12 best horror movies of all time

Boo! It's a horror movie marathon. Take your demons and strap on your sharpest swords for this spooky tour through our list of the 12 best horror movies of all time. Whether it be shrieks loud enough to break glasses or silences that stretch through days, horror movie enthusiasts savour every second of psychopathic bliss in the terrifying adrenaline rushes that they just can't get enough of.

From haunted houses to serial killers, the genre has much to offer yet for a "dark coper"  only the finest movies on horror will do. The best horror movies have been redefining what scary can actually mean for decades, while the black and whites turned into colour, the taste of good horror is still marked by the right mixture of killing thirst vs survival intent as the horrendous plot starts the minute the characters strive to survive which makes a horror feature that much more complex and desirable by the horror connoisseurs.

However in the past decade or so, horror has occupied a large space at the table, from ghost dolls to irking killers, the industry has produced some of the greatest of all time. Listed below are some gems that all horror enthusiasts must watch, these hard-core movies are surely not for the faint of heart as they contain blood, pain, murder, souls that need an exorcism and plain cold thrill for the daredevils who attempt to take on the challenge. Scroll down below to select some of the best horror movies for your haunted night euphoria.

Check out the 12 best horror movies of all time below:

Silence of the Lambs

A movie not for the lily-livered, based on Thomas Harris' 1988 novel. Released in 1991, the movie became the fifth-highest-grossing project of the year worldwide, a testament to the greatness of the film. Starring Anthony Hopkins as Dr Hannibal Lecter, Jodie Foster as Clarice Starling, Ted Levine as Buffalo Bill, Scott Glenn and more. The movie follows Clarice Starling, a young FBI trainee, who seeks help from a brilliant psychiatrist and cannibalistic serial killer, Dr Hannibal Lecter, as she attempts to solve the case of the serial killer Buffalo Bill who skins his female victims. The movie has an eerie silence wrapped around it as Hopkins gives his career-best in the movie which critics still praise as one of the greatest and most influential films of all time.

Get Out 

This modern horror masterpiece helmed by Jordan Peele in his directorial debut is as real as it gets. During a weekend getaway, Chris, an African-American man, decides to pay a visit to his Caucasian girlfriend's parents. He is woefully underprepared for the horrors that lie ahead, despite the fact that they appear normal at first. Starring Daniel Kaluuya as the lead Chris Washington alongside, Allison Williams as Chris' girlfriend Rose Armitage, Bradley Whitford as Rose's father Dean Armitage, Catherine Keener as the mother Missy Armitage, LaKeith Stanfield as Logan King and more, this movie aced with the critics as they acclaimed the movie of being a finer commentary on the identity politics of the country with an added thrill of horror bliss. Aside from being a hit with critics, the film was also a massive success at the box office owing to its popular acclaim as well.

Saw 

Though the succeeding sequels of the film turned into full-on gross horror with blood and guts, the original has always been more than just about the gory-yucks of the film. This 2004 masterstroke was played by director James Wan and casts Whannell, Cary Elwes, Danny Glover, Monica Potter, Michael Emerson, Ken Leung, and Tobin Bell. This film denies the linear flow of the narrative and revolves around the mystery of the Jigsaw Killer. The killer puts his victims' will to survive to the test by forcing them to participate in lethal "games" in which they must impose severe physical agony on themselves in order to survive. The frame story follows Jigsaw's most recent victims (Whannell and Elwes), who wake in a vast rundown lavatory with one of them being told to kill the other one in order to save his own family. 

A Quiet Place 

This post-apocalyptic horror film was directed by actor-turned-director John Krasinski. In a world where most people have been slaughtered by blind but noise-sensitive monsters, a family fights for survival. To keep the monsters at a distance, they are compelled to converse via sign language. The movie gained immense critical acclaim and got nominated at the Golden Globe Awards for Best Original Score and at the Academy Awards for Best Sound Editing. Emily Blunt whose exceptional performance in the movie earned her a win at the Screen Actors Guild Awards for Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Supporting Role. Starring John Krasinski, Emily Blunt, Millicent Simmonds, Noah Jupe, Scott Beck and more, the film was so successful that it earned another sequel and now has achieved franchise status with A Quiet Place II which was released in 2021 adding to the blend the brilliance of Cillian Murphy's exceptional acting prowess.

Night of the Living Dead 

A 1968 independent horror film written, directed, photographed and edited by George A. Romero. The classic horror and zombie-lore setting of the film brings out an uncomfortable grittiness while watching the piece. Seven people are trapped in a remote farmhouse in western Pennsylvania, which is being attacked by a growing group of cannibalistic zombie ghouls. Rather than today's zombie movies that focus on the action side of the genre, this movie focuses on the raw realism of the tale. Starring Duane Jones as Ben, Judith O'Dea as Barbra, Karl Hardman as Harry Cooper, Marilyn Eastman as Helen Cooper and more. The film received great public reaction making it the most profitable film of the time. Though initially, the film was shunned by the critics for its explicit use of gore and violent imagery but soon the film gained a cult following and with it came the positive reviews that raved about the genius of the film.

