Gallery: The 50 Sickest Horror Movie Posters Of All Time

Director: James Wan

For once, dirty toenails are the least of this guy’s hygienic problems.

Director: Brian Yuzna

Some women just go way overboard with the facial makeup, don’t they?

Director: Roger Corman

Based off that tagline, Roger Corman’s goofy-looking “It” creature isn’t a source of fear around these parts—it’s actually our role model.

Director: Robert Wiene

Over 90 years ago, the coolest Frankenstein comic book cover was designed without anyone involved even knowing it.

Director: Ti West

Critics hailed independent horror favorite West’s satanic ’80s throwback as a “slow burn” in the spirit of old Roman Polanski flicks. This evocative one-sheet, designed with a vintage genre, VHS-cover aesthetic, takes the fiery praise literally.

Director: Dan O'Bannon

Actually, it looks more like they’re ready to take a nap. But, yeah, they're nonetheless punk-rock cool.

Director: Bob Clark

Well, it’s clear who’s not going to be the life of that party.

Director: Matt Reeves

There’s nothing particularly “sick” (read: revolting) about Cloverfield’s enigmatic yet alarming poster, other than its marketing genius.

Director: Sam Raimi

Ten bucks says you can’t guess where that ghoul’s other hand is.

Director: Kim Jee-Woon

And you thought that family portrait in which mommy made you wear that plaid-print turtleneck was horrific.

Director: Douglas Cheek

We don’t know whether to run away from the emerging humanoid or offer it a can of Axe body spray. Seriously, it’ll never get laid smelling like a sewer.

Director: Troy Maylam

If only the killer’s shears could’ve snipped out the random, unfitting “romance novel” artwork to the right of the tagline.

Director: Jim Wynorski

Be thankful that they didn’t go the obvious "shop 'til you drop" route.

Director: Sam Raimi

Behold the cover of your mother’s favorite romance novel…if your mother was Elvira, Mistress of the Dark.

Director: Steve Miner

Pray that crazy, stalker-ish ex-girlfriends never take inspiration from House’s poster; if so, we’ll never be able to spot them peep holes ever again.

Director: Roger Corman

Nowadays, end-of-the-world movies spend all of their time on expensive CGI and rampant explosions. Leave it to Roger Corman to present our final days as a time when women shall rock lingerie and three-eyed, massive-sized gargoyles will try to cop feels.

Director: Joe Dante

We know there’s a werewolf underneath those tears, but what the hell is being ripped in the first place? Someone’s chest? A brown paper bag? Would knowing the correct answer make this poster any less badass?

Director: George A. Romero

A cinematic masterpiece deserves a dynamic poster, and George A. Romero’s seminal zombie flick got just that with this jam-packed one-sheet, covered with some of the film’s more memorable shots. Such as the nudie female ghoul, though that damn arm is blocking her derriere; trust us, for a dead chick, she’s got some back.

Director: Ed Adlum

You know you’re a homicidal redneck if…your idea of foreplay involves a pitchfork.

Director: Herschell Gordon Lewis

Apparently, someone told Connie Mason that was she was posing for a different movie’s poster. Needless to say, that cheese-eating grin doesn’t last very long.

Director: Bob Clark

When simply giving her a lump of coal just doesn’t convey the full "It's over" message.

Director: William Castle

That pissed-off look on Vincent Price’s face? His resentment toward the giant skeleton for not taking advantage of the best look-down-her-dress seat in the House.

Director: John D. Hancock

Let’s Scare Jessica To Death is one of the ’70s most underrated horror flicks—what’s seen on this poster, however, has absolutely nothing to do with the actual plot. Shit, that’s not even star Zorha Lampert holding the spear. But damn if that pic doesn’t make us want to watch the totally unrelated movie again.

Director: George A. Romero

Figures, the world’s only friendly-looking and pleasant ticket window vendor is also a rotting corpse.

Director: Dario Argento

Meet the star of Child’s Play Chucky’s kinkiest fantasies.

Director: Lucio Fulci

Kathy might have avoided all of the bullying and insults had she just fixed that unbecoming weave.

