It’s the Scariest Things Mount Rushhorror! The Top 500 Horror Films of All Time await you.
Congratulations, you have found The Top 500 Horror Films of All Time! So, have you seen a good horror movie lately? Let this be your starting point for your late-night horror marathon selections!
This is a comprehensive list of recommendations for our favorite horror films. We have expanded upon our Top 100 films from 2018, having brought in many more jurors for this effort. Several years ago, there was a fantastic website that had a master list of their greatest horror films. Mike Campbell and I used that list as a reference to make sure we were catching all the essentials. Unfortunately, that site and list is gone. So, we intended to create a proper horror movie reference guide for those looking for a good horror movie. And here we are now, with the big list ready for you to use and peruse.
When creating this list, we selected a committee of expert jurors to participate in creating this list. Our jury includes film directors, festival directors, fellow podcasters, and ride-or-die horror movie fans all contributing their top 25 lists. Finally, after all the ballots were counted, these weighted lists delivered over 500 movies for us to compile.
Check out our post that describes the voting selections to see how “The Sausage Gets Made”. In that post, we listed every voting ballot. We are a very open book here at the Scariest Things! Also, if you want to hear more about our thoughts on the big list, you have a couple of options. You can listen to our Podcast breakdowns linked below. Or, instead, you can go to your streaming browser and find these episodes.
Consider that our list spans the decades from the 1920s to Current releases up to 2022. Over a hundred year’s worth of films to pick from. There are, of course, a few movies that we wish made it into the TOP 100, but that’s just quibbling. Of course, that’s just one of the reasons why we have expanded our big list from 100 to 500 films.
I think it would be fair to guess that NOBODY has seen all 500 of these films. Odds are that very few of you have seen the full TOP 100. But that’s why we have the list. If you’re looking for something good to stream, browse the list. We are certain that there’s something here that just might scare you!
A recommendation: This list is much easier to review using a tablet, laptop, or desktop computer. You may find that the phone version graphics of the list gets a little choppy looking. We broke the list into sets of 10 so it’s easier for you to browse. Let us know what you think at [email protected].
Where is your favorite horror movie ranked? What movie ranking surprises you the most? Do you have a film that for some reason is NOT on the list? Of course, the beauty of these rankings is the debate. And now, without further ado, here we go!
