The best horror movies of all time are the films that–either by intent or pure accident–helped to shape the time period’s understanding of what the genre could offer to audiences. These groundbreaking films often achieved this by pushing the boundaries of what could be shown outright or even just implied. Many of them were poorly received on release as a result but endured as indelible nightmares that struck a very particular collective nerve. Even if their most shocking visuals no longer hold water with thrill seekers today, the core insights of their journeys into the darkest recesses of the human soul still have the ability to send chills down the spine.
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Luckily, modern horror fans have to worry about censorship and brief theatrical windows less these days and can stream many of the scariest horror movies of all time from the comfort of their own homes on some of the biggest streaming services. Ghost stories, supernatural chillers, serial killer mysteries, and some of the earliest slashers make up an irresistible list of the best horror movies of all time, and every kind of horror fan can find something to love within it.
20 The Blair Witch Project (1999)
Directed By Daniel Myrick And Eduardo Sánchez
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19 5.8/10 The Blair Witch Project RHorrorMystery
The Blair Witch Project is a 1999 horror film that follows three film students who venture into the Black Hills near Burkittsville, Maryland. As they document their search for the Blair Witch legend, strange and unsettling events unfold. Presented as found footage, the film is directed by Daniel Myrick and Eduardo Sánchez, and it pioneered the found footage genre in mainstream cinema.
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*Availability in US Director Eduardo Sánchez , Daniel Myrick Release Date July 30, 1999 Writers Daniel Myrick , Eduardo Sánchez Cast Joshua Leonard , Michael C. Williams , Heather Donahue Runtime 81 minutes Studio(s) Summit Entertainment Distributor(s) Summit Entertainment Franchise(s) Blair Witch Sequel(s) Book of Shadows: Blair Witch 2 Budget $60 thousand Expand
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One of the more recent horror movies to be considered one of the best of all time is the 1999 found footage movie The Blair Witch Project. Directors Daniel Myrick and Eduardo Sánchez bring to life the story of three friends who travel to the woods in order to film a documentary about the Blair Witch murders, with things soon taking a horrific turn. The film was critically acclaimed upon its release and it is still critically acclaimed now, with it containing visuals that have become staples of the horror ethos.
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Related Blair Witch Project Ending Explained: All Your Questions Answered
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The Blair Witch Project‘s legacy is cemented by how influential the film has been. The found footage horror movie went on to inspire all kinds of other entries in the genre, with it being likely that movies like Paranormal Activity and Cloverfield wouldn’t exist without The Blair Witch Project. On top of that, The Blair Witch Project was one of the early viral marketing campaigns, with its attempts to portray the film as a true story adding to the horror of the movie.
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19 The Evil Dead (1981)
Directed By Sam Raimi
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7.7/10 The Evil Dead (1981) NC-17Horror
The Evil Dead is a horror movie from 1981 starring Bruce Campbell and directed by Sam Raimi. The film follows Ash Williams, who after visiting a cabin in the woods, is tormented by deadites and must fight for his life after his friends are possessed. The Evil Dead not only started a long-running horror franchise, but it is also the film responsible for putting both Raimi and Campbell on the map as a director and actor, respectively.
Director Sam Raimi Release Date October 15, 1981 Writers Sam Raimi Cast Bruce Campbell , Ellen Sandweiss , Richard DeManincor , Betsy Baker , Theresa Tilly , Ted Raimi , Ivan Raimi Runtime 85 Minutes Distributor(s) New Line Cinema Franchise(s) Evil Dead Sequel(s) Evil Dead 2 , Army of Darkness , Evil Dead (2013) , Evil Dead Rise Budget $375,000 Expand
Sam Raimi became a horror movie pioneer with his bold and inventive low-budget masterpiece The Evil Dead. The movie takes a very simple premise that has since been copied endlessly in the genre as it follows a group of young friends who venture into the woods for a getaway at a secluded cabin only to awaken a deadly spirit. The movie inspired countless aspiring filmmakers by showing what can be done with an independent movie Raimi’s manic filmmaking style created a wild and terrifying journey into darkness with gore and bile that helped earn it a place as one of the best X-rated movies of all time.
