Top Ten Horror Movies Of A Kindle Horror Book Writer

As a published author of Kindle paranormal and horror books, and as a huge fan of horror movies, I would like to list my all time top ten horror movies. As there are some real classics here, I am sure that some of these movies will also feature highly in the top ten lists of many other horror fans.

1. Frankenstein (1931) - The granddaddy of them all: Frankenstein's Monster, played by the great Boris Karloff. This was the film that got me hooked on horror movies when I first saw it as a kid. Nobody has been able to play Frankenstein's creation quite like Karloff did, as he brought a remarkable sense of pathos to the role. I love everything about this movie, from Colin Clive's ecstatically crazed tones of "It's alive! Alive!" to the fiery finale in the old windmill. The ultimate Universal horror movie, and a true classic.

2. The Bride of Frankenstein (1935) - It's not often that a sequel to a popular movie lives up to the first. The Bride of Frankenstein was one of those pleasing exceptions. In fact, many cinema buffs regard this second film in the Karloff Frankenstein trilogy as being even better than the previous one. Again, Universal work their special movie monster magic here, as Dr Frankenstein is forced to create a mate for his creature - with disastrous results. Elsa Lanchester is brilliant as the Bride, as is Ernest Thesiger who plays the devious Dr Pretorius. This is also the movie where the monster learns to speak, albeit with a very limited vocabulary. Again, like the first film, a true horror classic.

3. Dracula (1958) - The movie that led me to becoming a BIG fan of Christopher Lee and Peter Cushing. Seeing the Hammer Dracula for the very first time, with those terrifying blood-red eyes, razor-sharp fangs and hissing visage made the old black-and-white Dracula movies same so tame by comparison. The definitive Hammer horror movie, and one that should be in every horror fan's DVD collection. Christopher Lee is the best Dracula ever, a fact attested to when the studio had him coming back again and again in a new sequel. Nobody can play Dracula as brilliantly as Christopher Lee can, and I don't think anybody ever will.

4. The Wolf Man (1941) - Universal added a third movie monster to their chamber of celluloid horrors in the form of the Wolf Man, and although, unlike Frankenstein's monster and Dracula, this creature was not taken directly from a novel (it was from a Curt Siodmak script), it still proved to be every bit as terrifying and awesome as the other two. Lon Chaney Jr. played the cursed lycanthrope Lawrence Talbot magnificently, and his character's exploits were wonderfully enhanced by the atmosphere of fog-shrouded forests, creepy gypsy clans and brilliant musical score. And, of course, Jack Pierce did a brilliant job with the Wolf Man makeup.

5. Psycho (1960) - Famous for its notorious shower scene, Psycho (based on Robert Bloch's novel) is the King of the Slasher Films. Horror moves away from the fantasy world of monsters like The Wolf Man and Frankenstein and into a more close-to-real-life setting, namely a secluded motel run by a seemingly shy, inoffensive young man by the name of Norman Bates. But that initial impression is soon shattered when he dons his mother's clothes and goes on a demented killing spree. Psycho is truly one of Hitchcock's greatest movies.

6. Tales From The Crypt (1972) - You can't beat a good horror portmanteau movie, and of all the films of that type I have seen over the years, I found Tales From The Crypt to be the most enjoyable. Every story is brilliant, especially the one involving Joan Collins and the crazed Santa Claus, and that includes the framing story. Ralph Richardson is also fantastic as the Crypt Keeper. Thank you so much, Amicus, for bringing us masterpiece of portmanteau horror.

7. Halloween (1978) - This John Carpenter movie really proved that you can still scare viewers half to death with a good slasher story without resorting to excessive blood and gore. Masked Michael Myers - also known as "The Shape" - relentlessly stalks Jamie Lee Curtis through darkened streets and houses amid a creepy Halloween atmosphere. Donald Pleasance presents a memorable performance here too as Dr Loomis, who pursues his former patient Myers determinedly and fearlessly throughout the movie. A true horror classic.

8. Dracula Has Risen From The Grave (1968) - For me, this movie just embodied everything that was wonderful about Hammer: vibrantly lush settings, beautiful heroines (in this case, the lovely Veronica Carlson), great storyline, and, of course, the wonderful Christopher Lee as Count Dracula, who is revived from a watery grave by the spilling of the blood of a priest, whom he later makes his servant. I especially enjoyed the part where Paul, Maria's boyfriend, stakes Dracula in his coffin, but being an atheist can't recite the holy ritual necessary to ensure complete destruction of the evil vampire. I never get tired of watching this movie, it's that good.

