In shortNumber 1 in our ranking is The Exorcist, followed by The Shining and Psycho.
The best horror movies of all time are the ones that are still frightening decades later. We mixed undisputed classics, 1970s and 1980s films that set the genre’s rules and recent gems, including two from Spain.
Perfect for Halloween: which one made you sleep with the light on? Are Scream, The Conjuring or Rosemary’s Baby missing? Vote for your number 1 below.
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1. The Exorcist
William Friedkin · 1973
A possessed girl and two priests facing evil. It caused fainting in cinemas and was the first horror film nominated for the Oscar for Best Picture.
2. The Shining
Stanley Kubrick · 1980
Jack Nicholson loses his mind in a snowbound hotel. A Stephen King adaptation with images that have become cinema icons.
3. Psycho
Alfred Hitchcock · 1960
The shower scene changed cinema forever. Hitchcock broke every rule by killing off his lead halfway through the film.
4. Alien
Ridley Scott · 1979
Claustrophobic terror on a spaceship and a creature designed by H. R. Giger. Sigourney Weaver created one of cinema's great heroines.
5. The Texas Chain Saw Massacre
Tobe Hooper · 1974
Shot on a tiny budget, its grimy, desperate realism made it one of the most disturbing films ever made.
6. The Thing
John Carpenter · 1982
A being that can imitate anyone at an Antarctic base. The paranoia between the characters and its practical effects still impress today.
7. Halloween
John Carpenter · 1978
Michael Myers and an unforgettable score set the rules of the slasher film that dozens of movies would copy.
8. [REC]
Jaume Balagueró and Paco Plaza · 2007
A reporter is trapped in a Barcelona building during a terrifying outbreak, told as if it were real footage. A global hit for Spanish cinema, with a Hollywood remake.
9. Hereditary
Ari Aster · 2018
A family drama that slowly turns into a nightmare. One of the most acclaimed horror films of the 21st century.
10. The Orphanage
J. A. Bayona · 2007
A mother searches for her missing son in the old orphanage where she grew up. Terror and emotion in equal measure, produced by Guillermo del Toro.
Frequently asked questions
What is the scariest horror movie of all time?
The Exorcist (1973) keeps appearing at the top of the lists, and it is our number 1. Its impact on audiences at the time was enormous.
What are the best Spanish horror movies?
[REC] and The Orphanage, both from 2007, are the most internationally acclaimed, and both are in this ranking.
Would you change the order?
Tell us what's missing, what shouldn't be here or what you'd put at number 1.