According to the survey, these are theTop 10 Most Iconic Horror Movies of All Time:
- Halloween-- 46%
- The Nightmare on Elm Street-- 24%
- Scream-- 22%
- The Exorcist-- 21%
- Beetlejuice-- 21%
- Friday the 13th-- 15%
- Carrie-- 13%
- Rocky Horror Picture Show-- 10%
- Child’s Play-- 9%
- The Shining-- 7% (SWNS)
Here are my TOP 3!
#3 - SCREAM (1996)
Arguably the best "Opening Scene" in horror films. Maybe the best part of the movie is the "Who Dunnit" factor! And the "rules of horror movies" scene is classic!
#2 - FRIDAY THE 13th (1980)
This has a nostalgic angle for me. I was staying with my family, at a resort, in Alexandria (Arrow Wood) when the movie was released to HBO. We had a room right next to the lake - main floor with sliding glass door as our only protection. I was 9!
The "Not Knowing or Seeing" factor of who the killer is, makes it (worked for Spielberg in JAWS)! This movie really is the origin of the "first character to get naked, will die first" aspect of classic horror films.
Also, you cannot go wrong with a Kevin Bacon in your movie.......and Kevin Bacon dies in a bunk-bed in your movie!
Follow that with how the sequels following created one of the most iconic killers in horror film history, but got more ridiculous the more sequels they made......Jason vs. Predator - IN SPACE?!!
(Shout-Out) Nightmare On Elm Street also became more "Campy" and ridiculously hilarious with each installment!
#1 - HALLOWEEN (1978)
This movie always holds up! It's not just the genius naming of the movie, but the fact we are all ready this time of year for scares - old or new.
Scene wise, the bouncing back-n-forth from usual movie camera shot, to POV (Michael), to great horror film shots makes this movie a piece of art. The POV (point of view) shots adds to the viewers stress levels.....we know what the people in the movie don't!! Leading to you yelling or pleading with characters in the movie.
The Halloween inclusion of Trick or Treating children helps bring you to that - when I was a kid and what things I was afraid of (real and mostly imagined).
Added bonus, the creepy Michael Meyers mask! It adds to the creepy if you know that mask was an actual CAPTAIN KIRK (STAR TREK) William Shatner Halloween mask!