SHOCKtober: 10-1

*drumrolldrumrolldrumroll* It's time! It's finally time! So pull up your pants (or pull them down, if you prefer) and brace yourself for your SHOCKtober 2024 Top 10 favorite horror films! Yes, ackshully tecknikly there are four movies tied for third so their order is just made up, but that's how we do it here in Stately Final Girl Manor. The number of votes each film received is in bold.

10. THE BLAIR WITCH PROJECT (1999, Daniel Myrick and Eduardo Sánchez) -- 40

9. BLACK CHRISTMAS (1974, Bob Clark) -- 40

8. THE DESCENT (2005, Neil Marshall) -- 42

7. THE WITCH (2015, Robert Eggers) -- 45

6. SUSPIRIA (2018, Luca Guadagnino) -- 49

5. SCREAM (1996, Wes Craven) -- 49

4. HALLOWEEN (1978, John Carpenter) -- 49

3. ALIEN (1979, Ridley Scott) -- 49

2. THE TEXAS CHAIN SAW MASSACRE (1974, Tobe Hooper) -- 52

1. THE THING (1982, John Carpenter) -- 62

SHE DID IT! SHE FINALLY DID IT! After spending three SHOCKtobers in the #2 spot, The Thing has scuttled far and away with the title this time around. Please, a round of awed, reverent applause for Miss SHOCKtobra 2024!

I'm so happy for her, she is truly the Susan Lucci of horror movies. The Texas Chain Saw Massacre made a huge leap, perhaps fueled by its 50th anniversary this year? Suspiria (2018) coming in at ackshully tecknikly 3rd is not as far a fall as I was anticipating...I guess you guys really like it?? Hmm, we shall see how all of these hold up in the future. Very exciting! I love SHOCKtober! I can't believe it's already SHOCKtover. I'll be back soon with a li'l wrap-up thingy and a link to the downloadable mega-list whenever I figure out how to do that. For now though, I'm gonna untie myself from this fucking couch!

SHOCKtober: 20-11

Le Top 20 begins! The bold number is the number of votes each film received. How are movies that received the same number of votes ranked and not tied? That's none of my business! Let the historians figure it out when this blog is unearthed 50 years from now.

20. The Cabin in the Woods (2011, Drew Goddard) -- 23

19. It Follows (2014, David Robert Mitchell) -- 24

18. The Silence of the Lambs (1991, Jonathan Demme) -- 26

17. The Haunting (1963, Robert Wise) -- 26

16. The Exorcist (1973, William Friedkin) -- 30

15. The Wicker Man (1973, Robin Hardy) -- 31

14. Rosemary's Baby (1968, Roman Polanski) -- 31

13. Hereditary (2018, Ari Aster) -- 32

12. Suspiria (1977, Dario Argento) -- 35

11. The Shining (1980, Stanley Kubrick) -- 39

Interesting, interesting! A few moved up and hit the Top 20 for the first time while others are...exactly where they placed in 2020 (it always freaks me out when that happens). Even though many of them received roughly the same number of votes, placements vary quite a bit as there were way more voters overall in 2020 (haranguing people on a weekly podcast nets results!). In the interests of science, here is where each of these films ranked in that SHOCKtober of yore:

• The Cabin in the Woods -- #39, 24 votes
• It Follows -- #24, 32 votes
• The Silence of the Lambs -- #23, 32 votes
• The Haunting -- #20, 39 votes
• The Exorcist -- #17, 42 votes
• The Wicker Man -- #22, 32 votes
• Rosemary's Baby -- #12, 50 votes
• Hereditary -- #13, 50 votes
• Suspiria (1977) -- #14, 46 votes
• The Shining -- #5, 64 votes

Candyman, Carrie, Midsommar, and A Nightmare on Elm Street were in the 20-11 range in 2020 but dropped out of the Top 20 this time.

Well, we shall meet back here tomorrow to find out who will be named Miss SHOCKtobra 2024! I can't wait. Until then, I leave you with this, from a reader on Suspiria '77: "I once took LSD and watched Suspiria. 10/10, would do again if I wasn’t middle aged and afraid I might die."

SHOCKtober: 44-21

We've got more than 700 horror movies in our rear window (including #624, Rear Window), but today's the day we stop being polite and start getting real--by which I mean the I'll be adding the number of votes each film received in bold.

