Texas Chainsaw Massacre (74), The Exorcist, Halloween (78), Suspiria, Opera, Black Sunday, Invasion of the Body Snatchers (56 & 78 Version – box set), Possession, Blood Sucking Freaks, Toxic Avenger, Twentynine Palms
The Innocents, with Deborah Kerr. A classic ghost story, told beautifully, and creepy as hell.
However, I think this topic has been brought up before.
Shivers, The Brood, Scanners, Rabid, The Thing From Another World, Rec.
Nosferatu
I’d love for Criterion to do a Val Lewton boxed set with Cat People, I Walked With a Zombie, and The Seventh Victim
Freaks
Halloween
set with Abel Ferrara’s The Addiction and Body Snatchers (or, include Body Snatchers in Matt’s Invasion set above)
The Others
Kairo
Edmond
“the exorcist” for sure. not only is it one of the towering works of the genre, i honestly think its a perfect film. i mean, as well-put together as a film can be. i feel the same way about a film like “north by northwest” for example. perfect film, perfect execution.
plus, “the exorcist” is ready and waiting for a behind-the-scenes/supplemental treatment. there’s enough back info on that film to fill a multi-disc set easily.
suspiria
Ringu. but not the hollywood remake. the best freaked-out weird horror right now is japanese. I don’t know if it’s a cultural mismatch that I find unsettling, but I can hardly watch.
A friend of mine told me he was bored with horror movies so I pointed him to Ju-On and it bothered him so much he had to hold onto his dog for protection.
Rosemary’s Baby, The Haunting (original) and The Exorcist. Halloween has had so many special editions with bountiful supplementary material that putting out a Criterion release would be pointless.
I would love and Eclipse set of early Cronenberg with: Rabid, Scanners, Shivers, and The Brood.
I second Johnny’s very simple one word entry: Suspiria
It’s being discussed over in the Criterion Coming Soon & Discussion thread, but since it involves the horror genre I’ll mention it here.
In their most recent newsletter Criterion has “announced” Guillermo del Toro’s Cronos for a fall 2009 release. I quote the word announce, since it comes in the form of their monthly cartoon hint, as opposed to 100% confirmation.
Yes, Brandon, I noticed that as well. Cronos is still my favorite of del Toro’s films.
Lucio Fulci
Dario Argento
Mario Bava
Eddie Romero
Umberto Lenzi
Herschell Gordon Lewis
My favorite horror film that isn’t Criterion is Dead of Night (1946)
Have to second Suspiria and Nosferatu! I would also add The Fly, Repulsion, The Evil Dead, Black Sabbath, A Tale Of Two Sisters…off the top of my head, those are my favourite non-criterions. I know there’s more.
the original dawn of the dead. or they could do a box set of night of the living dead with dawn of the dead. i think of all the night of the living dead releases i’ve seen, none of them have really given it the respect it deserves as a milestone.
The Exorcist
Frankenstein (1931)
The Wolfman
The Creature From The Black Lagoon
The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari
Halloween
Pet Sematary
okay…Friday the 13th
Agree with most of the suggestions that have been posted thus far (especially Abel Ferrara’s The Addiction which I don’t think has even seen a regular DVD release). To these I would add -
The Wicker Man (the original obviously – not the Nic Cage remake).
The Stepfather
Day of the Dead – Romero’s masterpiece
Day Of The Dead! right on neil. I also would add possession.
The Brood, Misery, Paper House and Pet Semetary.
lawrence
If you were able to decide on a horror film for Criterion, list the films you think would deserve a release.