The Best Classic Horror Movies of All Time and How to Stream Them

Spend your Friday the 13th with a classic horror movie

Welcome, blood fans, to CableTV.com’s guide to the best classic horror films. Our experts combed through their collections and picked out 73 essential silver-screen films for you to watch this spooky season and tell you where to stream them (in some cases, for free).

Watch this space for more content—‘cause if there’s one thing horror fans love, it’s a sequel (tee-hee). Don’t worry, we won’t lay the equivalent of another A Nightmare on Elm Street 2: Freddy’s Revenge on ya.

28 Days Later (2002)

It’s not the first movie to feature running zombies, but Danny Boyle’s 28 Days Later was the first to make them rabid, raging runners that never get pooped. That gave horror nerds a nice, chewy controversy: are infected, speedy, shrieking zoms like these the same as the shuffling, moaning gut-gobblers from conventional zombie movies?

Answer: They’re not—but 20 years later, the debate rages on.

Where to stream 28 Days Later

A Nightmare on Elm Street (1984)

Where were you when you first heard “One, two, Freddy’s comin’ for you . . .”? I was home alone, in the dark, trying to prove I was a big boy and didn’t need a babysitter. And the last line of the rhyme—“Nine, ten, never sleep again”—messed me up. For a while, anyway.

Soon, like many people, I was cuckoo for Freddy Krueger’s killer claws and snarky one-liners. Six sequels, two documentaries, a TV series, and a remake later, Freddy’s a household name.

Where to stream A Nightmare on Elm Street

Alien (1979)

The isolation of deep space is scary enough. Then something jumps on a guy’s head, eats through his helmet, and fertilizes his face, leading to the unhappiest birth ever.

You can’t forget the first time you see facehuggers and chestbursters do their freaky thing. And you certainly don’t forget seeing your first full-grown, slobbering xenomorph. Especially if you recall Alien’s legendary tagline: “In space, no one can hear you scream.”

Where to stream Alien

American Psycho (2000)

What’s scarier than a sociopathic ‘80s yuppie with a fire axe who gives an extemporaneous critical analysis of Huey Lewis and the News while chopping up another yup?

Okay, the scene is more funny than scary, mainly since Patrick Bateman’s (Christian Bale) butchery is over business-card envy.

But American Psycho’s dark humor is what makes the film chilling. The ‘80s ushered in an ongoing epidemic of greed and mental illness in this country, and many of us treat it as a joke. We might as well be laying down plastic sheets and sharpening the axe.

Where to stream American Psycho

An American Werewolf in London (1981)

In the 40+ years since its release, no one has made a better werewolf movie than John Landis’s horror comedy.

It’s a simple story: A werewolf attacks two wisecracking American college kids trekking through the English countryside. One dies and must walk the Earth in limbo unless he can convince the other—who’s cursed to survive as a hairy, hangry monster—to kill himself before the next full moon.

So what makes American Werewolf the alpha werewolf flick? It’s as funny as it is scary—and it’s pretty effin’ freaky. Plus, even if you haven’t seen the film, you may already know about its groundbreaking practical effects, like the fantastic transformation scene.

An American Werewolf in London is also full of surprises, like cameos (Muppet man Frank Oz and The Young Ones’ Rik Mayall), a tender love story, and excellent performances.

Where to stream An American Werewolf in London

The Blair Witch Project (1999)

The Blair Witch Project is hot garbage with a dirty diaper and bad breath. But when it came out in 1999, it was a phenomenon. It sold tons of tickets and seriously scared many people. It also, for better or worse, kickstarted the found-footage genre.

But 1999 is the Dark Ages compared to now. In the ensuing 23 years, a bazillion copycat movies and paranormal reality shows beat found footage to death. Or we figured out that if only one of these unearthed ghost stories were true, it would’ve dominated the news and caused panic in the streets.

Still, what The Blair Witch Project accomplished was impressive for its time (the Dark Ages). But in 2022, it sucks. It’s annoying, gives us motion sickness, and is only marginally more frightening than The Worst Witch.

Many people still like it, though (there’s no accounting for taste).

Where to stream The Blair Witch Project

Blood Feast (1963)

The blood at this feast looks like foamy red paint, and the severed limbs look rubbery—but Herschell Gordon Lewis (aka the Godfather of Gore) paved the way for practical effects wizards like Rick Baker, Tom Savini, and KNB EFX.

Also, it was 1963. Film studios weren’t exactly throwing money at movies like Blood Feast, where an Egyptian caterer serves human flesh to appease a goddess.

But a good horror fan suspends disbelief in the face of questionable practical effects. That is unless the blood and guts are awesomely bad—in which case, they’re actually good. (That’s some quantum film theory for ya.)