44. Sleepaway Camp -- 1983, Robert Hiltzik -- 13

43. Possession -- 1981, Andrzej Zulawski -- 13

42. Noroi: The Curse -- 2005, Kôji Shiraishi -- 13

41. Invasion of the Body Snatchers -- 1978, Philip Kaufman -- 13

40. Dawn of the Dead -- 1978, George A. Romero -- 13

39. Us -- 2019, Jordan Peele -- 14 

38. Twin Peaks: Fire Walk with Me -- 1992, David Lynch -- 14

37. Poltergeist -- 1982, Tobe Hooper -- 14

36. Let the Right One In -- 2008, Tomas Alfredson -- 14

35. The Return of the Living Dead -- 1985, Dan O'Bannon -- 15

34. Hellraiser -- 1987, Clive Barker -- 15

33. Get Out -- 2017, Jordan Peele -- 16

32. Friday the 13th -- 1980, Sean S. Cunningham -- 16

31. Evil Dead II -- 1987, Sam Raimi -- 17

30. Carnival of Souls -- 1962, Herk Harvey -- 18

29. An American Werewolf in London -- 1981, John Landis -- 18

28. A Nightmare on Elm Street -- 1984, Wes Craven -- 20

27. Psycho -- 1960, Alfred Hitchcock -- 21

26. The Fog -- 1980, John Carpenter -- 22

25. Midsommar -- 2019, Ari Aster -- 22

24. Jaws -- 1975, Steven Spielberg -- 22

23. Candyman -- 1992, Bernard Rose -- 22

22. Night of the Living Dead -- 1968, George A. Romero -- 23

21. Carrie -- 1976, Brian De Palma -- 23

• Noroi, another movie that is pretty easily accessible at long last. I love the way it's structured--it really takes its time laying out all sorts of disparate threads and plotlines, only for them all to come together satisfyingly (and terrifyingly). One of the greatest found footage films.
• A reader on Jaws: "I love Ellen Brody screaming at her kids to listen to their father and get out of the boat only after seeing a picture of a shark obliterating a similar boat."
• Herk Harvey had such an interesting career, directing a shitton of educational/PSA shorts and then oh, fucking all-time classic Carnival of Souls (wherein he also starred as the head ghoul guy).
• A reader on Twin Peaks: Fire Walk with Me, WHICH PLEASE NOTE I HAVE NOT SEEN YET AND I KNOW NOTHING ABOUT AND I AM DYING TO SEE BUT WE WILL NOT COVER IT UNTIL, LIKE, FEBRUARY ON THE PODCAST AND THE WAIT IS EXCRUCIATING I CAN'T WAIT: "I feel more awe than affection for this one. I watched and liked the series (I was 19 when it first ran) but disliked Wild at Heart because it seemed loud and empty - like Lynch was trying too hard to solidify his brand as Mr. Weird.  This film’s opening section with the FBI agents seemed like more of the same, but once the setting changed to Twin Peaks it turned into the most disturbing experience I’ve ever had watching a film. Only a few other individual scenes from other movies have matched it – Club Silencio in Mulholland Dr., for example, or the moment in Martyrs when we discover who has been pursuing Lucie through the early part of the film. 32 years later, I still haven't given this a second viewing."
• I figured that all the votes for Psycho were about the eeeelite song from K-pop's own Red Velvet, but I guess the votes were actually for some movie...? Huh.

• Tomorrow, le Top 20 begins! Try to get some sleep tonight, it'll be a big day!

SHOCKtober: 68-45

You know what, I'm just gonna shut up and get outta the way because man, we got nothin' but bangers today. It's kind of been that way every day, but today, wow. Okay, shutting up now. Let's get to it with movies that are perfect ten vote getters. 

68. Raw -- 2016, Julia Ducournau

67. Pulse (aka Kairo) -- 2001, Kiyoshi Kurosawa

66. Mullholland Dr. -- 2001, David Lynch

65. Don't Look Now -- 1973, Nicolas Roeg

Time to crank it up to films that received eleven votes each:

