1990: Best/Favorite Horror Films of Each Year

This is the first entry in a new series that I will be doing. Obviously based on the title you can surmise that this series will center on cataloging and examining the best horror films of each year, according to me. This series will structurally follow the outline that I have set up for my metal albums series. This will include a winning film along with up to five or so honorable mentions for each year. Once a decade is completed, I will compile the individual posts into a mega-list of the best horror films of each decade, similar to what I have done thus far for the metal albums series.

Horror is one of these truly underappreciated film genres, and the 1990s as a decade is one of the truly underappreciated eras in horror film. That decade is often thought of as a bit of a ‘dark ages’ situation between the numerous horror classics of the 1970s and 1980s and the modern revival of the genre and the emergence of highbrow and artsy horror films during the 2000s and especially during the 2010s. That reason, and that we are now culturally in a bit of a 1990s nostalgia period, is why I wanted to start here in 1990, and then move forward through the decade year by year. There were quite a few quality horror films that came out during the 1990s that are worth rediscovering. So whether you are a horror fan, or just looking for a hit of that sweet 1990s nostalgia, I hope you enjoy this list. And obviously, all of these films come recommended from me.

Winner: Misery

MPAA Rating: R

If you are familiar with my previous lists, then this one ranking highly should not come as a surprise. I placed Misery at number three on my list of the greatest films based on the works of Stephen King. That puts it up there in Carrie, Shining, and Shawshank territory. Everything I said back then still holds for why it is not just a great King adaptation but also my pick for the best horror film of the year:

After watching Misery, you will never hear the phrases “I love you” or “I’m your number one fan” in the same way. Misery, the film, is based on Stephen King’s novel of the same name that was published in 1987. This film has the distinction of not merely being a Stephen King film that was nominated for an Academy Award. I believe this is the only Stephen King film to actually win an Academy Award. And that award went to Kathy Bates for Best Actress for her performance as antagonist Annie Wilkes. Honestly, I would have given other Stephen King films more awards as well, but Kathy Bates is one of those instances where the Academy absolutely got it right. Bates is also spectacular in Dolores Claiborne later on in 1995 (her second King film), but she is truly even better in Misery. It is rare for horror films and the actors in them to ever be taken seriously for these awards. And that is what makes her win so significant. It is a win for a horror film, by an actress, who is the villain of the story. That is an amazing trifecta right there, and Bates absolutely deserves it. Her Annie Wilkes is easily one of the best villain performances that I have ever seen by anyone, not just by a woman.

The title Misery works on at least two levels. It is the name of the character Misery Chastain who is the star of a series of works by fictional author Paul Sheldon, who is played wonderfully by James Caan. Misery could also be said to be the state of Caan’s character throughout the majority of the film. Paul Sheldon is a successful writer who has just finished a new novel that he wants to have kick off the remainder of his career. While driving back from his rural writing retreat, he is caught in a snowstorm and his vehicle crashes and goes off the side of the road. Sheldon is found by superfan Annie Wilkes who brings Sheldon back to her house and tends to him as he recovers. What begins seemingly generously then turns much darker when Wilkes discovers that Sheldon has killed off the fictional protagonist of his series, Misery Chastain. Wilkes was obsessed with the character and becomes enraged that Sheldon would kill her off. What might have seemingly begun as an act of goodwill by a fan is now clear to both Sheldon and the audience that it was actually an abduction by an obsessed fan who had been stalking Sheldon and has not informed anyone as to Sheldon’s whereabouts. More so, Wilkes forces Sheldon to write her a new novel featuring Misery Chastain where she is revived. Sheldon, though injured in the crash with broken legs, makes multiple attempts to escape or at least notify the outside world of where he is. This conflict builds to the iconic and truly disturbing ‘hobbling’ scene.

Honorable Mention: Jacob’s Ladder

MPAA Rating: R

Jacob’s Ladder is a psychological horror film that is both critically acclaimed but also feels like a bit of an underappreciated gem simultaneously. Sure it makes it onto a bunch of best horror of the year and decade lists, but it also feels like this movie has not been as widely seen by the general public as perhaps it should have been. Tim Robbins stars as our titular Jacob Singer. Jacob, a Vietnam veteran, begins having hallucinations and flashbacks to that period. The audience is led to believe that Jacob and his military compatriots are suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder. He struggles to come to terms with what is real and unreal in his fractured memories of his life, and he begins to think that he might be encountering demons. However, as the plot develops we discover that his own reality is actually more disturbing than he had remembered, and that his post-Vietnam life is not actually real but exists in his own mind as a grand psychological struggle with his own mortality and the events that lead to his death. Jacob’s Ladder, as you can probably grasp, is a rather cerebral film which goes along with the psychological horror subgenre. Due to that, this film might benefit from multiple watches in order for the viewer to truly grasp the nuances and the complete timeline. Again, Jacob’s Ladder is a solid film and is easily up there for one of the best horror films of the year as well as for the 1990s decade.