Where to stream Blood Feast

The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari (1920)

German Expressionist silent films of the 1920s—including this film, Nosferatu, The Golem, and others—established the angular, contrasty, distorted visual style you see in many modern horror movies. Caligari was an incredibly creative example of these elements, which used lighting and fantastical set pieces to create imagery that could’ve influenced Dr. Seuss. And the story—written after the first World War and therefore brimming with anxieties about absolute power and unstable leadership—is relevant today.

Where to stream The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari

Candyman (1992)

Bernard Rose’s adaption of Clive Barker’s short story makes you doubly uncomfortable. The film deals with racism and white privilege—discomforting but essential topics—while the vengeful ghost of a lynched enslaved man eviscerates anyone who summons him. But the two-pronged discomfort is as compelling as it is disturbing.

Tony Todd is positively captivating as Candyman. He combines the seduction of Count Dracula (dig that booming, petrifying voice) with the brutality of Michael Myers as he uses his hook to split his victims “from groin to gullet.”

And actually, Candyman’s tragic backstory introduces a third prong of discomfort. Despite his victims’ innocence, you’re kind of rooting for him. And a tiny part of you wants to look in the mirror and say his name five times—which, of course, could spell your doom.

Where to stream Candyman (1992)

Cannibal Holocaust (1980)

If you see only one 1980s Italian cannibal movie, this is the most classic and notorious.

Be warned, though: Cannibal films aren’t for every horror fan. Certain scenes will hurt your heart if you’re an animal lover or a vegan. And then there’s the whole cannibalism thing, which will make your tummy shimmy.

Watch for the classic shot where you can see a tribal woman who’s been made into a corndog (batter-less, though, cause the tribe observed a strict keto diet).

Where to stream Cannibal Holocaust

Carrie (1976)

A bullied ginger girl with a fanatical fundie mother gets gassed up by her gym teacher and the football team captain. But Carrie White’s fantasy homecoming date is ruined when she’s humiliated yet again by the mean girls. That’s when Carrie opens a can of telekinetic whoop-ass in this Brian De Palma adaptation of Stephen King’s novel.

Maybe don’t show Carrie to your high school–age children, especially if they’re demonstrating latent telekinetic abilities. But definitely show them if you suspect they’re mean girls.

Where to stream Carrie (1976)

Child’s Play (1988)

Chucky has surprising staying power. Attribute this to the juxtaposition of evil and innocence and Brad Dourif’s gleefully nasty performances as the quippy killer doll.

The original film spawned six sequels, a reboot, and a TV series—but the two most recent sequels and the series score higher with critics. Fans, however, still rate the O.G. Chucky flick the highest.

Where to stream Child’s Play (1988)

Creepshow (1982)

A collaboration between George A. Romero and Stephen King? With Tom Savini on effects? Now that’s the filmmaking equivalent of a supergroup—without the disappointing results.

Creepshow is a tribute to old-school horror comics like Creepy, Eerie, and The Vault of Horror. There are five horror shorts, all written by King and directed by Romero, bookended by a sixth shorter story. Each features an introductory book page and interstitial panels to simulate reading horror comics.

The stories—covering zombies (twice), infectious meteors, a hungry beast, bugs, and voodoo—are uniquely creepy and often funny. And the comic-book aesthetic translates well to the screen, perfectly capturing the horror-comic experience.

Where to stream Creepshow (1982)

Dead Alive/Braindead (1992)

Dead Alive (aka Braindead) starts on Skull Island (yes, King Kong’s turf) but quickly lands in director Peter Jackson’s (yes, that Peter Jackson) home country of New Zealand circa 1957. It’s probably the goriest movie ever, while also a slapstick rom-com.

The film follows a meek man dominated by his socialite mother, who contracts a zombie virus after being bitten by a Sumatran rat monkey captured on the island. Jackson plays the ensuing epic senses of violence for both scares and laughs—and succeeds triumphantly.

The combination of terror, nausea, comedy, romantic warm fuzzies, and top-shelf WTF moments is wildly entertaining. Look out for zombie “smashing” (wink), a zombie baby, an ass-kicking preacher, and a gigantic, needy, topless mom-zom. And there’s also 79.2 gallons of stage blood—enough blood to transfuse Kong twice.*

Dead Alive/Braindead isn’t streaming anywhere, and it’s out-of-print on disc—but the uncut version is on YouTube.

*Estimated

The Descent (2005)

After a woman loses her husband and daughter in an accident, she and five friends go spelunking in the North Carolina wilderness. In the cave, the six women fall prey to their interpersonal issues and strange reptilian humanoid creatures.

