Happy Halloween 2019 everybody. Since I have been so busy lately, I have decided to gather up a large number (though it is not a complete list of horror films I consider to be great) of my favorite horror films from my favorite directors and paste it on here in the alphabetical order of it’s respected director’s last name. Happy Halloween dear readers and enjoy my results below š
- What Ever Happened to Baby Jane? (1962) (Dir: Robert Aldrich)
- Hush… Hush, Sweet Charlotte (1964) (Dir: Robert Aldrich)
- The Skin I Live In (2011) (Dir: Pedro Almodovar)
- Images (1972) (Dir: Robert Altman)
- Inauguration of the Pleasure Dome (1954) (Dir: Kenneth Anger)
(Short Cinema) - Fireworks (1947) (Dir: Kenneth Anger)
(Short Cinema) - Invocation of My Demon Brother (1969) (Dir: Kenneth Anger)
(Short Cinema) - Deep Red (1975) (Dir: Dario Argento)
- Tenebrae (1982) (Dir: Dario Argento)
- Suspiria (1977) (Dir: Dario Argento)
- Opera (1987) (Dir: Dario Argento)
- Inferno (1980) (Dir: Dario Argento)
- Phenomena (1985) (Dir: Dario Argento)
- The Bird with the Crystal Plumage (1970) (Dir: Dario Argento)
- Kill, Baby… Kill! (1966) (Dir: Mario Bava)
- Blood and Black Lace (1964) (Dir: Mario Bava)
- Lisa and the Devil (1973) (Dir: Mario Bava)
- A Bay of Blood (1971) (Dir: Mario Bava)
(a.k.a. Twitch of the Death Nerve) - Hatchet for the Honeymoon (1970) (Dir: Mario Bava)
- Planet of the Vampires (1965) (Dir: Mario Bava)
- Black Sabbath (1963) (Dir: Mario Bava)
(Anthology Film) - Black Sunday (1960) (Dir: Mario Bava)
- The Whip and the Body (1963) (Dir: Mario Bava)
- Hercules in the Haunted World (1961) (Dir: Mario Bava)
- Hour of the Wolf (1968) (Dir: Ingmar Bergman)
- Near Dark (1987) (Dir: Kathryn Bigelow)
- The Host (2006) (Dir: Bong Joon-ho)
- UnĀ Chien Andalou (1929) (Dir: Luis Bunuel)
(Short Cinema) - White of the Eye (1987) (Dir: Donald Cammell)
- Demon Seed (1977) (Dir: Donald Cammell)
- The Thing (1982) (Dir: John Carpenter)
- Halloween (1978) (Dir: John Carpenter)
- They Live (1988) (Dir: John Carpenter)
- In the Mouth of Madness (1994) (Dir: John Carpenter)
- The Fog (1980) (Dir: John Carpenter)
- Prince of Darkness (1987) (Dir: John Carpenter)
- Someone’s Watching Me! (1978) (Dir: John Carpenter)
(TV Film) - Vampires (1998) (Dir: John Carpenter)
- Cigarette Burns (2005) (Dir: John Carpenter)
(Masters of Horror Episode)
(Cable/Television) - Diabolique (1955) (Dir: Henri-Georges Clouzot)
- God Told Me To (1976) (Dir: Larry Cohen)
- Q (1982) (Dir: Larry Cohen)
- It’s Alive (1974) (Dir: Larry Cohen)
- The Stuff (1985) (Dir: Larry Cohen)
- Pick Me Up (2006) (Dir: Larry Cohen)
(Masters of Horror Episode)
(Cable/Television) - Videodrome (1983) (Dir: David Cronenberg)
- The Fly (1986) (Dir: David Cronenberg)
- Dead Ringers (1988) (Dir: David Cronenberg)
- The Brood (1979) (Dir: David Cronenberg)
- eXistenZ (1999) (Dir: David Cronenberg)
- The DeadĀ Zone (1983) (Dir: David Cronenberg)
- Scanners (1981) (Dir: David Cronenberg)
- Rabid (1977) (Dir: David Cronenberg)
- Shivers (1975) (Dir: David Cronenberg)
(a.k.a. They Came from Within) - Homecoming (2005) (Dir: Joe Dante)
(Masters of Horror Episode)
(Cable/Television)
- Heart on a Chain (1991) (Dir: Joe Dante)
(Episode of Eerie, Indiana)
(Television) - Foreverware (1991) (Dir: Joe Dante)
(Episode of Eerie, Indiana)
(Television) - The Losers (1991) (Dir: Joe Dante)
(Episode of Eerie, Indiana)
(Television) - The Hole in the Head Gang (1992) (Dir: Joe Dante)
(Episode of Eerie, Indiana)
