Alice Cooper, also known as The Godfather of Shock Rock, is well-known for his horror-themed performances and persona. In 2011, he shared his top five favourite horror films with NME, showcasing his taste in the macabre. As the son of a preacher and an avid stage performer, Cooper is trusted to have a good eye for horror films.
“Are you ready? Are you sure?” He gives a warning before starting his list and begins with his top pick, the film Salem’s Lot, which is an adaptation of Stephen King’s novel from 1979. He goes on to describe the film as… “one of the great vampire movies”.
He added:
“I don’t think they realised how good this movie was until after they made it. Barlow was the great, maybe the scariest vampire of all time…If you haven’t seen Salem’s Lot, don’t write it off as a TV movie, it’s one of the really truly scary movies.”
The artist’s following selection is the 1977 Italian horror film Suspiria, directed by Dario Argento. He describes the plot as centered around a young girl in an Italian ballet school and characterized it as incredibly eerie.
“You never do see a monster, and that’s what makes it creepy. The really good horror movies are the one’s where you don’t see the monster.”
Cooper’s following selection is The Haunting, which is also referred to as The Haunting Of Hill House, and was released in 1963.
“It was made in the early 60’s, Claire Bloom, Julia Harris; another movie where you don’t see the monster. But, the way it’s shot in just black and white, it is absolutely terrifying.”
Cooper expresses his disappointment with the 1999 remake of The Haunting, which starred his friend Catherine Zeta-Jones, as they revealed the monster and ruined the film’s scariness. He then moves on to his last two picks and shares his admiration for The Evil Dead, which he considers to be a lot of fun, and Carnival of Souls, a psychological horror movie from 1962. According to Cooper, black and white films were grittier, which is why he enjoys Carnival of Souls. The interview can be watched below.