The Descent’s story is as tight as the enclosed setting, and both leave little room to breathe when the creatures come. You’re panting when the movie’s over, and although the blood and guts are onscreen, you’ll feel sticky.

Where to stream The Descent

The Evil Dead (1981), Evil Dead II (1987), and Army of Darkness (1992)

The Evil Dead is a master stroke of indie filmmaking. Sam Raimi and crew delivered a deeply entertaining and frightening movie for only $375,000. And although some of the practical effects look dated, the very gory film remains spinechilling today.

Six years later, Raimi secured a much larger budget and basically remade the first film. Evil Dead II is different from its predecessor, though. Raimi pumped up the comedy, spruced up the effects, and made another horrifying but hilarious film that fans adore as much as the original.

And, at the end of ED2, Raimi shows where the franchise would go next: to the Middle Ages. In Army of Darkness, Ash Williams (Bruce Campbell) became the razor-tongued, boomstick, and chainsaw-wielding horror icon he is today. The film is also where the Evil Dead franchise becomes almost family-friendly (because Universal wanted to attract a younger audience). Nevertheless, Army of Darkness is a horror classic, too.

Fortunately, Ash and the Deadites returned to the present day—and its splatter-film roots—in the TV series Ash vs. Evil Dead.

Where to stream The Evil Dead (1981)

Where to stream Evil Dead II

Where to stream Army of Darkness

The Exorcist (1973)

Nearly 50 years ago, William Peter Blatty’s tale about a mother and her demon-possessed daughter had people fainting and puking in theaters—or just plain walking out in a huff.

It’s no wonder. The Exorcist, directed by William Friedkin, ticks a lot of boxes on the Checklist of Freaky Ish, including spooky kids, Satan, shocking violence, and an ethereally harrowing score by Mike Oldfield. And the film’s effectiveness doesn’t hinge on religious belief because Chris MacNeil (Ellen Burstyn) is an atheist, and she agrees to the exorcism only when she’s reached her wit’s end. So strap in for this one ‘cause it’s an equal opportunity shocker.

Where to stream The Exorcist

Faces of Death (1978)

Horror fans who grew up in the 1980s—when VHS was new—were truly blessed. We saw many great horror films, including legendary unicorn tapes like the Faces of Death shockumentary. But, with Satanic panic at full tilt, we were lucky if our parents let us rent The Thing, much less this purported collection of actual death scenes. That parental rule made Faces of Death even more alluring to us.

When we finally saw Faces of Death, it was exciting and traumatizing. So, of course, we had to share it with friends, if only so we didn’t have to suffer alone.

Nowadays, Faces of Death is almost quaint, with campy narration by “Dr. Francis B. Gröss” and scenes that pale compared to cartel videos on Reddit and the extreme horror movies streaming free on Tubi and YouTube. Also many of the scenes in the original Faces of Death are fake. You should still watch it, though, if only to see what the Internet looked like before it was a thing.

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The Fly (1986)

The original 1958 The Fly introduced the idea of accidentally merging DNA with a house fly and becoming a human-sized monster. This remake cranked up the creeps with increased production value, squishier practical effects, and Jeff Goldblum in the titular role.

The original is still worth watching, especially if you like campy monster movies, but the 1986 version of The Fly will buzz around in your head for days after you watch it.

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Friday the 13th (1980)

Ch-ch-ch . . . Ah-ah-ah . . .

‘Nuff said? Even if you haven’t seen Friday the 13th, you might already associate those sounds with the world’s foremost slasher-in-the-woods franchise. And you probably already know the first and last name of the franchise’s villain, Jason Voorhees.*

(*Hold up, knee-jerk horror nerds: we know the trivia tidbit you’re dying to nail us with—but we won’t blow it for the F13 noobs.)

Even if you haven’t seen Friday the 13th, it’s still atop the genre today—a seriously scary film with some brutal kills, excellent practical effects, and Kevin Bacon!

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Get Out (2017)

If Get Out didn’t freak you out, check your privilege. No, really—’cause the idea of possession via hypnosis is scary enough without the racial overtones.

Imagine the joy of falling in love with an amazing someone and how it dovetails with the unease of meeting their parents. Now consider how each emotion bottoms out and skyrockets, respectively, when you realize they’re trying to trap you into a different kind of long-term relationship—with the highest bidder.

Get Out doesn’t need the racial aspect to be scary. But the idea that your race makes you a target and an expendable, depletable resource for the idle rich is chilling, if not petrifying.

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Godzilla (1954)

Japan didn’t pioneer movies about gigantic monsters crushing cities—but the country certainly perfected them.

