From Psycho to Saw, there are countless horror movies out there that have the potential to make you jump or sleep with the lights on for a night or two, the list below being only thirteen of the multitude. Filtering through the good and bad horror movies can be a challenge, so this list is of unforgettable scary movies that will continue to haunt you long after they have ended.
Halloween (1978)
Halloween, the original 1978 horror movie written and directed by John Carpenter, has one of the best opening scenes of all time. It was one of the first films to employ a POV camera angle, so the audience sees the world through the eyes of Michael Myers, a murderous psychopath. Jamie Lee Curtis plays the role of Laurie Strode, the object of Michael Myers bloodlust, running for her life. A very scary movie set on Halloween. The sequels get silly and unrealistic, but the original Halloween is fantastic.
The Exorcism of Emily Rose (2005)
A young woman dies in top Malay casino during an exorcism and the priest who performed the exorcism is on trial for negligent homicide. The Exorcism of Emily Rose takes place in two time periods. In the present Father Moore, played by Tom Wilkinson, is on trial and defended by an ambitious lawyer, played by Laura Linney, who sees the trial as a stepping stone to a partnership at her firm. The trial, however, becomes much more important to her as she becomes tormented by evil spirits. In the past, Emily Rose’s ordeal is slowly revealed as the court case progresses. Jennifer Carpenter gives a spectacular performance as Emily Rose, the possessed girl, fated to be tortured to death by demons. After watching The Exorcism of Emily Rose, you will never think of three o’clock in the morning the same way ever again. The film is based on the real exorcism performed on Anneliese Michel.
Paranormal Activity (2007)
Filmed in the same handycam style as the horror film The Blair Witch Project, Paranormal Activity is presented as the real life account of a couple, Katie and Micah, being tormented by an evil spirit. The spirit is said to be attached to Katie, so Micah, as a joke, decides he will film them while they sleep and attempt to document the poltergeist-like happenings. The film starts off slow with strange noises at night and doors moving, but then it quickly escalates to a frightening level. A scary movie that could easily win top prize on America’s Scariest Home Videos.
In the Mouth of Madness (1995)
In the Mouth of Madness is a bit of an obscure film. The premise is that horror stories start coming to life, and private investigator John Trent becomes immersed in a world of horrors. Many eerie and troubling scenes in this film that will stick in memories for years. Another John Carpenter film, In the Mouth of Madness stars Sam Neill from Jurassic Park and is on installment of John Carpenter’s Apocalypse Trilogy. Watch out for the lady on the bicycle.
Saw (2004)
Two men wake up bound on opposite sides of a creepy-looking old bathroom with the body of a dead man in between them. They are held captive by a murderous voyeur, named Jigsaw, who makes people kill themselves or others through the games he creates. If the people Jigsaw puts through hell survive, his theory is that they will be more grateful to be alive. This is the first and best film of the Saw horror franchise.
A Tale of Two Sisters (2003)
A Tale of Two Sisters is the award-winning Korean film that inspired the 2009 remake The Uninvited. About two sisters, an evil stepmother, and a stoic father, A Tale of Two Sisters has captivating cinematography and is extremely engaging. Su-Yeong and Eun-Joo are the two sisters. At the beginning of the film, Eun-Joo returns home after seeing a psychiatrist. There is something wrong with the house and the lives of her father and stepmother. Something is broken or lost but it is unclear what it is. Eun-Joo thinks her stepmother is trying to kill Su-Yeong and even sees evidence of it. But the evidence always disappears when the sisters’ father is told about the situation. The film is creepy and gets creepier as it nears the end. Halloween or not, it is a must see.
28 Days Later (2002)
Animal rights activists release chimpanzees that are used as test subjects but in doing so they also release a virus that turns humans into zombies. Even a drop of contaminated blood can turn a human into a bloodthirsty zombie. But these zombies aren’t slow-moving automatons. They are fast and smart and everywhere. The main action of the film takes place 28 Days after the virus has decimated the population of London. Cillian Murphy plays, Jim, a man who wakes up in the hospital 28 day later. He is alone and hunted by zombies. Helped by other survivors, Jim makes his way to a supposed human sanctuary full military men. But once at the sanctuary, the fight to stay alive continues. 28 Days Later is a fantastic zombie movie with great acting, engaging characters, and an original plot.
The Shinning (1980)
Based on the book by Stephen King, The Shinning is a Stanley Kubrick film that stars Jack Nicholson as Jack Torrance and Shelley Duvall as his wife Wendy. With their son Danny, who claims to have a little boy living inside his mouth that tells him things, Jack and Wendy go to the Overlook Hotel in the off-season. Jack is a writer and has taken the job as caretaker for the winter. The hotel closes in the winter because of the snow, so Jack’s job is to make sure winter doesn’t creep into the hotel. So the Torrances are isolated in the hotel with only a radio to connect them to the outside world. Before taking the job, Jack is told that, in the dead of winter, a former caretaker killed his wife and two twin daughters before killing himself. Jack laughs off the story and takes the job anyway. Strange things start happening right way. Jack becomes more and more aggravated, Wendy becomes lonely and afraid of Jack, and Danny begins seeing things.
The Ring (2002)
The Ring, based on the 1998 Japanese horror film Ring, revolves around a mysterious movie that, if watched, will kill the viewer in seven days. Once the movie is watched the phone rings and a creepy voice tells the person how many days they have left to live. Investigating the death of a nine-year-old girl who died as a result of watching the movie, Rachel, played by Naomi Watts, ends up watching the movie and then receives a phone call where she is told she will die in seven days. As Rachel struggles to stop her own death, her son watches the movie. The film then becomes a race against time for Rachel to save not only her own life but also the life of her son.
