50 Best Horror Films

[Zodiac]

Peeping Tom (1960)
Critics Consensus: Peeping Tom is a chilling, methodical look at the psychology of a killer, and a classic work of voyeuristic cinema.
Synopsis: Mark Lewis, assistant cameraman at a London film studio, aspiring movie director, part-time taker of pornographic pictures, and amateur documentary... [More]
Starring: Karlheinz Böhm, Moira Shearer, Anna Massey, Maxine Audley
Directed By: Michael Powell

[Zodiac]

Halloween (1978)
Critics Consensus: Scary, suspenseful, and viscerally thrilling, Halloween set the standard for modern horror films.
Synopsis: A psychotic murderer institutionalized since childhood escapes on a mindless rampage while his doctor chases him through the streets. [More]
Starring: Donald Pleasence, Jamie Lee Curtis, Nancy Loomis, P.J. Soles
Directed By: John Carpenter

[Zodiac]

Dawn of the Dead (1978)
Critics Consensus: One of the most compelling and entertaining zombie films ever, Dawn of the Dead perfectly blends pure horror and gore with social commentary on bourgeois society.
Synopsis: Following the events of Night of the Living Dead (1968), we follow the exploits of four survivors of the expanding zombie apocalypse as they take... [More]
Starring: Scott Reiniger, Ken Foree, David Emge, Gaylen Ross
Directed By: George A. Romero

[Zodiac]

Ringu ( Ring) (1998)
Critics Consensus: Ringu combines supernatural elements with anxieties about modern technology in a truly frightening and unnerving way.
Synopsis: A grainy, enigmatic videotape has the power to kill people seven days after they watch it. This brilliant premise fueled the 2002 Hollywood hit The... [More]
Starring: Nanako Matsushima, Hiroyuki Sanada, Miki Nakatani, Yuko Takeuchi
Directed By: Hideo Nakata

[Zodiac]

Martin (1978)
Critics Consensus: George A. Romero's contribution to vampire lore contains the expected gore and social satire -- but it's also surprisingly thoughtful, and boasts a whopper of a final act.
Synopsis: A young man, who believes himself to be a vampire, goes to live with his elderly and hostile cousin in a small Pennsylvania town where he tries to... [More]
Starring: John Amplas, Lincoln Maazel, Christine Forrest, Elayne Nadeau
Directed By: George A. Romero

[Zodiac]

Drag Me to Hell (2009)
Critics Consensus: Sam Raimi returns to top form with Drag Me to Hell, a frightening, hilarious, delightfully campy thrill ride.
Synopsis: Christine Brown is an ambitious L.A. loan officer with a charming boyfriend, Professor Clay Dalton. Life is good until the mysterious Mrs. Ganush... [More]
Starring: Alison Lohman, Justin Long, Lorna Raver, David Paymer
Directed By: Sam Raimi

[Zodiac]

The Wolf Man (1941)
Critics Consensus: A handsomely told tale with an affecting performance from Lon Chaney, Jr., The Wolf Man remains one of the classics of the Universal horror stable.
Synopsis: A practical man returns to his homeland, is attacked by a creature of folklore, and imbued with a malady his disciplined mind tells him can not... [More]
Starring: Lon Chaney Jr, Warren William, Claude Rains, Evelyn Ankers
Directed By: George Waggner

[Zodiac]

A Nightmare on Elm Street (1984)
Critics Consensus: Wes Craven's intelligent premise, combined with the horrifying visual appearance of Freddy Krueger, still causes nightmares to this day.
Synopsis: A group of teenagers are terrorized by "Freddy Krueger," an evil beingfrom another world who gets to his victims by entering their dreams and... [More]
Starring: John Saxon, Ronee Blakely, Heather Langenkamp, Amanda Wyss
Directed By: Wes Craven

[Zodiac]

Dracula (1931)
Critics Consensus: Bela Lugosi's timeless portrayal of Dracula in this creepy and atmospheric 1931 film has set the standard for major vampiric roles since.
Synopsis: After a harrowing ride through the Carpathian mountains in eastern Europe, Renfield enters castle Dracula to finalize the transferral of Carfax Abbey... [More]
Starring: Bela Lugosi, Helen Chandler, David Manners, Dwight Frye
Directed By: Tod Browning

[Zodiac]

Don't Look Now (1973)
Critics Consensus: Don't Look Now patiently builds suspense with haunting imagery and a chilling score -- causing viewers to feel Donald Sutherland and Julie Christie's grief deep within.
Synopsis: A couple who is devistated by the death of their daughter, travel to Venice where they see her spirit a funeral gondola. [More]
Starring: Julie Christie, Donald Sutherland, Hilary Mason, Clelia Matania
Directed By: Nicolas Roeg

[Zodiac]

Invasion of the Body Snatchers (1978)
Critics Consensus: Employing gritty camerawork and evocative sound effects, Invasion of the Body Snatchers is a powerful remake that expands upon themes and ideas only lightly explored in the original.
Synopsis: Jack Finney's classic science fiction novel has been the basis of three big-screen adaptations, beginning with the 1956 chiller Invasion of the Body... [More]
Starring: Donald Sutherland, Brooke Adams, Leonard Nimoy, Veronica Cartwright
Directed By: Philip Kaufman

[Zodiac]

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[Zodiac]

The Birds (1963)
Critics Consensus: Proving once again that build-up is the key to suspense, Alfred Hitchcock successfully turned birds into some of the most terrifying villains in horror history.
Synopsis: Alfred Hitchcock's famous classic where a flock of birds terrorize the small town Bodega Bay. [More]
Starring: Rod Taylor, Tippi Hedren, Jessica Tandy, Suzanne Pleshette
Directed By: Alfred Hitchcock

[Zodiac]

Dead of Night (1945)
Critics Consensus: With four accomplished directors contributing, Dead of Night is a classic horror anthology that remains highly influential.
Synopsis: Architect Walter Craig, seeking the possibility of some work at a country farmhouse, soon finds himself once again stuck in his recurring nightmare.... [More]
Starring: Mervyn Johns, Roland Culver, Mary Merrall, Googie Withers
Directed By: Alberto Cavalcanti

[Zodiac]

The Silence of the Lambs (1991)
Critics Consensus: Director Jonathan Demme's smart, taut thriller teeters on the edge between psychological study and all-out horror, and benefits greatly from stellar performances by Anthony Hopkins and Jodie Foster.
Synopsis: An ambitious FBI agent enlists the aid of a criminally insane ex-psychiatrist to help track down a vicious serial killer. [More]
Starring: Jodie Foster, Anthony Hopkins, Scott Glenn, Anthony Heald
Directed By: Jonathan Demme