FINAL GIRL explores the slasher flicks of the '70s and '80s...and all the other horror movies I feel like talking about, too. This is life on the EDGE, so beware yon spoilers!

Oct 18, 2024

SHOCKtober: 340-313



Man, you could watch one movie from this chunk o' list every night this month and have a wicked (and wicked varied) SHOCKtober. Final Girl readers have the best taste in horror movies, I swear. So feast your eyeballs on some more gruesome (I mean that in a nice way) twosomes: each of these movies received two votes.

340. The Final Girls -- 2015, Todd Strauss-Schulson
339. The Faculty -- 1998, Robert Rodriguez
338. Eyes of Laura Mars -- 1978, Irvin Kershner
337. The Dead Zone -- 1983, David Cronenberg
336. The Convent -- 2000, Mike Mendez
335. The Car -- 1977, Elliot Silverstein
334. The Borderlands (aka Final Prayer) -- 2013, Elliot Goldner
333. The Blob -- 1958, Irvin S. Yeaworth Jr. and Russell S. Doughten Jr.
332. The Babysitter -- 2017, McG
331. The Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2 -- 1986, Tobe Hooper
330. Targets -- 1968, Peter Bogdanovich
329. Strait-Jacket -- 1964, William Castle
328. StageFright -- 1987, Michele Soavi
327. Sorority House Massacre -- 1986, Carol Frank
326. Silver Bullet -- 1985, Daniel Attias
325. Seven -- 1995, David Fincher
324. Repulsion -- 1965, Roman Polanski
323. Rare Exports -- 2010, Jalmari Helander
322. Pyewacket -- 2017, Adam McDonald
321. Pumpkinhead -- 1988, Stan Winston
320. Psycho II -- 1983, Richard Franklin
319. Prey -- 2022, Dan Trachtenberg
318. Possessor -- 2020, Brandon Cronenberg
317. Pin -- 1988, Sandor Stern
316. Pieces -- 1982, Juan Piquer Simón
315. Phenomena (aka Creepers) -- 1985, Dario Argento
314. Pet Sematary -- 1989, Mary Lambert
313. Opera -- 1987, Dario Argento

  • So many movies I absolutely adore today, including The Convent, which makes for perfect Halloween party viewing. (Do people have parties anymore?) I love it so much.
  • I feel like I can still hear the sound of that cop's rubber raincoat during that scene in The Dead Zone. That's always my first thought with this movie. Second? My (terrible) Johnny impression that I love to torture people with. The ICE...is gonna BREAK. (Too bad you can't hear that.) Third, of course, is "aww man I miss the Brooke Adams era in film.
  • A reader on The Borderlands: "My favourite British horror. Natural, likable performances, the ever-creepy British countryside as the perfect setting and THAT ENDING. When I close my eyes I can picture it. Truly horrifying." (I saw it for the first time within the last year and it is so good. Found footage aficionados (especially), if you haven't seen it then check it out!)
  • I need to give Sorority House Massacre another chance--I might be able to appreciate its weirdness more now, rather than being disappointed by it because I was hoping for a regular ol' slasher flick.
  • Seriously, I could make a bullet point for pretty much every movie listed today and just say I LOVE THIS. Whether it's old standby forever faves (Psycho II, Straight-Jacket) or new delights (Prey, Possessor) or lawd I'm so happy this even exists (The Car, Pieces) or or or, I could go on forever.

9 comments:

Francis said...

Hoooonk…honk honk honk!

matango said...

Targets is so good. I can't believe that it works.

There's a Brooke Adams movie from 1984 that wasn't released until the last couple of years for some reason, "Vengeance is Mine." It is so good, though definitely not a horror movie.

Steve K said...

I'm one of the Targets! (Bloodhaus podcast recently covered this, and then it was on Criterion.) Legit, Boris Karloff deserved an oscar nom for this.

goblin said...

I meant to vote for Pet Sematary too, but then it somehow slipped my mind and I only remembered after I'd already sent in my list. I promise I'll make up for it next SHOCKtober, though.

Astroboymn said...

yay for The Eyes of Laura Mars love! Why wasn't Faye Dunaway in more horror thrillers? Why? Why?
Now I am utterly ready to watch The Borderlands, that's the kinda movie that's right up my street, why have I not heard of it before? Why? Why? So many Whys (of Laura Mars)!

Patrick Russum said...

I guess it's still really new, but i'm surprised Prey only has two votes, that's one of my favorites of this decade so far...then again I didn't put it on my list so who am I to say? Also, 1958 Blobheads unite!

Stacie Ponder said...

Oooh, I will definitely be checking it out, thanks for the heads up!

Stacie Ponder said...

Can't believe no one has written an article dissecting Faye Dunaway and called it The Whys of Laura Mars :(

The Borderlands flew way under my radar as well, which surprised me as I'm such an FF lover. Worth the wait though, that's for sure.

Stacie Ponder said...

I'm not a Predator fan so I really wasn't that excited for it, but man, I loved it so much! What a terrific film. I think it was a casualty of the fatal combo of time of release AND getting dumped on Hulu. A truly hidden gem.