For fans of cinema, each genre can be carefully visited to generate a list of the top five movies of all time. Horror is no exception. As the medium of the film continued to develop over the decades, movies allowed for viewing experiences that advanced the genre from simply a campy niche to artistic, thematic, and psychological thrillers.
After carefully discerning from horror movies across the ages, below is a definitive list of the top five scariest movies of all time with justification as to why.
Psycho
The 1959 novel written by Robert Bloch was quickly adapted into the classic horror film in 1960 with the same name. Despite its seemingly dated cinematography and black and white presentation, the film has surprisingly held up over the years, primarily for its aptly psychological approach to its plot. Using a small roadside hotel and a mysterious mansion up a hill as its main setting, a lot of the genius of the film emerges from its simplicity.
Nevertheless, beneath its surface, the film presents an underlying disturbing story inspired by Freudian archetypes. Even in contemporary culture, the film has continued its legacy, recently being adapted into the television series Bates Motel on A&E.
The Blair Witch Project
Released in the summer of 1999, The Blair Witch Project is inspired by urban legends regarding the existence of a supernatural being dwelling in the woods of Burkittsville, Maryland. While some may argue that this selection falls into the category of disappointingly campy, it cannot be ignored that the medium for delivering this film pushed the horror genre forward.
The film takes a documentary-style using VHS as the medium. Though presented by actors, the film portrays the mysterious disappearance of several young filmmakers who spend a night the woods searching for the Blair Witch. By stringing together these fictional video clips, the film’s approach establishes a certain touch of “reality” in its delivery, provoking conversation and careful scrutiny among spectators.
Nightmare on Elm Street
Freddy Krueger is a salient character of the horror genre still relevant to this day. The concept of a serial murderer who only appears and attacks victims when they dream is enough to generate terror among full generations of children. Allowing the murder of some protagonist to enter the dream world has inspired some of the most gruesome death scenes in horror.
As a result, the film can provoke a series of sleepless nights among viewers. The film released in 1984, generating several sequels and remakes in which Freddy continues to resurface, terrorizing dreams until the present day.
IT
Similar to Freddy Krueger, Stephen King’s IT the clown is an iconic figure in horror. The made-for-television film originated in 1990 and recently appeared in a remake of the original made for television series in 2017. Inspired by coulrophobia, the fear of clowns, the film traces the experiences of several budding adolescents and their experiences with IT, an entity that personifies human fears.
The plot is intricately complex and demonstrates the intimate relationship between fear and the human psyche, as IT shifts forms in order to toy with the internalized fears of each of the child protagonists.
The Exorcist
Undertaking potentially sensitive religious themes, The Exorcist represents the possession of a young girl by the devil and the grotesque and transformative loss of her innocence as Satan continues to take control.
The terror ensues as the main character, Regan Macneil, interacts with other characters, namely her mother and a visiting priest, both of whom care for the innocent girl as she undergoes her demonic transformation. Rife with some of the most iconic scenery including head-spinning, projectile vomiting, and controversial representations of religious symbols, The Exorcist has provoked terror upon generations.
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