Good Evening… Joey, formally & affectionately known as MonsterGirl in certain circles, is here to let you know that I’ve decided to give myself a challenge. I know I write a lot about obscure gems, and I do love shining my flashlight on the deep, cobwebby corners of cinema, throwing a little Joey radiance on films you might not ordinarily think of.

But I got to pondering. People won’t truly know what my personal favorite films are if I never get a chance to write about them in depth. I don’t spend a consistent enough amount of time here at The Last Drive In covering particular films that have absolutely resonated with me over the years. Masterpieces or little artistic offbeat offerings that I love so much I often find it hard to articulate the way I feel about them, and wind up chickening out like Don Knott’s Luther Heggs (The Ghost & Mr. Chicken) for fear my post just won’t do them justice.

So I thought to myself, it’s really time I start posting at least a little snippet of the films that are my chosen favorites. But because I go off on tangents and get so easily distracted, I should try and challenge myself to get to the point and list my TOP classic horror films, YET use only ONE photo, and ONE brief commentary about the film working through my list with the ease of a tortoise who’s been sipping espresso! So… grab your sidecar & ride along…

I started out with trying to list 100. I failed miserably. Then I thought, okay, let’s do 120. Again, that was as big a flop as Barney Fife’s sidecar or one of Grandpa Munster’s wily inventions!

I managed to come up with 150, with my sneaky way of fitting in a bunch of extras by making certain film pairings or triple features. Some I chose to put together because they naturally seem to be companion pieces for each other. The stories somehow connect, or the imagery or their confluence matches up with the vision of the filmmakers who made them.

Whatever the reason, it made it to my list, so you’ll have to accept that I am not one who can narrow down her love to one thing. It can’t be done. I’ve tried. Even with that proverbial gun to my head, like Bette Davis’s good twin/bad twin in Dead Ringer, I had to keep the list rolling. How can I leave out certain films that I just adore?

Now, I can tell you that Rosemary’s Baby and The Haunting are my all-time obsessions. Polanski’s masterpiece, but the devil’s in the details, and that’s a lot of writing! I’ve been putting off covering Rosemary’s Baby, but it’s time soon, lest Minnie Castevet (Ruth Gordon) appear at my doorstep, chocolate mouse and tannis root in hand, and demand I give birth to this critical masterpiece—after all, she chose me, honey, from all the writers in the world to give this film its due!”

For my 500th post here at The Last Drive In, I did pay tribute to The Haunting!

Robert Wise’s The Haunting (1963) “No one will come any further than town, in the dark… in the night”

I’ve finally got to talk about Tourneur’s Curse of the Demon and expand on Narciso Ibáñez Serrador’s beautifully Gothic The House That Screamed 1969 with Lili Palmer. And there are a few others that are absolutely going to wind up being examined extensively here at The Last Drive-In. Whichever I’ve already covered like Roeg’s Don’t Look Now 1973.

Unraveling the Knot: Don’t Look Now (1973) A Mesmeric Paradox of Grief in Uncanny Red: Part 1

Unraveling the Knot: Don’t Look Now (1973) A Mesmeric Paradox of Grief in Uncanny Red: Part 2

I’ll add the link inside each 150 Days post that briefly covers those films!

Any of these films are ones I’d pick to show as a marathon on Halloween or at my own real Drive- In Movie Theater if I ever won the lottery and managed to open up a fabulous retro Drive-in Theater/Cat Sanctuary/Coffee House. That’s a dream of mine, you know…

And you know, something funny happens when you post YOUR own list of movies? People leave the most delightful (exasperating) unsolicited comments like, “Why didn’t you include?” or “Nice list but, what about? “  And I find myself becoming like Daffy Duck who uncovers the pearl in the giant clam and goes off on his little tirade spewing, ‘It’s mine, it’s mine, it’s all mine, you understand!”

The list is mine! It’s mine!

That’s the point of making my own list. Because it’s MINE. If you don’t see a film here, don’t take it personally. Make a list of your own, and please feel free to let me know what YOUR favorites are.

