Horror Classics (and Sequels)
Horror movies have endured because they offer a cathartic thrill – allowing audiences to confront the darkest corners of human experience from the safety of their seats. The genre has evolved through countless cycles and subgenres, from body horror and supernatural tales to slashers and horror-comedies. This space is reserved for those classics that don’t easily fit elsewhere – and their inevitable sequels, which rarely live up to the original’s impact.
Bruce Campbell has been transported to the Middle Ages for third Evil Dead film which dispenses with most of the horror – but it has plenty of hammy charm and old school FX. aka Evil Dead 3: Army of Darkness
Audrey Rose (1977) 6/10
In the wake of The Exorcist, this unobtrusive thriller about reincarnation flopped, but it has good direction, acting and atmosphere, and is worth a look.
Extension of the Child’s Play series that brought back the camp humour – gory fun all round.
Candyman (1992) 8/10
An intelligent horror for the 1990s – basically a campfire story without much in the way of scares, the social commentary and visual brilliance make it a memorable thrill ride.
Candyman: Farewell to the Flesh (1995) 6/10
This sequel swaps locations from Chicago to New Orleans, and successfully expands on the legend of the original, before descending into silliness.
The Car (1977) 7/10
James Brolin stars in top-notch horror about a small desert town terrorized by a seemingly possessed car; silliness aside, the car is truly unnerving, for a highly watchable thrill ride.
Filmed on a shoestring, and inspired by the likes of Ingmar Bergman and Jean Cocteau, this is an eerie nightmare with an uneasy atmosphere all its own.
Carrie (1976) 10/10
Phenomenal horror with all elements in the right place – and Sissy Spacek and Piper Laurie, in particular, shining – with even the sleaze underpinning its fundamental fear of women.
Children of the Corn (1984) 6/10
Good adaption of a Stephen King short story, with the kid playing Malachai particularly creepy – despite a middling reception, it led to a ridiculous number of sequels!
Child’s Play (1988) 7/10
One of the best comedic horrors of the 1980s – cheerfully ghoulish fun with great FX and a distinctive villain which rang the box office bell and led to a long-running series.
Chucky’s back to terrorize a young kid in rehash of the original with enjoyably nasty tone.
Part 3 came nine months after the last entry and was notorious in the UK for supposedly inspiring a real-life murder, but this is mostly pretty silly and plays like a theme park attraction.
Christine (1983) 7/10
Arnie’s car is a bad influence in John Carpenter’s Stephen King adaptation – engaging, with great characters, and lots of love for 1950s teen culture.
The Crazies (1973) 6/10
A virus overtakes a small Pennsylvania town in noisy George A. Romero horror lacking the thrills of his other classics; Cronenberg explored a similar theme with Shivers, which is more successful.
The Dark Half (1993) 7/10
George A. Romero adaptation of an ambitious Stephen King book – indifferently received, it’s pacey but features many fine moments with Timothy Hutton going way over-the-top.
The Dead Zone (1983) 8/10
David Cronenberg created one of the best Stephen King adaptations, aided by a solid script, wintery backdrops, and stellar cast including Martin Sheen as a charismatic but dangerous political figure.
A widow becomes increasingly paranoid of the neighbouring religious community led by Ernest Borgnine in Wes Craven’s original, suspenseful, skillfully told tale with totally outrageous finale.
Deadly Friend (1986) 6/10
A computer prodigy implants a robotic microchip into his braindead teen neighbour in Wes Craven’s take on Frankenstein – fun but dumb, which might be due to studio interference.
Dolls (1987) 6/10
Stuart Gordon’s creepy doll horror is modest but likeable, with great stop motion FX.
Nicolas Roeg adapted Daphne du Maurier and cast Julie Christie and Donald Sutherland for this very adult horror classic – extraordinary images, a frank sex scene and genuine terror made this one for the ages.
The Evil Dead (1981) 7/10
Gruelling horror classic that was Sam Raimi’s directorial debut and established his kinetic style, proving what a great filmmaker can do on a shoestring budget.
Evil Dead II (1987) 8/10
Sam Raimi’s splatter sequel improves on the original formula by adding humour, creating a wild ride that makes it the best of its series. aka Evil Dead 2: Dead by Dawn
Eyes of Laura Mars (1978) 7/10
John Carpenter penned the spec script for this interesting if flawed film about a New York fashion photographer who develops clairvoyant abilities, which plays like an upmarket American giallo.
