30- The best giallo of all-time and among Argento's finest pics. Some have had better plots, but none is as gruesomely stylish as "Opera", which is what these films are all about. Great, weirdly varied soundtrack too.

28- Shyamalan's scripts are going down the drain, but this relatively straight forward effort takes advantage of his remarkable visual skills. Performances are great too. "Unbreakable" is probably a better film, though not a horror film.

26- One of the most subtley unsettling films around and with first rate performances. The story is nothing special, perhaps, but the execution makes this an eerie, sorrowful film.

24- I'm not generally big on vampires, but this has got the style and the great cast to carry the weak monster. Also, these ain't no nancyboy vampires, for once.

22- The most fearsomely vicious horror movie I've ever seen. An endurance test, no doubt, but an experience like few others.

20- One of the most underrated, undeservedly obscure horror films ever. Subtle horror rarely gets better than this, though it still builds to an effective climax.

18- I've seen a few hundred horror pics from the pre-modern era, and while many are enjoyable, few standup to the best of the modern films. This is the major exception. A true classic.

16- The best version of a great horror/sci-fi novel. Like I said, I like paranoiac, conspiracy-minded horror films, and they don't get any more paranoid than this.

14- Best Vampire film ever isn't really a vampire movie at all, but it's a bleak, fascinating character study. A very underrated Romero classic.

12- My favorite horror comedy. Repeated viewing have dulled the impact slightly, but I still love this movie.

10- Argento's candy-colored nightmare is perhaps the definitive European horror film. Deliciously surreal with terrific setpieces.

8- Sci-Fi horror is as effective today as it was the first time I saw it. Creature design is incredible and Scott generates tension and atmosphere effortlessly.

6- Too many horror fans like to point out how this isn't all that graphic. True enough, but it's still the bleakest, most stylish and sharply plotted serial killer pic ever. Way better than the overpraised indie favorite "Henry," not that they'll all that comparable.

4- Easily Fulci's best. Many view this as a camp flick, but I take it straight. It mixes first-rate visuals with outrageous gore, a lot zombies and a terrific soundtrack. What more could you want?

2- What can you say that hasn't already been said. Mixes legit horror with adventure adroitly, and Quint's monologue remains one of the greatest scenes ever.

A classic slasher, for sure, but I'm not that into slashers, as a whole. "A Nightmare on Elm Street" is first-rate too, but not quite good enough for the list.

Good twist. Too bad the rest of it sucks.

A very good horror film, but hardly flawless. We've gotten to the point where most people just declare everything Kubrick ever made a masterpiece. I don't buy this proposition.

There was a lot of lame horror-comedy produced in the late 80s, largely due to this film. It's okay, but not great by any stretch. And screw "Fright Night" and "The Lost Boys." Lame stuff.

30s horror is often good, but rarely great. "Dracula" isn't even good, frankly. Go with "The Invisble Man" or "White Zombie."