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18 Possession (1981)
Directed By Andrzej Żuławski
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6/10 Possession RDramaHorror
Possession is a horror-drama film by director Andrzej Żuławski that was released in 1981. The film follows international spy Mark, who returns home only for his wife to divorce him and leave him for another man. The triangle between the three grows increasingly violent, but the truth behind Anna goes deeper and darker than any of them realize.
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*Availability in US Director Andrzej Zulawski Release Date May 25, 1981 Writers Andrzej Zulawski Cast Isabelle Adjani , Sam Neill , Heinz Bennent Runtime 124 Minutes Studio(s) Oliane Productions , Marianne Productions , Soma Film Produktion Distributor(s) Gaumont Film Company Expand
Although not as well-known as some of the other movies on this list, 1981’s Possession is one of the best horror films and one of the best movies of all time. The French-German psychological horror film from director Andrzej Żuławski follows married couple Anna and Mark as a series of supernatural events begin surrounding them after Anna reveals that she has been having an affair. Isabelle Adjani’s performance as Anna is one of the best performances in horror history, with her stealing every scene from other great Possession actors like Sam Neill.
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Possession is a perfect example of using horror to explore social themes, with even the title perfectly tying in to the dissolution of Anna and Mark’s marriage. Possession is much more personal than many other horror films, but the scale and subtelties are what make the movie great, with it being in the top 20 horror movies of all time.
17 Alien (1979)
Directed By Ridley Scott
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10/10 Alien (1979) RSci-FiHorror
Alien, directed by Ridley Scott, is a science fiction horror film that follows the crew of the commercial spacecraft Nostromo. Upon investigating a distress signal on a distant moon, they discover a deadly extraterrestrial lifeform. The film stars Sigourney Weaver as Ripley and became a seminal work in both the sci-fi and horror genres, known for its atmospheric tension and groundbreaking visual effects.
Director Ridley Scott Release Date June 22, 1979 Writers Dan O’Bannon , Ronald Shusett Cast Sigourney Weaver , Tom Skerritt , John Hurt , Veronica Cartwright , Harry Dean Stanton , Ian Holm , Yaphet Kotto , Bolaji Badejo Runtime 117 Minutes Main Genre Sci-Fi Character(s) Ripley , Dallas , Kane , Lambert , Brett , Ash , Parker , Alien Expand
Sci-fi horror movies have created some true masterpieces over the years, but it still feels as if they are all chasing the brilliance of Ridley Scott’s Alien. The movie takes place in the distant future and follows the crew of an industrial spaceship that responds to a distress signal and leads to them accidentally bringing a deadly alien on board. While the Alien franchise expanded in some thrilling ways from here, the claustrophobic monster movie feel of the original is hard to top. Sigourney Weaver is a great horror hero as Ellen Ripley but the alien itself steals the show as one of the greatest movie monster designs ever created.
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16 Get Out (2017)
Directed By Jordan Peele
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9.5/10 Get Out RHorrorMysteryThriller
Jordan Peele made his directorial Horror debut with Get Out, a terrifying Psychological Horror film starring Daniel Kaluuya. In the 2017 release, Chris Washington heads to Upstate New York to meet the family of his girlfriend, Rose. What follows is a horrifying ordeal for the anxious photographer.
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*Availability in US Director Jordan Peele Release Date February 24, 2017 Writers Jordan Peele Cast Lyle Brocato , LaKeith Stanfield , Caleb Landry Jones , Betty Gabriel , Allison Williams , Marcus Henderson , Erika Alexander , Bradley Whitford , Jeronimo Spinx , Catherine Keener , Daniel Kaluuya Runtime 1 hour, 44 minutes Studio(s) Universal Pictures Distributor(s) Universal Pictures Budget 4.5 million Expand
Jordan Peele went from a celebrated comedian to one of the most exciting new filmmaking voices around with Get Out. The astoundingly original story follows Chris (Daniel Kaluuya), a young black man visiting his white girlfriend’s family for the first time and finds that his troubles go far beyond the social awkwardness of the situation. The movie is a gripping ride from the opening scene and maintains its eerie tone as Chris and the audience grow increasingly uncomfortable with the situation. The reveal further turns Get Out into a smart and insightful social commentary while never losing grasp of being an entertaining horror movie.
