Top 25 Scariest Horror Movies Of All Time

The box office has been a beehive of activities especially with the invasion of horror movies. With the success of ‘It’ and ‘Get Out,’ the genre has become essential than ever. So, when did the fringy and heart-wrenching films make its way to our hearts? We dive deep into the genre to find out some of the scariest horror movies of all time. For the better part of this year, we have seen the rise of some of the scariest horror movies of all time. They have amassed a large following in the recent past. This is a good show given the genre flashback ten years ago was still met with cringed audiences.

The genre has made its way into the mainstream. Only time can tell when some of the top horror movies will be headlining the box office. As a tribute to the growing genre, we take a step back to some of the scariest horror movies ever screened. The horror movies list has been particularly successful in the genre managing not only to balance the inquisitive frights but also feed into the symbiotic presentation. The movies have managed to cross the field and garner a massive for the thought-provoking viewing.

Horror Movie List:

The list contains some of the scariest horror movies ever. They include both vintage and modern classics which changed the genre in many ways.

1. Get Out (2017)

A young couple in love decides to meet the parents of the girl. They are invited for a weekend getaway in the upstate areas. At first, the lad is nervous due to the interracial relationship and the nature of accommodation displayed by the folks. With the progress of the weekend, a string of disturbing revelations makes him know precisely what he dragged himself into. The scary movie manages to explore a painful subject in a captivating and memorable manner.

2. Alien (1979)

It is a blend of science, fiction horror, and bleak poetry. Shot in deep space, a crew to a commercial starship is awakened on their journey home to investigate a distress call from what seems to be an alien UFO. The team runs into a nest of eggs inside the ship and this is where the horror unfolds. One of the eggs hatches and attaches one of the crew members sinking him into a deep coma.

3. Psycho (1960)

A secretary is on the run after making away with the colossal sum of money from his employer. She steals the money to start a new life with her boyfriend. But due to a torrential downpour is stopped on her epic runaway. Avoiding the police, she settles for a motel to spend the night. She runs into a proprietor who is an expert in handling money but also has a strained relationship with his mother.

4. It (2017)

It starts with seven outcasts who are on the verge of coming to face with their worst nightmares. This is in the form of an old, shape-shifting evil which comes from the sewer after 27 years to prey on the children of the town. The outcasts form a kind of alliance as they try to combat their fears. They work to face their demons to gain strength to ends the murderous and bloodthirsty clown faced evil better known as Pennywise.

With the build-up of the scenes, it is easier to get lost on the funny part of the film. It is also common to develop a bond with the characters as their face their fears and individual struggles. It a front row seat to a lecture on trauma. Apart from the inconsistent tones, it bears psychological ramifications for the audience.

5. The Conjuring (2013)

A paranormal investigator and demonologists are summoned to home back in Perron. They meet a family with five daughters who have been secluded to a farmhouse. It is believed that the girls have made a supernatural power present in their midst. They try their manifestations but to no luck. Later on, things escalate as the horror unfolds. Mysteries come to light especially with the unveiling of the house’ history. It is incredible how the storyline diverges from the genre clichés through the concepts and delivery.

6. The Exorcist (1973)

What makes the tale of exorcism extremely captivating is the sense of actual events in the plot. A mother seeks medical attention to his son who seems to be possessed. After reaching a dead end, they seek the assistance of a local priest. The priest advised them that a demon might possess their son. With the permission from the church, the priest calls in an expert to carry out an exorcism on the child.

7. Halloween (1978)

The horror dates to a cold Halloween night back in 1963, when a six-year-old boy savagely murders her elder sister in cold blood. He is prosecuted and locked away for close to 15 years. While on the journey to a court date, he manages to escape custody. He returns to his hometown where he carries own with a string of horrific murders. It is frightening the thought of a child with an ill-infested mind behind the deaths of many people in his hometown.