Honorable Mention: Tremors

MPAA Rating: PG13

I am not sure how else to say it other than just to say it: Tremors is pretty much exactly as the trailer presents it. It is just a fun monster movie. The small town of Perfection is terrorized by a group of giant wormlike creatures that live underground. Kevin Bacon and Fred Ward are wonderful in the lead roles as the town’s most capable laborers who become the town’s best hope for survival as monster hunters. The film works because it is able to deliver earnestly on the monster and horror elements of the plot, but it is also aware enough of itself and injects enough humor and levity so as to not take itself too seriously. In that sense, the film is essentially able to have it both ways. There is so much humor and levity that it is almost a comedy film. But at the same time, the horror elements are all there and they are done well too. And that is really the idea that keeps coming back to mind: it is an enjoyable movie that is done well in every aspect. Thus, Tremors is an example of one of those films that is better than it has any right to be given its subject matter. The film knows what it is, and does it all well.

Honorable Mention: The Exorcist III

MPAA Rating: R

The Exorcist III is the only sequel that appears on today’s list. Part of that is because the general rule holds that sequels suck and are inherently derivative, and that is especially true for horror and comedy films. However, there are instances where a quality sequel is produced, but it usually only happens under certain circumstances. One of those circumstances applies here and is what makes The Exorcist III work. The original Exorcist film back in 1973 was adapted from William Peter Blatty’s novel of the same name from 1971. Good source material is often one of the strongest pillars of a film adaptation, and Blatty actually won the Academy Award for Best Adapted Screenplay for that film. The 1973 film is a true horror classic, and though it is not my preferred subgenre of horror, it is still an incredibly important entry in film history. The first sequel to that film, 1977’s Exorcist II: The Heretic, is one of the classic examples of a crappy horror sequel. It is not based on Blatty’s work and is thus an example of a derivative and vastly inferior sequel that has no real purpose other than as a cash grab. That is not the case at all though for our third franchise entry. The Exorcist III is based on William Peter Blatty’s 1983 book Legion, which was itself a sequel to his 1971 novel.

The return to Blatty’s creative input and new source material is why his name is featured so prominently in the marketing for the film and is one of the major factors for what makes The Exorcist III work as a film. The film actually has its own story to tell, and it returns to the angle of demonic possession but does so in a newer way so it is not a rehash of the original. Exorcist III blends the demonic possession style of horror with the serial killer style of horror. We follow a police detective, played by George C. Scott, who investigates a recent murder committed in the mode of the Gemini Killer (a fictional serial killer loosely based on the Zodiac killer) who was executed decades earlier. The investigation leads to the discovery that Father Damien Karras, who was believed to have died at the end of the first film, is still alive and has been a patient at this psychiatric ward for the past few decades. Karras is possessed by the demon who had possessed the Gemini killer.

While it is not as iconic as the original film, The Exorcist III is the rare quality sequel film in the horror genre. It is one of the extremely few horror sequels that actually deserves to exist. That might not sound immediately like high praise, but in the context of how bad and worthless most horror sequels are, I actually intend that as high praise. It accomplishes that because it returns to and bases itself on the work of the creative force of the original: that being author William Peter Blatty. Also, the film returns to some of the themes and elements that made the original work, but does them in a very different way so that it feels fresh. When it comes to the Exorcist film franchise, there might be five films in total, but in reality only films one and three are worth watching. Forget everything else in the franchise exists, and just watch those two films for perhaps the best one-two punch you will ever get from the demonic possession subgenre. Plus, the film includes one of the greatest jump scares ever put to film, so that has to count for something.

Honorable Mention: The Reflecting Skin

MPAA Rating: R

Sometimes terrible things do happen quite naturally. For as great and effective as monsters and demons can be in horror film, sometimes it is actually just the worst of humanity that is truly terrifying and horrific. The Reflecting Skin is one of those films that delves into some of the true horrors of human life, and examines them from the distorted or fantastical perspective of a child in post-war rural America.

The film is set in the 1950s and is seen from the perspective of Seth Dove, a young boy. Seth and his friends experience childhood within the context of the mourning and malaise of rural America following the Second World War. They encounter a women who experienced the Blitz as well as the suicide of her husband. Seth and his friends believe her to be a vampire. They encounter a gang of young men driving a black Cadillac that we learn are abducting and killing children in town. When the children’s bodies start turning up, the first suspect is Seth’s father who had been accused of a homosexual incident years earlier. Even though the father is innocent of the child murders, the shame of this accusation and rehashing of those past events leads him to commit suicide by immolation. When Seth’s older brother Cameron, played by Viggo Mortensen, returns following the father’s death we learn that he was in the Pacific during the war and took part in the nuclear weapons tests. The audience realizes that Cameron is slowly dying of radiation exposure, though Seth believes his brother’s weakness is caused by Cameron taking up a relationship with the widow who Seth believes is a vampire. This childhood belief in the fantastical vampirism blinds Seth to reality, and he blames her for everything that is happening in town. He tries desperately to break up their relationship, and even convinces himself that she is responsible for the child murders, even when he sees the Cadillac gang abduct his friend.

In short, the strength of the film is that it wonderfully blends together the true horrors of modern life and that time period with the innocence of childhood. In that way, with the blending of real life horror and childhood innocence, it exists in somewhat similar territory as a film like Stand By Me (1986), which you will remember I also enjoyed. However, The Reflecting Skin takes those elements and increases the horror dimension by an order of magnitude.

