To some an evening watching a Horror film is an escapade into imagination with a fun mix of scares and laughs. To others, it is a nail-biting experience, leading to the covers being drawn well over their heads in bed until the sun comes the next morning. Whatever it may be, there is no question there is a reactive feeling we all get from being frightened by a film. In fact, some may argue that as humans, we enjoy being scared! An interesting idea to ponder, for seasoned Actress Christine Lakin… it is a bit of a mixed bag.
Famously known for her role as Al Lambert on the hit ABC sitcom Step by Step which aired seven seasons, Lakin would go on to star in a list of films and television series from there. Dabbling in Comedy, Drama, Thrillers, and yes, Horror, Lakin has proven herself to be a diverse talent up for any challenge. Still very active in recent years, she would go on to work alongside 7th Heaven star Beverley Mitchell and Full House star Jodie Sweetin in Hollywood Darlings between 2017 and 2018, direct a list of episodes of ABC’s The Goldbergs, and more recently launched the podcast Keanan And Lakin Give You Déjà Vu with Step by Step co-star Staci Keanan. With all of this keeping her very busy, she will also be appearing in the popular, beloved 90’s Con the weekend of March 15th through 17th to meet and greet fans.
Truly an inspiring, creative force, Lakin took some time to offer up her thoughts on Horror cinema stating – “I will admit the Horror genre has always made me uneasy, yet I can watch hours of true crime documentaries and not blink an eye.What does that say about me? I’ll leave that to my therapist.” (Laughs) Honest and sincere, she put some careful thought and offers up her current Top 10 Horror/Psychological Thriller flicks in one neatly packed list.
10) The Watcher in the Woods (1980): Does anyone remember this? Probably the first scary movie I ever saw, quite possibly because it had the Disney brand on it. I found it terrifying. Young family moves into a British country home to be tormented by the ghost of the owner’s daughter wearing a white kerchief over her eyes and wandering around a drafty house spelling her name in fog on the windows. A formidable Bette Davis and young Kyle Richards pretty much set up nightmares for me in elementary school.
9) Shaun of the Dead (2004): Took me a long time to recover from other Zombie movies I saw in the ’80s but I came back with this hilarious hybrid Horror/Comedy in the Zombie genre. This is a tough tone to pull off but this movie has equal thrills and laughs, which for me is delightful. Simon Pegg is also pretty brilliant both as an actor and a writer.
8) Scream (1996): Who didn’t see this in high school? Truthfully I was probably dragged there by a group of friends and too scared to admit I was afraid to go. Kevin Williamson is brilliant and this first film in the franchise is perfectly done. It’s the right amount of Horror tropes, beautiful people, shocking scares and redemption. Neve Campbell is stunning as the heroine and who can forget Rose McGowan hitting Ghostface with beer bottles and trying to escape through a cat door?! I mean, it’s so ridiculous.
7) I Know What You Did Last Summer (1997): Following on the heels of Scream’s success, this one is ripe with a lot of the same things that make its throwback genre so satisfying. Four of the hottest young celebs at the time, secrets, a dude with a hook, miniskirts, and a ’90s soundtrack. For all of that alone, it’s a core memory for my high school years.
6) The Blair Witch Project (1999): I was in college and had friends going to Sundance as interns who came back and talked about this “Found Footage” documentary called The Blair Witch Project that was terrifying and amazing. The hype train started and I totally bought it, I was intrigued (see former statement about true crime being my jam) and I waited almost a year until it finally came out in theaters and I could not wait to go. Was it as scary as we all wanted it to be? Probably not but the anticipation of it and the brilliant low-brow filmmaking made what we didn’t see all the more scary.
5) Parasite (2019): Loved every minute of this film. Truly unique storytelling with social underpinnings that are all too real. At times it’s funny and thoughtful and the ending is bloody and satisfying in the way that underscores the Horror genre. My allegiance wavered with who I wanted to survive and win, if you will, proving to me that the characters and situation are complex.
4) Black Swan (2010): Having grown up in the world of competitive dance, this one spoke to me. In the same twisted way Single White Female (1992) proved to be so terrifying, this film ramped up the drama as the psychology behind the cutthroat world of ballet and the deadly competition grew. Natalie Portman has proved over and over again just how in command of her craft she is, and she really shines in this film. Probably one of my favorite Darren Aronofsky movies (although Requiem for a Dream (2000) is high on the list and nearly as skewed – in the best way!)
3) The Silence of the Lambs (1991): How many times have I seen this movie? Dozens. I had the honor of playing Clarice Starling in the spoof musical Silence! back in 2012 and I studied Jodie Foster’s performance over and over. Again, what a masterclass in acting from both Foster and Anthony Hopkins. Her abject terror, his calm, nearly soothing demeanor, Ted Levine’s sick portrayal of Buffalo Bill… it has a grittiness to it that is completely believable and gutting. Literally. (smiles)
2) Get Out (2017): This one was a wild ride in a new genre of Thriller/Horror from Jordan Peele. The discomfort and anxiety in the first half of this film gripped me as my mind went a million places trying to figure out where the movie was going – I definitely did not predict this one. Truly paralyzing and horrific in many ways, this film touches on bigger themes of racism but at a visceral level that I had never seen before. Nuanced and compelling.
1) Saltburn (2023): You either love it or you hate it I feel… and I loved it. Maybe we should call it Slowburn; because that’s exactly what it is. I didn’t see the ending coming, which for me is probably the biggest kudos in a low key Thriller like this one. Full of rich imbeciles, hilarity, voyeurism, depravity, and plot twists, I loved every minute. Fabulous performances, especially by Rosamund Pike who is equal parts funny and cutting. This was a Mr. Ripley like story done with subtlety, charm and intrigue.
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