Director Damien Leone, known for his work on Terrifier 3, has shared his ‘unofficial’ top five favorite horror films.
Following the release of a much-discussed horror film in 2024, which saw dramatic reactions from audiences, including walkouts and even someone vomiting, Leone’s expertise in the genre is undeniable.
To kick off the UNILAD Ranked series just in time for Halloween, Leone was asked to list his top five horror movies, though he mentioned to UNILAD in a Terrifier 3 interview, ‘this isn’t an official list’.
Starting off Leone’s ‘unofficial’ favorites in reverse is Rosemary’s Baby from 1968, crafted by Roman Polanski and produced by William Castle.
Adapted from Ira Levin’s 1967 novel, the film follows Rosemary (Mia Farrow) and Guy Woodhouse (John Cassavetes) as they move into a New York apartment block with peculiar neighbors and unsettling events.
As Rosemary becomes pregnant, her wariness towards her neighbors intensifies, revealing darker secrets at play.
Rosemary’s Baby is praised as ‘one of the best horror movies ever made’, boasting a 96 percent critics’ score and 87 percent audience score on Rotten Tomatoes.
The film’s legacy, however, is overshadowed by the actions of Polanski, who was charged with sexual offenses and fled to France.
The independent slasher known as John Carpenter’s Halloween was co-written and produced by John Carpenter and Debra Hill.
On Halloween night in 1963, six-year-old Michael Myers (Nick Castle) murders his teenage sister, leading to his confinement for 15 years until he escapes to continue his reign of terror.
Laurie Strode, portrayed by Jamie Lee Curtis, becomes the target of Myers’ deadly pursuit.
This iconic film spawned a franchise of 13 films, earning its status as a cult classic with a Rotten Tomatoes critics’ score of 96 percent and audience score of 89 percent.
Another classic from 1978, Dawn of the Dead, features 1970s-style grey zombies.
Written and directed by George Romero, the film depicts a widespread zombie apocalypse and focuses on four survivors fighting against overwhelming odds.
This survival tale is noted for its satire and grim social commentary on humanity’s condition.
Some scenes were so graphic that they were cut from the original UK release, including slow-motion zombie head explosions and the shooting of a zombie child, but by 2003, these were reinstated in the Blu-Ray edition.
The US version was initially rated ‘X’ due to its violence, but this was altered to assist with commercial success.
Dawn of the Dead received a 91 percent critics’ score and a 90 percent audience score on Rotten Tomatoes, and is frequently hailed as a ‘masterpiece’.
The Lost Boys, inspired by a story from Janice Fischer and James Jeremias, written by Jeffrey Boam, directed by Joel Schumacher, and produced by Harvey Bernhard, secures a spot on the list.
The film tells the story of brothers Michael (Jason Patric) and Sam (Corey Haim) who relocate to northern California with their mom (Dianne Wiest) to live with their grandfather (Barnard Hughes).
Michael becomes entangled with Star (Jami Gertz) and a local gang of vampires, which Sam’s new friends actively pursue.
The film’s Rotten Tomatoes scores are 76 percent for critics and 85 percent for audiences, placing it in the second spot on Leone’s list.
Leading Leone’s ‘unofficial’ top horror movies is none other than JAWS.
Based on Peter Benchley’s 1974 novel, this thriller was co-written by Benchley and Carl Gottlieb and directed by Steven Spielberg.
The narrative begins when a woman is attacked by a shark while swimming, prompting police chief Martin Brody (Roy Scheider) to push for beach closures, facing opposition from Mayor Larry Vaughn (Murray Hamilton).
The plot thickens as Brody teams up with ichthyologist Matt Hooper (Richard Dreyfuss) and ship captain Quint (Robert Shaw) to capture the shark.
Despite its budget issues and mechanical problems, JAWS achieved a 97 percent critics’ score and a 90 percent audience score on Rotten Tomatoes.
The film inspired a series of sequels, video games, theme park attractions, and even a musical, while winning multiple Oscars, notably for John Williams’ iconic score.
Leone chose not to include any films from the Terrifier franchise in his list, but with a 76 percent critics’ score and an 87 percent audience score on Rotten Tomatoes, Terrifier 3 is worth catching in theaters before its run ends.