My Top 5...Scariest

Hey folks.

Welcome to another edition of 'My Top 5...' I haven't posted one for a while, so I figured what better list to choose than the scariest movies and stories.

If, like me, you love being scared, than this is the list for you. If you're hankering for a movie that might actually give you the willies, or to read a story that might keep you awake at night, let me, your ghoulish host, guide you through some of my picks for the scariest, spookiest, er, frightenist movies and stories around. Keep in mind, these are a personal choice and, like comedy, what scares a person is highly subjective. Also, I'm talking about fictional scary, as opposed to, say, war movies or stories. We all know that a book or a movie on the holocaust is scarier than any make believe monster.

For the movies, I've broken them up into two categories: 'Serious' scary and 'fun' scary. Two very different beasts, I hope you'll agree.

So, on with the lists.

'Serious' Scariest movies:

1/ The Texas Chainsaw Massacre (1974) - the only film to truly scare me. And by scare me, I mean I had to stop the movie halfway through and check out the window; I had trouble staying awake that night after watching the movie. Yes, the movie affected me that much (well okay, I was a young teenager, and I waited until all my family had gone to bed, and I turned off all the lights - still, this movie has an undeniable power and it still affects me today, even though I've seen it over 20 times).

2/ The Shining (1980) - Kubrick's masterful interpretation of the brilliant King novel. Truly a work of art; one of the most ornate and beautifully terrifying movies of all time. The sense of dread and claustrophobia is palpable.

3/ The Evil Dead (1982) - yes, this is an over-the-top gore fest; part scary film, part tongue-in-cheek horror flick. But the film still manages to really get under my skin. It's super low-budget, which adds to the grainy reality of the film. And effective lighting, bizarre music and the kinetic use of the camera add up to a nightmarish and sometimes very intense experience.

4/ Deliverance (1972) - while it's not considered a traditional 'horror' film, this '70s masterpiece, in my opinion, is scarier and more intense than most so-called horror movies. Very realistic, very disturbing, this gives me chills every time I watch it.

5/ Maniac (1980) - a real sleaze fest of a movie, this is arguably one of the most brutally realistic and ugly films ever made. But there's no denying its raw power and that it succeeds in its purpose - that is, to present the life of a sick, sad serial killer. Seedy, bloody and very hard to watch. This is one unsettling movie, and the segment with the nurse being stalked by the killer in the subway, is wonderfully done and very intense.

Honourable mentions: The Hills Have Eyes ('77); Night of the Living Dead ('68); The Exorcist ('73); Ringu ('98); Suspiria ('77); Freaks ('32); Onibaba ('64) A Nightmare on Elm St. ('84); Haute Tension ('03); Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer ('86); Spoorloos ('88) Dark Night of the Scarecrow ('81)


'Fun' Scariest movies:

1/ Jaws (1975) - a brilliant movie, full of wonderful characters, superb acting and directing, a memorable score; and, of course, mountains of suspense. Does contain some genuinely intense and disturbing moments.

2/ Kingdom of the Spiders (1977) - yes, I'm deathly afraid of spiders, so I guess you could call this technically my all-time scariest movie. Aside from the thousands of huge, hairy tarantulas, it's darn silly and cheesy, but very entertaining.

3/ Arachnophobia (1990) - another spider movie, this one not quite as squirm-inducing as KotS, but it's a much better movie. Still can't watch it with the lights off, though.

4/ Poltergeist (1982) - a masterpiece of special effects, while still managing to have a strong story and likable characters. While it's mostly harmless fun-scary, there are some very intense and bloody scenes, and contains a scene that every kid who has worried about monsters under the bed can relate to...

5/ The Wizard of Oz (1939) - now don't laugh. Those munchkins terrified me as a youngster, and the flying monkeys ain't exactly a walk in the park, either...

Honourable mentions: Piranha ('78); Gremlins ('84); The Lost Boys ('87); Child's Play ('88); Scream ('96); NeverEnding Story ('84 - the scenes with the Gmork scared me when I as five); Alligator ('80).

Scariest Stories:

1/ The Shining, Stephen King (1977) - the scariest novel I've ever read. A masterpiece of terror on all levels: personal, visceral, supernatural, it's all here.

2/ The Tell-Tale Heart, Edgar Allan Poe (1843) - how a story so short and so simple can be so terrifying and memorable is an incredible testament to the talent of Poe. A must read (and it'll only take you a few minutes!).

3/ Pet Sematary, King, (1983) - a dark and frightening novel, this is the first adult novel I ever read; no wonder I'm so screwed up now!

4/ The Exorcist, William Peter Blatty (1971) - just as scary as the movie (I think more so), this is a beautifully written and realised story. Moving, moody and intelligent.

5/ The Lottery, Shirley Jackson (1948) - one of the best and most powerful short stories I've ever read. Scary because it's believable, and so well-written.

Honourable mentions: Song of Kali (Dan Simmons, '85); The Cellar (Richard Laymon, '80); The Haunting of Hill House (Shirley Jackson, '59); I Am Legend (Richard Matheson, '54); Red Dragon (Thomas Harris, '81); Jaws (Peter Benchley, '74); Fahrenheit 451 (Ray Bradbury, '53); Midnight at Monster Mansion (a 'Choose Your Own Adventure' book, '84); The Girl Next Door (Jack Ketchum, '89).