10. “The Devil’s Rejects” (2005) What seemingly starts out as just another low-grade horror film quickly evolves into a 70’s style scary blood-soaked Western in Rob Zombie’s “The Devil’s Rejects.” Following a family of psychopaths on a journey of murder and blood, at every turn this movie makes you squirm, but by the end you will be confused that you are rooting for them to win.
9. “The Descent” (2005) One of the only movies on this list to cause this writer to have a moment of claustrophobia, “The Descent” makes great use of closed spaces to make the audience feel trapped while watching. What starts out as a fun expedition into a cave between a group of friends turns into a fight for their lives as they come to realize that they may not be the only thing alive in the cave.
8. “Halloween” (1978) What is generally regarded as the start of the slasher flick genre, John Carpenter’s classic horror film Halloween had many copycats that followed but none have been able to hit the same notes as Michael Myers has. The movie is so well done that on first viewing you may not even notice that there is little to no blood in the movie at all. It’s the mark of a great horror film that lets the audience fill in the blanks with their mind. And of course special mention must be made to Carpenter’s haunting score, which may be one of the most famous scores in any horror film.
7. “Friday the 13th” (1980) Following on the success of 1978’s “Halloween,” “Friday the 13th” was the first copycat slasher movie to move the genre forward. Everyone knows the legend of Jason Voorhees and his crazy mother. Unlike “Halloween,” which did not show much blood and violence, “Friday the 13th” was the opposite, going for full-on gore and not pulling the camera away. The results were a horrifying experience that captivated audiences.
6. “Dawn of the Dead” (2004) George A. Romero’s classic zombie flick started a movement of zombie copycats, some better than others, even by the famous Romero. But in 2004, director Zack Synder was given the task of rebooting the famous picture. And reboot he did, making one of the most polished, exuberant horror films in the last decade. Taking the old theme of a bunch of strangers trapped in a mall during a zombie outbreak, Synder brings an extremely realistic take it, as well as buckets of blood, gore and the infamous shotgun to the head. The movie was a treat for fans of the original and any horror fan.
5. “The Shining” (1980) Regarded as not only one of the greatest horror films of all time but also just one of the greatest movies of all time, Stanely Kuprick left his mark on the horror genre with “The Shining.” A huge departure from the book it is based on, “The Shining” manages to stand on its own as a true masterpiece. Every shot is expertly done and incredibly detailed, so much so that film buffs to this day try to interpret what Kuprick was saying through his film. “The Shining” is incredibly scary in a way that few horror films even come close to.
4. “The Ring” (2002) When “The Ring” began to hit theaters in 2002, most moviegoers had no idea what to expect from it. A remake of an older Japanese film, “The Ring” was equally terrifying and engrossing. When kids start dying after watching a video tape, a investigative journalist begins to find out what happened and finds more than she bargained for.
3. “Poltergeist” (1982) Directed by Tobe Hooper and co-produced by Steven Spielberg, “Poltergeist” was the huge success for universal studios. Even the dreaded “Poltergeist” curse couldn’t stop the film from becoming the most successful horror film of 1982. Centering on a nice suburban family who is suddenly begin to experience supernatural events, they call on a team of paranormal investigators to help rid the ghost. The story’s use of subtle special effects mixed with very real props including real skeletons makes it still scary to this day.
2. “Psycho” (1960) Often considered one of Hitchcock’s greatest movies, “Psycho” set the bar for every horror movie on this list. Watching it today still evokes the same feelings as when it released 50 years ago. Starting off as a deceiving crime film, it slowly starts to turn till before you know it you are watching the birthplace of all modern horror films.
1. “The Exorcist” (1973) Released in 1973, it was
considered one of the most violent, graphic films ever made, so much so that
rumors began circulating that people were passing out in theaters. The story of
a girl who suddenly begins to act out in violent and disturbing ways and
slowsly becomes more demonic every day, priests are summoned to perform an
exorcism to save her life. As violent
and grotesque as it was, the movie still went on to be nominated for 10 academy
Awards, including be the first horror film ever to receive a nomination for
best picture of the year. The film is also the ninth highest grossing film of
all time, a true classic of horror cinema