1-50
Title
Year
From
1
The Thing
1982
USA
2
The Shining
1980
USA
3
Alien
1979
UK
4
Halloween
1978
USA
5
The Exorcist
1973
USA
6
Jaws
1975
USA
7
The Texas Chainsaw Massacre
1974
USA
8
An American Werewolf in London
1981
UK
9
Evil Dead 2: Dead by Dawn
1987
USA
10
A Nightmare on Elm Street
1984
USA
11
Scream
1996
USA
12
Dawn of the Dead
1978
USA
13
The Blair Witch Project
1999
USA
14
Rosemary’s Baby
1968
USA
15
Psycho
1960
USA
16
Get Out
2017
USA
17
Night of the Living Dead
1968
USA
18
The Fly
1986
CAN
19
Suspiria
1977
ITA
20
The Cabin in the Woods
2011
USA
21
28 Days Later
2002
UK
22
Shaun of the Dead
2004
UK
23
Poltergeist
1982
USA
24
The Silence of the Lambs
1991
USA
25
Hereditary
2018
USA
26
The Witch
2015
USA
27
Return of the Living Dead
1985
USA
28
Let the Right One In
2008
SWE
29
Re-Animator
1985
USA
30
The Ring
2002
USA
31
The Evil Dead
1981
USA
32
It Follows
2014
USA
33
Train to Busan
2016
KOR
34
Hausu
1977
JPN
35
Martyrs
2008
FRA
36
Phantasm
1979
USA
37
Se7en
1995
USA
38
The Babadook
2014
AUS
39
Aliens
1986
USA
40
The Conjuring
2013
USA
41
The Lost Boys
1987
USA
42
Hellraiser
1987
USA
43
The Descent
2005
USA
44
A Quiet Place
2018
USA
45
The Exorcist III
1990
USA
46
[REC]
2007
ESP
47
The Omen
1976
USA
48
Invasion of the Body Snatchers
1977
USA
49
Tucker and Dale vs. Evil
2010
USA
50
Fright Night
1985
USA
51-100
51
Creepshow
1982
USA
52
Day of the Dead
1985
USA
53
Gremlins
1984
USA
54
Army of Darkness
1992
USA
55
Audition
1999
JPN
56
The Wicker Man
1975
UK
57
Bride of Frankenstein
1935
USA
58
Trick R’ Treat
2007
USA
59
Ringu
1998
JPN
60
Friday the 13th VI: Jason Lives
1986
USA
61
Godzilla
1954
JPN
62
Friday the 13th
1981
USA
63
What We do in the Shadows
2014
NZL
64
Saint Maud
2019
UK
65
Saw
2004
USA
66
In the Mouth of Madness
1994
USA
67
The Amityville Horror
1979
USA
68
Insidious
2010
USA
69
Event Horizon
1997
USA
70
The Monster Squad
1987
USA
71
The Changeling
1980
USA
72
Creature from the Black Lagoon
1954
USA
73
Candyman
1992
USA
74
The Autopsy of Jane Doe
2016
USA
75
Paranormal Activity
2007
USA
76
The Sixth Sense
1999
USA
77
Misery
1990
USA
78
Carrie
1976
USA
79
Bram Stoker’s Dracula
1992
USA
80
The Burbs
1989
USA
81
Blue Velvet
1986
USA
82
Curse of the Demon
1957
UK
83
Halloween 3: Season of the Witch
1982
USA
84
Eraserhead
1977
USA
85
The Fog
1980
USA
86
Ju-On (The Grudge)
2002
JPN
87
Under the Skin
2013
UK
88
Nosferatu
1922
GER
89
Zombieland
2009
USA
90
Inside
2007
FRA
91
House of the Devil
2009
USA
92
Pet Semetary
1989
USA
93
Hellraiser 2: Hellbound
1988
USA
94
Session 9
2001
USA
95
The Mist
2007
USA
96
Frailty
2001
USA
97
The Haunting
1963
UK
98
Midsommar
2019
USA
99
Noroi (The Curse)
2005
JPN
100
Eyes Without a Face
1960
USA
101-150
101
You’re Next
USA
102
Beetlejuice
1988
USA
103
Behind the Mask: Rise of Leslie Vernon
