The 20 Scariest Movies of All Time
Out of the collection of horror movies I have seen throughout the last two decades, these have stood out as the most terrifying films to ever hit the big screen. Be forewarned... this is not a list of the best Horror films, but rather the scariest... it also does not contain any movies in another language. English ONLY.
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- DirectorWes CravenStarsNeve CampbellCourteney CoxDavid ArquetteA year after the murder of her mother, a teenage girl is terrorized by a masked killer who targets her and her friends by using scary movies as part of a deadly game.20. The original Meta-Horror film that led to many spoofs, Scream slashed its way through the cinemas with plenty of blood, scares, and a twist ending that will leave anyone jaw-dropped.
- DirectorGreg McLeanStarsNathan PhillipsCassandra MagrathKestie MorassiThree backpackers stranded in the Australian outback are plunged inside a hellish nightmare of insufferable torture by a sadistic psychopathic local.19. Sure, sure... "Based on True Events". We've all heard that before... But what makes Wolf Creek truly terrifying, is the fact that similar cases had arisen not too long before the release of this movie. It's a realistic horror film, and I for one am not going on an Australian Outback tour anytime soon. This movie will make you question: What would you do in this extreme situation?
- DirectorM. Night ShyamalanStarsBruce WillisHaley Joel OsmentToni ColletteMalcolm Crowe, a child psychologist, starts treating a young boy, Cole, who encounters dead people and convinces him to help them. In turn, Cole helps Malcolm reconcile with his estranged wife.18. "I See Dead People". This iconic phrase came from one of the most bone-chilling tales about a boy who sees what he should not. I could tell you about the room at the top of the stairs... but I get scared just thinking about it. Not to mention, it also contains the best plot twist I have ever seen in a movie!
- DirectorSam RaimiStarsBruce CampbellEllen SandweissRichard DeManincorFive friends travel to a cabin in the woods, where they unknowingly release flesh-possessing demons.17. Love it or Hate it, The Evil Dead is one of the biggest cult Horror films out there. The outrageously over the top gorefest is also one of the scariest, compared to its two sequels that delved more into comedic elements. Ash, featured on the left, became one hell of a crazy man after fighting his way through several demons that would just not die, becoming one of the most recognized horror heroes in the history of cinema.
- DirectorGore VerbinskiStarsNaomi WattsMartin HendersonBrian CoxA journalist must investigate a mysterious videotape which seems to cause the death of anyone one week to the day after they view it.16. "7 Days". One phone call that scared a nation. After discovering a creepy tape, a woman is terrorized by an evil force that claims the viewers of it exactly seven days later. There were many moments that made viewers hide behind the pillow, but that single moment when Samara came right out of that TV screen, every single person watching was taken completely aback. A truly terrifying remake of a japanese classic.
- DirectorAlexandre AjaStarsTed LevineKathleen QuinlanDan ByrdA traveling family falls victim to a group of mutated cannibals in a desert far away from civilization.15. Ever thought of taking the short cut on your next road trip? After seeing this movie, you will definitely have some serious doubts. Deformed humans attack a family in the New Mexico desert after they slash their tires forcing them to stake it out in the hot deadly sun.
- DirectorStanley KubrickStarsJack NicholsonShelley DuvallDanny LloydA family heads to an isolated hotel for the winter where a sinister presence influences the father into violence, while his psychic son sees horrific forebodings from both past and future.14. Heressss Johnny!! This slow building horror film starring a crazy Jack Nicholson, may seem boring at first... but fear not, by the end, this flick will have you yelling at your TV "Run Faster!! He's Coming!!"... and you will be saying REDRUM so often that you may need to see a psychiatric doctor yourself!
- DirectorTom HollandStarsCatherine HicksChris SarandonAlex VincentA struggling single mother unknowingly gifts her son a doll imbued with a serial killer's consciousness.13. But Chucky's a "Good Guy" Doll! Why would he ever want to hurt anyone? Maybe because it has the soul of a killer trapped inside it, Andy! Chucky became a staple character in the horror genre after the release of Child's Play... and though it has become more of a comedy in its sequels, no one will forget that terrifying moment when Andy's mother realizes that she hadn't put Chucky's batteries in... and she screams, dropping the doll... only to watch him scurry under the couch... OOOH SCARY!
- DirectorJohn CarpenterStarsDonald PleasenceJamie Lee CurtisTony MoranFifteen years after murdering his sister on Halloween night 1963, Michael Myers escapes from a mental hospital and returns to the small town of Haddonfield, Illinois to kill again.12. Behind you!!! HE'S BEHIND YOU!! John Carpenter's instant classic scared babysitter's across the globe. Michael Myers, the killer that will never die... may make you think twice about watching those kids next Halloween.
- DirectorJohn Erick DowdleStarsJennifer CarpenterSteve HarrisColumbus ShortA television reporter and her cameraman are trapped inside a building quarantined by the CDC, after the outbreak of a mysterious virus which turns humans into bloodthirsty killers.11. The American remake of the terrifying spanish horror film "REC" is just as chilling and spine-tingling as its predecessor. A reporter is trapped in a building under lockdown after word of an infection spread through the city. Unfortunately the unaffected ones inside, must fight like hell to survive the night... but even after all that... will anyone let them out? Grab your pillow, turn off the lights, and play this with the volume up! It's a good one!
- DirectorMarcus NispelStarsJessica BielJonathan TuckerAndrew BryniarskiAfter picking up a traumatized young hitchhiker, five friends find themselves stalked and hunted by a deformed chainsaw-wielding loon and his family of equally psychopathic killers.10. There's just something about this series that terrifies me. The idea of a cannibalistic killer chasing twenty-somethings around with a loud screeching chainsaw. The 2003 remake, shocked audiences across America when it hit the big screen... and lets face it... that scene in the slaughterhouse where Erin hides in the carcass of a cow... TERRIFYING. Anyone willing to go on a trip through Texas anytime soon? Nope? Didn't think so.
