Halloween 2023 is drawing near, and many are already preparing for their spooky celebration this year. But while others are busy working on their costumes for their trick-and-treat adventures, others are now on the lookout for the best scary stories they can watch at home with their friends or family. Fortunately, you are in the right place as we are about to enlist the 10 scariest horror movies you can watch this season.
We all have it here, from the fan-favorite classics that will send chills down your spine to the new ones that will dare you not to scream!
10) The Texas Chain Saw Massacre
Sure, you have seen a lot of versions of The Texas Chain Saw Massacre, but, as always, nothing beats the original 1974 film directed by the late Tobe Hooper. This movie alone will not give birth to a huge franchise for nothing. A group of friends being terrorized by a maniacal killer may already sound familiar to many. But this film has helped make The Texas Chain Saw Massacre into a huge franchise.
Its antagonist, Leatherface, has become an important part of the pop culture. Despite only featuring a little gore, many remember it for its blood-soaked imagery, thanks to the film’s Mandela Effect. And almost five decades after its release, it has remained one of the scariest movies of today.
9) The Shining
Who could ever forget Jack Nicholson’s superb acting in the 1980 classic horror movie The Shining? The critically acclaimed actor just proved he is every inch worthy of all the praise for his take on the role of the iconic character of Jack Torrance. It is considered his best performance in his lengthy career.
A true work of art, The Shining, based on Stephen King’s novel of the same name and directed by the great Stanley Kubrick, was deemed as “culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant” by the Library of Congress in 2018. It is one of the first movies that used the then-newly invented Steadicam and was praised for its stunning visuals that eventually led the audience to unravel madness.
8) Get Out
Despite being made in 2017, the theme of Get Out still resonates today. Director Jordan Peele perfectly explored the history of racism in this psychological horror movie. With the way it smoothly blended the sociopolitical issues in the horror genre, it was dubbed the Greatest Script of the 21st Century by the Writers Guild of America.
Get Out follows the story of Chris and his girlfriend, Rose, as they go to the South to meet her parents, Missy and Dean. However, a supposed weekend getaway becomes a huge nightmare after the parents’ criminally racist spirits are unleashed.
7) The Babadook
Despite telling the usual story of haunted houses and monsters in the closets, The Babadook is considered one of the best horror movies of today. It tells the story of a single mother, Amelia, who is finding it hard to move on from her late husband’s death. And to add misery to her already miserable life, her son, Samuel, is convinced that a monster exists in their house.
However, she finally accepts the truth after the mother meets the monster, who turns out to be her grief. The Babadook perfectly balances the theme of grief and horror, giving this film a whole new meaning.
6) Alien
Another classic on the list is the 1979 Alien. This cult classic film turned out to be a box office hit after earning $184.7 million back then and scoring 98% on Rotten Tomatoes. Over 40 years later, it has remained one of the classic horror hits.
Alien follows the crew’s story inside the commercial starship called Nostromo, where the group goes on the deadliest ride. The horror begins after their journey to space, and a small creature leaps out and jumps on Kane’s face, not knowing its blood is pure acid.
5) Jaws
After meeting the alien, it is time to meet the predator of the sea in Jaws. This 1975 movie has perfectly told a haunting movie without all the frightening sets that come with the horror films. It suggests the contrary by showing the blood and terror in the broad daylight in the middle of the sea.
Sure, this may not be the one you call horror, but its blood and gore are enough to make it on this list. Well, it would not win an Oscar for nothing, not to mention becoming one of the highest-grossing movies of its time.
4) Psycho
From Stanley Kubrick, here comes a 1960 classic from another renowned director, Alfred Hitchcock. It tells the story of Norman, who becomes hospitable to strangers despite having an aggressive mother, but something sinister lies behind this great image. After being controlled by his mother, he kills a hotel visitor, Marion.
However, a huge twist happens at the end, tackling the issues of mental illness and abuse that make the film worthy of the praise it has received. And just like The Shining, this one is a genius creation with the revelations fans are about to see.
3) The Conjuring
The Conjuring has already paved its way to be on the list of the scariest horror movie list. Sure, it was made in modern times, but it still features the effectivity of the terror and dreadfulness of classic horror films.
With its ensemble cast and great story, The Conjuring has given birth to a huge franchise many still follow today. With Patrick Wilson and Vera Farmiga on the lead as the paranormal investigators Ed and Lorraine Warren, they have perfectly scared the modern audience with the film’s classic theme.
2) Hereditary
Ari Aster has successfully made her footing in the horror genre with the 2018 movie Hereditary. The film features a perfect blend of supernatural and psychological horror that shows family dynamics. It makes a 360-degree turn to show a terrifying movie that only worsens as it runs.
Many will remember this movie for its remarkable decapitation scene, based on a real-life incident in 2004. With the inclusion of witches and a demon king, this family drama is something you have never seen before.
1) The Exorcist
Of course, the list will never be complete without the 1973 movie The Exorcist, the scariest horror movie ever made. Though it can now be considered tame by today’s metrics, it cannot be denied that it had a huge cultural significance back then that affected moviegoers in the 1970s.
There were claims that people fainted in the aisles and ran out of theaters after what they saw in this movie. No horror film has made that great impact until today. As long as no other horror film breaks this record, The Exorcist will remain the scariest horror film.
Sure, you have heard all these movies before, but there is a reason why they all made it on this list. Though you may be tired of hearing about them, try to watch them this Halloween 2023 and see why they have become some of the scariest horror movies of all time. You may experience what others felt when they saw these films back then.
