Top 50 Scary Horror Movies You Probably Haven't Seen
Need more scares? Welcome to WatchMojo, and today we’re counting down our picks for the horror gems that we think deserve more attention.
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00:00It's good. She's with them now.
00:03Welcome to WatchMojo, and today we're counting down our picks for the horror gems that we think deserve more attention.
00:10Can you show no mercy?
00:13Number 50, Cam.
00:15I don't know how to be any more clear. She's online pretending to be me.
00:20The horror genre is constantly evolving, and this evolution allows for new kinds of life experiences to be adapted to the silver screen.
00:27Sex worker representation in cinema has been around for ages,
00:31but 2018's Cam presents a new look at the industry and the modern forms it can take.
00:36The film focuses on a particular type of in-home adult entertainment,
00:39while also exploring thematic elements of obsession, voyeurism, perfectionism, and the male gaze.
00:45The end results are totally unique.
00:48We highly recommend Cam for the horror fan who's weary of the same old formulas and eager for something new.
00:53Oh, hi. Are you Tinker's girlfriend?
00:59Hi.
01:00Number 49, God Told Me To.
01:03Larry Cohen's movies, both horror and otherwise, are unlike anything else in genre cinema.
01:08This urban auteur has always possessed a knack for unique perspectives, ideas, and dialogue,
01:13often melding multiple genres within his work.
01:16God Told Me To from 1976 combines elements of both police procedurals and horror in its narrative
01:22about a rash of violent crimes.
01:24If there are others, they'll be like me.
01:27Your children would have been like me if you hadn't willed them to die.
01:34The new age movement that took hold during the 1970s is placed front and center,
01:38as all of the suspects are held in the thrall of a sinister religious cult.
01:42God Told Me To even features comic legend Andy Kaufman as one of the killers,
01:46but make no mistake, Cohen's film is frighteningly effective.
01:50God Told Me To.
01:53Number 48, The Brood.
01:55David Cronenberg's work in body horror is rightfully lauded today
01:58as a filmography chock full of disturbing classics.
02:01That said, The Brood from 1979 remains one of the director's less discussed films,
02:07which makes it ripe for a revisit in the modern day.
02:10Cronenberg defies social taboos by making his villains
02:14childlike representations of a mother's past trauma.
02:17But you didn't protect me, and you should have.
02:21You pretended it wasn't happening. You looked away.
02:25These creatures are physically willed into existence by psychoplasmic offspring,
02:30tethered to their mother, Nola Carvath.
02:32The practical effects lend these creations an insidious screen presence,
02:36and the resulting violent acts that are committed on Nola's behalf
02:40bury themselves within our memories.
02:42Isolation is part of my therapy, Frank.
02:44What's been happening to me has been just too strange.
02:50Number 47, Veronica.
02:52In less capable hands, the horror tropes in this 2017 Spanish film
02:56might have come across as cliché.
02:58Attempts at Ouija board communication? Check.
03:02Demonic symbols and possession? Double check.
03:05Yet Veronica succeeds despite using these well-worn plot devices
03:08because of its sincerity and dedication to fostering fear, uncertainty, and trepidation.
03:15The acting is uniformly good throughout the film,
03:25and the scary sequences are effective enough for audiences to buy in and buckle up for the ride.
03:30Veronica fits in nicely with the Spanish horror industry's enviable pedigree,
03:34while also standing on its own for modern representation within the genre.
03:38Clive Barker's work doesn't begin and end with the Hellraiser franchise.
03:54In fact, 1990's Nightbreed stands right up there with Pinhead and the other Cenobites,
03:59particularly the extended Cabal cut that's resurfaced in recent years.
04:03The imagination and practical effects are out of this world,
04:06as Barker's universe of outcast monsters is brought to life.
04:10The underworld of Midian, which is fleshed out in the longer cut of Nightbreed,
04:14feels lived in and contains a wealth of unique memorable characters.
04:19David Cronenberg cuts a truly reprehensible villain,
04:22with his Dr. Decker serving as one of Barker's most sinister antagonists.
04:2645. Martin
04:37Director George Romero is rightfully lauded as a master of undead cinema,
04:41but fans of the man's work should not sleep on his non-zombie films.
04:451977's Martin is perhaps the director's most underrated piece.
04:56The film appears, on the surface at least, to be about vampires.
05:02However, Martin is more of a character study than anything,
05:06a slow-burn gem about a curious young man with the troublesome habit
05:09of stealing people's blood without consent.