Another essential thing to take note of here is that I can not possibly qualify which films are better than the rest. I won’t nor can’t do that. I think it’s theoretically impossible to compare different films and decide which is the best in order of rank. Which should take the #1 spot. To facilitate things, I’ve put them in alphabetical order. Not from better to worse. I hate qualifying things anyway. To me, lists that try to do that seem to elevate one film by diminishing another. And…

Some could be considered Horror/Sci-Fi/Fantasy hybrids or Suspense/Horror hybrids. The ones I’ve chosen seem to fall nicely into the classic horror realm, even if there is a science element to them, because there is a strong presence of the supernatural. Also, within the contexts of what makes a suspense-driven narrative that delves into the deep end of horror, I also take into consideration. If it contains a rather grotesque, brutal, or savage set of details, that’s how I’ve chosen to rank it as a horror film and not just a suspense film. BTW, I will not be including made-for-TV horror movies, in case you’re wondering why you don’t see treasured titles here like Don’t Be Afraid of the Dark and Trilogy or Terror!

So anyways, don’t think that I love 13 Ghosts the most and White Zombie the least, or that I’m batty because I think that anyone who carries around a hatbox containing a woman’s severed head, as was the case in Night Must Fall, doesn’t qualify as horrific as in Horror film.

Just to recap, this challenge is a way of forcing myself to fill my blog with films that fascinate, titillate, and inspire me. It really is a personal challenge for me to write only ONE short commentary with ONE defining photograph from that film. ONE image that sums up the story and nothing else. There is none of my long-winded synopsis, referential tangents, or my usual visual narrative that goes on and on and on and on…

I’ll still be releasing more deep dives and substantive overviews as usual; you can count on me as sure as the House of Usher crumbled and fell,  I’m looking to present these 150 little posts and tell you– as if we were in an elevator only going up a few floors– about my favorites as I count down through the 150 or so, (er, hum says long-winded me) classic horror films.

Here’s a sneak peek at the list. It is in alphabetical order and will also include double and triple features, just like the good old days of sitting in the musty old movie theater with the smell of buttered popcorn assaulting your nose for hours because you could sit through three movies for a $1.50 or those balmy Saturday afternoons at home watching rare ones on the telly or those star-filled summer nights at the drive-in wearing your pajamas: I hope some of your favorites are on here too!

