Posted on: Saturday, October 27, 2007
Pop in a DVD for instant spooks
By Bob Bloom
Gannett News Service
Planning a spooky Halloween film fest? Here are DVD titles that can turn your home into a house of horrors.
"Halloween" (1978, Starz Home Entertainment) — Sequels and remakes pale in comparison with this horror original, directed by John Carpenter, whose singular score helps propel this fright fest. Michael Myers slays his family, then terrorizes townfolk.
"The Haunting" (1963, Warner Home Video) — Director Robert Wise creates an atmosphere of dread in this haunted house tale that features superb performances from Julie Harris and Claire Bloom.
"Alien" (1979, Fox Home Entertainment) — A splendid blend of horror and science fiction as a group of intergalactic miners responds to a cry for help and encounters horrors far from home. The sequence with the creature bursting through John Hurt's chest remains one of the visceral moments in all of film.
"Poltergeist" (1982, Warner Home Video) — They're here! Evil spirits can even invade tranquil suburbia. Just stay out of the light when viewing.
"The Texas Chainsaw Massacre" (1974, MPI) — The granddaddy of all slasher films is not as gross as most of its descendants. It's not as bloody as you imagine, which is a credit to director Tobe Hooper, who based this film on a true story.
"Horror of Dracula" (1958, Warner Home Video) — Christopher Lee's introduction as the count is a jarring Gothic moment as he swoops down the castle steps like a bird of prey.
"Psycho" (1960, Universal Studios Home Entertainment) — Alfred Hitchcock's dark comedy about the ultimate mama's boy still makes you think twice about taking a shower. And Bernard Herrmann's score still makes people jump and look over their shoulders.
"The Innocents" (1961, Fox Home Entertainment) — A journey into madness, based on Henry James' "The Turn of the Screw." Deborah Carr is a terrorized governess in 19th-century England.