Godzilla was the country’s second such film (the first was 1938’s King Kong Appears in Edo), and it made us all afraid of big lizards in our backyards. And the string of monster movies that followed (including many Godzilla spinoffs, reboots, and remakes) showed how much we loved the idea of getting squished or eaten while the world burns around us.

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Guinea Pig 2: Flower of Flesh and Blood (1985)

This 43-minute found footage extreme gore film is legendary in the urban sense.

Supposedly, in the mid-1980s, a fan sent manga artist Hideshi Hino a VHS tape showing a young woman’s kidnapping, drugging, and systematic dismembering. Hino wanted to share what he saw and also protect the victim’s family’s privacy. Ultimately, he produced this shot-for-shot remake of the ostensible snuff film. It was so convincing that Charlie Sheen reported it to the FBI.*

Hino’s film is extra gruesome. The sound design amplifies the gross-out factor of the practical effects. You’ll shiver when the samurai helmet-wearing killer calmly but passionately rhapsodizes about blooming flowers of blood. And, when the flowers finish blooming, you get a nauseating tour of his trophy room.

Sorry, no trailer on this one. It’s too much.

Guinea Pig 2: Flower of Flesh and Blood isn’t streaming anywhere, not even on Tubi. But you can find it on YouTube.

*Cocaine is a hell of a drug.

Halloween (1978)

In John Carpenter’s original Halloween film, it feels like being dropped into the Halloween of your childhood. The crunchy fall leaves, chilly weather, and the prospect of a pillowcase full of treats are palpable. So is the acute terror inspired by the hulking, masked killer Michael Myers and portrayed by final girl Laurie Strode (Jamie Lee Curtis). With Carpenter’s score providing a menacing urgency, Halloween is effin’ freaky and a classic with a capital K.

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Hellraiser (1987)

Instead of another Judeo-Christian depiction of Satan and his kingdom, Clive Barker’s Hellraiser embraces the Leviathan, whose Cenobite demons show up when you solve a puzzle box.

Did we need this fresh Hell? Of course, we did, we’re horror fans. The Cenobites’ design was refreshingly freaky, and their deeds were among some of the bloodiest and most disturbing in horror.

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Hereditary (2018)

Whether or not a film is frightening is subjective. But, just like The Exorcist, some films transcend individual beliefs.

Ari Aster’s Hereditary is such a film.

Maybe you do or don’t believe in God or, more relevant to this film, Paimon (one of the eight kings of Hell). It doesn’t matter because crazy cults exist—and they’re all you need for (most of) the stupefyingly scary events of Hereditary to happen. Even atheists would brown their trousers over some of this stuff.

Imagine, after enduring years of psychological trauma and alienation of affection, that your child dies a grisly death at the hands of your other child. Throw in a bunch of smiling nutjobs who stalk your family, gaslight you, and cast the spell that caused the tragedy, and you have some scary stuff. No belief required.

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The Hills Have Eyes (1977)

Before the Italian cannibal craze of the ‘80s really got cookin’, Wes Craven gave us mutant cannibals in the American West.

Although the violence in Craven’s film doesn’t get as intense as in Cannibal Holocaust, it’s still gnarly. That the violence happens in the Nevada desert—to a lovely family on an RV trip—makes it even more terrifying and somewhat tragic.

Driving to Vegas will never be the same after watching this one.

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Invasion of the Body Snatchers (1978)

This 1978 adaptation of Jack Finney’s Body Snatchers novel stars Donald Sutherland and it’s considered one of the greatest remakes of all time. And, many years after I saw it, I still can’t forget the dead-eyed scream Sutherland lets out when we learn he’s joined the Pod People Club. (I wonder if Kiefer knows?)

If you’re up for a double feature, the original 1956 film adaptation of Finney’s novel is worth watching. Then you can better appreciate where the 1978 version of the film took the story.

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It (1990)

They thought It was unfilmable. Why? Stephen King’s novel about a group of friends battling an ancient, shapeshifting evil as tweens and again 30 years later has 1,138 pages, two settings (the ‘50s and ‘80s), and many tangents. It also puts children in mortal danger (taboo in 1990) and a sexual situation (perennially uncool).

Fortunately, ABC’s two-episode miniseries turned out great considering the challenges, like toning down the violence for TV. Much of the credit goes to Tim Curry’s masterful performance as Pennywise the Clown, which stomps even Bill Skarsgård’s terrifying turn in the 2017 remake.

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It (2017) and It: Chapter Two (2018)

For 25 years, it looked like the TV miniseries version of It would be the only one until Andy Muschetti’s two-installment R-rated remakes hit theaters. Both are good, but the first one is miles better than the second.

Bill Skarsgård’s take on Pennywise is impressive. But Skarsgård relies on digital movement effects, not acting (unlike Tim Curry’s Pennywise)—and what’s with those rabbit teeth?