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15 Frankenstein (1931)
Directed By James Whale
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10/10 Frankenstein (1931) PassedSci-FiDramaHorror
Frankenstein is a 1931 horror film directed by James Whale, based on Mary Shelley’s novel. The story follows Dr. Henry Frankenstein, a scientist obsessed with creating life from dead tissue, leading to the birth of a monstrous being. Colin Clive stars as Dr. Frankenstein, while Boris Karloff delivers a standout performance as the creature, whose existence brings unintended consequences. The film is a seminal work in early horror cinema.
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*Availability in US Director James Whale Release Date November 21, 1931 Writers John L. Balderston , Mary Shelley , Peggy Webling , Garrett Fort , Francis Edward Faragoh , Richard Schayer Cast Colin Clive , Mae Clarke , Boris Karloff , John Boles , Edward Van Sloan , Frederick Kerr , Dwight Frye , Lionel Belmore Runtime 70 Minutes Main Genre Sci-Fi Expand
Although it is difficult to find these films scary, it would be a sin to discuss the greatest horror movies of all time without discussing the Universal Monsters movies. While movies like Dracula and The Mummy are iconic, 1931’s Frankenstein is in an entirely different league, with it being the most critically acclaimed of these classic movies. Boris Karloff’s Frankenstein’s monster is one of the most iconic monsters in movie history, with it defining the look, behavior, and tone of the beloved creature.
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On top of that, Universal’s Frankenstein was one of the first films to use the horror genre to ask the question of who the real monster is. Examining the humanity of monsters is a theme that has been ever present in the genre, with this elevating Frankenstein over other Universal Monsters like Dracula, The Mummy, or the Wolf Man. It is impossible to overstate the influence of these Universal Monsters movies, with Frankenstein being the most impactful of them all.
14 Halloween (1978)
Directed By John Carpenter
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9.2/10 Halloween (1978) RHorrorThriller
Halloween is a horror film released in 1978 that centers on the fictional town of Haddonfield, Illinois, as a masked serial killer terrorizes it. Over a decade after the brutal murder of Judith Myers by her brother, Michael, Michael escapes from the local Sanitarium to continue his silent killing spree- with teenage Laurie Strode being his new potential victim.
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*Availability in US Director John Carpenter Release Date October 27, 1978 Writers John Carpenter , Debra Hill Cast Donald Pleasence , Jamie Lee Curtis , Tony Moran , Nancy Kyes , P.J. Soles , Kyle Richards , Charles Cyphers Runtime 91 Minutes Studio(s) Falcon International Productions Distributor(s) Aquarius Releasing Sequel(s) Halloween II , Halloween III: Season of the Witch , Halloween 4: The Return of Michael Myers , Halloween 5: The Revenge of Michael Myers , Halloween: The Curse of Michael Myers , Halloween H20: 20 Years Later , Halloween: Resurrection , Halloween (2007) , Rob Zombie’s Halloween II , Halloween (2018) , Halloween Kills , Halloween Ends Budget $300,000 Expand
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John Carpenter is regarded as one of the greatest horror movie filmmakers of all time and that reputation largely began when he introduced one of the greatest horror icons with Michael Myers. Halloween takes place in the small town of Haddonfield on Halloween night when escaped killed Michael Myers dons a mask and returns to his old neighborhood to terrorize young teens. While the slasher movie genre had already begun, Halloween helped bring it to the mainstream with this grindhouse movie’s surprising box office success. Compared to modern horror movies and the rest of the Halloween franchise, the scares may seem somewhat tame, but it remains a hugely influential 70s horror masterpiece.
13 The Cabinet Of Dr. Caligari (1920)
Directed By Robert Wiene
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The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari Not RatedHorrorMysteryThriller
The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari, directed by Robert Wiene, is a silent horror film from 1920 that tells the story of the mysterious Dr. Caligari and his somnambulist, Cesare, who is involved in a series of murders in a small German town. The film is notable for its expressionist style, featuring distorted sets and twisted visuals that reflect the psychological themes within the narrative.
