Just in time for Halloween, the members of CHLOTRUDIS SOCIETY FOR INDEPENDENT FILM have created a list of the 50 BEST SCARY FILMS OF ALL TIME. The horror genre has traditionally found its roots in the world of independent film since the time of midnight movies. “Although special effects can be costly, an independent minded filmmaker can create terror on a low budget by simply be able to tap into what truly scares people,” explains Ivy Moylan co-director of the Brattle Film Foundation at the Brattle Theatre and Chlotrudis board member. “Plus, horror films are able to critique current societal issues without ruffling feathers because of the ‘otherworldly’ nature of the genre. And since independent filmmakers have tended to subvert popular culture and comment on current norms, horror ends up being a natural place for independent filmmakers to go.” By creating lists of challenging and well-made films, Chlotrudis hopes to encourage film buffs to educate themselves about the history of film. “This is a great list to bring to the video store, or to help create your rental list from Netflix,” says Chlotrudis President Michael Colford.
To create this list, Nominating Committee members were asked to come up with their Top 20 scary films of all time. Films did not have to be in the traditional horror genre. After receiving all of the lists, numerical values were assigned to each of the rankings, and each movie was given a point total. Ties were resolved by consideration of the number of lists a movie appeared on, followed by the highest ranking that movie reached.
We hope you enjoy our list of the 50 Best Scary Films of all time. From classics to the best of international horror, you’ll find something to scare you on this list.
Please note: This list was created in 2003, so it is a moment in time. Lots of great films that scare us have come out in the past 20 years but are not represented here.
01 – The Exorcist (1973)
02 – The Shining (1980)
03 – Halloween (1978)
04 – Alien (1979)
05 – Carrie (1976)
06 – Night of the Living Dead (1968)
07 – Psycho (1960)
08 – Blair Witch Project (1999)
09 – Suspiria (1977)
10 – The Texas Chainsaw Massacre (1974)
11 – Audition (1999)
12 – Jaws (1975)
13 – Rosemary’s Baby (1968)
14 – The Haunting (1963)
15 – The Silence of the Lambs (1991)
16 – Omen (1976)
17 – Ringu (1998)
18 – The Bride of Frankenstein (1935)
19 – 28 Days Later… (2003)
20 – Nosferatu (1929)
21 – The Birds (1963)
22 – Eraserhaed (1977)
23 – An American Werewolf in London (1981)
24 – Invasion of the Body Snatchers (1978)
25 – Jacob’s Ladder (1990)
26 – Evil Dead II (1987)
27 – Evil Dead (1983)
28 – The Others (2001)
29 – The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari (1921)
30 – Twin Peaks: Fire Walk with Me (1992)
31 – Scream (1996)
32 – Repulsion (1965)
33 – Wicker Man (1974)
34 – The Thing (1982)
35 – Videodrome (1983)
36 – Misery (1990)
37 – Peeping Tom (1962)
38 – The Innocents (1961)
39 – Wait Until Dark (1967)
40 – Phantasm (1979)
41 – The Vanishing (1991)
42 – The Amityville Horror (1979)
43 – The Ring (2002)
44 – Funny Games (1998)
45 – The Thing from Another World (1951)
45 – The Changeling (1980)
47 – Session 9 (2001)
48 – Ginger Snaps (2000)
49 – Dead Alive (1993)
50 – Night of the Hunter (1955)
50 – Don’t Look Now (1974)
50 – The Kingdom (1994)