Horror Films Everyone Should See At Least Once
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One of the best things about the horror genre is that there is something for everyone. To be honest, though, that can also be one of the worst things about the genre. Because there are so many films that fall into hundreds of subgenres, it can get overwhelming trying to figure out what you should watch. I have compiled a list of the ten horror films that I think everyone should see at least once. I have also included where you can watch them to hopefully make it a bit easier when choosing your next movie for movie night. (Side note: After finishing this article, I watched The Autopsy of Jane Doe on Netflix, and it definitely belongs somewhere on this list. If you want to watch one of the most fascinating and unique horror films of all time, then you need to check this one out!)
10. 'The Shining' (1980)
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The Shining should be on everyone's list of horror movies to see in their lifetime. The film is a masterpiece of writing, directing, and cinematography. Although there is a lot of controversy around the making of the film and the treatment of Shelley Duvall, it is still a film that needs to be seen. Jack Nicholson is a genius in this film with his portrayal of a man slowly losing his mind, and the ending of the film is one of the greatest twists in horror.
The Shining is available to rent on Amazon Prime.
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9. 'The Others' (2001)
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I feel like this is a film that most horror fans know of but many people haven’t seen. The film itself isn’t why I put it on the list. Nicole Kidman is phenomenal in this, and the cinematography is stunning, but the best thing about this film is the twist. You will never see it coming, and once you know the twist, you can’t help but want to watch it again to see what you missed. This is one of the few films where knowing the twist makes the second watch better because it completely changes the film and every shadow you see on the wall.
The Others is available to rent on Amazon Prime.
8. 'Poltergeist' (1982)
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Poltergeist is a classic, and for good reason. It is one of the best supernatural horror films of all time. You can watch this movie a hundred times and never get tired of it or get used to the jump-scares. The acting in this film is the best thing about it because you feel the fear that the family is feeling. The actors went above and beyond with their portrayals of the family and the scientists who came in to help. I would definitely recommend skipping the sequel, though, because it is horrible.
Poltergeist is available to rent on Amazon Prime.
7. 'Jaws' (1975)
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I do not consider Jaws a horror film because I love sharks, but I know that it technically is one, so I had to put it on this list. This film not only had a massive impact on the film industry by reigniting fans’ love of creature features, but it also changed the world. Unfortunately, the film led to many people becoming terrified of sharks and many sharks being murdered because of the film. However, the film also inspired many fans to become marine biologists, and it is one of the reasons that we have so many shark scientists today. The shark in this film is one of the best things about it because they chose to use an animatronic representation rather than CGI, which added to the scare factor of the film.
Jaws is available to stream on Netflix.
6. 'A Nightmare On Elm Street' (1984)
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A Nightmare on Elm Street is a classic for a reason. This film has everything you could want in a horror film and more. Robert Englund is a master at his craft, and when you put him and Wes Craven together, you are guaranteed to have a good time. Freddy is a terrifying villain, but the best thing about him is his one-liners. They always hit at just the right moment, and they add dark humor to the otherwise horrifying scene.
A Nightmare on Elm Street is available to rent on Amazon Prime.
5. 'Trick ‘r Treat' (2007)
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Trick ‘r Treat is one of the best horror films I have ever seen! It is structured like an anthology but strays away from that structure at the end of the film when it shows you how every single story is connected. The main character, Sam, is so cute and terrifying, but what makes him so great is that he never speaks! You form a bond with this character without ever hearing a word from him. The casting for this film is also spectacular, and it has just the right amount of jump scares and gore without going too far.
Trick ‘r Treat is available to stream on Max.
4. 'The Grudge' (2004)
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This is an American reimagining of the hugely popular Japanese film Ju-on: The Grudge. I have seen both the American and Japanese versions, and for once, the American version is better than the original film. This is a great introduction to foreign horror because while it was made in the US, it kept the Japanese actress for Kayako from the original film, is set in Japan, and has a writing and directing style that is more reflective of the Japanese style than the American horror genre we are accustomed to. The film is also great if you are looking for something with very little gore that is more unsettling than horrifying. This film explores domestic violence in a very real way, so I wanted to add a quick trigger warning for that.
The Grudge is available to stream on Peacock.
