We asked: What are the most blood-curdling, terror-inducing movies of all time? 938 votes were cast and the results are…
(While you’re at it, vote for and win the funniest movies ever here).
1. The Exorcist
Still the granddaddy of creep-outs, The Exorcist derives its demonic power from the banality of its modern setting and the steady sense of realism employed by director William Friedkin. Avoiding clichés, though it invented many, this ain’t a B-movie, but a horror pic that brings the powerful scares that only the devil appearing in the present day can muster. Not to mention that this would be the worst movie to see with an emetophobe.
“The Power of Christ compels you!” -Father Merrin
2. The Shining
Kubrick’s adaptation of King’s novel brings psychological terror, using surrealism to burrow under your skin and eat away at your mentality, creating a disorientating sense of WTF-ery that brewed its own conspiracy-based doco (Room 237). Fun fact: The Shining was nominated for two Razzies back in 1981 – worst actress (Shelley Duvall) and worst director (Stanley Kubrick).
“Did you know, Mr. Torrance, that your son is attempting to bring an outside party into this situation? Did you know that?” -Delbert Grady
3. Halloween
William Shatner’s face deserves some of award for this, serving as the basis for psycho killer Michael Myers expressionless white mask worn throughout his killing spree. You could mount an argument about how we project our own fears onto this vacant visage, making it infinitely more terrifying than any living person’s facial features. Either that, or it’s simply bloody scary.
“Death has come to your little town, sheriff.” – Dr. Sam Loomis
4. Rosemary’s Baby
Coming close to half a century old, Roman Polanski’s paranoia-induced horror doesn’t rely on gore to terrify its audience. Rather, it uses the mystery of an unknown pregnancy as its foot on your throat, and the slow revel of the truth that causes your breath to dissipate.
“This is no dream, this is really happening!” -Rosemary
5. A Nightmare on Elm Street
Over the long course of the A Nightmare on Elm Street series, blade-gloved Freddy Krueger became an increasingly comical character. Back in Wes Craven’s 1984 original, however, he was vicious, twisted, terrifying and still recognisable as every parent’s worst fear – a pervert preying on children. As anyone who’s felt trapped in a nightmare can attest, it’s a terrifying experience.
“One, two, Freddy’s coming for you / Three, four, better lock your door / Five, six, grab your crucifix / Seven, eight, gonna stay up late / Nine, ten, never sleep again.”
6. Ringu
Fact: The main reason that VHS tapes were phased out wasn’t due to technological developments. It was actually because vengeful ghost Sadako used them to travel from place to place and find new victims to terrify by crawling out of the TV. Unfortunately for them, the terror soon turns to killing as this plays out in great, spine-tingling fashion. Ringu spawned pretty good sequels and remakes, but the original instils the most fear.
“It’s not of this world. It’s Sadako’s fury. And she’s put a curse on us.” -Ryuji
7. The Thing
John Carpenter’s superior reworking of the 1951 sci-fi horror The Thing from Another World boasts some of the most impressive practical effects work brought to screen, using freakish biology and tension-filled mistrust to deliver a diverse horror that works on both a physical and psychological level.
“I dunno what the hell’s in there, but it’s weird and pissed off.” -Clark
8. Psycho
The black-and-white masterpiece from The Master of Suspense caught audiences completely off-guard with its infamous shower scene. Killing off your lead starlet halfway through your film was unheard of, and Alfred Hitchcock used that taboo to his advantage as the madness of hotelier Norman Bates slowly comes to light.
“It’s not like my mother is a maniac or a raving thing. She just goes a little mad sometimes. We all go a little mad sometimes.” -Norman Bates
9. The Babadook
Depression, motherhood and a pop-up book made of nightmares come together to create triumphant terror filled with ‘onlys’: it’s the only film on this list made in this millennium, the only film on this list that comes from Australia, and the only film on this list by a female filmmaker. The Babadook is the most frightening films in years, and currently sits at 96% on Rotten Tomatoes.
“You can’t get rid of the Babadook.” -Samuel
10. The Texas Chainsaw Massacre
Most will be well aware of this title long before they see it, ditto for the existence of face-wearing, chainsaw-wielding killer Leatherface. It’s the believable setting and Hooper’s verite style that help drag this into nightmare territory though, the Southern chamber of horrors being brought to life in terrifyingly plausible fashion.
“I just can’t take no pleasure in killing. There’s just some things you gotta do. Don’t mean you have to like it.” -Old Man