9. Friday The 13th (1980) - An as yet hockey-mask-devoid Jason Voorhees makes his terrifying debut in this gory shocker from 1980. Although I did go on to enjoy all the sequels, the very first Friday The 13th movie will always be my special favourite, mainly because of the aura of mystery that surrounded the Voorhees character.

10. The Wicker Man (1973) - I cannot utter enough superlatives to describe this fantastic cult movie. Truly, one of the most unusual and original films that I have ever seen. Edward Woodward is superb in the role of Police Sergeant Neil Howie, who comes to the remote Hebridean island of Summerisle in search of a missing girl who the locals claim never existed. Being a devout Christian, Howie is disgusted to find that the islanders practise a weird form of Celtic paganism, including open copulation. Christopher Lee is also brilliant as Lord Summerisle, whose devious intentions lead Howie into a trap, culminating in one of the most horrific, heart-wrenching climaxes in horror movie history. The Wicker Man ranks not only in my all time horror movie top ten, but also in my all time top ten films ever.

Horror Audio Books That Should Be Made Into Movies

Clive Barker's remarkable Hollywood ghost story captures the reader's attention from the start. The characters are all interesting in their unique ways and, like most good tales of suspense, the villains take evil to another level.

Summer of Night

Dan Simmons' excellent novel about children growing up in the 1950s who have to band together in order to fight a terrifying monster that could potentially destroy their whole town. There is something lurking in the basement of the Old Central school and a small group of friends discover the true nature of evil.

Swan Song

Robert McCammon's post apocalyptic tale has often been compared to Stephen King's The Stand and that comparison certainly is appropriate. The story of a young gifted girl named Swan, a schizophrenic bag lady, and a wrestler named Black Frankenstein fighting against a malevolent demon after a nuclear apocalypse has wiped out most of civilization is certainly one of the more enjoyable horror books to be written in the 1980s.

Manhattan Murder Club

John Saul leaves behind the familiar territory of the supernatural to delve into real world evils of homelessness and political corruption in this horror novel. A young man is convicted of a violent crime that he didn't commit. Instead of going to prison, he is kidnapped and wakes up in a room deep in the sewers of New York City. A stranger tells him and another man that they've been chosen for the hunt and if they can make it to the surface, they're free. But if not, they die.

The Rising

Brian Keene's epic zombie apocalypse novel about scientists unleashing demons into our own world which allows them to inhabit the bodies of the recently dead, who awake and kill the living. The book won the Bram Stoker Award for best fiction and it is one of the better zombie novels available on audio.

Annoying Horror Movie Cliches

I

f you're an ardent horror movie fan, you've probably encountered them from time to time. I am talking about those annoying horror cliches, which always seem to destroy the credibility of a film by virtue of their ridiculous, unrealistic scenarios.

Here are some of the more common horror cliches which, I'll bet, have made you roll your eyes and shake your head in utter disbelief many a time:

1. Don't Go In That House Alone - I have seen this irritating cliche played out, time and time again, in all kinds of horror movies, especially in the teen-slasher productions. You get a stupid boy or girl, who know damn well that there is a crazed, masked killer stalking the house - and yet suddenly develop a most ludicrous surge of courage and venture into the house, on their own, to confront the killer or monster, in the lame hope that they will overpower it and kill it. The culmination of this silly endeavour is that the person usually ends up being slaughtered themselves.

2. Why Do They Always Get In The Car? - The protagonist is being chased by the psycho killer or bloodthirsty monster. They spot a vacant car. What do they do? They only get into it and stupidly attempt to start it up. In real life, if you were in a similarly perilous situation, with a maniac or creature chasing you, your nerves would be racing that much and your heart would be beating so fast that the last thing you would feel capable of doing would be to stop and try to get into a car, thereby giving your pursuer some extra time to catch up with you. Instead, you would just keep on running and running into the woods, as fast as your legs would carry you. And isn't it amazing how their hand never trembles a bit as they fiddle around with the ignition?

