100 Greatest Horror Movies Of All Time
73. Zombieland
Admittedly there aren’t many scares in Ruben Fleischer’s zombie comedy, but what is remarkable is just how well it balances both elements of that rather unique genre.
The onus is always on having fun - and with a cast including Woody Harrelson, Emma Stone, Jesse Eisenberg, and Abigail Breslin, the film is an absolute blast - without ever losing sight of the zombies at its core.
It brilliantly plays upon genre tropes, introduces some genius new rules for surviving the zombie apocalypse, has a hell of a lot of gore, and includes one of the finest, funniest cameos you will ever see.
[JH]
72. Possession
Possession is absolutely out of its mind. About a spy returning home to Berlin to find out his wife wants a divorce, Andrzej Żuławski's unhinged movie follows the two ex-lovers as they succumb to seemingly otherworldly powers, losing themselves to insanity and strange, sexy creatures living in their apartment.
The Berlin backdrop is suitably bleak and nondescript, while the film flows with a blistering energy that captures the intensity of Isabelle Adjani and Sam Neill's wild performances, swooping around the streets like its some kind of hell-scape where humans aren't welcome.
It's honestly a description that doesn't do the flick justice. Possession is essentially the breakdown of a marriage as told by H.G. Wells if he'd just binged David Cronenberg films, overdosing on body horror and abstract madness. Check out the clip below for a little taste.
[JB]
71. The People Under the Stairs (1991)
Wes Craven was a legend of the horror genre, and though his most famous contributions revolve around a ghost-faced killer and an evil sweater-wearing dream demon, The People Under the Stairs is undoubtedly his most overlooked.
Released in 1991, the film debuted to a lukewarm reception, but has since been reappraised as a clever satire and as a genuinely brilliant horror comedy. The plot involves a group of evictees who break into the unassuming suburban home of their landlord, only to discover that the family inside are hiding a ghostly group of cannibalistic children.
Needless to say, if you love Craven, you’ll adore The People Under the Stairs.
[EP]