2006
USA
104
Santa Sangre
2000
MEX
105
Ginger Snaps
2000
CAN
106
King Kong
1933
USA
107
Don’t Look Now
1973
UK
108
Raw
2016
FRA
109
The Birds
1963
USA
110
Zombi 2 (Zombie)
1979
ITA
111
Burnt Offerings
1976
USA
112
Goodnight Mommy
2014
AUT
113
Friday the 13th IV: The Final Chapter
1984
USA
114
The Invitation
2015
USA
115
Bride of Chucky
1998
USA
116
Dracula
1931
USA
117
Hostel
2006
USA
118
Black Christmas
1974
USA
119
Pan’s Labyrinth
2007
MEX
120
Twins of Evil
2009
UK
121
Drag Me to Hell
2009
USA
122
It
2017
USA
123
Profondo Rosso (Deep Red)
1975
ITA
124
Annihilation
2018
USA
125
The Brood
1979
CAN
126
Sinister
2012
USA
127
Final Destination
2000
USA
128
Coraline
2009
USA
129
A Tale of Two Sisters
2003
KOR
130
Hell Night
1981
USA
131
The Strangers
2008
USA
132
The Legend of Hell House
1973
USA
133
Videodrome
1983
CAN
134
Altered States
1980
USA
135
Green Room
2016
USA
136
The Innocents
1961
UK
137
Twin Peaks: Fire Walk With Me
1992
USA
138
Kill List
2011
UK
139
Troll Hunter
2010
SWE
140
Let’s Scare Jessica to Death
1971
USA
141
Salem’s Lot
1979
USA
142
Dead Alive (Braindead)
1993
NZL
143
Frankenstein
1931
USA
144
Repulsion
1965
UK
145
The Wailing
2016
KOR
146
Dead Ringers
1988
CAN
147
Baskin
2016
TUR
148
Child’s Play
1988
USA
149
The Blob
1988
USA
150
The Frighteners
1996
NZL
151-200
151
The Ritual
2018
UK
152
Us
2019
USA
153
Nightmare on Elm Street3:Dream Warriors
1987
USA
154
Kairo (Pulse)
2001
JPN
155
Vargtimmen (Hour of the Wolf)
1968
SWE
156
Near Dark
1987
USA
157
Dr. Caligari
1989
USA
158
The Mummy
1932
USA
159
From Dusk Til Dawn
1996
USA
160
Thi13en Ghosts
2001
USA
161
Demons
1985
ITA
162
Interview with the Vampire
1994
USA
163
Spooky Encounters
1980
HK
164
Pieces
1983
ESP
165
The Exorcism of Emily Rose
2005
USA
166
The Haunting of Julia
1976
CAN
167
The Stepfather
1987
USA
168
Dr. Sleep
2019
USA
169
Lord of Illusions
1995
USA
170
Lovely Molly
2112
USA
171
Quatermass and the Pit
1968
UK
172
Slugs
1988
USA
173
The Convent
2000
USA
174
The Ninth Gate
2000
FRA
175
Who Could Kill a Child?
1976
ITA
176
The Devils
1971
UK
177
Ghostbusters
1984
USA
178
The Rocky Horror Picture Show
1975
USA
179
Alice, Sweet Alice
1976
USA
180
As Above, So Below
2014
FRA
181
Mandy
2018
USA
182
The Gate
1987
USA
183
The Pact
1977
USA
184
Cure
1997
JPN
185
Amityville 2: The Possession
1982
USA
186
Split
2017
USA
187
Ravenous
1999
USA
188
Starry Eyes
2014
USA
189
City of the Living Dead
1983
ITA
190
House of Wax
2005
USA
191
Buffy the Vampire Slayer
1992
USA
192
Tarantula
1956
USA
193
Host
2020
USA
194
Horror Of Dracula
1958
UK
195
Poltergeist 2
1986
USA
196
The Devil’s Backbone
2001
MEX
197
The Hitcher
1986
USA
198
The People Under the Stairs
1991
USA
199
Carnival of Souls
1962
USA
200
My Bloody Valentine
1981
USA
201-250
201
The Abominable Doctor Phibes
1971
UK
202