3. There Is Always An Expert In The Group - You can guarantee that whenever there is a group of people who encounter a creature such as a vampire or werewolf, there will ALWAYS be at least one self-proclaimed "expert" among them who knows how to deal with the creature, be it with a stake or silver bullet.

4. Don't Step Over The Dead Body - Isn't it just so unrealistic and crazy when the hero kills the monster or maniac they've been fighting with - or THINKS they have. And then - foolishly failing to make hundred per cent sure that their enemy is dead - they step over the dead body... and then their ankle is grabbed by the apparently still living monster! For heaven's sake, when you whack a monster over the head with a club or whatever, just make sure the thing really IS dead, will you? Strewth!

5. There's A Ghost In My House, But I Am Not Moving Out - I have seen this pathetic cliche played out in hundreds of spooky movies. The story basically features a young couple that move into a house... and start experiencing a succession of strange incidents, which seem to suggest that they have a resident ghost. But what do they? They stay in the house, despite the acceleration of paranormal incidents they encounter, and usually summon either a medium or an exorcist. More ridiculous, even when their helper doesn't manage to clear their home of the entity completely, they STILL stay in the house, and you might get the husband uttering something like, "No, honey, we've got to STAY here and confront this thing. It is NOT going to drive us out of our dream home." Lord, give me strength!

6. Run Upstairs Instead Of Out The Front Door - This cliche really annoys me. The victim is being chased all around the house by a psycho killer. And what do they do? Instead of running out through the front door, they dash upstairs, stupidly rendering themselves utterly trapped up top as their pursuer creeps up the stairs, closing in on them for the kill.

7. The Cat Jump Scare - Seen this cliche repeated so many times in horror movies over they years that I have now just given up all hope that they will EVER scrap it. You know the one I mean: the cat suddenly jumps out at you and scares you witless.

So there you have it: some of the worst horror cliches I have ever had the misfortune to see. I'll bet all of you can think of many, many more to add to that list. I certainly can.

Come on, all you horror movie writers - start making horror stories realistic and original, instead of relying on the same old tired cliches to get a cheap scare out of cinema goers.

10 Best Horror Novels of All Time

There is nothing like a good scary story to get the blood to pumping! If you love being terrified, read on to discover the 10 best horror novels ever! How many of these make you want to sleep with the lights on?

1. The Shinning by Stephen King - There is nothing like an abandoned hotel during the winter to keep you up at night, add in a creepy kid with psychic ability and a father losing his mind and it makes for a great read!

2. It by Stephen King - An eponymous being disguised as a clown that prefers children for his prey. A clown... Enough said.

3. Salem's Lot by Stephen King - There is so much going on in this book, vampires, a cemetery, and a creepy laughing child.

4. Dracula by Bram Stoker - Just when you thought Stephen King was going to dominate the list, along comes a classic that gave us the romantic image of the vampire. A must read for any horror fan.

5. Misery by Stephen King - And now it's back to the master, yes, it's Stephen King again. A crazed fan, an unfortunate accident, and some of the best descriptions I have ever read.

6. The Exorcist by William Peter Blatty - I didn't think this one was particularly scary, but no horror list would be complete without it.

7. Frankenstein by Mary Shelley - Frankenstein is a classic horror tale that no list would be complete without! A doctor's obsession reanimates the dead in this famous cautionary tale of romance and science fiction.

8. Rosemary's Baby by Ira Levin - I made the mistake and saw the film first, but it really can't do justice to this story. A young couple moves into a new apartment and meets the strange couple next door. Suddenly, things take a very dark turn! Not something you should read if you're pregnant.

9. Interview with the Vampire by Anne Rice - One of my all-time favorite books! Anne Rice introduces the sympathetic vampire and brings the flagging genre back to life. A must read for any vampire fan.

10. Cujo by Stephen King - The book that made everyone terrified of dogs! A rabid dog terrorizes a woman and her child. The book scared me enough, but then I turned around a watched the movie too!

Now that you have your list of the best horror novels ever, why not go over to the library and check out a few?

Top 10 Horror Movies

A few months back I set a poll on one of my sites which asked horror fans to rate their top ten horror movies of all time. In this article I list the movies and explain what makes horror fans rate them so highly.

