Top 10 Best Scariest Horror Movies of All Time Top 13

Scariest Horror Movies

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Well before I was editor of Hauntworld, I was always interested in the haunted houses, horror and science fiction. As a kid I watched everything from Bela Lugosi Dracula or Christopher Lee to Frankenstein or Mummy. My all-time favorite horror creature is Lon Chaney Jr. in his portrayal as The Wolfman. I would watch him battle Frankenstein over and over hoping for a different outcome each time!

Horror movies have changed a lot from the infancy when Universal made Dracula, Frankenstein, Wolfman, Mummy or the cult classic Creature From The Black Lagoon. I believe slasher movies like Texas Chainsaw Massacre made people afraid to enter an old house. Films like The Exorcist created fear of the devil and demonic possessions. Perhaps many of todays best horror movies can be traced back to Texas Chainsaw Massacre and The Exorcist.

For many Americans, watching a good scary movie is a favorite pastime and great for a first date or a way to celebrate the Halloween season. We love horror movies and now I present our top 13 bone chilling, scream machine horror movies that will make your skin crawl and give you nightmares. Our list was partially created based on the impact they had on society at the time they where released.  For example Exorcist had people going to Church, Poltergiest had people checking under beds, Pyscho made people afraid of motels, and Dracula probably the original Monster movie made people believe in real monsters.  Share your top 10 or top 13 scariest horror movies on our facebook page.  CLICK HERE TO JOIN OUR FACEBOOK PAGE

1) The Exorcist : This is the film that gave folks nightmares, sent people running to church to find God and invoked fear of demonic possessed. This is the most celebrated horror movies of all time for a reason; it causes fear of something people believe CAN happen!

2) Sinister: A sequel for this film is finally on the way. This movie more or less found its fame on home video like many horror films. I think most of the scariest films are supernatural, and this film reminds me in many ways of Sixth Sense just scarier with its many twists and turns. Sinister might be one of the scariest movies ever made.

3) Insidious: This is a good old fashion modern version of classic film making with no CGI, no frills, just hard core supernatural screams! Insidious is another film in the Exorcist vein and something that perhaps could happen to you, which makes us all the more frightened. Insidious also features an amazing sound track that adds to the screams.

4) Texas Chainsaw Massacre: This is the first non-supernatural film on the list. This flick is simply BLOODY. Plus, the title and marketing of this movie had people thinking it was based on a true story, making it all the more horrific. When a film takes on a life of its own and builds its own mythology, then its a classic. Texas Chainsaw Massacre launched a new genre of slasher films, but it still ranks as BEST.

5) Trick R Treat: This film is a combination of supernatural and slasher, mixed with anthologymeaning several stories wrapped into one story. Trick R Treat was never released theatrically which made NO SENSE to me, and I would definitely rank this as THE #1 BEST horror movie that never released on the big screen. Trick R Treat mixes all the best elements of horror and was done in a very stylish way. Im one of many who are hoping for a sequel.

6) The Conjuring: This is a more recent movie that borrows from many films too, including Insidious, Sinister, & Exorcist. With the backdrop of ghost hunters helping to solve supernatural mysteries, this film has a special charm and a very high scare factor.

7) Halloween: Who isnt afraid of a man in a mask (especially one so simple as a plain William Shatner mask)? This film sticks with movie goers, because we can easily understand the fear of a serial killer. Running around, breaking into houses and killing people for amusement, Michael Myers had no rules, making him all the more terrifying. Leatherface in Texas Chainsaw Massacre was a serial killer too, but Michael Myers is a serial killer who possesses almost supernatural elements to him like Freddy, Jason, Pinhead, Candyman and many others who followed Michael Myers.

8) Alien: This film is the only science fiction movie on the list, but its a horror movie also. This movie is very much unlike the sequel Alien movies, because we have people trying to survive against a creature they have no weapons to fight, no way of escaping and no knowledge of what is actually trying to kill them. The Alien appears in the movie very little which keeps movie goers on the edge of their seat.

9) The Shinning: This is another supernatural movie, and many make the case that its possibly the best of the bunch. Its the story of a man losing his mind while left alone in an old haunted hotel. The idea that no one can hear you scream, no one knows youre in danger, youre all alone with creepy supernatural house gueststhats scary. Undoubtedly, the acting in this film is the best of any of the films on this list.

10) Psycho: When the US Government deems the movie culturally significate you know its a classic.  Psycho started the modern day horror movies showing murders for the very first time, exposing the possibility of mentally disturbed people living amoung us.  Psycho was based on a book which was based on Ed Gein a real life disturbed killer.  Psycho was the original slasher movie which insprired a new generation of boogymen such as John Carpenter's Halloween or even Jason in Friday the 13th.  When a movie inspired an entire genre it must make our list.

11) The Thing: This movie is definitely one of my favorite horror movies of all time. Its scary, fun, exciting, and filled with AMAZING MONSTERS! Unlike the CGI & FX filled movies of today, The Thing produced practice monsters made just for the film. The movie is gross, disgusting, scary, and the actingsimply amazing! The Thing is one of the best outright horror movies ever made. More recently a prequel was made by Universal, and I give that movie high marks as well, but nothing stacks up to John Carpenters The Thing.

12) Poltergeist: You can really trace many of todays movies like Paranormal Activity & Insidious back toPoltergeist. Some say it was actually directed by Steven Spielberg but credited to Tobe Hooper. (Based on the films Tobe Hooper would direct later, I might agree that Steven Spielberg might have actually directed this classic.) Regardless, Poltergeist is the original breakout hit about a house which is haunted. Amityville Horror shortly preceded this film, however Poltergeist got it right with classic lines like theyre here. After watching Poltergeist, everyone was afraid to look under their bed.

13) Dracula: Universal Studios original Dracula film has withstood the test of time. Many might disagree, but if you look back at history and the hysteria this film created, you must concur. Very few films ever created that degree of public hysteria and utter fear Jaws did for sharks, The Exorcist did for demons, And YES Dracula and Bela Lugosi did for vampires. Following the release of this movie, people had true fears of vampires. Think about how many vampire based movies and shows have been made since. They can ALL be traced back to the original vampire horror movie, Dracula. Dracula had people covering their windows with garlic. It created real fear, real hysteria about vampires. People actually began believing in vampires after watching this movie. Dracula is
not that scary today, but its the film that started horror as we know it now!

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