The new films occur in the ‘80s and the present. We surmise that the time periods were updated for audience relatability and to cop some of that Stranger Things magic. This time, It has all of the edge and violence that couldn’t go in the TV adaptation, plus a quarter-century worth of technological updates. The first film is superior to the second, but It’s ending always kinda sucked, anyway.

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Jaws (1975)

Word-of-mouth was all we needed to be afraid of sharks. Then came Steven Spielberg’s creature feature at sea, where a 25-foot, three-ton great white shark terrorizes a small New England beach town.

Spielberg takes the fear of sharks and adds monster-movie hysteria (the shark is about 33% bigger than the largest great white on record) and slasher-movie dread for a taut and thrilling cinematic experience. Moviegoers gobbled it up, and the film remains popular today. That’s because, unlike any other shark film before or after it, Jaws took shark hysteria and made it worse, paving the way for Shark Week and the Sharknado franchise.

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Killer Klowns from Outer Space (1988)

Is Killer Klowns from Outer Space the Jaws of killer clown movies? Clowns frighten many people, but maybe not as many as sharks. And, although the Chiodos Brothers’ clowns are alien creatures (with a circus-tent spaceship) instead of costumed humans, KKFOS is scary only to the coulrophobic and probably children under 13.

Otherwise, Killer Klowns is a dark comedy where clowns kill—but with cotton-candy cocoons, popcorn guns, and shadow puppets. It’s universally hailed as the best killer clown movie ever and, therefore, a classic.

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The Last House on the Left (1972)

Wes Craven’s rape/revenge tale is a brutal watch, and one of the most horrific scenarios we can imagine.

Two teenage girls head out to celebrate one of their birthdays at a rock concert and meet an awful end. Their murderers coincidentally wind up at the birthday girl’s home, where her parents discover the truth and avenge her.

The revenge is satisfying, but nausea lingers long after the end credits. Steel yourselves before watching this one, folks.

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The Lost Boys (1987)

Before Twilight made a sparkly mockery of vampires, The Lost Boys was the teen vampire movie. Really, it still is, ‘cause screw Twilight and its dumb Team Edward/Team Jacob debate.

The Lost Boys has two dumb debates! On the vamp side: Jason Patric vs. Keifer Sutherland. On the vampire hunter side: Corey Feldman vs. Corey Haim.

More importantly, The Lost Boys is as frightening as it is seductive. Kiefer and crew, mullets and earrings aside, are actually scary—but you want to join them on their late-night motorcycle rides, not to mention their murderous flights. And Feldman and the other Frog brother (Jamison Newlander) are fantastic comic relief.

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Mad God (2022)

Can a 2022 movie already be a classic horror movie? Not most of them, but Phil Tippett’s stop-motion nightmare Mad God is different.

Tippett started work on Mad God 30 years ago. He might’ve finished it sooner, but the visual effects legend was busy working on the Star Wars and Jurassic Park movies, among other blockbusters. So, like with Guinea Pig 2: Flowers of Flesh and Blood, we’re giving Mad God classic horror movie status based on its legend.

The film has almost no dialogue, so you’re focused on Tippett’s disturbing but often whimsical visuals. Without dialogue, it can be hard to follow the narrative—but you’ll put it together eventually ’cause you’ll want to see this ambrosial eye candy many times.

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Martyrs (2008)

The New French Extremity movement in horror is about sex and violence, often with a heady “arthouse” theme. Pascal Laugier’s Martyrs is about pain and suffering of the characters and the viewers.

The ordeal begins almost immediately, and the suffering is nearly constant. Characters die horrible deaths, recall awful experiences, and make wretched discoveries. They fight, they kill, and they get caught and tortured.

Martyrs is a rough watch and can be challenging to follow, but that’s the point. The film moves quickly and keeps you off balance with shocking developments in the present, flashbacks to the past, and surreality everywhere.

You may not understand Martyrs on the first or even second viewing. But when you finally realize that the movie is saying that life is suffering, everyone experiences it, we all want to know why. And if we ever get a response, it might be too late.

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The Mist (2007)

Stephen King again? Yup. Frank Darabont’s film is faithful to King’s novella (from the Skeleton Crew collection). It had to be. Otherwise, it would come off like a lame creature feature instead of a harrowing, heartbreaking horror story.

A dense mist populated by strange, ravenous creatures rolls into a coastal Maine town. Many die, while others shelter in place at a grocery store. Beliefs and egos create division and tension while people try to figure out what to do—while keeping the creatures out.

Fraught with despair, tension, and visceral violence, The Mist delivers thrills plus food for thought.

