It’s the most wonderful time of the year for Halloween fanatics, and after the real-life horror story that occurred last Saturday in the SEC, it’s only right to continue the spirit of scare by ranking the most terrifying films to hit the big screens.
- “Halloween” (1978-2022)
When many think of Halloween, they think of “Halloween,” John Carpenter’s critically acclaimed 1978 horror classic. This film and the 13-installment franchise it spawned have kept viewers on the edge of their seats for almost 50 years.
The story revolves around the Myers family, and it kickstarts when young Michael, who is in a psychiatric hospital for the murder of his sister, escapes and begins a relentless pursuit of his remaining family.
With a white-painted Captain Kirk mask, blue coveralls and a kitchen knife, the legend of Michael Myers has a minimalist design that pairs perfectly with the lifeless demeanor of the film’s central antagonist.
Strategic, calculated and stealthy, the killer from Haddonfield was referred to as “the Shape” in “Halloween” and “Halloween II,” as his ability to blend in with his surroundings while stalking victims made his mere silhouette a terrifying sight to witness.
Some of the more recent adaptations of Michael, such as the towering 6-foot-9-inch Tyler Mane in Rob Zombie’s 2007 remake, make it even more terrifying to imagine crossing paths with what many regard as horror’s greatest creation.
- “A Nightmare on Elm Street” (1984)
- “The Texas Chainsaw Massacre” (1974)
- “Friday the 13th” (1980)
- “Scream” (1996)
- “Hereditary” (2018)
Regarding acclaimed horror creations, Ari Aster’s 2018 modern-horror classic “Hereditary” is what many consider the most effective horror movie of the 21st century.
The atmosphere of “Hereditary” is unsettling, made possible by its ominous visuals, dark lighting, abrupt camera shots and dissonant sounds that add to the movie’s slow-burn atmosphere.
The plot is about a grieving family that, after mourning the loss of its grandmother, starts to uncover an unfortunate inheritance of demonic history by way of the family matriarch.
- “The Shining” (1980)
- “Psycho” (1960)
- “Rosemary’s Baby” (1968)
- “Get Out” (2017)
- “The Blair Witch Project” (1999)
The Michael Jordan of the found-footage subgenre, “Blair Witch Project” was the first blockbuster hit to incorporate realism via camcorder footage.
There was no colossal budget or any of the special effects, costumes and star-studded cast members therein. Rather, just a raw first-person perspective from incredibly believable characters.
The film follows the story of three student filmmakers who, after interviewing local townsfolk, journey into their native Maryland woods to uncover the legend of the Blair Witch.
Tensions rise as the group begins to realize the magnitude of the situation it has placed itself in after observing symbols and hearing sounds that cannot be explained by natural means.
The beauty of “The Blair Witch Project” is in the advertising strategy that was implemented before the movie’s release. The film’s promotional resources included a website that portrayed the story as a real event and even furthered the mythos by incorporating missing-person posters for the actors of the film. What resulted was an unsettling documentary that left viewers believing that they were watching real events.
- “Rec” (2007)
- “Paranormal Activity” (2007)
- “Cloverfield” (2008)
- “V/H/S” (2012)
- “The Thing” (1982)
A filmaholic favorite, “The Thing” has one of the most unique settings of any horror movie to date.
Set in a research station in Antarctica, the film follows a group of scientists who discover an alien life form under the ice. The kicker with this creature is its shapeshifting ability, which allows it to imitate and assume the likeness of any living thing.
This pits the scientists against each other, as they can no longer trust that anyone is who they appear to be.
It is a terror-filled good time from Carpenter, who adds another feather to his hat with this horror classic.
- “Alien” (1979)
- “The Mist” (2007)
- “The Babadook” (2014)
- “A Quiet Place” (2018)
- “The Conjuring” (2013)
For 40 years, William Friedkin’s “The Exorcist” stood atop the mountain of this subgenre, seemingly unbeatable because of the new ground that it broke.
Everything changed in 2013, though, when James Wan released the bone-chilling classic “The Conjuring.”
The story is about two paranormal investigators and demonologists investigating a newly bought farmhouse that is suspected to be haunted by the Perron family. It has aged like a fine wine for younger horror fans.
- “The Exorcist” (1973)
- “Poltergeist” (1982)
- “The Ring” (2002)
- “Insidious” (2010)
- “Saw” (2004-2023)
The “you either love it or you hate it” trope is often overused when describing any art form, but the Saw franchise is living proof that the phenomenon is sometimes spot-on.
The story is about the Jigsaw killer, a decrepit old man who, in an act of imposing karma on immoral actors, kidnaps his victims and subjects them to various traps to save their own lives.
The franchise continued with several new cleverly designed traps. However, it fully subjected itself to the aforementioned trope by becoming too gory for some to handle, while perfectly brutal for the enthusiasts of the subgenre.
Regardless of the series’ graphic nature, the gimmick shows no signs of slowing down, as the recent 2023 installment, titled “Saw X,” is the highest-reviewed across 10 total movies.
- “The Evil Dead” (1981)
- “Terrifier 3” (2024)
- “Dead Alive” (1992)
- “The Hills Have Eyes” (2006)
