These Asians. Trust them to show us how it's done.
We gave you Texas Chain Saw Massacre Part 2, you ungrateful sons of bitches, how dare you embarrass us like this?
Added Kudos for having the opening credits in brail. That was just way beyond the call of duty right there, The Pang Brothers.
JEEPERS CREEPERS (2001)
I don't care what you all say, this right here is the best American horror flick in a long time, possibly since as far back as A Nightmare On Elm Street Part 5 - The Dream Child, as far-fetched as that might seem. And yes, we all know Victor Salva ain't the kinda fella you're gonna feel comfortable with in a playground, and maybe his past discrepancies will result in a "I Aint Gonna Watch That Shit" type of deal, but you'd be doing yourself an injustice if that indeed was to be the type of deal what you happily engage in.
In case y'all don't know what Jeepers Creepers concerns itself with, it concerns itself with a brother and sister who are driving home from college, and take the ol' back roads and such, even though they saw Wes Craven's The Mountains With Eyes, and probably thought it was quite good too. What happens is Jeepers Creepers turns into Duel for a time, and a big ol' truck starts ramming the hell out of their little car. You'd assume this anti-social behaviour means that the truck is driven by some demon what comes out of hibernation once every 23 years to eat folks for a day or two.
That, however, is not the case.
What it turns out to be is that the truck is driven by this demon who comes out of hibernation once every 23 years for to eat folk for a day or two. Bet you didn't see that coming.
Jeepers Creepers is positively packed to the oesophagus with ridiculously scary imagery. A visit to an old woman's house results in front-porch terror (More cats. What's with these damn cats?), and a police station rumpus is incredibly tense. It's all unpleasantly eerie, a bit like if David Lynch made a film about the flying demons, and forgot about the midgets and the lesbians for half a second.
Plus, it doesn't even have a happy ending, unless you really like that demon with the eating-folks disorder, in which case it's probably as uplifting as when Jimmy Stewart changed his ways in time for Christmas.
Article comments
1 - Jim Carruthers
The scariest movie I've ever seen is "The Rapture" (great soundtrack too) since it is open to interpretation, neither good - either the world will end just like in Revelations or the heroine went nuts and murdered her daughter.
There is also "Werewolves on Wheels" -- bikers, Satanists and werewolves, but what I really remember are the bare-breasted biker chicks, but maybe first seeing it at 14 has a lot to do with that.
2 - sheri
Good list Duke. I never see any mention of The Legend of Hellhouse.It frightened me much the first time what I ever did saw it.Something like that. :0)
3 - Aaron, Duke De Mondo
Argh, i meant to mention Hell House, Sheri. It was due to go into the Honorable Mentions bit, on account of it was very scary for 3/4's of its running time, but suffered Ridiculous Conclusion Syndrome. As to Jim's comments, where has Werewolves On Wheels been all my life? It sounds like the best film what ever has been made by any motherfucker. I must investigate. Oh, and Sheri, Kudos on the grammar ;)
4 - HW Saxton Jr.
Duke,You mentioned the Wes Craven movie:
"The Mountains With Eyes". This flick is
actually called "The Hills Have Eyes".
"Werewolves On Wheels" = Just Horrible.
You don't get a peek at the "Werewolf" in question until the very end of the flick. Very 1950's.The dialogue is worse
than an Ed Wood movie but it isn't half
as entertaining.
One of the scariest movies I have ever seen is "Martin" by George Romero. This
is a modern day vampire (at least the psycho kid namesake of the movie thinks he is anyway)flick.Real low key and real
CREEEEEEEEEEEEEPY.The second creepiest
movie would have to be this one here:
"Perfect" w/John Travolta and Jamie Lee Curtis.Travolta spends most all of his
on screen time running around in a spandex unitard.Guaranteed puke fest.
5 - Aaron, Duke De Mondo
Stupid, stupid Duke. Apologies to Wes Craven, and i only hope he will be consoled by my love of The House At The End Of The Street, Just To The Left. Martin is one of those especially quirky early-Romero numbers, and its a shame it doesnt get more acclaim. Good for you, HW, for redressing the balance. I also like Romero's The Crazies from the same period. Good stuff all round. His films of this period kind of remind me of early Cronenberg, especially Rabid and Shivers.
6 - Jim Carruthers
One really scary movie has recently been issued on DVD. "Seconds" stars Rock Hudson, and Wil Geer as the anti-grampa.
A businessman having a late-life crisis goes to a firm which gives him a whole new identity as Rock Hudson, but there is a terrible secret, and it doesn't involve Doris Day (or Gomer Pyle).
And all I really remember from "Werewolves On Wheels" was the naked biker hippy chicks, really if you're 14 and you have to choose between boobies and werewolves, the werewolves would be dead last. G'wan do a poll of adolescent boys, if you need to, which do they prefer, boobies or werewolves?
7 - Aaron, Duke De Mondo
Cant we reach a compromise? What about Lyncanthropic nipples? No?
