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Fortunately for fans of this diabolical branch of celluloid, every now and then those shifts come on the heels of a landscape altering production, or the birth of a franchise destined to change the way we view film. We’ve seen movies evolves so much in the last 80-plus years it’s insane.
It’s almost hard to grasp. But it happens. And it often takes career defining projects and game changing films to make the shift a reality. Here are 15 horror franchises that enhanced, or completely altered the face of horror as we know it.
Alien:
Ridley Scott’s greatest achievement, Alien was one of the most frightening films upon arrival in 1979. It’s still one of the only films guaranteed to toy with sleep patterns. A wonderfully atmospheric piece with evil brooding in every corridor of the Nostromo, Alien was special enough to pave the way for a series of sequels. Aliens shifted gears from mystery to action, but proved extremely rewarding. Alien 3 threw everyone for a spin by dropping Ripley in a male-exclusive prison, where creatures of murderous intent once more break free. Even Alien: Resurrection>/i> was a decent film, directed by the extremely talented Jean-Pierre Jeunet. Toss in a really entertaining crossover piece in Alien vs. Predator and a wild tie-in known as Prometheus and you’ve got a franchise that all fans need. Who doesn’t love the vile Xenomorph, really?
Friday the 13th:
Imagine for a minute Jason Voorhees doesn’t exist. Imagine the hockey mask never became synonymous with slaughter, and that machetes didn’t become exponentially more terrifying after 1980. Sean Cunningham created something genuinely special. He helped make a monster that will go down in history as every bit as relevant as Dracula, The Wolfman or Frankenstein’s Monster. 10 original Friday the 13th films have been made. The majority of which are gratifying in their delivery of blood boobs and beautiful booties. A crossover film pitting Jason versus Freddy Krueger was also released, and to the surprise of many, it’s a kick ass flick. And, finally, we’re now seeing the series recycled. Platinum Dunes got behind a killer reboot a few years back that featured a strong cast and the most frightening Jason Voorhees the world has ever seen.
Halloween:
Halloween never needed to be overtly violent or sadistic. It succeeded in issuing scares as a result of intrigue, tension and the always unexpected. It brought paralyzing horror to American suburbs. Eventually studios put the pressure on and Michael Myers did indeed become a far more grisly killer than the seemingly brainless murderer John Carpenter introduced. The times changed, and viewers expected bloodier scenes from their Halloween films. They got it, but they also got a number of thrilling series pics. Halloween, Halloween II; Halloween III: Season of the Witch, Halloween 4 and Rob Zombie’s interesting inaugural reboot were all impressive pictures. Rumors of a Halloween 3D are swirling, as they have been for years now. Here’s hoping the proposal comes to full fruition, and we see this always paralyzing freak stalk more unsuspecting youngsters soon.
A Nightmare on Elm Street:
Unfortunately A Nightmare on Elm Street eventually became more parody than straight-shooting horror. The first film is absolutely horrifying. The second adopts a lighter tone, but boasts enough uncomfortable scenes (do I really need to point out the S&M scene?) to really create a sense of uneasiness. The third piece in the franchise turned the gore up, and delivered arguably the most entertaining final product we’ve seen from the franchise, but things began heading downhill the moment the fourth flick arrived. In the numerous pics to see release since, Fred’s gone full comedian, managing to shine only in Freddy vs. Jason, and – whether you care to admit it or not – the 2010 remake. I don’t care what anyone says, Jackie Earle Haley is the most frightening Freddy Krueger I’ve ever seen, and I’d jump at the chance to see him approach the role again.
Child’s Play:
Don’t act surprised. You knew I had to squeeze a killer doll series in the mix somewhere. The truth is, when it comes to homicidal plastic, nothing quite trumps the Child’s Play franchise. This is a series we most certainly need, as it offers a slew of different impressions. The first film is more frightening than humorous. Fast forward a few installments and Chucky’s got a kid running around, stunned to discover he may have actually been made in Japan. Next thing we know, Curse of Chucky, the most savage, well-shot and exhilarating picture of the entire lot arrives and proves that even a half dozen movies into an ongoing story, lightning can strike the same place twice, and magic can indeed experience rebirth.
