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Top 100 Scariest Movies
From Chicago, this is The Dope Sheet... I'm Adam Kempenaar.
Quick programming note: Filmspotting #131 with Listener Feedback
and reviews of The Last King of Scotland and Vernon, Florida will be
posted this afternoon (Wednesday). For those of you who enjoy it when
things get somewhat heated between Sam and me, you'll probably like
this show. Through The Lake House, American Dreamz (dreams with a z)
and every other film he was wrong about, I've never actually been
'mad' about it. Well, it's been a few days since we recorded the
show, and I'm still worked up about it. We actually continued the
debate over email the past few days with me accusing Sam of being
such a goodytwoshoes that he can't appreciate flawed characters
because he thinks he's better than them.
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You may recall a while back on the show when I mentioned that I
had been accepted into the Chicago Film Critics Association. What
does it mean to be a member of the CFCA? Well... good question. I
really don't know. But apparently it allows me to further partake in
the grand American (and Filmspotting) tradition of list-making.
My first act as a Chicago Film Critic was to help select the 100
Scariest Movies ever. Now, as you know, I'm really not qualified to
help select this list -- at least not like certain friends of mine
who have probably seen every single movie on the list of 500+ we had
to choose from, most of them several times. After all, there is a
reason why we did a Horror Marathon.
But I was happy to find that I had seen more than enough to form
my top 25, which is what each of us were asked to come up with. So
without further ado... I'll print the top 10 below. You can view
the complete list here.
"Just in time for Halloween, members of the Chicago Film Critics
Association have pooled their collective experiences and expertise to
identify The 100 Scariest Movies of All Time.
"These aren't only your regular horror film fare," said CFCA
President Dann Gire. "These are the movies judged by Chicago's film
critics to have the scariest moments ever projected on to the silver
screen, regardless of their genres."
1. Psycho
2. The Exorcist
3. Halloween
4. Alien
5. Night of the Living Dead (1968)
6. Jaws
7. The Shining
8. The Texas Chainsaw Massacre (1974)
9. Dawn of the Dead (1978)
10. Rosemary's Baby
Of these 10, seven were in my top 10: Psycho (#4), The Exorcist
(#1), Rosemary's Baby (#2), Halloween (#3), Dawn of the Dead (#7),
The Shining (#5) and Alien (#6).
The other three that didn't make the final top 10:
8. Evil Dead, The
9. Friday the 13th
10. Suspiria (Just for you Van Sam)
One thing I need to point out, however... When I initially got
the assignment, we were asked to list our top 20 'horror' movies. As
it turns out, we were supposed to form a list of the 'scariest'
movies. There's a big difference. (Though for some reason, I
contradicted myself and included Alien.)
For example, I deliberately left off "The Silence of the Lambs"
and "Manhunter" -- and any other movie involving Hannibal Lecter --
because I don't really consider them to be horror movies. But both
films have at least one or two truly scary moments for me, especially
Manhunter. In fact, just thinking about one scene in particular as I
type here at 11:48 pm CT is making me wish my wife wasn't at work so
she could protect me while we sleep. (You think I'm kidding.)
I probably would have re-considered my placement of Halloween as
well. I think it might just be the prototypical horror film. But can
I remember one scene that actually scared me? Nope.
Other interesting notes:
#33. Seven: Didn't make my top 25 despite my love for it.
Again... scary? Sure, at times. A horror movie? I decided not.
#48. Nosferatu the Vampyre: Good choice, but couldn't you just
write down 'any Klaus Kinski movie'?
#55. Jurassic Park. Suspenseful? Sure. Scary? No. This might be
the poster child for the folly of list-making.
#62. Shaun of the Dead: I love this movie. And I'm pretty sure it
made my (horror) top 25. But how can a satirical comedy be scary?
What was that about folly?
#79. Salem's Lot: The great TV movie adaptation of the Stephen
King story with the immortal David Soul. I've told the story at least
twice on the show already so I won't repeat it here, but this vampire
movie absolutely traumatized me as a kid. Should have been higher.
#86. The Exorcism of Emily Rose: Wait, really? I mean, I guess...
no, wait... really?
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News You Can Use
OK, that's a misleading title. But I can't come up with anything more
creative...
8 Films To Die For --
Speaking of horror movies... TJ Wells from Plainfield passes along
this link for the After Dark HorrorFest running Nov. 17-19 in 500
theatres (35 cities) around the U.S. These are movies that are
apparently considered "too graphic, too disturbing and too shocking
for general audiences." Sounds like good times.
High Fidelity: The Musical
-- Thanks to Jeff Huston for this link about Nick Hornby's book being
adapted into a Broadway musical. Apparently it's in previews now in
Boston and is set to open in NYC on Nov. 20. I don't know... I'm
willing to give it a shot. I did love West Side Story, didn't I?
