Horror has always been part of our life and It will always be, there’s no question about that. But, what if you go overbroad something campy and experience something you could never in your real life? Isn’t that maybe horrifying? But still, we want to experience terror in the form of anything. Amongst, Horror films are the best immersive experience that would put you on the edge of your seat. To say the least, nothing can frighten you more than watching the scariest film in a dark room, with no chance to escape but to behold the picture on the screen. Maybe I’m exaggerating a bit, well look at it from a chicken-hearted person’s point of view. However, it doesn’t necessarily mean other ones would not get scared. Just as I told you, horror is always embedded in our life.
Some people just want to take pleasure in watching the scariest movies and that’s totally freaking yes, as we all always want something that will keep us on our toes. When a movie is thoroughly enthralling with extremely horrifying elements. No, you ain’t gonna crap your pants. It just arouses your curiosity as the narrative progresses and sometimes it makes you a little bit mad.
And for all of that, it is always the perfect time to experience and immerse in the Scariest shit. Here we have brought the 15 Best Scary Movies of all time that you can’t afford to miss.
15. A Quiet Place
Let me say this, watching A Quiet Place on your phone or laptop would be an utter disgrace. There’s a reason it’s made for the big screen and indeed, the film is a true theater-worthy film. The best way to enjoy it is in a dark room with great sound and on the biggest screen, you can. If you watched in the same approach, I can vouch you’re gonna have one of the best cinematic experiences of your life, and I guarantee that one of the first things you’ll speak about after watching the film will be the flawless sound design.
While watching it, what the sound does to your ears will intensify your anxiety as you want to see what happens every minute. It’s scary, terrifying, and chilling from every angle, yet the narrative is driven by the family’s emotional weight. The film takes place in a post-apocalyptic world where most of Earth’s humans have been slaughtered by noise-sensitive creatures. Our story follows the journey of one surviving family living in a deserted town.
IMDb Rating: 7.5/10
Directed by: John Krasinski
Cast: Emily Blunt, John Krasinski, Millicent Simmonds, and more.
Read more: 10 Best Post-Apocalyptic Movies of All Time
14. Nightmare On Elm Street
The best thing about slasher films is that they keep you glued to the screen through the entire movie. In the same way, A Nightmare on Elm Street will keep you on your toes until the very end.
Oftentimes, nightmares are the most frightening situations a person encounters in their life. Regardless of where you are in the world, they can happen to you at any moment and since the rules of reality do not apply to them, It is impossible to escape because they occur within the mind. But Is there anything worse than having your worst fears come true? That’s exactly the idea behind this movie and I summarized it in a nutshell.
Despite the film’s several flaws, “A Nightmare on Elm Street” is so unique, and overall terrifying that it is even easy to overlook its aforementioned faults. This film portrays a deceased child molester who now lives only in the dreams of the children of those who cooked him to death. Though the movie has a few jump scares, the film does not rely heavily on them. Rather, it plays more directly on psychological fear and creates a tension-heavy atmosphere.
IMDb Rating: 7.5/10
Directed by: Wes Craven
Cast: Heather Langenkamp, Johnny Depp, Robert Englund, and more.
13. Scream (1996)
Scream is an excellent scary movie to watch with your friends. This film will certainly be named as bringing back the slasher genre, as it was made so well. Wes Craven, the director of Scream, mostly borrowed the scenes from Halloween, A Nightmare On Elm Street, and Friday the 13th. Its ability to be both funny and scary comes from the fact that the film references several cult classic horror films, which is why it is still admired today by fans.
Especially, Scream was well known for displaying a sense of ironical self-awareness and strong meta-perspective. Instead of following the clichés, the characters actually discussed them and imagined what would happen if they were in a movie. The story begins with two teens being murdered by a serial killer. Now, Sidney Prescott is the next target for an intelligent serial killer.
Scream’s iconic mask, the one-liners, and its unique sense of self-awareness as to horror clichés make it a real original.