3. 'Creature From The Black Lagoon' (1954)
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This is not only my favorite classic horror film; it is my favorite classic film. I love classic movies, and this one has everything you could possibly want. The Creature’s costume in this film is mind-blowingly beautiful and realistic, especially taking into consideration when it was made. This film is smart, which is one of my favorite things about it. The characters are mostly scientists with decisions that are well thought out, and everything they do moves the plot forward. There is also no gore, so it is great for younger horror fans or anyone who just wants a good horror movie without the blood.
Creature from the Black Lagoon is available to rent on Amazon Prime.
2. 'Scream' (1996)
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If you have read many of my articles, then you know how much I love the Scream franchise! I feel like every film in the franchise, except for five, should be on this list, but if you are only going to watch one film from the franchise, it has to be the original. Yes, it is cheesy and goofy, but it is all done on purpose. This film was so important to the slasher genre and the horror genre as a whole because it came at a time when the genre was dying out. Kevin Williamson and Wes Craven created the perfect slasher film that made fun of the stupid rules woven into every slasher up to 1996 while also respecting the genre and creating the second-best slasher of all time. I could spend hours talking about why I love these movies so much!
Scream is available to stream on Max.
1. 'Halloween' (1978)
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The ultimate must-watch horror film for me is, of course, the original Halloween. This film is the definition of perfection. It has jump scares, unsettling atmosphere, humor, a little sex, and plenty of kills. Jamie Lee Curtis is not only introduced to us as an actress, but she also becomes the definition of what a modern-day scream queen should be. This film changed the horror genre forever, and it was done with a small budget and as a way for John Carpenter to show his skill set. This movie was made to act as a visual resume, and instead, it became the blueprint for the perfect slasher film. This is another film and franchise that I could spend hours talking about!
Halloween is available to rent on Amazon Prime.
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Top 10 Horror Movie Deaths
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While it might seem weird to many to create a list of the best deaths, horror fans know that the deaths and gore are the best part of the film! You might be wondering what makes a horror film death good or bad, so let me break down my criteria. First, the death has to be well placed within the film. I hate any deaths that are simply there to catch the audience off guard (I’m looking at you Scream 2022). Second, the death must fit within the flow of the film. If it is a slasher film then most of the deaths will fall into this, but if it is a slower burn then the placement of the death is vital. Lastly, there must be gore. I love classic horror films that have little to no gore but for this list, these deaths are bloody and sometimes pretty nasty, I have included pictures, so please take this as a trigger warning. So, let’s take a look at 10 of the best horror movie deaths. Oh, and this should go without saying, but SPOILER WARNING!!!!
10. Father Maddox – 'The Exorcist: Believer' (2023)
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I will never understand the hate that this movie got. It was way better than the original Exorcist film, and it had some legitimately terrifying jump scenes. While there were plenty of memorable deaths, the one that sticks out to me the most is the death of Father Maddox. After he refuses to help the families perform the exorcists things go from bad to worse inside the home. When it seems like everything is crashing down he enters the home and things immediately seem to get better, and we begin to hope that the little girls can be saved. Then out of nowhere, the demon Lamashtu that is possessing the girls snaps his neck. It is one of the most jarring scenes in the film.
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9. Tatum – 'Scream' (1996)
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This is one of the most iconic deaths in the Scream franchise. While everyone is enjoying the house party Stu sends his girlfriend Tatum to get more beers from the garage fridge. While out there the door is shut and locked from the outside so she has no way to get into the house except to raise the garage door. Ghostface appears and blocks her escape. At first, she rolls her eyes and thinks that it is Randy trying to play a prank on her. Unfortunately, she quickly learns that she is wrong and when she tries to escape through the dog door in the garage door Ghostface raises the door, breaking her neck against the roof. What is even more sinister is that he leaves her body hanging there and both Sydney and Dewey are forced to see her like that later in the film.
8. Bob Simms – 'Halloween' (1978)
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This is one of Michael’s most iconic kills in the Halloween franchise. After Bob and Lynda have sex upstairs in the Wallace house, he goes downstairs to get them both a beer. The kitchen is dark except for the moonlight shining in through the french doors and when all seems calm Michael bursts out scaring both the viewer and poor Bob. Michael then stabs him so hard that it pins his body to the wall. Rather than leave, Michael stands there doing his iconic head tilt as he watches Bob die. This also leads to one of the funnier moments in the film when Michael puts on a sheet and Bob’s glasses to make himself look like a ghost, and then enters the bedroom where Lynda is waiting.
