Alien

The 1979 film Alien, directed by Ridley Scott, is universally known as one of the most frightening and influential films in the sci-fi genre. Ripley, played by Sigourney Weaver, harbors an alien parasite from a foreign  planet that eventually stalks and kills her entire crew, as they helplessly float through space. The suspense in this movie is enough to make you feel pretty on edge, and the concept of an alien parasite living inside a human are both enough to propel this film into the top 10 scary movies of all time. Alien has made its mark on the film industry as a whole. Alien  was nominated for two Academy Awards, and won the award for best visual effects.

The Shining

  A family moves to an isolated hotel for the winter, and isolation and evil spirits take quite the toll on the well-being of the family. The Shining is perhaps one of the most famous and frequently quoted films in American pop culture. Stanley Kubrick’s adaptation of the story, originally by Stephen King, will make you question the effects of isolation on the human mind. The movie is best known for Jack Nicholson’s chilling performance as Jack Torrance, a father descending into madness due to the presence of evil forces. With plenty of suspense and disconcerting scenes, this psychological horror film has been captivating audiences for over 30 years.

Carrie

  “This girl Carrie isn’t another stereotyped product of the horror production line; she’s a shy, pretty, and complicated high school senior who’s a lot like kids we once knew,” said  renowned film critic Roger Ebert. Carrie is thrilling in the way that it is a totally original movie, that will surely scare all of those who watch. The main actress is portrayed as an abused, and an extremely shy teenager. After the movie stayed in the top charts for so long, Carrie was remade in 2013. The new one did not reach the originals level of scary, but they got as close as they could to making it almost as if it were the original without actually making it the original. Carrie is an inspiration to all movies ever made.

Halloween

  Having to be compared to the incredible, Psycho, Halloween scares and terrifies viewers to a whole new level. Even from the start of the movie, it starts off to a twisted start. The plot gets even more twisted even after a six-year-old murders someone. As you can tell, he is not an average kid. In the 93 minutes that the movie is playing, the tensions raise when the boy escapes. Halloween gives viewers a new perspective on scary movies. Aspects from Halloween have been put in the famous, Friday the 13th series, in the Nightmare on Elm Street series, in the Hellraiser films, and in the Scream entries in the genre. Halloween is so thrilling because the beloved killing just does not seem to stop. As soon as someone dies, it seems like someone else’s life is in danger.

The Exorcist

  “The power of Christ compels you! The power of Christ compels you!” shout the two priests as they attempt to exorcise a mysterious entity from a young girl named Regan. The Exorcist (1973) is considered a classic and has been the most influential horror movie in the demonic subgenre. Although there have been many underwhelming sequels, the original remains responsible for many sleepless nights among frightened audience members. The Exorcist was nominated for a total of 10 academy awards, winning 2 two for best sound mixing, and best adapted screenplay.

The Silence of the Lambs 

  Led by the hauntingly beautiful performance by Sir Anthony Hopkins of his portrayal of serial killer Hannibal Lecter, The Silence of the Lambs (1991) delivers countless contributions to the film industry. With a disconcerting serial killer on the loose, young F.B.I agent Clarice Starling (Jodie Foster) seeks the help of an unlikely companion, Hannibal Lecter, who resides in a high-security prison. With great dialogue and characters that will send a shiver down your spine, this movie will make you feel rather uneasy.

Psycho

  The horrific movie, Psycho, has been nominated for four Oscars and won various other high ranking awards. In this terrifying movie made in 1960, Marion Crane, is an Arizona working girl fed up with having to sneak away during her lunch breaks to meet her lover, Sam Loomis. Marion’s employer asks her to take $40,000 in cash to the bank. After getting the money, she leaves town with the money, determined to start a new life with her lover. As night comes around, Marion turns off the highway, and decides to spend the night at the Bates Motel. After Norman, the owner of the Motel fixes her dinner, Marion goes back to her room for a shower and something unforgettable happens to her, leaving the audience with a guaranteed scare.

Texas Chainsaw Massacre

  Texas Chainsaw Massacre originally came out in 1974, and was later remade in 2003. When talking about a scary movie, Texas Chainsaw Massacre is the one that most commonly comes up into conversation. “The violence is outdated by today’s standards, but the original Chainsaw still packs a punch with its rough look and disturbing overtones.” said Mike Emery. Texas Chainsaw Massacre was and still is an inspiration of all horror films. This movie was made in the era of all the amazingly terrifying “classic horror” movies. That being said, it had a lot of competition to be the best, which it proved from the moment it was released in theaters.

A Nightmare on Elm Street

  Simon Braund from Empire Magazine commented about the horrifying movie saying, “What makes Freddy truly terrifying, and an inspired invention on Craven’s part, is that he exists not in the real world but in the shadowy realm of dreams.” A Nightmare On Elm Street is a movie that an audience truly never forget, even if you try. It has some aspects that seem to make the hair on the back of your neck stick up straight due to being so frightened. Freddy Krueger, the main character , who also is the killer of the movie, advances the plot to make the audience feel like they are right there with him.  Freddy, also makes audience frightened by putting on a thrilling show for  his audience.

Deliverance

  Deliverance has made people terrified of the backwoods in the Appalachians since its release date in 1972. In this John Boorman film, an outdoor fanatic takes his friends on an a canoe trip to see the Cahulawassee River. Along the way, their trip takes quite the grim turn when they have a disturbing encounter with some hillbilly locals. With an award-winning cast, this unsettling movie has made audiences terrified of rural Appalachia with its haunting depiction of the crazed locals. Although it may not be thought of as a conventional “scary movie,” it continues to be ranked among AFI’s top 20 scary movies.