So, spurned from the Last Movie You Watched topic, and seeing as how today is Halloween, I'm curious... what to people consider to be "perfect" horror films? In addition, what do you consider to be the formula for a perfect horror flick? As for me, I'd say "The Exorcist" has to be the only purely perfect in every way horror film I can think of. Many others come close-- The Thing, Cabinet of Dr. Caligari, Psycho, maybe Halloween, etc. Feel free to split into genres within horror as well, for example I think Shaun of the Dead and Tucker and Dale vs. Evil are near perfect horror comedies. So....

Whaddathunk?

Psycho, Halloween, The Exorcist, Night of the Living Dead, Jaws, An American Werewolf in London, the 1931 Dracula, and the 1922 Nosferatu. All perfect (IMO), giving the right balance of storyline and fear (driven by the applicable monsters); whatever flaws they have can be overlooked by their undying impact. You mentioned The Thing, and I consider the first two versions to be excellent, if not perfect. The original A Nightmare on Elm Street and The Omen as well.

THE THING!

I'm a massive horror connoisseur; I have fucktons, I have seen even more fucktons. But The Thing is the only film I've seen on the big screen that really shit me up.

The Brood.

Event Horizon

[Octillus]

I second The Thing, and submit that since most horror movies don't scare me, I prefer to be entertained and thus add Evil fucking Dead 2.

My very limited knowledge of the genre will have to go with BrainDead (sometimes known as Dead Alive).
Evil fucking Dead 2 is pretty great as well, in the horror laughfests type.
The thing was pretty neat too.

[EphelDuath666]

well, well...

as for serious horror movies I'd say The Exorcist, The Thing, Psycho, Night of the living Dead, Dawn of the Dead, Halloween, Alien (more horror than sci-fi in my opinion), Hellraiser, The Texas Chainsaw Massacre

but yeah, the funny ones are great too such as Braindead, Evil Dead 2, Army of Darkness, Shaun of the Dead, Zombieland and Tucker & Dale vs. Evil. Maybe Bubba Ho-Tep too.

[Octillus]

Can't overlook the Exorcist, Psycho or Alien. All of those movies hold up well.

am i the only one ever to have seen this supercheesy, but also superscary horror movie called "alien abduction"

i think its the movie ive been scared of the most

Versus. It's meant to be a horror but it has zombies with guns, meant to be pretty serious but is actually fucking hilarious.

[djskrimp]

The only movie I've ever ACTUALLY been horrified by: John Carpenter's The Thing. All others have shocked, grossed out, entertained or disappointed.

Army Of Darkness - if you count it.

Scream/Scream 2: Due to its metatextual plot (referencing itself and the nature of horror films in general)

The Tunnel: Probably the best found footage movie I've seen.

Paranormal Activity scared me when I saw it at the movies, but after seeing it again it's not that special.

Haven't really seen many other horror movies...

Haven't really seen many other horror movies...

The good thing about cinema is that it's never really too late to see a film, unless someone spoils it or it gets banned. Every film mentioned so far at least won't have a problem with the latter.

Good suggestions all. I think horror is such an over saturated genre that it's really tough to find a stellar horror film. There's good ones, decent ones, and so bad they're good ones, but ones that are actually perfect films are few and far between.

I've been itching to watch the Thing again after seeing it a few weeks ago so think I'll have to make a night out of it with the girlfriend.