Chicago Daily Herald
October 31, 1991
By Dann Gire
October 31, 1991
By Dann Gire
Halloween. Ah, what an opportune time to remember Hollywood's greatest shock treatments. Here's a list of 10 of the greatest all-time shocking moments in movie history. Keep in mind that these are genuine, classic shock treatments, not manipulative no-brainers, such as when somebody tosses a poor little kitty cat into the movie frame for the sake of a sudden jolt (e g. "The Amityville Horror" and "Halloween II").
Characters who shriek when they unexpectedly see themselves in mirrors don't count, either Neither does the old cliche of "the hand coming out of nowhere to grab the hero's shoulder for a cheap scare," but it always turns out to be a rude friend who never thinks of calling the hero's name before manhandling his clavicles.
Here are some shock treatments par excellence . What's more, all of them are available on videotape.
1. In "Jaws," an underwater Richard Dreyfuss discovers a shark's tooth lodged in a disabled boat just before the decomposing corpse of the skipper drops in through a hole in the hull.
2. In "Wait Until Dark," injured drug-dealing killer Alan Arkm performs a masterful jete across a
darkened room to grab blind date Audrey Hepburn.
3. In "Alien," John Hurt's abrupt case of indigestion turns lethal as the title character makes an unusual debut.
4. In the original "Thing," Captain Kenneth Tobey casually opens a door and surprises both himself and the title character from outer space (James "Gunsmoke" Arness), which takes an angry swipe at him with its vegetable matter.
5. In "When a Stranger Calls," babysitter Carol Kane discovers that the threatening telephone calls she's been getting are coming from upstairs in her house. She runs like the dickens for the front door, only to be greeted by the menacing face of Charles Durning, who looks just like John Wayne Gacy.
6. In "Carrie," Sissy Spacek's hand emerges from the rubble of her fried home to literally give the film one last grabber.
7. In "Pee-wee's Big Adventure," truck driver Large Marge shows Pee-wee exactly how she "faced" death in a traffic accident.
8. In "Twilight Zone The Movie," Dan Aykroyd asks Albert Brooks if he'd like to see something really scary
9. In "Poltergeist," a Euell Gibbons nightmare comes to life when a tree smashes through an upstairs window, snatches a little boy and tries to digest him. In this case, the bark may not be worse than the bite.
10. In "Friday the 13th," the real Jason Voorhees surprises Adrienne King at the end with a game of Marco Polo.
Here are a few sure-bet suggestions for Halloween night video selections.
Ghost movie: "The Haunting" with Richard Johnson leading a group of paranormal investigators through the harrowing halls of Hill House
Runners up: "The Changeling" with George C. Scott and "Poltergeist" with Craig T Nelson.
Monster movie: "The Thing" with James Arness.
Runners up: "Them!" with James Arness and "Alien" with Sigourney Weaver.
Slasher movie: "Psycho" with Anthony Perkins.
Runners up: "Black Christmas" with Margot Kidder and "The Step-Father" with Terry O'Quinn.
Satan movie: "The Exorcist" with Linda Blair.
Runners up: "Angel Heart" (unrated version) with Mickey Rourke and "Rosemary's Baby" with Mia Farrow.
Zombie movie: "Night of the Living Dead," the original George Romero masterpiece.
Runners up: "The Re-Animator" (un-rated version) and "Dawn of the Dead," Romero's own sequel
Strange people movie: "Carrie" with Oscar-nominee Sissy Spacek.
Runners up: "Dead Ringers" with Jeremy Irons and "Blue Velvet" with Dennis Hopper
Characters who shriek when they unexpectedly see themselves in mirrors don't count, either Neither does the old cliche of "the hand coming out of nowhere to grab the hero's shoulder for a cheap scare," but it always turns out to be a rude friend who never thinks of calling the hero's name before manhandling his clavicles.
Here are some shock treatments par excellence . What's more, all of them are available on videotape.
1. In "Jaws," an underwater Richard Dreyfuss discovers a shark's tooth lodged in a disabled boat just before the decomposing corpse of the skipper drops in through a hole in the hull.