- DirectorJonathan LiebesmanStarsChaney KleyEmma Caulfield FordAntony BurrowsA vengeful spirit has taken the form of the Tooth Fairy to exact vengeance on the town that lynched her 150 years earlier. Her only opposition is the only child, now grown up, who has survived her before.9. I consider this one of the most underrated Horror films of the last decade. Many people brushed it off because the absurd plot-line, but the first five minutes of this movie, will terrify the living daylights out of any child... I had to sleep with the lights on for weeks after seeing this movie. The acting isn't the greatest, but the lasting effect puts this movie high on my list. When Evil Rises... Darkness Falls.
- DirectorBryan BertinoStarsScott SpeedmanLiv TylerGemma WardA young couple staying in an isolated vacation home are terrorized by three unknown assailants.8. We tell ourselves there's nothing to fear - but sometimes, we're wrong. When this movie hit the big screen, no one expected it to be as scary as it was. The tension in this movie was top-notch and it had you on the edge of your seat every second... But the thing that truly gets everyone about this film, is the terrifying fact that it can actually happen. Scary right?
- DirectorTobe HooperStarsJoBeth WilliamsHeather O'RourkeCraig T. NelsonA family's home is haunted by a host of demonic ghosts.7. They're Hereeeee... Before Paranormal Activity there was this. The story of a little girl who was able to communicate with the "other side". What ensued was a spooky tale of moving chairs, crazy earthquakes, and a clown that would terrify children for the rest of their lives. Don't look under the bed!
- DirectorDaniel MyrickEduardo SánchezStarsHeather DonahueMichael C. WilliamsJoshua LeonardThree film students vanish after traveling into a Maryland forest to film a documentary on the local Blair Witch legend, leaving only their footage behind.6. The first handheld horror movie that made audiences question... did this really happen? It told the terrifying tale of three teenagers camping out in the woods in search of a famous urban legend, The Blair Witch. This movie will have your heart racing as the teenagers slowly get into dangerous territory... And the ending? Let's just say it's one of the scariest moments in movie history.
- DirectorWes CravenStarsHeather LangenkampJohnny DeppRobert EnglundTeenager Nancy Thompson must uncover the dark truth concealed by her parents after she and her friends become targets of the spirit of a serial killer with a bladed glove in their dreams, in which if they die, it kills them in real life.5. Whatever you do... DON'T. FALL. ASLEEP. Funny enough, it wasn't that hard for audience's to do just that after they saw Freddy slice and dice his way through a group of teenagers on the big screen for the very first time. I'd consider Freddy one of the most terrifyingly creative villains ever... one that can kill you in your dreams. Who hasn't had a nightmare before? This movie will keep you awake for a very long time. Trust me.
- DirectorSteven SpielbergStarsRoy ScheiderRobert ShawRichard DreyfussWhen a killer shark unleashes chaos on a beach community off Cape Cod, it's up to a local sheriff, a marine biologist, and an old seafarer to hunt the beast down.4. Few Horror movies leave a lasting impact... but the ones that do, are in most cases, brilliant. Speilberg's Jaws is one of those movies. This Best Picture nominee, frightened audiences away from any form of water... the ocean, the lakes, heck... even the pools! The menacing killer shark created so much fear, it grabs the number four spot on my list. Scariest part of the movie? Just watch the opening and you will never skinny dip ever again!
- DirectorOren PeliStarsKatie FeatherstonMicah SloatMark FredrichsAfter moving into a suburban home, a couple becomes increasingly disturbed by a nightly demonic presence.3. The little film that packed a huge punch. One of the biggest box office success stories, PA hit the big screens two years after it's initial release. The cause: High Demand. Word spread that it was the most terrifying film since The Exorcist... such high expectations! Thankfully, the movie lived up to all of them. The low-budget paranormal film slowly builds the tension in such simple yet effective ways. It all leads to an intense climax that will have you throwing the covers over your eyes! Ever wonder what happens when you sleep? I dare you to watch this alone in the dark. Sorry for the nightmares...
- DirectorWilliam FriedkinStarsEllen BurstynMax von SydowLinda BlairWhen a young girl is possessed by a mysterious entity, her mother seeks the help of two Catholic priests to save her life.2. Thought this would be number one? Think again... But, The Exorcist does deserve top recognition for being one of, if not the best, horror films EVER. Another Best Picture nominee, the movie tells the chilling tale of an innocent girl possessed by the devil. The amazing performance of Linda Blair is really what makes this movie so terrifying... The process she goes through is so horrifying, you will be left with plenty of nightmares for the rest of your life. There's a reason they call it "The Scariest Movie of All Time"... you may want to see this with a friend. But for me, one movie stands above all others in "scare" factor, and that honour goes too....
- DirectorNeil MarshallStarsShauna MacdonaldNatalie MendozaAlex ReidA caving expedition goes horribly wrong, as the explorers become trapped and ultimately pursued by a strange breed of predators.1. Didn't expect that did you? Do you even know what this movie is? A horror buff obviously would, but this limited release didn't get much screen time in the cinemas. A damn shame if you ask me... The Descent is truly the most terrifying film you will ever watch! The simple plot of a group of girls cave exploring, quickly turns into a fight for survival when they encounter ruthless creatures thirsty for blood. It becomes an all out battle, and these girls are not your typical horror movie cliches. They know how to be just as ruthless! The movie is all about the tension and the scares... and there are hundreds of them... get ready, buckle yourself in, grab the popcorn, turn up the volume, shut off the lights, and get your favourite pillow to hide behind... The Descent earns my top spot on this list. It truly is a horror movie to be reckoned with.