Are you sick of blurry, lo-fi horror films about jackasses hell-bent on filming everything that happens to them even when its a gut-munching monster turning them into snackfood? Tired of lazy hacks relying on tension-free sequences of extended torture (I'm looking at you Martyrs) to make up for a lack craftsmanship? Then I have a list for you. Every horror devotee should set aside time in the days leading up to Halloween to indulge in a fright fest of the highest caliber. With the discerning horror aficinados in mind, I've constructed a list of horror films you must see to get an optimal Halloween experience. For your consideration, I present my list of must-see horror films.
10. White Zombie (1932)
Before George A. Romero's Night of the Living Dead forever changed how filmmakers depicted zombies onscreen, directors favoured zombies of the voodoo variety. Instead of shambling undead obsessed with eating peoples brains in the most creative fashion imaginable, cinematic zombies tended to be mindless automatons reanimated through black magic to serve the dastardly purpose of a voodoo overlord.
They didn't do much more than stand around looking ominous. Back in the days of black and white filmstock, directors didn't have the luxury of relying on gore for shock value so they opted to use zombies to build an atmosphere heavy on uncanniness and dread. The very first feature length zombie film, White Zombie, supplies atmosphere by the bucket-full. Horror icon Bela Lugosi portrays the awesomely-named Murder Legendre, a voodoo practioner who enslaves corpse to run his sugar cane mill. Murder set his sights on the lovely Madeline whom he wishes to steal from her fiance Charles using voodoo chicanery. Despite a cripplingly-low budget, White Zombie succeeds through its haunting atmosphere and the unnerving sight of seeing cadavers stalk the Haitian landscape. White Zombie is a must-see for viewers who want to watch a chilling film and zombie fanatics looking to understand how zombies got their start on the silver screen.