Chills, Thrills, and Pants Wetting Fun: Top 20 Greatest Horror Movies of All Time That Still Haunt Us.
Happy Halloween! In honor of this forever ghoulish and most frightening of holidays, I’m counting down the top 20 greatest horror films of all time! Word of caution, these are all totally MY opinion, so don’t fret if you don’t see one of your favorites on the list because we all scare differently. That said, feel free to list your all time favs in the comments. Now… let’s get started shall we?
20. Get Out. 2017.
Jordan Peele’s 2017 epic horror blockbuster was a subversive and unique take on the horror movie. It freaked out quite a few people when it came out and for good reason, too. The film is perhaps the most influential film of its genre in the last two decades.
19. Beetlejuice. 1988.
Tim Burton’s Beetlejuice was a unique and amazing blend of horror and black comedy. The film might make us laugh a lot, but it can also scare the pants off of you with it’s creepy and grotesque creatures as well as its very macabre look at death and the afterlife. This will always be a crown jewel in the horror-comedy treasure chest.
18. Blade. 1998.
We mostly consider Blade a great comic book\superhero movie. But it’s still very much a horror movie with the whole Vampire thing. The horror elements were very well done and pretty scary, even with the somewhat dated CGI effects of the late nineties. Blade’s a true classic in both the comic book and horror genre, and produced an even better, even more action packed sequel.
17. Tremors. 1991.
1991’s Tremors is pure monster movie fun! Plenty of laughs, lovable and relatable characters, and amazing jump scare moments that resonate with you long after the film’s over. It manages to be comfort food fun and terrifying at the same time. A true classic.
16. The Purge. 2013.
What sets The Purge apart from other films of its ilk is just how real it actually is. There’s no doubt in my mind or many of your minds that this mess could very well actually happen. Shoot, we got a little taste of it on January 6, 2021. Now imagine ten times worse, and one night once a year. That’s The Purge. A non stop thrill ride of horrific proportions.
15. Frankenstein. 1931.
There have been so many Frankensteins, Igors and Frankenstein’s Monsters for nearly a hundred years since this original 1931 classic monster film, but it all started here with Boris Karloff as the title character. The portrayal of Frankenstein’s monster has never been bettered since Karloff’s iconic turn. Based off of the beloved novel, Frankenstein 1931 was the birth of the monster movie\horror movie as it would become and deserves a special place on this list for that alone. But it also just happens to be genuinely scary at times, including when we first officially meet the monster.
14. Nightmare on Elm Street. 1984.
The start of it all. This is where we first met the iconic Freddy Krueger, one of the most horrific and legendary villains of all time. Nightmare is a seminal film in the horror\slasher genre. It’s frightening as well as suspenseful and just plain fun. Wes Craven made his mark with this film, confirming himself as the king of horror.
13. Child’s Play. 1988.
Everyone’s favorite evil killer doll was introduced to us in this iconic film. Child’s Play gave me nightmares as a kid. So much so that I started getting paranoid around my own toys. Since this film Chucky has gone on to star in multiple sequels, spin offs, and even his own tv show on the SyFy network. This is one child’s play thing that will haunt us ’til the end of time.
12. Misery. 1991.
There may not be any horrific monsters or knife wielding slashers in this film, but it is just as terrifying and suspenseful as any other film in the horror genre. The legendary Kathy Bates’ Annie Wilkes could give Freddy Krueger, Chucky, Jason, Michael Meyers etc. a run for their money, as she was just as sadistic, calculating and just plain nuts as any of them. This was the film that made Kathy Bates a star and helped reinvigorate James Caan’s career. Both actors are incredible in it, and somehow make what seem like such a simple little story with only two characters in it so mesmerizing and haunting all these years later.
11. Jaws. 1975.
There’s always been a debate whether the classic blockbuster Jaws could be considered a horror movie. I lean on the side that says that along with being an action film and a sea adventure film, it is very much a horror\thriller film with a legendary “monster” in the shark, and a whole lot of terrifying scenes and deaths. The film is an all time classic with brilliant writing, acting, characters and story. It’s no wonder it became the first blockbuster film ever.
10. Alien. 1979.
1979’s Alien helped reinvent the horror and sci-fi genre with its legendary heroin in Sigourney Weaver’s Ellen Ripley and its legendary movie monster\villain the Alien. The film has become a true classic and remains haunting to everyone whose ever seen it years later. The iconic chestburster scene alone is stuff of pure nightmares.
9. The Shining. 1980.
Adapted from Stephen King’s beloved novel The Shining, which starred icon Jack Nicholson and Shelley Duvall, has become a staple in the horror\slasher genre. It is eery, spooky, suspenseful and full of classic one liners. (HERE’S JOHNNY!) many films since have borrowed something from the film, making it a true horror-thriller legend.