Director Robert Wiene Release Date February 27, 1920 Writers Carl Mayer , Hans Janowitz Cast Werner Krauss , Conrad Veidt , Friedrich Feher , Lil Dagover , Hans Heinrich von Twardowski , Rudolf Lettinger , Rudolf Klein-Rogge , Hans Lanser-Ludolff Runtime 67 Minutes Main Genre Horror Character(s) Dr. Caligari , Cesare , Franzis , Jane Olsen , Alan , Dr. Olsen , Ein Verbrecher / A Criminal , Ein Alter Mann / An Old Man Expand
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The German Expressionist movement remains an incredibly influential era of cinema in the horror genre and The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari is one of the standout examples from it. The silent movie tells the story of a hypnotist who uses a sleepwalking man to commit murders. The twisted and dark visual style of the movie is instantly recognizable as well as the unusual sets. This approach feels as though the audience is watching a nightmare come to life. Even without dialogue, the movie is an entirely engrossing and unforgettable experience that is a testament to how creepy visual storytelling can be.
12 The Thing (1982)
Directed By John Carpenter
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9.4/10 The Thing (1982) RHorror Sci-FiMystery
A team of researchers set out to study an alien spacecraft found in Antarctica, where they also discover an alien body on the site. The alien buried in ice is actually alive and has the ability to imitate human form. The group must find a way to distinguish who the real person is from The Thing and stay alive. John Carpenter’s 1982 film is a remake of 1951’s The Thing from Another World and stars Kurt Russel as the hero RJ MacReady.
Director John Carpenter Release Date June 25, 1982 Writers Bill Lancaster Cast T.K. Carter , David Clennon , Keith David , Kurt Russell , wilford brimley Runtime 109 minutes Studio(s) Universal Pictures Distributor(s) Universal Pictures Franchise(s) The Thing prequel(s) The Thing Budget $15 million Expand
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John Carpenter turned the slasher film into a cottage industry with Halloween, and he turned a combination of classic Hollywood, Chinese, and Italian filmmaking techniques and storytelling into something bold and new by running it through his tense, economical framing, and cutting. The Thing, his remake of Howard Hawks and Christian Nyby’s The Thing From Another World, is a nasty little number, pitting a dozen men, led by a never-better Kurt Russell, against a shape-shifting extraterrestrial that’s woken up from its icy tomb after a thousand years or more.
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It takes the form of these men one at a time, pitting them against each other before they can get around to neutralizing the external threat. The Thing remains a potent political film, as well as a model of genius practical effects by masters Stan Winston and Rob Bottin. What is even more impressive about this is that it wasn’t seen as one of the best horror movies of all time when it was released, flopping at the box office. However, years later, VHS made this a monster hit and reappraisals cemented its status as one of the best of the best.
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11 The Haunting (1963)
Directed By Robert Wise
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8/10 The Haunting (1963) GHorror
Dr. John Markway, a paranormal investigator, assembles a team to explore the notorious Hill House. Among the group are Eleanor, a troubled woman with a history of supernatural experiences, and Theo, a clairvoyant. As they delve into the house’s dark past, strange occurrences intensify, challenging their sanity and survival.
Director Robert Wise Release Date August 22, 1963 Writers Nelson Gidding , Shirley Jackson Cast Julie Harris , Claire Bloom , Richard Johnson , Russ Tamblyn , Fay Compton , Rosalie Crutchley , Lois Maxwell , Valentine Dyall Runtime 112 Minutes Main Genre Horror Expand
Shirley Jackson’s 1959 novel, The Haunting of Hill House, has been adapted a number of times with each of its retellings taking distinct approaches to the story. As is the case with many successful horror titles, however, the original remains the best. Robert Wise’s The Haunting sees two women who had experiences with the paranormal arrive at an old country house with an unfortunate history at the behest of a doctor seeking to study the claims of haunting, bringing with him only the young heir to the house. Together, the four suffer through uneasy conversation, even more awkward flirtations, and the terrorizing presence of a completely unseen force.
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It’s the disorientating angles and deceptively tight spaces of production designer Elliot Scott’s sets that give Hill House its chillingly uncanny personality, and it’s the perfect backdrop for a gothic tale of psychoanalytical terror. Julie Harris’ lead, Eleanor, is played sympathetically, but she’s clearly unwell and the oppressiveness of the Rococo style of the house that looms in on the characters at all times becomes a reflection of this woman’s own inner turmoil that comes from her own unfortunate history. Considered one of the greatest haunted house movies, it has been praised for holding back when showing the ghosts, leaving the horror in the viewers’ minds.
