Classic Horror Movie Marathon
Horror History and Appreciation Class is in Session.
1. The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari (Wiene, 1920)
Wiene's 1920 silent work of German Expressionism has remained popular with film buffs and historians even 100 years later. The film tells of a somnambulist who commits atrocities in a small German town while being controlled by the menacing Dr. Caligari. This film has one of the first M. Night-esque twist endings, so be sure to watch it in its entirety. Coupled with its Expressionist set design and evocative use of shadows, Wiene's film demonstrates that the silent era produced artistically viable films of its own.
4. Black Sunday (Bava, 1960)
Black Sunday is an incredible foray into witchcraft and the supernatural by Italian director Mario Bava. If you're into Italian giallo films, this is the one that really pushed the movement forwards. If you're not aware of the Italian giallo film, well, here's your introduction. Bava's film centers on a vampire witch princess who is burned at the stake, only to return and wreak havoc on all those who wronged her. I won't give anything away, but let's just say that Bava takes revenge films to a whole new level.
2. Nosferatu (Murnau, 1922)
Another silent film, Nosferatu demonstrates, once again, that simple visual effects can be just as effectively frightening as complex plots and dialogue. Who could forget the iconic shot of Nosferatu himself creeping up the stairs in shadow, waiting to pounce on his next victim? Based on the tale of Dracula, Nosferatu shows the dark side of vampire lore that seems to have been forgotten in recent years due to the popularity of a particular YA franchise. Another example of German Expressionism, Nosferatu is a must-see for all horror film lovers.
5. The Haunting (Wise, 1963)
The Haunting is one of those classic horror movies that proves you don't need big budget special effects or buckets of red corn syrup to send chills down your viewer's spine. Deftly manipulating the film's soundtrack to create scares, Wise demonstrates his complete directorial expertise. The film centers around two women who are asked by an anthropologist to spend two nights in a house reputed to be haunted. Needless to say, the women become spooked out of their minds, and take their viewers right along with them.
3. Frankenstein (Whale, 1931)
Whale's take on Mary Shelley's classic novel is incredibly important, as it gave us the model of Frankenstein's monster on which all of our costumes, drawings, etc. are based. In Shelley's novel, the creature, as he's called, is fiercely intelligent and startlingly verbose. In the film, Whale transforms the creature into a well-meaning but infantalized monster. This said, Whale does direct our empathy towards the monster, rather than Dr. Frankenstein. Even the iconic pond scene with the little girl only serves to make us feel worse for this lumbering giant. Perfect for a movie marathon, Frankenstein demonstrates why Shelley's creature has remained such a prominent part of our cultural heritage.
6. Psycho (Hitchcock, 1960)
I just had to end with Psycho. While most people have probably seen it, a classic horror marathon wouldn't be complete without Hitchcock's film noir-meets-slasher-film. In fact, Hitchcock's film does herald a new movement in the horror genre, which is why I placed it at the end of the marathon list. After Psycho, horror filmmakers began to be a little more liberal when it came to on-screen violence, eventually ushering in the rise of thse slasher film. If you haven't seen the film, which indicates that you've been living underground for the past five decades, prepare to be blown away by Hitchcock's incredible craftsmanship and narrative construction.