The Woman in Black

Effectively moody and downright chilling. It doesn't rely on jump scares, but the few it DOES have are doozies. I wasn't expecting a Hollywood ending, but was still surprised by how dark they went. Classic stuff.

Two of the best, most shocking, "jump" scenes I've ever laid eyes on. So amazingly shot, framed and paced. The tension builds and builds and builds, right up until the climax. And what an ending?! I hate to imagine the saccharine little bow that an American remake would wrap it up with. Please, never remake this. 2012 EDIT: They did. Sigh. With predictably uneven (at best) results.

It takes its time and is all the better for it. Contemporary horror mostly force cheap scares, often using shock tactics based on sudden loud noises as a crutch. This relies on an eerie atmosphere and a creepy story and it has some very memorable scenes. The ending was disappointing. It felt slobby. Especially, I suspect, because the rest of the film is so well crafted.

A quietly effective TV chiller. Tricky to get hold of these days, which is a shame as it's a far more faithful and effective version of Hill's novel than the recent stylish Hammer effort. The small cast is likeable, and the production, although hampered by a TV budget, works in creating a sense of dread. Kneale's screenplay keeps things moving nicely, and the changes to the source material work fine. Crucially, while it changes the ending of the book, the tone is retained. Surprisingly good.

A very traditional horror film, and yet surprisingly effective. It takes cues from the Invisible Man, the Innocents, and the Shining, among others, and unfortunately it doesn't set itself apart very much. Still, there's a lot to be said for execution: slowly building dread, an eerie location used to its fullest, and a few very tense, shocking moments.

A good example of how to make a chilling story. So this tv movie overall doesn't quite have the muscle as you'd expect from a cinematic production, but it tells it's story well and doesn't rely on cheap scares to get you jumping. Less is more when it comes to scary films and this demonstrates an understanding for "scary" that the big budget version misses. Best enjoyed with the lights off and the phone off the hook. Wait it out, follow the story... because when it comes, it'll get you good!

Soooo creepy. Just when you think something predictable is going to happen, they really make you wait for it. I'm not a horror fan, but this movie is definitely something to watch.

Moody atmospheric horror as only the British can provide, so much so that if I'm not mistaken the titular character that haunts the estate was doomed to such a fate solely because she would stand dormant on the left side of an escalator.

If not for the ending which may break a Hays Code rule, this "horror" film is so respectable it could easily have been made in 1940's Hollywood w/ no edits at all. This is not to say that it's bad, but its attempts to scare & suspense are relatively rare. It's so old fashioned it also requires literally no special efx, which is a strength in its plot. But, if not for 1 effective jump scare & the ending which impress simply b/c they're so aberrant in something so staid, this would be forgotten.

Way better than the remake in pretty much every way. It's funny that it's a longer movie but because it's more thoughtfully paces, less actually happens.