05:12Yes, the titular Martin believes he is a vampire,
05:14but this definitely isn't your average universal or hammer horror jam.
05:19It's something completely different.
05:2644. Wait Until Dark
05:33Horror movies are not historically based on stage plays,
05:36but then again, Wait Until Dark isn't your average scary movie.
05:40The film hinges upon a pair of excellent performances from Audrey Hepburn and Alan Arkin.
05:44The former plays a woman who is blind, while Arkin is all slime and menace.
05:50Filmed primarily on a single set,
05:52Wait Until Dark feels all the more claustrophobic and tense as a result.
06:08Hepburn's character ends in a much different place than she begins,
06:11as she's forced to fend off both mental and physical attacks from three home invaders.
06:15Elements of modern gaslighting also come into play,
06:18while the film's final act is a white-knuckle exercise in anxiety.
06:33This is another Spanish horror film that proves the industry is still alive and well in the modern day.
06:38There's a wealth of atmosphere here that feels indebted to the European
06:41gothic horrors of the 1960s and 70s.
06:44Yet the orphanage also feels fresh thanks to the honesty of the performances.
06:58There's almost a fairytale-like feeling to the film's plot,
07:01which revolves around a woman's desire to turn her childhood
07:04orphanage into a haven for youth with disabilities.
07:07We're not talking Disney fairytales, however, but more of a Brothers Grimm vibe,
07:11complete with all of the thematic darkness that comparison entails.
07:22West German director Jörg Butgereit captured one of humanity's greatest taboos
07:26with his transgressive 1987 film Necromantic.
07:29We're speaking specifically about necrophilia,
07:32but that's not all this intensely disturbing and controversial film has to offer its viewers.
07:36Sex, death and real-life animal violence combine with a memorably creepy musical score
07:42to create an unsettling viewing experience.
07:44In fact, the legacy of Necromantic was so complicated
07:47that the film was banned for many years in many countries.
07:51Today, however, the themes of social apathy, anxiety and death fetishism
07:55have been largely reassessed as artful and depending on the viewer,
07:59even perversely beautiful.
08:01Number 41
08:03Deep Red
08:04This list is full of brilliant horror filmmakers,
08:06but Dario Argento stands among the very best of Italy's macabre maestros.
08:11Efforts such as Tenebrae and his 1975 masterpiece Deep Red
08:15serve as textbook examples of that country's jello cycle.
08:22These were pulpy, homegrown thrillers that often combined elements of police procedurals
08:26and mysteries alongside gruesome murder set pieces.
08:30The visuals in Deep Red are particularly stylish
08:32and are amplified by Goblin's booming progressive rock score.
08:43The mystery is compelling too,
08:45as are the performances of David Hemmings
08:47and Argento's former wife and collaborator Daria Nicolotti.
08:51Number 40
08:52The Wailing
08:53This movie delves into a number of different genres
08:56from occult horror to police procedurals to classic zombie cinema.
09:00Yet this modern horror classic
09:01also manages to feel even more expensive than those solid influences.
09:06The Wailing takes audiences into a universe of mysticism,
09:09leading into an almost unpenetrable darkness.
09:12Director Na Hong-jin constructs a bleak narrative here,
09:15together with more cerebral dialogues on grief, superstition and real-world evil.
09:20The Wailing asks a lot of questions,
09:22and the answers it gives may not exactly leave you feeling good about how the world works,
09:27but you will never forget the experience.
09:39Number 39
09:41Lake Mungo
09:53There have been a number of horror films
09:55that utilize the grieving process as a backdrop for their stories.
09:58Don't Look Now is a classic example of this,
10:01while 2008's Lake Mungo feels somewhat like kin to that 70s shocker,
10:05with a solid update to that central dramatic theme.
10:08The found footage style utilized within Lake Mungo doesn't feel cheap or out of place,
10:12but instead serves to ramp up the drama and service the story.
10:16The unbelievable tragedy that befalls the family in this film
10:19makes it easy to connect with all of the docudrama elements at play,
10:23and the overall creepiness of Lake Mungo still gives us chills.
10:45This collaboration between horror icons Boris Karloff and Bela Lugosi
10:49may not be as well-known as Dracula or Frankenstein,
10:52but it could be argued that The Black Cat is actually as significant.
10:56There's a wealth of stylistic influence here from German Expressionism,
10:59while Lugosi and Karloff's respective performances
11:02certify their greatness as masters of their craft.
