I admire horror movies that create a sense of horror with subtlety and artistry. Ten years have passed since I created my “Top 13 Horror Movies for Halloween” list. For that list, I included whimsical and comedic movies to offer a range of moods. This time, I want to focus on truly unsettling movies. I’ve also had second thoughts about one film on the list (which I’ll go into below). And some excellent movies have come out in the intervening years. So it’s time to offer a new list based on updated impressions. We can debate what qualifies as a “horror” movie, but each of those in this list thematically deals with horror. Continue reading →
Top 13 best horror movies of all time
I admire horror movies that create a sense of horror with subtlety and artistry. Ten years have passed since I created my “Top 13 Horror Movies for Halloween” list. For that list, I included whimsical and comedic movies to offer a range of moods. This time, I want to focus on truly unsettling movies. I’ve also had second thoughts about one film on the list (which I’ll go into below). And some excellent movies have come out in the intervening years. So it’s time to offer a new list based on updated impressions. We can debate what qualifies as a “horror” movie, but each of those in this list thematically deals with horror. Continue reading →
I’ve rarely been as enthused about a film score as I am about Bobby Krlic’s score for the horror movie Midsommar. Not since Bernard Hermann’s biting strings in Psycho has background music given me such goosebumps. Krlic, who goes by the name The Haxan Cloak on his solo projects, has composed a powerful, visceral score that blends dark dissonance, ancient folk music, and ambient sounds. And Krlic’s relationship to the film may be a unique one. Director Ari Aster wrote the screenplay while listening to The Haxan Cloak’s music. 
A religious leader, thought to be the model of righteous living, molests a teenage girl and conspires to hide his despicable behavior. Sounds like the plot of a modern novel, right? Or something pulled from recent headlines. But, no, it’s the backbone of a Gothic novel written in 1794 by Matthew Lewis. Published two years later, in 1796, The Monk tells two interwoven stories about corruption and the abuse of authority. The Gothic horror element creeps up on you, though. Warning: the following post contains spoilers. 
Paranormal historian, writer and publisher Paul Adams has written a superb post for Spooky Isles on the top ten British composers of horror music. He includes three composers renown in classical music circles as well as a woman—a delight to see in a male-dominated profession. All ten composers hail from the twentieth century. Adams’ article includes sound selections so you can get a taste of each composer’s style. His list got me thinking about a similar list of American composers. So here are the two lists.