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Horror films are explorations of the unspoken鈥攅xhibitions of our deepest fears that test boundaries between ethics and survival, morality and serenity, and that make us choose between the known or the unknown of what鈥檚 beyond the forest鈥檚 edge or deep in the labyrinth. We asked cinema and psychology faculty to share their favorite horror films.

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Faculty: Jaume Marti-Olivella
Campus: Durham
Department: Languages, Literatures, and Cultures; European Cultural Studies

Professor Jaume Marti-Olivella names Werner Herzog鈥檚 1979 film 鈥淣osferatu the Vampyre鈥� a top horror film with a mesmerizing portrayal of the iconic vampire in this remake of the 1922 classic 鈥淣osferatu.鈥� After seeing it back home in Spain after its release, Olivella found Klaus Kinski鈥檚 performance as Count Dracula captivating.

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Faculty: Barbara Jago
Campus: Manchester
Department:听Social Science; Communication Arts

Faculty: Michael Mangan
Campus: Durham
Department: Psychology

Faculty: William Stine 听 听 听 听 听听
Campus: Durham
Department: Psychology

Stanley Kubrick鈥檚 鈥淭he Shining鈥� (1980), is as an absolute favorite of three faculty:

It鈥檚 not a film of jump scares says Barbara Jago, 鈥淚t is a smart horror film that keeps viewers on their toes.鈥� Professor Michael Mangan is fond of the film as well, saying, 鈥淚t鈥檚 just so darn creepy, disturbing and even somewhat darkly humorous. Jack Nicholson is one of my favorite actors too 鈥� he鈥檚 very funny/creepy (freepy?).鈥� Mangan is unsettled by the psychological thriller elements of the film: 鈥淥ne of the top things that I found disturbing (and memorable) is when Jack began to lose his mind by way of that sinister, evil force in the hotel.鈥� Professor William Stine, who viewed the film in 1980 shortly after its release, notes, 鈥淜ubrick鈥檚 direction is astonishing.鈥�

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Faculty: Matthias Konzett
Campus: Durham
Department: English

Voted on CNN to be one of the best Asian films ever made, 鈥淥ldboy,鈥� (2003) directed by Park Chan-wook, is 鈥渘ot a formulaic horror film but an existential revenge thriller about wrong imprisonment and many unexpected twists and turns,鈥� says professor Matthias Konzett. A long take in which the protagonist fights his way through a herd of his former captors with a hammer is a stand-out scene for Konzett, who names Jack Torrance (鈥淭he Shining鈥�) and (鈥淐andyman鈥�) his favorite horror characters of all time.

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Faculty: Anthony Tenczar
Campus: Manchester
Department: Social Science; Communication Arts

Alfred Hitchcock is known for psychological thrillers, especially 鈥淧sycho鈥� (1960), which professor Anthony Tenczar calls 鈥渁 cinematic masterpiece.鈥� Tenczar says, 鈥淔ew directors can manipulate the viewer鈥檚 emotions like Hitchcock. The film鈥檚 shower montage is an astonishing moment in cinema.鈥� Hitchcock鈥檚 manipulation of the viewer鈥檚 emotions and the iconic shower scene make 鈥淧sycho鈥� stand out, and as Tenczar claims, 鈥淥nce you see the film you will never forget it, and it might be a while before you take a shower in a motel.鈥�

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Faculty: Douglas Lanier
Campus: Durham
Department: English; Center for Study Abroad

For those more theatrical at heart, professor Douglas Lanier suggests Douglas Hickox鈥檚 1973 film 鈥淭heatre of Blood.鈥� After seeing the film in a theatre in Florida as an undergrad, Lanier reports he was struck by 鈥渋ts blend of horror, humor and Shakespeare鈥� and notes that lead actor Vincent Price named 鈥淭heatre of Blood鈥� a favorite of his own films as well. Lanier also names Shaun of the comedic zombie flick 鈥淪haun of the Dead鈥� as his favorite horror character of all time, proving that comedy and horror don鈥檛 always belong as strangers.

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Faculty: Mark Henn
Campus: Durham
Department: Psychology

Professor Mark Henn names John D. Hancock鈥檚 1971 film 鈥淟et鈥檚 Scare Jessica to Death鈥� as a favorite: 鈥淚t was, in my opinion, much scarier than the original 鈥楬alloween鈥�(which I had seen, earlier, in the theatre in 1978 or 鈥�79). I loved the subtle story 鈥� are the horrible things Jessica is seeing real, or of her own imagination?鈥� Henn details, 鈥淭he scene in her room with the gravestone rubbings was horrifying.鈥� Henn, who saw the film in the 1980s on late-night television, explained,鈥淲e begged the security guard to let us stay until the end; he made his rounds, then watched the rest of the movie with us.鈥�

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Faculty: Lori Hopkins
Campus: Durham
Department: Languages, Literatures, and Cultures; Women鈥檚 Studies

Director Guillermo del Toro is of particular interest to professor Lori Hopkins who names his films 鈥淐ronos鈥� (1993), 鈥淭he Devil鈥檚 Backbone鈥� (2001), and 鈥淧an鈥檚 Labyrinth鈥� (2006) as favorites. 鈥淒el Toro considers horror films to be either warnings against crossing the boundaries 鈥� or liberating visions of fantasy/horror, when one dares to cross over the spaces that lead to unknown and possible pathways to liberation and rebellion. He chooses the latter.鈥� Hopkins elaborates, 鈥淭hese are not films of warning and dread, but ones that make us face our fears and see 鈥� what is on the other side.鈥� Hopkins also suggests director David Cronenberg鈥檚 1983 film 鈥淰ideodrome鈥� which she says, 鈥減ush[es] the limits of science, sexuality and humanity.鈥�

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