7. Dawn of the Dead (1978)

Director: George A. Romero

With: David Emge and Ken Foree

Completely on target film, maybe better than the original, with palpable fear mixed with wicked humor. Best moment for me is when the biker gang invades the mall fortress that our heroes have to defend. One of the gang members (wearing a sombrero) keeps trying to use a blood pressure machine, even as ghouls start attacking him. Needless to say, his systolic reading is a little off.

8. Psycho (1960)

Director: Alfred Hitchcock

With: Anthony Perkins and Janet Leigh

Still amazingly fresh in its build-up of terror; the dramatic irony the audience believes it's in on (that Norman's mother is alive and a killer) reaches a peak when Mr. Arbogast (a detective) climbs the stairs to find the old woman. She pounces on him (surprisingly spry for a little old lady) and slashes him, sending him down an unforgettable trip on the stairs. She's down and on top of him like a flash to finish the job as he kicks his feet in futility. How many films have borrowed from this one?

9. The Thing (1982)

Director: John Carpenter

With: Kurt Russell and Richard Dysart

Trapped in an isolated polar outpost, Russell is desperate to find the killer monster that has taken over at least one of the men in his crew. The scene where he binds and interrogates them (with the threat of being burned alive by a torch), each one sighing in relief that it he is not the one, yet knowing one of them is the one, is still almost unbearable to watch even after I've seen it twenty times.

10. Fright Night (1985)

Director: Tom Holland

With: Chris Sarandon and Roddy McDowall

TV monster show host Mr. Vincent (McDowall) thinks he is just humoring a young man who believes his neighbor is a vampire, but then Vincent finds out the guy really is a blood sucker. After an initial confrontation, McDowall faces Sarandon's vampire with a raised cross. The vampire says, "You have to have faith for that to work, Mr. Vincent." McDowall smiles, knowing that he has acquired faith in the course of the night, and raises the cross and thus repels the vampire.

HONORABLE MENTIONS:

Friday the 13th (1980)

Director: Sean S. Cunningham

With: Betsy Palmer and Laurie Bartram

I think the scene when Pamela Voorhees is revealed as the killer is fantastic. All the sequels pale in comparison. Still simply an awesome finale.

Frankenstein (1931)

Director: James Whale

With: Colin Clive and Boris Karloff

Definitive sceen monster in Karloff and the same as the mad doctor for Clive. Best moment is when he knows the monster has life. When Clive says, "It's alive!" ; it's one scary moment.

The Omen (1976)

Director: Richard Donner

With: Gregory Peck and Lee Remick

This story is still spooky after all these years. Most favorite moment (not the famous decapitation scene) is when the Peck and the reporter are trapped in the graveyard by mad dogs. Still truly a fright.