10 must-see horror flicks

MANILA, Philippines – A few days left before Halloween, and with the long weekend beginning tomorrow, October 26, people have planned either trips to take or Halloween parties to attend.

For movie buffs, it’s that most wonderful time of the year — to watch scary movies.

Have you planned your playlist of movies for that much-awaited film orgy? (“film orgy” being the vernacular of film students pertaining to a movie marathon)

We made our own list; and we didn’t go to the automatic choices (The Exorcist, The Ring, Night of the Living Dead, etc.).

We picked movies that might not be getting as much attention as they should, or movies that you might have overlooked or have not been given a chance to watch yet. 

1) Shadow of a Doubt (1943)

While it is classified as a suspense film more than a horror flick (and while most people will go to Psycho and The Birds for Hitchcock horror), this is the movie we would like to thrust into people’s hands and DVD players. 

Nothing supernatural or crazy is going on here, but this just heightens the scariness of it. Young Charlie’s favorite uncle (who is her namesake) has just shown up in town to visit them and stay awhile. At the same time, there have been reports of a murderer who is being hunted down. Charlie starts to suspect her uncle once he starts exhibiting suspicious behavior. Then bad things start happening to her. Is she just being paranoid? Or does Uncle Charlie want to keep her quiet by rubbing her out?

For the most part, this is a subdued, quiet film. Then it ratchets up the suspense and leads to horror in its scenarios and developments. 

2) Cape Fear (1962)

Continuing the domestic drama as horror, we have the original Cape Fear.

A convict, played by Robert Mitchum, spends his time in prison plotting his revenge and learning the law. He uses this against the lawyer who put him behind bars. After serving his time, he gets out and starts harassing the lawyer (played by Gregory Peck) and his family. He follows them around, keeps watch and acts menacing, but never does anything and stays within the bounds of the law.

It’s an interesting reversal as the law is used against the lawyer and the horror comes in the inability to control the situation. Mitchum gives a chilling performance and this film will have you scared and at the edge of your seat.  

3) Rosemary’s Baby (1968)

There are demonic possession and exorcism flicks all over the place.

But rare is the demon movie that displays as much restraint or contained creepiness as Roman Polanski’s Rosemary’s Baby. 

A young couple moves into a building and the wife (played by Mia Farrow) gets pregnant. Her pregnancy is unusual for her, but people assure her that it’s nothing, that it’s just part of the body being different when with child. But could it be that she is carrying a demon child?Throughout the film we are thrown into the confusion and apprehension that she suffers.

We are continually asking, continually unsure of the world and of the things that are going on. This is, for us, much scarier than demonic possessions because the subtlety and uncertainty are absolutely unnerving. 

4) Itim (1977) 

Mike de Leon’s directorial debut, steeped in Catholic imagery such as church rituals and life-sized statues of saints, operates more on atmosphere than jump-out-of-your-seat scares.

Tommy Abuel plays Jun, a photographer who goes home to visit his ailing father over the Holy Week break. While taking pictures of his hometown’s Holy Week festivities, Jun meets Teresa (played by Charo Santos), a young woman who, unknown to Jun, is somehow linked to his family’s recent past.

Although, there’s a supernatural element to the movie, the script by Doy del Mundo and Gil Qiulto wisely eschews the trappings of your typical horror fare. Instead, the film relies on de Leon’s great sense of visuals for its tense and disturbing moments.

In one of the film’s most memorable dream sequences, Jun is walking around an abandoned church littered with animated statues. Another notable scene, a long tracking shot focused on the wheels of a wheelchair, has a particularly Hitchcock-ian flair that’s a rarity in Philippine cinema.

5) The Shining (1980)

One of the most referenced films of all time, we’ve found that a lot of younger people we talk to know the “Here’s Johnny” line but haven’t seen the film.

And so we point everyone to Stanley Kubrick’s horror masterpiece The Shining. 

Set in a ski lodge that is closed down for the harsh winter, Jack Nicholson is a writer who takes on the job of the lodge’s caretaker. He brings his family with him and the 3 of them, rather than developing as a family and enjoying quality time, start encountering some very bad things. 

