The Scariest Movies of All Time

These 50 horror films have thrilled and scared moviegoers. Check out list of the scariest movies of all time - fair warning, you’ll probably lose some sleep.

The Shining
Warner Bros.

Image via Warner Bros.

The Shining

Horror movies hardly ever get the respect they deserve. Save for the fanatics, who worship at the feet of Wes Craven, Stanley Kubrick, and Stephen King, even the most acclaimed creepy thriller or slasher film is usually buried by dramas and biopics when award season rolls around. Only lately, thanks in large part to Blumhouse Productions, have horror movies started to get their due, with upcoming films like Candyman and Spiral attracting the crowds who loved films like Get Out and the recent Halloween reboot.

Whether they're based on a true story (sort of) like The Conjuring, a low budget found footage piece like The Blair Witch Project, or more sci-fi leaning like The Sixth Sense, the best horror movies are well-acted and able to terrify even a seasoned scary movie vet. If you're on the prowl for horror movies on Netflix, or just trying to learn more about the genre, check out this list of the scariest movies of all time.

 

The Shining (1980)

The Shining

Candyman (1992)

Tony Todd holds onto Virginia Madsen in a scene from the film 'Candyman', 1992.

Get Out (2017)

Get Out

Hereditary (2018)

Hereditary

Goodnight Mommy (2014)

Goodnight, Mommy

The Blair Witch Project (1999)

the blair witch project

Paranormal Activity (2007)

paranormal activity

Hellraiser (1987)

hellraiser

Poltergeist (1982)

poltergeist

Jaws (1975)

jaws

Event Horizon (1997)

event horizon

The Sentinel (1977)

the sentinel

The Beyond (1981)

the beyond

The Omen (1976)

the omen

28 Days Later... (2002)

28 days later

Alien (1979)

alien

The Innocents (1961)

the innocents

[REC] (2007)

rec

The Evil Dead (1981)

the evil dead

Kill List (2012)

kill list

A Nightmare on Elm Street (1984)

a nightmare on elm street

The Descent (2005)

the descent

Phantasm (1979)

phantasm

Inland Empire (2006)

inland empire

A Tale of Two Sisters (2003)

a tale of two sisters

The Exorcist (1973)

the exorcist

The Strangers (2008)

the strangers

Halloween (1978)

halloween

The Haunting (1963)

the haunting

Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer (1986)

henry portrait of a serial killer

Nosferatu (1922)

nosferatu

Frankenstein (1931)

frankenstein

Black Christmas (1974)

black christmas

Night of the Living Dead (1968)

night of the living dead

The Texas Chainsaw Massacre (1974)

the texas chainsaw massacre

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