OK, so over the countless interviews, etc. I have done over the years with Megadeth, 1 would think that by now the heavy metal public would know by now that I have been a horror movie freak most of my life, but alas, up until this point I have yet to have the opportunity to express my feelings on all things blood, scythe’s and gore. Finally, with my friends here at Bloody Disgusting, this is now about to change. As Music is my #1 passion in my life (and luckily enough, Is also what I do for a living) Horror movies comes in at a close 2nd for me. I have been a fanatic since my Father took me to see Halloween back in 1978-I was 12 years young at the time and had no idea of how watching this amazing piece of cinematic genius would have such a profound effect on my life. So with this, here is my all-time favorite films in the Horror genre.

As far as I am concerned, the Original Halloween is the perfect balance of suspense, Horror, musical score and storyline. I swear to you after seeing this movie, I washed my hair with my eyes open for 1 month, fearing that Michael Myers would bust through my bathroom door and slice me to shreds. (I was 12 at the time, cut me a break here) Of course, that is exactly what I wanted from any horror flick, and to this day, the movie still provides great entertainment and gives me the creeps. What more could you ask for, eh???

I saw this movie right around thesame time-line as Halloween, and once again, this film terrified me not only for its obvious amazing horror, but equally the great storyline and the originality of the subject matter at the time. (since then, there have been a ton of these “possession” type films-None of them measure up for my money) If you think about it, maybe only 1/3 of the movie is suspense/horror, and I find the rest of the story equally as compelling as the all out frightening sequences. Look, I love seeing victims getting their head cut off with a scythe as much as the next guy, but if the story sucks, it loses its appeal for me quick. Anyways, to me this movie is an all-time horror classic.

Again, here is a Horror movie that really does not have an obscene amount of actual horror in it, but when the suspenseful moments do hit, they hit hard and scared the living hell out of me. The musical score in this film is my all-time favorite, as I find it completely eerie, and to this day I do not like watching this movie alone in the dark (though I do anyways, but usually pay the price in my dreams that night) The ending alone where you see the 2 coffins thinking 1 of them contains Damien, then u see Damien look at the camera with that eerie grin……it gives my the shivers just thinking about it now, 34 years later. Great story, great acting, great film score, great film.

Jack Nicholson in a scary movie, do I need to say anything more here???????!!!!!!! OK, I will. 🙂 Man, I loved the novel by Stephen King, but for once, I loved the movie even more then King’s actual book. Once again (are you seeing a pattern here with me??) The film maybe has 1/3 of actual horror/suspense, so it really has to have a great storyline and be dynamic for the actual horror to seem even more-so. This probably has the best cast and acting of all my choices, but its the storyline, scenery and musical score that really gave me the chills with this movie.

This is such a twisted, weird movie and that exactly why I love it. Outside of us horror freaks, a lot of people have not even heard of this movie, let alone seen it, though I have exposed many of my friends over the years about it, all of which really like the movie. The fact that a lunatic is in a dorm attic is certainly not what I would want during the holiday season, but It sure did provide a good bit of entertainment seeing seeing others tortured by this freak. 🙂

Honestly, I could go on forever here, as there are so many more horror films I love – My Bloody Valentine, Friday the 13th, etc. but the above mentioned are my top 5. I hope you enjoy them as much as I do.

Be well,
Shawn Drover
MEGADETH