8. Scream. 1996.
When Scream made its debut in 1996 the horror genre was considered dead. What was once a thriving era of gore, guts and terror was now considered a joke. But Kevin Williamson’s brilliant script in the hands of director Wes Craven and a super talented cast of young actors not only brought horror back in style, it reinvented it. The film is a classic 90’s time capsule with hip, witty characters and is genuinely funny as well as horrifying. Scream made horror cool again and it’s still pretty cool all these years later. The opening scene with Drew Barrymore is still one of the all time greatest film openings ever done.
7. Psycho. 1960.
Alfred Hitchcock made a name for himself as the master of suspense. His iconic film Psycho cinched it, with its iconic movie villain in the psychotic and creepy Norman Bates played masterfully by Anthony Perkins. Its terrifying story and jump scare scenes, like the stabbing of poor Janet Leigh in the shower, has penetrated pop culture. The horrifying scene has become iconic, and has been ripped off to death by various films and tv shows.
6. The Silence of The Lambs. 1991.
Very few films can boast the Oscar triumph that Silence has. It swept the five big categories with Best Picture, Best Director, Best Actor, Best Actress and Best Adapted Screenplay. This hadn’t been done since It Happened One Night with Clark Gable and Claudette Colbert and One Flew Out of the Cuckoo’s Nest with Jack Nicholson and Louise Fletcher. It was pretty historic that what was essentially a horror film could win such prestigious awards, but Silence’s impact on film-making and the horror genre itself proves that what it takes is pure talent in front of and behind the camera to make a classic, which Silence became. The film is a great psychological thriller and serial killer horror. With iconic performances from all involved, especially Jodie Foster and Anthony Hopkins. But it is Hopkins whose Hannibal The Cannibal truly steals the show, and the character became one of the most iconic villains in the history of film.
5. Se7en. 1995.
I know what you’re thinking: “How is Se7en anywhere near a horror film?” Well, I’ll tell you how. The film’s story about the true nature of evil, its motif of the seven deadly sins, the horrific nature of the murders themselves, and the killer John Doe’s modus operandi is very horrific in nature. In my opinion, it’s as much a true horror classic as it is a cop film classic, a psychological thriller classic and a serial killer movie classic. The ending with the box alone is something straight out of a horror film. Believe me, Se7en and its raw look at the evil of humanity is as horrifying as anything that Michael Myers and them have done.
4. John Carpenter’s The Thing. 1982.
The Thing was blasted by critics back when it came out in ’82. It was considered inferior to the 1951 film of the same name, as well as the book. Even worse was that nobody even saw it thanks to a “cute” little alien named ET that took the world by storm. All looked lost until decades later when The Thing somehow became a true horror and sci-fi classic. The film’s true terror comes from its hardcore look at paranoia just as much as the hideous, disgusting effects of the creature consuming its victims. The film boasts one of the finest casts ever put together, led amazingly by Kurt Russell and a breakout role for Keith David. The film is a masterpiece and I for one am happy that it finally got its due.
3.
The Exorcist. 1973.
This was a film that literally made people throw up in the theaters, run out crying, have seizures, heart attacks, and all other mayhem. It got so bad to where pregnant women were advised not to see it. Now, it may seem hard to believe that such over the top reaction is warranted for a little movie, but you have to get into the mindset of the 1973 audience who had never seen such horrific stuff on this level, especially from a cute little girl. The film is a splendid tale of good vs. evil with heavy religious themes and great horror movie jump scares to boot. The naturalistic quiet feel of the film helps make the scary stuff even scarier. I know I’ll be having nightmares for a long time after seeing a young Linda Blair masturbate with a crucifix.
2. Halloween. 1978.
We all know and love this one. A true horror classic that basically took the genre of horror and slasher films and skyrocketed them to a whole other level. The film is among director John Carpenter’s best work as well as perhaps the most recognizable work of Jamie Lee Curtis. The film also gave us the iconic slasher Michael Meyers himself. Meyers is up there with Jason and Freddy in the all time iconic movie villains, although Meyers is numero uno, since he was very much the father of the modern horror monster\slasher, or what have you.
- Poltergeist. 1982.
In my opinion nothing could ever be scarier then taking your home, what’s supposed to be your safe haven, your sanctuary etc. and polluting it with such terror and evil deranged spirits. What’s even worse is imagining an innocent, sweet little girl trapped in the spirit world with said evil spirits, especially one they call “The Beast”. It’s any family’s worst nightmare, which is why Poltergeist takes the cake as the scariest and best horror film of all time. The contrast of your typical, ordinary suburban family stuck in the middle of a horrific nightmare is pure gold. It’s so terrifying because the Freeling family could be any one of our families. Despite all the craziness going on the film manages to still have a beating heart in it which makes us love the Freeling family and genuinely fear for their lives.
Happy Halloween, folks! May your day be truly spooky. Trick or Treat for me.
