Fans of scary movies have been blessed with many great horror films this year. However, nothing beats a good scare from the classics in the comfort of your own home. Here are our picks for the top 10 best scary movies of all time.
The Top 10 Best Scary Movies of All Time
10. Dracula
Coming in at our number 10 spot is one of the earliest examples of a great scary movie. Dracula released nearly a century ago, and is the first sound film to adapt the classic Bram Stoker novel. While some of its practical effects are amusingly dated now (including bats on visible strings), some aspects of the film are timeless.
Bela Lugosi’s portrayal of the vampire is iconic. The performance has an appropriate balance of gentlemanly class and eerie bloodlust, and is still one of the best horror villains of all time. In addition, the film has some great sets and cinematography for the Golden Age of Hollywood and an excellent cast of characters. While Dracula is obviously the star of the show, watching Renfield go absolutely mad is a blast.
9. Poltergeist
Poltergeist is another iconic classic. When Poltergeist released in 1982, its creepy kids and special effects absolutely terrified audiences. While it may not scare modern audiences as much, it still houses some great moments.
Poltergeist sees a family call on outside help to get rid of a haunting. The way the haunt is presented is incredibly eerie, with so much iconic imagery and dialogue as the family reacts to their home being overtaken by spirits. Poltergeist has great atmosphere, spooky special effects, and a finale that needs to be seen to be believed. With all the insane stories from the set and an apparently cursed production, there’s plenty in and around Poltergeist to make it become a horror fan’s new obsession.
8. Get Out
The “Elevated Horror” trend has been popular since the 2010s, with filmmakers using horror as a medium to comment on the world around them. Few films, if any, have done this better than Jordan Peele’s Get Out.
Get Out was Peele’s feature directorial debut, and became an instant phenomenon. This terrifying movie follows a young black man as he meets his white girlfriend’s parents for the first time. The uncomfortable encounter starts with microaggressions. As the stay progresses, the lead character begins to uncover the sinister truth behind his girlfriend’s family. There are so many twists in turns along the journey, which make for a mind-bending, thrilling plot.
Get Out is filled with biting social and political commentary, which only ages better as American politics have become more absurd. With Get Out, Jordan Peele reminds viewers that some of the closest things to monsters in the real world are people who appear well-intentioned, but harbor hatred beneath their surface.
7. The Thing
The Thing is the ultimate imposter story. The film follows a group of men working in Antarctica, secluded from the rest of the world. An alien infiltrates the group, taking the form of one of the crew. But here’s the kicker—you don’t know which.
The Thing is a masterclass in tension, and has great characters to get invested in to raise the stakes. Kurt Russel and Keith David are the standouts, but it has an incredible supporting cast as well. The Thing is an incredibly stressful watch as you follow along and try to deduce which member of the crew has been infected. This film is such a rewarding watch, as it contains some of the coolest practical effects and nastiest kills of the VHS era.
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6. Evil Dead II
Evil Dead II ups the ante compared to the original, with incredible practical effects, hilarious camp, and tons of blood and guts. Evil Dead II is more silly than scary at times with Bruce Campbell’s perfect overacting. But the absurdity is backed by all the gore you could want out of a scary movie, and then some.
This is hands down the best of the franchise, and contains so many incredible scenes and one-liners which made Ash Campbell the horror icon he is today. While it may not be as scary as some more serious horror out there, you’d be hard pressed to have more fun watching a scary movie than with Evil Dead II.
5. Alien
Alien is back in the forefront of pop culture with the all-new Alien: Romulus receiving high praise by critics. I went back and rewatched it ahead of the franchise’s new entry, and was shocked at just how well the 1979 original holds up.
Alien is a near perfect movie, with incredible production design, a great lead, gorgeous sets, and of course the best practical monsters in film history. Entering the ship on the alien world of LV-426 and seeing the organic-looking interior H.R. Giger designed is still a jaw dropping moment 45 years later. The Alien is absolutely terrifying, and looks uncomfortably real today. Alien also introduced some of the most nauseating body horror in all of film history, with its Chest Bursters and Facehuggers.
4. Scream
In 1996, Wes Craven didn’t just masterfully parody the slasher genre with Scream; he surpassed it. In the very first scene as Ghostface hunts down Drew Barrymore’s character, Scream birthed the icon of horror. Its still the ultimate slasher, with a great cast of supporting characters. Throughout the scary movie which inspired Scary Movie, audiences will get attached to several characters, and watch most of them be brutally murdered with creative kills.
Scream has everything. It has great whodunnit mystery, meta humor, a terrifying masked villain, and an epic finale. If you’re fortunate enough to not have the ending spoiled for you, it is truly an unforgettable ending. While the Scream franchise is filled with great moments, the original is still the best and most iconic.
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3. Hereditary
A24 has become famous for their indie takes on elevated horror, and none of their films have done it better than Hereditary. It’s part family drama and occult horror, and does both masterfully. Hereditary has some incredible acting, with grounded performances as trauma tears a family apart.
The film takes shocking turns as Toni Colette’s character discovers the dark truth behind her family’s history. The reveals lead to some absolutely disturbing visuals that cannot be unseen.
2. The Silence of the Lambs
The Silence of the Lambs is the only horror film to win best picture at the Oscars, and the accolade is well deserved. This terrifying film doubles as horror and thriller. Hannibal Lecter and Clarice Starling’s tense exchanges are some of the most memorable conversations in all of cinema. Anthony Hopkins and Jodi Foster play together to masterful effect in their uneasy alliance as the FBI attempts to track down the serial killer Buffalo Bill.
The Silence of the Lambs is remembered most fondly for its incredible villain, Hannibal the Cannibal. He’s so unsettling, yet has a certain gentlemanly charm that almost makes you root for him. The Silence of the Lambs‘ incredible story and dialogue are backed up with incredible visuals. Hannibal is capable of making some truly disturbing “art” with his victims.
And yet, Buffalo Bill is not to be forgotten. This serial killer is at times unsure of his own motives, with a truly fascinating psychology. In his screen time, he delivers quotables like “put the lotion in the basket”, and an uncomfortable sultry dance to Q Lazzarus’ eerie “Goodbye Horses”.
1. The Shining
The Shining’s disturbing story, performances, and a few unforgettable shots make this a film that will linger in your mind long after the credits roll.
The Shining is rightfully iconic, and depicts the madness that ensues when a family is isolated in a sinister place with masterful results. There is such a sinister energy to every second of The Shining that it’s almost as if the film itself is evil.
While there is a very small cast at the isolated Overlook Hotel, each delivers an unforgettable performance. The dynamic of the Torrence family shifts and breaks as Jack Nicholson portrays a descent into insanity, with Shelly Duvall playing a traumatized yet capable survivor of domestic violence who is ultimately able to rival her husband, even if she gives some of the most terrified expressions ever captured on camera while doing it. We of course also have to give a shout-out to the late great Scatman Crothers, whose character captivated us and Danny.
Published: Aug 22, 2024 11:34 am