Arnav Srivastav
5. The Shining (1980)
Stanely Kubrick’s obsession for perfection and meticulous sorting of details is mirrored in Jack Terrance, the protagonist, or the antagonist of his brilliant horror adaptation of Stephen King’s novel of the same name. The Terrance family move into the Overlook, a secluded tourist hotel, in the off-season as Jack lands the job as the caretaker. The loneliness soon gets to him and he is seemingly possessed by the evil lurking in the hotel. His brief encounters with the woman from 207 and other dead guests of the hotel delude him into a hysteria that proves potentially fatal for his family. In the end, his wife and child safely exit the scene, but the ending scene of the film calls for confusion. Kubrick’s work of art comes alive with riveting storytelling and serves as a worthy animation of Stephen King’s best-selling novella.
4. Conjuring 2 (2016)
Much like its celebrated predecessor, ‘Conjuring 2′ continued exploring the Warrens’ investigative past. And this time, Wan brought alive on screen a fictionalized account of the true-life story of poltergeist activity at Enfield. The event was heavily and popularly documented in the media and became a point of attraction for the general public. Valak’s journey carried on from the first film to the second, and God was she terrifying. That’s probably the reason she now has her own movie coming out next year.
3. Rosemary’s Baby (1968)
Roman Polanski’s psychological horror film relies on drawing the viewer with is silences and dramatic close-ups. The new place where a pregnant Rosemary moves with her husband starts giving her weird hallucinations. The hysteria catches up with her and she presupposes a conspiracy brewing around her to murder her and the child. The underlying themes make “Rosemary’s Baby’ a direct sequel to many of Polanski’s previous works. Weird happenings on set, which includes Mia Farrow’s miscarriage (Polanski’s wife), made the film’s appeal aggrandize and afforded it more intrigue and love from the audiences.
2. The Conjuring (2013)
James Wan has evolved into the leading figure in the vanguard that has revolutionized and modernized the horror genre. His big and successful litany of films is enough to affirm his hold over his subject and his passion in telling these list stories. ‘The Conjuring’ is based on real-life experiences of Ed and Lorraine Warren, leading paranormal investigators. The film relates to the Amityville Horror and the trouble with the Perron family in Rhode Island. With a genuinely scary spirit and Wan’s peculiar storytelling penchant, ‘The COnjuring’ emerges a terrifying tale of evil presences lurking in the dark and at the same time of a united family whose undying love for each other can brave anything in the world.
1. The Exorcist (1973)
There isn’t really debating the status of ‘The Exorcist’ as the scariest movie of all time. Released in the year 1973, the movie arrested the audiences and the filmmaking world in a horrifying slumber and sent people crawling out of the theatres. Numerous reports of deaths and actual possession feel far-fetched, but none can deny its effect on people. ‘The Exorcist’ employs the character of Regan McNeil, the 12-year old daughter of actress Chris. Merrin, a priest, oversees the discovery of an amulet believed to be belonging to Pazuzu, a vicious ancient demon. Dealing with the sickness of his own mother, Father Merrin is called upon by the McNeil’s to rescue their daughter and McNeil knows he has his task cut out. Iconic scenes like the spider walk and the head-turning are some of the scariest moments ever recorded on screen.
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