00s HORROR MOVIES

 

OOs HORROR MOVIES - Which decade produced the best horror movies? A bit of backstory helps to provide a complete answer. Largely credited with being the first, originally titled Le Manoir du Diable, was a French silent film. Retitled and released, it appeared in the US in 1896 as The Haunted Castle. Jumping ahead, paranoia and puritanical repression lurked in the backdrop of every film made with a brief gap in the 20s into the 30s. The Hays Code applied to all the motion pictures from 1934 to 1968, until it was replaced by MPAA film ratings. By the 70s, filmmakers were breaking away from the rubber head B-movie monster. The 80s ushered in big budget box office smashes in a decade of unrivaled storytelling. There were still certain lines which were not crossed. This relaxed in the 90s and dropped away almost completely by the aughts. In the 00s, horror movies were made all over the world, but the success was diminished perhaps by splatterporn and gore fests. Film fans in 2021 (sometimes) fail to realize that today’s creepypastas, anthologized series on streaming platforms, social network viral videos, RPGs, and even hidden easter eggs - buried in movie backgrounds, all owe debts to the above previous eras. Filmmakers, finally unhindered, able to make what they wanted, to follow their own artistic direction, ushered in movies foreign and domestic, which pushed the genre’s envelope from 2000-2009. The aughts brought about a huge surge, and saw widespread popular appeal of the genre. This propped up the decade to follow. Do you already know which decade produced the best horror? I rummaged through the vault, and came up with this entirely subjective short list. Perhaps you agree, or maybe you don’t. Check it out, and decide for yourself. Coming soon: 60s Horror Movies. 

https://www.chadschimke.com/2015/12/80s-horror-movies.html

https://www.chadschimke.com/2021/10/oos-horror-movies.html

https://www.chadschimke.com/2019/03/70s-horror-movies.html

https://www.chadschimke.com/2018/08/90s-horror.html

Jisatsu Sākuru 2001

Cabin Fever 2002

28 Days Later 2002

Ju-On 2002

High Tension 2003

Dawn of the Dead 2004

Saw 2004

Hostel 2005

Wolf Creek 2005

The Hills Have Eyes 2006

Rest Stop 2006

Paranormal Activity 2007

28 Weeks Later 2007

Frontier(s) 2007

Quarantine 2008

Martyrs 2008

The Strangers 2008

Drag Me to Hell 2009

Last House on the Left 2009

70s HORROR MOVIES

70s HORROR MOVIES - When it comes to horror, I’m a sucker for an original concept, and in that regard the 70s horror flicks deliver. This is the decade that broke from rubber headed B movie monsters, and ushered in an age of exploration, influencing the genre for decades to come. The 70s celebrate all horror subgenres: supernatural, paranormal, demonic, slasher, nature, psychological, scifi horror, hillbilly, zombie, vampire, big moments and small, just to name a few. Regular visitors to my blog will probably recognize several of these but it’s important to remember these are the original versions and remakes of these titles came much later. Coming soon: Horror of the Aughts.

https://www.chadschimke.com/2015/12/80s-horror-movies.html

https://www.chadschimke.com/2021/10/oos-horror-movies.html

https://www.chadschimke.com/2019/03/70s-horror-movies.html

https://www.chadschimke.com/2018/08/90s-horror.html

 

The Vampire Lovers 1970

Tales from the Crypt 1972

The Exorcist 1973

The Wicker Man 1973

The Crazies 1973

The Texas Chain Saw Massacre 1974

Jaws 1975

Carrie 1976

The Omen 1976

The Hills Have Eyes 1977

Suspiria 1977

Magic 1978

Halloween 1978

Dawn of the Dead 1978

Invasion of the Body Snatchers 1978

Alien 1979

Phantasm 1979

90s HORROR MOVIES

90s HORROR MOVIES - Those of you of who are regular visitors to my blog know originality prevails, when it comes to gauging quality movies. I developed this list based on (mostly) original concepts, excluding franchises/ re-makes. The decade is all over the place with scifi, comedy, gothic, dramatic, and crime thriller elements. I believe the constraints of horror conventions are being shed in this decade, compared to the 80s. And even further in the aughts. By the end of the decade, CGI begins to take up a larger visual footprint. Used sparingly, the impact of computer generated elements are undoubtedly mind-blowing. Terminator 2 makes the cut for that reason, plus military horror. Conversely, it can be ruinous. Stories which previously would not have been made into films, are now being made, and celebrated. The limits fall away and imagination takes flight. Unfortunately, there were numerous unnecessary franchises/ re-makes that overstayed their welcome. But on the bright side, the aughts are coming up next!

https://www.chadschimke.com/2015/12/80s-horror-movies.html

https://www.chadschimke.com/2021/10/oos-horror-movies.html

https://www.chadschimke.com/2019/03/70s-horror-movies.html

https://www.chadschimke.com/2018/08/90s-horror.html