Night of the Comet
1984
USA
203
1408
2007
USA
204
Black Sunday
1960
ITA
205
Black Swan
2010
USA
206
The Company of Wolves
1984
UK
207
Invasion of the Body Snatchers
1956
USA
208
Scream 2
1997
USA
209
Death Proof
2007
USA
210
Silent Hill
2006
USA
211
Return of Godzilla
1984
JPN
212
Tremors
1990
USA
213
Wes Craven’s New Nightmare
1994
USA
214
The Dunwich Horror
1970
USA
215
Valerie and her Week of Wonders
1970
CZE
216
Scarecrows
1980
USA
217
Hounds of Love
2017
AUS
218
Wake in Fright
1971
AUS
219
Welcome to Mercy
2018
USA
220
The Crawling Eye
1956
UK
221
Ready or Not
2019
USA
222
The Skin I Live In
2011
ESP
223
It
1990
USA
224
Killer Klowns from Outer Space
1988
USA
225
Phantasm II
1988
USA
226
The Happiness of the Katakuris
2001
JPN
227
White Coffin
2016
ARG
228
Undocumented
2010
USA
229
Kill Baby Kill
1983
ITA
230
Sole Survivor
1984
USA
231
Shivers
1975
CAN
232
The Broken
2008
UK
233
Psycho Goreman
2020
USA
234
The Stepfather 2
1989
USA
235
The Legend of Boggy Creek
1972
USA
236
Possession
1981
FRA
237
Sleepy Hollow
1999
USA
238
Kwaidan
1964
JPN
239
Bloody Hell
2020
AUS
240
Christine
1983
USA
241
Children of the Corn
1984
USA
242
The Phantom of the Paradise
1974
USA
243
Piranha
1978
USA
244
Creepshow 2
1987
USA
245
The Fearless Vampire Killers
1967
UK
246
Pumpkinhead
1988
USA
247
A Mata Negra (The Black Forest)
2018
BRA
248
Night of the Demons
1988
USA
249
Wolf Cop
2014
CAN
250
The Prowler
2014
USA
251-300
251
Prometheus
2012
USA
252
The Texas Chainsaw Massacre Part 2
1986
USA
253
Oculus
2006
USA
254
Climax
2018
FRA
255
Suspiria
2018
ITA
256
Battle Royale
2000
JPN
257
Basket Case
1982
USA
258
X
2022
USA
259
The Others
2001
ESP
260
V/H/S 2
2013
USA
261
Ichi The Killer
2001
JPN
262
Arachnophobia
1990
USA
263
World War Z
2013
USA
264
Frontiere(s)
2007
FRA
265
Mother!
2017
USA
266
Madman
1981
USA
267
The Monster that Challenged the World
1957
USA
268
The Last House on the Left
1972
USA
269
Hocus Pocus
1993
USA
270
Incident in a Ghost Land
2018
CAN
271
The Tenant
1976
FRA
272
Bone Tomahawk
2015
USA
273
Veronica
2017
ESP
274
Wind Chill
2007
USA
275
Blood of the Vampire
1958
UK
276
The Conjuring 2
2016
USA
277
Ms. 45
1981
USA
278
Terror Creatures from the Grave
1965
ITA
279
Mimesis
2011
USA
280
Suicide Club
2001
JPN
281
Funny Games
1996
AUT
282
Messiah of Evil
1973
USA
283
The Vanishing
1988
NED
284
Tales from the Crypt
1972
USA
285
Angel Heart
1987
USA
286
She Who Must Burn
2015
CAN
287
Young Frankenstein
1975
USA
288
War of the Gargantuas
1964
JPN
289
Maniac
2012
USA
290
Cube
1997
CAN
291
Apostle
2018
UK
292
Rare Exports: A Christmas Tale
2010
SWE
293
The Borderlands
2013
UK
294
From Beyond
1986
USA
295
Halloween H2O
1998
USA
296
Sweetie, You Won’t Believe It
2020
KAZ
297
First Born
2016
UK
298
Curse of the Crying Woman
1963
MEX
299
The Night Stalker
1972
USA
300
Take Shelter
2011
