Trying to pick your "Best of" anything is like trying to choose your favorite child. It’s damn near impossible, particularly when the topic is best horror films — for one, there are so many sub-genres in the horror category (like splatter, slasher, sci-fi, or supernatural) it becomes even more subjective than a "Top" list otherwise would be … second, what spooks some people [jump scares, for example] might not even make other folks flinch.
So if found footage films don’t unnerve you, then you’re likely not going to have a movie such as Paranormal Activity very high on your list. And that’s actually the beauty in horror: there’s so much diversity it becomes a ‘to each their own’.
But at the end of the day, we’ve gotta count ‘em down. I mean, us Americans love our lists, right? Here now is my list for the Top 6 Horror Movies of All-Time. Six? Why not 5? Honestly, it's because I had a hard time leaving one of these six hall-of-famers off the list. So, it is what it is. With that out of the way, let's talk about some true horror classics.
Note: I’d ask you recognize this isn’t a Top 6 “Scariest” Movies list; it’s based on equal parts terror, legacy, production value, and standing within the Hollywood horror community.
6 — Poltergeist
Currently holding a Letterboxd score of 3.5
“They’re here!” It may be the most unforgettable movie tagline of all time, horror or otherwise. Accompanied by one of the most recognizable movie posters ever — who can forget Carol Anne sitting in front of the TV, arms raised and palms pressed against the bright screen? No one knew at the time it was to promote Poltergeist, one of the truly great horror blockbusters.
Watching Poltergeist as a kid and seeing it through the lens of a child protagonist makes it frighteningly relatable. Carol Anne, amazingly portrayed by the late Heather O’Rourke, is the same movie-age as I was when the film was first released. A somewhat unsettling thought. One that all the more makes for a better experience.
Written & produced by the incomparable Steven Spielberg, Poltergeist does a tremendous job of elevating the haunted house story. Even from a ‘then and now’ perspective, the special effects were cutting edge in 1982 (for example, the ghostly white hand emerging; the muddy hole of skeletal corpses). Yet in 2023 there’s a nostalgic quality that - though you recognize the effects are dated - feels both retro and cool. That immensely aids in the film’s rewatchability.
But this is a blog post about horror movies. And while Poltergeist isn’t the best, it’s up there. It's easily one of the more terrifying times you can have watching a film; back before we were so desensitized and thrills were much easier to achieve. Fantastic performances all around, Poltergeist is one for the Hollywood history books. Just be sure to unplug any static TVs.
5 — Halloween
Currently holding a Letterboxd score of 3.8
Some horror movies you know by character. Others you know by chords. In the case of Halloween, an A+ master class of suspense, it’s both. It is truly difficult to say what’s more iconic, Michael Myers - both the name and the famous blank face mask - or the classic John Carpenter theme music. But there’s no doubt the influence both have had on pop culture for 45 years.
Though The Texas Chainsaw Massacre (another genre classic) is four years its junior, Halloween is often credited as the first slasher film. Whether or not anyone subscribes to that is irrelevant. Here’s one truth and one opinion — truth: none of its contemporaries can compete with its massive box office appeal, as Michael Myers cut his way to becoming the most profitable independent film of all time; a title it held until 1999’s The Blair Witch Project … opinion: though I prefer Freddy Krueger to Mike Myers, if I’m being unbiased it’s likely safe to suggest Myers is king of the slashers. It’s why they still make Halloween sequels to this day.
Even more outstanding, most of the franchise’s installments still feature star Jamie Lee Curtis. That goes back to a key decision in the original to make the protagonist not only a female, but a strong one. Sure, she’s a babysitter. But she’s a bad ass babysitter who fights back. At at time when females weren’t exactly treated fairly in Hollywood, Halloween showed us the other side. We're all the better for it.
Consider this, too: the American Film Institute christened Halloween as “one of the most heart-pounding American films of all time”, and in 2006 the Library of Congress added Halloween to the National Film Registry, calling it "uniquely artistic, frightening and a horror film keystone." If this doesn’t say all you need to know, what does?
4 — A Nightmare on Elm Street
Currently holding a Letterboxd score of 3.7
I’m wholly biased on this entry. There is not a character I enjoy more in the genre than Freddy Krueger. Silver medal to Chucky from the Child’s Play franchise, but Freddy terrified me as a kid. Though his popularity was boosted during the latter part of his run due to the comedic element, in the original ‘84 classic he was, at the time, an unknown being … and he was outright horrifying.
The premise alone is terrifying: serial killer with a bladed glove targets you in your dreams, which if you die, it kills you in real life. I mean, the thought of being too afraid to fall asleep is plain maddening. It makes sense why in the latter installments, psych wards enter into the lexicon.
And you would need to seek help after you got the eerily hypnotic nursery rhyme into your head. But let’s not bury the lead any longer: this is all about Robert Englund’s masterful portrayal of Freddy Krueger … and all the things that come with him: the burnt skin, scissor glove, and the famous red & green sweater. Freddy is iconic. And A Nightmare on Elm Street is quintessential viewing. Particularly if you’re a fan of slashers.
Lost on many people — again because of the multiple (mostly average to bad) sequels, and Freddy becoming a pop culture icon — is the fact A Nightmare on Elm Street is not only a horror, but a psychological horror. Indeed the mind is a powerful place. And the thought that the scariest thing in the world is all in your head speaks to our worst anxieties and depressions. That’s truly the most horrific thing to imagine, and it’s why A Nightmare on Elm Street earns a final four spot on this list.
