Now if you're horror movie connoisseurs like us, you'll be immersed in the gory depths of cinematic terror all year round, not just during Halloween. You'll be constantly on the lookout for new and exciting films that will leave you perplexed and scared stiff.
It's a great joy for us dark copers and adrenaline junkies to receive valid counsel for the next horror film that will fill us with wholesome delight. Believe me, they're rare.
People are always curiously inquiring, "What is a good horror movie that is really scary?"
They ask this because most horror movies, despite being hauntingly entertaining, aren't deeply traumatizing the way some of us want them to be.
So it is a sacred duty of ours to present you with only the most terrifying submissions available to the living. We will simply not burden you with sitting through a movie that will only mildly startle you.
We want you to be running up the stairs because there's an evil demon right behind you scared.
I'm fortunate that my wife and I and our two closest family members are all serious horror movie fanatics.
While we do love Halloween, we will also travel around any time of the year touring historic haunted locations, places of interests for oddities and the macabre, and so on.
Every year we attend the Monster Mania Con, and we'll go on camping trips where we stay up until 3am playing horror trivia games which usually end in fisticuffs. I'm joking about the real-life violence, but the competition can get quite fierce.
You may be even more hardcore horror fans than we are, which is doubtful, but I'm sure some exist in rare form.
Most of you are just dabbling in the dark arts during the "ber" months because it's Halloween *peers intently*.
Don't worry, we may look down on you with righteous condemnation for only watching horror films during Halloween, but you've come to the right place if you want solid recommendations to scare the shit out of your friends (and yourself).
Now there are many amazing horror movies in every subgenre out there. I love a good horror comedy that is unreasonably grotesque just as much as I love campy low budget thrillers that I'll probably only watch once or twice.
There are quiet intellectual horror films that make you question your own sanity just as there are critically acclaimed theatrical releases that have tremendously well-written plots but don't quite deliver the terror.
With that being said, keep in mind that this blog is about the scariest horror movies, not the best or the worst. This doesn't necessarily mean that just because a particular movie didn't make this list that we think it sucks.
Oh no, there are many stellar horror movies that won't be on today's roster, dear reader, but the ones that are here receive our personal adulation and stamp of horror approval.
In short, these are the movies that will actually scare you or produce an intense emotional reaction akin to fear.
And that's what you are here for, right?
Also keep in mind that we do have lives outside of watching horror movies (sort of), so we haven't seen every single production. There is a good possibility that this list will increase over time (I hope it will).
Enough talk, get your popcorn ready and let's dive in!
The Scariest Horror Movies Ever Made
The Exorcist (1973)
One of the most classic horror films ever made that truly terrified its audience. Very loosely based on a true story from Cottage City, MD, The Exorcist continues to haunt believers and skeptics alike.
After the theatrical release, people were reported to have suffered panic attacks, vomiting, and even going to the hospital because they feared they've become possessed by a demon. It has consistently ranked as the all-time most scary horror film, and we agree.
Terrified (2017)
Not to be confused with Terrifier (2016), Terrified is an Argentine horror film that has an extremely creepy vibe that transcends your typical paranormal doctor investigating strange noises in the house. If paranormal is your go-to subgenre for legendary scares, this is one that will not disappoint!
Now, I do enjoy the movie Terrifier as well. It's a very interesting movie that has a lot of unique violence. Despite its satisfying gory nature, it won't leave you as terrified as the movie suggests.
The Ring (2002)
When The Ring hit the big screen in 2002, I was just about to graduate high school. Me and a friend hopped in my brother's S10 and we went to see the movie at the local theatre. I remember by the end of the film we were all pretty scared. It was one of those movies that left a lingering sense of terror.
When we got outside in the parking lot there was hardly anybody left and it was eerily quiet. Me and my friend fought over who had to lay down in the cab in the back of the truck alone while the other guy got to sit up front with my brother who was driving. Genuinely terrified like little girls haha.
The Conjuring (2013)
Based on the true case file of Ed and Lorraine Warren, The Conjuring was pure nightmare fuel. The entire franchise is worth watching, but the original 2013 is the most frightening. What adds to the suspense and allure is the fact that it was based on true stories, which leaves the debate open about the possibility of demonic possession.
Insidious (2010)
Insidious was one of the few horror movies that proved you are still not safe in the brightness of day. Utilizing well-timed and organic jump scares with an original plot, Insidious delivers the promise of its title, particularly the hilariously frightening and morbidly creepy Tip Toe Through The Tulips scene.
Night Of The Demons (1988)
The original Night Of The Demons (not the remake in 2009) was as genuinely 80's as it was terrifying. Few movies capture the suspenseful, bizarre, and wicked aspects of teenage horror as this awesome film. It definitely helps to have the legendary scream queen Linnea Quigley, but even without her, the plot is truly thrilling. What happened to the good old days when a small group of people partied in an abandoned house that turns out to be infested with demons?