Hellraiser:
Hellraiser set the bar for gore films. You want to look at an early example of nauseating special effects – primarily practical, might I add – you need look only to Clive Barker’s unbelievably sadistic creation. Pinhead is diabolical. The Cenobites in general truly are the things of nightmares. Hell, these creatures would’ve given Lovecraft a mental breakdown. The Hellraiser franchise has taken a turn for the worse in recent years but the early films (the first three rank among series favorites for me personally) in this long running fan adored series are excellent works that will leave you more than a little queasy. A word of advice, which comes from personal experience: don’t believe your young teenager when they tell you they’re prepared to watch a Hellraiser flick. They’re probably not even close to prepared.
Saw:
The truth is, aside from James Wan and Leigh Whannell’s original Saw film, I’m not a big fan of this series (okay the bone breaker/torture rack scene in part 3 was damn disgusting, and one of the unbelievably rare moments in film which makes me cringe). It’s just a bit too gratuitous for my taste, and the plot seems more transparent with each passing picture. My opinion however, doesn’t change the fact that there are legions of Saw fanatics (the series has made more than $870 million worldwide, at the box office alone) running about. When a flick featuring Jigsaw hits the big screen, the weirdos come out in sizable hordes. Whether it works for me or not, Saw
Phantasm:
Don’t even contemplate trying to convince me a world without the ultra-psychedelic set of films branded, Phantasm is a world worth living in. Don Coscarelli’s story is strange, incoherent, confusing, bloated to the point of near eruption… but it’s completely engaging. Most of us fell in love with this quirky story the moment we laid eyes on it. And there’s good reason for that. Phantasm is absurdly charming, and we all want to know what the hell is really going on. You just never know when Don may throw viewers a curveball, and that capricious approach will only continue to squeeze our attention for all its worth.
Abbott and Costello:
Surprised to see Abbott and Costello make the cut? You shouldn’t be. That said, if you’ve been alive less than three or four decades I can understand how the comedic duo may be completely foreign to you, hence the confusion. If that is the case, I strongly suggest acquainting yourself with their work. These two men set the foundation for comedy in horror. And while the A&C films always worked to blend hokey jokes and pure slapstick humor, the idea that laughs could be injected into very serious stories influenced countless filmmakers. Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein is one of the greatest examples of a game changing film; Larry Talbot is such a dark, sad and conflicted character that watching him interact with two of the biggest goobers alive is unique in a way few probably ever could have predicted. Other Abbott and Costello standouts include Abbott and Costello Meet the Invisible Man, Abbott and Costello Meet the Killer Boris Karloff and Abbott and Costello in Hold That Ghost.
The Dead:
George Romero is a mastermind and a revolutionary. H’s a man bold enough to walk into a minefield all alone, and trust his instincts. He is, to a major degree also the reason we see the insane craze in the zombie subgenre today. Night of the Living Dead was such an alarmingly powerful and monumental film that it started a machine that refuses to subside, let alone stop. The social and political commentary that Romero has always imbued in his pictures sets him apart from a man with heartless motivation. Rather it empowers him to a great extent. We as fans know that George is actually going to tell us something during his stylized gorefests. It may be easily detectable, it may be borderline subliminal, but one way or another he’s going to deliver a thought provoking message. That makes him special. Night of the Living Dead, Dawn of the Dead, Day of the Dead, Land of the Dead and depending upon your feelings about found footage formats, Diary of the Dead rank among the man’s finest Dead productions.
