On more than one occasion, I have mentioned that I am the scardiest scaredy cat that ever got scared. As a result I avoid almost all horror movies. But every now and then a movie comes out that is so special that I feel I need to grit my teeth, and watch it through the spaces between my fingers that are covering my eyes.
Although it is a little late, I'd like to present my list of horror movies so entertaining or so part of the cultural zeitgeist that even a scaredy cat like me had to watch them. I decided to list them by year to avoid having to split hairs. Although I will note my favorite one.
Jaws (1975) I Saw this one as a kid and never forgot it. Although the shark is barely onscreen (thanks to the robotic shark constantly malfunctioning) this movie taught me that terror doesn't always have to do with what you are seeing. The best chills come from anticipating what might happen. Thanks to John Williams incredible score, I was scared almost the entire time. If you were a kid in the 1970s, I'm pretty sure it was a law you had to see this movie.
Halloween (1978) This is one of the movies on the list that I felt an obligation to see. Literally everyone my age has seen it so when I was around 18 I decided I had to watch it so I would not be left out. It scared the shit out of me but by today's standards it is rather tame. It was super influential on a lot of other movies, especially the Scream franchise.
Alien (1979) This one is definitely in my top 5. I love sci-fi so wrapping a horror movie inside of a sci-fi flick was a perfect combo for me. I have no idea why my parents let me watch this when I was ten years old, but lets just say it left a lasting impression.
An American Werewolf in London (1981) At teh time, this movie featured the most amazing special effects anyone had ever seen. The transformation from human to wolf was simply groundbreaking so I had to see it. Why I chose to watch it at night at my buddy's house when I was 11 is beyond me. The walk home through the alleys as dogs barked at me made me wet my pants.
The Thing (1982) A great psychological horror movie. Who is the monster? It could be anyone. This remake is still one of the best stories I've ever seen. I actually watched the original in black and white when I was very young, but this version blew it away.
The Fly (1986) I saw this movie in the theater when I was 15. I had seen the Vincent Price original about 100 times before and wanted to see an updated version. I wasn't really scared as much as I was grossed out but man Jeff Goldbloom did an amazing job in this one.
Manhunter (1986) I only put this on here because every list I ever see has Silence of the Lambs on it. Few people know about this Michael Mann film about Hannibal Lecter that came out several years before. It is far better than The Silence of the Lambs. And the music is sensational!
The Evil Dead (1987) This is one that my high school buddies forced me to watch. All of the fringe teens at the time swore by this movie. A lot of Chicago Industrial bands sampled this movie so I kind of had no choice. Because it mixes in some humor with the scares, this is one I'd watch again.
The Exorcist III (1990) I put this on here because it includes the scariest scene I have ever seen. I sheet walking with a device used to remove the head in an autopsy has haunted my dreams... and waking time for 35 years.
Scream (1996) A fun pop culture driven romp that both satirizes and improves upon early horror movie tropes. Everyone in the 90s had to see this one.
The Blair Witch Project (1999) The firs "found footage" movie to gain incredible popularity. It's gimmick worked very well, especially at the time when it was new. There aren't many scares in this... but the person standing in the corner haunts me!
The Sixth Sense (1999) I, and everyone else in the world, simply had to see this in the theater before it could be spoiled. M Night Shyamalan banked so much street cred with the final twist that he was able to make money making many many many terrible movies later. If you haven't seen it, you simply must watch the director's commentary so he can explain exactly how much thought he put into building this movie.
Signs (2002) Not many people like this, but I loved it. It really seems like he wrote this movie backwards so everything would tie together perfectly. I have never seen so many minute details come together to create something bigger.
The Ring (2002) People siad I had to see it... so I did. I literally had to stare at the floor of teh theater when the girl comes out of the TV. This terrified me... but it was indeed special and I was able to take part in many conversations about it.
28 Days Later (2002) 28 Weeks Later (2007) 28 Years Later (2025 ) These are incredibly well made and smart zombie movies. They are gory but they are also so exciting and fun that I could not look away.
The Cabin in the Woods (2012) An incredibly clever take on the horror genre. it's like Scooby Doo and Mystery Incorporated got themselves into quite a pickle. It is funny and exciting.
World War Z (2013) The book is far better... especially if you listen to the audio book. this movie was more like a film inspired by the book world War Z but I still enjoyed the unique take and the fact that zombies were actually fast.
Happy Death Day (2017) A great mix of comedy and horror. it also had a little heart and was a cool tale of redemption. If you wanted to see a horror version of Groundhog's Day, this is it.
A Quiet Place (2018) This is one of my favorite movies of all time. I braved seeing this alone in an empty theater because I was so interested in the story. Every year around father's day I watch this love letter to dads with my kids. I have never seen a more moving or brave scream in my life.
Brightburn (2019) Thsi is my favorite Superman movie ever made. Ever wonder what would happen if a superhuman alien didn't grow up as the perfect child in Kansas? He would be scary as Hell!
Ready or Not (2019) Another one that perfectly mixes horror, over the top cartoonish gore and comedy.
Sinners (2025) I truly hope this one wins an Oscar for best picture this year. It was simply incredible. Even without teh horror aspect, thsi is an incredible story. The horror is just an exciting cherry on top.
What do you think of my list? Did I miss any?