7. Jennifer Caulfield– 'A Nightmare On Elm Street 3: Dream Warriors' (1987)
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This is easily one of the most iconic kills in the Nightmare on Elm Street franchise. Jennifer is a young patient in the psychiatric ward who dreams of being a movie star. One night while watching TV and doing her best to stay awake she drifts off for a few moments. Unfortunately, that is long enough for Freddy to enter her dream and when she gets close enough to the scream his head pops out of the top, arms pop out of the sides, he grabs her, lifts her in the air, and delivers one his most iconic lines; “Welcome to primetime bitch”. Freddy then slams her head into the TV, killing her.
6. Opening Of 'Ghost Ship' (2002)
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This is one of the worst horror films I have ever seen, but no kill list would be complete without the opening of this film. I don’t think any other horror film has this many kills in one scene. The film opens with pink cursive writing telling you the name of the film while beautiful music plays. As the camera gets closer to the ship we see crew members and guests mingling around the ship and dancing under the stars. The captain begins dancing with a little girl and you are wondering if you put in the wrong movie. Then, a hand moves a lever and the music begins to change as a steel wire begins quickly moving along a wheel. We see that the wire is lining the dance floor and the music continues to get more imposing. The wire snaps and slices through the crowd, but instead of chaos everything gets eerily quiet before body parts begin to drop to the floor. The only person that survived was the young girl who was too short for the wire to reach. This scene is jarring and perfectly sets the scene for the rest of the film.
5. Emma – 'Trick ‘r Treat' (2007)
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Trick ‘r Treat is one of my favorite horror films, and there are so many great kills! I had to go with Sam’s very first kill in the film though because it perfectly sets up the rest of the film. After returning home from a Halloween Party Emma begins blowing out the jack-o-lanterns and taking down the decorations. Her husband warns her not to because it breaks the rules of Halloween, but scoffs at him and starts taking them down anyways. After a few minutes Sam launches out of the decorations at her, and we see blood spatter the white sheet ghosts. A little while later her husband comes outside looking for her only to find that her body has been chopped apart and hung like decorations on their trees. Her head has been turned into a jack-o-lantern and put under one of the sheets.
4. The Route 23 Logging Disaster – 'Final Destination 2' (2003)
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If you are a millennial then you know this scene all too well, and you still refuse to drive behind a logging truck. While on her way to Florida with her friends for spring break our main character has a premonition about a catastrophic logging disaster that takes the lives of many people. In a panic, she stalls her car on the entrance ramp resulting in many of the people she saw dying being unable to enter the road. While talking to a police officer the pile-up occurs just as she saw it except for the people who were stuck behind her on the ramp. Her car is hit by a car carrier killing her friends, but the officer is able to save her at the last minute. This scene is not only terrifying, but it also scarred an entire generation of people.
3. Lewis Romero – 'Final Destination 3' (2006)
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The Final Destination films have some of the craziest deaths of any horror franchise, but this one may take the cake! After surviving a roller coaster derailment at the beginning of the film Lewis is training harder than ever to ensure that his football career continues exactly as it should. While working out and declaring the death fears him a domino effect occurs in the weight room resulting in two swords falling and cutting the cords on his weight machine. He isn’t harmed so he believes that death can’t get to him, and he lifts the weights only for them to swing down and crush his head. After seeing this movie it took me a long time before I was willing to touch another weight machine.
2. Karen Nelson – 'Halloween Kills' (2021)
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This is one of the most flawlessly filmed and expertly written deaths in any horror film. The only reason it isn’t number one is because nothing can compete with the number one pick. At the end of the film, many believe that they have finally destroyed Michael. Karen, Laurie Strode’s daughter, had led the trap that “captured” Michael, and she had been the one to remove his mask and tauntingly hold it up to him. While in Judith Myer’s old room, Michael appears behind Karen and kills her in a shot-for-shot replica of how he killed his sister in the same room at the beginning of the original Halloween film.
1. Glen Lantz – 'A Nightmare On Elm Street' (1984)
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This is the most iconic horror death of all time, and it is not even close. After the deaths of their friends at the hands of Freddy Krueger, Glen and his girlfriend Nancy are doing everything they can to stay awake and form a plan to stop the killer. Unfortunately, Glen falls asleep and Freddy is more than happy to make him his next victim. Glen’s waterbed opens up and Freddy pulls him creating a geyser of blood that Glen’s mom then walks in and sees. This death was ahead of its time and had some of the best graphics of the 80s.
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