Your favorite of horror's "big three"

[Popcorn_Bliss]

There are more than just three, but this is the trio that are the true cornerstones of the genre, in my opinion. Each highly influential, each a turning point. And all three paved the way for the "modern era" that I define as beginning sometime in the late 70's. Which of these three classics is your favorite?

[Popcorn_Bliss]

Many might wonder where "The Exorcist" is. It definitely belongs but I consider it more a supernatural religious drama than straight-out horror.

[MifuneFan]

Looked at the post, then went to vote for The Exorcist, then saw the 2nd post, then shrugged.

[ArmyOfDarknessAW]

Night Of The Living Dead defiantly. It paved the way for the zombie phenomenon. Imo zombies have been a bit overkill in mainstream over the past several years, but there is no denying their cultural impact.

[Abby is Q]

I love Psycho and Texas Chainsaw Massacre, but Halloween and The Exorcist had a much bigger impact the genre.

It doesn't matter what movies you put up though. NotLD is my favorite movie of all time, so I'm going to vote for it no matter what.

[Popcorn_Bliss]

I never cared too much for Halloween. I do acknowledge its influence on slasher films but, then again, Texas Chainsaw Massacre paved the way for Halloween (the notion of a masked killer, the idea of the "last girl standing" concept). Just my opinion anyway.

[Abby is Q]

Originally Posted by Popcorn_Bliss

I never cared too much for Halloween. I do acknowledge its influence on slasher films but, then again, Texas Chainsaw Massacre paved the way for Halloween (the notion of a masked killer, the idea of the "last girl standing" concept). Just my opinion anyway.

I don't necessarily disagree. TCM is in my top 5, while Halloween doesn't crack my top 10. But biases aside, Halloween is the far more influential flick. Psycho is also in my top 5, but again, it's not as big as The Exorcist.

And if we're speaking generally just about the movies that kickstarted modern horror, then Rosemary's Baby should probably be over TCM.

[Popcorn_Bliss]

Originally Posted by Abby is Q

I don't necessarily disagree. TCM is in my top 5, while Halloween doesn't crack my top 10. But biases aside, Halloween is the far more influential flick. Psycho is also in my top 5, but again, it's not as big as The Exorcist.

And if we're speaking generally just about the movies that kickstarted modern horror, then Rosemary's Baby should probably be over TCM.

I think the problem, though, is I view Halloween as a sort of beginning to the "modern era", not one of the "original classics" (it builds a lot on what chainsaw originated). Granted, the lines can get blurry. I don't doubt that more modern horror fans cite Halloween rather than chainsaw but I guess my point is that if they acknowledge Halloween as "the influence" then they are indirectly citing elements of TCM. I always felt that TCM was vastly underrated in that regard. Especially in being one of the first truly low-budget films that became a "smash".With every new slasher film that comes along, TCM's legacy looks more and more influential, even if it wasn't necessarily the most successful one to come along.

I do agree about The Exorcist but, as mentioned, I always think of that one as more of a drama. Albeit, one of the most affecting ones ever made.

[Abby is Q]

Originally Posted by Popcorn_Bliss

I think the problem, though, is I view Halloween as a sort of beginning to the "modern era", not one of the "original classics" (it builds a lot on what chainsaw originated). Granted, the lines can get blurry. I don't doubt that more modern horror fans cite Halloween rather than chainsaw but I guess my point is that if they acknowledge Halloween as "the influence" then they are indirectly citing elements of TCM. I always felt that TCM was vastly underrated in that regard. Especially in being one of the first truly low-budget films that became a "smash".With every new slasher that comes along, TCM legacy looks more and more influential, even if it wasn't necessarily the most successful one to come along.

I do agree about The Exorcist but, as mentioned, I always think of that one as more of a drama. Albeit, one of the most affecting ones ever made.

Well, if you keep going back with "the movie that predates the one that directly inspired most of the genre" then you can go back to Spider Baby or Last House on the Left before The Texas Chainsaw Massacre, and movies like The Last Man on Earth and White Zombie predate Night of the Living Dead. No one gives a damn about Last Man on Earth despite having eerie similarities to NotLD.

[Popcorn_Bliss]

Originally Posted by Abby is Q

Well, if you keep going back with "the movie that predates the one that directly inspired most of the genre" then you can go back to Spider Baby or Last House on the Left before The Texas Chainsaw Massacre, and movies like The Last Man on Earth and White Zombie predate Night of the Living Dead. No one gives a damn about Last Man on Earth despite having eerie similarities to NotLD.