(Television) - The Retainer (1991) (Dir: Joe Dante)
(Episode of Eerie, Indiana)
(Television) - The Devil’s Backbone (2001) (Dir: Guillermo del Toro)
- Cronos (1993) (Dir: Guillermo del Toro)
- Crimson Peak (2015) (Dir: Guillermo del Toro)
- Mimic (1997) (Dir: Guillermo del Toro)
- Blade II (2002) (Dir: Guillermo del Toro)
- Trouble Every Day (2001) (Dir: Claire Denis)
- The Fury (1978) (Dir: Brian De Palma)
- Carrie (1976) (Dir: Brian De Palma)
- Raising Cain (1992) (Dir: Brian De Palma)
- Phantom of the Paradise (1974) (Dir: Brian De Palma)
- Sisters (1972) (Dir: Brian De Palma)
- Vampyr (1932) (Dir: Carl Theodor Dreyer)
- The Exorcist (1973) (Dir: William Friedkin)
- Bug (2006) (Dir: William Friedkin)
- On a Deadman’s Chest (1992) (Dir: William Friedkin)
(Episode of Tales from the Crypt)
(Cable/Television)
- The Beyond (1981) (Dir: Lucio Fulci)
- Nosferatu the Vampyre (1979) (Dir: Werner Herzog)
- Cutting Cards (1990) (Dir: Walter Hill)
(Episode of Tales from the Crypt)
(Cable/Television) - The Man Who Was Death (1989) (Dir: Walter Hill)
(Episode of Tales from the Crypt)
(Cable/Television) - Deadline (1991) (Dir: Walter Hill)
(Episode of Tales from the Crypt)
(Cable/Television) - The Birds (1963) (Dir: Alfred Hitchcock)
- Psycho (1960) (Dir: Alfred Hitchcock)
- Godzilla (1954) (Dir: Ishiro Honda)
- The War of theĀ Gargantuas (1966) (Dir: Ishiro Honda)
- Matango (1963) (Dir: Ishiro Honda)
- The Texas Chainsaw Massacre (1974) (Dir: Tobe Hooper)
- Salem’s Lot (1979) (Dir: Tobe Hooper)
(TV Miniseries) - Poltergeist (1982) (Dir: Tobe Hooper)
- Legend of the Mountain (1979) (Dir: King Hu)
- Horrors of Malformed Men (1969) (Dir: Teruo Ishii)
- Shogun’s Joys of Torture (1968) (Dir: Teruo Ishii)
(Anthology Film) - Dead Alive (1992) (Dir: Peter Jackson)
(a.k.a. Braindead) - Bad Taste (1987) (Dir: Peter Jackson)
- The Dead Don’t Die (2019) (Dir: Jim Jarmusch)
- Invasion of the Body Snatchers (1978) (Dir: Philip Kaufman)
- Kwaidan (1964) (Dir: Masaki Kobayashi)
- Perfect Blue (1997) (Dir: Satoshi Kon)
(Anime) - The Shining (1980) (Dir: Stanley Kubrick)
- Pulse (2001) (Dir: Kiyoshi Kurosawa)
- Cure (1997) (Dir: Kiyoshi Kurosawa)
- Twin Peaks: Fire Walk with Me (1992) (Dir: David Lynch)
- Eraserhead (1977) (Dir: David Lynch)
- Dracula: Pages from a Virgin’s Diary (2002) (Dir: Guy Maddin)
- Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde (1931) (Dir: Rouben Mamoulian)
- Blind Beast (1969) (Dir: Yasuzo Masumura)
- May (2002) (Dir: Lucky McKee)
- The Woman (2011) (Dir: Lucky McKee)
- The Woods (2006) (Dir: Lucky McKee)
- Sick Girl (2006) (Dir: Lucky McKee)
(Masters of Horror Episode)
(Cable/Television) - The Astronomer’s Dream (1898) (Dir: Georges Melies)
(Short Cinema) - The Bewitched Inn (1897) (Dir: Georges Melies)
(Short Cinema) - Bluebeard (1901) (Dir: Georges Melies)
(Short Cinema) - The Four Troublesome Heads (1898) (Dir: Georges Melies)
(Short Cinema) - The House of the Devil (1896) (Dir: Georges Melies)
(a.k.a. The Haunted Castle)
(a.k.a. The Devil’s Castle)
(Short Cinema) - A Nightmare (1896) (Dir: Georges Melies)
(Short Cinema) - Audition (1999) (Dir: Takashi Miike)
- Ichi the Killer (2001) (Dir: Takashi Miike)
- Imprint (2006) (Dir: Takashi Miike)
(Masters of Horror)
(Cable/Television) - Flesh for Frankenstein (1973) (Dir: Paul Morrissey)
- Blood for Dracula (1973) (Dir: Paul Morrissey)
- Nosferatu (1922) (Dir: F.W. Murnau)
- Faust (1926) (Dir: F.W. Murnau)
- The Haunted Castle (1921) (Dir: F.W. Murnau)
- Empire of Passion (1978) (Dir: Nagisa Oshima)
