The breadth of the genre really shows up in this episode! Gateway kid horror shows up, for the first time (and not the last), plus the movie that launched “torture-porn”, a couple of stellar Korean films, and a feathered gift from the Master of Suspense.Â
Are we having fun yet? Apologies for the slight delay in the podcast, but we’ll make this up to you because we’ve got some really good movies in this episode. Perhaps the widest spread of type within the genre is represented in these next ten films. Though there seem to be ghosts spread throughout this section of selections… in many different forms. We see the ascendance of James Wan and catch Alfred Hitchcock at the height of his powers. Welcome to Bodega Bay, and watch your step. Oooh, hey look, I love seagulls… wait… what? AIIIEEEEEE!!!
Korean films are represented in this block of selections, and they give you two very different takes on horror, one a difunctional family ghost story, and the other a dizzying apocalyptic zombie tale. There are actually two somber, slow building, family drama/ghost story foreign films in this list, and it’s very interesting that they arrive in the same block of picks… and the other film is from lovely Austria. (The ending, not so lovely!) I suspect these are both two films that you might have missed and are totally deserving of a view.
We also get our first straight-up animated kids movie, one that might surprise you, and it certainly surprised many families who brought their kids to it and it gave those poor children nightmares! (YEAH!) I’m sure there will be some debate as to the inclusion of this film to the list, but as I am always looking to promote gateway horror films, I can think of no better spooky film to introduce your children to. It’s wonderfully crafted and definitely creepy. It’s joined by a moody haunted house seance film from the 70’s, and a prototype recent vintage home invasion film starring Arwen, herself (and a drunk fiance). There’s a tribute to the glorious EC Comics of the 1950’s, starring lots of A-list stars from the 1980’s… and it’s George Romero teaming up with Stephen King. Sweet.
So then the question is, where do these films land?  Well, give the podcast a listen. I present to you Episode XXXV: #80-71 of our top 100 Horror Movies of All Time! Get the great debate rolling, once again!
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