9 of the Best Horror Films of All Time

Scream (1996)

Yeah, okay, it’s not the most horrifying horror of all time, but Scream is just too damn good to leave off this list. It’s smart, it’s sinister, it’s unique; let’s be real, it’s iconic. Wes Craven is the master of fun, entertaining horror, and Scream is his ultimate masterpiece (I don’t want to hear about this Nightmare on Elm Street shite). The layers of meta get more and more enjoyable with each passing scene, and everyone in the cast is clearly having the time of their lives - especially Matthew Lillard, who leans into the chaotic nature of his character with delightful glee. 

For all the fun, though, there is also a real edge to the film. Ghostface is a memorably menacing bad guy - not least because of their unapologetic lust for blood - and there is genuine tension in the air from the opening scene. Four Scream sequels have been and gone, all bringing their own tantalising twist to the tale, but the original remains, and will likely always remain, unbeaten. George White (Editor)

King Kong (1933)

“King Kong isn’t scary,” I hear you say – and if you’re comparing the big ol’ ape to the likes of Texas Chainsaw’s Leatherface or Ring’s Sadako, then you’re probably right. But this RKO classic is still very much a horror movie, albeit in a much more traditional sense. The film’s tight script and unnerving mise-en-scène draw us into a world of ancient, unknown terrors, as an overambitious filmmaker and his muse dance with death on the shadowy Skull Island.

Over the decades, Willis O'Brien’s special effects have moved further away from realism and into uncanny territory, but the technical wizardry at hand is timeless and there’s an undeniable sense of scale when Kong emerges from behind the trees to snatch up his beautiful blonde bride. Fay Wray’s ensuing screams are etched into the DNA of horror cinema, and still hold the power to convince modern-day viewers – even if just for a split second – that King Kong is in fact a little bit scary. Jamie Morris (Screen Co-Editor)

The Black Cat (1934)

Torture, satanism and human sacrifices are all part of Edgar G. Ulmer's deeply expressionistic and gothic horror. The Black Cat sits between the two world wars, capturing an atmosphere of complete dread and fear. The film sees Boris Karloff play a devil-worshipping architect who welcomes some desperate people into his modernist house; unbeknownst to them, it has been built upon the graves of soldiers he betrayed during the war. With a miniscule runtime of 63 minutes, Ulmer packs an unbelievable amount into this film, cramming every corner and shadow with an immense sense of eeriness. Despite being an old film, it remains an intensely disturbing watch which dissects the rise of fascism between the two wars, something that could only be done in the pre-code era of Hollywood. It also features the iconic showdown between two horror legends (Karloff and Bela Lugosi), who hated each other off screen as well. Oliver Parker (Screen Co-Editor)

Jennifer's Body (2009)

Famous for its gore and girls, Jennifer’s Body is a quintessentially feminist film, despite it having initially been marketed to men upon its inititial 2009 release. Telling the story of the friendship between Needy (Amanda Seyfried) and Jennifer (Megan Fox), but with a twist - that the latter is demonically possessed and kills her male classmates - it’s a film that’s both a lot of fun, and which acts as a study into the intimacy of female friendships. The homoeroticism between the leading protagonists also marks it as a queer classic for many viewers. A really brilliant film in which women hold bodily autonomy, a concept that is somewhat rare for horror, it’s worth adding to your watchlist. Lizzy O'Riordan (Assistant Editor)

The Innocents (1961)

Jack Clayton’s 1961 film The Innocents isn’t an obvious choice for a horror film, but it’s all the better for it. Unlike many recent horrors, which capitalise on jump-scares and sensory overload, it’s slow-paced and subtle. The film is an adaptation of Henry James’s novella The Turn of the Screw, which follows Ms. Giddens (played by Deborah Kerr) as she becomes the governess of Miles and Flora, two orphaned children living at Bly Manor, the aristocratic home of their uncle. She takes up the job after the previous governess, Ms. Jessel, died suddenly, around the same time as her lover Peter Quint. Giddens comes to believe the spirits of the lovers live on through the children, and she makes it her mission to save them from this possession. In the film, Jessel and Quint make their presence known to Ms. Giddens through apparitions and whispers, but then disappear before Ms. Giddens has chance to make sense of them. The children consistently deny ever seeing the ghosts around the manor. This begs the question: are there really ghosts there, or is Ms. Giddens just imagining them? Lewis Keech

Onibaba (1964)

Maimed stragglers and exhausted deserters look to seek refuge among the tall reeds of a swamp, only to be slain like dogs by two opportunistic women who sell whatever valuables they can salvage for a few portions of rice and millet. This is how a widow and her mother-in-law eke out a living in the midst of civil war, but when a man named Kinto returns from the skirmish, turbulent waves of desire threaten to disrupt their way of life.

Kaneto Shindo stylistically crafts a folk horror that simmers; a pungent, heady brew of swelling eroticism, body-horror and tension with creaks and kinks like a tightening rope. A film about the agonising suppression of primal urges and the catharsis when these urges can no longer be capped off, Onibaba wades us into the moral swamp and we come out glazed in blood, sweat and tears. Aaron Roe

A Quiet Place (2018)

Let’s get one thing straight: I am an absolute wimp when it comes to horror films. But when it comes to A Quiet Place, I’m honestly so glad I put my big girl pants on - because what a film! This explores the very frequently depicted apocalypse in a very creative way; with survivors having to live basically in silence. Krasinski casting deaf actress Millicent Simmonds also opened the even more interesting window of exploring an apocalypse without one of our main senses. 

The fact that there is so little dialogue in the film, and yet it is still such a gripping watch, is a true credit to the acting and the writing involved. Obviously, there are jump-scares (with everything so quiet, there’s bound to be), but they’re worth it to watch, what I consider to be, a creative triumph of the dystopian kind. Emma Walsh

The Others (2001)

This film got me asking, “What actually makes an age certificate?” Because it certainly isn’t being scary as absolute bejeezus. This film is rated 12 but I’d feel uneasy letting a twelve-year-old watch it. Although nothing gory or risqué happens, it’s unsettling, uncanny, and completely gets in your head. Several moments make my heart pause. One time, in college, I showed it to a friend. I knew a jumpscare was approaching, one that was completely silent and entirely visual. I’ll always remember hearing his exhale of relief after the scare revealed no actual threat. Because you can cut the suspense with a knife. The Others is about children that are allergic to sunlight, meaning the curtains must always be closed. The protagonists literally keep themselves in the dark. A great metaphor for any ghost story, but this one takes the crown in being the best and most frightening. Matthew Smith

Hellraiser (1987)

When asked about my favourite horror film, a lot of titles come to mind, and I can’t really say that Hellraiser is the best one. But a lot of things about it that make it stand out. First of all, it is one of the rare occasion when a novella is adapted by its own author, which makes it an interesting case to understand how the same story is told through different media. And also may make some snobbish people shut up.

For his first film, Clive Barker did a tremendous job at creating a very unique lore, which is also hugely helped by Christopher Young's unforgettable, and a bit over-the-top, score, which is still mimicked in the 2022 reboot. And Doug Bradley as the Hell Priest, which was barely present in the book, has become an instant classic.

Hellraiser has ─ of course ─ spawned an entire franchise which, despite an obvious drop in quality, always provided something special. Don’t get me wrong, most of the sequels are rubbish, but they are trying to top each other with new silly ideas, and that’s all good fun. To this day, ten movies have been produced, which is probably one, if not the, biggest horror franchise. And as mentioned above, a remake is now available on Hulu. It is not the place for me to tell you what I think about it here, but please watch the original this Halloween, it has such sights to show you. Fabrice Gagos