There are many varieties of horror genre films, some are scary, some not so much. I have assembled below what I think are scary horror movies. In a few there very scary scenes that are well known by horror film buffs.
The Exorcist
You will start praying there is no Hell. Some scenes are heart-stoppers. Creepy, suspenseful, horrific special effects. A Catholic priest exorcism of a demon possessing a young girl. Supernatural horror, 1973, U.S., director William Friedkin, cast: Ellen Burstyn, Max von Sydow, Linda Blair, Lee J. Cobb. Awards: 2 Oscar, BAFTA nomination, 4 Golden Globe nominations, National Film Registry. Ratings: Rotten Tomatoes 78%, IMDB 8.1/10, Roger Ebert 4/4.
Rosemary’s Baby
I will never trust my neighbors again, especially the sweet old ladies. The Gold standard for creepy paranoia and suspense. A pregnant woman suspects her elderly neighbors plan to abduct her unborn baby. The true father is a real peach. Psychological horror, 1968, U.S., director Roman Polanski, cast: Mia Farrow, John Cassavetes, Ruth Gordon. Awards: Oscar, Golden Globe, BAFTA nomination, National Film Registry. Ratings: Rotten Tomatoes 97%, IMDB 8/10.
Let the Right One In
Disturbing and creepy young first love. One more reason not to trust neighbors, nor vampires. A bullied boy develops a friendship with a young vampire girl. Horror, 2008, Sweden, director Tomas Alfredson, cast: Kare Hedebrant, Lina Leandersson, Per Ragner. Ratings: Rotten Tomatoes 98%, IMDB 7.8/10, Roger Ebert 4/4.
The Birds
Claustrophobic, paranoid, intense, non-stop adrenalin rush. You will never look at birds the same again. In a small coastal California town birds suddenly begin attacking and killing and people. Horror thriller, 1963, U.S., director Alfred Hitchcock, cast: Rod Taylor, Tippi Hedren, Jessica Tandy. Awards: 4 Oscar nominations, Golden Globe, National Film Registry. Ratings: Rotten Tomatoes 95%, IMDB 7.6/10.
Psycho
The shower scene is perhaps the scariest scene ever, and the music. There goes showers and staying at motels. A woman is on the run for stealing money. She gets a room at a secluded motel run by a repressed man and on overbearing mother. Big mistake. Horror thriller, 1960. U.S., director Alfred Hitchcock, cast: Janet Leigh, Anthony Perkins. Awards: 4 Oscar nominations, Golden Globe, National Film Registry. Ratings: Rotten Tomatoes 97%, IMDB 8.5/10, Roger Ebert 4/4.
Alien
Heart pounding adrenalin rush. The crew of a commercial spacecraft goes to check out a signal in deep space. Big mistake. On a planet they find a spaceship and soon they encounter a dangerous life form that invades their ship. Sci fi horror, 1979, U.S., director Ridley Scott, cast: Tom Skerritt, Sigourney Weaver, John Hurt, Ian Holm. Awards: Oscar, 2 BAFTA, Golden Globe nomination, National Film Registry. Ratings: Rotten Tomatoes 94%, IMDB 8.4/10, Roger Ebert 4/4.
The Omen
Another good reason to pray, more paranoia and suspense. An American ambassador to England and his wife suspect they may be raising the son of Satan, the Anti-Christ. Supernatural horror, 1976, U.S./UK, director: Richard Donner, cast: Gregory Peck, Lee Remick. Awards: Oscar, BAFTA nomination, Golden Globe nomination. Ratings: Rotten Tomatoes 76%, IMDB 7.5/10.
The Haunting
I couldn’t sleep after this. A group of scientists and volunteers stay at a house to see if it is haunted or not. Well, they find out. Supernatural horror, 1963, British. Director Robert Wise, cast: Julie Harris, Claire Trevor, Richard Johnson, Russ Tamblyn. Awards: Golden Globe nomination. Ratings: Rotten Tomatoes 88%, IMDB 7.4/10.