- Thirst (2009) (Dir: ParkĀ Chan-wook)
- Salo, or the 120 Days of Sodom (1975) (Dir: Pier Paolo Pasolini)
- The Tenant (1976) (Dir: Roman Polanski)
- Repulsion (1965) (Dir: Roman Polanski)
- Rosemary’s Baby (1968) (Dir: Roman Polanski)
- Peeping Tom (1960) (Dir: Michael Powell)
- Evil Dead II (1987) (Dir: Sam Raimi)
- The Evil Dead (1981) (Dir: Sam Raimi)
- Drag Me to Hell (2009) (Dir: Sam Raimi)
- Army of Darkness (1992) (Dir: Sam Raimi)
- The Testament of Doctor Cordelier (1959) (Dir: Jean Renoir)
(French TV Film) - The Reflecting Skin (1990) (Dir: Philip Ridley)
- Heartless (2009) (Dir: Philip Ridley)
- The Seventh Victim (1943) (Dir: Mark Robson)
- Isle of the Dead (1945) (Dir: Mark Robson)
- Bedlam (1946) (Dir: Mark Robson)
- The Ghost Ship (1943) (Dir: Mark Robson)
- Don’t Look Now (1973) (Dir: Nicolas Roeg)
- Dawn of the Dead (1978) (Dir: George A. Romero)
- Night of the Living Dead (1968) (Dir: George A. Romero)
- Martin (1977) (Dir: George A. Romero)
- Day of the Dead (1985) (Dir: George A. Romero)
- Land of the Dead (2005) (Dir: George A. Romero)
- Creepshow (1982) (Dir: George A. Romero)
(Anthology Film) - The Crazies (1973) (Dir: George A. Romero)
- Bruiser (2000) (Dir: George A. Romero)
- Diary of the Dead (2007) (Dir: George A. Romero)
- The Dark Half (1993) (Dir: George A. Romero)
- Survival of the Dead (2009) (Dir: George A. Romero)
- Monkey Shines (1988) (Dir: George A. Romero)
- The Devils (1971) (Dir: Ken Russell)
(I watched it online) - Altered States (1980) (Dir: Ken Russell)
- Lair of the White Worm (1988) (Dir: Ken Russell)
- Gothic (1986) (Dir: Ken Russell)
- Coraline (2009) (Dir: Henry Selick) (Animated Film)
- Kuroneko (1968) (Dir: Kaneto Shindo)
- Onibaba (1964) (Dir: Kaneto Shindo)
- Invasion of the Body Snatchers (1956) (Dir: Don Siegel)
- The Spiral Staircase (1946) (Dir: Robert Siodmak)
- The Phantom Carriage (1921) (Dir: Victor Sjostrom)
- Zigeunerweisen (1980) (Dir: Seijun Suzuki)
- Little Otik (2000) (Dir: Jan Svankmajer)
(a.k.a. Greedy Guts)
(Live-Action/Animation) - Lunacy (2005) (Dir: Jan Svankmajer)
(Live-Action/Animation) - The Pendulum, the Pit and Hope (1983) (Dir: Jan Svankmajer)
(AnimatedĀ Short) - Down to the Cellar (1983) (Dir: Jan Svankmajer)
(Animated Short) - The Flat (1968) (Dir: Jan Svankmajer)
(Animated Short) - Manly Games (1988) (Dir: Jan Svankmajer)
(Animated Short) - Punch and Judy (1966) (Dir: Jan Svankmajer)
(Animated Short) - The Ossuary (1970) (Dir: Jan Svankmajer)
(Documentary Short) - The Fall of the House of Usher (1980) (Dir: Jan Svankmajer)
(Animated Short) - Castle of Otranto (1977) (Dir: Jan Svankmajer)
(Animated Short) - Flora (1989) (Dir: Jan Svankmaker)
(Animated Short) - House of Wax (1953) (Dir: Andre De Toth)
- Cat People (1942) (Dir: Jacques Tourneur)
- I Walked with a Zombie (1943) (Dir: Jacques Tourneur)
- Night of the Demon (1957) (Dir: Jacques Tourneur)
- The Leopard Man (1943) (Dir: Jacques Tourneur)
- The Man from Planet X (1951) (Dir: Edgar G Ulmer)
- The Black Cat (1934) (Dir: Edgar G. Ulmer)
- Bluebeard (1944) (Dir: Edgar G. Ulmer)
- Antichrist (2009) (Dir: Lars Von Trier)
- The Kingdom (1994-1997) (Dir: Lars Von Trier)
(TV Miniseries) - Epidemic (1987) (Dir: Lars Von Trier)
- Bride of Frankenstein (1935) (Dir: James Whale)
- The Old Dark House (1932) (Dir: James Whale)
- The Invisible Man (1933) (Dir: James Whale)
- Frankenstein (1931) (Dir: James Whale)
- The Haunting (1963) (Dir: Robert Wise)
