Arachnophobia (Hollywood Pictures Home Video)

I hate spiders. Can’t stand the thought of one of those eight-legged monsters touching me. I jumped so often while watching this film that I pulled muscles. Yes, that’s right -- I’m a girly-man when it comes to spiders. Grisly, accurate DVD transfer.

The Birds (Universal)

I still get freaked out when a large flock of birds congregates in my general vicinity. Along with Jaws, this Hitchcock film is a classic "nature run amok" story. Good DVD transfer.

The Devil’s Backbone (Columbia TriStar Home Video)

Guillermo del Toro scares the hell out of the audience with an expert mix of mood and atmosphere that penetrates the skin. The ghost is both terrifying and sympathetic. The new HD transfer is fantastic and sounds wonderful.

Don’t Look Now (Paramount)

Creepy and sublime, with a knockout ending that will have you lunging for the light switch. If you didn’t like clowns, you’ll like them even less after watching this movie. Good transfer.

The Exorcist (Warner Home Video)

What disturbs me most about this film are the "voices": sinister, hell-born, they latch onto the nerves and hit the psyche straight on. The effective surround sound makes me think there are things in my attic.

Rosemary’s Baby (Paramount)

One of the most unsettling and nightmarish experiences I’ve ever had in my moviegoing life. Director Roman Polanski’s imagery still gives me nightmares. Paramount’s excellent transfer makes the chills clear.

Salem’s Lot (Warner Home Video)

Forget last summer’s dreadful remake featuring some horrible voiceover and constipated acting by Rob Lowe. Though Tobe Hooper’s classic adaptation with David Soul is less faithful to Stephen King’s novel, it’s still a classic, and one very sinister vampire flick. Good video for period TV.

The Shining (Warner Home Video)

Jack Nicholson’s expression embodies evil. Add an axe, and no amount of bloodletting can live up to what your imagination creates. Like Salem’s Lot, this Stephen King adaptation is better in its first film version. The new transfer has great contrasts and appropriately chilly sound.

The Thing (Universal)

This remake scares the hell out of me every time I watch it. Desolate, cold, and profoundly shocking, it is one of John Carpenter’s most memorable films. The Collector’s Edition DVD borders on reference quality.

28 Days Later (20th Century Fox Home Entertainment)

Danny Boyle takes George Romero’s Night of the Living Dead a step further in this frightening and surprisingly effective scare fest. As in the best horror films, Boyle catches you off guard by making everyone expendable. Excellent DVD presentation.