Deron Generally
Deron GenerallyThe Halloween season is here and in the run up to the big day I decided to examine what is considered “scary” in the world of horror movies.
Going with Rotten Tomatoes list of the 31 scariest movies, I decided to compare each film with another horror film from the same year to determine which one I found scarier.
For Day 8, the hordes of the undead take on British gothic horror as Night Of The Living Dead takes on The Blood Beast Terror.
Night of the Living Dead
A disparate group of individuals takes refuge in an abandoned house when corpses begin to leave the graveyard in search of fresh human bodies to devour. The pragmatic Ben (Duane Jones) does his best to control the situation, but when the reanimated bodies surround the house, the other survivors begin to panic. As any semblance of order within the group begins to dissipate, the zombies start to find ways inside — and one by one, the living humans become the prey of the deceased ones.
The film that revolutionized the zombie film and gave birth to the way we see depictions of zombies today from The Walking Dead and beyond. George Romero’s film was subversive for its time for several reasons and has been used as a template for both horror movies and social commentary for decades.
Pros
While the movie speculates what might have happened, there is no definitive event that spawns the rise of the undead. That uncertainty adds to the horror.
From shock to fear and even determination, all of the characters in the film react in ways that are natural given the circumstances.
The setting is perfect. A secluded farm house in the middle of nowhere is a perfect horror location and Romero utilizes the location brilliantly.
The zombies are more intimidating and scary because of their slow, lumbering movements. Their growing numbers only add to the suspense.
Cons
Barbara is an emotional anchor holding everyone down.
The production value is relatively low and definitely a product of its time.
The Blood Beast Terror
A Victorian policeman (Peter Cushing) discovers a professor’s (Robert Flemyng) daughter (Wanda Ventham) is a king-size moth with the kiss of death.
Taking place in 19th century Britian, The Blood Beast Terror has shades of Dracula, Frankenstein and other classic horror films.
Pros
The setting is great. I love movies set in the Victorian era and a horror movie in that era has potential.
Peter Cushing….nuff said.
Cons
It’s a man sized killer moth movie.
The acting is so wooden by the supporting cast that they could have used cardboard cutouts and they would exhibit more emotion.
The creature is laughable both in its presentation and mannerisms.
To be honest, there really is no competition here. For pure horror, inventiveness and story, the winner is….
Night Of The Living Dead
Let me know what you think. Are you a fan of Night of the Living Dead? Tell me in the comments which one is your favorite.