10 Nosferatu (1922)
Directed By F.W. Murnau
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Nosferatu (1922) NRHorror
Nosferatu is a 1922 German silent horror film directed by F.W. Murnau, loosely based on Bram Stoker’s Dracula. The film tells the story of Count Orlok, a vampire who moves from his castle in the Carpathian Mountains to a German town to spread terror and death.
Director F. W. Murnau Release Date February 16, 1922 Writers Henrik Galeen Cast Max Schreck , Gustav von Wangenheim , Greta Schröder , Georg H. Schnell , Ruth Landshoff Runtime 95 Minutes Main Genre Horror Studio(s) Prana-Film GmbH , Jofa-Atelier Berlin-Johannisthal Expand
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Director F.W. Murnau’s Nosferatu, which is among the first vampire movies, is a testament to the unknowable force of nature, of all things wild and ancient. Still the best telling of Bram Stoker’s Dracula story, Nosferatu is about a man named Thomas (Gustav von Wangenheim) sent to sell an English estate to a Transylvanian count (Max Schreck), who instead infects the man with a plague-like disease just before heading to claim his property, leaving a trail of bodies along the way. The only hope of containing the spread of the count’s vampirism is the wiles of Thomas’ fiancé (Greta Schroeder).
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Murnau and Schreck came up with a legendary design for their vampire, more rat than man, and he colors the fearsome landscape just by walking on it. The world is a menacing, dark place in Nosferatu and that vision secured the film’s place as one of the best horror movies of all time over a century ago. Before Universal Horror brought monsters to the big screen, German Expressionist films did it first. Along with The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari, Nosferatu remains a highlight of this era of silent horror cinema.
9 The Night Of The Hunter (1955)
Directed By Charles Laughton
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The Night of the Hunter (1955) CrimeDramaThriller
Reverend Harry Powell, a sinister preacher, marries a gullible widow to find out where her late husband hid a large sum of stolen money. As Powell terrorizes her children to uncover the secret, they must use their wits to escape his malevolent grasp, leading to a suspenseful and chilling showdown.
Director Charles Laughton Release Date July 27, 1955 Writers Davis Grubb , James Agee , Charles Laughton Cast Robert Mitchum , Shelley Winters , Lillian Gish , James Gleason , Evelyn Varden , Peter Graves , Don Beddoe , Gloria Castillo , Billy Chapin , Sally Jane Bruce Runtime 92 Minutes Main Genre Thriller Studio(s) Paul Gregory Productions Distributor(s) United Artists Budget $500,000 Expand
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Robert Mitchum frequently played unshakable tough guys, but he was never more frightening and enthralling than when he played the desperate killer preacher Harry Powell. While in jail, Powell’s cellmate died without telling him where he buried his stolen loot, so he does what any villain would do – marries the widow (Shelley Winters) so he can get his hands on all that money. However, he doesn’t foresee reckoning with her meddling children (Billy Chapin and Sally Jane Bruce), and that is where the horrors begin.
Night of the Hunter was the lone directorial credit of director Charles Laughton and is full of fairy tale symbolism. It’s endured as one of the best horror movies of all time because it creates a beautifully artificial southern pastoral landscape haunted by Mitchum’s boogieman. The film delivers, in breathtaking style, an eerie testament to the terrifying nature of religion. Having this “preacher” terrorize the children, and seeing how he changed them even as he fell in defeat shows how some of the best horror movies of all time have all-too-human monsters.
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8 Rosemary’s Baby (1968)
Directed By Roman Polanski
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10/10 Rosemary’s Baby RHorrorDrama
Directed by Roman Polanski and starring Mia Farrow, Rosemary’s Baby chronicles the chilling tale of Rosemary Woodhouse, the wife of an actor who, after finding out she is pregnant, begins to suspect that her unborn child is something far more sinister than a normal baby. John Cassavetes, Ruth Gordon, Sidney Blackmer, and Maurice Evans also star.
Director Roman Polanski Release Date June 12, 1968 Writers Roman Polanski Cast Ralph Bellamy , Mia Farrow , Sidney Blackmer , Ruth Gordon , John Cassavetes Runtime 137 minutes Studio(s) Paramount Pictures Distributor(s) Paramount Pictures Budget $2.3 million Expand
Cults and satanism have been the subject of all kinds of horror movies, but none have pulled this off better than Rosemary’s Baby. The 1968 film follows a pregnant woman named Rosemary Woodhouse who begins to suspect that something is going on in her apartment building, with her eventually uncovering a satanic conspiracy that centers around her yet to be born child.