64. The House of the Devil -- 2009, Ti West

63. The Evil Dead -- 1981, Sam Raimi

62. REC -- 2007, Jaume Balagueró and Paco Plaza

61. Messiah of Evil -- 1974, Willard Huyck and Gloria Katz

60. Hello Mary Lou: Prom Night II -- 1987, Bruce Pittman

59. Ghostwatch -- 1992, Lesley Manning

58. Fright Night -- 1985, Tom Holland

57. The Exorcist III -- 1990, William Peter Blatty

56. Deep Red (aka Profondo rosso) -- 1975, Dario Argento

55. Daughters of Darkness -- 1971, Harry Kümel

54. Cat People -- 1942, Jacques Tourneur

53. Bride of Frankenstein -- 1935, James Whale

52. Barbarian -- 2022, Zach Cregger

51. A Nightmare on Elm Street 3: Dream Warriors -- 1987, Chuck Russell 

50. 28 Days Later -- 2002, Danny Boyle

Ooh, now it's time for twelve not-angry...vote-receiving...movies...............

  

49. Train to Busan -- 2016, Yeon Sang-ho 

48. House (aka Hausu) -- 1977, Nobuhiko Ôbayashi

47. Halloween III: Season of the Witch -- 1982, Tommy Lee Wallace

13 votes each! Spooky!

  

46. Trick 'r Treat -- 2007, Michael Dougherty

45. The Fly -- 1986, David Cronenberg

• Pulse is terrifying, depressing, prescient...its 20th Anniversary passed during the pandemic and I wrote a feature for Rue Morgue celebrating it and tying it to that particular time. One of my favorite things I've written, I won't lie!
• Awww yeah Messiah of motherfucking Evil!! I will continue to spread my Messiah of Evil agenda forever.
• A reader on The Evil Dead: "Bunch of us cousins would rent this every Christmas when I was a pre-teen/teen. Every time I watch I think of Christmas with the family."
• I love those kinds of ties we get with specific horror movies. When I think of The Evil Dead, I think of the friend I watched it with who made me take the tape out of the VCR when it was over--she didn't want to touch it because she was sure it was cursed.
• Barbarian was a late late night random "eh, why not throw this on" flick and hot dang what a flick it was! Loved it.
• A reader on The Exorcist III: "Kinderman talking about the carp in his bathtub plays on a perpetual loop deep in the recesses of my brain." 
• It's great that Ghostwatch is so readily available now (I only saw it Back in the (Relative) Day because of the wonders that having a region-free DVD player can bring) and it still holds up so well, even if you know...you know. But wow, what it must have been to see it Back in the (Actual) Day and not know. You know?

SHOCKtober: 92-69

We are closing in on the end of SHOCKtober, folks. Kind of hard to believe, isn't it? But it's true, and I'll tell you how I know. You might be thinking "Uh, you looked at the calendar?" and yes, that's one way how I can tell. But there's another way, and that's that late last night I came around a dark corner of my building and was startled by my neighbor standing there, dressed like a candy corn. You might be thinking "Don't assume to know all of your neighbor's proclivities!" and while that's certainly good advice, I can say with confidence that he was dressed as a candy corn because of the fast-approaching holiday, not exclusively because of some kink. (I can't say for sure whether or not that played a part in it, of course--I don't know him that well.) So yes, not to boast but I know SHOCKtober is almost over because of the date on the calendar and also because my obviously superior powers of deduction.

But we've still got movies to go before we sleep, including these, for which eight votes was enough!

92. The Brood -- 1979, David Cronenberg

91. The Birds -- 1963, Alfred Hitchcock

90. Shaun of the Dead -- 2004, Edgar Wright

89. Salem's Lot -- 1979, Tobe Hooper

88. Nosferatu: A Symphony of Horror -- 1922, F.W. Murnau

87. Misery -- 1990, Rob Reiner

86. Longlegs -- 2024, Osgood Perkins

85. Lake Mungo -- 2008, Joel Anderson

84. Jennifer's Body -- 2009, Karyn Kusama

83. Hell House LLC -- 2015, Stephen Cognetti

82. Creepshow -- 1982, George A. Romero

Aw yiss it's so fine to countdown films with votes numbering nine.

(Sorry.)

81. The Ring -- 2002, Gore Verbinski

80. The Innocents -- 1961, Jack Clayton

79. The Blob -- 1988, Chuck Russell

78. Re-Animator -- 1985, Stuart Gordon

77. Phantasm -- 1979, Don Coscarelli

76. Nope -- 2022, Jordan Peele

75. Let's Scare Jessica to Death -- 1971, John D. Hancock 

74. Incantation -- 2022, Kevin Ko

73. Ginger Snaps -- 2000, John Fawcett

72. Audition -- 1999, Takashi Miike

Ten votes each! Ten votes each!

