Because it’s good to be scared on Halloween, from the scary Carrie to the chilling Shining, passing through the horror comedy Chucky declined in seven parts… Selection of these few cult horror films, which will go sure to make you shiver until the end of the night, the evening of October 31st.
Psychos Alfred Hitchcock (1960)
A great classic of the 60s, Psychosis by Alfred Hitchcock remains one of the most studied thrillers in film schools. Terrifyingly harrowing, especially for the time, viewers are said to have passed out in the dark rooms, bewildered and shocked by the macabre perversity of Norman Bates, owner of the Bates Motel. A place witness to his crimes and his taxidermy inclinations.
Rosemary’s Baby – Roman Polanski (1968)
Rosemary and Guy Woodhouse, a young couple, move into a dilapidated apartment with a disturbing past in Manhattan. They become friends with their neighbors, Roman and Minnie Castevet. But very quickly, their omnipresence becomes oppressive for Rosemary, pregnant with her first child…
The Exorcist – Roman Planski (1973)
The Exorcist has haunted every generation since its release in 1973. The William Friedkin-directed horror classic is one of the most profitable and feared horror films in history. Based on the true exorcism of young Regan McNeil which took place in 1949 and on its literary adaptation by William Peter Blatty, the cult horror film of the seventies which won ten Oscar nominations. Vicious, gory and frightening, The Exorcist has survived the ravages of time and it’s its vintage charm that draws us in every year at Halloween time.
The Chain Saw Massacre (1974)
The Texas Chain Saw Massacre (The Texas Chain Saw Massacre N 1) is an American horror film directed by Tobe Hooper and released in 1974.
It stars Marilyn Burns, Paul A. Partain, Edwin Neal, Jim Siedow, and Gunnar Hansen, who play Sally Hardesty, Franklin Hardesty, The Hitchhiker, The Cook, and Leatherface, respectively. The film follows a group of friends who fall victim to a family of cannibals while on their way to visit an old property. Upon its release, the film is presented as being based on real events, in order to arouse the curiosity of the public and to deliver a commentary on the political climate of the time. Leatherface’s character as well as some minor aspects of the film are inspired by the crimes of serial killer Ed Gein, but the plot remains largely fictional.
Carrie At the Devil’s ball (1978)
Carrie is a 1976 American supernatural horror film directed by Brian De Palma from a screenplay written by Lawrence D. Cohen, adapted from Stephen King’s 1974 epistolary novel of the same name. The film stars Sissy Spacek as Carrie White, a shy 16-year-old who is consistently mocked and bullied at school. The film also features Piper Laurie, Amy Irving, Nancy Allen, William Katt, P. J. Soles, Betty Buckley, and John Travolta in supporting roles. It is the first film in the Carrie franchise.
The film was based on King’s first published novel. De Palma was intrigued by the story and pushed for the studio to direct it while Spacek was encouraged by her husband to audition. It is the first of more than 100 film and television productions adapted from, or based on, the published works of King.
Theatrically released on November 3, 1976, by United Artists, Carrie became critically and commercially successful, grossing over $33.8 million against its $1.8 million budget. It received two nominations at the 49th Academy Awards: Best Actress (for Spacek) and Best Supporting Actress (for Laurie). Critics and audience members alike widely cite it as the best adaptation of the novel amongst the numerous films and television shows based on the character, as well as one of the best films based on King’s publications.
The film has significantly influenced popular culture] with several publications regarding it as one of the greatest horror films ever made. In 2008, Carrie was ranked 86th on Empire’s list of The 500 Greatest Movies of All Time. It was ranked 15th on Entertainment Weekly’s list of the 50 Best High School Movies, and 46th on the American Film Institute list AFI’s 100 Years…100 Thrills. The film’s prom scene has had a major influence on popular culture and was ranked eighth on Bravo’s 2004 program The 100 Scariest Movie Moments.