11:05The Black Cat possesses a malevolent atmosphere and enduring haunting sense of grandeur.
11:10This is golden age horror polished to gleaming perfection,
11:14with a surprising bite that made it subversive and boundary-pushing for its day.
11:22Fair the skin from your body, slowly, bit by bit.
11:28Number 37. The Hitcher
11:32You want to know what happens to an eyeball when it gets punctured?
11:36Certain classic films will never be eclipsed by remakes.
11:40This stunning 1986 original stars Rutger Hauer in one of his grisliest
11:44and most memorable roles as a demented hitchhiker
11:47who relentlessly stalks a young man played by C. Thomas Howell.
11:50Howell and his co-star Jennifer Jason Leigh are more than a match on screen for Hauer,
11:55and it's the nerve-wracking push and pull that serves as the crux of The Hitcher.
11:59This horror film is pure tension personified,
12:02and it's Hauer's obsessive performance that's burned into
12:05our collective subconscious forever as a good reason to never pick up a hitchhiker.
12:10Because I cut off his legs,
12:15and his arms,
12:18and his head.
12:20Number 36. Dead and Buried
12:23You will try to kill me, Dan, but you can't. You can only make me dead.
12:30Go on, pull the trigger.
12:32A film is only as good as its script,
12:34and 1981's Dead and Buried had a baffo screenwriting team
12:38in the form of Dan O'Bannon and Ronald Shusett.
12:41Their creativity within the confines of genre cinema shines once again with this film,
12:45as it did with Alien.
12:46Dead and Buried at once feels both nostalgic and current.
12:50On the one hand, the body snatcher tropes going on within the small town of Potter's Bluff
12:54feel indebted to horror's old school.
12:56The gruesome special effects, however,
12:58are most definitely straight out of the Monster Kid playbook.
13:01As a result, Dead and Buried feels timeless,
13:04the sort of film that continues to offer rewards
13:06for those who discover its quirky charms.
13:09Call it black magic. Call it a medical breakthrough.
13:14I'll take my secret to the grave.
13:17Number 35. Saint Maude
13:20She'll be alright?
13:21Oh, don't be an idiot, Richard.
13:23You gotta hand it to director Rose Glass.
13:26Saint Maude was a successful and impressive feature-length debut
13:29for a filmmaker who seems destined for more greatness.
13:32Horror fans flocked to Saint Maude and its tale of a caregiver
13:35who may be losing her grip on reality.
13:37Some of the best horror films adapt real-world situations or struggles
13:41and lay them out against a tableau of the fantastic.
13:44Saint Maude delves deep into religious fanaticism
13:47and accompanies the theme with striking visuals.
13:50Glass's direction here feels purposeful and assured,
13:53and we can only hope she continues on this successfully creative path
13:57on future films.
14:02Number 34. Stage Fright
14:21A number of the films on this list are Italian,
14:23and that is for good reason.
14:25Stage Fright is only one of the films that sprang out
14:28of Italy's horror industry supernova during the 1970s and 80s.
14:32Director Michele Soave was a uniquely creative voice within Italian horror,
14:36and his amazing imagination permeated films like Stage Fright.
14:39Here, the well-worn slasher tropes are given new life
14:42by the completely bonkers idea of giving the killer a giant owl mask to wear.
14:47Additionally, the murder set pieces are unrepentantly graphic and sleazy,
14:53reveling in the red stuff in a manner Italian filmmakers became known for.
14:57Add to this a throbbing score by Simon Boswell,
14:59and you have a recipe for a Mediterranean horror feast.
15:11Number 33. The Golem
15:20Golems, creatures from Jewish folklore,
15:22have appeared now and again in film throughout the years.
15:25Michael Mann's The Keep comes to mind,
15:27as does the series of silent horror films that bore the creature's name back in the 1920s.
15:32This titular golem from 2018, however,
15:35successfully adapts the golem's origin story from a man-made monster
15:39into something with far more emotional resonance.
15:42Here, themes of parenthood and marital strife are counterbalanced
15:45against scenes of horror and violence.
15:47Yet the golem never feels heavy-handed.
15:50If anything, it's quite the opposite.
15:52And this is a horror film with a lot of worthwhile emotional layers.
15:58Number 32. A Bay of Blood
16:13We return to Italy for our next pick.
16:15A fine example of how that country's jalo-jara of graphic murder mysteries
16:19went on to influence the American slasher scene.