71. The Omen -- 1976, Richard Donner

70. The Invitation -- 2015, Karyn Kusama

69. The Changeling -- 1980, Peter Medak

• FUCK YEAH INCANTATION! Man oh man, Incantation got me good. I love found footage movies that play with your expectations of the genre and can still surprise you--even better when they're absolutely terrifying to boot. It's a favorite of mine for sure for sure.
• A reader on Misery: "Kathy Bates as depressive 'blues' Annie is just as mesmerizing as manic 'cliffhanger' Annie. Paul Sheldon is just smug and condescending enough."
• It's amazing how much Jennifer's Body has been reconsidered and appreciated in recent years. It didn't place at all the first two times I did this list thang (2010 and 2017), but it had a really solid (under #100) showing in 2020 and 2024. She's come a long way, baby!
• Speaking of Karyn Kusama, here's a reader on The Invitation (which has also been steadily climbing the SHOCKtober charts): "An inescapable dinner party where everyone tries to sell me on their culty MLM is already my #1 horror scenario. And THEN you add in the murder."
• Seeing OG Nosferatu and OG Mr. Barlow listed side by side has my brain doubling down on that vampire royal rumble idea I had earlier this month...
• A reader on Re-Animator, sharing a sentiment I think we all can agree with: "Barbara Crampton should be in every movie."
• Sometimes I think Creepshow might be my all-time #1 because nothing else really hits me in the ways it does. It is scary and funny and gross and comforting, making me feel like I'm all snug and cozy in a velour tracksuit like Leslie Nielsen. The cast is 1000% perfect top to bottom, and the fact that Adrienne Barbeau didn't win 50 Oscars for her performance is a crime. I love it so much! Should I ever have a firstborn I will name her Creepshow.

SHOCKtober: 116-93

Wow, now that we are undie one hundie things are really starting to heat up! It's like we're at that point in a slasher movie where two of your friends have gone off somewhere to Do It but they've been gone way too long and you feel like something is super wrong, but when you say "Haven't they been gone way too long?" your other friends say "I'm sure they're fine, they'll be back any minute now." But of course the audience knows that your absent friends are already dead, killed either whilst they were Doing It or right after. Know what I mean?

Anyway, here are some movies that earned six votes each.

116. Kill List -- 2011, Ben Wheatley

115. Friday the 13th: The Final Chapter -- 1984, Joseph Zito

114. Eyes Without a Face -- 1960, Georges Franju

113. Bride of Chucky -- 1998, Ronny Yu

112. Annihilation -- 2018, Alex Garland

111. A Tale of Two Sisters -- 2003, Kim Jee-woon

Now spend seven minutes in Heaven (or however long you'd like) with these films, each of which got seven votes.

  

