Host 2020
The Zoom-call movie they praised a year earlier; still the only real pandemic breakthrough, and one they credit to the technology rather than the virus.
The Big Picture · Discussion · Rankings · Interview
Let’s Rank the Horror Franchises. Plus: ‘Halloween Kills.’
October 15, 2021/ 83 min/ Sean Fennessey · Chris Ryan
Sean Fennessey and Chris Ryan sort eleven horror franchises into a top tier and rank it, then Fennessey talks Halloween Kills and the coming Exorcist reboot with director David Gordon Green.
56 films across 3 segments.
AI-generated This episode was transcribed and analyzed with AI models. The matches aren't perfect — expect the occasional misheard title or a link to the wrong film.
The State of Horror in 2021what worked, what's coming
Songbird 2020
Michael Bay's pandemic thriller, which they found unsuccessful.
The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It 2021
The weakest Conjuring so far, per Fennessey.
Don't Breathe 2 2021
Disappointing; it turns the original's rapist villain into the hero.
Don't Breathe 2016
One of Fennessey's favorite horror movies of 2016.
Escape Room: Tournament of Champions 2021
Neither host had seen it.
Escape Room 2019
Fennessey liked the first one.
Candyman 2021
Disappointing.
Spiral: From the Book of Saw 2021
Just okay.
Army of the Dead 2021
Closer to an action movie than horror.
Antlers 2021
Also okay; long delayed.
Wrong Turn 2021
A modest VOD hit; Fennessey rates its final five minutes among the year's best.
The Night House 2020
A Rebecca Hall near-one-hander that uses Richard and Linda Thompson's 'Calvary Cross.'
Old 2021
Shyamalan's beach movie; strong body horror, wooden dialogue.
V/H/S/94 2021
Fourth in the found-footage anthology series; both enjoyed it, Ratman especially.
Malignant 2021
Okay for an hour, then a batshit final 30 minutes. Film Twitter oversold it.
Titane 2021
Ducournau's Palme d'Or winner and France's Oscar entry; neither host had seen it yet.
Raw 2016
Ducournau's debut, the reference point for Titane.
Séance 2021
Simon Barrett's dorm-horror with Suki Waterhouse; on Shudder.
Superhost 2021
Airbnb-from-hell found footage; on Shudder.
For the Sake of Vicious 2021
Extreme grindhouse home-invasion, 80 minutes.
Concrete Plans 2020
Welsh construction-crew thriller Ryan pitches as similar to Shallow Grave.
Shallow Grave 1994
Danny Boyle's debut, the comparison for Concrete Plans.
Humanoids from the Deep 1980
New World Pictures schlock Fennessey watched for fun.
Scream 2022
The fifth film, from Radio Silence; the trailer had just dropped and gives away the opening kill.
Ready or Not 2019
Radio Silence's previous film.
The Black Phone 2021
Scott Derrickson and Ethan Hawke reteaming; the trailer premiered that morning.
Sinister 2012
Derrickson and Hawke's earlier collaboration.
It Follows 2014
David Robert Mitchell's horror favorite, cited for the coming 'They Hear It.'
Under the Silver Lake 2018
Mitchell's follow-up; Fennessey's most urgent underrated pick of the 2010s.
Nope 2022
Jordan Peele's then-upcoming film with Daniel Kaluuya.
The Horror Franchise Rankingsthe top tier, best to worst
No. 2
Alien 1979
No. 2: the late addition, promoted out of the 'is it horror' debate; Covenant is 'probably the scariest since the original.'
No. 4
A Nightmare on Elm Street 1984
Dream Warriors and New Nightmare carry it; Ryan's out on dreams.
No. 8
The Texas Chainsaw Massacre 1974
In the running for the greatest single horror film; a weak franchise around it.
No. 11
Poltergeist 1982
The fewest films of the group; last by default, though the first three have fans.
In conversation
David Gordon Green on
Halloween Kills 2021
The middle film of his trilogy, out in theaters and on Peacock; built to open Haddonfield up, not to resolve.
David Gordon Green on
Halloween 2018
His franchise relaunch, greenlit off a brief email exchange with Jason Blum.
David Gordon Green on
Halloween II 1981
His favorite prior sequel, though his trilogy pretends it didn't happen.
David Gordon Green on
The Exorcist 1973
His next legacy reboot, with Ellen Burstyn returning; he calls it a brilliant drama, not an obvious horror film.
David Gordon Green on
Medium Cool 1969
The Haskell Wexler film he showed the crew for Halloween Kills' mob-mentality thread.
David Gordon Green on
Thunderbolt and Lightfoot 1974
Possibly his favorite film, mixing comedy, action, and drama, almost a western.
David Gordon Green on
Your Highness 2011
His big-budget swing with Danny McBride: 'cost a lot, lost a lot.'
David Gordon Green on
Prince Avalanche 2013
The small film he wishes had been a hundred-million-dollar hit.
Also mentioned raised along the way
Tier two franchises Child's PlayThe ConjuringThe FlyPhantasmThe Amityville HorrorHellraiserThe Evil Dead
Tier three franchises TremorsLeprechaunChildren of the CornThe Hills Have EyesSawFinal DestinationInsidiousParanormal ActivityBlair WitchThe Howling
Tier four franchises CloverfieldThe PurgeSilent Night, Deadly NightCarnosaurPuppet MasterResident EvilUnderworldPumpkinheadSleepaway Camp
Tier five franchises Lake PlacidPiranhaAnacondaSpeciesThe Prophecy[REC]V/H/SWishmasterGhouliesCrittersNight of the Demons
Debated, then cut as 'not horror' JawsPredatorThe Silence of the Lambs
Sequels and others in passing Dawn of the DeadDay of the DeadLand of the DeadFreddy vs. JasonNew NightmareAliensPrometheusAlien: Covenant10 Cloverfield LaneThe Cloverfield ParadoxHell House LLCCreepThe Last Duel
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