3 — The Texas Chainsaw Massacre
Currently holding a Letterboxd score of 3.9
The Texas Chainsaw Massacre is the epitome of “wrong place”. It wouldn’t matter if it’s right time or wrong time. As we came to learn, there’s never a good time to be in Newt, Texas — home of the Hardesty family and, specifically, the stomping ground of Leatherface.
The thing that makes Chainsaw so incredibly terrifying is the reality of it all. With the exception of Halloween, every other film on this list has either fantastical or futuristic elements. There’s a least some barrier that protects the viewer from the scariest thought of all: “Could this really happen?” Or, worst yet … “Could this really happen TO ME?!” With The Texas Chainsaw Massacre, not only is it highly plausible, but American history has shown us that we have similar types of nut jobs doing such heinous crimes as what the Hardesty family is doing in this horrific tale. There is no imagination-only layer that protects you from the fears in your mind. THAT is pure horror.
And before it became a popular trope in U.S. cinema culture, the concept of having only one “survivor” (barely escaping, drenched in blood), while their family and friends are left behind from being slaughtered, was not common at the time. What the creators smartly did in writing and orchestrating this work of art is casting unknown actors. Because of that decision, you never have a sense of who will live or who will die. The Texas Chainsaw Massacre doesn’t just lay waste to one or two people, it disposes of nearly the entire cast; even a handicapped character. For a movie released in 1974 that’s quite chilling.
Indeed The Texas Chainsaw Massacre makes for a very disturbing experience. Which is what makes it perfect for not just this list, but its place on the Top 6. It’s straight nightmare-inducing — even more than Freddy Krueger. But for horror, its unrelenting tone & pace is what makes it the creepy classic that it is. And a terror fan’s fave.
2 — The Exorcist
Currently holding a Letterboxd score of 4.0
For a long time (and perhaps still) The Exorcist has been considered the best horror film of all time. Should we believe that or not till this day is pointless. The much more important achievement is its lasting impact on cinema. The Exorcist, aside from being a really good movie, is one of the most culturally significant films we’ve ever seen.
Think about the numerous times you’ve watched — and even moments you didn’t notice — when films released after The Exorcist spoofed, stole, or were inspired by its themes and elements. Everything from comedies to mysteries to other horror titles. It’s been that influential to cinema.
On its own The Exorcist actually works best in scenes that aren’t focused on Regan MacNeil or her supernatural episodes. It’s the in-between character moments; the scenes with Lieutenant Kinderman, Father Karras, and Chris MacNeil. All the exposition that happens within the story. The demonic possession elements are what viewers remember most; shock value, if you will. That's the sentiment you walk away from most wanting to revisit in water cooler discussions. But when you revisit this experience, the times the movie is most firing on all cylinders are the parts that focus on some of the key various plot devices, such as the ouija board, Father Karras visiting his mom, and the filming of the protest movie scene; they’re what really complete the story.
Disregarding some of the choppy editing (which is more a product of the style of filmmaking in its time), The Exorcist is a near perfect horror movie that is incredibly difficult to beat out … except, of course, for the number one selection on this list.
1 —Alien
Currently holding a Letterboxd score of 4.3
If Poltergeist has arguably the most memorable tagline, Alien may lay claim to the best and most terrifying tag: “In space no one can hear you scream.” It’s bone-chilling. Particularly when you consider the innocence of our society in those days; we weren’t so desensitized as we are now.
I sometimes forget how fantastic a film is Alien. Mostly because, for as great as it is, I actually think the sequel - Aliens - is a better movie. But Aliens is an action movie (known for making Sigourney Weaver the first true female action star with her portrayal of what will become a more heroine version of Ellen Ripley) and not an actual horror movie like its predecessor.
However, in Alien, Ripley isn’t yet the courageous bad ass she’d soon become. She’s timid and as terrified as we are watching the events play out aboard the Nostromo, or as the late Gene Siskel called the spaceship, “an intergalactic haunted house”. An incredible description for the peril within.
So, what makes Alien the top choice for this list? It has all the markings of a great horror feature. Beautiful score. Effective jump scares. Terrifying alien reveal. And some incredibly memorable scenes, including the classic chest cavity escape, which is used countless times more in the various sequels [and hilariously in one of the best comedies ever, Spaceballs]. There’s no other way to say it: Alien is a flawless horror (AND sci-fi) film, from top to bottom.
Honorable Mention — It (2017)
Currently holding a Letterboxd score of 3.4
The genre had taken a step back for the better part of the 2000s. Though in the past several years, its bounced back remarkably. If you notice from my list, all of the entries precede the 1990s. Maybe it’s a product of just one man’s opinion. Or perhaps my judgment is in fact correct but, as mentioned earlier, we’re not easily shocked or distressed anymore by this type of content. Still, I'm extremely delighted we've gotten some great additions of late.
There is one movie of the new batch that has stood out and is most certainly worthy of an honorable mention. It.
This a legit gripping encounter at the movies. And I’m not ashamed to say It got me to jump a time or two. But without a doubt the signature scene is Georgie playing in the rain with his paper sailboat. That first appearance in the sewer of the creepy killer clown Pennywise is next level fright. It’s the kind of imagery you’ll never get out of your head. That alone earns it a spot within the pantheon. But the entire movie is phenomenal.
It was a pop culture sensation when it dropped back in 2017; one of those ‘I wish I could experience it for the first time all over again’ kind of films. It's a definitive modern-day classic.
Which of these six horror classics do you like the most?
Poltergeist
Halloween
A Nightmare on Elm Street
The Texas Chainsaw Massacre
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