USA
301-350
301
Apostle
2018
UK
302
The Borderlands (Final Prayer)
2013
UK
303
She Who Must Burn
2015
CAN
304
The Lighthouse
2019
USA
305
Maniac
1980
USA
306
House on Haunted Hill
1959
USA
307
Paranorman
2012
USA
308
The Black Cat
1934
USA
309
Contracted
2013
USA
310
The Nightmare Before Christmas
1993
USA
311
Plague of the Zombies
1966
UK
312
The Uninvited
1944
USA
313
The Night Strangler
1973
USA
314
Hellbender
2021
USA
315
Antichrist
2009
DEN
316
The Sentinel
2006
USA
317
High Tension
2001
FRA
318
The Blackcoat’s Daughter
2015
CAN
319
Dog Soldiers
2002
UK
320
The House on Haunted Hill
1999
USA
321
The Masque of Red Death
1964
USA
322
Inferno
1980
ITA
323
Lake Mungo
2008
AUS
324
Predator
1987
USA
325
Overlord
2018
USA
326
The Orphanage
2007
ESP
327
The Thing From Another World
1951
USA
328
They Live
1988
USA
329
Jacob’s Ladder
1990
USA
330
Shock Waves
1977
USA
331
Tigers Are Not Afraid
2019
MEX
332
Lair of the White Worm
1988
UK
333
Cat O’ Nine Tales
1971
ITA
334
Henry, Portrait of a Serial Killer
1986
USA
335
The Void
2016
CAN
336
The Hunger
1983
UK
337
The Witchfinder General
1968
UK
338
Silent Night, Deadly Night
1984
USA
339
Hell House LLC
2015
USA
340
Crimson Peak
2015
USA
341
Bliss
2019
USA
342
Curse of the Doll People
1961
MEX
343
Tetsuo, The Iron Man
1989
JPN
344
The Spine of Night
2021
USA
345
The Girl With All the Gifts
2016
UK
346
Anna and the Apocalypse
2017
USA
347
Little Shop of Horrors
1986
USA
348
The Cabinet of Doctor Caligari
1922
GER
349
The Feast
2021
UK
350
Tenebrae
1982
ITA
351-400
351
Triangle
2009
AUS
352
The Shrine
2010
CAN
353
Child’s Play 2
1990
USA
354
Stagefright
1987
ITA
355
The Boxer’s Omen
1983
HNK
356
The Howling
1981
USA
357
The Transfiguration
2016
USA
358
Flesh for Frankenstein in 3D
1973
USA
359
The Evil Dead
2013
USA
360
The Last Will and Testament of Rosalind Leigh
2012
CAN
361
Child’s Play 3
1991
USA
362
The Handmaiden
2016
KOR
363
The Wicker Tree
2011
UK
364
Trouble Every Day
2001
FRA
365
Tesis
1996
ESP
366
Gargoyles
1972
USA
367
Cabin Fever
2002
USA
368
Diabolique
1955
FRA
369
REPO: The Genetic Opera
2008
USA
370
Attack the Block
2011
UK
371
Absentia
2011
USA
372
Puppet Master
1989
USA
373
C.H.U.D.
1984
USA
374
Mayhem
2017
USA
375
Alucarda
1977
USA
376
Blood Rage
1987
USA
377
The Loved Ones
2009
AUS
378
Fiend Without a Face
1957
UK
379
Dead Silence
2007
USA
380
The Wolf Man
1941
USA
381
I’ll Drink Your Blood
1971
USA
382
A Quiet Place Part 2
2021
USA
383
Open Water
2003
USA
384
Pontypool
2008
CAN
385
The Screw Fly Solution (Masters of Horror)
2002
USA
386
Anthropophagus
1980
ITA
387
Ab-Normal Beauty
2004
HNK
388
Excision
2012
USA
389
The Burning
1981
USA
390
It Comes at Night
2017
USA
391
Maneater of Hydra (Island of the Doomed)
1967
GER
392
Dead End
2003
FRA
393
Vampire’s Kiss
1988
USA
394
Duel
1971
USA
395
Mars Attacks!