I don't know. I still contend that TCM was highly influential to both Halloween and to other modern day slasher films. If the question was "what is the most influential modern slasher film", I could agree that Halloween would have to be up there. Perhaps no one does give a damn about Last Man On Earth but I've never heard of it being held in the same esteem as TCM as a cornerstone of horror. I do know of many that cite chainsaw as an enormous influence, much in the same vein as Psycho or Night of the Living Dead. Thus the reason I think they make a great trio.

[Verisimilitude1984]

Difficult one. My favourite of the three today is probably Night of the Living Dead. I quite liked Savini's remake too. I like the underlying social commentary.

Most influential? As has already been said, if it weren't for Psycho (regarded as a masterpiece) we probably wouldn't have Halloween and thereby the slasher genre.

I don't think I've truly seen TCM all the way through. It's never really appealed. I did see the remake years ago and it didn't change my opinion. I felt it was just...too hack and slash for me. I should watch it again.

[tiger_qc]

Where's The Exorcist???

[L.J.]

Tough to choose a favorite out of these. Their all so good and considered classics by horror fans. Have seen Psycho the most out of the three so that's my pick. Second is Night of the living Dead. TCM always thought was a good one a bit on the disturbing side which is what you want in horror.

[AKORIS]

easy choice--- PSYCHO


1st film-- (top 10 of all time)

2nd film-- (very close to 5 stars, one of the best sequels ever)

3rd film-- (solid good movie, only issue is it's prior competition)

[Verisimilitude1984]

Originally Posted by AKORIS

easy choice--- PSYCHO


1st film-- (top 10 of all time)

2nd film-- (very close to 5 stars, one of the best sequels ever)

3rd film-- (solid good movie, only issue is it's prior competition)

Agree with your ratings. I really love Psycho 2.

[Zillamon51]

I voted for NotLD. It's not my favorite zombie movie (that would be the sequel, Dawn of the Dead), but it did start one of my favorite subgenres, which is still going strong.

I consider Halloween the single most influential horror film ever made. It has been copied more often, and more closely, than any other. It gave us the slasher genre, while TCM led to more rural horror. Most slashers imitated Halloween, not TCM. And Black Christmas was a much more direct influence on Halloween anyway.

[OI8T12]

Big three? How is it possible to have a poll of your favorite horror movie that doesn't include The Exorcist is beyond me? Does The Exorcist scare you that much? That's ok, I still have nightmare's about it. Just mentioning the word Exorcist still sends shivers up and down my spine.

[Popcorn_Bliss]

Originally Posted by OI8T12

Big three? How is it possible to have a poll of your favorite horror movie that doesn't include The Exorcist is beyond me? Does The Exorcist scare you that much? That's ok, I still have nightmare's about it. Just mentioning the word Exorcist still sends shivers up and down my spine.

True. It's probably my #1 film. It's just that, in my eyes, it's not a horror film. I'd classify it more as a "graphic supernatural/religious drama".

[Coenskubrick]

Originally Posted by Popcorn_Bliss

True. It's probably my #1 film. It's just that, in my eyes, it's not a horror film. I'd classify it more as a "graphic supernatural/religious drama".

Yeah well what if I said Psycho was a thriller?

What makes a horror film a horror film? The Excorcist is about scares as much as Psycho, it's a horror film. What about the Thing? That doesn't count I guess? The Shining?

[Popcorn_Bliss]

Originally Posted by Coenskubrick

What makes a horror film a horror film?

Good question! I guess that's up to each viewer to determine. I tend to think of horror as those films predominately based on a killer or some similar manifestation where gore or fright is essentially a result of a stalking "character", person or creature.

For me, the reason The Exorcist works on our sense of fear so well is the fact that there is no killer, no creature, no masked man, no haunted house. It's just the unexplainable degradation of an innocent girl by, perhaps, the Devil himself. Now that might be the most frightening thing of all largely because it ISN'T a "Jason" nor is it sea-ghosts clawing at victims in "The Fog" but rather a "non-monster" that is simply invading an otherwise mundane environment. That's why I consider the film a drama first with "horror elements" second.

All in all, I'm also just obeying the respect of those like William Freidkin who themselves never considered the work a "horror film".

That's not to say that I don't know what others mean when they call it a horror film. I can see why people would feel that way. I guess I just don't look at it as a straight horror film.