110. Zombie (aka Zombie Flesh Eaters) -- 1979, Lucio Fulci

109. You're Next -- 2011, Adam Wingard

108. X -- 2022, Ti West

107. Watcher -- 2022, Chloe Okuno

106. Talk to Me -- 2022, Danny Philippou and Michael Philippou

105. Session 9 -- 2001, Brad Anderson

104. Ringu -- 1998, Hideo Nakata

103. Prince of Darkness -- 1987, John Carpenter

102. Pearl -- 2022, Ti West

101. Paranormal Activity -- 2007, Oren Peli 

100. Eraserhead -- 1977, David Lynch

  99. Demons -- 1985, Lamberto Bava

  98. The Autopsy of Jane Doe -- 2016, André Øvredal

  97. Aliens -- 1986, James Cameron

  96. A Girl Walks Home Alone at Night -- 2014, Ana Lily Amirpour

  95. Under the Skin -- 2013, Jonathan Glazer

  94. The Slumber Party Massacre -- 1982, Amy Holden Jones

  93. The Night of the Hunter -- 1955, Charles Laughton

• A reader on Eraserhead: "Thanks Lynch, now I’m scared to eat rotisserie chicken." 
• PS: now that I watch Twin Peaks (have you heard of it?) I look at Henry and instead of actually thinking about Eraserhead, I think "Aww, it's little baby Pete Martell."
• PPS: I love Twin Peaks and I'm so happy I'm doing that podcast, otherwise I might never have started watching it!
• PPPS: The podcast is The Detective and the Log Lady, in case you don't already know.
• Whoa, X and Pearl both nabbing seven votes! I should have given them a sudden death vote-off. Personally, while Mia Goth is so perfect in Pearl (duh), overall I prefer X.
• See, I love that I ask for readers' favorite horror movies because that way you get a list that has The Slumber Party Massacre and The Night of the Hunter ranked next to each other. I'd like to see one of those contentious "best horror movies" lists do that!
• A reader on Watcher: "My most recent favourite! I absolutely love the trope of 'Is she right or is she a crazy woman?' but only when she’s right. Maika Monroe is, to me, flawless in this performance."
• PS: Watcher director/co-writer Chloe Okuno became a cyberpal yearrrrrssssss ago thanks to this here blog, as she was a Final Girl reader. So getting to see her short films when she was in school back in The Day to seeing her making, like, legitimately terrific horror features that Final Girl readers are calling their favorites?? Her movies are listed alongside John Carpenter and David Lynch and Lucio Fulci and and and??? It makes my eyes misty and my heartplace warm, like Final Daughter is all grown up now, it's so cool.
• Paranormal Activity opening night late show remains one of the best, most fun movie theatre experiences I've had as a horror fan, from waiting anxiously in line to screaming and yelling at the screen. I don't think it holds up to many repeat viewings, but I don't care, it will always be a favorite of mine!

SHOCKtober: 144-117

There are so many great movies coming atcha today, even just thinking about it makes me want to puke my pants! While I'm busy with that, get a load-a all the reader faves that caused all the fuss (and muss), starting with these films that received five votes each.

144. The Babadook -- 2014, Jennifer Kent

143. Tenebrae -- 1982, Dario Argento

142. Scream 2 -- 1997, Wes Craven

141. Santa Sangre -- 1989, Alejandro Jodorowsky

140. Ready or Not -- 2019, Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillet

139. Pontypool -- 2008, Bruce McDonald

138. Night of the Demons -- 1988, Kevin Tenney

137. Knife + Heart -- 2018, Yann Gonzalez

136. Gremlins -- 1984, Joe Dante

135. Gojira (aka Godzilla) -- 1954, Ishirô Honda

134. Ganja & Hess -- 1973, Bill Gunn

133. Frankenstein -- 1931, James Whale

132. Final Destination -- 2000, James Wong

131. Creep -- 2014, Patrick Brice

130. Burnt Offerings -- 1976, Dan Curtis

129. Bram Stoker's Dracula -- 1992, Francis Ford Coppola

But soft! What in the heck? We're already onto the movies that got six votes each? Man, we're really truckin'.

128. Titane -- 2021, Julia Ducournau

127. The Others -- 2001, Alejandro Amenábar

126. The Lost Boys -- 1987, Joel Schumacher

125. The Black Cat -- 1934, Edgar G. Ulmer

124. Sleepy Hollow -- 1999, Tim Burton

123. Scream 4 -- 2011, Wes Craven

122. Saint Maud -- 2019, Rose Glass

121. Orphan: First Kill -- 2022, William Brent Bell

120. Near Dark -- 1987, Kathryn Bigelow

119. My Bloody Valentine -- 1981, George Mihalka

118. Martyrs -- 2008, Pascal Laugier

117. Mandy -- 2018, Panos Cosmatos

• A reader on The Black Cat: "I'm in love with Boris Karloff in this deliciously weird movie."
• Scream 2 and 4 making appearances today. Folks really love those Screamses!
• Burnt Offerings always feels like a made-for-TV movie to me, which I guess makes sense as it's one of only, like, three things Dan Curtis directed during his decades-long career that wasn't made-for-TV.
• I was so into Saint Maud from the start and then that final shot! Reader, I gasped. It was incredible.
• A reader on The Lost Boys: "This is one of the very first horror movies I remember watching as a child, and I've seen it so many times I know all the words. It's definitely one of the reasons ten year old me was obsessed with vampires."
• I'll say it right out loud: I am a fan of the works of William Brent Bell and I don't care who knows it! Orphan: First Kill is even better than I anticipated (and I anticipated that it would be perfect, so) and I just vibe with all of his off-kilter flicks.
• It occurs to me that I don't think I've actually seen Tenebrae, that my mind mixes it up with Inferno. Stupid lousy mind!

SHOCKtober: 172-145

Gooble gobble, we are really starting to get into classiques territory with these movies that received four votes each...

