Feeling in the mood for some Halloween scares? Check out the movies on this list, created from a painstaking culling of countless online lists of scary movies. These are the ten that appeared most often on most of the lists.
10. Psycho (1960) Believe it or not, this one almost didn’t make the list. This is a classic that has spawned countless imitations.
9. Nosferatu: A Symphony of Horror (1922) This intrigued me by appearing on a few lists. I can’t even imagine what they found scary in 1922.
8. Halloween (1978) Although Mike Myers later went on to bigger fame and fortune on Saturday Night Live and Wayne’s World, this movie has stood the test of time.
7. The Omen (1976) I never saw this, but of it’s got Gregory Peck it must be good. I hope it has Boo Radley too.
6. The Exorcist (1973) Talk about an ugly duckling! She later went on to become Miss Nevada. First time I saw this I was completely freaked out. me and my friends didn’t sleep all night. At the time I was also sure that a film like this would never be allowed in Canada.
5. Rosemary’s Baby (1968) I’m sure this was terrifying for all the old timey folks in 1968. Ironically, Mia Farrow played Rosemary, a woman impregnated by Satan. Many years later the baby she adopted with Woody Allen would later marry Woody Allen. I’m starting to think that Mia isn’t a very good mother.
4. A Nightmare on Elm Street (1984) I started this series with Part 3 but went back and watched them all. I find a villian who can get you in your dreams to be the scariest of all. Sadly, some idiots made a remake of this in 2010. Did anyone see that? Me neither.
3. The Shining (1980) A cool classic. Nobody plays crazy quite like Jack Nicholson.
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2. 28 Days Later (2002) A zombie movie from 2002 before zombies were cool. I haven’t seen this one, but it showed up so regularly in my research I want to see it now.
1. Alien (1979) This one surprised me by being on almost every list. The suspense is painful and who can forget the tag line “In space no one can hear you scream.”
So what’s your favorite scary movie? Do you like being scared? What’s scarier, the books or the movies? What would you add to this list?
Have a great Tuesday! ~Phil
‘Wait Until Dark’!
I don’t know that one. I’ll have to check it out.
Great list!
Thanks Sam!
BOOOOOO!
You booed my post?
I actually thought the sequel, “Aliens”, was better than the first.
That was on a few lists too, so you’re not alone in thinking that.
I’m happy to say that I haven’t seen any of those films 🙂
LOL, too funny. I like suspense a lot but I’m not a fan of gore or basic slasher movies. There’s no creativity in that.
Guess I am just out of touch
I don’t watch scary movies much
The Shining was in our Netflix queue order
But it’s just too scary for my daughter.
You have a fear of frights?
Your standards are too uptight!
No I am okay with frights
But they keep my daughter up at night.
How have you not seen The Omen??
Too bad this is a top ten, I would add Suspiria, The Descent and The Thing (with Kurt Russell, not that remade thing!) 🙂
Suspiria and The Thing did make a couple lists but the ten I listed were on all or most of the lists. If I had a top 12 I think The Thing would have made it.
I do like scary movies, but Nicholson was just too much over the top for me. The book was much scarier. “Wait Until Dark” is scary in a much more everyday way. I knew the story, had seen the movie, went to watch the play that my friend directed, sat next to him during the play, knew what was coming, and still jumped in my seat when it did. He just laughed at me. I’m an easy scare.Your list has some good ones.
Wait Until Dark was recommended by someone else. It must be good. I’ll have to look it up.
I’m a huge Stephen King fan and have faithfully read all his books … but I can’t watch a scary movie. They scare the stuffing out of me … so I can happily say I haven’t seen most of these 🙂
I think you hit them all. (classics that is) I remember as a youngster being scared by War of the Worlds but in retrospect it was just my age.
I loved War of the Worlds! It scared me too
🙂
Don’t Look Now (1973) with Donald Sutherland and Julie Christie creeps me out quite well.
I don’t know that one. I’ll have to check it out.
I like Halloween. I thought Aliens was better than the original as well. If you want a “campy horror” flick, check out The Bates Haunting.
I’ve never heard of The Bates Haunting. I’ll look it up. From reading my blog you must have surmised that I’d like campy.
What about the first paranormal activity? Or Blair Witch?
Blair Witch was very close to the top ten. It might have been 11th. I’ve never seen Paranormal Activity. Good?
The first one is. Top tip – don’t watch it in bed at night!
When a Stranger Calls made me terrified each time I watched it as a (babysitting) teenager!!!
I only watch comedies now a days! 🙂
I remember that movie! Great suspense! “The call came from inside the house “
Yep! “We’ve traced the call, it’s coming from inside the house!” Scariest ever!
That sad moment when you have seen all of the best horror movies and you have nothing to watch on Halloween :'(