The Fog (1980) 8/10
John Carpenter needed something big to follow up Halloween, and while this old-fashioned ghost story wasn’t quite it, the atmosphere, score, and stunning California locales make it memorable.
Freddy’s Dead: The Final Nightmare (1991) 4/10
Superstar cameos can’t save this final outing in a declining series which doesn’t offer much in the way of fun. aka A Nightmare on Elm Street 6: The Final Nightmare
The Gate (1987) 7/10
Kids accidentally unleash a horde of malevolent demons in super-fun Canadian horror with great cast and FX that are quite strong for its PG-13 rating. See also Canuxploitation
Ghost Story (1981) 7/10
Two generations of men are haunted by a spectral woman in this simple but well-helmed ghost story with elderly cast and shocking moments.
Larry Cohen’s religious sci-fi thriller is truly one of a kind with a fascinating plot, great New York locations, and gravelly voiced Sylvia Sidney; unduly overlooked, it is now a classic. aka Monster
Halloween III: Season of the Witch (1982) 7/10
Always-underrated horror that has nothing to do with the previous movies but has John Carpenter’s hands all over it, including its superb score.
Hellbound: Hellraiser II (1988) 7/10
A good sequel that veers away from Clive Barker’s darker obsessions; gory fun, but there are some silly moments, and hell could have been a lot more epic. aka Hellraiser II
Hellraiser (1987) 9/10
Cliver Barker’s horror classic is dangerous, dark, depraved, and highly original – a sadomasochistic nightmare that has stood the test of time.
Hellraiser III: Hell on Earth (1992) 5/10
Entertaining, over-the-top horror, very much of its era, fairly insulting to Cliver Barker’s original, and the last watchable Hellraiser sequel.
The Hills Have Eyes (1977) 6/10
Cannibalistic mountain folk horror from Wes Craven’s visceral days, this is not up to par with other 70s classics, but it has an atmospheric first half, and brutal second half, to make it worthwhile.
The Hills Have Eyes Part II (1985) 3/10
A very lazy sequel that apparently had many issues behind the scenes, but that still doesn’t explain why a dog has a flashback.
In the Mouth of Madness (1994) 8/10
Modern riff on H. P. Lovecraft by John Carpenter – an excellent cosmic horror that has rightly received a reappraisal.
It’s Alive (1974) 7/10
This has a silly plot about a mutant baby, but director Larry Cohen imbues the film with interesting ideas and technical excellence, and the Rick Baker FX and Bernard Herrmann score shine.
Dark, visceral, scary horror with Tim Robbins as a haunted Vietnam vet trying to uncover his past.
Leatherface: Texas Chainsaw Massacre III (1990) 6/10
Some gore, some laughs, some suspense, and an early Viggo Mortensen performance make this one worthwhile.
Let’s Scare Jessica to Death (1971) 8/10
A recently institutionalized woman has weird experiences in this wonderfully atmospheric horror mystery – a slow building nightmare with an unreliable narrator.
Magic (1978) 8/10
Effective psychological horror with great performances, including Anthony Hopkins, Ann-Margret, and Burgess Meredith, not to mention the creepy ventriloquist dummy “Fats” – a strong, underrated entry.
Telekinetic horror with Richard Burton going over the top and Lee Remick sadly wasted – it mixes in a little disaster movie, has too many red herrings, but makes for an entertaining whole.
Monkey Shines (1988) 7/10
Philosophical horror from George A. Romero with enough primal fear to deliver a classic entry; smidgen overlong with too many subplots.
Motel Hell (1980) 6/10
Rory Calhoun steals the show, selling some rather unsavoury prime meats, in comedic horror with a hint of The Texas Chain Saw Massacre; good, but tiresome.
New Nightmare (1994) 7/10
Wes Craven resurrects A Nightmare on Elm Street with an ingenious plot, genuine chills and thrills, and all cast members from the original film appearing as themselves.