172. May -- 2002, Lucky McKee

171. Maniac -- 1980, William Lustig

170. Late Night with the Devil -- 2023, Cameron Cairnes and Colin Cairnes

169. Killer Klowns from Outer Space -- 1988, Stephen Chiodo

168. Inside -- 2007, Alexandre Bustillo and Julien Maury

167. House of Wax -- 2005, Jaume Collet-Serra

166. Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer -- 1986, John McNaughton

165. Halloween II -- 1981, Rick Rosenthal

164. Halloween H20: 20 Years Later -- 1998, Steve Miner

163. Freaks -- 1932, Tod Browning

162. Evil Dead -- 2013, Fede Alvarez

161. Event Horizon -- 1997, Paul W.S. Anderson

160. Deathdream (aka Dead of Night) -- 1974, Bob Clark

159. Dead & Buried -- 1981, Gary Sherman

158. Day of the Dead -- 1985, George A. Romero

157. Black Swan -- 2010, Darren Aronofsky

156. Black Sunday -- 1960, Mario Bava

155. Beetlejuice -- 1988, Tim Burton

154. As Above, So Below -- 2014, John Erick Dowdle

153. American Psycho -- 2000, Mary Harron

152. A Nightmare on Elm Street 2: Freddy's Revenge -- 1985, Jack Sholder

151. A Dark Song -- 2016, Liam Gavin

Oh ho ho! But what's this? Time to say (Q Lazzarus voice) goodbye foursomes...we're gonna add one more! That's right, give it up for the moresomes: movies that got five votes each.

  

150. Videodrome -- 1983, David Cronenberg

149. The Wailing -- 2016, Na Hong-jin

148. The Lords of Salem -- 2012, Rob Zombie

147. The Lighthouse -- 2019, Robert Eggers

146. The Howling -- 1981, Joe Dante

145. The Bad Seed -- 1956, Mervyn LeRoy

• Jamie Lee Curtis's wig from the 1981 film Halloween II: It's not the only reason why I love that movie, but it certainly is many of the reasons why I love that movie.
• Do we really need the "20 Years Later" subtext for Halloween H20? I never met anyone who didn't understand what the "H20" was all about, and even though we all say "H-Two-Oh" instead of "H-Twenty," no one was thinking "Halloween H-Two-Oh" meant that the movie was called Halloween Water. Although maybe that's me making my anecdotal experience universal. GASP I would never!
• Side note to H20: Steve Miner appears many times on this list, yet he is never really talked about as one of horror's iconic directors. It's like his movies direct themselves or something.
• A reader on House of Wax: The tank tops! Shirtless Chad Michael Murray! The fingertip snip! The My Chemical Romance closing credits!!! I will never apologize for my love of this movie. Peak 2000s viewing."
• Hello, I am the last horror fan remaining who has not seen Late Night with the Devil.
• But I have seen The Bad Seed and you know what? Justice for Rhoda. Can any of us really say we would not resort to murder if we felt robbed of a Penmanship Award? 

SHOCKtober: 200-173

Today we break through the #200 ceiling, starting with movies that received three votes each. Do you feel as powerful as I do??

200. Antichrist -- 2009, Lars von Trier

199. Anna and the Apocalypse -- 2017, John McPhail

198. American Mary -- 2012, Jen Soska and Sylvia Soska

197. Alligator -- 1980, Lewis Teague

196. Alice, Sweet Alice -- 1976, Alfred Sole

195. Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein -- 1948, Charles Barton and Walter Lantz

194. A Field in England -- 2013, Ben Wheatley

Oh, look at this, it's time to get down with some foursomes! SHOCKtober is turning into a regular horror-flavored key party. That's right, each of these films received four votes.

