AOL/Moviefone has finished up its countdown of the 31 Best Horror Movies of All Time (click the link for the whole shebang). Unlike that goofy Time/Richard Corliss list, this one’s very, very solid. There are a lot fewer surprises (maybe some in where the selections are ranked, but not in the selections themselves)–and that’s good! If you’re honestly trying to come up with a list of the 31 greatest horror films of all time, rather than just run down your own favorites or impress people with your catholic tastes, the list should be full of the standards. Indeed, most of the selections here that did make me say “huh!” are ones that mainstream audiences still thrill to but we horror cognoscenti largely ignore (Scream, say, or The Sixth Sense), and most of the ranking decisions that took me aback were in the same vein (the high placement of the initial Nightmare on Elm Street and Friday the 13th installments, for example, the latter complete with an anachronistic hockey-mask-Jason photo, the lists’s one big misstep). It was also satisfying, and comparatively bold when you look at Corliss’ list, to see a film as recent as The Descent make the grade. Well done.
Holy smokes, comments work on old posts now too???