can be scary enough. Getting lost in the woods while being hunted by the legendary witch you were making a documentary about is a lot worse. Some folks may rip on it, but The Blair Witch Project is very much one of the best horror films ever made. Made documentary-style (so much so that folks actually took it seriously), this film capitalizes on using what can't be seen in order to make both the protagonists and the audience wonder just what the heck is going on out there. Some will complain about not being able to see the title character, but if you ask me, that's what makes it even creepier.

THE RING

This is the movie that started the recent trend of remaking Japanese horror films. Based on the film Ring (or Ringu, take your pick), the storyline provides a lot of twists and turns (especially towards the end) using the simple plot of a cursed video tape that causes those who watch it to die a week later. Watch as main character Naomi Watts tries to figure out the mystery behind the tape while bizarre things keep happening around her. Trust me, when I say that this is one film that will make you jump, no matter how many times you watch it.

THE GRUDGE

You'll never look at a haunted house story the same way after you see this one. This is another remake of a Japanese film (and this one by the original director), The Grudge proves that even if you leave the house where a brutal murder happened, the ghosts who inhabit it won't stop until they get you. Watch Sarah Michelle Gellar (in one of her best post-Buffy roles) find out the hard way as she tries to figure out the secret of the house. You can take your pick as to which ghost is creepier, the meowing little boy or the croaking woman that crawls on the floor towards unsuspecting victims. This is one movie that you'll want the director's extended cut for, as it provides a few more scenes to add to the story as well as some extra scares.

THE SCREAM TRILOGY

Wes Craven practically saved the horror genre in general and the slasher genre in particular with this series of films. While following the standard formula of these movies (mysterious masked killer attacks teenagers with one particular girl being the main target), it also succeeds in satirizing it. This allows viewers a chance to recognize as well as poke fun at how it works with all sorts of twists and turns, such as guessing who the mysterious “Ghostface” is in each film. There is the necessary blood, but only because it's expected when people get cut up and not because of its simple shock value. In the end, this is a great set of films that provides both scares and laughs.

Is this enough for you? Any one of these flicks should provide more than enough entertainment for one of the year's most popular holidays. So hit the video store, microwave some popcorn, and sit back and enjoy. And, of course, remember to leave the lights on...