"When I started prowling Times Square theaters in the early '70s in search of Euro-horror, I was often the only girl in the house, " says Maitland McDonagh, who has written about horror for two decades.
Other movies honoured at Grosvenor House Hotel event included 28 Weeks Later for best horror film, Hot Fuzz won best comedy and Stardust was named best sci-fi film.
Rep. Tom Lantos, the ranking Democrat on the House International Relations Committee, agreed, citing his "horror and disgust" with what is depicted on the tapes.