The Best Horror Movies Of All Time

20. "The Ring"

If urban legends scare you, "The Ring" is terrifying. It never lets up, and the numerous twists and turns lead to one of the best conclusions in horror film history.

19. "The Burning"

This slasher is derivative of "Friday the 13th," but in many ways, it's better; over-the-top violence and campy acting make it infinitely rewatchable.

18. "Let The Right One In"

Both this film and its English-language counterpart ("Let Me In") tell a gruesome but heartfelt love story involving vampires. However, nobody sparkles and the death scenes are as grim as they come.

17. "Rosemary's Baby"

Do not watch this movie while pregnant. That is all.

16. "The Omen"

It hasn't aged quite as well as "The Exorcist," but this bad seed story hits all of the right buttons if you're into occult thrillers.

15. "Scream"

The definitive horror movie of the '90s, "Scream" was a parody of slasher films...while still standing as one of the best examples of the genre.

14. "The Conjuring"

Yes, "The Conjuring" is derivative, but you know what? It doesn't matter. What was scary 20 years ago is still scary today, and this flick did it better than many of the movies that inspired it.

13. "Nosferatu"

This silent movie has actually aged well, since the black-and-white aesthetic adds nicely to the creep factor. Count Orlok is easily one of the most visually frightening villains of all time.

12. "Poltergeist"

Possibly the best popcorn-horror flick of all time, "Poltergeist" has plenty of chilling moments and jump scares, even though the presence of Craig T. Nelson will inevitably cause viewers to say, "Hey, isn't that the guy from 'Coach?'"

11. "Suspiria"

The landmark Italian film is gorgeous to behold, and its Satanic plot is still as chilling as it was when the film was released in 1977.

10. "Psycho"

Hitchcock gave us many of the elements that define modern horror. While the famous bathroom scene isn't quite as shocking, the rest of the movie still works. Tension is timeless.

9. "The Texas Chainsaw Massacre"

This film gets a bad rap for its over-the-top violence, but it's incredibly well directed with great sound design. If possible, it's underrated for a gore flick.

8. "The Shining"

Stanley Kubrick's masterpiece gets better (and more unsettling) with each re-watch.

7. "Night of the Living Dead"

This movie gave us the modern idea of the zombie, but here's a fun fact: the living dead are never referred to as zombies in the film.

6. "It Follows"

This is a new movie, but it earns a high spot on this list for starting with a brilliant concept and executing it perfectly. It's best if you watch without knowing anything about it.

5. "A Nightmare on Elm Street"

We'll say it: Freddy was always scarier than Jason. While the sequels dulled his power somewhat, Freddy doesn't joke around much in the original. He's evil, dangerous, and coming to get you.

4. "The Thing"

John Carpenter's science fiction creature feature feels incredibly paranoid. Kurt Russell's performance is wonderful, and the monster's ability to shift shapes makes it one of the most disturbing horror movie villains.

3. "Halloween"

The original "Halloween" made slasher flicks into a thing. John Carpenter's masterpiece unfolds slowly, but when the body count starts climbing, so does the sense of dread.

2. "Alien"

The sequels are fun, but the original "Alien" is the only move in the franchise that's actually scary. It's just about perfect, and the dark atmosphere makes it an instant classic.

1. "The Exorcist"

If you haven't seen this classic, you're not a horror fan. Considered by many to be the scariest movie ever filmed, it centers around Linda Blair's horrific portrayal of a possessed girl.

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