Last Shift (2014)
A rare horror mystery movie that scored so high in the reviews and actually deserved it. A 5-star thrill ride with intense psychological dismay. If you like horror movies that mess with your mind, Last Shift will ceaselessly grip you in a sense of danger of both the physical and metaphysical world around us. If you haven't seen it yet, put it on your list!
People Under the Stairs (1991)
One of Wes Craven's underrated hidden gems that rarely gets brought up in the horror circles, The People Under The Stairs was intended to be a horror comedy, but despite its ridiculous plot it is a genuinely disturbing, dark, and sinister film. Brace yourself for over an hour and a half of couch-gripping fear!
The Others (2001)
When you're certain that your 20th century home is teeming with malevolent entities from the 19th century, just recall the Nietzsche quote about how when you stare into the abyss, the abyss also stares into you. Perhaps the monster is really you. Did you ever think about that? From start to finish, The Others is an epic thriller with a sophisticated plot that will leave you wondering who the real ghosts are.
Wake In Fright (1971)
Now Wake In Fright isn't your typical jump scare haunted house type thriller but I really feel it should be here on this list. It takes place in a hot, remote mining town in the Australian outback. This is one of those horrifying bad-luck stories that could actually happen, and might have been me if I was there.
The protagonist gets hopelessly stranded after losing all his money gambling and ends up in absolute drunken chaos with locals as he tries to get back home. It was one of those horror movies where you felt like you were the main character. At least you could deeply emphasize.
Just a heads up, one "spoiler" that doesn't really spoil the movie, but it's good to know. The scene where they shoot the Kangaroos is real. They actually did shoot the animals for the movie but it was supposedly under the guide of an authentic Kangaroo hunt.
At the Cannes film festival in 1971, several viewers were so mortified that they got up and left the screening. If you like disturbing stomach-twisters with an excellent storyline, you'll love Wake In Fright!
The Descent (2005)
The Descent was another gloriously horrifying movie that you wouldn't classify as traditionally scary. If you're even slightly afraid of enclosed spaces, you will be highly triggered and on edge this entire film. My wife was so unnerved she had to stand up and pace around the living room just to verify she could still move about.
You may even wake up gasping for air relieved to know that you're not stuck under a narrow passage in a bottomless cave once your consciousness resumes. A true claustrophobic nightmare!
Haunt (2019)
Anytime you show up to a haunted house in the middle of nowhere and arrogantly boast that you're not afraid, something terrible will happen to you. It's almost a guarantee. Be humble, and you might survive. Just remember that.
In the 2019 film Haunt, the world's most interesting haunted house comes to life and the actors within begin hunting down the unsuspecting young thrill seekers. It's a psychologically suspense-inducing attraction for sure!
Event Horizon (1997)
Despite the movie receiving low critical reviews, I think Event Horizon is worthy of the list. I'm not a huge sci-fi fan, but I give credit where it's due. Philosophically and cinematically, Event Horizon's horror is otherworldly. The concept of a runaway ship entering into an unknown part of space not only to gain sentience, but to become imbued in unspeakable evil, is quite intriguing. You may have to be more of a thinker to grasp why its so horrifying, but give it a shot, you may surprise yourself.
Cube 2 (2002)
You don't need to be a mathematical genius to understand the perplexing terror of the hypercube, also known as a tesseract. Watching Cube 2 (The sequel to Cube) will have you sweating and suffering more than you did in math class. You can count on never calculating your way out, just hope that the most gruesome part of your demise isn't relived ad infinitum to the point of eternal suffocation.
Thriller (1982)
While not a full-length movie, Michael Jackson's Thriller is a timeless classic that pretty much scared the shit out of every kid who watched it in the 80s and 90s. Even in the new millennium, it still frightens the young and old from beyond the grave as Vincent Price would have intended.
Thriller brought to life the most panic-stricken nightmare all of us experience: being chased hopelessly by slow moving monsters who you know are inevitably going to catch up with you no matter what you do. Don't worry, you'll wake up and the monsters will be gone. Or will they be?
The End Of The List?
As I said, there is really no end. This is an ever-expanding list. Our memories aren't the best so I'm absolutely sure that there are some excellent films we've missed. Please save your angry emails for politicians and celebrities, we won't read them anyway.
We hope you can value these recommendations as much as we've enjoyed supplying them.
Appreciating the talent and artistry of the horror genre is a rare gift and one we will hope to nurture as time goes on and more writers hit the scene.
If you're a fan of Halloween and love trivia, check out our Halloween Trivia next!
