Your Favourite Horror Film from 1979

[bizarre_eye@Cult Labs]

1979 was a year for some brilliant horror films, but which one is your favourite? What makes it special to you? When did you first see it? Would you recommend it to the uninitiated?

Sometimes it's a hard decision to just pick one film (even when you're limiting it to a single year!), but my favourite film of 1979 is...

Alien - Ridley Scott

The ULTIMATE in sci-fi monster horror, which has never been equaled in my opinion. H. R. Giger's Alien interpretation, coupled with the pure claustrophobic terror that this film exhibits makes Alien the stand out horror film from 1979, for me.

Trailer:

Get the latest Flash Player to see this player.

Runners Up:
Beyond the Darkness
The Brood
Driller Killer
Fascination
Phantasm
Tourist Trap
Zombie Flesh Eaters

[Nosferatu@Cult Labs]

As much as I love Zombie Flesh Eaters, like you, my favourite horror film from this year and one of my all-time favourite horror films is Ridley Scott's groundbreaking monster movie, Alien. It is a film that has everything from nerve wracking tension to superb SFX make-up and creature design and brilliant performances by the entire cast. It may not be as much fun as Zombi 2, but given the choice between those you have mentioned, I would go for Alien each time, probably the theatrical rather than extended cut.

[Make Them Die Slowly]

"Cannibal Holocaust", "The Driller Killer", "The Fog".

[Nosferatu@Cult Labs]

As much as I like Cannibal Holocaust and The Fog, I would rather spend two hours watching Alien than them. I'm not quite sure what it is about the film that makes it so watchable, it's probably because it has a much more complex text and deeper characters than any other films that have been mentioned so you can pick out different things each time.

The Fog and Zombie are good 'fun' horror films and are different viewing experiences than Alien, which is a much more serious piece of work which can be viewed as a simple monster movie or something much more complex with serious things to say about gender politics.

[Make Them Die Slowly]

Originally Posted by Nosferatu@Cult Labs

As much as I like Cannibal Holocaust and The Fog, I would rather spend two hours watching Alien than them. I'm not quite sure what it is about the film that makes it so watchable, it's probably because it has a much more complex text and deeper characters than any other films that have been mentioned so you can pick out different things each time.

The Fog and Zombie are good 'fun' horror films and are different viewing experiences than Alien, which is a much more serious piece of work which can be viewed as a simple monster movie or something much more complex with serious things to say about gender politics.

I'm not a fan of anything that involves space travel or sci-fi elements so "Alien" leaves me a little cold. I think the gender politics in "Alien" has been vastly over hyped by film critics and theorists. Whilst "Alien" is a far more intelligent film than most genre films, at the end of the day it's just a slasher with a better script and "Final Girl" than say, "Friday the 13th" and the rest.

[Demdike@Cult Labs]

Zombie Flesh Eaters

[Vampix]

Yep Zombie Flesh Eaters, no question for me.I've also got a bit of a soft spot for D'Amato's Buio Omega too.

[The Reaper Man@Cult Labs]

Another year for crackers!

A LOT of good films here,but once again,easy for me.
For sheer terror over the course of three hours,then Hooper's SALEM'S LOT is hard to beat.
This used to be shown over two nights repeatedly during the school summer holidays on the BBC.
Back in 1980,I was eight years old and went to bed with a set of Rosary Beads!

I've been traumatised by bald men ever since!

[bizarre_eye@Cult Labs]

Cannibal Holocaust and The Fog will be featuring in my 1980s Thread for those who may have cursed my name for not at least including it my Runners Up list - will either make the top spot? I'm not sure yet...

It's good to see some love for Salem's Lot! Definitely one of the better (if not the best) Stephen King TV movie adaptation.

[The Reaper Man@Cult Labs]

Phantasm is one of the best horror films ever!

What age was Coscarelli when he made this?

BTW was the greatest ghost film ever made (THE CHANGELING) '79 or '80?