Do you like watching films that put you almost short of breath? Do you like putting yourself in a situation where you cannot sleep because the memories of a film continue to haunt you in your dreams? Then you must pay attention in this list of best scary movies of all time. We promise you will scream your heart out, piss on everything, and be a certified scaredy cat. A piece of advice: Do not watch these films at nighttime, alone, in a dark room. You might have a heart attack.
10. The Ring (1998)
The invasion of Asian movies in Hollywood started strong with this film from Japan. This movie bears a simple but very effective story line that really scared people. A lot of those who watched the film do not manage to sleep in front of a television set for long because they are afraid a ghost might come out of it, just like in the movies. One proof of how successful The Ring is? It’s the fact that Hollywood made its own version of it in 2002.
9. The Blair Witch Project (1999)
This comes off as a faux-documentary film. At the time it was released, spoilers cannot be found yet because the Internet was in its infancy. But although we know now the tricks on the scenes and we no longer need to haggle if one scene is real or not, it is still one scarefest that every horror movie fan should not miss. This started a different phenomena in making scary films and for that alone, it becomes a definite must-watch.
8. Dawn of the Dead (1978)
Dawn of the Dead used a refined formula of Night of the Living Dead, which was released 10 years earlier. That makes this movie better, scarier, funnier, and gorier. From the opening battle scenes, you will be put at the edge of your seats with telling picture of how bad a zombie outbreak could look like.
7. A Nightmare on Elm Street (1984)
Wes Craven was obviously successful in making his fictional character Freddy Krueger continuously crawling into the minds of the public. The film A Nightmare on Elm Street, which featured Freddy as the disfigured serial killer who massacre people in their dreams, was a successful take at horror. In fact, there were several films that spawned featuring Freddy as the antagonist.
6. Friday the 13th (1980)
This is yet another film series that created a memorable scary character that even the young ones today got wind of. This time, it’s Jason Vorhees. He is an icon of horror, appearing in 12 scary films, which started in 1980. Jason is a boy who drowned at the Camp Crystal Lake, which served as the setting for mass murders. In 2003, Jason met Freddy in a crossover film titled Freddy vs. Jason. This is a scary film times two because it put against two characters that gave out too many chills for the viewing public for long.
5. Jaws (1975)
If you think it is only the invasion of zombies and serial killers that could give you the thrills, think again. This film was made with a great white shark as the antagonist and it drew a lot of scaredy cats in history. Steven Spielberg made a very successful take on a novel of the same title that to this day, it is considered a watershed moment in Hollywood history.
4. Halloween (1978)
During an era that horror films are made the biggest blockbuster drawers, Halloween was made to add up to the long list of must-watch scary films for the brave. You will not be disappointed with the number of scary scenes featured in this film, nor with the special effects that were put into use – no matter how limited it had been during the time the film was made. This film featuring Mike Myers was made with a budget of $325,000. It returned that amount many times over by grossing no less than $70 million worldwide. It is definitely interesting to note how money is valued at that time.
3. The Exorcist (1973)
The thought of exorcism splattered on the screen brings some scary thought, doesn’t it? Well, the thought will definitely haunt you in your sleep if you come around watching this film. You will get the chill scene after scene not just because it has one of the best musical scores in film history but also because it is truly one of the best scream fest you should watch. Film experts advice that you watch this movie at daytime – with the blinds and windows open – to cause the littlest damage to your imagination.
2. The Silence of the Lambs (1991)
If a serial cannibal with a doctorate degree does not sound scary, we do not know what else does. This Oscar winning film made Hannibal Lecter a household name for scare. It also spawned a sequel, later in 2001, which tried to make Lecter less of a monstrous creature that he really is. Well, guess what, it failed to surpass the success of the first movie or even ring a bell. According to the Academy itself, The Silence of the Lambs is a nice movie to watch over and over again, if you are able to get through your first viewing.
1. Psycho (1960)
This horror classic is the best scary movie of all time, no questions asked. Done in the 60s era with many limitations on technology, you will not be able to tell the difference because Alfred Hitchcock has been pretty skilled in putting together a nerve-wracking experience, even with what he had at the time. It is not surprising that Hollywood still could not move on from that scene where Janet Leigh was killed in the shower, accompanied by a thrilling musical key. It’s a classic scene that deserves to be viewed by this generation and those to come.
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