Photo by Jeremy Brooks

Love ‘em or hate ‘em, there is a place for horror movies in everyone’s heart.  However, the average modern horror flick is either a remake or relies solely on the jump technique to get scares (some use both).  Up for something different? Try giving any of the following movies a shot – you may be pleasantly surprised in a shaken, nightmare-filled sort of way.

First off is Session 9, a movie that has been bashed by critics and didn’t even premiere in the US.  Be that as it may, it’s as scary as anything.  There’s only one instance of special effects, David Caruso (who does a surprisingly good job) is the only immediately recognizable face, and there are a few head-scratching moments.  The plot revolves around an asbestos cleaning crew assigned to an abandoned psychic ward.  What’s different about Session 9 is that you can’t tell whether whatever is causing all the mischief in the ward is paranormal or not, at least until the very end of the movie, when the killer is revealed.  It contains a plethora of sub stories, though not enough to tarnish the film itself.  Scariest moments? The peanut butter jar in the hallway, being chased by darkness, and of course, “What are you doing here?” (You have to see it to understand.)

Second on the list is a semi-forgotten classic, Carnival of Souls.  It was remade in 1998, but that remake shall not be spoken of again, as it was spectacularly bad.  The original, on the other hand, was a psychological torture session.  It will make you feel alone, yet constantly watched at the same time.  The ending is a bit puzzling, but overall the flick is definitely worth a watch.

Last: any original version of the gaggle of remakes that came out within the past 10 years.  Amityville Horror, The Omen, My Bloody Valentine and a plethora of others lacked the same ultra-creepy feel that the originals provided.  I hope this trend won’t continue in the surplus of remakes coming out within the next few years, including such classics as The Birds, Children of the Corn, The Brood (which is another super scary film), Rosemary’s Baby, Susperia and far too many others for my taste.

There are a lot of other horror movies out there; there’s a lot to be said about all of them but far too little about those that deserve the attention more.