There has always been something about a scary story that has excited its audience, no matter the medium. No matter if its horror movies, ghost stories, or chilling novels by the likes of Stephen King or Dean Koontz, or the Grimm brothers for that matter, there is something about being scared that people really seem to enjoy a lot.
Of course when it comes to films, the genre is wide and diverse, with horrors ranging from the wacky and silly, to gory blood feasts, to psychological thrillers and so much more.
It is almost impossible to compare horror movies, especially those on different sides of the scary spectrum. A movie like Alfred Hitchcock's The Birds is so different to something like A Nightmare on Elm Street, except for the fact that they will both give you goosebumps. The five movies below though are a good broad selection of classic horror that everyone who loves the genre should see.
In 1960 the one and only Alfred Hitchcock introduced us to Norman Bates and the Bates Motel in Psycho. This masterpiece, with Anthony Perkins in the role of Norman, continues to stand the test of time. It many not be the scandalous movie it was in 1960, but it is still one of the most tense and nerve-wracking experiences you will have while watching a movie. The famous shower scene with Janet Leigh is perhaps the most iconic on-screen kill of all time.
Thirteen years later in 1973, William Friedkin directed The Exorcist, and this is still a movie you had better not watch alone, and even then you may find yourself not being able to sleep afterward. Linda Blair stars as Regan, a girl who is possessed by a demon, while Ellen Burstyn is brilliant as her mother, as is Max Von Sydow as one of the priests who attempt to exorcise her. You will never forget this movie, or some of the music after you watch this.
While not the most traditional of all horror movies, there is no doubt that Steven Spielberg's Jaws scared more people out of swimming in the sea than anything before it. It also inspired hundreds of other movies with a similar story, of a real life creature demonizing ordinary people. Still to this day almost four decades later, humming a few bars of the theme at the beach will scare enough people to believe a shark is nearby.
When it comes to the slasher horror movies, Halloween is perhaps the pinnacle of this sub-genre. Yes, Michael Myers has competition from Friday the Thirteenth's Jason or Wes Craven's Nightmarish Freddie Kruger, but John Carpenter's classic 1978 blockbuster was definitely the best. Carpenter is another fantastic director in this genre, having also made classics like The Fog and The Thing, but Halloween also had great performances from Jamie Lee Curtis and Donald Pleasance.
Poltergeist finishes the list. This 1982 movie starring Craig T. Nelson and JoBeth Williams, and directed by Toby Hooper, was actually produced by Steven Spielberg too. According to the cast, Spielberg also cast and directed them and did the movie's storyboards, but because he was doing E. T. At the same time, could not be the actual director. This is arguably the best of all haunted house horror movies, and tells the story of a family who have to deal with their home being haunted.
Of course when it comes to films, the genre is wide and diverse, with horrors ranging from the wacky and silly, to gory blood feasts, to psychological thrillers and so much more.
It is almost impossible to compare horror movies, especially those on different sides of the scary spectrum. A movie like Alfred Hitchcock's The Birds is so different to something like A Nightmare on Elm Street, except for the fact that they will both give you goosebumps. The five movies below though are a good broad selection of classic horror that everyone who loves the genre should see.
In 1960 the one and only Alfred Hitchcock introduced us to Norman Bates and the Bates Motel in Psycho. This masterpiece, with Anthony Perkins in the role of Norman, continues to stand the test of time. It many not be the scandalous movie it was in 1960, but it is still one of the most tense and nerve-wracking experiences you will have while watching a movie. The famous shower scene with Janet Leigh is perhaps the most iconic on-screen kill of all time.
Thirteen years later in 1973, William Friedkin directed The Exorcist, and this is still a movie you had better not watch alone, and even then you may find yourself not being able to sleep afterward. Linda Blair stars as Regan, a girl who is possessed by a demon, while Ellen Burstyn is brilliant as her mother, as is Max Von Sydow as one of the priests who attempt to exorcise her. You will never forget this movie, or some of the music after you watch this.
While not the most traditional of all horror movies, there is no doubt that Steven Spielberg's Jaws scared more people out of swimming in the sea than anything before it. It also inspired hundreds of other movies with a similar story, of a real life creature demonizing ordinary people. Still to this day almost four decades later, humming a few bars of the theme at the beach will scare enough people to believe a shark is nearby.
When it comes to the slasher horror movies, Halloween is perhaps the pinnacle of this sub-genre. Yes, Michael Myers has competition from Friday the Thirteenth's Jason or Wes Craven's Nightmarish Freddie Kruger, but John Carpenter's classic 1978 blockbuster was definitely the best. Carpenter is another fantastic director in this genre, having also made classics like The Fog and The Thing, but Halloween also had great performances from Jamie Lee Curtis and Donald Pleasance.
Poltergeist finishes the list. This 1982 movie starring Craig T. Nelson and JoBeth Williams, and directed by Toby Hooper, was actually produced by Steven Spielberg too. According to the cast, Spielberg also cast and directed them and did the movie's storyboards, but because he was doing E. T. At the same time, could not be the actual director. This is arguably the best of all haunted house horror movies, and tells the story of a family who have to deal with their home being haunted.
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Need to catch up on horror movies starring your favourite actors? Fright Flicks has a variety of free movies to choose from with new arrivals coming in daily. From zombie movies to thrillers, you will find films perfect for you.
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