- The Curse of the CatĀ People (1944) (Dir: Robert Wise)
- The Body Snatcher (1945) (Dir: Robert Wise)
- Shaun of the Dead (2004) (Dir: Edgar Wright)
- Yellow (1991) (Dir: Robert Zemeckis)
(Episode of Tales from the Crypt)
(Cable/Television) - And All Through the House (1989) (Dir: Robert Zemeckis)
(Episode of Tales from the Crypt)
(Cable/Television) - You, Murderer (1995) (Dir: Robert Zemeckis)
(Episode of Tales from the Crypt)
(Cable/Television) - Possession (1981) (Dir: Andrzej Zulawski)
- The Devil (1972) (Dir: Andrzej Zulawski)
cinematiccoffee 
Great list, John. Some classics, curios and obscurities on there!
Nothing from Wes Craven? Great list, I must check out some of the shorts, generally I don’t watch many of those.
That’s a huge and impressive list, John. I agree with many of your selections too.
But for me, the most unsettling horror film I have ever seen is this one.
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1029234/
I have never watched it again.
Best wishes, Pete.
I’m very pleased with your number one choice, John. I’ve said for years that if I ever go to another Halloween costume party again, it’ll be as Baby Jane. Also pleased to see Deep Red so high on the list. Here are some of mine:
1. Psycho 2. Jaws 3. Halloween 4. Night of the Living Dead 5. Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer 6. The Spiral Staircase 7. Peeping Tom 8. Cat People 9. Deep Red 10. The Abominable Dr. Phibes
You’ve peeked my interest, Pete. I’m going to have to watch this.
It is horrifying, Pam, I warn you. But simply wonderful film-making too. Make sure to avoid the later remake, and get the original. š
These are not all of my choices – these are just the ones I count from my favorite filmmakers – John Landis and Wes Craven are not on there, but some of their entries will be on my * * * * star horror films that I count as honorable mentions š Anyway, thanks for dropping by š
Regarding Wes Craven, read my reply to Paul from above š I am glad you loved the list though š Anyway, thanks for dropping by š
I will have to check that one out Pete š Anyway, thanks for dropping by š
Whatever Happened to Baby Jane? is not my number one favorite horror film ever made, but it is one of the many greatest horror films ever made. The reason entries like Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer and An American Werewolf in London is not on here is because I only count the ones from my favorite filmmakers – in order to qualify as one of my favorite, they need to have directed 3 or more * * * * star films. As with John McNaughton (Henry) and John Landis (Werewolf in London), they have only directed two films that I gave * * * * stars too. Nevertheless, in the future, I am going to do a blog post dedicated to honorable mentions, which those two films definitely do qualify as. Anyway, thanks for dropping by š
Will do.
Damn man that’s a big ass list of spooky stuff!!!!!
I’m not the biggest horror fan, yep my appearance may contradict that!
These two I really loved.
Let the Right One In (2008)
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1139797/
The Devil’s Backbone (2001)
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0256009/
This is an impressive list John, good reference for a horror novice like myself. I’ve never been an avid watcher of horror films although I have enjoyed some such as Grim Prairie Tales and Race with the Devil. I noticed Mother! is one of your selections, I really must get around to watching that film.
