10 Classic Horror Movies That You Should Have Watched Already (Honestly I’m Disappointed If You Haven’t)
By Will Dryden
It’s Halloween time. And if you’re anything like me, you’ve definitely heard of way more “classic” horror movies than you have time to watch. Here’s a secret: a lot of those movies are actually trash. Most Friday the 13th movies are actually boring garbage. Halloween has like maybe one and a half good movies across the series. So, here’s our guide to save you some time and help you get right to the good stuff.
10. REC (2007)
In terms of quality, this is one of the best movies on here. If you’ve ever watched a found footage horror movie, REC does it better. Viewers follow a Spanish TV news anchor and her cameraman as they tag along with local firefighters to investigate a very strange call for help. No part of the movie was filmed on a soundstage. Instead, the directors used an actual apartment building in Madrid. When a mysterious infection starts spreading through the building, those halls and cramped stairs become relentlessly claustrophobic.
Honestly, the only problem with REC is how hard it is to watch, and not just because you’ll be peeing your pants. It’s just really difficult to find a place that will stream the original Spanish version instead of the horrid English dub (and even harder to find somewhere that has both Spanish audio and English subtitles). So, either buy the blu-ray or convince Profesora Fuentes that you should get extra credit for this.
Streaming on: YouTube, Amazon Prime (English Dub), you can find uploaded to youtube in chunks in Spanish but with no English subtitles, or you can pirate it (I won’t tell anyone).
9. A Nightmare on Elm Street
One of the great grandaddy founders of the slasher genre, and the only one without egregious amounts of nudity (there is still plenty of blood. At least a whole room of it). I won’t waste time here, you already know the plot of this movie. Freddy Kreuger is a cultural icon. He’s the guy in your dreams with knife gloves. BUT what you might not know is that this was the feature film debut of Johnny Depp. Regardless of your opinions on him, this movie is a win/win. If you like him, it’s a neat watch to see the start of his career. If you hate him, there’s a part where he gets sucked into a hole and turned into bloody chunks. Not the scariest slasher, but a fun time if you’re into some creative scares, kills, and practical effects.
Streaming on: HBO Max, available to purchase on YouTube and Amazon Prime
8. Gremlins
Fun story: I bought this one at an outlet mall as a little kid on a road trip. I just saw the fuzzy little guy on the front and thought ah, yes, a little guy movie for a little guy like me. One hour later, I’m watching a bunch of tiny scaly green monsters beating a mall santa to death and running people over with a snowplow. Outside of the childhood trauma though, it’s a really good, fun, spooky movie. If you love Halloween but someone you love is an absolute HEATHEN who can’t wait for Christmas, this is the perfect compromise.
Streaming on: HBO Max, available for purchase on YouTube
7. Evil Dead 2
Strictly speaking, is this a horror movie? No. Is it more of a horror comedy? Yes. Is this your list? No. Fr*ck you.
In Sam Raimi’s best known pre-Spiderman movie, Bruce Campbell stars as Ash Williams, a normal schmuck whose romantic cabin getaway just so happens to be in the one cabin where a college professor was experimenting with the Necronomicon, an ancient tome with the power to summon demons. Ash fights his way through everything they throw at him, including getting flung miles through the air, maniacally laughing at deer heads mounted on bloody walls, and having to cut off his own hand after it’s possessed by a demon. All of this comes with the patented Raimi over the top stylized visuals and stunts, working phenomenally with Campbell’s slapstick acting. Also don’t worry, you don’t need to watch Evil Dead 1 first.
Here’s the hand scene in question. If you like it, odds are you’ll like the whole movie.
Streaming on: Amazon Prime, available to buy on YouTube, go ahead and buy it on Blu-ray, it’s worth it I promise
6. Eragon
Horrifying.
Streaming on: please don’t
5.Alien (1979)
Science fiction and horror go together like peanut butter and crack cocaine. The best qualities of one genre can take the other to new heights. Alien stands as the pinnacle of this principle. Every part of the sci-fi setting has a tangible effect on the horror elements. The crew of the ship Nostromo is stuck with a monster on their ship, millions of miles from anywhere. Even if they sent out a distress signal, no help would likely arrive for months. If they hurt the creature, its acid blood would eat through the hull of the ship and guarantee a cold, dark death. So what can they do in the face of this threat? Will they get out alive? There’s a cat on the ship, will the cat be safe? There’s only one way to find out.
Streaming on: Hulu, Amazon Prime, Starz
4.Predator (1987)
Imagine if the best 80s action movie you’ve ever watched had a baby with the best slasher movie you’ve ever seen. That’s Predator. Half the movie is Carl Weathers (Apollo Creed from Rocky), Jesse “The Body” Ventura (WWE Superstar), and Arnold Schwarzenegger (Former Governor of California) all running shirtless through the jungle, blasting huge guns and blowing up bad guys. The next half is a terrifying slasher movie, as all of them are picked off one by one by some unknown creature following them through the jungle and hunting them down, culminating in the manliest showdown you’ll ever lay eyes on.
Streaming on: Hulu, YouTube
3. The Shining
The thinking man’s horror film. When you watch it for the first time, it’s a creepy, slow burn psychological thriller of a man’s descent into madness. The second time, it’s a weird ghost movie, where you’re never quite sure if the ghosts are real or what they are. The third time, it’s the violent end of a tragic toxic relationship. The sixth time, it’s Stanley Kubrick’s secret coded message that he faked the moon landing. The ninth time…
Streaming on: HBO Max, YouTube
2. The Blair Witch Project
I’ll be real, this is a divisive one. It’s the only found footage movie that genuinely feels more like found footage than it does a movie. REC is good, but I never thought I was watching an actual Spanish newscast. I felt like I was watching a movie. Blair Witch has just little enough going on that you can almost believe this is actual recovered footage from real people that got lost in the woods. And because of that, you might hate it. You might think it’s the scariest thing you’ve ever watched, or you’ll think it’s the most boring horror movie ever that only gets mildly scary once. Either way, this movie is absolutely worth watching to decide for yourself.
Streaming on:
HBO Max, Hulu, YouTube
- The Thing (1982)
Among Us: The Movie.
No, that’s literally what this is. A research team is trapped in an arctic research lab with a creature that can change its shape to blend in perfectly with any of them. Kurt Russell stars with the most amazing beard you’ll ever see. John Carpenter is at his peak here, and his directing talent combines with some of the most amazing practical effects ever put to screen to make some of the best scares you’ll ever see.
Warning, this scene is pretty gory, but so is the entire movie.
Streaming on: Peacock, You’re Probably Just Going To Buy It On YouTube/Google Play But Honestly It’s Worth It To Buy The Blu-Ray
This isn’t a Best Horror Movies of All Time list, because let’s be real, who actually watches the movies on those. Once you’ve watched these suggested movies, you’ll have a good sampling of all sorts of horror. And, it’ll be easier to find other movies you like. If you find any other good ones, come back here and let us know!