Directors: Helene Cattet and Bruno Forzani

Surprisingly, Amer isn’t Vivid Entertainment’s porno version of The Twilight Zone.

Director: Robert Fuest

OK, so that tagline is a grammatical nightmare. Shouldn’t it be “when the devils rain,” not a possessive form? Fine, who needs an editor when the illustrator is capable of sketching such a wicked representation of the land down under, no Foster’s.

Director: Vicente Aranda

The rest of her bridesmaids were no longer upset about losing the “maid of honor” race after she disapproved of the bachelorette party’s venue.

Director: Herschell Gordon Lewis

See those three scenes presented alongside the scared blondie? Well, those are basically the only moments in H.G. Lewis’ notorious gore-fest that won’t leave you feeling queasy. It’s the sickest kind of false advertising.

Director: Irvin S. Yeaworth

Beware the killer splotch of barbeque sauce! “Nothing can stop it,” except Wet Wipes.

Director: Tobe Hooper

Movie taglines don’t get much better than that, folks. One look at Leattherface’s red-smeared chainsaw and it’s easy to predict that the film’s protagonist survival rate isn’t very high.

Director: Lucio Fulci

Consider this the worst real estate “for sale” sign ever made. "If you’re interested in this property, call Raisin Face and set up an appointment.”

Director: Peter Jackson

There aren't enough Mentos in the world to help this chick out.

Director: Randall Hood

And to think, poor Amanda hates it when one hand smacks her ass.

Director: Man-dae Bong

Thankfully, Darren Aronofsky took cues from Roman Polanski and Dario Argento for the girl-on-girl scenes in Black Swan, and not Man-dae Bong. Not exactly the “cutting” we’d like to see from these two ladies.

Director: Gordon Hessler

Clearly, a man designed this. Note how the skin-burning conveniently stops right above the cleavage. Who wears bras in vats of acid, anyway?

Director: Lucio Fulci

Feel any better about your own dating site profile photo? The undead guy in the above Zombie screenshot hasn’t received a single private message. Go figure.

Director: Robert Fuest

Brave enough to challenge this poor son of a bitch to a staring contest?

Director: Tobe Hooper

The next time your girl requests some oral action, try not to think of Fang Tang up there.

Squirm: Jeff Liebermen

This must be what a Satanist’s LSD trip looks like: a haze of colorful worms, contorted, naked human bodies made to resemble creepy-crawlers, and a snake-like intestine. So, who’s hungry?

Director: Joe D'Amato

Someone should’ve told your boy that when they said “You are what you eat,” they were referring to P-U-S-S-Y.

Director: J. Lee Thompson

What does a shish kebab have to do with a guy’s born day? Fuck if we know, and Thompson’s campy slasher doesn’t fill in any blanks. But something tells us the image of lit birthday candles being shoved into dude’s eyes wouldn’t have quite the same effect.

Director: Meir Zarchi

We’d prefer that she swallow, but it’s all good. Nor do we mind that rap sheet of hers—it’s not like we’ve never been “broken” and "burned” by a woman before.

Director: Larry Cohen

Now we know what a lactose intolerant artist’s interpretation of a Van Gogh painting looks like.

Director: Ruggero Deodato

Looking to get fired from your job, or kicked out of class, but can’t work up the nerve to snuff your boss/teacher in the face? Use this as your computer’s wallpaper.

Director: William Lustig

Ah, Maniac—the disgusting-guy-kills-young-women movie that will make any loving father want to lock his daughter in her bedroom on weekend nights.

Director: Peter Jackson

A cleaver lodged in her calf, scissors slicing up her leg, a pig-faced baby dressed like a colorblind Waldo crying on her lap, and Nurse Freaky is still getting off? Yes, we’re more than a little turned on here. Don’t judge us.

Director: Emilio Miraglia

What’s worse than having your wife uncover adulterous skeletons in your closet? Feeling the skin of your neck tear apart as her actual reanimated skeleton gives you the worst kind of head.

Director: Jorg Buttgereit

Erotic. Sensual. Tender. Morbid as hell. We’d say “Aww” if it weren’t for that overwhelming blend of nausea (that’s a corpse, for Pete’s sake) and uncomfortable attraction (those bones must be cold…think about it).