Number 2

Checking in at number 2 is the often imitated but never duplicated "Psycho." Psycho changed the entire landscape of what a horror film was. It created the slasher genre of horror films and brought some truly wonderful ideological and Freudian components into horror films. I am very reluctant to put this as number 2 instead of number 1, however I am very partial to the number 1 film coming up next!

Den of Geek

This is the link to the articles that I am currently writing for the website Denofgeek.com.
http://www.denofgeek.com/tags/matthew-giordano
Also very proud of my former students and the movie "Catch of the Day" that they made and I am wishing them the best of success as they premiere their film at the Hot Springs Horror Festival tomorrow. Here is a link to their Facebook page check them out. They are truly very talented and I am very proud of them.
https://www.facebook.com/FuzzOnTheLensProductions?directed_target_id=0

Number 3

The number three greatest horror movie in my opinion is "Scream." Brilliant satire and brilliant horror film. It is easy to take this film for granted considering how many knockoffs it inspired (I Know What You Did Last Summer, Urban Legend). However, this horror film helped to bring horror back as a legitimate genre and arguably helped to usher in this current renaissance of horror related programing. Wes Craven is a master!

Mickey Mouse

http://www.fool.com/investing/general/2013/09/17/why-disney-buys-all-the-premium-character-collecti.aspx

Number 4

"Halloween"

Still the perfect movie to watch on halloween night. There have been many imitators but nothing seems to stand up to this truly great horror film.

Number 5

Checking in at number 5 may be my most shocking choice but it is "Interview With  A Vampire" which I hands consider to be the best vampire movie ever made and it is one of my favorite films of all time. Tom Cruise is many things but as an actor I am massive fan of is and in my opinion this is his best role ever. I only wish that one day Lestat could show up in Bon Temps and do a little crowd control but alas that dream will never happen. This film looks fantastic, has an interesting story that spans several time periods and arguably has Kirsten Dunst's best performance ever and that is not a knock on her she is just out of her mind good playing an extremely sinister vampire named Claudia. Check it out and whatever else you do DO NOT WATCH THE QUEEN OF THE DAMNED MOVIE!

Number 6

The original "Texas Chainsaw Massacre" remains one of the most disturbing horror films and arguably it's low budget gritty feel makes the film seem even more terrifying as if this was someones long lost home movie. Ironically the film is not as bloody as most people tend to think as the camera cuts away from the scene of actual gore more often then not. However, the frenetic pacing of the film makes the lack of blood almost mute because your mind fills in the rest. Great horror films are often able to use a combination of showing you something terrifying while also allowing your mind to run wild with the images that you are being presented with. I still remember where I was when I watched this movie for the first time and it was in a hot summer day just like the film so perhaps that is why it still is burned deep into mind. Check it out.

Number 7

Checking as my seventh favorite horror film is "Saw." An ingenious film that added intrigue and a bit of intellectual deep to the slasher/gore genre of horror films. Also made by the new king of horror Mr. James Wan (Insidious, Dead Silence, The Conjuring). This film is one of a kind an snot to be missed.

Number 8

The eight best horror movie or perhaps more aptly my eight favorite horror film is the American remake of "Ringu" which is of course "The Ring." Brilliant concept, excellent execution and a remake that actually does the original some sort of justice. Great twist at the end.

Number 9

Clocking in at number 9 is a film you will be watching this year called Hellraiser. One of the key themes of this disturbing film deals with the idea of beauty and pain being inextricably linked together. This is a Freudian idea known as the sublime.  I will keep this short but the visual imagery in this film remains breathtaking.

Welcome Special Cinema Studies Horror Class

Welcome to the classroom blog website in which we will be having various readings and postings throughout the semester. Please feel free to familiarize yourself with this site and please post a comment to any article that you find to be interesting. To start us off on the right foot I am counting down the top ten horror films that I believe to be the best. Clocking in at number ten for me is the original A Nightmare On Elm Street.