1. 13 GHOSTS/HOUSE ON HAUNTED HILL 1959
2. ALICE SWEET ALICE 1976
3. AND SOON THE DARKNESS 1970
4. ABBOTT & COSTELLO MEET FRANKENSTEIN 1948
5. ASYLUM 1972 /TALES FROM THE CRYPT 1972
6. AT MIDNIGHT, I’LL TAKE YOUR SOUL 1964
7. THE ABOMINABLE DR. PHIBES 1972/THEATER OF BLOOD 1973
8. THE AMITYVILLE HORROR 1979
9. THE AWFUL DR. ORLOFF 1962 / THE HORRIBLE DR. HITCHCOCK 1962
10. BABA YAGA 1973 / NECROMANCY 1972
11. BEAUTY AND THE BEAST 1946 / THE QUEEN OF SPADES 1949
12. BEDLAM 1946 /THE BODY SNATCHER 1945
13. BEFORE I HANG 1940 / THE MAN THEY COULD NOT HANG 1939
14. THE BELL FROM HELL 1973
15. BLACK CHRISTMAS 1974
16. BLACK SABBATH 1963 / BLACK SUNDAY 1960
17. THE BLOOD SPATTERED BRIDE 1972 /BLOOD AND ROSES 1960
18. THE BLACK CAT 1934 / THE RAVEN 1935
19. BEWARE MY BRETHREN 1972 / WHEN A STRANGER CALLS 1979
20. BLACULA  1972 / SCREAM BLACULA SCREAM 1973
21. BURNT OFFERINGS 1976
22. THE BROTHERHOOD OF SATAN 1971
23. THE BIRD WITH THE CRYSTAL PLUMAGE 1970 / DEEP RED 1975
24. BEAST IN THE CELLAR 1970 / THE SHUTTERED ROOM 1967
25. THE BAD SEED 1956
26. THE BEAST WITH FIVE FINGERS 1946
27. THE CAR 1977
28. THE CHANGELING 1980 / GHOST STORY 1981
29. THE CANTERVILLE GHOST 1944
30. THE CRAZIES 1973
31. CARNIVAL OF SOULS 1962
32. CASTLE OF BLOOD (DANZE MACARBRA) 1964
33. CAT PEOPLE 1942 / CURSE OF THE CAT PEOPLE 1944
34. CHILDREN SHOULDN’T PLAY WITH DEAD THINGS 1972
35. CORRIDORS OF BLOOD 1958 /THE HAUNTED STRANGLER 1958
36. COUNT YORGA VAMPIRE 1970 /RETURN OF COUNT YORGA 1971
37. THE CHILDREN 1980
38. CRY OF THE BANSHEE 1970
39. CURSE OF THE DEMON 1957
40. DAUGHTERS OF DARKNESS 1971
41. DEAD AND BURIED 1981
42. DEAD OF NIGHT 1945 / FLESH AND FANTASY 1943 / CARNIVAL OF SINNERS 1943
43. DEATHMASTER 1972
44. DEMENTIA 13 (1963) / NIGHT TIDE 1961
45. DON’T LOOK NOW 1973
46. DRACULA (1931) / NOSFERATU 1922 / DRACULA’S DAUGHTER 1936
47. DEAD RINGER 1964 / THE NANNY 1965
48. THE DEVIL COMMANDS 1941
49. THE DEVIL’S RAIN 1975
50. THE DUNWICH HORROR 1970
51. DOCTOR X 1932
52. DEATH DREAM 1974
53. EYE OF THE DEVIL 1966
54. EYES WITHOUT A FACE 1960
55. THE EVIL DEAD 1981 /PHANTASM 1979
56. THE EVICTORS 1979 / THE TOWN THAT DREADED SUNDOWN 1976
57. EYES OF LAURA MARS 1978
58. THE EXORCIST 1973 / THE OMEN 1976
59. NEITHER THE SEA NOR THE SAND 1972 / THE WITCH WHO CAME FROM THE SEA 1976
60. THE FOG 1980 / HALLOWEEN 1978
61. FRANKENSTEIN 1931 / BRIDE OF FRANKENSTEIN 1935 / SON OF FRANKENSTEIN 1939
62. FRIGHT NIGHT 1985 / THE LOST BOYS 1987
63. FOUR SKULLS OF JONATHAN DRAKE 1959 / THE THING THAT WOULDN’T DIE 1958
64. FREAKS 1932 / THE UNKNOWN 1927
65. GAMES 1967 / WHAT’S THE MATTER WITH HELEN? 1971 / THE MAD ROOM 1969
66. GOD TOLD ME TO 1976
67. GRAVE OF THE VAMPIRE 1972
68. THE GHOST SHIP 1943 / THE LEOPARD MAN 1943 / THE 7th VICTIM 1943
69. GOODBYE GEMINI 1970
70. THE GHOUL 1933 / THE OLD DARK HOUSE 1932
71. HATCHET FOR A HONEYMOON 1970
72. HOMEBODIES  1974
73. THE HAUNTED PALACE 1963
74. THE HAUNTING 1963 / THE INNOCENCE 1961
