Killers: Turn off the lights and watch these movies when you're all alone...at your own risk!

Black Christmas - 1974; the phone calls from the killer will make your skin crawl.

Halloween - 1978; who can forget Michael Myers? This Halloween poster shows Michael at work doing what he does best! 

Friday the 13th - 1980; made hockey masks a staple for Halloween costumes ever since.

The Hills Have Eyes - 1977; "Every thing is scary about this movie". Is this guy on the original The Hills Have Eyes poster creepy or what? 

House of 1000 Corpses - 2003; an awesome performance by the talented Karen Black as Mother Firefly (Ms. Black also stars in Trilogy of Terror--see entry below)

Psycho – 1960; the shower scene is the critically acclaimed one, but my favorite moment comes near the end with Mother in her chair! DVD collection recommendation. Hmmm, I wonder who that dark figure could be in this picture of the Bates manor from Psycho? 

Seven – 1994; when the emaciated starved guy that they think is dead starts to move!

Saw – 2004; the scene with the reverse bear trap and the search for the key to unlock it in time! Also, when the lights go out in the apartment and he's lighting it up with camera flashes.

Saw II - 2005; When he's in the bathroom from Saw I, and ****** (I won't spoil it) jumps out of the bathtub. I jumped 50 feet in the air! -Cody

Texas Chainsaw Massacre – 1974; hard to decide on just one scariest moment when there were so many of them!

Scream - 1996; recommending the first one only in this series; pretty original the way they handled it.

Wrong Turn - 2003; If you aren't holding your breath when they're hiding under the beds in the shack, perhaps you're already dead.

Dark Night of the Scarecrow - 1981; had to include this even though it's a made-for-TV movie; a great horror flick with a moral to the story. You'll remember this one.

Dressed to Kill - 1980 - in the tradition of Hitchcock; a decent scary movie.

Nightmare on Elm Street - 1984; how could we forget? A bit cheesy when you look at it today, but a very original horror flick for its time.

Nightmare on Elm Street 3 - Dream Warriors - 1987; the second one stunk, but this one was actually good; some very funny lines thrown in by Freddy Krueger when he's dispatching some of his victims.

Child's Play - 1988; Chucky's first appearance and a decent flick; creepiest moment - when she realizes the doll has been coming on and talking and there's no batteries in it.

Kiss the Girls - 1997; Morgan Freeman stars in this serial killer movie that is quite scary at times.

Tourist Trap - 1979;

Terror Train - 1980; the movie poster for this one showing that sinister looking train conductor with the knife really creeped me out when I was a kid!

The Hitcher - 1986; this one still creeps me out to the point that whenever I'm just channel surfing and I notice it's on, I just can't help myself...I have to stop and watch! Many feel the french-fry eating moment is the most memorable in this movie. But for me, the "tractor-trailer pull" is the most disturbing (it's not just what you see directly on camera--it's what you know is happening "off-camera" as the scene fades to black). The Hitcher poster hints at the terror to come! 

Silence of the Lambs - 1991; an engaging story keeps your interest all the way through to the finish line with some excellent scares along the way!

Hide & Seek - 2005; Robert De Niro and Dakota Fanning star. Taylor writes in: "This movie will have you up all night wondering if your kids or mate are OK. The scariest part is when the first kill happens...you may want to close your eyes if you know what I mean!"

It - 1995 (TV); Based on the novel by Stephen King; a good one for those with the scary clown phobia going on; the scariest moment is when the blood starts coming out of the photo album. - Christina

Night of the Living Dead - 1968; The whole movie was scary...especially the beginning scene in the cemetary!

Dawn of the Dead - 2004; Caine says the scariest moment comes where the little girl jumps on a guy but we find that she has no lips!

Zombie Creeping Flesh (aka Virus) - 1980; Seems most will either love or hate this zombie flick. Scariest moment: the ending! -Steven

Chillers: flicks sure to give you chills with your thrills!

The Dark Secret of Harvest Home - 1978 (TV miniseries); just had to include this one as it was among the top movies that really creeped me out when I was a kid. Betty Davis stars. "Cat got your tongue?".

The Shining - 1980 (Jack Nicholson version); lots of great moments that'll creep you out! Charlie Martin says the scariest moment for him was when Shelley Duval is reading through Jack's book and finds it says nothing but "All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy" in all different directions and patterns. DVD collection recommendation. Here's Jack doing his thing in this awesome poster from The Shining  

The Other - 1972 - cutting off the finger!

The Innocents - 1961; very creepy for an older movie.

The Changeling - 1980; George C. Scott stars in this mega-creepy haunted house flick. The scene where the ball bounces back to him is spine-tingling.

