Are we there yet?

October 24-30, 2016

By Jay Edwards

Time for another annual ranking of scariest movies. Thanks to my brother in law, Bob Althoff, aka MF (Mother’s Favorite) for sending me a link to Entertainment Weekly’s “31 scariest movies of all time.”

31. ‘It Follows’ (2014) – Pretty forgettable I think.

30. Dead Ringers (1988) – If I forgot a mediocre one from two years ago then no chance for a memory here.

29. Let the Right One In (2008) – Great movie and cool take on my favorite scary things, vampires.

28. The Descent (2005) – Beautiful women head out for a day of spelunking. What could go wrong?

27. Scream (1996) – Saw the beginning, which was scary. But I thought it was going to be a comedy.

26. Audition (1999) – I remember when this came out and how shocking everyone said it was; very gory too. I passed.

25. Suspiria (1977) – In 1977 its competition was Exorcist 2 and Audrey Rose. Never saw this one either.

24. 28 Days Later (2002) – I loved it. Nothing scarier than zombies who run like Usain Bolt.

23. Poltergeist (1982) – One of my all time favorites but not terrifying at all. More of a feel-good horror film and you definitely feel the Spielberg magic from the beginning. Check that, a clown under the bed is terrifying. And when parental units Jobeth Williams and Craig T. Nelson are smoking grass it warms my heart every time.

22. The Omen (1976) – Nanny hangs self during antichrist’s birthday party. Dear God that was creepy. Plus I’ve always had a thing for Lee Remick.

21. The Evil Dead (1981) – I just never bought in to the friends in a cabin in the woods unleashing strange forces deal. Never saw it.

20. Friday the 13th (1980) – Another classic I never saw. Don’t know why. This was a good year for scary films. The Shining and Altered States come to mind. But the most frightening from 1980 or any other year is The Changeling.

19. Repulsion (1965) – Catherine Deneuve directed by Roman Polanski. I’ll put it on my scary movie bucket list.

18. Seven (1995) – The definition of disturbing and a finale I’ll never forget. It was indeed a brilliant ending but I almost wish I hadn’t ever heard of this one. Spacy and Pitt are masterful. Oh yeah, it’s got Morgan Freeman too.

17. A Nightmare on Elm Street (1984) – Never was a Freddie fan, but whenever I’m channel surfing and come across this or one of the many sequels I just can’t look away. This was not a great year for the genre. But the Coen brothers Blood Simple was about as suspenseful as anything you’ll see.

16. Carrie (1976) – Now we’re talking. I think this may have been the first film I ever saw from a King novel. Piper Laurie as the nutty mom stole the show.

15. Ringu (1998) – What is it about a longhaired ghost of a dead girl crawling out of the television that freaks me out so bad? They are worse than cackling clowns under my bed.

14. Dawn of the Dead (2004) – Not seen this or Romero’s original, but maybe it’s time I did. Look what The Walking Dead has done to me.

13. Dawn of the Dead (1978) – As I was saying.

12. Nosferatu (1922) – I owe it to my love of vampires to at least give it a shot. The silent, sinister, slim-fingered Count Orlock played by Max Schreck.

11. Alien (1979) – Another of my all time favorites and I’ve written before that KM, during one of our dates, whispered to me in the Cinema 150 after the alien popped out of John Hurt’s chest, “I’m leaving and I’ll pick you up after if you want to stay.” I did and the next year we were married. Isn’t it romantic?

Next week, the top ten.

Jay Edwards is editor-in-chief of the Daily Record. Contact him at jedwards@dailydata.com.