I've recently introduced a friend to the horror genre and was just wondering if anyone's done the same and if so, what movies did you use? I started out with the slashers, like Friday the 13th, and Nightmare on Elm Street, Halloween, etc, then we did some gorefests including Re-Animator, we did the Romero "Dead" trilogy, House on Haunted Hill (original then remake), also Omega Man and then I Am Legend (another comparison night). At the moment I'm trying to convince her to see TX Chainsaw Massacre...but so far no dice...anyway, interested to hear others and get some ideas!

I recommend the Evil dead trilogy. It's just classic and original.

It really depends on how squeamish this person is - sounds to me like she has seen some of the basics, but you don't want to have too much too soon or she may decide that horror is not for her because she gets sensory overload.

And... as much as I LOVE the Evil Dead flicks I do not recommend them for a novice. I tried that with two friends of mine and they didn't get it... it was too low budget, it was too gory, it was too this and too that... I actually got put on "movie probation" for The Evil Dead... that is not for a complete novice in my opinion.

The Zombie Master will likely have some input here - he wrote a series of articles on BHM that deals with this very thing... you can see it Here.

Don

Horror for a novice, I used "All Souls Day", me, I hated it but my son [7 years old] loved it, and my wife [who does not like horror and can't understand why I do] did not mind it either. They both like "Unrest" and she loved 30 Days Of Night [I do have limits when it comes to my son.] She liked Rest Stop, I watch em first before I try and subject em to the goodness. Never watch a film for the first time with a beginner, they may just get shell shocked.

Cool, thanks all, yeah I forgot another one we watched was Evil Dead II but she didnt like it very much...although I'm a fan of them but I agree they are not for everyone.

An American Werewolf in London

Carrie

Christine

Rosemary's Baby

And when you say gorefests....you have shown her Braindead/Dead Alive right?  (might be a little on the grotesque disgusting side, but its damn good)

LOL no braindead yet...but im working on her

I think you should throw in some really cheesey flicks too or like horror/comedy movies. Just to get some variety.

 AGREED!

Try Shaun of the Dead.  "It's a Romantic Comedy...with Zombies."

We've done Basket Case, Critters, Arachnophobia...yep, Shaun of the Dead and Black Sheep - both very funny

How about Munchies? Do any of you remember that movie?

I remember munchies! But hmm from here i'd go into like the girl scout movie you know what I mean all those horror movies where the plot is a group of teenagers does something stupid together and end up in this horrible predicament (sometimes involving serial killers, monsters or creepy old dudes) or you can go for a kind of chick flick horror you something that has an underlying love story like  Near dark or something along those lines

So how is this introduction going by the way?

how about Slither?  My youngest liked it -- thought it was funny.  And she usually doesn't like horror. Doesn't like reverting back to nitelight status.  Although she also thought "The Last horror Movie" was funny. 

Near Dark is in my collection but we havent gotten round to that yet. I've heard of Slither but never seen it...and *shock horror* i've never heard of Munchies??

Tremors is pretty decent.  And May is great for kind of a different kind of horror..an offbeat horror.  A subtler horror based in human emotions and actions of people and their consequences.

Did you ever watch Firefly the series?  Nathan Fillian, the captain plays the sherriff in Slither.  Great role for his comedic timing.  Great blend of humor and horror -- I loved it.  And originally I thought it was going to suck hard.

Near Dark = American vampirism par excellence.  Watch it soon.  It deserves to be moved up near the front of your line.

Well, I introduced horror genre to many of my friends and most of them liked it and they're now watching all the horror movies with me. And I'm planning to introduce it to more friends and to some girls too . I've found many interesting and useful tips here in this topic and in The Beginner's Shelf too and I can only add something from my own experience: From Dusk Till Dawn-you can do the whole trilogy, but the first one is the best,it's not that dark as the other vampire films and it has really great actors and some great jokes too so it's really watchable with the novices.

Underworld-this is a great starter to creature horrors too,it has a great story from the past,some romance and great creature fights and it's not that brutal

The Ring-and all the american remakes of japanese horrors are great for beginners to get used to the japanese style films,I've started with the american ring and i got to the diamonds like Ju-On or The Host

Saw-again,the first one is the best because next parts are too complicated to get for the first watch

There are many of them which i can't remember at the moment but i beg you'll find out you own way how to introduce this great genre to your friends. Believe me, it's worth it!

Never seen Firefly but saw and enjoyed Serenity.

Still havent watched Near Dark because my big tv shat itself and died, and i've been relegated to a borrowed, small tv and putting widescreen movies on it is akin to trying to catch a glimpse of an attractive neighbour through her fucking MAIL SLOT, so i've been too depressed to watch anything cool until I manage to get myself a new big TV...sucks, but what can u do?

You do that too? I used to watch my neighbor like that, but then she started poking an umbrella through the slot at me, so I switched to interporn.

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If I were introducing someone to horror movies, I'd use Halloween and the original Hills Have Eyes. That was the halloween night double feature at the drive-in that hooked me back in the day. If it was good enough for me, it ought to be good enough for somebody else.

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Honestly, though, you guys actually know people who need to be introduced to horror movies? That boggles my mind.

Well, it usually tends to be a willfull act of ignorance.  People who purposely avoid them on principle...then someone suddenly proves to them that they arent so bad.

If you want to have the ladies all over you in fear, nothing beats asian horror in the dark. The Ring, Shutter, The Eye etc (make sure they're the originals!!!!!!!!!!) will scare the living shit out of any horror novice. Endless fun.

well if you've started with slashers and then some zombie movies how about some superatural/cult/ghost sort of thing next, like The Omen, ghost ship etc or some classics like psycho or carrie

Good Antichrist Almighty my friend just informed me she's not seen The Omen. I totally forgot about that one, I was waiting to buy the super-duper trilogy collection but it slipped off my radar. Anyway, it's going onto the playlist for Halloween viewing, she's gotta see that one!

"He must die, Mr Thorn!"

ok, here ya go

one night of introductory horror

start out with something real freaky then end the night on a lighter note

that's how I like to do it

Example

1.  The Exorcist

2.  Near Dark

3.  Shaun of the Dead

and you have seen possesed little girl, kickass vampires, and  zombies all in one night

That's very nice--very good set.

Yep that is a good list, bloodlust! Speaking for my friend, I've shown her Exorcist and Shaun of the Dead, I'm still trying to convince her to watch TXCM.

just make sure you order up some good bbq for the night...with lots of sauce(licks fingers) mmmmm good

I'm working on getting my stepson into horror a little bit...before I came into the picture he had his mom and older sis for guidance...so he was watching "The Princess Bride" and stuff with Mandy Moore in it so I have to correct this.  My approach...and this is something I love about dvd...is to watch the making of featurettes with him.  For example, we watched some of the bonus disc that came with my FT13th box set recently.  Savini interviewing about how they do some of the make up effect, that kind of thing.  So, he gets clips from the movie during the interviews which makes him want to watch the rest, and also hopefully gets interested in the "how did they do that?" aspect of movies cuz I'm always interested in that.  Ease him into the world of murder and mayhem.  I guess thats not exactly where this thread was going but...

I agree. Don't forget One Missed Call, The Eye and Mirrors. I myself liked all those movies. Novice or not.

Whoa whoa whoa whoa....you have a problem with the Princess Bride?

no no...but there must be balance

Mandy Moore can be tolerated because well, she's quite do-able. But if they flick on anything named Miley or Hannah...it's time to get the poor boy outta there