 

193. What Ever Happened to Baby Jane? -- 1962, Robert Aldrich

192. Tremors -- 1990, Ron Underwood

191. Theatre of Blood -- 1973, Douglas Hickox

190. The Village -- 2004, M. Night Shyamalan

189. The Tenant -- 1976, Roman Polanski

188. The Substance -- 2024, Coralie Fargeat

187. The Sentinel -- 1977, Michael Winner

186. The People Under the Stairs -- 1991, Wes Craven

185. The Orphanage -- 2007, J.A. Bayona

184. The Love Witch -- 2016, Anna Biller

183. The Hunger -- 1983, Tony Scott

182. The Haunting of Julia (aka Full Circle) -- 1977, Richard Loncraine 

181. The Craft -- 1996, Andrew Fleming

180. The Blackcoat's Daughter -- 2015, Osgood Perkins

179. The Beyond -- 1981, Lucio Fulci

178. Picnic at Hanging Rock -- 1975, Peter Weir

177. Perfect Blue -- 1997, Satoshi Kon

176. One Cut of the Dead -- 2017, Shin'ichirô Ueda

175. Night of the Demon (aka Curse of the Demon) -- 1957, Jacques Tourneur

174. Night of the Creeps -- 1986, Fred Dekker

173. Night of the Comet -- 1984, Thom Eberhardt

• A reader on Picnic at Hanging Rock: "This made me come to terms with the fact that nature will take us out and we won't see it coming."
• The Substance hit wide release like fifteen minutes after the voting period ended; I expect that the next time I do this it will be ranked higher on the list (if only because I will vote for it 10,000 times).
• A reader on Night of the Demon: "Peggy Cummins and Dana Andrews!!! After seeing Gun Crazy with Miss Cummins I will watch anything she’s in and this has the coolest demon and atmosphere of doom - it’s the total package."
• Me on Night of the Demon: It's so good and the first time I saw it and experienced "It's in the trees! It's coming!" in its actual context was chef's kiss.
• They sure don't make 'em like The Sentinel anymore! I can't help but love it forever.
• A reader on The Haunting of Julia: "For a person who eats fast and enjoys apples it surely scares me every time I see it."
• Me on The Haunting of Julia: Some swell commenters have informed me that it's currently on Tubi! Between that and the recent Blu-ray release, I'm so pumped that it's finally readily available. It's sad and spooky and gorgeous, if you've yet to avail yourself of it, do it! Give yourself a treat.

SHOCKtober: 228-201

With today's list-chunk we close in on the one hunnies. Feels like only yesterday that we still had, like, 650 movies to go. Time: it sure does something.

Now that those brilliant insights are out of the way, let's get to these films that received three votes each.