Poltergeist
I will never trust a clown again. A family’s house becomes the center for paranormal activity, opening a portal that takes their daughter. Supernatural horror, 1982, U.S., director Tobe Hooper, cast: Jobeth Williams, Craig T. Nelson. Beatrice Straight, Zelda Rubenstein. Awards: 3 Oscar nominations, BAFTA. Ratings: Rotten Tomatoes 88%, IMDB 7.3/10, Roger Ebert 3/4.
The Grudge
Very scary scenes, jumped out of my seat. A nurse is exposed to a supernatural curse that locks a person into rage, claims their life, and moves on to the next victim. Supernatural horror, 2004, Japan, director: Takashi Shimiz, cast: Sarah Michelle Geller, Jason Behr, Clea Duvall, Bill Pullman. Ratings: Rotten Tomatoes 41%, IMDB 5.9/10.
A Nightmare On Elm Street
Isn’t Freddie a peach? Sweet dreams. The spirit of a serial killer invades young people’s dreams to kill them in their sleep and in real life. Slasher horror, 1984, U.S., director Wes Craven, cast: Heather Langenkamp, Johnny Depp, Robert Englund, John Saxon. Ratings: Rotten Tomatoes 93%, IMDB 7.4/10.
Halloween
I always lock doors and windows after this. The best young woman babysitter being stalked by a serial killer movie. Serial killer Michael Myers escapes from a mental institution to return to a small town to kill more people. Slasher horror, 1978. U.S., director John Carpenter, cast: Donald Pleasense, Jamie Lee Curtis, Tony Moran. Awards: National Film Registry. Ratings: Rotten Tomatoes 97%, IMDB 7.7/10, Roger Ebert 4/4.
The Thing
One more reason not to go to Antarctica. Extreme paranoia and suspense gory special effects. A research team in Antarctica is hunted by a shape shifting alien that assumes the appearance of its victims. Sci fi horror, 1982, U.S., director John Carpenter, cast: Kurt Russell, Keith David, A. Wilford Brimly. Ratings: Rotten Tomatoes 92%, IMDB 8.2/10.
Invasion of the Body Snatchers
This movie ruined my childhood. Who could sleep? A small town doctor learns that the population of the town is being replaced by emotionless alien duplicates. Sci fi horror, 1956, U.S., director Don Siegel, cast: Kevin McCarthy, Dana Wynter, Larry Gaffes. Award: National Film Registry. Ratings: Rotten Tomatoes 98%, IMDB 7.7/10.
Jaws
I can’t swim in the ocean anymore and I walk five feet from the water’s edge. A massive shark terrorizes a Long Island beach community. The police chief, a marine biologist, and sea captain hunt the beast down. Big mistake. Thriller horror, 1975, U.S., director Steven Spielberg, cast: Roy Scheider, Richard Dreyfuss, Robert Shaw. Awards: 3 Oscars, BAFTA, Golden Globe, National Film Registry. Ratings: Rotten Tomatoes 98%, IMDB 8.1/10, Roger Ebert 4/4.
Wolfen
Who said we are safe from Nature in the city? A New York cop investigates a series of brutal killings that indicate it was down by some kind of animal, director Michael Wadleigh, cast: Albert Finney, Diane Venora, Gregory Hines. Rating: Rotten Tomatoes 72%, IMDB 6.3/10.
The Spiral Staircase
The ultimate deaf damsel in distress alone in a remote mansion being stalked by a serial killer story. Psychological horror, 1946, U.S., director Robet Siodmak, cast: Dorothy McGuire, George Brent, Ethel Barrymore, Rhonda Fleming. Ratings: Rotten Tomatoes 87%, IMDB 7.3/10.
Horror of Dracula
Christopher Lee changed the vampire genre forever, more violence and blood, fangs, red eyes, and erotic seduction, no more white tie and tuxedo. Cushing made Van Helsing a more stone cold killer. A variation of the Bram Stoker novel. Considered the best Dracula movie. Gothic horror, 1958, British, director Terence Fisher, cast: Christopher Lee, Peter Cushing, Michael Gouggh, Melissa Stribling. Ratings: Rotten Tomatoes 89%, IMDB 7.2/10.
