AUDITION

Controversial Japanese mastermind Takashi Miike ('Visitor Q,' 'Ichi the Killer,' and 'Happiness of the Katakuris, to name a few) is one sick puppy. 'Audition' is hands down one of the most disquieting, unsettling horror films I've ever had to endure. While it starts out innocently enough, 'Audition' slowly descends into madness as bizarre encounters, creepy tic-tic-ticking, and a nauseating torture scene make this a tough one to sit through no matter how many times I've watched it over the years. This is genuine horror. No cheap or unnecessary scares, no cliched cardboard cutouts for characters, no supernatural baddie to contend with. More importantly, it boasts subtle, nuanced performances, palpable tension, and enough realistic gore to make the most hardened among you squirm in your seats. I can't recommend this one enough.

DEAD ALIVE (aka BRAINDEAD)

On the opposite end of the spectrum is one of my favorite horror-comedies of all time. Many people seem to think writer/director extraordinaire Peter Jackson appeared on the scene with a trio of 'Rings' films for the masses. However, those of you familiar with Jackson's early work know the filmmaker has a truly sick-n-twisted imagination. 'Dead Alive' is a gruesome little New Zealand indie that nearly made me vomit the first time I watched it (the custard scene, anyone?) -- luckily, I was laughing too hard to choke up any chunks. As a zombie flick, this one's a blast that will ensure you never look at a lawnmower the same way again. As a comedy, it's loaded with laughs, over-the-top effects, and hilarious performances. Either way you approach 'Dead Alive,' you probably won't be disappointed!

THE EXORCIST

I've heard some people say you have to believe in demonic possession to to be truly unsettled by William Peter Blatty's 'The Exorcist.' Humbug, I say. Like any horror classic, 'The Exorcist' works because it introduces a collection of flawed characters who, in the face of bizarre circumstances, must sacrifice everything (including their beliefs, doubts, and pride) to save a young girl from a supernatural evil. Sure, the 35-year-old special effects are dated and unimpressive, but the film doesn't need polished effects to make the crucifix scene effective, Karras' conversations with his dead mother frightening, or Merrin's struggle with an ancient but familiar foe tragic. It simply relies on our bond with its well-developed characters, a foreboding sense of dread, and a chilling atmosphere to tell a solid story about normal people encountering the abnormal. 'The Exorcist' is a true horror classic that shouldn't be missed.

MISERY

I've always been a big fan of Stephen King's novels. I count his 'Dark Tower' series among the most essential modern literature on the market. However, film adaptations of his stories have been... let's just say, less than impressive. 'Misery,' the deceptively simple tale of a famous writer kept prisoner by an unstable fan, is not only surprisingly faithful to King's minimalistic novel, but it's loaded with an intense game of psychological cat and mouse that really gets under your skin. Over the course of two short hours, Kathy Bates and a sledge hammer become an iconic horror duo, James Caan truly makes you believe he's going through hell on earth, and the clack-clack of a typewriter will be stuck in your brain for days. Easily my favorite adaptation of one of King's horror novels, 'Misery' is an oft-overlooked gem.

A NIGHTMARE ON ELM STREET

Scheduled for a Blu-ray release earlier this year, 'A Nightmare on Elm Street' suddenly disappeared without a trace, leaving Freddy fans in complete disbelief. Ah well. Forget the lame sequels and set aside the slapstick renditions of Krueger that may be fresh in your brain, the original (and best) 'Elm Street' flick is a slasher standout that has some of the best classic scares in the annals of horror. Johnny Depp bites it on a hungry mattress, Heather Langenkamp has one of the worst baths imaginable, and the story... gasp... is actually good. Some people get worked up over a lumbering dolt in a hockey mask, some see a white-faced serial killer in their dreams. Me? I'm an 'Elm Street' junkie through and through. The film still manages to get to me years after it first sunk its claws in my impressionable young brain.

