With the newest Halloween film, Halloween Ends, due for release in October 2022, it's clear that the horror movie genre and its well-known franchises continue to engage audiences. There have been many classic horror films released throughout the years that horror fans still enjoy today and they can still provide the scares, decades after their release.
Some of these classic movies are considered the best in horror so far, despite the many newer releases. Voters on Ranker have put together a list of these best classic horror films that audiences can enjoy to pay homage to the ever-evolving genre.
The Birds (1963)
After a woman meets a man in a pet store, she follows him home. She gives him two love birds, which eventually attack at a party. Then birds all over town begin attacking the citizens.
The director, Alfred Hitchcock, is a master of suspense. He successfully makes a terrifying menace out of creatures people usually see as peaceful. This is a thrilling and disturbing piece of cinema that will raise the hairs on the back of the viewer's neck. The Birds can be viewed as a horror masterpiece that is an intriguing view of the way people cage one another.
Alien (1979)
A spaceship crew is woken up to investigate a distress call from an alien spaceship. Things get intense when the crew finds a nest of eggs on the ship. When the eggs hatch, they begin to attack the crew.
Ellen Ripley, one of the characters on screen the most. This is a brilliant horror movie that is creepy, scary, and one of the best films taking place in space. With expansive visuals, Alien is one of the most shocking films that to this day hasn't lost its power or impact on the big screen.
The Thing (1982)
In an American research camp in Antarctica, the inhabitants are terrorized by a creature that assumes the shape of its victims. A helicopter pilot and the camp director work together to battle the creature to survive.
With relentless suspense, The Thing keeps viewers gripping their seats throughout the movie. It's devoid of the usual happy ending and has an outstanding cast led by Kurt Russell. This is a film that can be classified as a modern terror that is paranoid, leaving the actors feeling bleak about their odds of survival. The true star of The Thing is the creature effects from the imagination of Rob Bottin.
Frankenstein (1931)
Dr. Frankenstein is obsessed with creating life and goes to work assembling a creature from body parts. When he succeeds in bringing it to life, the creature is confused and escapes, causing havoc around the countryside.
Frankenstein is one of the most chilling films of all time. Karloff creates a Frankenstein monster that is the most memorable movie monster out there. He is blunt and terrifying, creating a film that is solid with a heartbreaking storyline. With beautifully iconic moments from start to finish, this could be one of the most influential horror films ever made.
Night Of The Living Dead (1968)
A desperate group of people takes refuge in an abandoned home when the dead begin to rise from their graves in search of human flesh to eat. The creatures figure out ways into the home and one by one, the refugees are picked off.
With the grainy, black and white look, Night of the Living Dead gives off an unrelenting sense of dread throughout the film. This film gets under your skin and whenever the viewer thinks there's a glimmer of hope, it's cruelly destroyed by horror. It is unexpectedly terrifying and an absolute triumph when it comes to horror movies that thrill their audiences and still hold up today.
Halloween (1978)
15 years after he murders his older sister, Michael Myers escapes confinement while being transported for a court date. He goes back to his hometown of Haddonfield, Illinois, where he searches for his next victims.
Halloween can be classified as an original that paves the way for horror movies to this day. It's a perfect example of a horror film that is terrifying and suspenseful, without the blood and gore. The implied murder scenes build the effect for viewers, and John Carpenter has a perfect understanding of brutal terror and building suspense.
The Shining (1980)
Jack Torrence becomes the winter caretaker of a Colorado hotel, hoping to cure his writer's block. But after he and his family settle in, Jack begins to figure out the hotel's dark secrets and becomes a maniac set on terrorizing his family.
As essentially a story about a haunted house, Nicholson is perfect as one of his most hated characters and is able to skillfully and believably portray a person losing their sanity.
Psycho (1960)
After stealing over $40,000 from her employer, Marion Crane stops at the Bates Motel, exhausted from running from the police. There, she meets the interesting Norman Bates, who likes taxidermy and has a problematic relationship with his mother.
Alfred Hitchcock creates a film that isn't just terrifying but is also a complete mind-teaser. It feeds on the fears of the audience, the fear of police or of becoming the victim of a man. has a killer hidden in plain sight. Perkins gives an unforgettable performance as a young man as if in a dream in this dark, timeless classic.
The Silence Of The Lambs (1991)
A young FBI agent hunts a serial killer who skins his female victims. During the course of her investigation, she gets insight from Hannibal Lector, an imprisoned psychiatrist who is also a cannibal serial killer.
The Silence of the Lambs is an unforgettable thriller that combines themes of crime with horror. Anthony Hopkins and Jodie Foster have magnificent chemistry as Hannibal Lector and Clarice Starling and their interactions throughout the film show that the characters have an undefinable dark understanding of one another. This is a superbly crafted, unsettling slasher film that doesn't need to spray blood to be effectively terrifying.
The Exorcist (1973)
A 12-year-old girl gets possessed by a demon and begins to act strangely. To save her, her mother seeks the help of two priests in order to exorcise the demon and bring her daughter back.
The Exorcist is an intense film and quite an emotional experience. The director, William Friedkin, is a master of shock and doesn't hold back in the direction of this film. It's jolting and heart-wrenching watching this mother desperately trying to save her daughter from the devil. Friedkin's lack of subtlety is a strength of this film, and its deeply emotional journey will have audiences both terrified and heartbroken for the mother.
