The horror genre is full of classics that left an incredible mark on cinema.Some of the greatest horror moviesever made have stood the test of time, and continue to have a lasting legacy in cinema. Many of these classics are timeless, regardless of age, and continue to frighten and terrify audiences.
Since its inception, the horror genre has produced some of the most spectacular and spine-tingling stories that will continue to endure throughout generations.From the early years, several incredible stories were so terrifying, so unimaginably scary, that they continue to horrify multiple generations. While many horror classics have dwindled in their scare factor throughout the decades, some are too scary no matter how old they get. Here are the ten best classic horror movies that are still disturbing today.
10’Freaks' (1932)
Directed by Tod Browning
DirectorTod Browning, the man behindDraculaandThe Devil-Doll, helmedFreaks,a 1932 cult classic that’s become one of the most iconichorror films of pre-code Hollywood.Wallace Ford,Olga Baclanova, andHarry Earlesstar in a fantastically creepy tale about a greedy trapeze artist (Baclanova) who gets more than she bargains for after double-crossing a likable band of side-show performers.
Freakswasone of the most controversial pictures of its time. It was a body horror masterpiece that many audiences in the early 20th century weren’t prepared for. Though a box office flop and heavily censored at the time,it slowly gained more appreciation over the years from fans who now recognize its eerie genius.Freaksis an effectively creepy, brilliantly acted, and unsettling black-and-white classic. It couldn’t fail to get under audiences' skin.
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9’Les Diabolique' (1955)
Directed by Henri-Georges Clouzot
BeforePsychoshocked audiences with its thrilling tension and gripping suspense, Henri-Georges Clouzotwas already breaking ground inthe thriller/horror genre with 1955’sLes Diabolique. StarringSimone Signoret,Véra Clouzot, andPaul Meurisse, it tells a nail-biting story about a murder plot between two women to kill one’s despicable, controlling husband.
Things are different from what they appear to be inLes Diabolique. Today,hailed with psychological brilliance,it’s a pulse-pounding, edge-of-your-seat thriller that continues to shock and disturb audiences with its mind-bending twists. There’s even a disclaimer at the end, telling the audience who’ve seen it not to spoil its most incredible moments. It’s a must-watch film for both fans of the horror and thriller genres, and it certainly still doesn’t disappoint.
Diabolique
Set in a boarding school, a psychological thriller unfolds as two women, the wife and mistress of the school’s tyrannical principal, plot to murder him. Their plan, executed under the cover of darkness, spirals into chaos when his body mysteriously vanishes, leading to a tense and eerie investigation.
8’The Innocents' (1961)
Directed by Jack Clayton
Based on the iconic novella byHenry James, “The Turn of the Screw,“The Innocentsis an unsettling ’60s horror classic that’s become themost definitive adaptation of James' powerful tale. Adapted to screen by the legendaryTruman Capoteand starringDeborah KerrandMegs Jenkins, it tells the story of a governess who cares for two troubled orphans at an estate that she slowly suspects is home to terrifying supernatural forces.
The Innocentsdoesn’t rely on jump-scares or heavy music to effectively creep out the audience.It’s intense, suspenseful, and full of eerie, almost palpable silent moments.As far as creepy kid movies go, this is one of the best examples as it features two talented young performers,Martin StephensandPamela Franklin, who dominate the scene with their chilling portrays as the two orphans. Viewers won’t rest for a second as long as these two are on screen, as they bring so much dread and unpredictability to their roles. Overall, it’s an incredible nail-biting chiller that makes the audience hold their breath from start to finish.
The Innocents
The Innocents, based on Henry James’s novella The Turn of the Screw, follows Miss Giddens, a governess hired to care for two orphaned children, Flora and Miles, at a remote estate. She begins to believe that the children are possessed by the spirits of the former governess Miss Jessel and valet Peter Quint.
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7’The Haunting' (1963)
Directed by Robert Wise
The greatRobert Wiseknew that the best horror comes from fearing the unknown.The Hauntingis his 1963 psychological/supernatural thriller masterpiece that’s become one of themost recognizable horror movies of the decade.Julie Harrisgives a riveting leading performance as a troubled young woman, Eleanor Lance, who accompanies several paranormal investigators to prove the existence of ghosts in a supposedly haunted, enormous mansion.
The Hauntingis one of themost definitive haunted house movies ever made. With a chilling tone, powerful suspense, and a few well-placed jump-scares,it tells a compelling story that never lets up on terror. It’ll keep viewers puzzling over its ambiguity and complex ideas. Is Eleanor experiencing something supernatural, or is it all an illusion? Is the house haunted, or is it something more explainable? All these questions have made the films so engaging over the years, and they continue to terrify audiences well into the modern age.
