The 25 Scariest Movies Ever

I was scared of sharks. Terrified. Thanks to Steven Spielberg's "Jaws," I wouldn't go anywhere near the ocean when my family went to Florida. I was 10 years old and convinced that a Roy-Schieder-eating shark was gonna get me too.

I realize now that more people die getting hit on the head with a coconut. But they don't make movies about that. (Though, imagine how cool that movie would be? I'm thinking it's called BONK! Twice as scary as any "Saw" movie.)

We all have movies that we remember being scared by. Some had sharks, some had serial killers, supernatural superheroes or stalkers. Some had Elizabeth Berkely. [shudders]

In honor of Halloween — my favorite holiday — I set out to find the scariest movies I could find. I enlisted a few dozen Ink staffers, friends and frinks to help. They gave me their Top 10 scariest flicks with a little reasoning behind them. I then compiled them, ran a complex algorithim and, voila, out popped this list.

So, what did we come up with? Here's a hint, the words "THE" and "JOHN CARPENTER" appear quite a few times. Also, I think I may have polled too many children of the 80s — they were scared by a bunch of awful movies.

I'll be counting them down all month long, along with a few arguments and movies that I think should've made the list but didn't. Enjoy. And, if you've got something to say about the list — good or bad — send me an email (drgooch41@gmail.com) or just post them in the comments.

The 25 Scariest. Movies. Ever. | 25-21

25. Se7en (1995) Directed by David Fincher

David Fincher's tightly-wound thriller starring Morgan Freeman, Brad Pitt and Kevin Spacey paired religion and murder like almost nothing else. Currently, is #34 on the imdb.com Top 250 movies. I'll let Ink panelist Nick explain why he voted for Se7en: "Seven was dark in look and tone and had a slew of imaginative new ways for a life to end. Spacey gave us one of the best killers, 'John Doe.' "

Memorable line: "What's in the box?"

24. Suspiria (1977) Directed by Dario Argento

I have never seen this movie. So, I'll let Ink panelist and comic book guru Hector Casanova explain:

"Directed by Italian director Dario Argento, "Suspiria" is a horror movie almost in its own genre. Suzy Banyon, an American ballet student studying abroad, finds herself in the boarding school from hell, and trapped in the middle of a series of brutal murders and creepy supernatural phenomena.

The beauty of Suspiria lies in its stylized cinematography: The ballet school provides for a psychedelic Art Nouveau backdrop to the elegantly filmed carnage, lit in unnatural reds and greens that make this movie a surreal and hallucinogenic masterpiece.

If Gustav Klimt had directed The Evil Dead, this is what it might have looked like. Plus: the rock band Goblin did the soundtrack, which in itself is worth the price of admission."

23. The Descent (2005) Directed by Neil Marshall

This story of a caving expedition gone horribly, horribly wrong gets creepy as hell before the monsters show up. Darkness. Isolation. Characters so frustrating that you will openly root for their demise. It's all right there.

If you aren't scared of the dark or of caves or of creepy trolls living in the caves, you will be when this movie is over.

Must watch: The unrated version. The theatrical version edited out the last minute. And it's horrifying.

22. The Omen (1976) Directed by Richard Donner

Imagine the horror you'd have if your son turned out to be the anti-christ. Well, this is just reason #371 why I don't want to have kids. Donner is a great director, and Gregory Peck and Lee Remick add a little acting cred to the flick.

It's not that bad: The recent remake of this isn't quite as bad as other remakes of 70s horror flicks.

21. The Evil Dead (1981) Directed by Sam Raimi

People might forget this, but Mr. I'm Directing Spider-Man got his start in a cabin in the woods. Led by the awesome-chinned over-acting legend Bruce Campbell, a group of friends unknowningly unlock a world of demons. Without this movie, there isn't a slapstick/horror genre. The camera work, the gore, the special effects. It was all on a shoe-string budget. And it's all slightly frightening, but highly entertaining.

Memorable camera work: It's a cliche now, but Raimi invented the fast-moving steady-cam shot.

Memorable scene: Ash wielding the chainsaw for the first time. It wouldn't be his last.

You crazy kids don't know nothing...

Some movies just missed the Top 25. Others weren't even considered. Others were classics that I'm just not sure the Ink-agers have even seen!

Pyscho (1960) Directed by Alfred Hitchcock

How this movie didn't make the list is beyond me. Oh, wait. It was made in the 60s.

This is a really scary movie. Great tension. Great plot. Great reveal. It had everything. Criminally left off this list. I almost booted "Seven" just to get it on there. In fact, having said that, I wish I would've. But, that's not a democracy.

If you've only ever seen the Gus Van Sant remake, then punch yourself in the kidney for me.

WTF? This is 20 times scary than some of this crap

Session 9 (2001) Directed by Brad Anderson

Maybe I'm just the only one that's seen this movie. But, it's utterly complex and creepy. (See more of my review plus loads of others in next week's issue of Ink. I'm nothing if not a company tool.)

Cinemasochism ... HALLOWEEN style

Leprechaun in the Hood (2000) by Rob Spera

Was anyone else scared by the first installment? Well, why not get scared by the overtly-racist sequel. You must see this for its sheer ... um ... balls?

Please, please, please, click on that video. It's about the best thing I've seen since Tommy Seebach.

******

Coming next Thursday: The Top 25 continues, this time we've got movies 20-16. It features a few animals, a few zombies and a creepy guy you didn't know was a serial killer.