Being another Carpenter classic, he masters the genre formidably and builds up the horrific atmosphere prematurely. It has a well-paced sense of direction which tapped into the minds of the previous audience. Even though it does not touch on ‘psycho,’ it surely does pay homage to that effect. It a merciless thrilled filled with a lot of scary and twists. It paved the way for the coming of the slasher films through the breath-taking performances.

8. The Witch (2015)

It is a far-fetched fairy tale that is followed with a terrifying drama of a family ejected from their home. A mother is forced to fend for his family in the woods. The family is faced with a horrific encounter with an unexplained forced that looks down upon them. With every bit of the scenes, the family attempts to survive to live in the wilderness. Things steam up when their son out of the blues disappears.

The blame game is placed on the elder daughter who at the time was looking after his brother. There is a general rise in tension and fear as they suspect the daughter of witchcraft. This is a real test of faith, love loyalty and the essence of family. It is also sparing with the blatant use of effects that create suspense. It is wrapped up further in a twist of religion, sin and the element of female power all embellished less than one domain.

9. The Nun (2018)

The film kicks off with the mysterious death of a young nun who takes her own her life. An investigation follows through after a priest with a grizzly and haunted past embarks on a journey to uncover the mysteries. He is accompanied by a novitiate that is on the verge of her final vows. They get the chance to unveil the grueling unholy secret behind the murder. The revelation not only costs their lives but tests their faith and souls. The run into a demonic nun with a robust dark force.

Immediately they arrive at the Abbey; the film opens up to the ghosts and the cynical indulging of horror as captured in the book. The frightening environment is created with the use of the dazzling effects, the creaky floors and the onset jump scares. There is also a senseless atmosphere of dread that is mixed ingeniously with the human story. With the original movie ‘Conjuring,’ it forms part of a sequel and new entry that is over the top overdetermined and soulless.

10. A Quiet Place (2018)

Imagine living in a world where making a sound means the end of you. The movie is based around the times infested with mysterious creatures that feed on people at the slight sound of noise. A man is forced to live with his family in silence. It is not easy at some point losing a child. It is emotional and frightening the thought of who will be the next victim. Probably the most cringe moment is when the woman is giving birth in a bathtub, but the slightest sound of a scream could lead to her death.

The film is silent in the better part of the opening which makes it hard to figure out the plot. But it builds itself as the scenes unfold. The action is thrilling and paints an undoubtedly taxing affair for the nerves. It also has a profoundly affectionate storyline on the importance of family. The silence is used in the film not only literal for the characters but also metaphorically. Each of the scenes forms part of a throbbing set piece. The premise pivots are best engaged in the very core of the human nature.

11. Insidious: The Last Key (2018)

Being the fourth installation to the franchise, it is a legitimate jolt for the audience. Even with the reported claims of fall in quality, it has an unbeaten run in the genre. It starts with a flashback which creeps back into the ghost story which surrounds the franchise of the paranormal investigator. The shift from the world to supernatural space makes it jaw-dropping how the fear is instilled.

It forms the ground on the life of accomplished parapsychologist who is called by a mysterious customer who claims he lives in a haunted house. The most coincidental thing is that the same home address is the one that he grew up in as a child. Armed with her two investigative partners, she tries to figure out the mystery. Later on, she realizes she had earlier set free the demon that roamed the house a couple of years ago.

12. The Babadook (2014)

A mother is involved in an accident where her husband dies and leaves her behind heavy with their first child. She has to struggle with the plight of being a single mom. Her child develops a constant fear of monsters, and she generates a violent reaction to kick out the habit. Things seem to be moving from far too worse especially when they read a book called ‘Babadook.’ The strange book talks about a monster that hides n the dark parts of houses. The mother and child are involved in a massive battle as they struggle to destroy the book.

13. The Invisible Man (1933)

The story starts with an arrogant and persistent scientist, Sebastian Cane. After some experiments, they come up with a trick to make matter invisible. Euphoric with the results, Sebastian can’t wait to put his discovery into action. He commands his fellow team of scientists to move to the next phase of the experiment. This being making himself invisible. Everything, in the beginning, seems fine, and the procedure is a success. However, there lacks a procedural strategy to reverse the effects of invisibility. He is stuck in the same form for eternity.

