Wes Craven’s Greatest

The release of the remake of The Hills Have Eyes (haven’t seen it yet, although I hear it’s great) got me thinking about the Master of Horror Wes Craven’s best films. Craven’s had his share of duds (Cursed anyone?) but he’s also made some of the greatest suspense and horror films ever made. Here’s my top 5 Craven picks:

5.

The Serpent and the Rainbow (1988)

Without a doubt Craven’s most complex and mature film to date. Bill Pulman is fantastic as usual. Some of the scenes in this film scared the crap out of a 13 year old Donkey, particularly the scene where Bill Pullman is paralyzed and buried alive with a tarantula. Terrifying.

4.

The Last House on the Left (1972)

Craven’s first film is his edgiest and perhaps most disturbing. While some of the “flower power” look and flavor are dated, the film is as fierce and off-putting today as it was in 1972. Few films can claim that.

3.

Scream (1996)

If left in the hands of a lesser director, Scream would have been a forgettable 90s teen angst nugget. But Craven’s 20 years of horror experience elevated the project to classic status. There has since been a Scream backlash, but that’s all bullshit. This film is a classic, and came along to reinvigorate the horror movie genre at a time when it seemed stale and out of new ideas.

2.

A Nightmare on Elmstreet (1984)

It’s a shame in some ways that when people think of Freddy Krueger today, they think of an almost lovable jokester filled with one-liners. Craven’s original vision of Krueger was much, much darker. This film is both one creepy-ass horror flick and a meditation on the isolation of the teenage experience. The fact that Kreuger movies are still being made today says it all.

1.

The Hills Have Eyes (1977)

Relentless, brutal, and GENUINE. No happy endings here. Just the story of what happens when a regular family gets stuck in the desert and attacked by a family of….well, we’re never quite sure what their deal is. A horror masterpiece.