My Top Horror Movies
by monkeyscreams | created - 13 Aug 2011 | updated - 09 Dec 2011 | PublicMy favorite horror movies in chronological order. English is not my native language, so bear with me.
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1. Peeping Tom (1960)
Not Rated | 101 min | Drama, Horror, Thriller
A young man murders women, using a movie camera to film their dying expressions of terror.
Director: Michael Powell | Stars: Karlheinz Böhm, Anna Massey, Moira Shearer, Maxine Audley
Votes: 39,224 | Gross: $0.08M
Captures the very essence of horror film making: fear.
2. Black Sunday (1960)
Approved | 87 min | Horror
A vengeful witch and her fiendish servant return from the grave and begin a bloody campaign to possess the body of the witch's beautiful look-alike descendant.
Director: Mario Bava | Stars: Barbara Steele, John Richardson, Andrea Checchi, Ivo Garrani
Votes: 17,579
Mario Bava was an extraordinary filmmaker and his influence on modern day directors is huge imo. La maschera del demonio is a wonderful Gothic movie that hasn't lost its power after more than six decades.
3. Repulsion (1965)
Not Rated | 105 min | Drama, Horror, Thriller
A sex-repulsed woman who disapproves of her sister's boyfriend sinks into depression and has horrific visions of rape and violence.
Director: Roman Polanski | Stars: Catherine Deneuve, Ian Hendry, John Fraser, Yvonne Furneaux
Votes: 57,255
Early work by the great Polanski. A study of a disturbed mind. Catharine Deneuve is beautiful as ever, but that doesn't really help her...
4. A Lizard in a Woman's Skin (1971)
Not Rated | 95 min | Mystery, Thriller
The potentially unhinged daughter of a British politician is accused of killing her hedonistic neighbor after she witnesses the murder in a dream.
Director: Lucio Fulci | Stars: Florinda Bolkan, Stanley Baker, Jean Sorel, Silvia Monti
Votes: 5,785
Lucio Fulci is best known for his Romero rip-off Zombi 2 (1979, AKA Zombie Flesh Eaters), but this one is a lot better. Many memorable scenes like the dream sequence at the start of the movie and the grotesque dog sequence somewhere in the middle. Also check The Beyond and House by the Cemetery.
5. Deep Red (1975)
R | 127 min | Horror, Mystery, Thriller
A jazz pianist and a wisecracking journalist are pulled into a complex web of mystery after the former witnesses the brutal murder of a psychic.
Director: Dario Argento | Stars: David Hemmings, Daria Nicolodi, Gabriele Lavia, Macha Méril
Votes: 42,606
In my opinion Dario Argento is one of greatest directors ever, and Profondo Rosso proves this. Every minute of this film is beautifully shot, like a symphony of images. The music score by Goblin is amazing, with or without the film.
6. Footprints on the Moon (1975)
Not Rated | 90 min | Horror, Mystery, Thriller
After being tormented by dreams about astronauts on the moon, a translator visits a deserted seaside town whose inhabitants know her, although she does not know them.
Directors: Luigi Bazzoni, Mario Fanelli | Stars: Florinda Bolkan, Peter McEnery, Nicoletta Elmi, Caterina Boratto
Votes: 2,503
Weird movie with an astonishing atmosphere and a very, very strange story. Highly recommended if you're into these sort of things. Check out the Shameless release.
7. Who Can Kill a Child? (1976)
R | 112 min | Horror, Mystery, Thriller
A couple of English tourists arrive on an island where all the children have gone crazy and are murdering the adults.
Director: Narciso Ibáñez Serrador | Stars: Lewis Fiander, Prunella Ransome, Antonio Iranzo, Miguel Narros
Votes: 8,024
8. Martin (1977)
R | 95 min | Drama, Horror
A young man, who believes himself to be a vampire, goes to live with his elderly and hostile cousin in a Pennsylvania small town where he tries to redeem his blood-craving urges.
Director: George A. Romero | Stars: John Amplas, Lincoln Maazel, Christine Forrest, Elyane Nadeau
Votes: 12,588 | Gross: $0.10M
9. Eraserhead (1977)
Not Rated | 89 min | Fantasy, Horror
Henry Spencer tries to survive his industrial environment, his angry girlfriend, and the unbearable screams of his newly born mutant child.