When A Stranger Calls - 1978 - classic film; a little dated, but still manages a good scare.

When A Stranger Calls - 2006; scariest moment: when the stranger is standing right behind her and she doesn't realize it! -Teysha

Butterfly Effect - 2004; never thought I'd include a movie with Ashton Kutcher, but the first 15 minutes will make you jump multiple times. -Burt

Session 9 - 2001; very creepy; the setting itself is awesome. This film is absolutly terrific. If you enjoy horror films and are tired of slasher flicks like Scream an pieces of **** to that effect, please, do yourself the favor of renting or buying Session 9. It's creepy on sooo many levels and really gets inside your mind with a very unpredictable twist at the end. Absolutly tremendous film. PLEASE GO SEE SESSION 9! -Anonymous

The Wicker Man - 1973 - not so much a horror movie as a good chiller; religious overtones; just very creepy overall; they're re-making this (of course) with Nicholas Cage.

The Beguiled - 1971 - like The Wicker Man listed above, it's not really a "horror movie" per se, but more of a gothic type movie set during the Civil War; Clint Eastwood plays a wounded soldier cared for by a group of women; has some creepy stuff in it.

Don't Look Now - 1973 - a pretty decent movie although kind of weird; it's hailed as a classic by many people; I thought it was pretty good; they're supposed to be remaking this one too. -Burt

The Village - 2004; I list this one because it had some creepy moments I thought; in general, you either liked or you didn't. If you don't feel this (or another film here) isn't worthy of being on the list of best scary movies, tell me what should replace it using the form at the bottom of the page.

What Lies Beneath - 2000; nobody seems to like this one (critics mainly); so what if it stole from some other movies; it still made me jump in a lot of places and the acting was good.

The Sentinel - 1977;

Secret Window - 2004; Plenty of scary moments and another outstanding performance by Johnny Depp (who, by the way, practiced with his teen band "The Kids" at the house straight across the street from mine in Miami, FL before they went out to LA. I had hoped he'd reply to my letter thinking he might like to hear from someone who was also from the "old neighborhood", but I know he's a very busy guy...er, I mean pirate. ;-).

Twilight Zone: The Movie - 1983; four stories comprise this film and the first three are entertaining to be sure, but it's mostly the last story that has the scares going on. "So, you had a pretty big scare up there, huh?" Oh yeah! "You wanna see something really scary?"

The Witches - 1990; Scariest moments: when the witches take off their human-looking suits and when Bruno (one of the kids) gets turned into a mouse. I think that it was made as a kids movie, but it's just too creepy!! - Brittany

The Serpent & the Rainbow - 1988; Roy says: I don't get scared from horror movies anymore (ever since I saw the Exorcist), but when me and my friend (who's seen his share of horror movies) watched this movie, he had to plug his ears and close his eyes when the Skeleton Bride constantly haunts Dr. Allan throughout the movie. Whether it is in his dreams or in his soup, the Skeleton Bride will never stop coming.

Stir of Echoes - 1999; Scariest moment: when they find the **** in the **** -Matt [edited to prevent spoiling the ending!]

Misery - 1990; Scariest moment: when he finds out what "hobbling" is all about! -Robbie

Night Gallery - 1969 (TV); This was the pilot movie for Rod Serling's spooky series of the same name. Scariest of the 3 vignettes in this film: the changing graveyard painting on the wall (the story with Roddy McDowell) -Teresa

One Hour Photo - 2002; scariest moment: when the old guy is in his house and you see the hundreds of photos of someone else's family...and his nightmare! -Ian

Phantasm - 1979; The Tall Man....enough said! -Teresa

Supernatural: scares from beyond to keep you up at night!

Poltergeist - 1982; THE CLOWN! Some people have scary clown phobias and if you're one of them, you may just get scared out of your wits watching this one! DVD collection recommendation. This Poltergeist poster says it all! [Right click on the link and select "open in new window" so this window will remain open.]

The Exorcist - 1973 - Well, it's obviously about an exorcism, but the scariest moment in this film really should be seen on screen, not read about.

Rosemary's Baby - 1968; Mia Farrow stars in this classic directed by Roman Polanksi. Still scary even by today's standards.

The Others - 2001; When someone says they need to explain to you "the new situation", it's probably not good news!

Ghost Story - 1981; Fred Astaire stars in this spooky movie about secrets; most chilling moment is when the car door opens. DVD collection recommendation.

The Sixth Sense - 1999; creepiest moments: when the boy in the hallway turns away after suggesting he and Cole go play with his Dad's gun; when Cole and his mother are in the car and Cole relays "a special message" to her.

Exorcist III - Legion - 1990; hospital scene; nurse walking with a corpse with shears behind her - one of the all time great scare scenes.

