One of my favorites that doesn't get much recognition is John Carpenter's "Prince of Darkness". An excellent, slow-burn cosmic horror masterpiece. Fantastic blend of science and religion. Very Lovecraftian.
Posted on 10/24/2025 5:50:52 PM PDT by CondoleezzaProtege
According to the Washington Post, “horror is now the fastest-rising film genre, having doubled its market share from 4.87 percent in 2013 to 10.08 percent in 2023.”
...One reason there have been so many new horror releases is that horror films have a huge profit margin. That is, they’re cheap to make and, currently, result in large payouts. “Because it can be made with no stars, small budgets and limited special effects, the genre is built for success,” writes the Washington Post.
...Horror is a genre that people want to view in theaters. In the age of streaming, cinema has taken a blow as people prefer to watch movies from the comfort of their own homes instead of buying tickets at a theater.
Horror is best viewed in the abyss of a big dark room, far away from your door at home that can be easily locked to keep your fears away.
Social Commentary and Meaningful Themes
Get Out initiated a new wave of social issues and commentary being the focus of horror films and legitimized horror in the public eye. This trend has continued with films focused on class division (Parasite (2019)), beauty standards (The Substance (2024)), and abuse (The Invisible Man (2020)), as well as many other societal ills and systematic oppressions.
(Excerpt) Read more at the-line-up.com ...
I loved Audrey Hepburn. She was not only beautiful, but she dressed so elegantly. She could wear anything. She was in a movie with Shirley MacLaine called "The Children's Hour" in 1961. James Garner was in it too. It's been described as Tragedy, Romance, Drama. Another of her movies that had me captivated was "The Nun's Story" from 1969. It was based on a real person. The movie moved me so much, I had to read the book by Kathryn Hulme, which was inspired by the experiences of her friend, Marie Louise Habets of the Sisters of Charity of Jesus and Mary, a Belgian nurse and an ex-nun whom she met while working with refugees in post-war Europe. The author sponsored the former nun's emigration to the United States, and later converted to Catholicism.
One of my favorites that doesn't get much recognition is John Carpenter's "Prince of Darkness". An excellent, slow-burn cosmic horror masterpiece. Fantastic blend of science and religion. Very Lovecraftian.
I am a big fan of classic style horror and have little use for gore fests. Though I thought the first “Scream” was a very good movie. I watched “Sinners” last night and its take on the Vampire movie was excellent.
Horror does have several subgenres so it helps to narrow down what types of horror you like or dislike if any. I am very fond of classic spooky movies. These are often in black and white and involve very little gore but a lot of psychological suspense. Some favorites,
“The Innocents.”
“The Uninvited”
“The Haunting.”
“Rebecca” maybe not thought of as horror but at heart it is a ghost story.
“The Old Dark House”
“Dracula”
I know there are more but it’s late and my brain is fitzy.
Another fave genre of mine is science fiction horror The ones that come to mind are,
“Invaders from Mars.”
“Alien”
“Gojira”
If you don’t like horror I suggest checking out Mystery Science Theatre 3000 or RiffTrax. It’s a great way to enjoy the the Sci Fi and Horror B movies that kept Dialing For Dollars on our TV screens way back when.
Curse of the Demon aka Night of the Demon. The latter is the original British version. I prefer it to the U.S. edited one.
Village of the Damned 1960. Based on the story “The Midwich Cuckoos.”
The Witches 1966 (not the Roald Dahl one) hard to find it stars Joan Fontaine.
Night of the Eagle aka Burn Witch Burn. Based on Fritz Leiber’s The Conjure Wife.
The Hidden.
“Event Horizon’
Exorcism director William Friedkin went on to film an actual exorcism in Italy by Father Amorth—A little known film called “The Devil and Father Amorth” 2018 Weird stuff indeed. But if Jesus was able to cast out demons and gave the disciples the same power/s to do as such—then evil from time to time burrows into the human like a bot fly larvae with the same effects.
The movies of producer Val Lewton come to mind. Most are from the mid 1940’s.
“I Walked With a Zombie” is probably the one most people are familiar with.
Some other good ones from the 1930’s are “M”, “The Old Dark House.”, “The Black Cat”,
I totally agree with your view of these great talents. Many of their movie spoofs are on Tubi.
The Old Dark House is a gem of a film. James Whale was a genius.
I just thought of a few other horror movies I like,
The House of the Devil.
Rosemary’s Baby
To The Devil a Daughter
The Devil Rides Out
Suspira
The Sect
Scarecrows
Ok, that’s funny right there, I laughed.
And for the record, I get along great with my MIL.
agree
there is enough evil in real life that I do not seek it out for entertainment or relaxation
Speaking of horror check out some of the young reaction YouTubers doing the Exorcist. They ARE NOT ready for this forty year old film with its sloooow build and hairy release. I’d have thought the Exorcist long since put in the shade by the bazillion films that have tried to go as far over the top as possible since 1973 but no not at all.
My favorite 'inspirational book' based upon true evens is 'In My Hands: Memories of a Holocaust Rescuer' by Irene Gut Opdyke.
"You must understand that I did not become a resistance fighter, a smuggler of Jews, a defier of the SS and the Nazis all at once. One's first steps are always small: I had begun by hiding food under a fence."
I think it's been made into a movie with great reviews, but I haven't seen it, yet.
Yes! It was that voice!
I thought of another scary, but not too gross movie/book. An oldie but goodie.
Ghost Story
1981 film by John Irvin
“Ghost Story is a 1981 American supernatural horror film directed by John Irvin and starring Fred Astaire, Melvyn Douglas, Douglas Fairbanks Jr., John Houseman, Craig Wasson, and Alice Krige. Based on the 1979 novel of the same name by Peter Straub, it follows a group of elderly businessmen in New England who gather to recount their involvement in a woman’s death decades prior when one of them suspects her ghost has been haunting him.”
The performances of the all-star cast of classic actors is worth the price of admission alone!
Never liked.
It’s not about popularity.
If you use butts in the seats, they really aren’t.
But horror movies are cheap to make.
They have a better chance of making an actual profit.
There are hundreds, maybe thousands, of horror films out there and scores of subgenres. Compared to other kinds of films they must be relatively cheap to make. I don’t much care for the ones where other humans (or humanoid zombies and vampires) are the villains. The ones with supernatural forces are more interesting. Best of all — when it’s the characters’ own negligence or stupidity that does them in.
I thought about watching it but then I noticed it had a 2 1/2 hour time slot (150 minutes) for a 70 minute movie.
I recently saw again the original THE HAUNTING(1963) again. Then saw the remake loaded with CGI effects. I prefer the original.
I remember it being said years ago that if you make a ridiculous bad horror or SI-FI movie you can often save it through CGI effects.
I have not been to a theater movie since 2010.
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