Director: David Lynch | Stars: Jack Nance, Charlotte Stewart, Allen Joseph, Jeanne Bates
Votes: 127,370 | Gross: $7.00M
10. Suspiria (1977)
R | 92 min | Horror
An American newcomer to a prestigious German ballet academy comes to realize that the school is a front for something sinister amid a series of grisly murders.
Director: Dario Argento | Stars: Jessica Harper, Stefania Casini, Flavio Bucci, Miguel Bosé
Votes: 105,342
11. Alien (1979)
R | 117 min | Horror, Sci-Fi
The crew of a commercial spacecraft encounters a deadly lifeform after investigating a mysterious transmission of unknown origin.
Director: Ridley Scott | Stars: Sigourney Weaver, Tom Skerritt, John Hurt, Veronica Cartwright
Votes: 949,748 | Gross: $78.90M
It is the cinematography that appeals me most. But also the sound design, acting, the sets.
12. The Brood (1979)
R | 92 min | Horror, Sci-Fi
A man tries to uncover an unconventional psychologist's therapy techniques on his institutionalized wife, amidst a series of brutal murders.
Director: David Cronenberg | Stars: Oliver Reed, Samantha Eggar, Art Hindle, Henry Beckman
Votes: 34,289
13. The Night of the Hunted (1980)
Not Rated | 92 min | Drama, Horror, Mystery
Futuristic asylum residents in a skyscraper suffer insanity, amnesia. Blank-eyed inmates roam halls of "Black Tower" as tension escalates and bodies pile up.
Director: Jean Rollin | Stars: Brigitte Lahaie, Alain Duclos, Dominique Journet, Bernard Papineau
Votes: 2,091
Mmmh, Jean Rollin. Weird filmmaker, is it art or just plain silly? The dance scene outside the building is hilarious, so are the gun skills of the girl... But hey, it's a film. And somehow Rollin's atmosphere is unique and makes it a worthwhile watch. This is one of his best efforts, but he also made one of the worst films ever: Zombie Lake!
14. The Shining (1980)
R | 146 min | Drama, Horror
A family heads to an isolated hotel for the winter where a sinister presence influences the father into violence, while his psychic son sees horrific forebodings from both past and future.
Director: Stanley Kubrick | Stars: Jack Nicholson, Shelley Duvall, Danny Lloyd, Scatman Crothers
Votes: 1,105,629 | Gross: $44.02M
Just perfect. Once you've seen it, you'll never forget it. Based on a Stephen King novel (read it now!). The music features Bartok and Ligeti, two of my favorite composers. Bartok *and* Ligeti, wow!
15. Phenomena (1985)
R | 116 min | Crime, Horror, Mystery
A young girl who has an amazing ability to communicate with insects is transferred to an exclusive Swiss boarding school, where her unusual capability might help solve a string of murders.
Director: Dario Argento | Stars: Jennifer Connelly, Donald Pleasence, Daria Nicolodi, Dalila Di Lazzaro
Votes: 30,024
16. Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer (1986)
Unrated | 83 min | Biography, Crime, Drama
Arriving in Chicago, Henry moves in with ex-con acquaintance Otis and starts schooling him in the ways of the serial killer.
Director: John McNaughton | Stars: Michael Rooker, Tracy Arnold, Tom Towles, Mary Demas
Votes: 40,409 | Gross: $0.61M
A very disturbing movie. Michael Rooker *is* Henry, one of the best performances ever in a movie.
17. Tetsuo: The Iron Man (1989)
Not Rated | 67 min | Horror, Sci-Fi
A businessman accidentally kills The Metal Fetishist, who gets his revenge by slowly turning the man into a grotesque hybrid of flesh and rusty metal.
Director: Shin'ya Tsukamoto | Stars: Tomorô Taguchi, Kei Fujiwara, Nobu Kanaoka, Shin'ya Tsukamoto
Votes: 25,902
Sit down and watch this movie. Open your mind and you'll be amazed.
18. Cronos (1992)
R | 94 min | Drama, Fantasy, Horror
A mysterious device designed to provide its owner with eternal life resurfaces after four hundred years, leaving a trail of destruction in its path.
Director: Guillermo del Toro | Stars: Federico Luppi, Ron Perlman, Claudio Brook, Margarita Isabel
Votes: 33,106 | Gross: $0.62M
19. Audition (1999)
R | 115 min | Drama, Horror, Mystery
A widower takes an offer to screen girls at a special audition, arranged for him by a friend to find him a new wife. The one he fancies is not who she appears to be after all.
