The Top 50 Horror Movies Of All Time, Ranked (According To IMDb)
A good horror movie should have a compelling plot and scare the viewer not only through the effects but with the way it tells the story. Suspense is also key. When the viewer can predict who's going to die or what the villain is going to do, there's no element of surprise. That's why it's good to have a list of good movies to rely on.
50A Nightmare On Elm Street (1984)
This movie was directed by Wes Craven. It tells the story of a group of kids that are tormented in their sleep by the spirit of a murderer, and the protagonist, Nancy, has to find a way to save them in their dreams.
49Jacob's Ladder (1990)
Directed by Adrian Lyne, this thriller tells the heartbreaking yet scary story of a veteran from Vietnam and his struggles to decipher reality. Added to his PTSD, he has to fight the overwhelming sadness of losing his child, and he'll do it with the support of his loved ones.
48Braindead (1992)
This tale of death and resurrection was directed by Peter Jackson and was a huge success. A mother who died after being bit by a monkey suddenly comes back to life with a hunger for flesh.
47Army Of Darkness (1992)
Directed by Sam Raimi, this film is about a man who is unexpectedly transported back to 1,300 A.D. and forced to go on an incredibly difficult mission to find his way back home.
46Interview With The Vampire (1994)
Louis de Pointe du Lac, an ancient vampire from San Francisco, tells his story of immortality to a reporter. Directed by Neil Jordan and starring Brad Pitt, this vampire story is chilling and definitely worth watching.
45Grindhouse (2007)
This thriller has Tarantino's seal of approval. It tells the story of a zombie outbreak, paying homage to some important movies from the '70s, particularly Planet Terror and Death Proof.
44The Conjuring (2013)
This movie is based on the notes of the paranormal investigators that tried to help the Warren family that's tormented by a dark presence. The Conjuring was directed by James Wan, and to this day is one of the most iconic horror movies.
43Tucker And Dale Vs Evil (2010)
Two friends who decide to take a vacation to a mountain cabin are mistaken for murderers by a group of college students. Their trip is ruined as they get caught up in the misunderstanding.
42A Quiet Place (2018)
A Quiet Place is a dystopian film in which a family is forced to hide from the monsters that have destroyed the world. No matter what they do, they have to stay silent. John Krasinski directed and starred in it alongside Emily Blunt.
41The Lighthouse (2019)
This movie tells the story of two lighthouse keepers trying to stay sane on the job. However, the isolation and difficult conditions they have to live in will make that almost impossible. The director was Robert Eggers.
40Gojira (1954)
Directed by Ishirô Honda, this movie is about a city haunted by a monster created by nuclear radiation.
39Profondo Rosso (1975)
Also known as Deep Red, this Italian movie by Dario Argento is about the investigations of a journalist (and jazz musician) that follow the tragic death of a psychic.
38The Fly (1986)
The Fly was directed by David Cronenberg, and it tells the story of a scientist whose experiment goes terribly wrong and causes horrible transformations to his body.
37The Others (2001)
The director of this movie was Alejandro Amenábar, and he tells the story of a woman with her two children who is convinced that her house is haunted while she waits for her husband to come back from the war.
3628 Days Later... (2002)
Directed by Danny Boyle, the movie is about a virus that is spread after a group of monkeys break free from a laboratory and follows the few survivors that escaped the plague.
35Saw (2004)
This thriller was directed by James Wan, and it's about a vicious killer that abducts two men and forces them to play a dangerous game with very few possibilities of survival.
34The Skin I Live In (2011)
Directed by Pedro Almodóvar and starring Antonio Banderas, this movie tells the story of a sick plastic surgeon who uses a woman as his guinea pig.
33Train To Busan (2016)
When a zombie outbreak hits South Korea, a group of people have to make it through the trip from Seoul to Busan if they want to have a chance at survival.
32Stree (2018)
Based on an urban legend, this movie by Amar Kaushik is about a spirit that roams the streets abducting people.
31The Invisible Man (1933)
An old but still great movie, directed by James Whale, about a murderous scientist that becomes invisible. His bloodlust then becomes insatiable.
30Invasion Of The Body Snatchers (1956)
A doctor from a small town discovers the citizens were replaced by aliens and needs to find the root of this problem before it's too late. The director was Don Siegel.
29Eyes Without A Face (1960)
Les Yeux Sans Visage is a French thriller directed by Georges Franju about a girl whose face is accidentally disfigured and her father's obsession to help her.
