Local horror movie aficionado Clay Byrom shares his top 10 horror films for Halloween

Oct. 29—There is something special about the classics when it comes to horror movies. Whether it is the hauntingly sing-song melody of "one, two, Freddy's coming for you" or the sound of a pull-start chainsaw revving its engine, most people have had at least a few restless nights thanks to the nightmare inducing characters and stories from these films. And yet somehow the perfect combination of red food coloring, corn syrup, and the fantastical storylines suspend belief just enough to remind us that it is all in good fun compared to modern standards —although the crowds that were sent running from theaters in 1973 by The Exorcist's gratuitous use of pea soup might disagree. Clay Byrom discovered this at a very early age when his father would take him to his local video rental store.

"Horror has always been my favorite genre of movies as long as I can remember. My dad and I would stay up and watch horror movies all the time, especially Universal Monster movies, or Alfred Hitchcock. It was a major bond that we still share to this day. I would go to Arab TV and Video after school a lot of days, and just read the boxes in the horror section and pick one out to take home. It was so frequent that I would get screeners, promo items, and posters when they came in," Byrom said.

These meccas of home entertainment may now be a thing of the past, but Byrom has carried the fascination that they helped create with him into adulthood. As an avid collector of movie memorabilia, Byrom has spent many years traveling the country to attend conventions where he would meet the actors that brought some of his favorite characters to life. Below he shares his top 10 choices (plus a few honorable mentions) for the best horror films to get you through Halloween weekend.

A Nightmare on Elm Street

"A Nightmare on Elm Street 3 was one of the earliest horror movies I ever remember watching. It was new on VHS, and my older cousin that was babysitting me let me watch it. I was fascinated, and that series became an obsession I still have today. The first Elm Street movie has remained my favorite movie of all time. Between the genius of Wes Craven, the menacing portrayal of Freddy Krueger by Robert Englund, the ground breaking special effects, and the thought of having to stay awake to stay alive, just made this the perfect horror movie for me."

The Texas Chainsaw Massacre

"To me, Tobe Hooper's The Texas Chainsaw Massacre was the beginning of the slasher as we know it. Gunnar Hansen as Leatherface was a terrifying lunatic based off real-life serial killer Ed Gein. I have always loved the cinematography, which is some of my favorite in any movie. Reading about the grueling experience making this film, and trying to make it feel real as possible, really puts this one as a top for me."

The Exorcist

"Easily one of the greatest horror movies of all time. I distinctly remember watching this for the first time, and it terrified me as a kid. Top notch acting, magnificent make up by the great Dick Smith, and expert directing by William Friedkin made this a perfect horror movie. It is still genuinely scary to me to this day. If there is any horror movie, I could go back in time to watch opening night in the theater, it would be going back to 1973 to see The Exorcist in order to see the reaction to this movie back then. The director's cut is a must."

Alien

"This is one I watched with my dad on many occasions, and a movie we bonded a lot over. It truly brought horror into science fiction. I love the HR Geiger designs, the directing by Ridley Scott, and the incredible performance by Sigourney Weaver."

An American Werewolf in London

"In my opinion, the greatest werewolf movie of all time. I am a huge John Landis fan, and he has made many movies I love, but this is my favorite. The make-up effects by the amazing Rick Baker are amazing. The werewolf transformation scene is one of the greatest scenes in horror movie history to me."

Halloween

"John Carpenter created such an iconic character with Michael Myers. The original modified Captain Kirk mask, is my favorite look of any iteration of the Myer's mask. Jamie Lee Curtis is phenomenal, and was the original scream queen. The score by John Carpenter is incredibly iconic as well, and watching this as a kid, that music got my heart beating faster and faster."

Dawn of the Dead

"George Romero's finest achievement. I loved that this was not even really about the zombies, as much as how human beings can be the biggest threat when nothing else is safe in the world. The movie takes place in a shopping mall, and becomes very claustrophobic, but also feels epic in its own right. My favorite zombie movie of all time."

The Shining

"Jack Nicholson as Jack Torrance is one of the greatest acting performances in a horror movie. The Overlook Hotel is a character in its self throughout. The characters feel so isolated in this hotel, and you feel Jack Torrance losing his mind on top of the supernatural elements going on. Stanley Kubrick was such an amazing director, and he was able to get some great performances in this one."

Jaws

"Such a legendary piece of cinema. Another movie with incredible acting performances, Spielberg behind the director's chair, and the 25 foot Bruce the shark literally made me afraid to go into the water for a long time. The practical effects of the shark to this day, still look amazing. Just a phenomenal movie in general."

The Thing (1982)

"Kurt Russell as MacReady is amazing. The isolation and paranoia really stand out, and the creature designs were just unbelievable. This movie pulls off some of the greatest practical effects in horror, in my opinion.

Honorable Mentions

The Fly (1986)

"David Cronenberg is another one of my favorite directors. This is one of my favorite body-horror movies ever made. Watching Jeff Goldblum slowly turn from human, to the fly is brilliant. You really feel this human being transforming into this creature, and even develop sympathy for it by the end."

Evil Dead 2

"It's rare that a sequel to a classic horror movie can win my heart over the original, but in this case, it definitely does, Army of Darkness is really close. The campy horror combined with more comedic elements made me fall in love with this one. Bruce Campbell steps it up as the hero, it's over the top, and just so much fun. My favorite by Sam Raimi."

Hellraiser

"From the mind of Clive Barker, and especially for 1987, this movie was really hardcore. It was dark, gritty, bloody, and elements of BDSM which was new for horror at that time. Doug Bradley as pinhead, along with the other Cenobites, just bring a different level of horror to the table. I really love how captivating this movie is."

Phantasm

"Really unique movie by Don Coscarelli. You have the Tallman, deadly silver spheres, hooded minions, and a killer black 1971 Plymouth Cuda'. It's a weird movie, but man, do I love it."

Nightbreed

"This is one where the monsters are the good guys. It is about a city of monsters, called Midian, and a serial killer trying to frame the lead character "Boone" for the murders. As a kid, Midian and all the different monsters were so fascinating to me. I just loved the whole world of Midian, and that you can root for the monsters. The director's cut is the best version of this one."