Possibly my favorite genre of film. There’s nothing more satisfying than turning off the lights, making some popcorn and having the crap scared out of me. I’m still not sure what keeps me coming back for more. Maybe it’s the sense of surviving something others didn’t, knowing what’s behind the corner (the poor characters don’t have the scary music to clue them in!) or not having a happily-ever-after ending like most movies; the guy doesn’t always get the girl and everyone doesn’t always get along in the end. Sometimes, the bad guy has to win.

When I was 10, I wanted to see “Scream”. Before, I would get too scared to even attempt to watch a horror film (or just “Ernest Scared Stupid”), but I felt older, wiser and ready to sit down and see for myself why people liked being scared in the first place. After screaming a few times and shielding my eyes every time a knife came into view, I was hooked. I wanted to see more blood and guts and what other villains were out there. Thus began my love affair with scary movies.Here are some of my favorites that still creep me out to this day:

Texas Chainsaw Massacre (the original): I saw the 2003 remake after a group of friends went to see it and told me it was the scariest movie they had seen in a long time. It was alright. A little weirded out by the girl who kept a rifle up her skirt, but sufficiently creepy. I wanted to see the 1974 original since, typically, the original is better. I rented it and watched it in my dorm room while my roommate was still there. About half-way through, I had to pause the movie and talk with the roomie because I couldn’t stop cringing and freaking out. Eventually, I watched the rest. It’s still the scariest movie I’ve ever seen and refuse to watch it alone.
Is there someone in the room with you? Have a taste..

The Shining: The lesson: listen to your kids and the moment your husband starts seeing things, get the hell out. The only thing creepier than Jack Nicholson is the naked ghost lady in the bathtub. An even better lesson: don’t make out with dead people! I still have a “what the crap” moment at the end when you see Jack in the old picture.

Night of the Living Dead: The zombie movie that started them all. I had trouble picking this over “Dawn of the Dead”, but what pushed it over the edge is ending. Just when you think everything will be OK… The kid killing the mother, zombie Johnny, eating a severed arm, it’s all classic.There’s a sub-par but complete version of the movie on YouTube. Instead of posting the video, here’s the link, just in case you have time on your hands: Night of the Living Dead

The Ring: When I mention this movie scared the bejeezus, I get one of two reactions: “Me too!” or “Seriously?” Either way, I never thought of children in a scary movie as innocent anymore. I believe I also yelped in the movie theatre along with several other audience members. The story line is fantastic and the constant grey coloring in the movie is wonderful at setting the tone. Here’s the scariest moment that mad the entire film:

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