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an exercise in plotting and suggestion. When you see the film for the first time, you see all of the signs that something evil and strange is going on, but you think,"No, it can't be." Every scene of the movie slowly builds up to the horrific conclusion, and even though you know what it must be, you are still shocked when you arrive there. The movie is based on a novel by Ira Levin, who also penned A Kiss Before Dying and The Stepford Wives, so he knows how to craft a twisted plot. In the hands of Roman Polanski, and with a gamine Mia Farrow in the lead role, Rosemary's Baby is no mere thriller. It's a feeling of dread that escalates and escalates.

What makes the film so nerve-wracking is watching poor Rosemary's developing sense that something is wrong, while everyone around her treats her like a nut case. The larger the conspiracy seems, the more we care for her and also fear for her. It's an idea that resonates with us all personally: Am I the only sane person in this crazy world? We all feel like Rosemary sometimes. The domestic setting, a young couple expecting their first baby, just serves to make the movie all the more familiar to us. Evil doesn't just exist on exotic islands or in haunted castles; it's right here. It's in your neighborhood or house, if only they'd believe you!

The Silence of the Lambs (1991)

Hannibal Lecter: "Brave Clarice. You will let me know when those lambs stop sceaming, won't you?"

The Silence of the Lambs may be the most critically recognized horror film of all time. Featuring the acting skills of Jody Foster and Anthony Hopkins under the direction of Jonathan Demme, the film won a total of five Academy Awards, while snapping another 39 other awards. No one can deny that Silence of the Lambs made an impact on the acceptability of the horror film in mainstream cinema. But why did it resonate so much with everyday Americans? With a plethora of crazed killer movies out there, what made this one so special? It had to be more than just powerhouse acting and brilliant direction.

The key is in the delicate relationship between Hannibal and Clarice. Their interactions are a like a dance, with each character trying to take the lead. Despite the fact that Hannibal Lecter is a psychologically depraved serial killer, his role becomes like that of a therapist, or even a father. While Clarice is supposed to be the "good guy", it becomes apparent that her psychology is less than stable. She isn't sure of herself or even who she is. Lecter, on the other hand, is sophisticated and sure. It's this contrast between good and evil, with the lines blurred in an unfamiliar way, that makes this film disturb and fascinate.

What all of these films have in common, as I mentioned before, is that they go beyond just good craftsmanship (which they all have). They leave us with a souvenir, a token that we carry with us on our way home from the theater or when we go to bed at night. These films ask us questions about ourselves and the world we live in. When a horror movie makes you think about the world and yourself like these do, they undoubtedly earn the right to be called the best.

Learn more about this author, Elizabeth Kelly.
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