This has some of the most frightening images we’ve ever seen in film, and Nicholson’s over the top performance only amps up the already frightening situations. 

6) Huwag Mong Buhayin Ang Bangkay (1987) 

While we’re waiting for a Filipino zombie movie in the vein of George Romero, we have Mauro Gia Samonte’s “Huwag Mong Buhayin ang Bangkay” to tide us over.

Made at the height of Seiko Films’ creative renaissance in the late 80s, the movie tells the story of Robertito (Jestoni Alarcon), a concert pianist who dies in a traffic accident shortly after discovering that his brother has taken up with the girl of his dream. His mother Aurora (the late Charito Solis) makes a pact with the devil to bring her favorite son back from the grave. 

The makeup and special effects of the movie are laughably dated and the soundtrack ill-advised (you’ll see what I mean when you watch the movie), but there’s no denying that this is an interesting take on the zombie movie. Plus, Robertito’s reanimated corpse is in a tuxedo for most of the movie, making him the classiest zombie ever.

That alone is worth the price of admission.     

7) Shake Rattle and Roll 2 (1990) 

Any list of local horror movies would not be complete without at least one entry from this long-running anthology franchise.

As with all of the installments, “Shake Rattle & Roll 2” offers 3 tales of the supernatural. This time around, directors Lore Reyes and Peque Gallaga (along with co-writer Don Escudero) are put in charge and they come up with a tale about a haunted ring (“Multo”), an obsessive witch doctor (“Kulam”) and a town full of aswangs (“Aswang”). 

What stands out here for us is the slightly comedic second story, “Kulam,” starring comedian Joey Marquez as Bogart, a man who has the unfortunate fate of attracting affections of a literal witch-doctor. Hospital-bound after being in an accident, Bogart sets out to escape his doctor’s clutches but soon finds what happens when you piss off a witch.

Let us tell you folks, it ain’t pretty.

8) Sigaw (2004) 

Starring then-onscreen paramours Richard Gutierrez and Angel Locsin, director Yam Laranas’ Sigaw tells the story of Marvin (Gutierrez) who moves into a run-down apartment building haunted by a vengeful spirit.

Obviously inspired by Hideo Nataka’s The Ring, Sigaw could have been a run-of-the-mill vengeful spirit movie like The Rings’ countless imitators, but Laranas’s great sense of visuals elevates it above the rest. There’s a craftsmanship to the way this movie is shot that is highly reminiscent of De Leon’s Itim.

Unlike that film though, this one doesn’t hold back on showing the actual ghost (one sequence in particular, will forever make you afraid of going to the cinema).   

And, Sigaw was remade by Hollywood as The Echo. For that reason alone, you have to see it.

9) The Descent (2005)

When released locally, this film stayed well under the radar; but it is, hands down, a top-level action flick.

Innovative in its use of lighting as well as other aspects of its execution, The Descent is a chilling film that barely leaves us room to breathe.

A group of girls decide to go spelunking. The trip isn’t just one for adventure; but it’s also an attempt to reconnect with each other, get past hurts done to one another and hopefully repair friendships. However, things take a decidedly dark turn as Murphy’s Law comes into play and all manner of terrible things start happening in the cave.

Oh, and then monsters show up. 

10) Yanggaw (2008)

Another horror movie with a strong family-centric storyline, Richard Somes’ Yanggaw is, among other things, notable for being filmed entirely in Ilonggo.

The amazing Ronnie Lazaro plays a former community leader named Junior, whose daughter is slowly becoming an aswang after she comes back from a trip the next town over. Bound by filial love and duty to protect his own, Junior and the rest of the family make uneasy choices to try and preserve life as they know it, even in the face of undeniable evil.

Somes is wise enough to anchor his movie on the struggle of the family unit to cope with their afflicted family member, rather than go for the cheap, easy scare of having the daughter run around killing people.

This is a movie that will sit nicely right next to Let the Right One In on your DVD shelf. – Rappler.com

 

 

What is YOUR favorite scary movie? Has it stopped you from sleeping without a light on? Tell us by posting your comments below, or by tweeting us at @rapplerdotcom. Use the hashtag #scarymovie.