Summer 2009

Compare Your Favorite Horror Movies to KU’s own King of “Scream Plays”  

KU English professor William D. Prystauk’s scary screenplay “Red Agenda” may become the next Hollywood blockbuster hit.  

With vampires, SWAT teams, and high tension action in the nation’s capital, Prystauk’s action-horror first came to the attention of Hollywood when it won the 2008 International Horror and Sci-Fi Film Festival. Now the movie rights are under consideration by several Tinseltown producers. 

Prystauk is an unabashed fan of horror movies and offered this Top-10 list of favorite titles in the 2009 summer issue of the Tower magazine: 

1. Alien (Prystauk’s all-time favorite movie)
2. The Changeling
3. Frailty
4. Identity
5. Invasion of the Body Snatchers (1956, 1978)
6. Janghwa, Hongryeon (A Tale of Two Sisters)
7. Ôdishon (Audition)
8. The Ring
9. The Thing (1982)
10. Yogen (Premonition) 

Prystauk sweat blood narrowing down his selections – now it is your turn. Send us your Top-10 Horror Movie list to: toptenhorrormovies@kutztown.edu.

Though we can’t guarantee everyone’s list will be posted, you are invited to return to this page often to find out what is scaring other KU alumni. 

Just to get your creative juices flowing (or should that be oozing), Prystauk has insisted on expanding his favorites’ list by 15 more movies to reveal the Top-25 frightening flicks of all time: 

11. Rosemary’s Baby
There’s nothing like having a baby – unless it’s the Antichrist! Watch poor Rosemary’s world and psyche crumble as she steps into the darkside with Roman Polanski and a lot of pressure. 

12. The Shining
“All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy” – except when he’s revved up to kill. Kubrick brings Stephen King’s masterwork to the big screen in all its creepiness and claustrophobia. 

13. Ginger Snaps
And you thought high school was bad! Poor Ginger and her sister are obsessed with death – now they’re fighting for their lives.

14. Lifeforce
Vampires in space. Can’t beat that. Unless you’re human prey, of course. But there’s a lot more at stake besides that in this B-movie masterpiece from “Alien” scribe Dan O’Bannon. 

15. Hellraiser
“Demons to some. Angels to others.” Whichever category you fall into, it’s guaranteed you’ll come out a dissatisfied, bloody mess. (Pins are optional.)

 16. Dust Devil
This ain’t your mother’s vacuum cleaner. Another tale to make you think twice about picking up hitch hikers. This British cult film is amazing, as long as you get “The Final Cut” – before it gets you. 

17. Dellamorte Dellamore (Cemetery Man)
If you think caretakers have a dead-end job, this Italian horror will make you thankful for your regular 9-to-5 doldrums. But if you do happen to work in a graveyard, just make sure the dead stay dead. 

18. The Ninth Gate
There’s nothing like a good book to pass the time, unless it’s a gateway to Hell. This international mystery will make certain all your future reading comes from the children’s aisle.  

19. The Sixth Sense
Think this is just a thriller with one of the best endings of all time? Just remember, you may “see dead people”, but they’re also watching you – and they don’t look so good.  

20. Blood: The Last Vampire
After watching this phenomenal Japanese anime, it’s obvious this isn’t a cartoon. And with one strong story, this is one of the best action-vamp tales of all time. 

21. May
If you have trouble making friends, May Dove Canady will show you the way. Just remember to bring your own saws and scalpels. This is Lucky McKee’s and Angela Bettis’ signature masterpiece. 

22. Videodrome
Is television really bad for you? Not as long as you don't do what it tells you to. And if you're not chanting "Long live the new flesh!" at the end, consider yourself a slave to the small screen - forever. 

23. El habitante incierto (The Uninvited Guest)
If you’ve ever had that feeling you’re not home alone, this offbeat Spanish head-scratcher will leave you paranoid enough to have an impromptu soiree. Just make sure they all leave when the party’s over.  

24. The Orphanage
A horror movie can be beautiful – and it can also have one of the most heart-pounding scenes ever. This Spanish phenomenon is clearly one of the greatest dramatic horrors of all time. 

25. Let the Right One In
Do you love vampire movies, but are still looking for that perfect bloodsucker film? This might be it. Swedish, low budget and bitingly brilliant. This film has fangs.