16:22Scenes from 1971's A Bay of Blood would be essentially lifted by movies
16:26like Friday the 13th Part II,
16:28like the sequence involving an amorous couple who are attacked while in bed.
16:32Director Mario Bava was already a film legend prior to helming A Bay of Blood,
16:36yet it would be this film's intense levels of violence
16:39that would earn him true international infamy.
16:42There are no heroes here, only victims for the body count.
16:46A Bay of Blood is a frenzied whodunit that pushed some serious boundaries in 71,
16:51and remains relevant viewing today.
16:56But I'm going to kill you like I did Donati.
16:58I have nothing to do with it.
17:00Number 31. A Tale of Two Sisters
17:11Horror fans in North America have long sought out imported shockers from Europe,
17:15Asia and beyond, all to receive a properly balanced cinematic diet.
17:20A Tale of Two Sisters was one of the earlier examples of South Korean horror
17:23that made crossover headway overseas, however.
17:26And was a critical and commercial cult classic.
17:29The film is a ghost story, sure,
17:30but A Tale of Two Sisters also knows how to dance around genre conventions
17:34to hit its own creative beats.
17:36There's a lot of darkness here,
17:37a tragic tale that isn't for those seeking out easy answers
17:41or happy endings tied up in a bow.
17:43Instead, A Tale of Two Sisters presents a psychologically messy family drama,
17:47with an extra side helping of supernatural scares.
17:56Number 30. Tales from the Crypt
18:05The horror anthology has always been a great medium
18:08with which to tell a variety of stories.
18:10The original Tales from the Crypt from 72 is arguably one of the best of these,
18:14and packs some serious star power.
18:17Joan Collins, the author of Tales from the Crypt,
18:19has been a big fan of the series,
18:21and has been a fan of the series since 1972.
18:24Joan Collins, Peter Cushing, Patrick McGee and more
18:28all lend their talents to this wonderfully creepy anthology
18:31full of thematic schadenfreude for those who face the Crypt Keeper,
18:34played by Ralph Richardson.
18:36These are mini morality plays with the sort of classy execution
18:39that was a hallmark of British horror in the 1970s.
18:42There is no doubt that Tales from the Crypt
18:44is some of the best horror ever produced by the UK.
18:54Number 29. Kwaidan
19:11Tales from the Crypt isn't the only awesome horror anthology film on this list.
19:15Kwaidan hails from Japan and was released back in 1964,
19:19yet it still possesses some seriously scary staying power decades later.
19:24Scary that is, if you can get past just how gorgeous this film looks.
19:28The cinematography, set design and visual style of Kwaidan
19:32are sumptuous and impossible to forget.
19:34At the same time, its tales of terror bring to the screen
19:37stories that are ghostly morality tales with plenty of spooky visuals.
19:42Kwaidan is a film that is astonishingly atmospheric,
19:45and guaranteed to put you in the Halloween spirit.
19:47Just be sure to start this one late at night when the moon is full.
19:53Number 28. The Burning
20:12The 1980s were a halcyon decade for the slasher movie,
20:16particularly during its earliest years.
20:18The Burning may not be spoken of as often as its peers,
20:21but there are more than enough elements here to make it worth your time.
20:25For starters, there is the presence of future stars Jason Alexander and Holly Hunter,
20:29appearing here in the infancy of their careers.
20:32Additionally, the special effects from Tom Savini are off the charts in terms of execution,
20:37particularly on the infamous raft scene.
20:40Meanwhile, Yes keyboardist Rick Wakeman delivers a wonderful score
20:44that's quirky and creepy in equal measure,
20:46and the ending bucks final girl slasher convention.
20:52Number 27. In the Mouth of Madness
21:10Director John Carpenter is lauded for films like Halloween and The Thing, and rightfully so.
21:15However, fans would be wise not to sleep on some of his later work,
21:19including this banger from 1994.
21:22In the Mouth of Madness is Carpenter indulging in some seriously occult Lovecraftian vibes,
21:27but doing so with his own inimitable flair.
21:30The question of fantasy versus reality is very present,
21:33as In the Mouth of Madness revolves around the works of fictional horror novelist Sutter Cain.
21:38Answers here aren't exactly clear-cut,
21:40and Carpenter's film has a great time going off the deep end in terms of atmosphere,
21:45excitement, and impressive visuals.
21:47In the Mouth of Madness is a must-watch.
21:57Number 26. Demons
22:08There are few Italian horror films from the 1980s
22:11that possess as much sinful glee as 1985's Demons.