Honorable Mention: Arachnophobia

MPAA Rating: PG13

Arachnophobia is a bit of an odd one. For one, it has one of the more disjointed critic versus audience scores on Rotten Tomatoes that I have ever seen, with like a forty point spread there. I see Arachnophobia as existing in a similar vein as the aforementioned Tremors, and I include it on this list for a lot of the same reasons. Arachnophobia is a solid and fun monster movie that incorporates some levity and comedic elements. It delivers earnestly on the horror/monster elements while also intelligently not taking itself too seriously.

A scientific expedition to South America discovers a previously unknown species of spider. One of the men mysteriously dies, and the spider that killed him stows away in his coffin. When the body is returned to his hometown, the spider sets up home in a nearby barn where it mates with a local spider and produces an entirely new breed. Jeff Daniels plays that town’s new doctor, who suffers from arachnophobia. He investigates a string of deaths that he believes are caused by spider bites, though he does not realize that his own barn is the home of this new breed of spiders. John Goodman plays the town’s exterminator, and his character adds a considerable amount of the humor and levity.

Again, while these spider monsters are smaller and while the wormlike creatures in Tremors were massive, the two films really do succeed in a number of the same areas. Arachnophobia is another solid and fun monster movie.

Tangential Bonus 1: Darkman

MPAA Rating: R

This film is on here really just as a bonus, because I wanted to include it and it is my prerogative to do so. Darkman is not a true horror film per se. It is more of a superhero film, but due to writer and director Sam Raimi it incorporates a lot of horror imagery into it. So for that reason, it is also recommended to the horror audience, not just the superhero audience. And since this one came in at number nine on my 1990s superhero film decade list, then you can imagine that I quite like this one. As I said on that list:

Director Sam Raimi is perhaps more well known for what he did before this movie, the Evil Dead horror films, and what he did after this, the Spiderman movies of the 2000s. However, Darkman is a wonderful middle point that features both the horror elements and what would become the classic superhero elements. And that is really how I would recommend watching this film. Darkman stars Liam Neeson as Peyton Westlake, a scientist that invents a rapid synthetic skin technology and is then seemingly murdered when his lawyer girlfriend (played by Frances McDormand) uncovers evidence of corruption in a case she is pursuing. Westlake is severely burned and disfigured in the attack, and he works in secret to further develop his technology to both permanently restore his own face and enact his revenge against the people who ruined his life by using their faces to infiltrate and take down their organization. The name Darkman comes from one of the flaws in his technology in that the synthetic skin loses structural integrity following 99 minutes exposure to sunlight. Overall this is a unique and rather solid darker take on the superhero genre, and features a good acting performance by Liam Neeson in the lead role. There were two sequels made later in the 1990s but neither involve either Liam Neeson or Sam Raimi, and are thus significantly inferior products.

Tangential Bonus 2: The Witches

MPAA Rating: PG

This movie came out when I was a little kid. I actually remember them showing it to us when I was in preschool because it was only rated PG, but I remember this movie scared the crap out of me when I was a kid. Between the little girl getting magically forced to live her life within the painting, to the kids getting turned into mice, to the grotesque true appearance of the witches, this movie was too much for me as like a four year old. Watching it now as an adult you notice different things. Anjelica Huston’s performance as the Grand High Witch was a standout (and she will definitely make repeat appearances in this tangential ‘horror’ section for future years). Also as an adult you notice how much this movie plays as a “family” movie (aka a kids movie) with the protagonist being a boy. But in watching this one again, I was struck by how “adult” it actually is in terms of being genuinely creepy and unnerving. The Witches really does have its dark moments, and that sequence at the beginning with the girl getting abducted and put into the painting is genuinely unnerving because there is no happy resolution to it. It sets one hell of a tone for a nominally kids/family movie. And at the end of the day, The Witches is too much a kids/family movie to make the list as a proper horror movie. But between the witches themselves and the genuinely dark moments in the film, this is a good fit for the tangential section and actually might be a good way to introduce a child to horror films.

Tangential Bonus 3: Total Recall

MPAA Rating: R

Total Recall is a wonderful sci-fi action film directed by Paul Verhoeven. The film is based on the story “We Can Remember It for You Wholesale” by Philip K Dick published in 1966. The story is set in the late 21st century and centers on a construction worker named Douglas Quaid (played by Arnold Schwarzenegger). It deals with themes of the blurring of reality and fantasy as Quaid visits a company that promises to be able to install false memories of a vacation. However, at the facility there is an incident and Quaid awakens to realize that he is a secret agent who has had his memory erased to make him think that he was a mere construction worker. Quaid returns to Mars to complete his supposed mission to infiltrate the mutant rebel base, but he eventually aids the rebels in freeing Mars. Is that reality or was this all a false memory? The film is intentionally vague about which is true, though there are some clues throughout. The acting, story, direction, and special effects (specifically the creature and body effects) are all solid. Total Recall is definitely a film to check out if you have not seen it or to revisit (or recall?) if you have.