Five horror films that made my hair stand on end

Horror: an intense feeling of fear, shock or disgust

I love horror movies and I have to confess that they make me feel alive. Biologically when you feel fear the body produces adrenaline and your heart starts biting faster. Did you know that watching a horror film can burn nearly up to 200 calories? My top five horror movie list includes the movies that I have seen once and were eerie and gory enough to make me not to want to watch them again. So here is my top five:

The descent (2005)

Low budget movie, filmed in the UK directed by Neil Marshall. It is about a group of women that start a hiking trip aiming to do some cave exploration but end up trapped in a complex of caves and guess what, they are not alone. There is enough blood and scary creatures crawling and eating our heroes alive. It was dark and bloody enough to be in my top five.

Ringu (1998)

Directed by Hideo Nakata, it is about a cursed video tape that kills the viewer 7 days after watching it. The film was released in 1998 and inspired numerous Hollywood remakes, however; I believe that nothing can be compared to the original. I will never forget the scene when the faceless girl crawls out of the TV. Ringu revitalised a new horror era that Hollywood had long forgotten.

The silence of the lamps (1991)

Directed by Jonathan Demme, Jodie Foster plays Clarice, a young FBI agent who approaches Dr Hannibal Lecter (Antony Hopkins) a serial killer in captivity and asks for his help in order to capture another serial killer that skins his victims. I believe that the film has changed the way horror was perceived by the Academy. Foster and Hopkins have won Oscars for their performances and Demme also for best director. It is scary because it is realistic and it can actually happen for real.

The shining (1980)

Firstly it is a Stephen King’s story and secondly it is being directed by Stanley Kubrick. A family moves to an isolated hotel where an evil entity possesses the father and leads him into violent acts. The son has psychic powers and he is able to see things from the past and the future. Finally Nicholson becomes so affected that he attempts to murder his family. Jack Nicholson is simply amazing, there is nothing scarier that his crazy look and the scene with the twins.

The exorcist (1973)

My number one of course is the exorcist. Regan a young girl played by Linda Blair gets possessed by a demon. After numerous medical tests and not being able to figure out what is wrong with their daughter the mother asks the help of a priest.  The father of a very good friend of mine once told me that when the exorcist was released people were passing out in the halls from the terror and the disturbance the film was causing. I will just close with one of Linda Blair’s personal quotes ‘Not a day goes by that somebody doesn't say something about it, which is interesting. I am possessed with The Exorcist’.