The horror genre is quite extensive, as we get several horror movies in a year. While most of the latest horror movies disappoint with weak narratives, a few of them actually turn out to be good. In fact, when a horror film is done right, it’s often talked about for several decades. They are used as a standard to figure out if the latest horror movies are any good. With that in mind, let’s discuss some of the best and the most scariest horror movies of all time.
1. The Others
It’s been decades since this film was released, but it is undoubtedly one of the most memorable scariest films ever. Unlike other horror films, The Others doesn’t come with unnecessary gore scenes. Several scenes might get you bored because of the slow pace, but eventually, the film finds its pacing. The eerie settings and the mysterious characters start making sense as the movie heads towards its concluding sequence. Despite bringing the most simplistic plotline, The Others gives us one of the chilling endings.
Following the end of World War II, a woman named Grace Stewart shifts to an ancient mansion in Jersey with her two children. The children are sensitive to light, so Grace has to prevent light from entering the mansion, as it would hurt her children. She hires several servants, and after that, Grace and her children start experiencing supernatural events in the mansion.
2. The Ring
Now, this will always be one of the most haunting movies I have ever watched because I watched it for the first time when I was a kid. It literally haunted me in my dreams, not for days but for several months. There are several events in the movie that are quite dark, and the atmosphere, of course, contributed heavily to making The Ring one of the most scary movies ever made.
The Ring revolves around a cursed videotape that doesn’t allow the viewer to live more than seven days after watching it. The primary female lead, Raechel, and her son Aiden, who also has some sort of power to predict the future, watch the tape. Now, it’s time for her to investigate the origin of the videotape to save her and her son’s life.
3. It
Clowns were supposed to entertain kids at parties, but this is one of those movies that will make you creep out whenever you see a clown. Flexing the 80s vibe, it comes with a story that will stay with you for decades. The Pennywise clown has become a popular name within the horror community, and rightfully so. The mystery around Pennywise is something that always keeps you on the edge throughout the film; you always wonder what he’ll do next to spark fear among kids. The creepy smile of the clown will haunt you in your dreams for days.
The story begins with the disappearance of the main character, Bill Denbrough’s younger brother Georgie’s disappearance. Following the unfortunate incident, Bill and his friends decide to eliminate the supernatural clown after encountering him a couple of times in an abandoned house.
4. The Exorcism of Emily Rose
The Exorcism of Emily Rose is said to be one of the most terrifying exorcism movies of all time. Even though the film doesn’t have many brutal scenes, it has several other elements that make it one of the best of this genre. Be it Emily having unnatural muscle spasms exactly at 3:00 AM every night or the audio recording of the exorcism, everything made the movie frightening.
The film is based on the true story of a girl named Anna Elisabeth Michel, a young woman from West Germany who died at the age of 23 in 1976 due to a failed exorcism. The film changes Michel’s name to Emily Rose, and Father Moore gets arrested after her death. The film sees the flashbacks of Emily Rose as Moore narrates the poor girl’s story to the advocate representing her at the court trials.
5. The Conjuring
The Conjuring was released in 2013, and we must say that it has still not lost the charm it had years ago. Those who believe that Insidious and Paranormal Activity are the best horror films to date must watch The Conjuring as it is way too scarier and has more jump scares comparatively. This is surely a ghost story, but sometimes you may feel that you are watching a suspense thriller with lots of twists and turns. Well, that will only make you sit in front of your screen for the whole time.
The Paranormal investigators Ed and Lorraine Warren are approached by the Perron family to help them with the supernatural events that have started taking place in the house they have shifted to lately. However, the evil spirit won’t spare anyone helping the Perron family, so the Warrens have to protect their client and themselves from falling prey to the unsatisfied spirit’s trap.
6. The Evil Dead (1981)
Sometimes, the film doesn’t need a heavy budget to be a success, and The Evil Dead is a perfect example. Despite not having a high budget, the movie didn’t fail to give the fans what they expect from a great horror movie- a nail-biting experience. There have been several films out there from this franchise, but it would be safe to say that the 1981 film is a masterpiece that every horror fanatic should watch.
The movie follows five teenagers who reserve a cabin in the woods. There, they discover a cursed audiotape that turns their peaceful time into something that they never thought of.
7. The Mist
The Mist arrived in 2007, and it has all the abilities to hold the viewers off guard, especially with that ending. Horror viewers get disappointed by a movie that doesn’t come with at least a pint of trauma. Well, this movie has a trillion scenes that can traumatize you. However, sometimes, it’s the emotional ones instead of the violent ones.
The movie takes place at a supermarket in Bridgton, Maine, where civilians get trapped after a mist thoroughly surrounds the area. Some tentacled beings emerge from the mist, making people believe they will die. The movie was mainly appreciated not because of the premise but for the relatable characters.
8. Brightburn
We all know Superman’s story: a boy sent to Earth from an alien planet becomes the savior of humanity. However, what if Superman used his powers to cause destruction? Well, we got that story in DC Comics, but it wasn’t close to reality. However, Brightburn corrects that mistake and gives us a creepy alien boy who sends chills down our spines with his looks.
Brightburn follows a boy named Brandon, who crash-landed at the backside of a couple, Tori and Kyle, who take him as their son without knowing about him. Initially, things remained great for the family, but tension started rising when Brandon reached puberty and started developing some supernatural powers.
9. Lights Out
Lights Out is certainly a decent horror movie that will keep you entertained throughout with the intriguing characters, strange events, and the story, of course. Well, the people who are darkness-scarred should be cautious while watching this film as it’s based on the same concept. The ghost only appears when there’s no light. While some fans might feel the story is predictable, it’s still a good watch.
The movie is about a mysterious entity haunting a group of people. The history of this character is as interesting as it is haunting. Honestly, after watching the film, you’ll surely appreciate having enough lights in your house.
10. The Texas Chain Saw Massacre (1974)
The Texas Chain Saw Massacre is one of the most beloved Slasher movies of all time. The original movie is still considered a classic, and almost everyone around the world has heard about it, even if they haven’t watched the film.
After the 1974 film, we’ve received several remakes, but none lived up to the original. The aesthetic and color contrast of the original film makes it unsettling, in a good way, of course. Of course, the creators can make the latest installments more blood-soaked, but they can’t match the realism of the original. The Chainsaw’s sound and the characters’ screams can still make us look away from the screen. It’s one of those films that gave us that authentic horror experience without actually being a “horror” movie in technicality.