IMDb Rating: 7.9/10
Directed by: George A. Romero
Cast: David Emge, Ken Foree, Scott H. Reiniger, and more.
12. The Texas Chain Saw Massacre
A movie with the title “Texas Chain Saw Massacre”, sounds like it will be violent and brutal cinema. However, that’s not the case here. Even without any gore or extreme violence, The Texas Chainsaw Massacre continues to scare you with its haunting terror that seems to only grow with age. The movie’s opening act lays an enormous foundation enough to put you on the edge of your seat. In addition, the film has been popular for its fan theories. Critics and theorists have also reinterpreted it a number of times for years, and the visceral experience it has given the audience will likely continue to inspire reinterpretations for years to come.
Although it has a decent plot, this flick effectively conveys the general theme of slasher films; teenagers get lost, fall into evil, run from it, and are stalked. Yet, Texas Chain Saw Massacre’s aim is not to tell a story or to create a plot; it is to overwhelm the senses and give an experience that you will remember for a long time.
IMDb Rating: 7.5/10
Directed by: Tobe Hooper
Cast: Marilyn Burns, Edwin Neal, Allen Danziger, and more.
11. Get Out
Get out is eerie and psychologically daunting. As you watch the movie, you immediately sense something is brewing, those bizarre elements that set the stage for whatever is about to happen and ultimately, lead to a massive flabbergast at the end of the film. The thing I love most about Get out is its mysterious and ambiguous screenplay that unfolds the story in a way that staggers you with unexpected outcomes. Perhaps that was the reason it won the best original screenplay, Oscar.
Having said that, the film itself employs symbolism as a way to explore racism, prejudice, and slavery in a grim manner. So I guess that’s all I could say about this film without giving you spoilers. If you want to watch an oscar-material horror movie with fine symbolism, Watch Get out.
IMDb Rating: 7.7/10
Directed by: Jordan Peele
Cast: Daniel Kaluuya, Allison Williams, Bradley Whitford, and more.
10. Rosemary’s Baby
Unlike many horror films, Rosemary’s Baby does not feature gore or unnecessary jump-moments, but chills the viewers slowly by establishing an atmosphere that becomes an increasingly unnerving and claustrophobic experience. Imagine being surrounded by neighbors plotting to kill your unborn child. It’s when paranoia and extreme dread fill your mind. I suppose you’ve got plenty to get you interested in watching this intense cinema, isn’t it? Moreover, Throughout the story, each character contributes significantly to the audience’s understanding of the story through their stellar performances.
It’s a slow-burn horror movie that gets under your skin with its unsettling narration.
IMDb Rating: 8.0/10
Directed by: Roman Polanski
Cast: Mia Farrow, John Cassavetes, Ruth Gordon, and more.
9. The Conjuring 1 & 2
The way I look at them, these two paranormal horror films are something that other directors couldn’t achieve in the 2010’s decade. Props to James wan because, The conjuring franchise is the one that you might be looking for, as it’s chock-full of horror, scary, ominous elements with real jumpscares moments that may sometimes make you crap your pants.
Wherever something demonically bad happens, Warren’s (the lead roles) got your back. They are like superheroes who come to protect you from ghosts and spirits. Well, that’s an unique side of the conjuring franchise. What you see in the conjuring is a blend of detective spy, horror, thriller, and superhero genres. It intimidates you by deception and trickery, what you see on the frame may not be true, but it still tricks your eyes to believe and thus ends up terrifying you. If you’re someone who’s a big fan of these genres, you should not turn your back on these special modern horror movies.
IMDb Rating: 7.4/10
Cast: Patrick Wilson, Vera Farmiga, and more.
8. Suspiria
Susperia is a horror fan favorite for a lot of horror audiences. “Pure horror” is what they call it. Suspiria was hailed as the masterpiece of director Dario Argento. With many twists and turns throughout, it delivers a ridiculous experience that will put you on the edge of your seat. What I really like about this movie is that it combines disturbing images and gruesome killings with an unspeakably horrifying soundtrack. The film evokes fear and eeriness with creepy color effects and a truly unnerving atmosphere throughout the narrative.
