Be brave, they say. Don’t be afraid, they say.
But then, sometimes getting frightened is so much fun!
Whether you’re in need of a fright night come Halloween or, simply your ideal night involves sitting with a giant tub of popcorn and arming yourself with a pillow for the gory scenes, there are thousands of horror films awaiting your screams.
However, sifting through the thousands to find the right horror film that is as terrifying as it is thrilling isn’t always easy.
So, we’ve rounded up the best horror films to watch, from ‘Psycho’ to ‘Us’, that’ll provide enough fodder for your nightmares.
Read on…if you’re brave enough:
1.Psycho (1960)
Mystery| Thriller| Horror
Cast – Anthony Perkins, Janet Leigh, Vera Miles, John Gavin
Image source – IMDb
Infamous for its shower scene, but immortal for its contribution to the horror genre. Because ‘Psycho’ was filmed with tact, grace, and art, Hitchcock didn’t just create modern horror, he validated it.
Phoenix secretary Marion Crane (Janet Leigh), is on the lam after stealing $40,000 from her employer in order to run away with her boyfriend, Sam Loomis (John Gavin), is overcome by exhaustion during a heavy rainstorm. Traveling on the back roads to avoid the police, she stops for the night at the ramshackle Bates Motel. She meets the polite but highly strung proprietor Norman Bates (Anthony Perkins), a young man with an interest in taxidermy and a difficult relationship with his mother.
‘Psycho’ is rated at 8.5 on IMDB, with a 96% average audience score on Rotten Tomatoes.
2.Alien (1979)
Sci-Fi| Horror
Cast -Sigourney Weaver, Tom Skerritt, Veronica Cartwright, Harry Dean Stanton
Image source – IMDb
A classic, ‘Alien’ blends science fiction, horror and bleak poetry into a seamless whole.
In deep space, the crew of the commercial starship Nostromo is awakened from their cryo-sleep capsules halfway through their journey home to investigate a distress call from an alien vessel. The terror begins when the crew encounters a nest of eggs inside the alien ship. When one of the eggs is disturbed, the crew realizes that they are not alone on the spaceship and they must deal with the consequences.
‘Alien’ is rated at 8.4 on IMDB, with a 98% average audience score on Rotten Tomatoes.
3.The Shining (1980)
Thriller| Mystery| Horror
Cast – Jack Nicholson , Shelley Duvall, Dannt Lloyd, Scatman Crothers
Image source – IMDb
Though it deviates from Stephen King’s novel, Stanley Kubrick’s ‘The Shining’ is a chilling, often baroque journey into madness – exemplified by an unforgettable turn from Jack Nicholson.
Jack Torrance (Jack Nicholson) becomes winter caretaker at the isolated Overlook Hotel in Colorado, hoping to cure his writer’s block. He settles in along with his wife, Wendy (Shelley Duvall), and his son, Danny (Danny Lloyd), who is plagued by psychic premonitions. As Jack’s writing goes nowhere and Danny’s visions become more disturbing, Jack discovers the hotel’s dark secrets and begins to unravel into a homicidal maniac hell-bent on terrorizing his family.
‘The Shining’ is rated at 8.4 on IMDB, with an 84% average audience score on Rotten Tomatoes.
4.Us (2019)
Thriller| Mystery | Horror
Cast -Lupita Nyong’o, Winston Duke, Elisabeth Moss, Tim Heidecker
Image source – IMDb
After the success of ‘Get Out’, ‘Us’ is Jordan Peele’s second inventive, an ambitious horror film.
Accompanied by her husband, son and daughter, Adelaide Wilson returns to the beachfront home where she grew up as a child. Haunted by a traumatic experience from the past, Adelaide grows increasingly concerned that something bad is going to happen. Her worst fears soon become a reality when four masked strangers descend upon the house, forcing the Wilsons into a fight for survival. When the masks come off, the family is horrified to learn that each attacker takes the appearance of one of them.
‘Us’ is rated at 6.9 on IMDB, with a 93% average audience score on Rotten Tomatoes.
5.Jaws (1975)
Thriller | Mystery | Adventure | Horror
Cast- Roy Scheider, Robert Shaw, Richard Dreyfuss, Lorraine Gary
Image source – IMDb
Compelling, well-crafted storytelling and a judicious sense of terror ensure Steven Spielberg’s ‘Jaws’ has set a benchmark in the art of delivering modern blockbuster thrills.
When a young woman is killed by a shark while skinny-dipping near the New England tourist town of Amity Island, police chief Martin Brody (Roy Scheider) wants to close the beaches, but mayor Larry Vaughn (Murray Hamilton) overrules him, fearing that the loss of tourist revenue will cripple the town. Ichthyologist Matt Hooper (Richard Dreyfuss) and grizzled ship captain Quint (Robert Shaw) offer to help Brody capture the killer beast, and the trio engage in an epic battle of man vs. nature.
‘Jaws’ is rated at 8.0 on IMDB, with a 98% average audience score on Rotten Tomatoes.
Nights-out are great, but fright-nights are way more epic. If you love the thrill of getting spooked, get started with your halloween movie marathon now . recover files on word Happy Halloween!