1996
USA
396
Antlers
2022
USA
397
Cloverfield
2008
USA
398
Deathgasm
2015
NZL
399
Day of the Triffids
1963
UK
400
Happy Death Day
2017
USA
401-450
401
Race with the Devil
1975
USA
402
House
1985
USA
403
The Dead Zone
1983
CAN
404
When a Stranger Calls
1979
USA
405
Incident on and off a Mountain Road
2005
USA
406
The Fearless Vampire Killers
1967
UK
407
House of 1000 Corpses
2003
USA
408
Red State
2011
USA
409
This House Possessed
1981
USA
410
Dead Birds
2004
USA
411
Parents
1989
USA
412
The Funhouse
1981
USA
413
Michael Jackson’s Thriller
1983
USA
414
Cannibal Holocaust
1980
ITA
415
Hatchet
2006
USA
416
Bad Taste
1987
NZL
417
Night of the Hunter
1955
USA
418
Frozen
2010
USA
419
Splinter
2008
USA
420
One Cut of the Dead
2019
JPN
421
The Blood on Satan’s Claw
1971
UK
422
The Love Witch
2016
USA
423
The Toxic Avenger
1984
USA
424
The Curse of Frankenstein
1957
UK
425
The Burrowers
2008
USA
426
Friday the 13th Part III in 3D
1982
USA
427
The Hand that Rocks the Cradle
1992
USA
428
The Invisible Man
2020
USA
429
The Host
2006
KOR
430
Uzumaki (Spiral)
2000
JPN
431
The Final Girls
2015
USA
432
St John’s Wort
2001
JPN
433
The Human Centipede: First Sequence
2009
USA
434
Mill of the Stone Woman
1960
ITA
435
Hiruko the Goblin
1991
JPN
436
Slither
2006
USA
437
The Ruins
2008
USA
438
The Purge
2013
USA
439
Ghost Story
1981
UK
440
NightBreed
1990
USA
441
The Tingler
1959
USA
442
Love and Monsters
2020
USA
443
Rawhead Rex
1986
USA
444
The Fourth Kind
2009
USA
445
The Village
2004
USA
446
The Woman in Black
2012
UK
447
[REC] 3: Genesis
2003
ESP
448
Cat’s Eye
1985
USA
449
Dracula Has Risen from the Grave
1968
UK
450
Krampus
2015
USA
451-500
Note: Selections 472-500 are additions that were not voted in. There were a number of non-horror movies that were in some cases close but not quite qualifying as horror films (Particularly the David Lynch Catalog) and some were obviously NOT horror: (Forrest Gump and Apocalypse Now). IMDB is a handy resource in identifying whether a movie could be considered horror, and they are pretty generous. Consider the last 28 films in the list as honorable mentions. Films that probably should have been included, and were added in by the Scariest Things Editorial selection… plus Zombeavers, because we couldn’t resist.
451
Vacancy
2007
USA
452
Dagon
2001
ESP
453
The Church
1989
ITA
454
V/H/S
2112
USA
455
Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein
1948
USA
456
Frankenhooker
1990
USA
457
Kong: Skull Island
2018
USA
458
Promising Young Woman
2021
USA
459
The Call of Cthulhu
2005
USA
460
Turistas
2006
USA
461
Friday the 13th Part 2
1981
USA
462
Mama
2013
CAN
463
Pandora’s Box
1929
GER
464
All Monsters Attack
1969
JPN
465
Baxter
1989
FRA
466
The Nameless
1999
ESP
467
Doctor Blood’s Coffin
1961
UK
468
Father’s Day
2011
USA
469
Fear Inc.
2016
USA
470
Doomsday
1008
UK
471
Willy’s Wonderland
2021
USA
472*
Freaks
1932
USA
473*
Contagion
2011
USA
474*
Wait Until Dark
1967
USA
475*
Motel Hell
1980
USA
476*
Cujo
1983
USA
477*
Peeping Tom
1960
UK
478*
The Hills Have Eyes
1977
USA
479*
Dawn of the Dead
2004
USA
480*
The Island of Lost Souls
1932
USA
481*
Mothra
1961
JPN
482*
Aterrados (Terrified)
2017
ARG
483*
Monkey Shines
1988
USA
484*
Cat People
1984
USA
485*
Spider Baby
1967
USA
486*
The Relic
1997
USA
487*
Revenge
2019
FRA
488*
It’s Alive
1974
USA
489*
Straw Dogs
1971
UK
490*
Wolf Creek
2005
AUS
491*
Satan’s Slaves
2018
IDO
492*
Bay of Blood (Twitch of the Death Nerve)
1971
ITA
493*
The Platform
2019
ESP
494*
Scanners
1981
CAN
495*
Terrifier
2016
USA
496*
Hush
2016
USA
497*
The Lodge
2019
USA
498*
The Stuff
1985
USA
499*
Barbarian
2022
USA
500*
Zombeavers
2014
USA
Richard Jenkins at the Big Board in Cabin in the Woods (Almost like how wed made this list…)