Blair Witch - 1999; gets in mostly just on originality though the nighttime scene in the woods is pretty good; the tent scene with children's voices is haunting.

The Craft – 1996;

The Omen - 1976; Gregory Peck stars in this interpretation of the biblical "666"; the nanny was SCARY; the little kid was CREEPY looking; reminded me of the kid in the Shining in some ways; some feel it isn't as scary as The Exorcist as this type of film goes, but where The Exorcist is more "in your face" scary, I think The Omen is just as scary but on a deeper, more subtle level; both films are scary flicks for believers (doubt it would have the same effect on non-believers).

Salem 's Lot - 2004; one of the rare cases where the remake gives the original a run for its money.

Ghost Ship - 2002; how could I forget this one, just for the opening "wire scene"! I thought it was pretty good though the critics hated it...oh well, so what's new? If you don't think it belongs on the list of best scary movies, tell me what should replace it using the form at the bottom of the page.

Angel Heart - 1987; forgot about this one; great, great movie!

Jacob's Ladder - creepy, creepy, creepy; the scary, spinning, shaking heads are quite memorable!

Carrie - 1976 - how could I forget it? Great one. 

The Fog - 1980; actually a pretty good movie; could have been longer and expanded the story more though.

In the Mouth of Madness - 1994; very original in my opinion; weird and creepy; the boy on the bicycle.

Trilogy of Terror (TV movie) - 1975 ; Zuni Fetish Doll - that's all I need to say; if that little thing didn't scare you then you're a better man than me!

Below - 2002; decent movie; could have been a little better, but kind of original; a haunted submarine premise.

13 Ghosts - 2001; some feel it's a bit thin on story, but have to admit it's strong on scares at times.

Legend of Hell House - 1973; Roddy McDowall stars in this suspenseful haunted house flick.

Tales From The Crypt: Demon Knight - 1995; What can I say? I like horror movies that delve into the realm of so-called "religious" elements. These films recognize spiritual warfare through their plots and provoke questions that might never be raised otherwise by some. If you think about it, it's often as close as Hollywood gets to making movies that mention such things. Personally, I admire the writers who are able to pull this off and aspire to be like them. And who better to host such a film for horror fans than the ever-charming Crypt Keeper, the master of the macabre! And any poster with the Crypt Keeper himself is alright by me! 

Tales From The Hood - 1995; some good scares in the vein of Tales From The Crypt!

The Amityville Horror - 1979; I was tempted not to list this one because the "true story" it was supposedly based upon has been widely regarded as a hoax for a long time now. And not just a hoax perpetrated by the movie makers (like the marketing hype when Blair Witch first debuted), but by the family who lived in the house and told those wild stories to make money selling the book and movie rights. That just really rubs me the wrong way. But, in all fairness, that just means the specifics of the story are fiction like the other movies listed here, right? And there are some scary scenes, so I gave in.

The Legacy - 1978; although it has an original premise, this one hardly ever gets mentioned or replayed on TV. I still remember it as one of the movies that did a great job of freaking me out when I saw it as a kid. Those who can only appreciate fast-paced action in their scary movies may find it lackluster, but for those who can appreciate a flick with an eerie house setting and a slow buildup to a freaky climax, you may just find that you like it too!

The Ring - 2002; Okay, yeah, it had scary moments...especially the TV screen scene. Still, I didn't find it quite as scary as many crack it up to be. A lot of the early mysteries in the film get explained away which tends to make a film less scary than it could have been. Nevertheless, it's definitely worth seeing if you haven't already. And they did have a pretty clever tie-in with this image from the poster for The Ring. 

The Skeleton Key - 2005; I liked this one on multiple levels--some very good acting, an original premise and some unexpected twists; a bit better in my opinion than Dark Water which came out at about the same time; one of those that'll keep you thinking long after the film ends.

The Grudge - 2004; Anonymous poster: Many scary moments, but the ones that stand out the most was in the elevator, the kid appeared on each floor, and when the dude was chasing that girl dripping with blood and when she turned around, and when the cleaning lady was in the attic, and the ending!

The Evil Dead - 1981; "All of it a true cult classic for those who like plenty of gore and lots of scares." -Martyn

Storm of the Century (TV) - 1999 (Stephen King mini-series); Scariest part: The whole movie! -Jason

Creature Features: these beasts dish out a heaping helping of terror!

Alien - 1979; akin to a haunted house in outer space...major scares to be had here! A must see. DVD collection recommendation.

Aliens - 1986; another rare occassion where the sequel stands by itself as a great horror flick.

Cujo - 1983; this movie, based on a story by Stephen King, will definitely keep you engaged through to the end.