NIGHT OF THE LIVING DEAD

While every other George A. Romero zombie flick has been released on Blu-ray ('Dawn of the Dead,' 'Day of the Dead,' 'Land of the Dead,' and, most recently, 'Diary of the Dead'), the critically-acclaimed undead debut that started it all, 'Night of the Living Dead,' is nowhere to be found. Effortlessly blending social commentary with psychological and physical horror, Romero created a genre, raised serious questions within an otherwise implausible alternate reality, and influenced countless filmmakers who wanted to bring their own visions of the dead to the big screen. It never ceases to amaze me that the most frightening scenes in 'Night of the Living Dead' center around the survivors rather than the walking dead. Ultimately, Romero managed to bring vision, originality, and intelligence to a genre that sorely needed all three.

ROSEMARY'S BABY

'Rosemary's Baby' doesn't follow the traditional, linear path from scare to scare like most genre pics. For anyone who isn't familiar with the 1968 award-winning classic, the story follows a young pregnant woman who begins to suspect that her friends and family have nefarious plans for her unborn child. Instead of jolts and frights, director Roman Polanski used a timid and reluctant performance from Mia Farrow to create a creepy atmosphere of mounting doubt and confusion. The people around her are too friendly, her suspicion quickly becomes our suspicion, and her eventual terror transfers to us as well. The film also plays on the inherent worries and fears of first-time parents, giving Farrow's am-I-normal, am-I-insane inner turmoil a relevance that has helped the film keep its edge over the last four decades.

SCREAM

While unwarranted sequels and damning parodies have neutered the original impact of director Wes Craven and writer Kevin Williamson's 1996 slasher-revamp, 'Scream,' I still consider it to be one of the best horror films of the '90s. It not only reinvented and revisited reliable horror conventions, it satirized their rampant proliferation over the years without resorting to comedy or parody. 'Scream' still stands on its own as an excellent slasher with an unexpected twist ending, but also takes several timely and clever jabs at everything that made the subgenre popular in the first place. This careful balance of satire and horror shouldn't have worked, but Craven and Williamson managed to craft a compelling cast of characters, inject new blood into familiar scenes, and deliver the horror goods from beginning to end.

SEVEN

Before you argue that 'Seven' isn't a horror film, let's consider the evidence. A surprise awakening is responsible for one of the most unpredictable and strong scares in cinema history, another victim has a nervous breakdown as he begs to have a stomach-churning weapon removed from his body, and a harmless cardboard box contains one of the most gruesome unseen sights of all time. To this day, Pitt's cries of "what's in the box" still makes the hair on my neck stand at attention. David Fincher may not be a genre director, but he sure knows how to pack some genuine scares into what could have been a standard procedural thriller. It may not fill the bill of gorehounds and slasher-fanatics, but I drag 'Seven' off of my shelf every Halloween long before I watch other, more conventional classics.

THE SILENCE OF THE LAMBS

Considering the fact that one of the most terrifying elements of 'The Silence of the Lambs' is confined to a prison cell (in one form or another) for 98% of the film, you might think this Jodie Foster vehicle would be a relative bore. However, a sinister serial killer who makes clothes out of women's skin, an eerie manhunt, and several choice encounters with Anthony Hopkins' grinning monster make this one a slow-burning horror masterpiece. It even had enough weight to earn Academy attention. Once again, atmosphere trumps scares, meticulous performances trump disturbing imagery, and sharp dialogue trumps cliched conversations. Like 'Seven,' you may not think of this one when pulling horror films off your shelf, but 'The Silence of the Lambs' remains a thinking man's horror classic.  

Other Flicks that Nearly Made My List: 'Alien,' 'The Brood,' 'Cabin Fever,' 'Dog Soldiers,' 'Evil Dead,' 'Hellraiser,' 'The Howling,' 'Jaws,' 'Near Dark,' 'Nosferatu,' 'Pet Semetary,' 'Psycho,' 'The Ring,' 'Shadow of the Vampire,' 'Suspira,' 'Trilogy of Terror,' and 'The Wicker Man.'

Please note I did not include any horror films in this list that have already been released on HD DVD ('Shaun of the Dead' and 'An American Werewolf in London,' among them). Presumably, they'll all make their way to Blu-ray soon enough. -KB