1. THE EXORCIST 1971; directed by William Friedkin

The scariest movie of all time. 'Nuff said. 

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Pittsburgh resident Romeo and company filmed a non-budget, black and white flick that should have been nothing more than Z-grave drive in fodder. 30-plus years later, this tale of flesh eating zombies roaming the countryside stands as one of the most frightening and inspirational pieces of American cinema ever made.

Eleven years later, Romeo and his zombies return, and again made the impact the original did. Only this time, the director had Tom Savini and his over-the-top gore FX to startle audiences and critics alike. Throw in a vicious satire of consumerism in modern America, and you have a sequel that may in fact outdo the original.

Speaking of sequels, here’s one of the greatest ever made. Cameron’s follow up to Ridley Scott’s 1979 space shocker Alien is the ultimate roller coaster ride, with an incredible amount or suspense and action. As the rapidly decreasing cast of characters battle horrible extra-terrestrials on a far off planet, Sigourney Weaver’s Ellen Ripley is established as the prototype for future movie heroines.

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Who would have thought John Landis, director of National Lampoons Animal House and The Blues Brothers, would be able to turn out one of the greatest genre movies ever made. Although much of Werewolf's success is due to it's humor, but the balance of comedy and all-out horror is handled superbly. David Naughton is the young American tourist in England who receives a rather nasty love bite, and ends up running through London eating locals. Rick Baker's astounding, Oscar-winning transformations set new standards for on-screen makeup FX.

What happens when you team Steven Spielberg and then-hot horror director Tobe Hooper? Well, this is spectacular 1982 motion picture which, unlike many genre films, gives us totally endearing, sympathetic and believable characters we care about. The home of Craig T. Nelson, JoBeth Williams and their children is invaded by other- dimension forces, in the form of staggering Industrial Light & Magic FX. The script, by Spielberg, Mark Victor and Michael Grais, is chilling in places, funny in others, and always humane.

Perhaps not a favorite with everyone, but to me this more recent release is one of the greats, with an examination of pure evil that most mainstream movies can't get into. The acting is better than 99% of horror movies: Keanu Reeves as sharp-yet-manipulated lawyer Kevin Lomax, the heavenly Charlize Theron as his unstable wife, and the fire-and-brimstone Al Pacino in a brilliant display of over-the-top yet utterly convincing demonic evil. Adapted from Andrew Neiderman's novel, the film takes the potentially ridiculous premise...Satan as a lawyer...and makes the whole thing pay off in spades.

Pollys gone crackers! One of the greatest films Hitch ever made (and thats a big list!) is this startling, suspenseful thriller based on the short story of the same name by Evan Hunter. Tippi Hedren, Rod Taylor, Jessica Tandy and a young Veronica Cartwright (who years later appeared in such as big gun films as Alien and The Right Stuff) are among the victims of a bizarre wave of bird attacks on a small coastal town. The reasons are never given, though suggestions are made, and the film brings a kind of chilling unpredictability that works even in repeat screenings.

Actually, this may be my favorite movie of all time, and although I really consider this an adventure thriller instead of a horror flick, it scared a hell of a lot of people. Spielberg was only 27 when he made this instant classic, and he managed to frighten a generation out of the water. The trio of lead actors, everyman Roy Scheider, wacky Richard Dreyfuss, utterly insane Captain Ahab wannabe Robert Shaw, are so good they actually become more potent characters than big "Bruce" the great white shark himself. Based on Peter Benchley's novel (which I didn't think much of), Jaws is both incredibly tense and wonderfully engaging and fun. Spielberg's realistic direction is excellent, and John William's score legendary.

“I see dead people”. With those four words, this PG-13 film established itself as one of the popular genre entries in history. And it’s amazing subtlety is to credit of the director/writer, who delivers spine-tingling chills while touching us with the wonderful, heartbreaking performances of haunted Haley Joel Osment and Toni Collett as his rightfully concerned father.

Could a loving husband be the agent of Satan? Is her unborn child to be used in ritual by the coven of witches living in her building? That’s what young Mia Farrow ponders in this classic chiller that has no special effects, action or gore whatever. What it does have, however, is one of the greatest living directors at the helm, and an intriguing, funny and unsettling script, based on Ira Levin’s novel. This is the case of less absolutely being more.

Norman Bates claims, "We all go a little mad sometimes" and by the time its over, we truly believe him. Despite a magnificent career which includes such classics as Rear Window, North By Northwest and Vertigo, Hitch will always be best known for this low budget, black-and-white shocker. And with good reason. His direction was razor-sharp, and he provided some of the cinema's finest set pieces; the shower sequence...the murder of the detective at the top of the staircase, etc. Psycho (based on Robert Bloch's novel) may have been the inspiration for many Z-grade slasher films over the years, but theres only one Psycho (ignore the sequels...and Gus Van Sant's recent remake).

Carpenter already proved himself to be a heavyweight of horror with his popular Halloween, but it’s here that hits his peak. A scientific team in the Antarctic find themselves at odds with shape changing monster…and their own fears and insecurities. A masterpiece of paranoia, The Thing has gone from box office dud to groundbreaking favorite, which also happens to contain the most outrageous, disturbing and creative creatures ever put to film.

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