228. Kuroneko (aka Black Cat) -- 1968, Kaneto Shindô

227. Jacob's Ladder -- 1990, Adrian Lyne

226. Insidious -- 2010, James Wan

225. I Saw the TV Glow -- 2024, Jane Schoenbrun

224. Huesera: The Bone Woman -- 2022, Michelle Garza Cervera

223. House on Haunted Hill -- 1959, William Castle

222. House of Wax -- 1953, André De Toth

221. Hour of the Wolf -- 1968, Ingmar Bergman

220. Host -- 2020, Rob Savage

219. High Tension -- 2003, Alexandre Aja

218. Happy Death Day -- 2017, Christopher Landon

217. Goke, Body Snatcher from Hell -- 1968, Hajime Satô

216. Godzilla Minus One -- 2023, Takashi Yamazaki

215. Friday the 13th Part 2 -- 1981, Steve Miner

214. Dressed to Kill -- 1980, Brian De Palma

213. Drag Me to Hell -- 2009, Sam Raimi

212. Don't Be Afraid of the Dark -- 1973, John Newland

211. Dolls -- 1986, Stuart Gordon

210. Doctor Sleep -- 2019, Mike Flanagan

209. Diabolique -- 1955, Henri-Georges Clouzot

208. Dark Night of the Scarecrow -- 1981, Frank De Felitta

207. Cloverfield -- 2008, Matt Reeves

206. City of the Living Dead -- 1980, Lucio Fulci

205. Candyman -- 2021, Nia DaCosta

204. Blood Rage -- 1987, John Grissmer

203. Blood and Black Lace -- 1964, Mario Bava

202. Basket Case -- 1982, Frank Henenlotter

201. April Fool's Day -- 1986, Fred Walton

• The question that has been plaguing so many for years upon years: Exactly how many bottles of Riunite White Zinfandel on ice (so nice) deep was I when I gave Don't Be Afraid of the Dark a bad review back in the day? No one should listen to my opinions about anything!
• The other day I briefly noted some 2020 films that got lost in the pandemic abyss--well Rob Savage's Host was one a film avoided that fate, perhaps because it was one of the first (if not the first) to feel truly of the Covid moment. Sure, it pinches from some found footage faves, but it pinched 'em well and delivered some genuine scares. With its characters in lockdown and hanging out via computer screens, it nailed a "horror movies: they're just like us!" feeling that still resonates.
• A reader on Huesera: The Bone Woman: "As a childless cat lady myself, this movie spoke volumes about how motherhood is not the only lifestyle choice. And I'd join the auntie coven in a heartbeat, they look like a fun time."
• Lots of slasher flicks listed today, and yet each has a decidedly different take on the genre: Friday the 13th Part 2, Dark Night of the Scarecrow, Blood Rage, April Fool's Day, High Tension, Happy Death Day...it's great, ain't it? Whether grounded in reality or supernatural, comedic or depressingly bleak, masked or mulleted, bloody or virtually bloodless, this tiny slice o' slashers has something for just about everyone.
• Final Mom fucking loved Godzilla Minus One, let me tell you!

SHOCKtober: 256-229

Move over (in Heaven), Del Rubio triplets, we've got to make room for more SHOCKtober triplets! (But don't move over too far, we will need your services when Winter arrives because honestly the SHOCKtober triplets aren't much for caroling.) Each of the following films received three votes!

256. Them! -- 1954, Gordon Douglas

255. The Watcher in the Woods -- 1980, John Hough and Vincent McEveety

254. The Sixth Sense -- 1999, M. Night Shyamalan

253. The Seventh Victim -- 1943, Mark Robson

252. The Old Dark House -- 1932, James Whale

251. The Night Stalker -- 1972, John Llewellyn Moxey

250. The Night House -- 2020, David Bruckner

249. The Mist -- 2007, Frank Darabont

248. The Menu -- 2022, Mark Mylod

247. The Innkeepers -- 2011, Ti West

246. The Host -- 2006, Bong Joon Ho

245. The Funhouse -- 1981, Tobe Hooper

244. The Empty Man -- 2020, David Prior

243. The Devils -- 1971, Ken Russell

242. The Amityville Horror -- 1979, Stuart Rosenberg

241. Society -- 1989, Brian Yuzna

240. Slumber Party Massacre II -- 1987, Deborah Brock 

239. Skinamarink -- 2022, Kyle Edward Ball

238. Rebecca -- 1940 Alfred Hitchcock

237. Ravenous -- 1999, Antonia Bird

236. Peeping Tom -- 1960, Michael Powell

235. Orphan -- 2009, Jaume Collet-Serra

234. Nosferatu the Vampyre -- 1979, Werner Herzog

233. Motel Hell -- 1980, Kevin Connor

232. Men -- 2022, Alex Garland

231. Martin -- 1977, George A. Romero 

230. Malignant -- 2021, James Wan

229. Little Shop of Horrors -- 1986, Frank Oz

• A reader on Nosferatu the Vampyre: "It’s not all that good, actually, but Kinski is the best Dracula—terrifying, revolting, and pathetic all at once." (A bold stance! One that gives me an idea...)
• Skinamarink is one of the more divisive horror movies in...uh, ever. I've read many a comment about how it is so evocative for some viewers, incredibly unsettling if not downright terrifying. But if it doesn't tap into that part of your nervous system for whatever reason, you are like me--that is, currently on the lam after angrily burning down the movie theatre you saw Skinamarink in. (I hope the police aren't reading this!) I really wished it worked for me. Maybe I'll try again in a few years.
• Why oh why is The Watcher in the Woods so very unavailable? Is it in the Disney vault or some shit...? You would think that a movie featuring Bette Davis and Kyle Richards would be showing on a 24-hour loop everyday forever. I haven't seen it in a hot...couple of decades and I'm all steamed up that it's nowhere to be found.
• The Night House is so good and has some really scary bits, but the real reason you should watch is because Rebecca Hall is such an incredible actress. She does this monologue in a bar and...just watch The Night House!
• I love to see so many goldie oldies listed throughout SHOCKtober. The Old Dark House is creeping up on 100 and it's still so much damn fun. The Seventh Victim is a wee bit younger and it's still so damn bleak. Rebecca is their middle sibling and it's still so damn perfect.
• Margot Kidder and James Brolin in The Amityville Horror: one of horror's most babealicious couples of all time. Of course there are other things to love in that film, including but not limited to the giant, purple, demonic pig and the completely over-the-top sound effects of the screeching tires/puking nun combo, which I will never ever grow tired of, even if I live to 1,000,000: