As we delve into the history of horror, these classics will be familiar to many horror fans and we have these to thank for the current state of the genre, we have selected a few that stand out as some of the best tales in horror history.
Scream (1996)
‘Scream’ is among the greatest horror films ever made, literally redefining the slasher genre when the world was approaching the modern era of films. In this movie, Courteney Cox and Neve Campbell both played iconic characters and gave memorable performances.
The well-known slasher story goes like this: Sidney Prescott and her pals began receiving weird phone calls a year after her mother had passed away. Subsequently, they discovered that the calls were coming from a deranged serial murderer seeking retribution, dressed in a long black robe and a white face mask. During his phone calls, he normally asks a lot of questions, the iconic one being: “What’s your favourite scary movie?”
It is recognised as one of the best horror and slasher films ever made and is also credited with bringing back interest to the genre in the 1990s after its popularity had declined over the pass couples of decades.
When ‘Scream’ was released on December 20, 1996, people weren’t expecting it to do well because it was a horror movie at a time when Rom-Coms were dominated the theatres. However, word-of-mouth helped it to become a surprise hit, grossing almost $173 million worldwide and placing the movie among the year’s highest-grossing movies.
Due to the film’s popularity, the Scream franchise was established, and sequels were released in 1997, 2000, 2011, 2022, and 2023.
Halloween (1978)
Regarded as one of the most important and outstanding horror films ever produced. The Library of Congress declared ‘Halloween’ to be “culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant” in 2006, which is sufficient justification for the film’s inclusion in the United States National Film Registry.
The narrative opens in Haddonfield, Illinois, on October 31, 1963. On Halloween night, six-year-old Michael Myers murders his fifteen-year-old sister, Judith, out of an unexplainable need to kill. On the anniversary of the heinous murder, precisely fifteen long years later, Michael makes his way back home after escaping Smith’s Grove Sanitarium, a mental health facility for the criminally insane. Before long, Laurie Strode, a high school girl, and her pals Annie and Lynda capture Michael’s attention with their blissfully unaware demeanour. Meanwhile, suspicious Sheriff Leigh Brackett and Myers’ psychiatrist, Dr. Samuel Loomis, search the town for signs of the mentally ill prisoner. But the silent murderer is always one step ahead of them, and the shadows are deep.
An enduring masterpiece! ‘Halloween’ is a horror cult classic. One of the most legitimately suspenseful films ever filmed, it has withstood the test of time. 45 years later, the original Halloween continues to be regarded as a timeless masterpiece. John Carpenter, the director, demonstrates his early brilliance in putting a straightforward yet terrifying notion into stylish and excellent motion. Michael Myers is not just a legendary figure in the horror genre, but also an icon.
Despite having an astonishing $300,000–$325,000 budget, ‘Halloween’ went on to become one of the most successful independent films ever made, even more astounding is the fact that ‘Halloween’ marked the cinematic debut of Jamie Lee Curtis, a prestigious actor and Academy Award winner and multiple award winner.
The Shining (1980)
Redrum! Redrum! Redrum!
Stanley Kubrick is the producer and director of the cult classic horror movie, ‘The Shining,’ which is based on Stephen King’s 1977 novel. Widely acknowledged as one of the greatest horror films ever made, the movie was chosen by the Library of Congress in 2018 for preservation in the United States National Film Registry.
The iconic horror tale goes like this. After finding a position as an off-season caretaker, Jack Torrance, an aspiring playwright and recovering alcoholic, brings his wife Wendy and precocious son Danny to the snow-covered Overlook Hotel in Colorado. Mr Hallorann, the facility’s ageing cook, talks to Danny about uncommon psychic abilities. The strange employee also cautions the child about the abandoned hotel rooms. Room 237, in particular, is off bounds.
With Jack steadily losing his mind, weird happenings and blood-chilling images have trapped the family in a quiet, enormous jail pummelling by unending snowstorms. Now, persistent voices within Jack’s head demand sacrifice.
The Ring (2002)
The Ring (2002), a popular remake of the 1998 Japanese supernatural psychological horror film ‘Ringu,’ directed by Hideo Nakata and based on Koji Suzuki’s 1991 novel. ‘Ringu’ the first J-horror to go international, it sparked a new Western obsession: an upsurge of J-horror such as ‘The Grudge’, ‘Shutter’,’Dark Waters’, and ‘Pulse.’
The story follows Rachel Keller who is a journalist who chooses to go undercover to investigate the inexplicable deaths of her niece and three friends, all of whom appear to have died on the same day at the same time. After learning that her niece was found in a closet with a horrible expression on her face, she looks through her room and discovers some images of the cottage where her niece and her friends had been a week before the killings. Rachel finds the cottage and discovers an unknown video. She decides to watch it there, not knowing after doing so that she only has seven days left to live.
She and her divorced husband, Noah, conduct research on the video and learn more about Anna Morgan and her daughter, Samara Morgan, who created it. With barely a week remaining, Rachel and Noah learn untold details about Samara Morgan’s life, as well as, perhaps, a method to remove the curse.
DreamWorks Pictures distributed The Ring in theatres across the United States on October 18, 2002. Despite a $48 million budget, it was a box office triumph, earning $249.3 million worldwide, ranking among the highest-grossing horror remakes ever. ‘The Grudge (2004)’ and ‘Dark Water (2005)’ are two other popular J-horror films that were remade in the United States as a result of The Ring’s popularity with widespread success also.
28 Days Later (2002)
On November 1, 2002, ’28 Days Later’ was released to both critical and commercial acclaim. Despite having a low budget of $8 million, it made over $82.7 million worldwide, making it one of the most successful horror films of 2002. Reviews praised writer Alex Garland’s & Danny Boyle’s direction, the cast’s performances, the mood, and the soundtrack. With its relentlessly paced infection and character-driven drama, ’28 Days Later’ is credited for having revitalised the zombie horror film subgenre and inspiring a resurgence in the genre ten years after its first release. It has retained a fanbase since its premiere and been included in several “best-of” film lists, especially during the COVID-19 epidemic in the 2020’s.
The narrative opens in a top-secret British facility when, in spite of the operations scientist’s pleas, peace campaigners release a monkey infected with an extremely potent and infectious test virus. After 28 days, the virus has spread from one monkey to most of the UK, and its victim is infected to the point of no return, losing all sense of reason and instinct. When courier Jim awakens from his coma at an abandoned hospital, he discovers that the streets are deserted and terribly strewn. When he saw no one, his terror set in. His anxiety exploded as he discovered he wasn’t alone.
’28 Days Later’ is an apocalyptic zombie masterpiece that takes a unique approach to the zombie genre. It features a frightening opening sequence, a clever plot, and terrible situations, all of which are highlighted by a remarkable performance by a young Cillian Murphy.
The popularity of the movie gave rise to the series of films under the same name, which includes ’28 Weeks Later’ (2007) and the much awaited 28 Years Later, which is slated for release in 2025.
Ginger Snaps (2000)
‘Ginger Snaps’ has a cult following among horror enthusiasts and was well-received by critics despite its lacklustre box office performance. Because of its strong female cast and portrayal of adolescent culture, critics and horror enthusiasts claimed that the picture is more memorable than previous werewolf or teen flicks.
Emily Perkins and Katharine Isabelle play the morbid teenage sisters Brigitte and Ginger Fitzgerald in the movie. Ginger, who has just begun her period, is attacked and bitten by an unknown animal, and later on during the next full moon, she slowly begins to transform into a werewolf, testing the bond between the two sisters.
Horror enthusiasts believed that this movie served as an inspiration for the 2009 cult classic horror movie ‘Jennifer’s Body.’
Paranormal Activity (2007)
Over the years, found footage has become increasingly popular in horror films and the studios began to realise how much they could do with such a small budget when ‘Paranormal Activity’ exploded at the box office.
Known as the most profitable movie ever made, the movie brought in around $108 million in the United States and an additional $85 million abroad, for a grand total of $194 million worldwide at the box office.
The story follows Micah and Katie, a young couple, move into a new house, and Micah uses his video camera to document their lives. Following unexplained and creepy night time occurrences, Katie acknowledges that she used to see ghosts in her bed when she was a little girl. She became concerned that it could have followed her to their new home after sensing its evil nature. Having doubts, Micah installs his camera in their bedroom to capture anything that happens throughout the night. A few days later, they witness movement in their bedroom door, indicating that someone or something is definitely dwelling there.
A large part of Paranormal Activity’s creep factor comes from its sound design. Even the most hardened viewer’s skin crawls at the film’s thundering footsteps, thumps, screams, and strange growls. After seeing this video, viewers may fear hearing any strange noises in their homes due to how horrifying the sounds are.
The film’s camerawork serves as another essential weapon for terrifying viewers. The camera is frequently positioned to provide broad, static shots of a single room in the house. This was effective for critics and horror fans as it shows the tension of the film as they main characters search every inch of the room in the hopes that something unusual may happen, keeping the viewers on edge the entire time. Most of the horrors happen offscreen as the camera is fixed in one spot, leaving the audience to piece together what actually happened. This is considerably more terrifying mentally than any gore fest or weird-looking creature.
