"The Scariest Movie I Ever Saw"-- A Selection by the Friends and Family of Unseen Films

The Inerasable

Over the last few years I stumbled into discussions on social media where Ted Geoghagen argued that people need to go beyond the Freddy, Jason, Michael, and other series films.  I felt obliged to throw together lists of films of great films you should see (25 Horror Films, 25 More Horror Films, 15 Horror Films with GreatPerformances). This year I asked the Unseen Films family and some friends who love horror films what the scariest horror film they ever saw that no one talks about.  They could pick any film so long as it wasn’t a super hit that people still talk about or from a long running series. What follows are their picks. The idea was to keep the films ones that you probably haven't seen before. 

What follows is a loose collection of titles and some comments by those friends and family who responded:

I’m going to start with my pick, (and my brother Joe’s pick) which is INERASABLE. This Japanese horror film is about haunting of a piece of property, not a building but a piece of land. It’s a slowly building film that left me so disturbed I literally slept with the lights on.

I also want to add Olivier Assayas’ PERSONAL SHOPPER. While it isn’t a horror movie, it is perhaps the greatest ghost story ever put on film (or in the top 5). When I saw it at the New York Film Festival there were moments where the whole audience levitated.

I would put as Honorable Mention both the original NIGHT OF THE LIVING DEAD and CARNIVAL OF SOULS which some people see as jokes. Yes, they are well known and have Criterion releases, but at the same time they have been used as fodder for Riff Trax and other riffers, which while funny, lstill left you feeling bummed out because the horror of the films’ themselves is so strong there is ultimately nothing funny about them. If you've never seen them at night in a dark room do so.

Matt Schulman- (Overdue Rentals Podcast, Clutch Points, Den of Geek, Cinema Daily US) said "I'm more of a creepy fan than scary fan, so I'll do with DON'T LOOK NOW,  and DEAD OF NIGHT (1945), which has the creepiest (and possibly first?) ventriloquist dummy story.And PONTYPOOL"

Ed Douglas (Weekend Warrior on Substack and numerous other outlets) SESSION 9 (It's the story of an abandoned asylum, that isn't)

Robert Grimes- ALONE IN THE DARK(1982) An all-star cast slasher (Jack Palance, Donald Pleasence, Martin Landau) with a bit more layers than the typical offering of the time. Some genuine creepy moments, and twists make this an enjoyable watch. Not to be confused with the '05 Uwe Boll "film", of the same name.

Hubert Vigilla:Punishment Park (1971) (The original story of people being forced to try and survive by dystopian government), Kisapmata (1981) ( a fact based family drama from hell, and The Reflecting Skin (1990) (a nightmarish coming of age film with things that will livin in your head rent free) 

Liz Whittmore-(Reel News Daily) THE HOST (2020) Her thoughts can be found here.

Steven Tsapelas (director of UFO CLUB and BIGFOOT CLUB) "I have always been partial to Lucky McKee's MAY ( about a woman trying to connect with people) but the movie that scared me the most is the 1985 Alice in Wonderland TV movie, where Alice is stuck in the mirror and can't communicate with her parents. "

Mr C: "I don’t know if it counts as it was billed as a soap opera back in the day but I’ve always found the whole series of DARK SHADOWS to be very scary & creepy. Everything they depicted in that fictitious weird town in Maine was strange & revolting. Of course, the Vampire villain character himself Barnabas Collins was frightening & mysterious."

Eden Miller- THE HAUNTING (1963) still remains one of the scariest movies I've ever seen. Based on Shirley Jackson's novel, it follows the timid Nell (Julie Harris) during an experiment in a purportedly haunted house. The ambiguity of it -- is it in Nell's head or is the house truly haunted -- adds to the frights, as well as the claustrophobic feeling of the grand house. I also love horror where the dread builds until the end is inevitable. Nell just wanted to find a place to belong, even if that place was an evil house. 

BC Wallin (Writer, friend and mad man behind the upcoming monograph on the STEVE JOBS film)  MERIDIAN (2016) A Netflix experimental film that literally just exists to test compression on stuff like smoke, fans, freckles. Horror short. 

Marq Evans (Director of THE GLAMOUR & THE SQUALOR, CLAYDREAM, THE DIAMOND KING)  JESUS CAMP (2006) (a documentary about a Christian summer camp) or FREAKS (1932) (Tod Brownings classic film-which many still haven't seen) 

Leslie Dodge:WAXWORK(1988) Have you ever wondered what it would be like to enter a wax museum where the exhibits come to life? Wax Work starring Zach Galligan (Gremlins) and Deborah Foreman (April Fool’s Day) is one of the most criminally underrated horror films of the 1980’s. It’s the perfect combination of unique story telling and 80’s cheese that’s to die for. Add Wax Work to your yearly Halloween movie marathon and experience the creatures that turn a harmless fantasy into your worst nightmare. 

Life Is A Film Fest (Film Twitter information source) Eskil Vogt’s THE INNOCENTS (some children discover they have dark powers)

Before I go I want to leave you with a thought and a scary film

Why doesn't anyone talk about Julian Beck in POLTERGEIST 2 any more? I would argue its one of the great cinematic performances of any sort. When the film came out Beck was hailed as the next great horror villain but he faded from view rather quickly. I'm guessing the reasons were because the movie beyond his creepy being the film is fair and it was coupled with the fact that Beck died before the film came out so he could never build on his chilling scenes with more work. (this was essentially Beck's last cinematic work).  While POLTERGEIST 2 is just okay - Beck will haunt your nightmares see it. (But forget POLTERGEIST 3 where the character returns but is nowhere near as chilling)

Lastly I want to leave you with the frightening short LABORATORY CONDITIONS. I know some of you have seen it- but some of you haven't so here it is-  It is one of the best horror films ever made.