2. In "Wait Until Dark," injured drug-dealing killer Alan Arkm performs a masterful jete across a
darkened room to grab blind date Audrey Hepburn.
3. In "Alien," John Hurt's abrupt case of indigestion turns lethal as the title character makes an unusual debut.
4. In the original "Thing," Captain Kenneth Tobey casually opens a door and surprises both himself and the title character from outer space (James "Gunsmoke" Arness), which takes an angry swipe at him with its vegetable matter.
5. In "When a Stranger Calls," babysitter Carol Kane discovers that the threatening telephone calls she's been getting are coming from upstairs in her house. She runs like the dickens for the front door, only to be greeted by the menacing face of Charles Durning, who looks just like John Wayne Gacy.
6. In "Carrie," Sissy Spacek's hand emerges from the rubble of her fried home to literally give the film one last grabber.
7. In "Pee-wee's Big Adventure," truck driver Large Marge shows Pee-wee exactly how she "faced" death in a traffic accident.
8. In "Twilight Zone The Movie," Dan Aykroyd asks Albert Brooks if he'd like to see something really scary
9. In "Poltergeist," a Euell Gibbons nightmare comes to life when a tree smashes through an upstairs window, snatches a little boy and tries to digest him. In this case, the bark may not be worse than the bite.
10. In "Friday the 13th," the real Jason Voorhees surprises Adrienne King at the end with a game of Marco Polo.
• • •
Here are a few sure-bet suggestions for Halloween night video selections.
Ghost movie: "The Haunting" with Richard Johnson leading a group of paranormal investigators through the harrowing halls of Hill House
Runners up: "The Changeling" with George C. Scott and "Poltergeist" with Craig T Nelson.
Monster movie: "The Thing" with James Arness.
Runners up: "Them!" with James Arness and "Alien" with Sigourney Weaver.
Slasher movie: "Psycho" with Anthony Perkins.
Runners up: "Black Christmas" with Margot Kidder and "The Step-Father" with Terry O'Quinn.
Satan movie: "The Exorcist" with Linda Blair.
Runners up: "Angel Heart" (unrated version) with Mickey Rourke and "Rosemary's Baby" with Mia Farrow.
Zombie movie: "Night of the Living Dead," the original George Romero masterpiece.
Runners up: "The Re-Animator" (un-rated version) and "Dawn of the Dead," Romero's own sequel
Strange people movie: "Carrie" with Oscar-nominee Sissy Spacek.
Runners up: "Dead Ringers" with Jeremy Irons and "Blue Velvet" with Dennis Hopper
• • •
Just in case anyone's keeping score, here are the top 10 best-renting horror titles on the video store shelves, according to Video Software magazine:
1. "Alien" — 31.1 million
2. "Child's Play" — 23.7 million
3 "The Fly" —22.8 million
4. "Nightmare on Elm Street" — 22.1 million
5. "Nightmare on Elm Street: The Dream Warriors" — 21 9 million
6. "Flatliners" —20.3 million
7. "Friday the 13th" —18.1 million
8. "The Lost Boys" —17.7 million
9. "Pet Sematary" —16 9 million
10 "Nightmare on Elm Street, Part 2" - 16.6 million
(WEBMASTER'S NOTE: "A Nightmare on Elm Street 2" on the top 10 horror rentals list?! Funny how the tide has turned against what's now referred to as "the gay Elm Street.")
1. "Alien" — 31.1 million
2. "Child's Play" — 23.7 million
3 "The Fly" —22.8 million
4. "Nightmare on Elm Street" — 22.1 million
5. "Nightmare on Elm Street: The Dream Warriors" — 21 9 million
6. "Flatliners" —20.3 million
7. "Friday the 13th" —18.1 million
8. "The Lost Boys" —17.7 million
9. "Pet Sematary" —16 9 million
10 "Nightmare on Elm Street, Part 2" - 16.6 million
• • •
(WEBMASTER'S NOTE: "A Nightmare on Elm Street 2" on the top 10 horror rentals list?! Funny how the tide has turned against what's now referred to as "the gay Elm Street.")
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