Oh come on Wolfie, you can’t fool me š I am just teasing š Nevertheless, I am glad to hear that you really love The Devil’s Backbone and Let the Right One In. Anyway, thanks for dropping by š
Oh yes please do watch Mother! š Race with the Devil was fun, though it has been a while since I have seen Grim Prairie Tales. I need to check that one out again. Anyway, thanks for dropping by š
Great list and a few to investigate further. If you like quotable horror comedies like Shaun of the Dead, What We Do in the Shadows (2014) and Cemetery Man (1994) are worth checking out.
Very useful list, John. I am always happy when you remember favorites of mine that have been somewhat forgotten, in this case The Tenant by Roman Polanski. It blew me away when it came out years ago and I went to see it A LOT. Haven’t had the opportunity to re-view it….hopefully soon.
At first I thought that this was one of your ranking lists and I was surprised at the order. On closer look, I see it is organized by director last name……made more sense.
Also, I believe that Parasite will be regarded as a seminal classic but maybe it is too early to predict that.
Anyway, as you always say: Keep up the good work!
Oh I have those two titles in part 2, which I am working on right now š Anyway, thanks for dropping by š Also, welcome to my blog, I hope you enjoying the entries so far š
Why thank you for the kind words Mitchell š Yeah, The Tenant is a classic. I was blown away too by all that was going on.Yeah, I did this one by last name because I felt it would be easier than taking long periods of time to rank em in terms of their size of greatness (for lack of better word). I have not seen Parasite yet, but I do not know If it would be labeled a horror film mainly because wikipedia and Imdb only label it as thriller or I think crime thriller. But maybe, I and those two sites are wrong š Anyway, thanks for dropping by š
An amazing list, John! So many classics!
So many classics indeed š As with part 2 of my list, you get all the eras to date š Anyway, thanks for dropping by š
How many of these films do you own,John? I have a few of these myself and this is a great list!
Mother! is a great film and will become one of those films you watch once a year.
Quite a lot (If not) all of them š Anyway, thanks for dropping by š
“Mother! is a great film and will become one of those films you watch once a year.”
That it most certainly will š
i have most of these and , with some exceptions, concur with you on their excellence. this could be a very helpful guide for someone in the early stages of horror movie ecstasy. for me, the most glaring omission is luci fulci, who is the master of the zombie genre and has done exceptional work in most other fields. i would also add roeg and cammels Performance to the list as essential viewing.
Lucio Fulci’s The Beyond is on Part 2 of 3 š I have seen plenty of Fulci, but with the exception of The Beyond, I have not seen many of his other works in a long time, so I am overdue for a Fulci marathon š As for Performance, (and I love that film btw), that is not considered a horror film, it is a crime drama, albeit a hallucinatory one. Anyway, thanks for dropping by š Anyway, thanks for dropping by š
P.S. did you have a great Christmas? š I did š
P.S. again: If you are interested in reading my blog entry of my favorite Nicolas Roeg films, read here š
there are several films on your list that are not horror by similar criteria that Performance is not horrror. i think is is far more horrifying than repulsion, for instance. even if it were merely a crime film and not about demonic possession. tryly one of the scariest films i have ever seen. rolling stone magazine even cautioned stoners not to get high before seeing it. still, yours is the best list of horror films i have seen….om going to check out yur roeg piece. i wrote a lenghty comment on the article you wrotee on the kim catrall picks, but my computer crashed just as i was finishing it, and i couldnt muscle up and reconnstruct it.
i left a comment on the roeg blog. i neer thought much about fulci outide of his zombie pictures, but when taking a recent inventory of my library, i founk i had quite a fe of his pictures, and realized i liked his directing quite a bit. check it out.
A Lizard in a Womans Skin
City of the Living Dead
Demonia
Four of the apocalypse
Dangerous Obsession
Donāt Torture a duckling
One on top of the Other
The Black Cat
The House by the Cemetary
The House of clocks
New York ripper
Sweet House of Horrors
Voices from Beyond
White Fang
Zombie
Zombi 3
The Beyond
The Psychic
Hey songladder āŗļø I just replied to your comment regarding my favorite Nicolas Roeg films. When composing the list of my favorite horror films, I used wikipedia and IMDb respectively for genre classification because I did not know where else to go. What makes Nicolas Roeg such a unique filmmaker (to me at least) is that they do not come off as straightforward. They all seem to embody some kind of dream state. In the case of Performance, it would only be fair to add Donald Cammell’s contribution to that as well.
As for those Fulci titles that you just mentioned, I will seek them out again. It will be interesting to rediscover them since it has been a long time since I watched them. Nevertheless, I do remember ther production.stories behind some of them.