Tom Foster
The 50 greatest horror movies will leave a psychological mark decades later. That means they were that amazingly terrifying.
It (2017)
Technically the original was a miniseries on TV, and we’re here talking movies. But this was still terrifying, even if the ending was less than satisfactory.
The Exorcist
All these years later this movie is still one of the more terrifying on the list. Its practical effects are insanely disturbing.
The Shining
You’ll probably see a few Stephen King stories on this list. But the idea of isolation and a haunted hotel is enough to creep many people out.
Hereditary
The type of movie that makes you feel that something is off is horrible, in the best way. The greatest horror movies are the ones that unsettle you without the need for effects.
Halloween
John Carpenter was likely hoping for something special to happen, and he got it. While the sequels that came along later weren’t always great, the original is still the best.
Poltergeist
There are people in the world today who won’t venture near a graveyard because of this movie. Imagine living on top of one and never realizing it.
The Conjuring
Ed and Lorraine Warren have been a hotly debated topic on paranormal occurrences, but this story is still creepy. There are still plenty of things in this world we don’t understand.
Sinister
This movie proves that things don’t have to happen in an overt manner to be scary. Of course, eventually, things begin to happen that are undeniably horrifying.
The Evil Dead
The first movie was put to shame by the second as a lot of fans see it. But you still have to give credit to the first one for kicking things off.
The Cabin in The Woods
Seriously, this movie was made just to make sure that there is something out there that hits as many tropes as possible. Not only that but having the Shaggy lookalike be the reasonable one was a nice touch.
Host
Surely you can’t do any harm performing a seance over Zoom, can you? Who here thinks technology is still a good thing in the face of the paranormal?
A Nightmare on Elm Street
Ah yes, the crispy-fried madman with the finger knives. Funnily enough, a lot of fans were more inclined to cheer for Freddy Krueger than his victims.
The Birds
One quick thought: birds have a serious advantage over humans. It’s not just that they can fly, it’s that they know how to swarm without warning. Ouch.
It Follows
The interesting thing about this movie isn’t that the mark is sexually transferred (um, okay), it’s that you don’t really know what the thing is. Plus, it never stops coming for you.
The Witch
Imagine life back in the 1700s, when religion and superstition still held so much sway. Trust came in short supply back then it would appear.
Midsommar
Can you say, cult? It starts out simple enough until it becomes evident that American habits are bound to turn up without fail.
Alien
This already made our SciFi list, but being the versatile movie it is, Alien can take up a slot in a few different lists. Plus, the xenomorph deserves that since it’s so unique.
The Babadook
You know how so many children’s stories tell of wicked and evil things? Yeah, this story kind of puts the rest to shame.
Paranormal Activity
It does take a while to get into this movie, but once you do it’s hard to stop watching. By the end you know something is going to happen, but the final freakout is still chilling.
The Silence of The Lambs
It’s amazing that despite having a main antagonist, Hannibal became the most renowned villain in this movie. That’s the difference between a good and great actor though.
Night of the Living Dead
You can’t always beat the first movie. Even with effects and improvements in acting, the original will still have a special place in the hearts of fans.
Us
How do you fight yourself? The best you can, I suppose. Who wants to survive?
The Host
Nothing is saying that horror and satire can’t go together. It’s one of the more appealing ways to push a movie, at least in the 2000s.
The Ring
You would think a ghost would strike out at the people who harmed them in life. But no, Samara just had to take anyone she could get.
Scream
Somehow, despite being laden with tropes and bad decisions, this movie took off in a way that was hard to believe. But with six movies in the archives, fans want even more.
Saw
Diabolical is one of the best words to use for one of the greatest horror movies ever created. It’s been allowed to continue for a while, but the first movie set a high bar.
Psycho
To think what this must have been like back in the 60s, wow. These days it’s still insanely creepy.
The Orphanage
Sure, bring your family back to a place that’s haunted and experienced great trauma. Some of the greatest horror movies have come from such ideas.
The Fly
Hopefully, you have a strong stomach since things get a little gooey at some point. If you love gore, this is your movie.
Friday the 13th
Open a summer camp, they said. It’ll be fun, they said.
Nosferatu: A Symphony of Horror
Even today, images of this movie are still intense and horrifying. It sounds like Sweden banned it until the 70s.
Insidious
A haunted house is one thing, but a haunted person is even worse. What are you supposed to do, just cut them loose?
Let The Right One In
All credit to Sweden and several other countries for their contributions to the horror genre. This one is twisted to be certain.
The Texas Chainsaw Massacre
It’s been remade and redone a couple of times, but the story is still insanely scary. Why? Because humans are unpredictable and hard to figure out, that’s why.
Hellraiser
From such a simple little puzzle box to a hellish story that has lasted for decades. This story is a great one, and it qualifies as one of the greatest horror movies ever.
The Thing From Another World
One has to remember that as cheesy as the old horror movies are, they set the pace at one point. If not for them, horror might not have evolved the way it did.
28 Days Later
Someone is always trying to reinvent the zombie movie, and sometimes people get it right. Not only that, but fast zombies are way scarier than slow ones.
Carrie
There’s a reason why you shouldn’t pick on people, at least in the movies. Carrie is a cautionary tale of what happens when you push someone too far, simply put.
The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari
There are old stories that have inspired the movies we know and love today, and this is one of them. The premise is simple enough, but the possibilities are endless.
The Sixth Sense
It’s interesting to think that dead people might not be able to see each other. That opens up a new chapter on the afterlife.
The Omen
Could you seriously consider taking out your own kid if you found out he was the Antichrist? That’s a tough decision even now.
The Blair Witch Project
If you can get past the motion sickness caused by the jostling of the camera then this turns into a rather compelling tale. Of course, a lot of people thought it was real for a while.
The Amityville Horror
This is another story that’s hotly debated, but the affected individuals who supposedly lived through the ordeal have either gone their own way or passed on. Even the house shown in the movie is said to be nothing like the original that inspired the story.
Candyman
Are you brave enough to say his name in the mirror? Or are you betting that movies are just another mirror into another reality?
Get Out
So many people touch on the racial undertones in this movie that it almost feels like they ignore the real danger. Sometimes a horror movie just needs to be a horror movie.
A Quiet Place
Can humanity really live in silence? With a race of aliens that hunt by sound, you’re damned right they could.
Rosemary’s Baby
Sometimes it pays to be paranoid. I mean, it didn’t help Rosemary, but sometimes it helps.
Child’s Play
Kid’s toys and dolls shouldn’t be that creepy, right? Thanks to the movies though, that idea gets tossed out the window…
The Strangers
Realism in horror is sometimes the scariest thing that can be introduced. Seriously, if something could really happen in our world then the movie becomes even more terrifying.
Train to Busan
Zombie movies are scary anyway. But this movie made it unbearably tragic at the same time, which is hard for some people to take.
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