22:16Director Lamberto Bava had this stuff in his blood,
22:19since his dad was the aforementioned maestro Mario Bava.
22:22Demons is substantially more popcorn fare than much of the elder Bava's work,
22:26but this is in no way a slight.
22:29In fact, this is one of the reasons why Demons is so successful.
22:32It keeps plot points and extraneous locations to a minimum,
22:36setting up the story where people are locked inside of a movie theater
22:39full of bloodthirsty creatures.
22:41Demons is heavy metal horror turned up to the max,
22:44with insane special effects and a pace that never lets up.
22:48It is pure escapist pleasure.
22:57Number 25. Don't Torture a Duckling
23:01Don't Torture a Duckling is very different than Demons stylistically,
23:15despite being produced in the same country.
23:17Director Lucio Fulci was often referred to as Italy's godfather of gore,
23:22but this film proves that the man certainly was not defined by this moniker.
23:26Instead, Don't Torture a Duckling tackles small-town persecution,
23:30religious fanaticism, murder and abuse in perhaps the bleakest manner possible.
23:35Fulci's direction is strong and stylish, but never at the expense of the story.
23:40Meanwhile, Florinda Bolcan's performance is at once both tragic and mesmerizing,
23:44helping elevate Don't Torture a Duckling towards the apex of Italy's horror pantheon.
23:56Number 24. The Changeling
24:00No one's been able to live in it.
24:04It doesn't want people.
24:06Are you looking for a slow-burn, creepily atmospheric horror film
24:10to keep you warm on those cold winter nights?
24:12Then might we suggest The Changeling from 1980?
24:15This Canadian horror film is often cited as one of the country's
24:19best international horror offerings, and with good reason.
24:22Newer generations have been discovering this spook show,
24:25and becoming captivated by its story and performances.
24:28George C. Scott in particular shines in the lead role,
24:32as a grieving man who moves into a house that may or may not be haunted.
24:36John Russell lost everything after the untimely deaths of his wife and child,
24:40and The Changeling channels this loss to charge nearly every frame with melancholy,
24:45beauty and, yes, fear.
24:56Number 23. Cemetery Man
24:59Why the barbed wire? Do they climb in at night?
25:02No. They climb out sometimes. Would you mind coming down?
25:06Cemetery Man is yet another film from Michele Soave to make our list,
25:10a testament to the director's timeless power.
25:13This flick may be Soave's crowning achievement as a filmmaker,
25:16and proof that Italian horror still had something to say during the 90s.
25:20The film stars a young Rupert Everett as a cemetery caretaker
25:24who keeps having to take care of the annoying living dead
25:26who rise from their tombs every night.
25:28Soave injects Cemetery Man with sexuality, violence and an anarchic sense of humor
25:33that goes a long way in keeping this film unlike anything you've likely ever seen.
25:38Additionally, can we just say that it also includes
25:40what just has to be the greatest Grim Reaper ever committed to film?
25:55Number 22. Opera
25:59Dario Argento was already well-established as a horror icon prior to directing opera in 1987.
26:15The director's groundbreaking work with films like Deep Red and Suspiria
26:19helped cement Italy as an international voice for genre cinema.
26:22Yet opera proves that Argento still had plenty of gas left in the creative tank.
26:27Graphic murders are taking place within an opera house
26:30that's gearing up for a high-profile production of Macbeth.
26:33What does this have to do with Mara Chakova and why is she being forced to watch?
26:37The answers aren't so simple,
26:39and honesty takes a backseat to all of the wild and crazy set pieces
26:42that make opera such idiosyncratic viewing.
26:45This one may be one of Argento's most unhinged works.
26:54Number 21. The Innocents
26:57This incredible film from 1961 is an all-time classic ghost story,
27:12a masterpiece adapted from Henry James' novella The Turn of the Screw.
27:16The film is all about atmosphere, with a growing sense of unease,
27:20paranoia, and self-doubt building to a feverish pitch.
27:23This is filmmaking that takes its time ramping up tension,
27:26and the end results make this ride utterly worth the wait.
27:30The idea of childhood innocence is juxtaposed against ghostly possessions
27:34and hallucinations that may or again may not be stress-induced.
27:38The special effects and particularly the haunting music remain powerful today,
27:43making The Innocents a film experience well ahead of its time.
27:52Number 20. Piercing
27:54If you've seen Nicholas Pesce's The Eyes of My Mother,
27:56you know his movies don't exactly make for easy viewing. Piercing is no different.