Final Destination (2000)
Initially developed as a story for an abandoned ‘X-Files’ episode, Jeffrey Reddick made the decision to adapt it into a full-length picture for New Line Cinema. Jeffrey could never have predicted the impact he would have on the horror genre until he created one of the most successful horror series, ‘Final Destination,’ which has six films, nine books, and two comic books.
In this unsettling story, Alex Browning, on a school trip to France, is about to board a plane when he suddenly receives a premonition that the aircraft is about to explode. Soon after Alex, his instructor, and several other pupils are pushed off the aircraft. To their horror, the aircraft actually does explode, and the group of teenagers barely escapes the deadly blast.
Death feels cheated and due to that, the seven people who defied fate are going to face their unfortunate ends one by one. Alex and his pals decide to work together to try to alter fate and defeat the unstoppable powers of death.
With a $23 million budget, this horror movie made $112.9 million at the box office worldwide. The other films in the trilogy, ‘The Final Destination’ in 2009, did even better, taking in $187 million.
The Conjuring (2013)
Drawing inspiration from one of the most well-known and well-recognised cases of paranormal activity – the 1970 Annabelle case.
The story centres on The Perron family, after moving into a run-down farm house in Rhode Island in 1971, Carolyn and Roger Perron find themselves the target of increasingly terrifying nightmares as weird happenings surround them and in the middle of a satanic haunting that follows the Perron family around. The Perrons need to use every ability they possess as well as their spiritual fortitude to combat this evil before it can ruin everyone involved so Carolyn, in a desperate attempt to investigate the house, calls in renowned paranormal investigators Ed and Lorraine Warren.
Critics and horror fans gave ‘The Conjuring’ good reviews, and despite having a $20 million budget, it made over $319 million in revenue worldwide and is considered one of the best horror films of the 2010’s. In addition to being eerie, tight, visceral, uncomfortable, and frightening in its most basic sense, The Conjuring is also eerie at times. This is the kind of movie that challenges you to suppress the need to hug yourself in the hopes of at least partially preventing you from experiencing pure terror with jump scares that are skilfully timed to involve actual things hitting, thumping, and falling, as well as other unsettling noises, rather than loud, out-of-place musical notes.
Get Out (2017)
‘Get Out’ was a surprise hit in 2017 and even received four nominations in the 90th Academy Awards; Best Picture, Best Director, Best Original Screenplay, and Best Actor for Daniel Kaluuya. In a surprise, ‘Get Out’ took home the best original screenplay award which displays people’s fixation on the popular film.
After five months of dating his beautiful white fiancée Rose, skilled young African-American photographer Chris Washington is anxiously awaiting the big meet-the-parents milestone. Chris shows up for their weekend at their opulent, remote mansion in the woods, not knowing what to expect. Rose’s father is a neurosurgeon, and her mother is a psychiatrist and they have a happy marriage. But as soon as Chris begins to drop his guard, breaks the ice, he begins to feel an unidentifiable unease at the family home. Then the happy-family facade of is revealed, and pure terror ensues. Unsettling secrets surface as Chris makes an effort to comprehend it all.
‘Get Out’ was one of the best films of 2017, it was an effective film that masterfully combined a number of directing techniques to depict a social commentary on racial relations in America. The cast gave both frightening and touching performances, and the plot was both thought-provoking and brilliantly constructed.
A Quiet Place (2018)
This horror movie was among the greatest of the modern era of horror, with a successful franchise and extremely good ratings on Rotten Tomatoes for each instalment in the series.
The famous contemporary horror movie ‘A Quiet Place’ is set on a destroyed Earth where several unstoppable alien predators have taken over, and the Abbott family is fighting to live in the barren wasteland of New York City. Complete quiet may be your only chance to survive in this muted dystopia, where even the smallest sound might draw the deadly invaders. But after a year of nonstop dread, the tough Abbott family manages to pull through, becoming experts in survival’ they had to abide by one rule: don’t say anything or face the repercussions.
An uncomfortable, stressful, and horrifying setting is expertly created in ‘A Quiet Place’ to draw viewers into its quiet, horrific reality. John Krasinski executes suspense and tension with a deft touch. There was a tangible sense of worry and anxiety every second. Every aspect of Krasinski’s work, including the concept, writing, monster design, character development, and more, demonstrated his inventiveness.