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Night of the Living Dead (1968), Dawn of the Dead (1978), and Day of the Dead (1985)

Jointly and separately, the first three films in George A. Romero’s original Night of the Living Dead series are classics.

Night of the Living Dead paired commentary about societal collapse with full-on gut munching—the first time zombies ever dined on victims.

For Dawn of the Dead (1978)—the best of the three movies—Romero added consumerism to the commentary, hired special-effects artist Tom Savini for extra gore, and enlisted Italian prog-rockers for the incredible, chilling score.

Savini stayed on for the Day of the Dead (1985), the goriest film of the bunch. The film is talkier, exploring more of the breakdown of society and the collision of militaristic and scientific interests.

There are three more films in the series, with more planned, but these are the essential ones.

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CableTV.com utilizes paid Amazon links.

Dawn of the Dead (1978) isn’t streaming anywhere

But the region-free Dawn of the Dead Limited Deluxe Blu-ray set is on Amazon.

Day of the Dead (1985) streams on the following apps

Nosferatu (1922)

F.W. Murnau’s 1922 silent film Nosferatu is the second adaptation of Bram Stoker’s venerable 1897 novel, Dracula. It’s true: Murnau chose to replace debonair bloodsucker Count Dracula’s drip with Count Orlock, who looks like Ellen DeGeneres on a good day—but we’re here for it.

Orlock’s appearance—bald head, hunched posture, bat-like ears, bushy eyebrows, wild eyes, and weird rabbit fangs (why do people think these look scary?)—is far freakier than Count Dracula’s Transylvanian drip. And even the relatively light “please don’t sue” changes Murnau made are a refreshing departure from the noteworthy but rote Dracula jazz.

Nosferatu is in the public domain. You can find it on YouTube.

The Omen (1976)

Three years after The Exorcist comes another classic horror movie where The Debbil claims squatter’s rights after moving into the body of a cherubic child. Only this time (spoiler comin’), the kid, Damien, is Satan’s son. And, unlike The Exorcist, he wins.

In its time, The Omen was scary—perhaps disturbing is a better word. But, compared to The Exorcist and today’s standards, The Omen is tame. However, we don’t see anyone canceling the film’s classic status, probably because it can still press the Satanic panic buttons of people who still have one.

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Pet Sematary (1985)

One of Stephen King’s best stories examines grief—something we dread as much as, or perhaps more than, facing our mortality. We all desperately want our dear, departed kitties or kickass best friends back. Or our babies.

So if we were Pet Sematary’s Louis Creed and knew how to resurrect our recently run-over son, we’d do it—even if it meant the boy would come back more than a little different. Because if even a scrap of their true essence remained, it’d be worth it. Even though, as we find out in the film, it’s really, really not.

Like King’s story, Mary Lambert’s film adaptation makes us feel the loss, the desperation, and the abject terror that comes with the consequences of our actions.

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Phantasm (1979)

Phantasm is a special kind of phreaky. Phor (sorry) one thing, the main villain is a tall, scowling undertaker with super-strength who converts dead souls into hooded dwarf zombies. He also morphs into a woman and fornicates with, then kills, you. Oh, and he has a flying silver sphere that drills a hole in your head like Canadians tap trees for syrup. ‘Nuff said? Nope—one more thought: we think The Tall Man deserves a higher profile than he has ‘cause the dude is scary AF.

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Poltergeist (1982)

“They’re heeeeere.” What’s more chilling than a cute little kid communicating with the dead through your TV?

How about the walking kewpie doll psychic with a child’s voice who shows up to save the day? Or maybe the guy who looks in a mirror and sees the skin slough off his face like he’s a baby-back rib? And, of course, we can’t forget the clown doll.

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Psycho (1960)

Alfred Hitchcock’s oedipal slasher film. Shower scene. Reeee! Reeee! Reeee! And chocolate syrup in an Oscar-nominated performance as Blood Circling the Drain.

Thanks to numerous references in other media, Psycho’s plot is as ingrained in American pop culture as The Grinch Who Stole Christmas. But if you have yet to see it, don’t pass it up. It’s great fun to recognize the references as a distraction from the taut, uncomfy suspense.

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Re-Animator (1985)

In Stuart Gordon’s adaptation of H.P. Lovecraft’s serial novella, a scientist plays God to hilariously gory effect. Re-Animator’s splat-stick style clearly influenced other classic horror movies like Evil Dead 2 and Braindead/Dead Alive that strike a balance between disturbing and fun.

Re-Animator spawned two sequels: Bride of Re-Animator and Beyond Re-Animator, both based on the same Lovecraft stories and both worth watching—but neither is as magical as the original.