Night of the Demon (1957) 9/10
Jacques Tourneur was forced to show his demon on screen – but had learned enough from the Val Lewton school to ensure this frightening tale is still a masterclass of dread and atmosphere. aka Curse of the Demon
Night of the Demons (1988) 7/10
Fun flick set on Halloween night with gratuitous gore and nudity (mostly care of Linnea Quigley) – but never mind of clichés and stereotypes, it was the 1980s.
Night of the Demons 2 (1994) 6/10
Brian Trenchard-Smith repeats the formula as before, with obnoxious, over-sexed teenagers meeting a grisly end.
Nightbreed (1990) 6/10
Highly original Clive Barker monster movie with interesting cast (including a creepy David Cronenberg) – messy but watchable.
A Nightmare on Elm Street (1984) 9
Gory, tense, and full of over-the-top death scenes, this brought something new to the horror genre and remains a bona fide classic.
A Nightmare on Elm Street 2: Freddy’s Revenge (1985) 5/10
Freddy’s back to terrorize a confused teenage boy in this strange sequel with tone shifted too far away from the original, inadvertently creating a camp classic. aka A Nightmare on Elm Street Part 2: Freddy’s Revenge
A Nightmare on Elm Street 3: Dream Warriors (1987) 7/10
A larger budget led to better FX and set pieces, which along with added laughs made Freddy Krueger a star; good fun despite some dicey acting.
A Nightmare on Elm Street 4: The Dream Master (1988) 6/10
Entertaining sequel, with a rocking 80s soundtrack, a topless Linnea Quigley, a wisecracking Freddy Krueger, and FX firmly to the fore.
A Nightmare on Elm Street 5: The Dream Child (1989) 5/10
Despite a darker tone, this continued the decline of the series – and without decent characters and plot, the FX steal the show. aka A Nightmare on Elm Street: The Dream Child
Effective psychological horror comedy about a mild-mannered Manhattan banker determined to kill a rat loose in his renovated brownstone with Peter Weller delivering a bravura performance.
The People Under the Stairs (1991) 8/10
Wes Craven’s socially conscious allegory has heart, humour, but not too much horror, which is somewhat lost amid the visual gymnastics.
Pet Sematary (1989) 7/10
This has an interesting premise but gets messy, maybe because it follows the Stephen King novel too closely, but it is still one of his better 80s adaptations, with both sad and bone-curdling moments.
Phantasm (1979) 8/10
Enjoyably different independent horror set in a small Oregon town with pleasing characters and interesting set pieces and themes – a box office hit that led to a series.
Phantasm II (1988) 7/10
Imaginatively grisly sequel with recast lead – a bit more conventional than the original, with characters running around with flame throwers James Cameron-style.
Phantasm III: Lord of the Dead (1994) 6/10
Fast-moving third entry in the series goes for laughs and mostly succeeds thanks to its director’s solid handling; it deserved better than a VHS release.
A sequel that embraces the absurd – with a gender-diverse doll! – but unfortunately this isn’t well executed.
The Serpent and the Rainbow (1988) 10/10
This is a highly underrated horror about voodoo, but Wes Craven takes the viewer well beyond the basic premise into a gruesome, nightmarish journey into darkest Haiti.
The Shining (1980) 10/10
Stanley Kubrick’s ambitious Stephen King adaptation is a cold and harrowing nightmare that remains endlessly fascinating.
The Texas Chain Saw Massacre (1974) 10/10
Low-budget masterpiece of sensory horror which maintains its tension with little to no gore. aka The Texas Chainsaw Massacre
The Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2 (1986) 7/10
Noisy sequel that gives up the horror of the original for campy characters, laughs, and much more violence.
Viy (1967) 8/10
Rural Russian horror fantasy with lovely humour, FX, and atmosphere.
Waxwork (1988) 8/10
Wonderful homage that thrusts you into many different horror movie worlds – bloody fun all round.
Waxwork II: Lost in Time (1992) 6/10
A sequel that does not play it safe, zipping through many genre changes which become a bit tiresome but overall offering an enjoyable ride.
When a Stranger Calls (1979) 7/10
With one of the greatest opening sequences in horror history, it’s impossible for this film to maintain momentum, but it picks up by the end with its creepy line, “Have you checked the children?”
Witchboard (1986) 6/10
Fun little 80s horror about a Ouija board causing havoc for its big-haired cast – earnest, with good camera work, it focusses on story rather than gore and led to some lesser sequels.