The film contains some of the best performances of the 1960s, with it being the defining performances of Mia Farrow and John Cassavetes. On top of that, Rosemary’s Baby manages to create a horrific environment without a true movie monster, with it instead pulling its scares from the paranoia and gaslighting that Rosemary is the subject of. Despite the controversies surrounding director Roman Polanski, Rosemary’s Baby is a masterpiece of the horror genre, one that is still having an impact today with the release of 2024’s Apartment 7A.
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7 Eyes Without A Face (1960)
Directed By Georges Franju
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Eyes Without a Face ApprovedHorrorDrama Director Georges Franju Release Date October 24, 1962 Writers Pierre Boileau , Thomas Narcejac , Jean Redon Cast Pierre Brasseur , Alida Valli , Juliette Mayniel , Alexandre Rignault , Edith Scob Runtime 90 Minutes Main Genre Horror Expand
New wave outlier Georges Franju was a man in love with early cinema, but he broke new ground with his masterful Eyes Without A Face, a baroque chiller that is well-established as one of the best horror movies of all time for paving the way for gore films, Italian giallos, and black-gloved killer movies all over the world. A little while before the action begins, French surgeon Dr. Genessier (Pierre Brasseur) horribly injured his daughter (Edith Scob) in an accident. He’s now made it his mission to repair her scarred face by any means necessary, even if it means kidnapping young women and stealing their faces until he finds a match.
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Franju’s film is a carousel of masks, surgery, and deceit, and is a timeless, strange work of art, a film that cuts deeply into the viewer’s memory. The horror movie has influenced everyone from Jesus Franco and John Carpenter to John Woo and more. It received an exemplary Criterion release and remains a seminal horror movie to this day.
6 Jaws (1975)
Directed By Steven Spielberg
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17 9.2/10 Jaws PG-13AdventureHorrorThriller
Steven Spielberg’s legendary tale of one man’s desperate battle with a killer Great White shark on his small seaside community. Faced with a mounting list of victims and a local authority dead-set against causing panic or destroying the tourist economy, he assembles a team to tackle the shark head-on.
Director Steven Spielberg Release Date June 18, 1975 Writers Peter Benchley , Carl Gottlieb , John Milius , Howard Sackler , Robert Shaw Cast Roy Scheider , Robert Shaw , Richard Dreyfuss , Lorraine Gary , Murray Hamilton , Carl Gottlieb Runtime 124 minutes Budget $7 million Main Genre Adventure Expand
Although it is not frequently thought of as a horror movie, Steven Spielberg’s masterpiece Jaws is one of the best horror movies ever made. The film manages to bring a sense of dread to an environment as cheery as Amity Island, highlighting how effective the film’s horrific tone is. Alongside movies like The Texas Chain Saw Massacre, Jaws is one of the horror movies that perfectly utilizes implication. The shark is barely shown throughout Jaws, with this creating a mysterious sense of dreak that can be felt anytime water is in frame.
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Related Was Jaws Based On A Real Shark? Real-Life Attacks Explained
Steven Spielberg’s Jaws is one of the most important movies of all time, but you probably didn’t know about the 1916 shark attacks that inspired it.
On top of that, Jaws completely changed the reputation of sharks in the real world, with it being almost impossible to think about the animals without thinking about Spielberg’s film. Despite Steven Spielberg having made all kind of popular films, Jaws is possibly his most influential, earning the film its spot on the list of the greatest horror movies of all time.
5 Night Of The Living Dead (1968)
Directed By George A. Romero
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6.3/10 Night of the Living Dead xHorror
George A. Romero’s Night of the Living Dead did more than just invent the modern zombie, it revolutionized the horror genre. Following a small group of humans who hide in a secluded farmhouse when the dead begin to rise and crave human flesh, Night of the Living Dead examines the relationship between humanity and paranoia in times of crisis.