28:04Based on a book by Japanese novelist Ryu Murakami, it stars Christopher Abbott as Reed,
28:10a businessman who plans on checking into a motel and murdering a sex worker.
28:14The movie opens with Reed standing over his infant child with an ice pick,
28:18and only gets worse from there.
28:20It will certainly divide opinion as it's definitely not for everyone,
28:24but it's impressively stylish, reminiscent of the slick Italian giallo horror films of the 70s.
28:29So if you want a retro style horror thriller, you could do a lot worse than Piercing.
28:41Number 19. Resolution
28:43Justin Benson and Aaron Scott Moorhead are two of the most talented indie horror filmmakers
28:48working today, and their work remains criminally underappreciated.
28:53Their 2012 film Resolution is particularly great. It follows a graphic designer named
28:58Michael who receives a disturbing video from his best friend Chris. Worried about Chris'
29:02mental state, Michael travels to a remote cabin to rescue his delusional friend.
29:13It serves as a brilliant meta-commentary on the horror genre, and many critics have
29:17compared it favorably to The Cabin in the Woods, with some arguing it's even better.
29:21Both this film and its sort of sequel The Endless, which stars Benson and Moorhead,
29:26are required viewing for horror fans.
29:37Those looking for Blair Witch Project type scares could do a lot worse than The Ritual.
29:41This movie was released on Netflix back in 2018, although it failed to generate interest outside
29:46the die-hard horror community. It follows a group of friends led by the always incredible
29:51and underrated Rafe Spall, who are hunted through the woods by an unseen entity.
30:00Like The Blair Witch Project, The Ritual strikes a delicate balance between psychological horror
30:05and physical scares, and the terror comes just as much from the men's diminishing trust in
30:10conflicts as it does from the visceral spooks. Add in the unrelentingly bleak atmosphere,
30:15and you have yourself another reason to never enter the woods.
30:21Tell us if you've heard this premise before.
30:24A young couple in a dangerously secluded area is stalked by a group of menacing psychos.
30:34It's the basis to many a slasher movie. But Eden Lake takes the tired concept and
30:38manages to make it fresh again thanks to its sheer and unrelenting brutality.
30:43This is not an easy film to watch. It is violent, it is bloody, and worst of all,
30:49it is realistic. Unlike most slashers that vie for shocks and gore, this one remains
30:54rooted in realism, and the results are just as emotional as they are disorienting.
30:59It requires a strong stomach, but those who can get through it will find a lot to like here.
31:11Don't be put off by the found footage style. Creep is legitimately, well, creepy.
31:19Creep follows Aaron, a videographer who's hired by the dying Joseph to film
31:35A Day in the Life for his unborn son. While Joseph is eccentric and a little
31:39off, he is relatively harmless, until he isn't.
31:43Creep is definitely a slow burn, but the ebb and flow of tension keeps viewers on
31:52their toes and questioning Joseph's motives and personality. Mark Duplass somehow manages
31:57to imbue Joseph with humanity while also creeping us the heck out, and it's amazing to see him
32:03effortlessly switch between moments of poignant tenderness and sinister depravity.
32:13Eyes Without a Face is rarely discussed, which is a shame, seeing as how it's one of the most
32:22beautiful horror movies of all time. Yeah, we said beautiful. The film was initially met with
32:27hostile reviews, as critics thought that a genre film was beneath esteemed documentary filmmaker
32:32Georges Franjou. However, it underwent a critical reevaluation upon re-release,
32:37and is now considered a poetic, surreal, and fairytale-esque masterpiece. It influenced
32:42a generation of filmmakers, from John Woo to John Carpenter, who used this movie as
32:47inspiration to create the iconic Michael Myers mask. It's not your standard horror film by any
32:52means, but it is haunting and emotionally stirring.
32:58Also known as Dead of Night, Death Dream was directed by Bob Clark, the same man behind the
33:03wildly influential slasher movie Black Christmas, also the comedy A Christmas Story. He seems to
33:08have very mixed feelings about Christmas. Death Dream was inspired by the famous short story The
33:19Monkey's Paw, which also involves a mother's wish that her dead son return to her. Although the
33:33wish is granted, it's not exactly what the family had in mind. The movie is a slow-burning chiller
33:38that wonderfully utilizes the zombie genre as an allegory for war and the problems that shell-shocked
33:44veterans have with reintegration. It's an unusually smart horror movie that deserves more recognition
33:49within the canon.
33:58For a movie so jam-packed with incredible actors, Bone Tomahawk is painfully ignored.