‘A Quiet Place’ won praise from critics and fans and made over $340 million in revenue globally. The movie received nominations for the Golden Globe Award for Best Original Score, the Academy Award for Best Sound Editing, the Writers Guild of America Award for Best Original Screenplay, and Emily Blunt’s Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Supporting Role and ‘The Quiet Place’ was named as one of the top ten films of 2018 by the National Board of Review and the American Film Institute.
The Blair Witch Project (1999)
The found-footage trend, which was later employed by equally popular horror hits like ‘Paranormal Activity’ and ‘Cloverfield,’ is credited to ‘The Blair Witch Project.’
The story follows three fearless amateur documentarians, director Heather, cinematographer Josh, and sound recordist Mike adventure into Burkittsville’s dismal Black Hills Forest in pursuit of a local legend, hoping to spot a shadow that of the infamous Blair Witch. A year has passed since that fateful October 1994, and aside from the unfinished video they left behind, the student filmmakers are still nowhere to be found.
Artisan Entertainment paid $1.1 million to acquire the film’s distribution rights after its successful Sundance run. On July 14 1999, the movie had a restricted release and On July 30, it went on to a broader distribution. While both reviewers and viewers gave the movie high marks. ‘The Blair Witch Project’ was a sleeper smash that earned close to $250 million worldwide, making it one of the most profitable horror films ever and one of the most successful independent films of all time.
A Nightmare On Elm Street (1984)
The villain of our nightmares was envisioned by director Wes Craven, who drew inspiration from the real-life accounts of several individuals who passed away while dreaming. This dark fantasy series, which puts a spin on the slasher genre, centres on the insane and relentless Freddy Krueger of Springwood County, Ohio. Nancy Thompson, a high school student, and the teens on Elm Street have been victims of Freddy Krueger’s torture.
All people are aware that nightmares are not real. On the other hand, the extensive cuts on their bodies indicate otherwise. Nancy is forced to stay awake in order to survive, as the burnt form of the oneiric visitor haunts her while innocents are being torn to bits and dying left and right. The boundaries between the victims’ nightmares and the horrific murderer’s world are now blurred by bright-red blood and a long-forgotten, unsettling link to the little community. Ultimately, the resentful, enigmatic murderer has an endless amount of time to cause suffering. And the kids will go to sleep eventually.
‘A Nightmare on Elm Street’ made $57.1 million in total revenue when it was first shown in restricted theatres on November 9, 1984, and then nationwide on November 16, 1984. When it was released, ‘A Nightmare on Elm Street’ was hailed by critics as one of the best horror films ever produced and ‘A Nightmare on Elm Street’ was chosen by the Library of Congress in 2021 for preservation in the United States National Film Registry.
The Texas Chainsaw Massacre (1974)
The iconic horror film, ‘The Texas Chainsaw Massacre’ was promoted as being based on actual events. Based on the murderer Ed Gein’s atrocities served as inspiration for both the persona of Leatherface and a few minor plot points.
The terrifying tale centres on a group of five hippies travelling through the backcountry of rural Texas in the 1970’s who become victims of a vicious cannibalistic family consisting of a deranged man wearing a leather mask, a grave robber brother with a knife, the family’s cannibal chief father, and their rotting grandfather.
‘The Texas Chain Saw Massacre’ was a popular horror film that was very profitable, making over $30 million at the domestic box office (roughly $150.8 million as of 2019), selling over 16.5 million tickets in 1974, and even though it faced major challenges abroad, including being banned in several countries and theatres stopping it from showing due to complaints about its graphic and violent content. Since then, it has established a reputation as one of the most effective and significant horror films.
Child’s Play (1988)
This toy figurine is legendary to the horror genre.
One of the most well-known horror films ever made, Child’s Play, made everyone frightened of toys. The story of a bereaved woman who gives her kid a doll unaware that the doll is inhabited by the spirit of a serial killer is straightforward, original, and terrifying.
In addition to creating a cult following since the 1980s, the film’s box office success led to the creation of a media franchise that included six sequels, merchandising, comic books, a revival in 2019, and a television show.
Friday The 13th (1980)
In addition to being the first independent horror film to be given wide release in the United States by a major studio, ‘Friday the 13th’ is a cult classic horror movie and is considered one of the best ever made.
‘Friday the 13th,’ a great box office blockbuster that brought in $59.8 million worldwide, is based on the legendary story of a group of teenage camp counsellors who are murdered one by one by an unidentified killer as they are trying to reopen an abandoned summer camp with a terrible past. The movie received positive reviews, with many critics appreciating the soundtrack and cinematography.
The film’s box office triumph sparked an extensive run of follow-ups, a crossover with the ‘A Nightmare on Elm Street’ movie franchise, and a highly regarded 2009 revival.
