The 10 Greatest Horror Films Ever Made

 Throughout history, horror films have captivated audiences with tales of serial killers, ghosts, vampires, and other fantastical creatures that have made us shiver, give us the chills, and make us quicken our breath when we see them on screen. Although compiling the best horror films ever made into a single list is no easy feat, as Halloween draws near, we've chosen to select our favorites from over a century of film history.

We did our best to capture the diversity of the genre, which includes a wide range of films from the silent era, Giallo slashers, supernatural shockers, J-horror ghost stories, and elevated psychodramas from various countries and eras. However, there may be a few unfortunate omissions. So, in the spirit of justice, we had to establish some ground rules: no humorous spoofs were permitted (sorry, fans of "Shaun of the Dead"), and directors or franchises may only be represented once. While not all of the 20 items on this list adhere precisely to the established genre conventions, they are all sure to raise the hairs on the back of your neck. Take care as you proceed.

10. The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari (Robert Wiene, 1920)

Long before "Jaws," "Psycho," "Alien," or even "Nosferatu," there was "Dr. Caligari." It's nearly hard to discuss the seminal German expressionism picture without mentioning the impact it had on set design, narrative, and the horror genre in general during the previous century. Roger Ebert called it the "first true horror film."

The very concept of an unreliable narrator as a narrative device to re-frame the story later on has been emulated in everything from ‘Rashomōn’ to ‘Shutter Island’. That’s without mentioning the haunting world of shadowy alleys, vertiginous staircases, and stark buildings that ushered in a new era in filmmaking and still remains a visual wonder today. Even though the centenarian story, concerning a demented hypnotist who uses a somnambulist to commit horrific murders, will hardly quicken your breath, this is still essential viewing for any horror enthusiast worth their salt.

9. Les Diaboliques (Henri-Georges Clouzot, 1955)

Henri Georges Clouzot's masterwork, so suspenseful and deftly crafted that it has earned itself the unofficial moniker "the best film Hitchcock never made," withstands the high praise with a magnificent essay in misdirection that will keep you guessing for two heart-stopping hours.

"Les Diaboliques," a film about two bitter women who conspire to kill the sadistic headmaster of a boarding school that torments them, captures the battered dignity of a mistreated wife and a vindictive mistress with enormous rapture. But everything appears to change abruptly when his dead body appears to disappear out of thin air. "Les Diaboliques," which keeps the audience at a distance, will have you riveted to the screen until it drops one of the best rug pulls ever seen in a motion picture.

8. Get Out (Jordan Peele, 2017)

Few movies have influenced public culture as quickly as "Get Out" did five years ago. This movie, which catapulted comedian-turned-director Jordan Peele to worldwide acclaim, centers on a young African American photographer named Daniel Kaluuya who visits her white girlfriend's liberal parents upstate. Following the stormy 2016 election, Peele's powerful directing debut struck a deep nerve by painting an unwavering picture of privilege and racial dynamics in modern-day North America.

A big part of the film's endurance comes from the way the political undertone is subtly woven into a disarmingly funny thriller that becomes more unsettlingly urgent by the day. It certainly helps that the first-time director was able to reveal these terrifying realities with such pinpoint accuracy.

7. Nosferatu the Vampyre (Werner Herzog, 1979)

The Guinness World Record lists Bram Stoker's Count Dracula as the most adapted literary character in film history, with over 500 documented cinematic appearances. Some entries in that extensive canon of cinema history are particularly noteworthy. Purists will cite to Murnau's silent masterpiece from 1922, an unapproved depiction that transformed filmmaking. Other notables are the Christopher Lee-starring Hammer films from the 1970s, the 1931 Universal picture starring Bela Lugosi, and the 1992 Francis Ford Coppola adaptation.

Even if Werner Herzog's roles in the aforementioned films are commendable for solidifying his reputation as one of the greatest horror villains ever, he is still the archetypal Transylvanian prince of darkness. The general themes stay the same, but Herzog's respectful nod to Murnau and Stroker creates a breathtaking fusion of lyrical imagery, instinctive terror, and mass frenzy that is only surpassed by two outstanding performances by Klaus Kinski and Isabelle Adjani. Not to be overlooked.