34:09Starring Kurt Russell, Patrick Wilson, Richard Jenkins, and Matthew Fox, the movie is a deft blend of
34:15western and horror. The cast delivers fantastic performances, and the film balances slow-paced
34:24character-driven work with raw, visceral thrills. And how visceral they are. The gore and makeup
34:33work in this movie are unbelievable, and there's one scene in particular that will remain burned
34:38into your memory for years to come. Whether you want to watch a unique western with great dialogue
34:43or witness an unsettling gore-filled horror, Bone Tomahawk is your movie.
34:51Carnival of Souls is certainly an acquired taste, but those feeling daring and experimental will
34:56be rewarded with one of the most gloriously atmospheric horror movies of all time.
35:03It was shot on a meager budget of $33,000, but what director Herc Harvey does with that money
35:09is frankly amazing. The movie is perhaps most well-known for its striking cinematography and
35:21ghastly visuals, as it makes even the most ordinary of areas and situations seem ripped
35:25from a nightmare. There are no cheap jump scares, no horrifying acts of violence,
35:39and no scary monsters. It's just a creepy arthouse movie interested in bewildering its viewers,
35:44and it succeeds in spectacular fashion.
35:4711. Pontypool
35:49Pontypool is a very different sort of zombie flick. It follows the crew of a radio station
36:00in real-life Pontypool, Ontario, Canada, who learn of an apocalyptic virus from their helicopter
36:05reporter and eerie audio transmissions. The entire movie takes place within the radio
36:17station, so we never actually see the chaos outside. But in some ways, that's even scarier.
36:30Many great horror movies get by on terrifying viewers with their own imaginations,
36:34and Pontypool is no different. It's also highly unique within the genre,
36:38as the virus is transmitted through specific words rather than bites. It's a little out there,
36:43but it all plays into the movie's theme about the meaning and power of words.
36:5910. The Autopsy of Jane Doe
37:03The premise is relatively simple. A father-son coroner team is tasked with performing an autopsy
37:08on a mysterious Jane Doe found at the scene of a multiple homicide. But as they begin to unravel
37:14the mysteries surrounding the body, the duo is plagued with horrific instances of supernatural
37:19phenomena. The movie is wonderfully written and directed, offering tantalizing mysteries,
37:35surprising answers, and some wickedly unpredictable scares.
37:41It is also proficiently acted by Emile Hirsch and esteemed character actor Brian Cox.
37:47Don't let that somewhat banal title fool you. The Autopsy of Jane Doe is anything but boring.
37:589. Kill List
38:00Kill List is an extravagant blending of genres,
38:02pulled off expertly by director Ben Wheatley. It begins as a crime thriller,
38:12as an ex-British soldier turned professional hitman is given a kill list by a mysterious
38:17shadow client. But as the story progresses, it veers deeper and deeper into disturbing and
38:25visceral horror akin to a fever dream. Critics have compared the movie to The Blair Witch Project
38:30and The Wicker Man. Despite its obvious influences, Kill List is unlike any horror
38:35movie you've ever seen, and it will leave you genuinely disturbed and emotional. That much we
38:41can guarantee. 8. Alice, Sweet Alice
38:52Alice, Sweet Alice is another movie that is not easy to watch. It tells the story of young Alice,
38:57a troubled child who's suspected of murdering her younger sister on the day of her first communion.
39:09So right off the bat you have murder during an important religious ceremony.
39:13Needless to say, the movie was met with some controversy.
39:17With its gut-wrenching premise, Alice, Sweet Alice is a solid horror-mystery-thriller concoction
39:26that helped usher in the slasher genre. Unlike many slashers, this movie showed surprising
39:31filmmaking craft, with an eerie score, flashy cinematography, and a solid lead performance from
39:37Paula Shepard. 7. Inside
39:40This French horror-thriller is not for the faint of heart. It's violent, disturbing, and gory,
39:46but also darkly gripping. Alison Paradis stars as Sarah, an expectant mother who's grieving the
39:55recent death of her husband. She becomes the victim of a brutal home invasion by an attacker
39:59who wants to abduct her unborn fetus. Yeah, you can imagine now why this movie's so upsetting.
40:04Inside is filled with horrific violence, all shown in unimaginably graphic detail.
40:10While traumatic and unrelenting, it's also far above the usual grindhouse fare.
40:15Stylish, impeccably acted, and superbly paced and edited,
40:19Inside is a grindhouse movie made with artistry.