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14. It Follows (2015)

For most of the autumn, it’s all about school, new flames and excited weekends near the lake. An innocent nineteen-year-old girl falls for a one-night stand. However, after the somewhat normal sexual encounter, something becomes amiss. She develops a mysterious and frightening thought of someone following her. She is forced to escape the horrors that lay behind her with her friends. The movie was written by Jose Tamayo who did an excellent job in the revamping the scenes to create more fear. This is a rare horror film that forms a string of heart-quenching thoughts of who the next victim will be.

15. Jaws (1975)

From the days of yore, there was always a struggle of survival between human and nature. The film gives space for the reincarnation of the times nature gave a big blow to the humankind. A mysterious death occurs in Amity Island due to a shark attack. With the tourist boom in the area, the waters are infested with tourists having a time of their lives. There are a series of death at the hands of the shark. A trio embarks on a life-threatening journey to capture the killer beast. This is an epic battle between man and nature.

16. Hellraiser (1987)

The storyline is built when a man receives much more than he asked for. He finally breaks the circle and mystery that surrounds the puzzle of Lament configuration. This is the infamous highway to hell. Unfortunately, his former flame discovers a means to bring him back to life. In the midst, his niece is caught up in the melee with the Cenobites who are known, angels and devils. They derive pleasure from the pain of human beings. He then uses his former love to lure men into the house where he devours them to reconstruct himself.

17. The Fly (1986)

Not every horror movie must surround the storyline of a sinister or mysterious happening. Sometimes it takes the edge off to think of a supernatural occurrence. Like when Frankenstein was given birth and gave us a thrill of our lives. The same plot surrounds the film which is based on a science experiment gone wrong. Scientist Seth Brundle is in the midst of creation of a teleportation device. He then attempts to test the creation on himself. Unfortunately, a fly mistakenly lands on the device and forces a merger between man and insect.

It takes time before the effects grown on the scientist as he transforms into a fly-like creature before her eyes. It is frightening how he keeps on falling apart bit by part. It is also disheartening how his girlfriend watches his love turn into a monster. This is a true relic that drove the genre into the dark, evil and demonic sphere of creating horror. Not many people can stand the dark magic, but definitely, the creature-monster is one many can stand to watch.

18. Freaks (1932)

There is something always about the clown and circus freaks that make up a horrifying horror film. This came as a build up to the American Horror Story: Freak Show that was released in multiple episodes. The classic movie released in 1932 and earned the title of an uncomfortable horror film. The better part of the cast was real-life sideshow performers. This has cringe moments on the scenes thus achieve more horror. It came at a time when the horror films had censorship for the cringing moments.

The movie was directed by the same guy who produced the spectacular Dracula. However, it was released at an uncertain time when the public was not ready for such a thrill. After the fame of Dracula, it was only right to cement the legacy with this classic. Regardless of the public input at the time, it remains to be a horror film that captures the concepts and tasks of making a good one for the cinemas.

19. Rosemary’s Baby (1968)

This is a reincarnation of the 1968 psychological horror film this time with a bit more tension and terror. Roman Polanski did a fantastic job in reviving each aspect to include more dread and anxiety. This makes part of the most epic moments of the scene. The cinema is grounded on the basic ideas and concepts that make up a good horror movie. The interest of fear and evil darkness is depicted through the demonic side of a young couple that tries to start up a family. Mia Farrow and John Cassavetes play the roles of the couple.

When they embark on their journey to start a family, it seems all the forces in the world are stacked up against them. The element of sinister mystery leaves the audience in awe. The tension as the scenes catch up is what makes it an epic horror movie. The sound effects are mind-blowing and capture the right moments. It is the intense attraction of lights and play of pressure to create an atmosphere of the unexpected horror.