6. The Texas Chain Saw Massacre (Tobe Hooper, 1974)

Traveling through the sun-baked Texas countryside, a party of five friends come into a cannibalistic clan led by a masked, insane man who wields a chainsaw. The clan's behavior is partially inspired by the true story of a Wisconsin serial killer from the 1950s. If the basic plot summary of Tobe Hooper's brutal slasher seems blatantly reminiscent now, it's mainly because of the innumerable movies it influenced thereafter.

Considered the forerunner of the contemporary horror genre, the first "Chainsaw Massacre," was shot for a mere $140,000 starring unidentified actors. Its graphic slasher filmography startled the censors at the time and earned the movie an R-rating, but it went on to become an instant hit at the box office, launching a new age of do-it-yourself, low-budget horror. It may be argued that the film's budgetary constraints are a positive, giving it a raw, primal intensity that more glitzy Hollywood productions have found difficult to match. "The Texas Chain Saw Massacre" begs to be read again from time to time. However, it would be difficult for first-timers to get over this shocking shock of anxiety.

5. The Cremator (Juraj Herz, 1969)

Mr. Kopfrkingl, an eccentric and egotistical crematorium manager who feels his work "liberates the souls of the dead," gives us a glimpse into his everyday life in Nazi-occupied Prague in the 1930s. From the opening frame onwards, it is evident that something is terribly wrong with him.

"The Cremator," a blend of absurdist surrealism, brutal political commentary, and pitch-black humor, eloquently portrays the banality of evil and the self-denial needed to endure the worst atrocities in human history. We get a glimpse of the depths to which the director is willing to sink his teeth as our naive lead character acquiesces to the demands of the ruling class in order to maintain his affluence during the Nazi occupation. It's not a movie for everyone, but it's so incredibly provocative that you won't be able to take your eyes off it.

4. The Witch (Robert Eggers, 2015)

With this scathing critique of religious fanaticism, which takes place in 17th-century New England and follows a Puritan family as they are banished to the edge of the Massachusetts wilderness, Robert Eggers made a dramatic debut. What comes next is a potent combination of nagging suspicion, ominous atmosphere, and a series of bad luck events directed towards little Thomasin (Anna Taylor-Joy), culminating in an unbelievable gut punch that had lovers of the genre howling.

"The Witch," which immediately became the unmistakable symbol of A24 and "elevated horror," also propelled its director and star actress onto the international scene. Regardless of your feelings toward the studio or that specific jargon, it's undeniable that it's now the standard by which all occult-themed films are evaluated.

3. Funny Games (Michael Haneke, 1997)

"Funny Games" is more of a movie you force on someone than one you strongly suggest. This nihilist Austrian film puts its characters through 109 emotionally taxing minutes in a home invasion picture where a bourgeoisie family is cruelly tormented by two sadistic psychopaths. It also chastises the viewers for enjoying the carnage on their screens.

"Funny Games" is more of a movie you force on someone than one you strongly suggest. This nihilist Austrian film puts its characters through 109 emotionally taxing minutes in a home invasion picture where a bourgeoisie family is cruelly tormented by two sadistic psychopaths. It also chastises the viewers for enjoying the carnage on their screens.

2. Psycho (Alfred Hitchcock, 1960)

Few movies would be more deserving of a place in the annals of horror film history than Alfred Hitchcock's masterpiece. It's evident that there was a "Psycho" before and after, both in the entertainment sector and in popular culture at large.

In the fall of 1960, the maestro of suspense unleashed an unstoppable cinematic experience, giving audiences to a horror film unlike anything that had come before it. This film continued an unmatched run of films that had been set before it, including "Vertigo" and "North by Northwest." Few scenes from Psycho, in which Janet Leigh's Marion Crane meets her terrible end at the hands of one of the movie's capital-V Villains, have aged as beautifully as this 45-second sequence. Though its status as a cultural icon is essentially unrivaled, audiences even in the present day will undoubtedly need to have a strong stomach to endure this voyage.

1. The Vanishing (George Sluizer, 1988)

Horror villains can take many various forms, including spectral beings, crazed psychopaths, and Satanic monsters. The best ones never fail to make us shudder, make our breath catch, or even make our hearts skip a beat. But few will ever make you feel as uncomfortable as the seemingly unremarkable man at the center of this European nail-biter.

While on vacation in France, a Dutch couple is biking when they decide to stop briefly at a petrol station. The girlfriend abruptly vanishes. What follows is a viscerally disheartening climax that will sink into your bones and keep you up at night for years to come. It is a dismal analysis of grief, obsession, and despair disguised as a typical cat-and-mouse game. Take care as you proceed.