Top Five Horror Films
The Movie Parliament ministers give their five favourite horror films of all time.
Minister for History - Leonhard Balk
Nosferatu
One of the earliest horror films ever made, the third, by my count, behind “The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari” and “The Golem”, it still holds up today. The sight of Graf Orlok, played with almost unreal eeriness by Max Schreck, standing motionless in the doorway of his castle, still sends shivers down my spine. Just by playing with light and shadows, F.W. Murnau, a visionary for his time, evokes a sense of dread that won't ever leave you.
The Haunting
Probably my favourite horror film in this list, it invented the haunted house movie and thereby influenced generations of films to come. Robert Wise, in my opinion, perfects the slow build-up and cathartic reveal of the horror genre.
Don't Look Now
A study in human misery, the film creates an unique and inescapable atmosphere of dread in its viewers.
Eyes Without a Face
It shocked audiences upon its release and it still shocks audiences today. The image of a young girl, her face hidden behind a mask, will never leave you.
Night of the Hunter
For me, iconic horror film serial killers were all born out of Robert Mitchum's portrayal of Harry Powell, a religious fanatic set on catching a pair of young children.
Prime Minister - Michael Dalton
Scream
A horror/comedy that it just as scary, if not scarier, as it is funny (The Cabin in the Woods...). With one of the best opening sequences of all time, a compelling whodunnit mystery which rewards repeat viewings and memorable characters, Scream is not just one of my favourite horror films, but one of my favourite films of all time.
Drag Me To Hell
One of the funnest experiences I have ever had in a cinema. Drag Me To Hell is a thrill-ride of a film from start to finish and very much a modern classic horror film.
Psycho
A movie worth remembering not just for its iconic shower scene, but also for Hitchcock's direction, the setting, the performances and the twist. With an ending that never fails to send a chill down my spine, Psycho is a movie that all film fans, not just horror film fans, owe it to themselves to see.
The Shining
A hypnotic film, with haunting imagery that will never leave my brain. Whether it's the girl ghost twins, the elevators full of blood, Jack Nicholson's face inside the door, THAT maze, or that close-up of Jack Nicholson's face in THAT picture. Meticulously and masterfully directed by Stanley Kubrick, The Shining, like the films above, is a classic film in general, not just a classic horror film.
Insidious
Like Drag Me To Hell, this was a cinematic experience that will be hard to forget. The old lady demon haunts me till this day (And will for many a day I am sure), as does the song, "Tiptoe Through the Tulips" A film very much of two halves which is just as entertaining and inventive for both of them. I hope the upcoming sequel doesn't taint the memory of this film.