Jaws - 1975; the opening scene is still legendary within the horror genre. DVD collection recommendation.

Piranha - 1978; does for freshwater what Jaws did for saltwater. You'll think twice before going in the water again.

Tremors - 1990; does for dry land what Jaws and Piranha did for bodies of water.

Event Horizon - 1997; has a similar feel to Alien, yet different enough to still maintain your interest; some great visuals.

The Thing - 1982; the BLOOD TEST! This John Carpenter film can still turn up the fright! DVD collection recommendation.

Pitch Black – 2000; Vin Diesel stars in this imaginative story; darkness of night used at its best.

They - 2002; another one where darkness is a key element; makes excellent use of your imagination; different endings on the DVD will have you still thinking about this one for awhile.

War of the Worlds – 2005; when they are hiding in the basement and the remote "viewer" comes to take a look around will have you holding your breath!

Invasion of the Body Snatchers - 1978; great movie; the ending...scary!

Interview with the Vampire - 1994; good movie, kind of gory though.

The Hunger - 1983; another interesting vampire flick; David Bowie stars; once again, kind of gory...

Blade - 1998 / Blade II - 2002 - I'm on a vampire kick; I thought these were both decent...not tremendously scary, but some good action and the plots were decent. If you don't think they belong on this list of best scary movies, tell me what movie(s) should replace them using the form at the bottom of this page. You'll help make this list better and be entered to win in the monthly drawing!

Jeepers Creepers - 2001; while it has some conventional elements of a teen slasher flick resulting in it being predicable in some places (and therefore less scary than it could have been), it does have a lot of originality too; that old truck is about as creepy as the "Creeper" himself! Sheesh...where'd they ever find that thing!??

Jeepers Creeper 2 - 2003; when the kids get outta the bus and the thing attacks and goes after them. -'dola

Classic Horror Flicks: Timeless films that helped define the horror genre!

House of Wax - 1953; Vincent Price stars in this first of the 3D feature films; not wanting to give too much away, I'll just say this is still a creepy flick worth seeing.

The Haunting – 1963; eerie film with lots of spooky atmosphere!

House on Haunted Hill - 1959; Vincent Price stars in this haunted house classic directed by the innovative horror director/promoter William Castle. DVD collection recommendation. 

The Uninvited - 1944; this movie is a "terror-ific" atmosphere flick. Quite spooky!

The Fly – 1958; "Help Me!" ('nuff said!)

The Wolf Man - 1941

The Bride of Frankenstein – 1935

The Mummy - 1932

Dracula – 1931;

Frankenstein - 1931

Frightfully Funny: Perfect blends of horror and humor!

Young Frankenstein - 1974; My all-time-favorite scary comedy! The hilarious team of Mel Brooks, Gene Wilder, Cloris Leachman, Marty Feldman, & Madeline Kahn team up to deliver some spooktacular laughs. Mel Brooks directs this Gene Wilder scripted spoof of the Mary Shelley classic. See it on DVD even if you already have the VHS version as many fans feel the bloopers and out-takes on the DVD are funnier than the movie itself (which is saying a lot)! Definitely one for the home collection. "It's Eye-gore!" 

House - 1986; one of the better comedy horror films from the 80's.

Motel Hell - 1980; one freaky horror film; if you're about to eat your veggies (or just finished them), you may want to wait awhile before watching this one.

Fright Night - 1985; a great teen vampire flick from the 80's; "Very dorky and funny one minute. Yet it also had very good special effects for the time." -Keith

Dracula: Dead & Loving It - '95; the bit when the vampire sucks the last of Lucy's blood (scariest), the bit when Renfield says to the women "What are you doing to the furniture!?" was hilarious! -Ursula

Adam's Family - 1991; another great performance from Christopher Lloyd (aka "Doc Brown" in Back to the Future).

Adam's Family Values - 1993; as good as the original (maybe even better?).

Ghostbusters - 1984; How could I leave this one off the Frightfully Funny list when it stars comic legends Bill Murray and Dan Akroyd?

The Return of the Living Dead - 1985; don't take this as a "serious" horror movie, see if for what it is...a horror comedy classic! Steven says the best moments for him were: "When tar man comes out of the canister and attacks that girl; when they get the torso on the table and she explains what it is like when one of the zombies is hungry, and loads more!"

Murder By Death - 1976; Even though it's technically a "mystery", I'm including this on the list of best scary movies simply because it does have some frightfully funny moments enhanced by a potpourri lineup of superb talent: Peter Sellers, Peter Falk, Sir Alec Guinness, Nancy Walker, James Cromwell, David Niven, & Truman Copote. You may find yourself still engaged in this film long after the credits roll! DVD collection recommendation.  

Resources:

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