20. Bride of Frankenstein (1935)

The movie Frankenstein was one for the books. It had acclaimed much success, and it was only right that the sequels were to follow. The follow-up builds upon Ernest Thesiger who takes up the role of Henry Frankenstein. The film leads to the unveiling of the bride to the sequel of Frankenstein. The audience gets a front-row seat to a visual and splendor for an exhilarating tale that climaxes through the creation of the bride of the monster. It is sad how the bride is brought to life in a short span but makes part of the cinema.

21. Dracula (1931)

There was a lot of controversy before the screening of the first Dracula movie. Primarily due to the right issues that pitched against Bram Stoker’s novel. This marked the first in a series of iconic and memorable additions to the horror genre. It helped define the genre and also paved the way for Frankenstein which followed a year later. But don’t get lost in the amaze since the film carries some spooky and spine-chilling moments. Given it is one of a kind, there are some mistakes in the storyline and the way Dracula is brought to life. There have been successful sequels afterward, but they all owe respect to this fantastic horror film.

22. Evil Dead 2 (1987)

It is often rare to run into a sequel for zombie horror movies that quenches the thirst of the audiences more than the first. But when it comes to the follow-up Evil Dead 2, the sequel does justice. For director Sami Raimi and rising star Bruce Campbell were of age in time for the second sequel in 1986. The scenes are more vivid and create that sense of fear down your spine. It is time that Ash wakes up to the killing villain and the possession struck hero. The iconic handsaw is a makes part of the movie a real thriller. The storyline fades in the middle but makes up with the grueling action.

23. Scream (1996)

The sound of horror movies makes you think of horrifying self-referential elements and effects but not Scream. West Craven did an excellent job in the 1996 film to paint a different picture of what depicts horror. The film was a game changer in the new entry to the genre making use of puns, comedy, mystery, and cliché in the horror story. The story revolves around a high school student who turns into a person of interest for a mysterious killer termed as Ghostface. The horror film is quite simple and paints a vivid picture of real-world horror films.

The film was credited for giving light to a new genre which was on its deathbed especially with the in-flow of the direct-to-video title. There were also a host of other sequels that established from the horror franchise dating back to the 70s and 80s. The success of the film saw its rebirth with the sequel Scream 2 released in 1997. The film managed to achieve full commercial success. Some even say it paved the way for violent crimes and murders in horror films.

24. The Thing (1982)

Before the screening of the film, critics had weighed in heavily denouncing its eligibility. But after the screening, the naysayers seemed to seem otherwise. The John Carpenter’s reworking of 1982 classic ‘The Thing from Another World’ revamps the initial ideas behind horror films. This was more than a gross-out schlock film. With some years in the game, it has been reappraised as one of the greatest horror films of all time. It is kind of a sci-fi thriller with a tense and paranoid environment.

It features a crew in the Antarctic research facilities who are befallen by an alien. The alien can assume the form of different items that come into contact with it. It makes use of different memorable creature effects which paves the way for fear and grueling anticipation. The ending also creates a sense of confusion and debate which forms part of a sequel.

25. Friday The 13th (2009)

Written by Damian Shannon and directed by Marcus Nispel, it is re-imagination of the best horror movies franchise. It is synonymous for its hulking, machete yielding, hockey-mask wearing, and immortal antagonist Jason Vorhees. The films start with Clay as he embarks on a mission to find her missing sister in the woods. Little does he know of the mystery that waits for him in the rotting old cabin? He goes face to face it the most horrifying specter, and it seems to be too much that he bargained for.

The film is full of unexpected turns and thrills that will keep you on the edge of your seat. The tension and shock, especially with the gruesome deaths of the kids, make the better part of the horror film. The firm paved the way for the establishment of the sub-genres that followed. It has become a worldwide phenomenon. Warner Bros studio in conjunction with New Line and Paramount did an excellent job with the graphics.

With the growing audience when it comes to horror films, the future is filled with possibilities. The list of some of the scariest horror movies of all-time-captured above has had an unbeaten run in the movie industry. Some have gone ahead to win numerous awards. Some have been reinvented into modern classics and are still under production. With the effort put in production, there is so much that awaits the horror movies lovers out there.