Tuesday, October 19, 2010

Screamin' Good Movies and Books!

Thoughts of Halloween bring to mind all that's scary. And you know what scares me? Spiders!

Back in the 90's, Arachnophobia was my worst nightmare on the big screen. Thousands of spiders running amuck! Do you remember some even flew?? Yuck!!

Movies with the devil in them are especially frightful for me. Rosemary's Baby immediately comes to mind. What? You weren't scared? Oh, come on! Don't tell me you didn't give narrow-eyed scrutiny to some of your friends after that one! One could never be sure if they were your friend or…

The next choice scared the crap out of me. This movie ranked high enough to have a dedicated blog post here at Tabby's Nocturnal Nights. The Amityville Horror, based on a true story. Movies just don't get much scarier.

Nightmare on Elm Street and other horror movies didn't make my short list. I don't equate gruesome with scary. Honorable mention: Dawn of the Dead

Let's take a look at some hair-raising books that shiver on the bookshelf –

Number One on the Sheri Fredricks' list of all time scary favorites was published in 1971. The book has continued to evoke rippling effects that many demonic movies use for a base line. The Exorcist, by William Peter Blatty, became a bestseller with fans screaming their way to a movie two short years later. I'm still screaming…

A book that made me question if vampires, ghosts, werewolves, and the like were real or not is Ghost Story, by Peter Straub. Haven't read it yet? Pull on your big girl panties and give the book a try. You'll never look at paranormal the same way again.

How could I every forget the master of BOO: Stephen King. Every novel kept the night-light on for many readers. "It" was voted (don't ask me where, I didn't make note!) his number one scariest.

Honorable mention because GOD HELP US should this happen to any writer: Misery, also by Stephen King. I wonder what Mr. King's house is like this time of year. Hmm…

Now it's your turn to name a movie and/or book that goosebumps its way to your numero uno spot as being an all time good scare!

9 comments:

Ash said...

The latest movie that was very good (not as in scariest, just well done) was the original of "Let Me In" Hopefully,the newest rendition is as good. I agree on the book Ghost Story. The book that scared me most as a kid was The Shining, as an adult, Amityville Horror.

I'm still looking for that ultimate "scary" movie!
Oh, that reminds me...Case39? Anyone seen it? I might have to make it this years Halloween movie.

susan said...

Your list brings up some memories of books and movies I forgot about..have no idea how I could but I did. Friday the 13th movie was one I didn't care for unless you want scary. Any books by Stephen King are scary to me so take your pick in that one. ha ha Elm Street was another one. My son ran out of the movie house all the way home when the kids went to see Friday the 13th and so I can never forget that movie. ha susan L.

Unknown said...

I'm terrified of clowns. I know I joke I am one but I get shivers when I see them. Poltergeist, IT, I can't watch them. Didn't even finish reading Stephen King's IT because I am such a wuss.

Sheri Fredricks said...

I don't watch scary movies or read frightening books any longer. They give me nightmares that I think about for days.

I enjoy hearing about people's experiences with them though - and then wonder what it is about them that people gravitate toward? Is it that it's fiction and can't really hurt them?

And while I'm used to like clowns, I'm standing on Charli's side of the fence. I passed what I thought was a statue of a clown at Circus,Circus in Las Vegas and he jumped out at me. I came away with white face paint on the back of my knuckles. Knee jerk reaction - he apologized. I've never liked clowns since that episode. LOL!!

Joyce Anthony said...

What an excellent topic!!! I actually like spiders, but can't stand rats. In any case,

I can't think of a particular movie I have found scary. However, anything I've watched that has a child ghost really keeps me awake for a few nights. There is something about this that sends chills through me.

As for books--there is only one book that ever scared me so bad I spent days jumping at every sound--Pet Semetary by Stephen King. It was that book that kept me away from horror books for nearly two years--I haven't even tried to watch the movie!!

I guess that means paranormal scares me more than horror. Could it be because I can see horror as fiction yet believe completely in paranormal events?

Thanks for the great tour through terror today!!

Mary Corrales said...

There is one scary movie and book that I loved as a kid and that was The Legend of Sleepy Hollow.

I wish I could find the cartoon on dvd. It's just so cute.

Martha Ramirez said...

Ah yes... lots of scary movies. That is why I don't watch too many. I like them but I don't like the after effects:)

D'Ann said...

I don't like anything scary. Not snakes, spiders or any other creppy thing. I'm afraid of scary movies and books. So, basically, I'm a big scaredy cat!

Cheryl said...

Rosemary's Baby and It (the movie) are very scary, but the one I think that could still give me nightmares is Burnt Offerings. The Sentinel is also a scary one. I think that's the one that has the line, "I've been waiting for you, Ben." Hellraiser also creeped me out. When I saw Cujo I didn't want to go near dogs for a while.

I don't read a lot of horror. Stephen King's novel, Gerald's Game, was scary because I could really see it happening to someone.

Great topic for the month of October.

Cheryl