8 - Chris Kent
As usual, excellent Duke. Cannot argue with selections except Jeepers Creepers. Just wasn't my cup of tea, though was glad the whining kid eventually got his just do......
Sheri, love Legend of Hell House! The Richard Matheson novel it is based on is equally good.
Bought the ghost flick Woman in Black a few months ago and am still scared to watch it a second time. Someone please check it out!
Glad to see The Exorcist, The Haunting and Halloween mentioned. I will throw in a few others for digestion:
Blair Witch Project - really gave me the creeps.
The Changeling - that damn rubber ball!
Wicker Man - get off that damn island you fool!
9 - HW Saxton Jr.
Duke,You did mean the Wes Craven movie
"Last House On The Left", didn't you???
10 - Chris Kent
HW, he did.
Duke enjoys twisting a few names around now and then. He has his own skewed way of seeing things.....
11 - Jim Carruthers
It's like 668 Neighbour of the Beast.
And while I think about it, when will Mary-Kate and Ashley star in a really good horror movie?
(Geez, I really should start on that script, but it's a bad idea to write scripts based on actors).
12 - Jonathan
I can't believe you didn't put Gigli on this list.
13 - Jim Carruthers
Haven't seen it, but I think "Gigli" is classified as an abomination rather than horror.
14 - Aaron, Duke De Mondo
Thanks all! Chris, nice to hear from your good self. Blair Witch is one of the best horrors of recent times, as far as The Duke is concerned, and i was debating wether or not to include it. Thing is, whilst i love it to freshly carved pieces, i just didnt think it was that scary. I think it somehow had the completely opossite effect on me, the whole realism. It was so realistic that i was constantly thinking, "wow, this is really realistic", thus completely distancing myself from the events. or something. Incidently, the doc that was made in conjunction with the flick, Curse Of The Blair Witch i believe, was brilliant. I haven't saw The Changeling, but have been meaning to do so for some time. That wheelchair on the cover just looks evil. The Wicker Man is great, but i can't remember being scared. It is unutterably brilliant tho, and Chris Lee says its the best film he's ever been in, even though he was in a Jesus Franco film.
Gigli. Thats a tough one. I think under the laws stated in the EU Guide On Horror Malarky, anything with Ben Affleck is immediately disqualified, which is why Phantoms isn't on the list, or, indeed, The Return Of Silent Jay And His Buddy Bob, which had truly terrifying bouts of self indulgence.
15 - Jim Carruthers
Oh, you disrespect "Jay And Silent Bob Strike Back"? That is, just, I barely have the words, so like watching Fox.
They have a word for you on "Deadwood". And it is similar to rooster and negative ventilation.
16 - Aaron, Duke De Mondo
(shocked gasp) Are you calling me a goose inhaler? Well i have never been so motherfucking insulted.
I actually like The Adventures Of Silent Jay And His Pal Bob Part 5, but one must admit it does ascend to some new, hitherto unhinted at, plateau of self-indulgance. Which is part of its charm, i suposse.
Good for you, Silent Jay
17 - Jim Carruthers
Look, you don't want me hooking up Rufus, the 13th apostle and his booty call the Scottish Sistah McDiva to get all identity on your ass. So lay off Jay and Silent Bob.
After all, they did a cameo in "Scream 3".
And the "tiger face" scene was really funny.
18 - Aaron, Duke De Mondo
heh. I'd forgotten about their appearance in The Scream Part 3. As for Rufus, he lost all cred when he became president. Incidently, have you read Kevin Smith's comics? (IE Graphic Novels for us grown up types, since they have fuckwords and all) The Clerks one in particular is highly reccomended by The Duke.
19 - Jim Carruthers
The best part about "Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back" was that it was bridged by four comic books which explained what Jay and Silent Bob were doing between "Chasing Amy" and "Dogma" -- making porn with Doogie Howser and faster than Walt Flannigan's dog.
Hot monkey love and a happy finish.
20 - ivortengine
i dont know dudes, Amityville Horror 2 is very scary, be careful......
21 - Aaron, Duke De Mondo
ivor, i'd forgotten all about this list. thank you for bringing it back to the duke's attention. it really is quite entertaining. good work, the duke.
Amytiville 2 is actually one of my favourite flicks. That right there is a seriously underrated number.
22 - Eric Olsen
Duker, if you haven't done so, check out Dawn's scary movie list and the verdant verbiage that follows it
Last Halloween we had any number of scary movie reviews and lists - you can find them through the master post here
I'm sure we'll do more this year - time to start gearing up!
23 - Toto
Nice list.
Check out my list, too.
24 - Duke De Mondo
thank you Toto, and a fine list on your own site, there. i meant to do an update type carry-on for this in time for The Upcoming Halloween And So On, but wouldn't you know it, i didn't get a chance. still, amazingly, i stick by this list, except i'd probably have flung The Descent in there and kicked The Eye to the Honourable Mentions. And also, i'd have had an honourable mention for the bit in 3 Men And A Baby when the "ghost" appears, on account of it scared me shitless as a youngster.