Saw (2004)
The ‘Saw’ films helped to make the once-popular horror craze known as “Torture Porn” extremely famous.
The film narrates a chaotic story that centres on the complex mystery surrounding two men who are trapped in a room with a dead body. The notorious Jigsaw Killer puts his victims through lethal “games” in which they have to endure excruciating physical agony in order to survive, testing their desire to live.
On January 19, 2004, Saw had its premiere at the Sundance Film Festival. Lionsgate acquired the film’s distribution rights as a result of the strong reviews from audiences. On October 29, 2004, the movie was originally scheduled to be released direct to video, but it was ultimately chosen to be shown in theatres across North America.
Both reviewers and moviegoers gave the movie good reviews. ‘Saw’ became one of the most successful horror pictures since ‘Scream (1996),’ grossing $103.9 million worldwide after dominating the first weekend’s box office. The popularity of ‘Saw’ gave rise to a media franchise that consists of many movies, video games, amusement park attractions, and merchandise.
Jaws (1975)
Given that shark attacks are a very real occurrence and are a genuine fear of many, ‘Jaws,’ the 1975 summer blockbuster directed by Steven Spielberg, is without a doubt the scariest film ever to watch.
The plot begins one week before Amity Island’s annual Fourth of July celebrations, and Martin Brody, the new police chief of Amity Island, a tiny summer vacation town, has cause to suspect that a predatory shark is responsible for the teenage swimmer’s mangled body that washed up on the beach. Brody is worried about the gullible visitors, so he is adamant on closing the beaches. But, avarice and Mayor Larry Vaughn obstruct security, which leads to a string of more brutal crimes.
All eyes are now on the vast blue ocean as Brody searches for the unquestionable monster of the sea, a slate-grey great white shark that prowls the waterways in search of human flesh, along with the assistance marine researcher Matt Hooper and skilled and qualified shark killer, Quint.
‘Jaws,’ which is still the greatest earning movie of all time and one of the best efforts to introduce lethal sharks to the big screen, forever altered the course of history by launching popular summer blockbuster blockbusters. This movie was rated PG at the time, however many considered the film an R rated movie because of the amount of blood and the deep issues it explores; it is geared more towards young adults.
‘Jaws’ was the quintessential summer blockbuster, taking home many accolades for editing and soundtrack. Prior to Star Wars’ premiere two years later, it was the highest-grossing movie of all time and also The Library of Congress chose ‘Jaws,’ for preservation in the US National Film Registry in 2001.
The Exorcist (1973)
‘The Exorcist,’ the first horror movie to get nine Academy Award nominations including Best Picture, is undoubtedly the face of the genre.
The plot takes place in Georgetown, D.C. Regan Teresa MacNeil, the 12-year-old daughter of popular actress Chris MacNeil, exhibits unpredictable behaviour and things quickly spiral out of control. Regan turns aggressive and drives her helpless mother to look for spiritual guidance in a priest – Father Merrin. A terrifying supernatural dread threatens the lives and souls of tired Father Merrin and his dubious sidekick as they carry out a complex purifying procedure to cure the girl of the unsettling symptoms.
‘The Exorcist’ had a big impact on pop culture, is considered one of the best horror pictures ever produced by critics, horror fans and even many publications, and was chosen by the Library of Congress to be preserved in the US National Film Registry in 2010.
Psycho (1960)
These days, ‘Psycho’ is perhaps one of Hollywood’s most well-known and significant films. International film reviewers and historians have praised it as a monumental work of cinematic art, praising its deft directing, tight atmosphere, remarkable camerawork, unforgettable music, and iconic performances. It is frequently cited as one of the best films ever made, and it redefined the parameters of what was acceptable for American cinema in terms of violence, deviance, and sexuality. It is also regarded as one of the first great instances of the slasher genre and in 1992, the Library of Congress deemed the film and selected it for preservation in the United States National Film Registry.
The story revolves around an on-the-run embezzler named Marion Crane and her reclusive motel owner Norman Bates. Following their encounter, a private detective, Marion’s lover Sam Loomis, and her sister Lila look into Marion’s disappearance.
Four Academy Awards were nominated for ‘Psycho,’ including Best Supporting Actress for Janet Leigh and Best Director for Alfred Hitchcock. Psycho’s longevity can be attributed to the performers and their performances. There isn’t a single dull or uninteresting moment, and the narrative moves quickly enough to keep our interest without being too so. It has been around for around sixty years, but this movie is still regarded as a masterpiece. It’s worth seeing at least once, and seeing it again won’t get old.