So grab a lab coat and a barf bag ‘cause it’s time to commit all kinds of atrocities in the name of science!

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The Return of the Living Dead (1985)

“Do you wanna parrrrr-tay! It’s party time!” This line from 45 Grave’s unofficial theme song nails the spirit of Dan O’Bannon’s raucous punk-rock zombie movie.

In ROTLD, the living dead have more pep in their step (ROTLD is one of the earliest appearances of sprinting zombies). They also have a clearer focus: “BRAINS, BRAINS, BRAAAAAAIIIIINS!” (Yup, this movie that started the zombie/brains thing.) And the main protagonists are a mortuary employee and his punk friends.

With surprises like Tarman and a nude zombie Linnea Quigley, plus a soundtrack including the 45 Grave track and songs from The Cramps, Roky Erickson, The Damned, and more, The Return of the Living Dead is a certifiable party of a movie.

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The Ring (2002)

The Ring, an American retread of Japan’s Ringu, is about a VHS tape that, when watched, puts a seven-day clock on the viewer’s life.

As avid TV watchers, we’re terrified by the idea of TV-watching leading to an untimely death at the hands of a soggy ghost girl. Apart from the obviously spooky part, it’d be like dying at the hands of someone we love (Daddy blows you kisses, my precious Samsung).

That said, The Ring is like saying “Bloody Mary” five times in a mirror. It’s terrifying the first time. After that, it’s only fun when you can talk other people into trying it.

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The Rocky Horror Picture Show (1975)

This iconic sci-fi/horror musical is the campiest horror movie since Friday the 13th—but it doesn’t have a camp, campers, or wholesale slaughter. Instead, we get cool characters, costumes, and unforgettable songs.

Tim Curry is captivating as Dr. Frank N. Furter, the insatiable “sweet transvestite from transexual Transylvania” who wants to get down with everybody. But the film doesn’t coast on Curry’s performance—the cast features talent like Meat Loaf (RIP), Susan Sarandon, Barry Bostwick, and Richard O’Brien (who wrote the songs) as Riff Raff.

Warning: Once you see Rocky Horror, you could become radicalized and begin attending the many midnight and Halloween audience-participation screenings held each year.

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Rosemary’s Baby (1968)

Problematic filmmaker Roman Polanski’s devil–baby movie is a slow burn that almost requires belief in Satan for its intended effect. But Polanski creates enough suspense to keep the non-believers awake.

Even without Satan, you still have the crackpot believers creepily eager to throw Rosemary Woodhouse (Mia Farrow) and her impending imp one hell of a baby shower. And, as we told you in the Hereditary blurb, it’s those people—the ones caught up in the cult—that you have to worry about.

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Saw (2004)

Critics don’t care for the Saw movies, which have Rotten Tomatoes critic scores of 9%–49% (the first film in the series scored highest). Audiences are more forgiving, rating them 41%–89%. That’s not unusual for horror, especially with an exceptionally violent film. Extreme gore makes people uncomfortable (and critics aren’t necessarily horror fans).

That’s the Saw franchise in a nutshell: The films put people in unbearably tough situations where they’ll either die horribly (understatement) or escape. It’s no easier on the audiences, who squirm and wince in their seats. That’s what we want from horror, and Saw really gives it to us.

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Scream (1996)

Wes Craven’s meta-slasher Scream spawned a phenomenon. Key to its appeal was that it showed us a fellow horror fan (Jamie Kennedy) using his comprehensive knowledge of the genre to dodge a ghost-faced killer. And also because the cast is all pretty people. But never mind that.

Scream is a brilliant love letter to slasher films and those of us who love them. And while the sequels are spotty, Scream is always a fun watch with creative kills and serious scares.

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The Shining (1980)

Stephen King’s novel, a masterpiece of psychological horror, became Stanley Kubrick’s film—a masterpiece in its own right. But they’re two very different works thanks to Kubrick, who tinkered with the story and whose on-set actions were reportedly as unhinged as Jack Nicholson’s performance in the starring role.

The Shining was already terrifying. But, knowing how abusive Kubrick was to the cast and crew, you wonder if the evil spirits occupying the Overlook Hotel got to the filmmaker in real life. Or maybe Kubrick was just a talented jerk. I guess we’ll have to wonder forever . . . and ever . . . and ever.

P.S. REDRUM!

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The Silence of the Lambs (1991)

Is this Jonathan Demme film a horror movie or a crime thriller? Well, it’s about an FBI agent chasing a serial killer with help from an incarcerated and cannibalistic serial killer. So it’s definitely a crime thriller—an intense one.

But those who’ve seen it can attest that the suspense grows into a terror that blooms into horror. So The Silence of the Lambs is both types of movie. I mean, Hannibal Lecter executed a Blood Eagle on one of his guards. If that doesn’t horrify you, we’d hate to see your basement.