75. THE HAUNTING OF JULIA 1977
76. THE HOUSE THAT SCREAMED 1969
77. HORROR HOTEL (CITY OF THE LIVING DEAD) 1960 / BURN WITCH BURN 1962
78. HOUSE OF USHER 1960 /PIT AND THE PENDULUM 1961
79. HOUSE OF WAX 1953
80. HOMICIDAL 1961 / THE NIGHT WALKER 1964 / THE TINGLER 1959
81. HUSH… HUSH, SWEET CHARLOTTE 1964 / WHAT EVER HAPPENED TO BABY JANE? 1962
82. I BURY THE LIVING 1958
83. I WALKED WITH A ZOMBIE 1943 / ISLE OF THE DEAD 1945 / THE BODY SNATCHER 1945
84. ISLAND OF LOST SOULS 1932
85. THE INVISIBLE MAN 1933
86. THE INVISIBLE RAY 1936 / THE WALKING DEAD 1936
87. KILL , BABY, KILL 1966 / LISA AND THE DEVIL 1973
88. THE KILLER INSIDE ME 1976
89. KWAIDAN 1964
90. THE LEGEND OF HELL HOUSE
91. LEMORA: A CHILD’S TALE OF THE SUPERNATURAL
92. LIVING DEAD AT MANCHESTER MORGUE (Let Sleeping Corpses Lie) / TOMBS OF THE BLIND DEAD
93. LET’S SCARE JESSICA TO DEATH
94. THE LODGER 1944/THE LODGER HITCHCOCK/HANGOVER SQUARE
95. LEGEND OF HELL HOUSE 1973
96. MARTIN 1977
97. M 1931 / MAD LOVE 1935
98. MESSIAH OF EVIL (DEAD PEOPLE) 1973 / DREAM NO EVIL 1970
99. THE MAN WHO LAUGHS 1928 / THE UNKNOWN 1927
100. THE MAN WHO TURNED TO STONE 1957
101. THE MASK 1961
102. THE MASQUE OF THE RED DEATH 1964
103. THE MAZE 1953 / THE SCREAMING SKULL 1958
104. MR. SARDONICUS 1961
105. THE NIGHT DIGGER 1971
106. NIGHT MONSTER 1942
107. NIGHT MUST FALL 1937 / SECRET BEYOND THE DOOR 1947 / NIGHT OF THE HUNTER 1955
108. NIGHT OF THE LIVING DEAD 1968 / DAWN OF THE DEAD 1978
109. NO WAY TO TREAT A LADY 1968 / MAN ON A SWING 1974
110. THE OMEGA MAN 1971 / THE LAST MAN ON EARTH 1964
111. THE OTHER 1972
112. THE PSYCHOPATH 1966
113. PSYCHO 1960 / THE BIRDS 1963
114. THE PREMONITION 1976/ PSYCHIC KILLER 1975
115. PLAY MISTY FOR ME 1971 / THAT COLD DAY IN THE PARK 1969 / A REFLECTION OF FEAR 1973
116. THE TEXAS CHAINSAW MASSACRE 1974
117. PSYCHOMANIA 1973
118. RACE WITH THE DEVIL 1975
119. REPULSION 1965 / DIABOLIQUE 1955
120. ROSEMARY’S BABY 1968 / THE MEPHISTO WALTZ 1971
121. RUBY 1977
122. THE REINCARNATION OF PETER PROUD 1977
123. SHOCK WAVES 1977
124. SILENT NIGHT BLOODY NIGHT 1972 / DON’T LOOK IN THE BASEMENT 1973
125. SISTERS 1972
126. SCANNERS 1981 / SHIVERS 1975
127. SPIDER BABY 1967
128. SQUIRM 1976 / FROGS 1972 / SSsss 1973
129. STRAIT-JACKET 1964
130. THE SENTINEL 1977
131. THE SHINING 1980
132. THE STEPFORD WIVES 1975
133. STRANGLER OF THE SWAMP 1946 / FäHRMANN MARIA 1936
134. SUSPIRIA 1977
135. SUGAR HILL 1974
136. SPIRITS OF THE DEAD 1968
137. TARGETS 1968
138. THE TENANT 1976
139. TAM LIN 1970 / QUEENS OF EVIL 1970
140. THE UNINVITED 1944 / THE GHOST AND MRS. MUIR 1947
141. THE VELVET VAMPIRE 1971
142. TOURIST TRAP 1979
143. TERROR AT RED WOLF INN 1972
144. TRACK OF THE VAMPIRE (BLOOD BATH) 1966
145. VAMPYR 1932
146. VAMPIRE CIRCUS 1972
147. THE WICKER MAN 1973 / BLOOD ON SATAN’S CLAW 1971
148. THE WITCHES MIRROR 1962 / CURSE OF THE CRYING WOMAN 1963
149. WHITE ZOMBIE 1932
150. THE WOLF MAN 1941 / THE MUMMY 1942