40:296. The Haunting
40:30Please do not judge The Haunting on that horrendous 1999 remake with Liam Neeson
40:35and Catherine Zeta-Jones. Forget that exists, and watch the 1963 original instead.
40:45This movie was adapted from Shirley Jackson's novel The Haunting of Hill House,
40:49which is often regarded as the greatest haunted house novel ever written.
40:53And while the Netflix series was certainly great, it wasn't a faithful adaptation of the story.
40:58The movie is, and it is brilliant.
41:13Like the novel, it serves as both a chilling haunted house yarn and a frightening character
41:17study, which is aided by Julie Harris' tremendous performance as the unhinged Eleanor.
41:22The Haunting may be the scariest, most psychological, and most stylish ghost movie ever made.
41:285. The Invitation
41:35The Invitation is a dinner party thriller first and foremost. You know how it goes.
41:40Someone is invited to dinner, the hosts are a little wacky,
41:43and tension slowly builds before boiling over into violence and mayhem.
41:52And while The Invitation follows this formula to a T, it is a very well-crafted piece of work.
41:58With a stellar performance by Logan Marshall Green.
42:08However, it's also a movie about the contrast between inner turmoil and outer appearances,
42:13and deals with some heavy themes such as loss, depression, and acceptance.
42:18By mixing in complex character work with the more conventional thrills of the dinner party thriller,
42:22The Invitation becomes greater than the sum of its parts.
42:254. Audition
42:28The second Ryu Murakami adaptation on our list, Audition is just as depraved, if not more so.
42:33This Japanese horror film is now considered a cult classic, but its success came slowly.
42:38It first premiered at the Vancouver International Film Festival,
42:42and gradually earned attention as it toured the festival circuit and was released on DVD.
42:46The film generated a strong response, with many critics lauding the movie's acting,
42:50wild shifts in tone, and climactic torture sequence.
42:54The latter is what most people seem to remember about the film,
42:57and for good reason.
42:58The film is a classic, but it's not the only one.
43:023. Session 9
43:05If you love the inherent creepiness of abandoned mental asylums,
43:08then Session 9 is your movie.
43:31It follows an asbestos-cleaning crew that's tasked with cleansing an abandoned mental hospital.
43:42The movie was shot at the real Denver State Hospital, lending it a creepy sense of authenticity.
43:47You can practically feel the hospital's history through the screen.
43:56The movie's been praised for its foreboding atmosphere,
43:58and its style and tone have been favorably compared to Stanley Kubrick's masterpiece The Shining.
44:03By relying on psychological tension over jump scares or gore,
44:06Session 9 truly gets under your skin and into your head.
44:142. Possession
44:16On the surface, Possession is about a young couple going through a divorce.
44:20The Berlin Wall is used as a metaphor for a crumbling marriage,
44:23and that's where the movie leaves conventional plots, characters, and symbolism behind.
44:29Call it.
44:32Directed by Polish filmmaker Andrzej Żuławski,
44:35Possession is like Dario Argento's Suspiria on acid.
44:38The acting is gleefully over-the-top,
44:40and the camera swoops and zags and zooms, refusing to remain static.
44:46What can I do about it?
44:49Nothing.
44:52Please.
44:53And yes, there are monsters.
44:56It is an unapologetic filmmaking extravaganza, and it is glorious to behold.
45:01It's more of an emotional and sensory experience than a straightforward thriller,
45:05so your mileage may vary, but what an experience it is.
45:10Before we continue, be sure to subscribe to our channel and ring the bell to get
45:13notified about our latest videos. You have the option to be notified for occasional videos or
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45:251. Terrifier
45:27You may see the poster of Terrifier and laugh,
45:30but you know what they say about judging a book, or in this case, a movie by its cover.
45:34Terrifier follows a clown named Art who stalks and butchers people,
45:38and yes, that plot is ridiculously simple.
45:41But like all great slasher movies, the craft elevates the elementary story.
45:46Terrifier is surprisingly well-shot considering its minuscule budget.
45:50Art the clown is a fantastic villain, and the kills are as bloody as a horror fan could want.
45:56It's a delirious throwback to campy 80s slashers, and it doesn't pretend to be anything more.
46:01At a time when slashers have given way to ghosts and ghouls and demons,
46:05Terrifier is a breath of old-school fresh air.
46:12Which of these movies is going on your watchlist? Let us know in the comments.
46:22Did you enjoy this video? Check out these other clips from WatchMojo,
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