1. The Exorcist

William Friedkin's 1973 classic The Exorcist sits proudly at the very top of the five films that scared me senseless!

This film is constantly called by many movie review critics as the "greatest horror film of all time" and I have to say I would agree.

What it does best is tap into the audiences greatest fear, which is that nobody can prove if god or satan exist or not.

This is what made the film truly dynamic when it first came out and what set it apart from the rest.

Now over 30 years on since it's original release, it may not still have the same effect as when it first was released because lets face it times have changed.

But for me The Exorcist is still one of the most unique horror films of all time.

Linda Blair was just 12 years old when she was expertly cast in the role of Regan and of the best features of the film is that Regan is just a normal young girl, sweet and innocent.

Slowly any sympathy the audience feels for the Regan character at the start of the film fades away, the viewer becomes so emotionally shocked at the transformation that has taken place.

The most memorably 'scary' scene has to be the eerie spider walk which still everytime I think about, makes my spine tingle.

The Exorcist had the power to haunt people when it was first released and it has the power to haunt people still to this day.

2.The Shining

Next on the list is legendary director Stanley Kubrick's adaptation of Stephen King's novel The Shining.

This film is one of the most iconic, haunting and overall terrifying movies ever made, using some amazing imagery and truly disturbing visions to create one of the true greats in the horror genre.

The scene with the blood flowing from the elevator is visually stunning and memorable.

Equally memorable is the scene where Jack Nicholson chops his way through the door and yells the now famous words - “Heeeeeeerrrees Johnny!”

Nicholson is superbly cast and gives an unforgettable performance in one of his best ever roles.

All that is left to say is that if you have not seen this film it is a must watch, I'm not sure a novel has ever been made into a film quite this well.

3. The Ring

Being that The Ring is a remake I was tempted to think that the film would bring nothing new to the table from the original (Japanese version) Ringu.

But boy was I wrong.

I have to be honest and say that the brilliantly produced, gruesome and eerie videos stuck with me long after I finished watching the film.

The brilliant scene where the girl comes out of the TV screen is unbelievable and whenever I think about I am still terrified.

What I enjoy about this film the most is how much anticipation and suspense is built, the atmospheric mood that is created is excellent.

Like a good scary film the viewer should always feel that the characters are in a situation they just cannot control.

The Ring is one of the best films I have ever seen in accomplishing this.

4. Halloween (1978)

Even to this day Halloween is still a bench mark that all horror even generally scary films should look to.

The pacing of the film is magnificent, it effectively creates suspense and while not scary by modern standards it still manages to have that creepy and disturbing mood even to this day.

One thing that truly is great about Halloween is the fact it doesn’t need blood, it doesn’t even need gore all it needed was Michael Myers appearing from behind a tree or from around a corner to have me shaking in my boots.

It used those subtle techniques to good effect.

The score for this film is one of the best used in the history of film and even though it was very simple, whenever I hear it I always think of the shadowy image of Myers.

5. The Blair Witch Project

Made on just $30,000 dollars (around £18,000) this film shows us that it does not take a big budget to make a film scary, its all about atmosphere.

The Blair Witch Project proves that our imagination can be very powerful.

The film never shows us the villian, never shows us any blood or violence but yet it still manages to create a creepy, unsettling atmosphere.

While it starts slowly, the film soon cranks the tension right up until the end when it builds up to a climax.

The scariest moment of the film is undoubtedly the ending and the last image of the film is one of the most haunting I have seen.

Top 5 films that scared me senseless!

With halloween fast approaching I thought it would be very appropriate to introduce the top 5 films of all time that scared me senseless!

They may not even be technically a horror film but for whatever reason they made me put my hands over my eyes and had me biting my nails.

This is obviously what I found scary so if the film that scared you senseless is not on my list, then please let me know what would be on your list and why.

Couples retreat

Plot

Vince Vaughn stars in Couples Retreat which sees four couples go to a tropical island resort. While one of them go to work on their marriage. The other three go for sun, sea and jet ski.

What they discover is that participation in the resorts couple therapy programme is not optional and soon all four couples realise that they all have their equal share of problems.

Summary

I was very interested in seeing this film as it stars Vaughn and Jon Favreau, who were brilliant on screen together in the 1996 cult comedy Swingers.

My high expectations were not achieved.

Couples Retreat seems to be confused about what its target audience actually is.

On the surface it seems a film that is designed for couples, but when actually viewed there are a lot of erection and masturbation jokes that seem like they are more suited for a younger audience comedy like American Pie and Road Trip.

The humour while there in small doses (the yoga scene undoubtedly the best) stops and starts and at just under two hours long the film does seem like it can drag.

While the characters do face hurt and pain the director (Peter Billingsley) never seems to dwell on these moments so that the film stays within the boundaries of a comedy.

Vaughn is on good form again here playing the “know it all” character that he is an expert at, but unlike his other films recently (Wedding crashers and Dodgeball) his character seems to be more muted and less outstanding.

Overall

While the movie wasn't bad, it definitely is something that is forgettable.

The plot of the film is good and the setting of the film in beautiful Bora Bora is breathtaking, but there just are not enough comedy scenes to keep the movie going for its 107 minute length.

I really did expect more from Vaughn and Favreau and was disappointed overall with this effort.

At the end of the day you will have laughs, you will have your your fare share of eye candy and it is not the worst comedy I have seen this year (step forward Disaster movie).

Crunch Rating -

Halloween II (2009)

Plot

The majority of Halloween II is set a year after the events of the first film. Laurie Strode (Scout Taylor-Compton) is trying to get on with her life, dealing with the horrible events that occurred in the bloody massacre one year ago.

Michael Myers who is presumed dead, returns to Haddonfield and goes in search of Laurie so he can once again be united with his baby sister.

Summary

I came into this film thinking that this would be a remake of the 1981 Halloween II movie but I was wrong.

Director Rob Zombie has made a new version that almost bears no resemblance to the original; this is in fact a sequel to Zombie’s 2007 Halloween film.

This movie goes in a completely different direction with some disturbing scenes of violence, which if you have seen any of Zombie’s other films (House of 1,000 corpses,The Devil’s Rejects) he seems to specialise in.

The brutal killing scenes are well done with the camera lingering on what the audience is witnessing, which instils the emotions that a viewer should feel when watching something as shocking as murder.

Showing Michael Myers has no remorse and is a complete loner who just cannot understand humanity.

Halloween II is a slow burning sequel that plods along with no real developments lacking the tension, suspense and overall grittiness that should have been brought to the film.

Overall

Fans of the Halloween franchise will find this a refreshing take and an ambitious effort to bring something new to the table.

Unfortunately though what Zombie lacks in creating suspense and drama he tries to make up for with being, just plain disturbing.

If you go and see this film expecting to watch a slasher horror you may feel disappointed because although it does have elements of that, the film is slow paced and is much more dark, disturbing and depressing.

Crunch Rating -