Psycho (1960)

Alfred Hitchcock's Psycho terrifies audiences because it is an exploration of insanity which concludes that anyone, even the sane, can become insane and suffer terrible consequences.

Alien (1979)

The powerful theme in Alien is one of disease. The crew aboard a futuristic space vessel become infected by an alien species and hunted down in grisly fashion. Perhaps the most terrifying thing about Alien is the theme it shares with Psycho: Evil is inside of us and, thus, cannot be easily escaped.

The Shining (1980)

Almost every college campus bedroom has the poster of Jack Nicholson peering through a recently-axed bathroom window, grinning in his uniquely iconic, maniacal manner. This easily deserves to be one of the top 10 horror movies of all time. Derived from the book by Stephen King, Stanley Kubrick's masterpiece is a haunting look at insanity and claustrophobia, as the Wife and Son of Jack Torrence are mentally abused and later on hunted down by him in a remote hotel called The Overlook. What perhaps scares us most here is the possibility that our trusted loved ones can become our worst enemies.

Aliens (1986)

In Aliens we see Ripley (Sigourney Weaver) return with a rescue team to a colony where she must do battle with yet more aliens. No one believes her, of course, until it is too late and both herself and the other crew members are besieged by dozens of drooling, toothy beings. It is the claustrophobic settings here, more than the Aliens, that we find most scary.

Les Diaboliques (1955)

A boarding school headmaster is murdered by his mistress and wife who has a weak heart. They submerge his corpse in their school's swimming pool but, upon being brained, the body has disappeared. What ensues are scenes of suspense that slowly turn the murderers insane with tension. This movie is painful and terrifying to watch as we, unwillingly, must become the killers and share their fears. Although it is one of the top 10 horror movies of all time, I would say it is - possibly - the best suspense movie of all time.

Jaws (1975)

Amity Island has everything: beautiful beaches, warm weather, friendly inhabitants . . . oh, and a fifteen-foot killer great white shark! This is the original summer block buster known to all movie-goers. The theme here is man against nature. What terrifies most about Jaws is the uncompromising monster. He will not be reasoned with, he will not stop eating, and you will not escape his teeth, even if you're an expert shark fisherman. In this film only the lucky survive.

Bride of Frankenstein (1935)

This horror movie takes up where Frankenstein left off. Frankenstein and his monster are both still alive. The crazy Dr Pretorius kidnaps Frankenstein's wife and blackmails him to create another monster to become bride to the original abomination. With grave-digging, decaying corpses, re-animated living tissues, and the terrifying theme that man should not play God, this is a truly terrifying tale.

The Thing (1982)

In a remote Antarctic station, an expedition of American scientists encounters a dog, being perused by a helicopter which crashes. That same night the dog attacks both dogs and scientists and soon a shape-changing entity is loose among the survivors. The notion that evil lurks within those we trust is explored here to terrifying affect.

King Kong (1933)

When original audiences watched King Kong many of them literally ran screaming up the isles. Never had a monster been so realistically portrayed.

The Exorcist (1973)

In the Exorcist we are confronted by the ultimate evil: The Devil and his minions. Unlike serial killers or ghosts, Satan seems invincible; success feels hopeless. This terrifying film was made shocking by the use of blasphemy, a child becoming possessed and spouting obscene language; and the weakness of Good (namely an alcoholic priest) in the face of purest evil.

The top 10 horror movies of all time will, of course, change in the future, but - perhaps - the themes will remain the same. We will always be scared of inner evils (insanity), invincible evils (nature and the Devil), and monsters, of all shapes and sizes, will likely still prove to entertain and terrify!

Tips on How to Write a Scary Story

You've seen the scariest flicks, read the most haunting novels and delved into psychological thrillers that kept you turning pages well into the night. These stories have sparked your imagination, and now you're ready to pen your own spine-chilling narrative. An effective tale of terror can be shared with friends, family or even a fictional market for publication.

1. Share your Fear

   • Whatever scares you most could form the basis of your story. The novel "Carrie" is about a girl with telekinesis, but it also explores growing up and trying to fit in (a recognizable theme). Root your horror in something as identifiable. Your life experiences, given the proper dramatic flair and attention to detail, can leap off the page and into the imagination of the reader. Find the chilling in the every day. If you have an aversion to clowns, Ferris wheels or hospital waiting rooms, your audience might feel that fear, too. Take an unusual turn. Take the path less taken. Write what you know.
     