Director George A. Romero Release Date October 4, 1968 Distributor(s) Walter Reade Writers George A. Romero , John A. Russo Cast Judith O’Dea , Kyra Schon , Duane Jones , Marilyn Eastman , Karl Hardman Runtime 96 minutes Franchise(s) Living Dead Sequel(s) Dawn of the Dead , Diary of the Dead , Land of the Dead , Day of the Dead , George A. Romero’s Survival of the Dead Budget $114 thousand Expand
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In 1968, George A. Romero looked around at a nation in turmoil from the war in Vietnam, racial tension, and high-profile assassinations, so he let the ugliness seep into his first film, Night of the Living Dead, a righteously angry, aggressive deconstruction of suburban passive aggression. Giving an ancient monster, the zombie, new life that has yet to be drained from it, he found the creature that best reflected a nation in crisis. Trauma survivor Barbara (Judith O’Dea) meets Ben (Duane Jones), a charismatic Black man, in a remote farmhouse after they’re both attacked by zombies.
They barricade themselves inside without realizing there’s a family already inside, led by hot-headed Harry (Karl Hardman). The issue of Ben’s race is never stated outright as Romero allows the images to speak for themselves, and Harry’s mistrust of the tough and helpful Ben can’t be chalked up to much else. The zombies never stop pounding on the doors and windows, but the real monsters are already in the house. There have been many remakes and sequels, but the original is still an effective horror tale, as this is the movie that created and introduced the modern-day zombie.
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4 The Texas Chain Saw Massacre (1974)
Directed By Tobe Hooper
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The Texas Chain Saw Massacre (1974) RHorror
Five friends traveling through rural Texas encounter a family of cannibals led by the terrifying Leatherface. As they fall victim one by one to the gruesome horrors, they must fight for survival against relentless and unimaginable terror in a macabre and chilling fight for their lives.
Director Tobe Hooper Release Date October 11, 1974 Writers Kim Henkel , Tobe Hooper Cast Marilyn Burns , Allen Danziger , Paul A. Partain , William Vail , Teri McMinn , Edwin Neal Runtime 83 minutes Main Genre Horror Expand
Tobe Hooper’s The Texas Chain Saw Massacre is still undervalued as a work of precise craft and bountiful art. Everyone knows about the movie and its reputation as one of the most unsettling experiences in all film history, but many often fail to notice the incredible work it took to have audiences blindsided by the sweltering ghouls at the heart of the story. Five kids make an unfortunate pit stop at an abandoned house while on a road trip. When they walk to the nearest house to ask for gas, they meet Leatherface (Gunnar Hansen), a hulking mass of muscle with the mind of a child who doesn’t take kindly to strangers.
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Related Where To Watch The Texas Chainsaw Massacre Movies
The Texas Chainsaw Massacre films are available for purchase or to rent, but only some of the nine movies in the franchise are available on streaming.
The Texas Chain Saw Massacre is a most disturbing film, but only because Hooper took such care in building a realistic world for his idealistic heroes to wander into. If the audience didn’t believe these kids still expected kindness from strangers, it wouldn’t hurt twice as bad when the illusion is shattered in an instant. Released before Halloween, this movie helped set the stage for the slasher genre but did it in a dirty and grimy way that made it more disturbing than Freddy, Jason, and Michael Myers in many ways.
3 The Shining (1980)
Directed By Stanley Kubrick
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15 9.4/10 The Shining RHorrorDrama
Stanley Kubrick’s horror classic starring Jack Nicholson and Shelley Duvall tells the story of the Torrance family, who move to the isolated Overlook Hotel so that father Jack Torrance can act as its winter caretaker. Stuck at the hotel due to the winter storms, the malevolent supernatural forces inhabiting the building slowly begin to drive Jack insane, causing his wife and psychically gifted son to be caught up in a fight for their lives when Jack is pushed over the edge.
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*Availability in US Director Stanley Kubrick Release Date June 13, 1980 Writers Diane Johnson , Stanley Kubrick Cast Danny Lloyd , Shelley Duvall , Jack Nicholson , Scatman Crothers Runtime 146 minutes Budget $19 Million Expand
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Stanley Kubrick’s productivity slowed to a crawl in the years following The Shining, and while in one sense it’s tragic that audiences never got more films from him, it would have been tough for him to do better than his ultimate psychosexual daydream Eyes Wide Shut or The Shining, one of the best horror movies ever made. Kubrick’s adaptation of Stephen King’s novel follows Jack Torrance (Jack Nicholson), a writer looking for inspiration and a little peace and quiet to do something with it so he takes a job as the caretaker of the creepy Overlook Hotel and soon a creeping disquiet falls over him.