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Suspiria (1977)

It’s a weird feeling being charmed by a film that scares the pants off of you. But the gorgeous colors, shot composition, camera movement, music, and sound design of Dario Argento’s magnum opus are utterly stunning.

All of that serves to put us in Suzy Bannion’s dance slippers as she arrives at the Tanz Akademie to begin studying with what turns out to be a coven of witches. The experience is like a nightmare that you’re not sure is a nightmare—because these things can’t really be happening (can they?). But, for Bannion, the supremely creepy events are real. So is the knot in our stomachs as we endure them with her.

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The Texas Chain Saw Massacre (1974)

BRRRRRRRRRRRR! BUZZZZZZZZZZZZ! Can you smell the acrid chainsaw exhaust, coppery blood, and Leatherface’s tangy B.O.? Ahhhhhh, what a revolting bouquet!

Tobe Hooper’s original The Texas Chain Saw Massacre is terrifying to the point of incontinence.* Mainly because it’s plausible. In the mid-’70s, a cannibalistic family in rural Texas could’ve easily picked off road-trippers and picked their bones without too much trouble from the law.

But TCM is also frightening because it shows very little blood and gore. The terror, then, comes from performances, props, sets, and sound design. And when you can scare audiences with that stuff, you’ve made an authentically scary movie.

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* Not that we know from firsthand experience.

The Thing (1982)

Are you a germophobe? How do you feel about isolation in areas with subzero temperatures? Okay, do you like doggies? Great, great. What about special-needs dogs (infected with an ancient, shapeshifting, nauseatingly ugly alien that can infect you as easily as the common cold)? Is that a dealbreaker, or are you still willing to watch this classic horror movie?

John Carpenter’s legendarily scary 1982 sci-fi/body horror film (the second adaptation of John W. Campbell’s 1938 story) knocks you off your feet early. And you’ll be queasy and uneasy for the rest of the film’s 109-minute run time. So come on over—and bring snacks. And, for a bonus atmosphere, watch it after a snowfall.

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The Toxic Avenger (1984)

In this flagship Troma film, a weakling janitor gets superhuman strength and a major makeover after falling into a barrel of toxic waste. In true ‘80s fashion, the mop-wielding mutant starts kicking ass and scores a hot, blonde—and, incidentally, blind—girlfriend.

While not remotely scary, The Toxic Avenger scores a 10 on the chunkblower scale for gore—not to mention cheap laughs. That’s why it was a darling of the VHS era and remains a popular midnight movie today.

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Tremors (1990)

Worms are gross. Gigantic worms with fangs that can pull you down into the desert sand at any moment and eat you? Still disgusting—but also, in this 1990 horror comedy/creature feature, kinda funny.

Tremors is a classic because it’s freaky and funny. It has comedy coming from Kevin Bacon and Fred Ward’s (RIP) buddy banter and the antics of Michael Gross and Reba freakin’ McEntire (!) as gun-hoarding doomsday preppers. But we remember Tremors because every time we walk on sand, part of us whispers, The Graboids are gonna getcha.

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The Universal Classic Monster Movies

More than 40 films comprise the official list of Universal classic monster movies. They’re not all classics, but these eight films are the gold standard.

Younger horror fans might not enjoy hoary, black-and-white films without sex and violence. But these movies are classics that show some of horror’s deepest roots and feature iconic characters we recognize from popular culture. Boris Karloff’s Frankenstein, Bela Lugosi’s Count Dracula, and Lon Chaney, Jr.’s Wolf Man are as familiar as the Trix Rabbit.

We also recognize the themes which remain relevant today. Dracula confronts gender issues, disease, and colonization. Frankenstein deals with loss, society, and messing with Mother Nature.

Despite their age and relative inoffensiveness compared to today’s horror films, the Universal classics are larger than life and evoke nostalgia for simpler times.

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Zombie (1979)

Italian horror films are special. The creative kills, drippy gore, bad acting, worse dubbing, strange events, and unnerving music combine for a uniquely entertaining experience. You’ll cower, cringe, and cackle all in one film.

This Lucio Fulci classic (aka Zombi 2 or Zombie Flesh Eaters—among, like, seven other titles) is one of the most familiar Italian horror films. There’s so much to like about it: The famous poster with the wormy zombie and the tagline (“WE ARE GOING TO EAT YOU!”), Fabio Frizzi’s unsettling score, and the infamous eyeball and zombie vs. shark scenes (bravo, Maestro Fulci). Even the overacting is pleasing if you enjoy more than a dash of schlock.

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Best classic horror movies FAQ

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