   Use Strong Characters

   • In horror, it's easy to fall into the trap of sending your main character off to be maimed or incapacitated. These plot traps are often unconvincing, and the reader simply won't care enough to become emotionally invested. Worse yet, they may abandon your story entirely. Create a compelling protagonist. Consider what hurts him the most and use it to raise the stakes of the narrative. Your characters should be relatable, not just pieces on a chessboard to be pushed around in service of your plot. Keep the parts of your well-oiled narrative machine rolling from one scene to the next. Make your audience feel what your protagonist feels.
     

   Build Suspense Convincingly

   • Now that your audience cares about your protagonist, you can begin to build terror around him. H.P. Lovecraft's fiction is scary for what it doesn't show: the build up -- the terror on the outskirts. Withhold information -- or the monster -- as long as you can for the maximum effect. But don't cheat the readers at the end. Give them a logical and satisfying conclusion. Explicit imagery may pad your story, but you want to affect your readers emotionally.
     

   Read More

   • Read for inspiration, and more importantly, re-read those scary stories that still entertain you. Study what devices the writer used to effectively convey fear. A steady diet of words from a variety of sources will arm you with the tools you'll need as a writer. Reading will help you to avoid embarrassing clichés, such as "it was all just a dream," or ill-planned twist endings. Though popular, vampires, werewolves, ghosts and goblins should be avoided. If you have a new spin on the mythos, try that instead.
     

   Take the Mundane and Make it Scary

   • Many memorable horror stories stay with us because they are to some degree about the supernatural intruding upon the mundane world. They elicit a reaction in the reader because it feels as if it could happen. Find a middle ground; one which avoids the overtly quirky and unbelievably outlandish. Horror doesn't have to be large, lumbering monsters and discordantly creaky doors. Scary can be quiet, restless, shadowy and strangely unassuming. Small is sometimes better.
     

Vocabulary Words for Writing Scary Stories

Description is one of the four main forms of discourse, according to David Grambs’ “The Describer’s Dictionary.” When writing scary stories, use a thesaurus or other vocabulary reference book to enhance your description of events, places and characters. The more interesting your vocabulary, the better your readers will be able to imagine themselves in the story.

1. Words That Set the Mood

   • A truly horrifying story establishes an eerie atmosphere right from the beginning. An effective writer will send signals to the reader that the story will be scary and depressing using such vocabulary as “gloomy,” “somber,” “dreary,” “forbidding” and “creepy.” You can also ascribe scary characteristics to inanimate objects to heighten the mood. Buildings can appear “intimidating,” and a forest can look “menacing.”
     

   Words That Evoke the Five Senses

   • A tale is even scarier when readers can see, hear, touch, taste and smell things in the story. A place can exude an “acrid,” “pungent” or “choking” stench. The protagonist can hear strange “clanking” sounds, or a scary character can speak in a “dark,” “steely,” “sepulchral,” “sibilant” or “guttural” voice. Use hues such as “pitch black” and “ebony” to describe things that are dark. A drink or item of food can taste “sour,” “fetid,” “foul” or “rancid.” Objects can feel “slimy” or “grimy.”
     

   Words That Heighten Suspense

   • H. P. Lovecraft, a famous American horror novelist, wrote that “the strongest kind of fear is fear of the unknown.” A writer can increase fear in a reader by not giving away every detail of a monster, ghost or place. Establishing something as mysterious builds suspense, as the reader fills in the blanks with his own imagination and desires to continue reading to find out more. Ambiguous descriptions, such “an amorphous creature,” “hazy air,” “opaque waters,” “tenebrous valley” or “unintelligible sound” create a disturbingly unfamiliar atmosphere for the reader.
     

   Words That Show Fear

   • A scary story needs a protagonist frightened out of her wits. Words like “horrified,” “horror-struck,” “petrified,” “panic-stricken,” “appalled,” “witless” and “aghast” will do; however, representing the signs of a protagonist's fears are even better. Perhaps she has “droplets of sweat” on her forehead, her knees are “knocking,” or she is “trembling,” “quivering,” “shuddering,” “quailing” or “quaking.” You can describe her as “transfixed” or “paralyzed” in place.