Horror films have always been personal. What one person finds frightening, another may consider absurd. How then can we ever decide which horror film is the scariest to watch? One strategy is to create a poll with a wide variety of horror films and let viewers choose their favourites. Rotten Tomatoes recently did that, selecting 40 spooky films and whittling them down based on user votes. The top 10 most terrifying horror films ever made, as voted by Rotten Tomatoes users, range from demonic possession to insane killers.
1.The Exorcist (1973)
It comes as no surprise that The Exorcist is ranked number one because it is arguably the scariest horror film ever created. When compared to today’s standards, the movie is pretty tame, so one might wonder if that’s due to tradition or nostalgia, but you can’t deny the cultural significance of a film that had such a profound impact on audiences in 1973.
When was the last time you heard about moviegoers passing out in the aisles or leaving theatres because of what they were watching? The stories are close to folklore because they are as legendary as The Exorcist itself. No other horror film has since had the same effect on audiences as this one did, thanks to its straightforward premise of a young girl who is possessed by demons and the priests sent in to exorcise them. You can argue all you want, but The Exorcist will always hold the record for scariest horror movie until another one debuts at precisely the right time and fulfils all of its promises.
2.Hereditary (2018)
Ari Aster made his feature film debut with Hereditary, and what a way to enter the industry! Ari Aster had previously directed a number of short films. Hereditary, a blend of psychological and supernatural horror, flips the family dynamic on its head to give viewers a truly terrifying movie that only becomes more bizarre as it progresses.
Hereditary, which made $82 million at the box office, is remembered by many for its decapitation scene (which was based on an actual event that happened in 2004), but it is much more than just that one scene. When reduced to its bare essentials, the movie is a perfect family drama about the strained bond between a mother and son that utilises its gore to highlight the grieving process. Hereditary is one of the best movie debuts of the modern era, especially with the addition of a demon king and a coven of witches.
3.The Conjuring (2013)
The 2013 box office sensation The Conjuring gives James Wan the distinction of having another movie on the list. This film, which stars Patrick Wilson and Vera Farmiga as renowned paranormal investigators Ed and Lorraine Warren, pays homage to vintage horror films by employing time-honored techniques to frighten contemporary audiences.
The Conjuring surprised even the most jaded fan of the genre, who had been complaining that modern horror films weren’t as scary as they once were. It didn’t try to reinvent the wheel, which is why it was so successful. Wan used well-known tropes to create a gripping narrative that benefited from the support of the entire cast. Since then, it has given rise to an entire series of films, and a television series is currently in development.
4.The Shining (1980)
The Shining, a controversial piece of art that is rife with suspense and tension, is a terrifying examination of addiction, madness, and the breakdown of family. Aside from comparisons to the Stephen King book, it’s one of Stanley Kubrick’s best films and arguably Jack Nicholson’s best performance in his lengthy career.
The Shining, one of the first films to use the newly invented Steadicam, is a visually stunning work that draws viewers in with a slow build before spiralling out of control. Although the movie received harsh criticism when it first came out, time has been kind to Kubrick’s vision, and many people now appreciate it for its complexity. It has received numerous awards from the American Film Institute, and the Library of Congress designated it as “culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant” in 2018.
5.The Texas Chain Saw Massacre (1974)
Although the idea of a group of friends being terrorised by a gang of insane killers may seem cliché in modern times, it was a novel concept in 1974 that helped The Texas Chain Saw Massacre become infamous. The movie, which was directed by the late Tobe Hooper, is kind of affected by the Mandela Effect because many people recall it as a gory mess even though it actually has very little blood.
The Texas Chain Saw Massacre debuted at a time when both America’s political and cultural landscapes were changing, with disturbing imagery and a villain who has gone down in pop culture history. It came out at the perfect time, and some have compared its significance to films like Night of the Living Dead. It has been examined over the years in books, essays, and documentaries, and despite being almost 50 years old, it is still regarded as one of the scariest films ever made.
6.The Ring (2002)
The Ring, a remake of the 1998 Japanese classic Ringu, has established itself as a modern American classic. The Ring, starring Naomi Watts as a journalist who must spend the next seven days figuring out how to survive after watching a cursed videotape, delves deep into mystery while also offering enough chilling visuals to keep you on the edge of your seat.
The Ring is held to a higher standard than most American remakes of Japanese horror movies because it is the first one to do so. Director Gore Verbinski meets expectations by taking what made the original Japanese horror movie Ringu so terrifying and giving it a new, more eerie twist for Western audiences. The often quoted phrase “Seven days” is still a favourite among horror fans today, proving that it is still relevant. Even though we no longer use videotapes, The Ring is still very powerful because of the famous scene in which Samara crawls out of a well and through a TV.
7.Halloween (1978)
Halloween, which was directed by John Carpenter, is one of the few films that has had a significant impact on an entire genre and is now regarded as one of the best films of all time in addition to being one of the scariest. Halloween has earned its reputation as a legend thanks to its straightforward premise of a killer in a mask stalking a group of babysitters.
When the first installment debuted in theatres in 1978, audiences weren’t prepared for the franchise, which has since expanded to 13 films. They were certainly frightened by films like The Exorcist and The Texas Chainsaw Massacre, but those tales seemed distant. Everywhere was unsafe, as Halloween brought the horror to our suburban homes. The movie made Jamie Lee Curtis a star and cemented John Carpenter’s reputation as one of the genre’s greatest directors. It was light on gore but heavy on atmosphere.
8.Sinister (2012)
A struggling true-crime author finds a box of snuff tapes after moving his family into a murder house and believes that this discovery will help him regain some of his former success. Instead, he unleashes a primordial evil that is determined to ensure that his loved ones become the next casualties in a long line of murders.
Sinister, a 2012 movie starring Ethan Hawke and directed by Scott Derrickson, is genuinely spooky. Sinister, which combines elements of the found footage and paranormal subgenres, serves as both a warning against family neglect and an examination of narcissistic themes. Sinister is a cautionary tale that makes no excuses for what it becomes in those final few minutes, which undoubtedly makes it one of the scariest films ever made, despite having an ending that some might call depressing.
9.Insidious (2010)
It’s understandable why Insidious, which cost just $1.5 million to produce, ended up earning more than $100 million at the box office. In this movie, which was written and directed by Leigh Whannell, the Lamberts’ son apparently goes into a comatose state for no apparent reason, turning every parent’s worst nightmare into reality. This opens the door for him to take on the form of several demons, which sets off a paranormal conflict on the astral plane.
Insidious defies expectations in a number of ways, not the least of which is the Lambert family leaving their haunted home, despite the fact that in every other horror film the family stays. It is a departure from Wan’s earlier films like Saw and Death Sentence in that it relies much more on a slow, suspenseful build than on blood. That was sufficient to terrify viewers into a frenzy, and Insidious became the basis for an entire series of films, the most recent of which is Insidious: The Red Door.
10.IT: Chapter One (2017)
When IT: Chapter One debuted in 2017, it immediately became a hit for terrifying audiences to their very cores. The best horror films are those that frighten you emotionally. This high-budget remake from director Andy Muschietti takes audiences on a terrifying rollercoaster ride thanks to Bill Skarsgrd’s outstanding performance as Pennywise.
It Chapter One is as heartbreaking as it is terrifying, as Pennywise doesn’t just want to scratch the surface of what terrifies The Losers Club—he wants to add salt to the wounds of an already unsettling childhood. It features equally commanding performances from the likes of Ray Taylor and Sophia Lillis. We’re not surprised that It Chapter One, despite differing from the Stephen King novel, ranks among the scariest films ever made because of its stunning cinematography and set pieces that make you feel at ease.