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Creativity leaves him, replaced by a violent frenzy inherited by the hotel guests whose spirits linger in every corridor. The Shining is a brilliant, bizarre immersion into an artist’s obsessions. Stephen King famously hated the movie because it made Jack more of a villain than the hotel itself and made Wendy much less sympathetic than his novel. However, with Kubrick’s use of lighting and stage setting, he helped turn the Overlook Hotel into an iconic horror locale and the movie’s tense horror makes it one of the best horror movies of all time, even if it doesn’t stay as loyal to the source novel.
2 The Exorcist (1973)
Directed By William Friedkin
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10/10 The Exorcist RHorrorSupernatural
The Exorcist is a supernatural horror film based on the novel released in 1971 and was directed by William Friedkin. When a young girl is passed by a powerful demon, two Catholic priests are brought to her home to attempt an exorcism to expunge the demon.
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*Availability in US Director William Friedkin Release Date December 26, 1973 Studio(s) Hoya Productions Distributor(s) Warner Bros. Pictures Writers William Peter Blatty Cast Max Von Sydow , Linda Blair , Lee J. Cobb , Ellen Burstyn , Jason Miller , Kitty Winn , Jack MacGowran Runtime 122 minutes Franchise(s) The Exorcist Sequel(s) The Exorcist: Believer , Exorcist II: The Heretic , The Exorcist III prequel(s) Exorcist: The Beginning , Dominion: Prequel to The Exorcist Budget $12 million Main Genre Horror Expand
William Friedkin put to use his experience directing crime dramas, experimental theatrical adaptations, and documentaries when adapting William Peter Blatty’s best-selling tale of a young woman possessed. Friedkin shreds the audience’s nerves with one unexpected technique or image after another. Friedkin’s trick is making the real-world treatment of an impossible disorder seem just as invasive and terrible as anything the devil could get up to.
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Related The Exorcist: Every Change & New Scene In The Director’s Cut
In 2000, The Exorcist received an extended director’s cut, at the time called The Version You’ve Never Seen, and here’s what it changes.
Regan MacNeil (Linda Blair) has begun behaving in ways that perplex doctors, psychiatrists, and hypnotherapists alike. She swears, harms herself, and has the strength of two men, and when pressed, she claims to be the devil himself. Two priests (Jason Miller and Max Von Sydow) are brought in to try their luck when treatment and tests fail. The Exorcist remains one of the best horror movies of all time because Friedkin spares no torment to his characters or his audience in imagining the worst sort of horror. This was also the first horror movie to ever receive an Oscar nomination for Best Picture.
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1 Psycho (1960)
Directed By Alfred Hitchcock
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9.5/10 Psycho RHorrorMysteryThriller
In this now-iconic Alfred Hitchcock thriller, a secretary embezzles forty thousand dollars from her employer’s client, goes on the run, and checks into a remote motel. The place is run by a young man under the domination of his mother — and he soon turns out to be far more threatening than he appeared at first.
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*Availability in US Director Alfred Hitchcock Release Date September 8, 1960 Studio(s) Universal Pictures Distributor(s) Universal Pictures Writers Joseph Stefano , Robert Bloch Cast Janet Leigh , Martin Balsam , Anthony Perkins , John Gavin , Vera Miles Runtime 109 minutes Franchise(s) Psychonauts Sequel(s) Psycho 2 Budget $806 thousand Main Genre Horror Expand
Alfred Hitchcock experimented with the emotions and reactions of his audience, and images were the medium under his microscope. Psycho was the director’s experiment in making a film with the budget of a TV production that could still break expectations. The film begins with Marion Crane (Janet Leigh) stealing a briefcase full of money and staying the night at the homey-looking Bates Motel, run by nervous, awkward Norman (Anthony Perkins). After a strange dinner, Marion takes a shower and then, in one of the genre’s most iconic scenes, meets Norman’s mother, Mrs. Bates.
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Psycho is undeniably one of the best horror movies of all time because it changed the way people approached horror films. Suddenly no one was safe, no space, no character, nor the audience’s traditional concepts of good and evil. Anything was fair game, thanks to the way Hitchcock expanded even the confines of the horror movie. While this was well over a decade before the slasher genre started, this was the grandfather to all slasher movies and easily earned its spot as a masterwork of horror cinema.
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