Friendship is a recurring theme in horror cinema. The heroes and villains of classic horror movies often have close confidants watching over them. In get out, Rod Williams comes to the aid of his friend Chris Washington. In ScreamStu Macher dons a Ghostface mask and commits a series of murders for his pal Billy Loomis.
From the Losers Club of This to Danny Torrance and his imaginary friend Tony in the brilliant to the surrogate mother-daughter dynamic of Ellen Ripley and Newt in aliensthere are a lot of heartwarming (and some disturbing) friendships in horror movies.
ten Stu Macher and Billy Loomis (Scream)
Wes Craven’s conscious slasher Scream has a whodunit element. The masked killer isn’t just a bad guy; it could be any of the protagonists (except Sidney, of course). The final twist reveals that there are actually two killers providing alibis to each other.
Stu Macher was cast as the goofy comic relief and Billy Loomis was cast as the hero’s love interest, but they are revealed to be in cahoots in a deadly plan for revenge inspired by horror movie classics. He’s a special type of friend who would become a serial killer to help his best friend avenge his father.
9 David Kessler & Jack Goodman (An American Werewolf in London)
The first act of An American werewolf in London introduces audiences to American tourists David Kessler and Jack Goodman, who are backpacking across the UK. Late at night, as they cross a field, they are attacked by a werewolf. Jack is killed and David is maimed before the beast is put down by locals.
David and Jack’s friendship extends beyond the grave, as an undead Jack implores David to kill himself before he transforms into a werewolf and dooms the others to the same grim fate.
8 Danny Torrance and Tony (The Shining)
Essentially, Stanley Kubrick the brilliant is a family story, not friendship. While tending to the Overlook Hotel during a gloomy winter, Jack Torrance is driven mad by isolation and ends up turning against his wife, Wendy, and son, Danny.
Danny has an imaginary friend, Tony, through whom he channels his “shiny” ability. Whenever he needs to talk about his feelings, Danny doesn’t talk to his mom or dad. he talks to Tony.
seven The losers club (it)
In the brutal high school setting of This, all of the less popular kids have banded together to form “The Losers Club”. Led by Bill Denbrough, the group consists of Beverly Marsh, Eddie Kaspbrak, Richie Tozier, Ben Hanscom, Mike Hanlon and Stan Uris.
The power of the Losers Club’s friendship ultimately proves so great that they are able to defeat Pennywise the Dancing Clown when they join forces.
6 Father Damien Karras & Father Lankester Merrin (The Exorcist)
Movie buffs are familiar with “buddy cop” movies. But William Friedkin’s horror masterpiece The Exorcist is an “exorcist buddy” movie. Fathers Damien Karras and Lankester Merrin team up to rescue Regan MacNeil from Pazuzu’s demonic possession.
These priests have a classic buddy dynamic: Merrin is the grizzled veteran who’s seen it all, while Karras is the young hotshot working on his first big deal.
5 Oskar & Eli (Let in the good)
John Ajvide Lindqvist adapted his own novel for the screen for the original Swedish-language adaptation of Leave the one on the right in. As much a love story as a horror story, Leave the one on the right in follows the relationship shared by lonely outcast Oskar and century-old vampire child Eli.
The heartwarming story of parenthood between Oskar and Eli draws poignant parallels between a bullied child and a vampire as the quintessential pair of strangers.
4 Chief Martin Brody and Matt Hooper (Jaws)
The genius of storytelling at Steven Spielberg Jaws it’s not just a shark. The threat of a 25-foot great white is the plot driver that traps three incompatible characters on a boat in the middle of the ocean.
Quint never gets along with local cop Chief Brody or marine biologist Matt Hooper, but Brody and Hooper eventually forge a nice friendship. At the end of the film, they are paddling together towards the shore.
3 Chris Washington and Rod Williams (Come Out)
Everyone needs a friend to look after them like Rod Williams looks after his pal Chris Washington in Jordan Peele’s feature debut get out. As soon as Chris is invited into the all-white gated community of his white girlfriend’s white parents, Rod becomes suspicious.
Chris would have met a gruesome end if Rod hadn’t shown up to save him. When Chris gets into his car at the end of the film, covered in blood, Rod simply says, “I mean, I told you not to come in that house…”
2 Shaun and Ed (Shaun of the Dead)
by Edgar Wright Shaun of the Dead may have a strong sense of humor, but it’s not a zombie movie parody. It’s every bit as terrifying as a simple zombie movie; he just happens to have great laughs too. The film is anchored by the electric on-screen chemistry of Simon Pegg and Nick Frost.
Pegg and Frost’s real-life friendship has created a palpable dynamic between everyday Shaun and his lazy roommate Ed. Even when Ed is bitten and turned into a flesh eater, Shaun keeps him around to play video games with him.
1 Ellen Ripley and Newt (aliens)
After Ellen Ripley loses her daughter and Newt loses his parents, they take comfort in each other’s company. Ripley learns that her daughter grew up and died of old age as she drifted through space, and Newt is the sole survivor of a human colony that has been overrun by bloodthirsty xenomorphs. They need each other.
by James Cameron aliens is every bit as thrilling, chilling and masterfully crafted as Ridley Scott’s flagship original. Thanks to its surrogate mother-daughter story, it is also more moving than its predecessor.
