Martin Scorcese’s scariest movies of all time

Arguably one of the best directors of his generation, Martin Scorsese spoke to The Daily Beast about his personal top ten scariest horror movies. He actually came up with eleven and what you would expect from a true auteur, picked movies that were form over substance or art over blood and gore.

Although my top eleven looks nothing like Scorsese’s list apart from similar picks like The Exorcist, The Shining, and The Entity, I do agree with the premise behind each selection. Scorsese chose movies that were stylish and artistic in creation and frights that come from what we appear to see or in fact what we don’t see. These films play on our basic fright instincts of darkness and our own imagination getting the better of us. This type of horror is vastly superior to full frontal blood and guts.

I respect Martin Scorsese as a true auteur and lover of film as an art form and although his list reflects the choices of a man born from a different generation, I am certainly intrigued by some of the black and white movies that I have yet to see. I look forward to spending the next week hunting them down and finding out if I actually agree with the man. I am a little surprised that classics like director Tod Browning’s Freaks (1932) and the original silent movie, Nosferatu (1922) from director F.W. Murnau, aren’t on the list. For those of you who think that only contemporary horror is scary, I dare you to watch these two movies with the lights turned off.

Here are Martin Scorsese’s top eleven scary movies:

1)   The Haunting (1963)

2)   Isle of The Dead (1945)

3)   The Uninvited (1944)

4)   The Entity (1981)

5)   Dead of Night (1945)

6)   The Changling (1980)

7)   The Shining (1980)

8)   The Exorcist (1973)

9)   Night of The Demon (1957)

10)                 The Innocents (1961)

11)                 Psycho (1960)

Burlesque

Jenny Agutter and why older women are beautiful

I saw a short film the other day -a Berlin festival winner from a last year. Jenny Agutter starred in it. She was/is in her 50’s and very sexy. You know why? Because she has no botox, no facelift, no personal trainer. She was beautiful because she has lines and character.

Don’t believe the hype

After all the hype, I got down to watching the Blairwitch Project with some pals-back in the day. It was one of the most forgettable films.

So what I am saying is – I DON’T BELIEVE THE HYPE…most of the best movies out there have no marketing behind them and disappear…

Don’t get me wrong. I love escapist entertainment with bells and whistles but so many bad ones overshadow the so few good ones…

But all these massive crazy marketing tactics aren’t meant for my demographic and never will be. I love film art, not film $$$$

More Than A Game with LeBron James

I’m not going to lie to you. I don’t know one thing about basketball but I do know a good story and More Than A Game delivers enough true-life rags, riches, heartache and dream catching to capture Hollywood.

More Than A Game is written by Kristopher Belman and Brad Hogen. Under Belman’s direction the sport documentary is also accessible to non-sport fans, as the true human-interest story is nothing but compelling viewing.

Four years in the making, More Than A Game spans nine years in the lives of “The Fab Five;” Lebron James, Dru Joyce lll, Sian Cotton, Willie McGee and Romeo Travis; as these brothers stay connected with basketball through their connection with one another. Coach Dru Joyce ll fulfills his life long ambition to coach the team all the way to the nationals. Lebron James, of course, went on to become the superstar basketball player that he still is and is known throughout the world for his talent and personality.

Belman and Hogan gained unprecedented access to the boy’s lives in Akron, Ohio, all the way through to their national games. Interviews, news footage, home videos and photographs are put together in a cohesive fashion and at just the right pace.

The six characters in this story push all the right buttons and not only have me as a new basketball fan but I am sure that some day Hollywood will come knocking.