Director: Takashi Miike | Stars: Ryo Ishibashi, Eihi Shiina, Tetsu Sawaki, Jun Kunimura
Votes: 89,177
Cold as ice, this one.
20. Oldboy (2003)
R | 120 min | Action, Drama, Mystery
After being kidnapped and imprisoned for fifteen years, Oh Dae-Su is released, only to find that he must track down his captor in five days.
Director: Park Chan-wook | Stars: Choi Min-sik, Yoo Ji-tae, Kang Hye-jeong, Kim Byeong-Ok
Votes: 635,258 | Gross: $0.71M
21. A Tale of Two Sisters (2003)
R | 114 min | Drama, Horror, Mystery
After being institutionalized in a mental hospital, Su-mi reunites with her sister, Su-yeon, and they return to live at their country home. But strange events plague the house, leading to surprising revelations and a shocking conclusion.
Director: Jee-woon Kim | Stars: Lim Soo-jung, Yum Jung-ah, Kim Kap-su, Moon Geun-young
Votes: 68,244
This film boils down to "what is reality?". A beautiful film accompanied by a delicate musical score. Absolutely one of my favorites, and somehow connected to Repulsion on this list.
22. REC (2007)
R | 78 min | Horror, Mystery, Thriller
A television reporter and cameraman follow emergency workers into a dark apartment building and are quickly locked inside with something terrifying.
Directors: Jaume Balagueró, Paco Plaza | Stars: Manuela Velasco, Ferran Terraza, Jorge-Yamam Serrano, Pablo Rosso
Votes: 196,458
23. Funny Games (2007)
R | 111 min | Crime, Drama, Thriller
Two psychopathic young men take a family hostage in their cabin.
Director: Michael Haneke | Stars: Naomi Watts, Tim Roth, Michael Pitt, Brady Corbet
Votes: 103,786 | Gross: $1.29M
Haneke is probably one of the best directors. Very precise directing, no compromise.
24. The Orphanage (2007)
R | 105 min | Drama, Horror, Mystery
A woman brings her family back to her childhood home, which used to be an orphanage for handicapped children. Before long, her son starts to communicate with an invisible new friend.
Director: J.A. Bayona | Stars: Belén Rueda, Fernando Cayo, Roger Príncep, Mabel Rivera
Votes: 163,554 | Gross: $7.16M
A beautiful movie with great performances.
25. Eden Lake (2008)
R | 91 min | Horror, Thriller
Refusing to let anything spoil their romantic weekend break, a young couple confront a gang of loutish youths with terrifyingly brutal consequences.
Director: James Watkins | Stars: Kelly Reilly, Michael Fassbender, Tara Ellis, Jack O'Connell
Votes: 94,776 | Gross: $0.01M
Horror is just around the corner. An instant classic, this one.
26. Martyrs (2008)
R | 99 min | Horror
A young woman's quest for revenge against the people who kidnapped and tormented her as a child leads her and a friend, who is also a victim of child abuse, on a terrifying journey into a living hell of depravity.
Director: Pascal Laugier | Stars: Morjana Alaoui, Mylène Jampanoï, Catherine Bégin, Robert Toupin
Votes: 106,321
The torture scenes are terrible. This movie is very hard to watch, and I nearly switched it off. But the ending and the plot is truly amazing. Very provocative, but also beautiful. And that makes a great horror movie.
27. Antichrist (2009)
Not Rated | 108 min | Drama, Horror, Thriller
A grieving couple retreat to their cabin in the woods, hoping to repair their broken hearts and troubled marriage, but nature takes its course and things go from bad to worse.
Director: Lars von Trier | Stars: Willem Dafoe, Charlotte Gainsbourg, Storm Acheche Sahlstrøm
Votes: 136,460 | Gross: $0.40M
A rather nasty little flick. A return to horror by Lars von Trier.
28. Amer (2009)
Not Rated | 90 min | Drama, Horror, Mystery
As a young girl Ana was a rebellious child. She was also tormented by images of death and a shadowy, ominous figure in black. Now an adult, she is once again tormented by shadowy, other-worldly forms.
Directors: Hélène Cattet, Bruno Forzani | Stars: Cassandra Forêt, Charlotte Eugène Guibeaud, Marie Bos, Biancamaria D'Amato
Votes: 6,570
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