It’s October! That special time of year when people are more receptive to horror media which I absolutely adore! Therefore, I thought I’d write some horror articles that have been long overdue with the first one being on quite an interesting subject, the Disturbing Movie Iceberg. I spoke before about how my interest in disturbing movies has waxed and waned but I still thought it might be interesting to take a look at the films that I have seen from the Disturbing Movie Iceberg and to give my opinion on them.
Tier 1 – Friday the 13th
The original Friday the 13th sparked a series that currently consists of twelve films, ten of which I’ve seen, and is probably one of the most recognisable horror film franchises ever. Assuming that the iceberg is referring to the original film, something I’ll have to do several times throughout this article, Friday the 13th from 1980 is a respectable slasher film with some deliciously great kills courtesy of Tom Savini and a few clever plot points that may actually surprise viewers, particularly those who are familiar with the later films. However, it also has to be said that this movie also displays some of the biggest weaknesses when it comes to slashers such as the paper-thin characters, the long wait between kills and the subpar acting but I do find myself enjoying it whenever I watch it and I do think it’s definitely worth a watch, perhaps serving as a Halloween party film!
Tier 1 – Child’s Play
The first Child’s Play film came out around the time that the slasher craze was beginning to die down although it has still managed to carve out a series that is oddly consistent when it comes to quality. Brad Dourif does a terrific job as both Charles Lee Ray and as Chucky alongside the other actors and actresses and there are some genuinely creepy moments, particularly when Chucky interacts with the very young Andy Barclay. The special effects are pretty good as well although there are a few that haven’t aged gracefully. When it comes down to it, my biggest criticism of the film is that it doesn’t lean into the humour of later entries anywhere near as much but it’s something I can easily forgive given that it’s the first entry.
Tier 1 – Scream
Scream was one of the first horror films that I ever saw so much of its clever references to other franchises and its sharp reinterpretation of slasher tropes was lost on me but that didn’t stop me from having a great time and acting as a great entry point to horror as a whole. The film’s sense of humour is superb with top-notch acting supplementing the witty banter of the characters. As I learned more and more about horror films, it’s always been a treat to rewatch Scream and to catch little references that I missed before.
Tier 1 – Insidious
I actually don’t remember much about this one. Yeah, I know. I remember going to see it in the cinema when it first came out in 2010 and enjoying it but a lot can change in those 13 years. I did pick it up on Blu-ray recently, mainly because it was super cheap, and will rewatch it at some point but, until then, that’s as much as I can say.
Tier 1 – The Ring
The title The Ring is what the American remake was called while the Japanese original was simply called Ring. Ring is a slow burner that I actually ended up enjoying quite a bit, in contrast to many other slow burner J-Horror films, as the mystery alongside the steady reveal of information throughout keeps my attention until we reach that iconic climax, you know the one. The American version is basically the same film with very few differences but it is also respectably well-made and, so, I’d recommend watching whichever version you prefer.
Tier 1 – The Conjuring
The Conjuring was a film that I heard quite a bit about before I actually got the chance to see it. Expectations were high and I remember finishing the film having enjoyed it but not being as blown away as it seems everyone else was. While I do find the characters of Ed and Lorraine Warren quite charming, and the movie itself is well executed, my issue mostly comes down to the fact that ghost films are among my least favourite types of horror films. I thought it was good for what it was but I do admit that The Conjuring wouldn’t be my first choice when it comes to rewatching films I’ve seen from the Disturbing Movie Iceberg.
Tier 1 – Annabelle
I guess it’s fair to say that expectations played a big component when I saw these two films. For The Conjuring, it was a case of hearing how great it was and, for Annabelle, it was how it was apparently a garbage film. Watching Annabelle, I didn’t think it was as good as the Conjuring but I also didn’t think that it was terrible either. Sure, the pacing could be improved and I wasn’t a fan of the way certain story threads concluded but I’ve seen much worse when it comes to horror.
Tier 1 – The Grudge
Speaking of, I would probably regard Ju-On: The Grudge as my least favourite film on tier 1. The film is meant to have a disjointed feel but I just found it awkward to watch with some story elements confusing me on how they’re relevant. It also doesn’t help that it’s also a ghost film which means a slow pace that involves attempting to scare the characters for long periods of time before any real threat happens. Unfortunately, to me, it committed the gravest sin that a piece of entertainment can make and that’s that I found it boring to watch.
Tier 1 – A Nightmare on Elm Street
At least tier 1 ends on a bang with my personal favourite, that being A Nightmare on Elm Street. I love the haunting atmosphere of the film, which is something that some of the sequels unfortunately skimp out on, with a stunning soundtrack, creative visuals and some deliciously gory kills. I also think that the final girl of this movie, that being Nancy Thompson, is one of my favourites ever while Freddy Krueger earns his place as a horror legend right from the get-go with a sick and depraved sense of humour as well as a sadistic delight in his kills. If you should see any film from this tier, A Nightmare on Elm Street is my personal choice.
Be sure to check out “The Films I’ve Seen From The Disturbing Movie Iceberg Part 2“!
Hopefully you have found this article interesting and informative and, if you wish to seek any of the works I mentioned, don’t hesitate to use amazon.co.uk or amazon.com for all of your needs!