Almost everything about Suspiria is flawless, it is definitely one of the best scary movies of all time.
IMDb Rating: 7.4/10
Directed by: Dario Argento
Cast: Jessica Harper, Stefania Casini, Flavio Bucci, and more.
Read more: The 15 Best Animated Films of the 21st Century
7. The Exorcist
The Exorcist, in my opinion, laid the foundation for a lot of horror films that followed. Even though this story might not be frightening to the modern person, it still may be for its enthralling narrative and forbidding philosophical aspects. There is more to The Exorcist than horror. It speaks about atheism, religion, and faith, and explores the very characteristics of God and Satan in an allegoric way.
The cherry on the cake: Friedkin ( Director of The Exorcist) says, Even if you call yourself an atheist, you have to think about it,”. None of us has any answers.
The Exorcist is an excellent choice if you want to watch a thoughtful horror movie.
IMDb Rating: 8.0/10
Directed by: William Friedkin
Cast: Ellen Burstyn, Max von Sydow, Linda Blair, and more.
6. Halloween – 1978
What’s so special about Halloween 1978, is how it still holds an essence of terror despite being a very old 1978 film. Usually, a lot of films do not age well and may become out of style as the years come. But with Halloween’s case, tables have turned. Literally, there were some moments in the film for which you want to tell the character on screen to not do something and sometimes yell at them. That’s the magic of John Carpenter’s classic – Halloween. Right off the bat film begins, you’re immersed in the cinema, there’s no distraction and waiting for characters to establish. Halloween hooks you right from the beginning to characters and the anticipation for every minute.
Give yourself 90 minutes for a pure scariest shit.
IMDb Rating: 7.7/10
Directed by: John Carpenter
Cast: Donald Pleasence, Jamie Lee Curtis, Tony Moran, and more.
5. Hereditary
Hereditary is an absolutely disturbing & pure horror movie. There are certain gloomy elements in the film that are definitely going to hit you and disturb you in a way that manages to linger in your mind for some time after watching the film. Why it is so special is due to the plot, which is about unearthing hidden mysterious secrets about your ancestry that lie deep in the shadows. It is a disconcerting, and sinister experience that throws you off. The mood that the actors were able to bring on to the screen is Oscar-worthy and I wish Hereditary had at least gotten one Oscar nomination. But you know, the Academy acts strangely sometimes.
Regardless, in a nutshell, Hereditary is psychologically daunting & unsettling. If that isn’t something you want, Go for other films.
IMDb Rating: 7.3/10
Directed by: Ari Aster
Cast: Toni Collette, Milly Shapiro, Gabriel Byrne, and more.
4. The Thing
The Thing is for me one of the best scary movies to watch of all time. What makes it so distinct from other horror films is it is much revolting, graphic, basically so unnerving till the end. Right off the bat, the film begins with an intense chase scene, and right from it, you’ll see how things unfold, and hence, The Dominos Effect. One of the best aspects I found in The Thing is higher re-watchability, you can watch this film many times and still feel that dread without losing it. For those who do not know, The thing is also directed by John Carpenter, known for classic horror movies and the horror genre. Halloween might be the perfect time to check out his movies since they are based primarily on pure scary stories.
IMDb Rating: 8.1/10
Directed by: John Carpenter
Cast: Kurt Russell, Wilford Brimley, Keith David and more.
3. Psycho
You want to know what’s going on, right? A slasher horror masterpiece with a thriller angle, this is Alfred Hitchcock’s masterpiece. Alfred Hitchcock’s Psycho is widely regarded as one of the best scary movies ever made. In fact, “Psycho” still holds up as a masterpiece in its particular genre in spite of its age of 38 years. The fact that Psycho inspired many movies including “A Nightmare on Elm Street,” “Halloween,” and “Scream.” makes it so special.