Texas Chainsaw Massacre:
I honestly believe it was the pure grit of Tobe Hooper’s original Texas Chainsaw Massacre that enchanted audiences. I also think it is what kept them coming back. You never know exactly how far a TCSM film go. But it’s in our nature to find a way to know, so we seek these films out, and we watch them, whether we’ve heard they’re amazing or complete trash. Perhaps it’s longtime loyalty to a brand that once left us stunned and repulsed. Perhaps it’s something darker, and more sadistic within us that keeps our eyes affixed. Regardless, we’re still here, supporting a franchise birthed 40 years ago. The first two films are great crowd pleasers, the 2003 remake is quite enjoyable, and if you’re up for nothing more than intense violence, checking out The Texas Chainsaw Massacre: The Beginning may be worth your time.
Evil Dead:
People love to associate Evil Dead with riotous comedy. But that’s not an entirely accurate association. The first Evil Dead did deliver some laughs, but it’s also scary as shit. Seriously, watch that one night, around two AM, when your family is out of town and there’s not a single light alight in the house. It’s still a little chilling. Fede Alvarez’s remake is also a frightening affair, completely doing away with the laughs. That’s an intense fucking movie, to be blunt about it. But here’s the beauty of it all, the two films sandwiched between the original and the remake, Evil Dead 2 and Army of Darkness, are loaded with hilarious material. It’s a pressure alleviator, if you will, and when you look at the franchise as a whole, it works perfectly. Sam Raimi is a true mastermind, and I can’t wait to see what’s next.
Jaws:
The film that changed the way we look at oceanic surroundings… Jaws was something that can never again be duplicated. It can be mimicked, it can be mocked, but the terror that this film – and a sequel or so – instilled in masses is something almost unheard of, and we may never see it again on film. The one thing that the Jaws pics have that many others do not, is quality character examination. Aside from that final stinker, Jaws: The Revenge, every Jaws film prior placed huge emphasis on the characters. In the first festure Brody, Quint and Hooper were this completely polarizing trio – and we cared deeply for each and every one of them. In Jaws II we felt Brody’s anxiety, fear, and anger, and we were able to sympathize with a number of the youngsters on the boat (Doug Fetterman still holds a special place in my heart). The last thing we wanted to see out of Jaws 3 was the death of Mike Brody or Kay Morgan. These were characters we cared for, and that shark was the ultimate nemesis to all we cared about… and feared on a very real and primal level.
Paranormal Activity:
There were found footage films that turned heads before the arrival of Paranormal Activity. The most famed of which would probably be Cannibal Holocaust and The Blair Witch Project (there’s also an early underrated flick out there by the name of The Last Broadcast which makes for an entertaining viewing experience). However, Paranormal Activity officially made a trend of the handi-cam flick. After PA1 exploded at the box office everyone, their mothers, their mothers’ brothers, and their mothers’ brother’s cousins wanted in on the success. It’s been nothing but found footage after found footage since, and most of these movies owe gratitude to Oren Peli who truly did make this subgenre certifiably cool. While I enjoyed the first three Paranormal Activity pics, the fourth, and The Marked Ones were what I would consider letdowns. But there’s still time to turn things around.
Scream:
Scream, while adored by legions, doesn’t get the level of respect it deserves. The simple fact of the matter is this: Prior to the release of Scream, slasher movies were not only dead, they’d decomposed into nothing but mushy piles of sticky mess and hordes of maggots on the hunt for something still edible. But beyond slashers, horror itself was struggling on its own death bed. People weren’t rushing out to theaters to see horror films. Half of the quality genre pieces to see release in the ‘80s up through the mid-90s never even made it to the big screen. Horror was approaching extinction, and originality was a dismissed notion altogether. Until Kevil Williamson wrote one of the wittiest scripts in history. And Drew Barrymore sacrificed her onscreen life to snag the attention of casuals. And Wes Craven turned out his best film since the first Nightmare pic. And Neve Campbell drove any a teenage boy to not-so-dry dreams. Slashers are cool once again, and horror isn’t going anywhere anytime soon, and that’s because of Scream. Thanks Mr. Craven, and Mr. Williamson. I hope you truly understand what you’ve done for horror. If only you’d taken a little more time with Scream 3…