It seems that twenty new horror movies come out every year and they all apparently are must-watches. But if all of the new movies are too much and you don’t know where to start your scary movie marathon, I suggest starting with the classics this Halloween. Here’s a list of the top 10 cult classic horror movies every horror movie lover must watch this spooky season.
(Night of the Living Dead, 1968 – Ben and Barbara hiding in a farmhouse)
Night of the Living Dead (1968)
The story takes place in rural Pennsylvania after a comet filled with radiation from Venus infects dead people and reanimates them with a pension for living flesh. It follows Ben and Barbara (played by Judth O’Dea and Duane Jones) and a group of survivors attempting to survive and retrieve medical supplies for Karen, a girl who was bitten around the beginning of the uprising.
(The Exorcist, 1973 – Regan and Father Merrin during the exorcism)
The Exorcist (1973)
The story begins in northern Iraq, following an archeological dig where an ancient talisman is unearthed. Though not exactly stated, it is theorized the talisman released the demon that would possess 12 year old Regan MacNeil. The rest of the film is the horrifying possession of Regan and her eventual exorcism
(Texas Chainsaw Massacre, 1974 – Alice escaping the Sawyers)
Texas Chainsaw Massacre (1974)
A group of five teenagers take a road trip through rural Texas, eventually running low on gas, and separating. What ensues after is a bloody affair of the teenagers being picked apart by an inbreeding, cannibalistic family named the Sawyers, headed by the deadly Leatherface. Sally would be the only one left alive, resulting in one of the most infamous final girl ending scenes.
(Carrie, 1976 – Carrie winning prom queen)
Carrie (1976)
Carrie White (played by Sissy Spacek) experiences her first period bleeding through her pants, publicly humiliated as all see. The events would lead to her bullies being banned from prom, who would plan their revenge, leading to Carrie being drenched in pig blood after she won Prom Queen. This traumatic event would awaken Carrie’s supernatural telekinetic power and begin her night of chaos, killing her entire senior class.
(Halloween, 1978 – Laurie and Micheal Meyers)
Halloween (1978)
On a Halloween night, Michael Meyers escapes prison after 15 years, heading to the quiet town Haddonfield and in his wake, he’d begin stalking babysitter Laurie Strode (played by Jamie Lee Curtis). What ensues is a game of cat and mouse, Micheal becoming hellbent on killing Laurie, removing anyone he could in his wake.
(Alien, 1979 – the Neomorph on the ceiling)
Alien (1979)
Imagine being stuck in a ship with the perfect organism, the perfect predator meant to be the apex of all life. Its entire existence meant survival anywhere it hunts and it will not stop until it gets its prey, every single aspect of its anatomy meant to make it the perfect predator. Now trapped in space with an apex predator, the Nostromo crew is methodically picked off one by one, with only Ellen Ripley (played by Sigrouney Weaver) as the sole survivor who must kill the what cannot be killed.
(Friday the 13th, 1980 – Pamela Vorhees)
Friday the 13th (1980)
A group of teenagers would be sent out to refurbish cabins for Camp Crystal Lake’s reopening after 30 years. Though their camping adventures are thwarted when they each meet a gruesome death by a mysterious man in a hockey mask.
(Nightmare on Elm Street, 1984 – Freddy Krueger)
Nightmare on Elm Street (1984)
Who would’ve thought sleepovers could be deadly. That’s what teenager Nancy Thompson learns one fateful night. Haunted by the death of her friend, Tina Gray, Nancy starts experiencing supernatural occurrences, a deadly presence following her nights, plotting her death. After an encounter with the burnt man in her dreams, she is able to learn the man’s name: Freddy Krueger. (Fun fact: Some scenes in the movie we’re filmed here at John Marshall High School)
(Child’s Play, 1988 – Chucky and Andy)
Child’s Play (1988)
You won’t find this killer doll anywhere else. Widow Karen Barclay would buy a doll for her son Andy, who would name the doll Chucky. The doll would soon come to life, leaving a path of bodies in his wake as he drags Andy along with him. Eventually, it would be revealed that Chucky plans to pass his soul onto the young Andy.
(Scream, 1996 – Ghostface)
Scream (1996)
In the wake of murders committed by a man named Ghostface, Sidney Prescott mourns as death seems to surround her. Though when it is revealed that Ghostface is her boyfriend, Billy Loomis and his friend Stu Macher, Sydney fights against her own death.