The specialty of Psycho is it doesn’t have guns, blood, explosions, fires, or crashes. It’s just a first-class piece of filmmaking with immersive suspense and anxiety that evokes you while watching. Furthermore, one of the interesting aspects of the film is it left some audiences traumatized.
With the film shot in black and white, Bernard Hermann’s suspenseful music, Hitchcock’s masterful direction, and stellar performances from Anthony Perkins and Janet Leigh, there is no doubt this is one of the best scary movies of all time.
IMDb Rating: 8.5/10
Directed by: Alfred Hitchcock
Cast: Anthony Perkins, Janet Leigh, Vera Miles, and more.
2. The Shining
Let me tell you something interesting about the shining. It’s not a film that terrifies you with creepy and campy elements. Rather, it will give you an experience that you will not forget, lasting for a long time in your mind. What’s so special about the shining is the mysterious and enigma nature throughout the movie. Even when there are no frightening images in the frame, you know something is unnerving right from the start of the movie. While watching the shining, paranoia fills your mind; your attention is piqued by uncertainty about what will happen next. It is all due to Stanley Kubrick’s masterful direction and Jack Nicholson and Shelley Duvall’s stellar performances.
Although the film’s box office performance tanked at the time of its release, it went on to become a horror cult classic and Stanley Kubrick’s horror pinnacle. Perhaps you’re curious to learn what the plot is, but seriously, I think you should go blind expecting to see one heck of a horror film. In particular, The shining is for horror enthusiasts who are looking for slow-building narration with ambiguous elements and pop culture horror cinema.
IMDb Rating: 8.4/10
Directed by: Stanley Kubrick
Cast: Jack Nicholson, Shelley Duvall, Danny Lloyd, and more.
1. Alien & Aliens
Do not mind me if I seem to be geeking out over these two movies. Because “Alien” is my favorite scary film. I know I have yet to watch a ton of horror films and see which is the best. However, at the moment, I can say my top 1 Scariest movie spot goes to Ridley Scott’s Timeless Classic “Alien”. Everything about this film is so spine-chilling and terror.
Imagine you’re just introduced to an erratic hazardous creature that you’re completely unfamiliar with and you don’t know what it is, how it acts, its vulnerability, and its strength, basically you don’t know its fundamental nature. But you got no resort, but to confront it in the spaceship in a vacuum space with no chance to flee. Period. Now that I said the basic premise of Alien, If you are not still excited about it. Then there is something wrong with you.
Alien’s sequel (Aliens), I mean It’s literally one of the greatest sequels of all time. Generally, sequels do not always work and reach their predecessors no matter how entertaining they are. However, Aliens might have contradicted that fact, as it went on to become a fan favorite in the entire Alien franchise. Although personally, Alien is still my favorite, the majority of the audience seems to have admired its sequel more.
As to the plot, I’m brushing it under the carpet on purpose. I have already revealed the basic premise of Alien and I suppose you go watch both of these horror movies with the only thing I said.
I can say You’re in for one hell of a venture that is going to thrill you, scare you, fill you with extreme terror awaiting to face the consequences that could be jeopardizing your life.
IMDb Rating: 8.4/10
Directed by: (Alien) Ridley Scott and (Aliens) James Cameron
Cast: Sigourney Weaver, Tom Skerritt, John Hurt, and more.
Read more: 15 Best Sci-Fi Movies of All Time
Honorable Mentions :
There’s a new horror movie making waves on the internet, Malignant which is directed by horror movie director – James Wann. In a fresh eerie concept with so many impressive aspects in the film, the audience finds Malignant to be a breath of fresh air. It has been highly lauded for its campy elements, stunning visuals, and haunting music score that lingers in your mind. Perhaps you’re looking for a modern horror film, so this is it for Halloween.
More:
- IT
- Midsommer
- 28 Days Later
- The Invisible Man
- Dawn of the Dead
- Paranormal Activity