It Follows 

The movie follows the curse transmission trope where a letter or a doll or a videotape can throw you at the bud of a terrifying curse. The movie though cleverly adds its own twist to the genre. After sleeping with her new lover, Hugh (Jake Weary), for the first time, Jay (Maika Monroe) discovers that she is the newest victim of a lethal curse that is carried from victim to victim through sexual intercourse. Jay discovers that death is imminent and will come to her as either a friend or a stranger. Jay's pals don't trust her hysterical ravings until they see the phantom assassins for themselves and join together to help her flee or defend herself. The film is a treasure-mine of jump-scares, best for the ones looking for the real spooky stares. The film also gave us the iconic scene with the terrifying old lady which later became viral for hilarious reasons. Besides Weary and Monroe, the film also casts Keir Gilchrist, Daniel Zovatto, Olivia Luccardi and Lili Sepe.

Scream

A satirical magnum opus by Wes Craven that pokes fun at the slasher genre of films yet carries perfectly the very setup like a crown. With a great blend of funny and horribly scary, the movie has made itself a permanent space in the horror movie genre. More murders begin to occur a year after Sidney's mother is slain. She begins to wonder if the deaths are connected, and she sets out to locate the perpetrator, as everyone appears to be a suspect. Starring David Arquette, Neve Campbell, Courteney Cox, Matthew Lillard, Rose McGowan, Skeet Ulrich, Jamie Kennedy, and Drew Barrymore, the film has been a classic and cult favourite since its release in 1996. Interestingly, the film has been inspired by the real-life experience of Gainesville Ripper. The film went on to become a home run at the box office as the critics credited the film for reviving the slasher genre. Moreover, it transformed into an extremely successful franchise with the most recent Scream 5 being released in 2022.

The Loved Ones

A 2009 Australian horror film, Sean Byrne made his directorial debut with utmost dignity as the movie was quickly named a sensation. Starring Xavier Samuel, Robin McLeavy, Victoria Thaine, Jessica McNamee, Richard Wilson, and John Brumpton, the story was hailed by critics and movie-goers alike for its mixture of teen and horror genres with a twist. The tale follows Brent Mitchell who wraps his car around a tree to avoid a ghostly apparition on the road, killing his father. Brent slips into a marijuana-fueled world of agony and shame while his mother falls apart. Though the film did not receive overwhelming acclaim at the Award ceremonies, it quickly obtained cult status as fans all over the world raved about the unique plot of the film.

Paranormal Activity

A supernatural horror franchise, thrilling and chilling to your bones' core. The first instalment of the franchise once again takes the cake as the best, produced, written, directed, photographed and edited by Oren Peli. A young couple (Katie Featherston and Micah Sloat) is disturbed by a mysterious presence in their home. They subsequently set up cameras to record what is causing them torment. The film employs found-footage conventions that were repeated in the series' succeeding instalments. The unmoving camera work in the film is especially spookier than most fancier camera sequences as the viewer is forced to, just like the characters, look for the evil.

The Shining

This must-watch is impossible to strike off any best-horror-movies lists. The 1980 psychological horror film is based on Stephen King's best-seller of the same name. Produced and directed by Stanley Kubrick, the movie casts Jack Nicholson alongside Shelley Duvall, Scatman Crothers, and Danny Lloyd. Jack Torrance (Nicholson), an aspiring writer and recovering alcoholic, takes a job as the off-season caregiver of the secluded historic landmark Overlook Hotel in the Colorado Rockies with his wife Wendy Torrance (Duvall) and young son Danny Torrance (Lloyd). Danny has been gifted with "the shining," psychic skills that allow him to look into the hotel's heinous past. After the Torrances get snowbound owing to a winter blizzard, Jack's sanity begins to erode due to the otherworldly entities that dwell in the hotel.

Rosemary’s Baby

Roman Polanski writes and directs this horror number, starring Mia Farrow, John Cassavetes, Ruth Gordon, Sidney Blackmer, Maurice Evans, Ralph Bellamy, Patsy Kelly, Angela Dorian, Clay Tanner, and Charles Grodin. Set in New York City, the film follows a young, pregnant wife in Manhattan who suspects her elderly neighbours are followers of a Satanic cult who are breeding her in order to utilise her baby in their rites. It is based on Ira Levin's 1967 novel of the same name. The film earned numerous accolades as well as several Golden Globe Award nominations and two Academy Award nominations. Additionally, Gordon won both the Academy Award and Golden Globe for Best Supporting Actress for her exceptional performance in the film.

The Texas Chainsaw Massacre

This 1974 version of the film is truly gruesome. Directed by Tobe Hooper, the film casts Marilyn Burns, Paul A. Partain, Edwin Neal, Jim Siedow and Gunnar Hansen. While driving to their grandfather's house, Sally, Franklin, and their three buddies run out of gas. A chainsaw-wielding killer and his psychopathic family taunt and murder them one by one. Although the movie is largely popularised as a tale based on true events, the film in actuality is majorly fictional and has taken inspiration from the crimes of murderer Ed Gein. The film was banned in several countries as it was seen as excessively violent though now the movie has become a cult classic and branded as one of the greatest horror films of all time.

This was our list of the best horror movies of all time. Comment down below some of your favourites from the gruelling genre that slipped off our list.