28Peeping Tom (1960)
This movie is about a murderer who's obsessed with filming his victims' last moments as a way to satisfy his sick desires.
27The Birds (1963)
Directed by the great Alfred Hitchcock, this movie is about birds that suddenly start killing people. The reason behind it is unknown, but to find it the citizens need to survive first.
26Repulsion (1965)
A woman who has an aversion to sex is unable to control her violent visions and battles with the depression this causes her. The director was Roman Polanski.
25Vampire Hunter D: Bloodlust (2000)
This movie was directed by Yoshiaki Kawajiri, and it's about a girl who's abducted by a vampire and the story of her rescue.
24What We Do In The Shadows (2014)
Directed by Jemaine Clement and Taika Waititi, this is the tale of two vampires who struggle to adapt to normal life and keep their secret.
23Get Out (2017)
A movie by Jordan Peele. A young, African-American man visits his girlfriend's parents, but he's in for anything but a family get-together.
22Frankenstein (1931)
Based on the classic novel about a mad scientist who creates a "monster", this movie by James Whale is still one of the greatest of all time.
21Bride Of Frankenstein (1935)
One of Mary Shelley's revelations in her book pushed James Whale into making a sequel for Frankenstein. This time, the monster is out to prove he's not evil, while Dr. Frankenstein continues his experiments.
20The Innocents (1961)
Jack Clayton took the book The Turns of the Screw and made it into a memorable thriller. The story follows a woman who begins to suspect that the children she watches are possessed and that the house is haunted.
19Halloween (1978)
Directed by John Carpenter, this movie is about a murderer who escapes a mental hospital, moved by his uncontrollable need to find new victims.
18Evil Dead II (1987)
A movie by Sam Raimi about a young couple in the middle of the woods, terrorized by evil spirits who want to possess their bodies at all costs.
17I Saw The Devil (2010)
This movie is about a secret agent and his desire for revenge on a serial killer.
16Nosferatu (1922)
Based on the classic Dracula, this film by F.W. Murnau is about a vampire, Count Orlok, who falls in love with his estate agent's wife.
15Freaks (1932)
In this movie by Tod Browning, the "freaks" from a circus punish a girl for wanting to take advantage of one of them.
14King Kong (1933)
The classic story about a huge gorilla that holds a woman hostage. Directed by Merian C. Cooper and Ernest B. Schoedsack, King Kong is, after all these years, one of the best movies to ever exist.
13Night Of The Living Dead (1968)
George A. Romero directed this movie about flesh-eating monsters that take over the East Coast.
12Dawn Of The Dead (1978)
Ten years after Night of the Living Dead, George A. Romero made this great zombie movie about a group of people fighting for their survival.
11Shaun Of The Dead (2004)
Director Edgar Wright's take on what a zombie apocalypse would be and how it would affect an ordinary man.
10Let The Right One In (2008)
The story of a bullied 12-year-old boy who finds his revenge through a young, innocent girl, by Tomas Alfredson.
9Les Diaboliques (1955)
A French thriller about a wife who plans the murder of his husband with his mistress. Directed by Henri-Georges Clouzot.
8Rosemary's Baby (1968)
Roman Polanski tells the strange story of a young couple and their peculiar neighbors who try to control the young, inexperienced girl.
7The Exorcist (1973)
Based on William Peter Blatty's novel, the story follows a young girl's journey as she is possessed by an evil entity. William Friedkin's film is now one of the most popular thrillers in the world.
6The Cabinet Of Dr. Caligari (1920)
The story of a hypnotist who uses his patients to commit crimes, directed by Robert Wiene.
5What Ever Happened To Baby Jane? (1962)
A former actress who resents her paraplegic sister dedicates her life to torment her.
4The Thing (1982)
An alien with the ability to change into its victims' form, making it almost impossible to defeat it. It was directed by John Carpenter.
3Alien (1979)
Director Ridley Scott shows a distant future, in which a group of space merchants is attacked by a new life form and only discovers it when it's too late.
2The Shining (1980)
Based on Stephen King's novel and directed by Stanley Kubrick, The Shining tells the most terrifying story about a kid who can see events from the past and the future.
1Psycho (1960)
It's no surprise that number 1 belongs to an Alfred Hitchcock movie. A woman who seizes the chance to change her life ends up in a motel owned by a mother and son. A story of domination and madness starring the legendary Anthony Perkins.