Plus, my first exposure to Hornby wasn't the book but a Chicago stage
adaptation called The Vinyl Shop. It was written by WGN movie critic
Nick DiGilio (directed too, I think). My actor friend Kevin, the guy
who introduced Sam and me, had a role in it. Something about the
accompanying picture worries me though. Can anyone see the characters
from the book or the movie "kickin' out the jams" in such a fashion?
To our New York friends -- let us know how it is if you get a chance
to check it out.
Oliver Stone to Direct Jawbreaker
-- That Oliver Stone follow-up to World Trade Center our listener
Manuk predicted would happen ... the one we mentioned was in the
works 5 or 6 shows ago? Here it is. Thanks to Colin Chisholm for the
link.
Grindhouse Trailer
-- Hanna in London was one of a handful of listeners who sent in this
link. Hanna writes: "Rodriguez and Tarantino, filled to the brim with
'that guy' actors (including Filmspotting favourite Nicky Katt),
gratuitous violence, outrageous... well, everything. I am stunned by
this thing; I've never seen anything like it." Actually, Hanna I bet
you've seen everything like it... including the kitchen
sink... but I get what you mean. Here's the crazy part -- Mr.
Sensitive Sam Van Hallgren may be even more pumped for this movie
than Hanna is.
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Trailer Trash or Treasure: Casino Royale
 Trailer
Maybe it's just a guy thing, but tell me the first 20 seconds of
this trailer (teaser 1a) aren't the coolest 20 seconds you've seen
all year. Just try. The black and white... the wit... Daniel Craig's
icy eyes and perfect timing. And you certainly aren't going to get
any complaints from me about the casting of latest Bond girl Eva
Green.
However, is anyone else disappointed by the fact that after the
first 20 seconds, the trailer seems to consist almost exclusively of
huge explosions, ridiculous stunts and high speed chases? I know,
it's a Bond movie. But that's exactly why I stopped caring about the
Bond franchise.
I'm not asking for something understated like The Bourne
Identity, or truly dark like Batman Begins, but after starting out
with such promise -- with an actual sense of mystery, intrigue and
awe -- I'm left cringing at the thought of the next GoldenEye. Which
makes sense considering they're both from the same director, Martin
Campbell. I guess the producers thought it wise to put the newest
Bond in the hands of the same guy who launched the previous Bond.
I can't find any reports suggesting they strongly considered
anyone else for the job, though supposedly Quentin Tarantino wanted
to direct and was extremely disappointed he wasn't contacted. Now
that's a Bond movie I'd like to see. But frankly, it simply would
have been nice to have the new, edgy Bond get a new, edgy director.
Anybody who could bring a new sensibility rather than someone who
will simply play it safe.
Grade: Trash. Hey, I'm still interested. But I better get
more of that first 20 seconds.
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Overlooked DVD Pick: Mr. Jealousy
 Well, not so much my Overlooked DVD Pick as it is Todd Field's. If
you listen to the complete Field interview, which will be available
on our site Saturday, you'll hear him mention
Noah Baumbach\'s third movie
as an underrated film that features a 3rd person narrator -- similar
to the narrator in Fields' latest, Little Children.
The crazy part is that after I came home from recording the
interview, I was flipping channels before going to bed and came
across Mr. Jealousy just as it was starting. I've never come across
Mr. Jealousy before, and here it is on the same night someone
recommended it to me...
Eric Stoltz stars as a struggling writer who becomes obsessed
with his new girlfriend's ex, a famous writer played by Chris Eigeman.
Anyway, in the interest of full disclosure, I have to admit that
I didn't finish it. Feel free to chastise me for recommending a movie
I haven't seen all the way through. But it was 1 am and I was dead
tired! I could have watched the whole thing but knew I needed to get
to sleep.
Why do I suggest you should watch it then? Because the narration
is funny, the writing is clever, Stoltz is great ... and, well,
because Todd Field likes it. What more do you need to hear? I guess I
will add that up until I shut it off, I was enjoying Mr. Jealousy
more than Kicking and Screaming, which everyone seems to love but me.
Admittedly, I've only seen it once probably 8 or 9 years ago, so it
warrants revisiting.
Maybe one of you can tell me what Baumbach was doing between Mr.
Jealousy (1997) and The Squid and the Whale (2005) -- other than
co-writing The Life Aquatic in 2004. That's a long time between films.
** Speaking of the Todd Field interview... We know we have a lot
of graphic designers in our audience so we have a request. Can
someone design us a 'button' that says something like, "Todd Field
Complete Interview," or whatever... for the right rail of our site.
Should be no bigger than 205 pixels wide and around 125 high.
Something eye-grabbing. Send your submission to
feedback@filmspotting.net.
The one we select will be featured on the site (naturally) and
you'll get special thanks on our show ... We'll probably even plug
the web site of your choice, assuming it's something halfway tasteful.
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