The Haunting
Dr. John Markway, an anthropologist fascinated by psychic phenomena, assembles a small team to investigate the eerie Hill House, notorious for its tragic and violent history. Among the group are Eleanor, a fragile woman with a troubled past; Theodora, a mysterious and perceptive artist; and Luke, the skeptical future heir of the mansion. As they delve deeper into the house’s dark secrets, supernatural occurrences escalate, challenging their sanity and pushing Eleanor to the brink.
6’Peeping Tom' (1960)
Directed by Michael Powell
Michael Powell’sPeeping Tomis a benchmark classic in cinema history, greatly influencing the horror genre for decades. In one of the most unsettling portrays of a serial killer ever shown on screen, the lateKarlheinz Böhmplays Mark Lewis, an unstable, fear-obsessed young photographer who documents his latest killing sprees.
Peeping Tomgets right under the viewer’s skin.Though its violence and sexual content are significantly tamed compared to modern horror films today, it’s still a monumentally creepy and unsettling picture that’s just as shocking today as it was back in 1960.It’s a perfect and unique slasher masterpiecethat continues to be a massive influence on the genre and is praised by horror fans.
Peeping Tom
Mark Lewis, a disturbed cameraman, films the reactions of women as he murders them, a habit rooted in his father’s cruel psychological experiments. Mark’s obsession with capturing fear on film leads him into a relationship with his neighbor Helen, who discovers his horrifying secret. As the police close in, Mark chooses to end his life on camera, completing his macabre documentary.
5’Rosemary’s Baby' (1968)
Directed by Roman Polanski
One of themost shocking and suspenseful paranormal horror moviesever made,Roman Polanski’sRosemary’s Babyis a decade-defining horror masterpiece that still leaves viewers on edge.Mia Farrowshines as Rosemary Woodhouse, a paranoid mother-to-be who slowly suspects her husband and new apartment tenants are secretly plotting to use her unborn child for satanic purposes.
Flawlessly acted, brilliantly shot, and incredibly intense,Rosemary’s Babytakes audiences on a terrifying mystery that certainly doesn’t disappoint with its shocking twist climax. It’s one of themost recognizable psychological horror classics ever, a powerfully suspenseful nail-biter that keeps audiences holding their breaths.It’s still horrifying today and leaves viewers with an unsettling feeling long after watching it.
4’Eyes Without a Face' (1960)
Directed by Georges Franju
Eyes Without a Faceis a shocking, disgusting body horror classic directed byGeorges Franju. Hailed as one of themost significant international horrormovies ever made, it follows the unsettling tale of a desperate, obsessed French doctor (Pierre Brasseur) who takes his experiments to the extreme while trying to reconstruct his daughter’s (Edith Scob) face after her near-fatal car accident.
It doesn’t take long to feel uncomfortable watchingEyes Without a Face. It’s easilyone cinema’s most disturbing horror movies, a stomach-churning masterpiece that continues to shock audiences with its graphic imagery.Despite being over sixty years old now, it still leaves viewers with a lingering sense of dread and terror and shows no signs of losing its potency.
Eyes Without a Face
A disfigured young woman is confined to her father’s secluded mansion, where he, a once-renowned plastic surgeon, attempts to restore her beauty through illicit surgeries. Driven by guilt and desperation, he captures subjects to create the perfect mask for his daughter, spiraling into madness and terror.
3’Carnival of Souls' (1962)
Directed by Herk Harvey
Made on a minuscule budget and starring a relatively unknown cast,Herk Harvey’sCarnival of Soulsdefied the odds to become one of the most beloved andinfluential B Horror classics of the 1960s. In a truly spectacular, Oscar-worthy performance,Candace Hilligossshines as Mary Henry, a troubled young woman experiencing frequent supernatural encounters after surviving a horrible tragedy.
It’s one of the most surreal, dream-like horror movies imaginable.Carnival of Soulsis like staring into someone’s horrible nightmare, complete with bizarre and fascinating imagery that gets more eye-catchingwith each passing moment. It continues to be a massive influence on the genre,even inspiring the works ofDavid LynchandGeorge A. Romero. It’s a true cult classic of the horror genre that only gets creepier and more effective with age.
Carnival of Souls
A woman begins experiencing unsettling phenomena following a near-fatal car accident. As her visions intensify, she is inexplicably drawn to an eerie, abandoned amusement park, where the boundary between the real and the surreal begins to blur.
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2’Psycho' (1960)
Directed by Alfred Hitchcock
It’s hard to talk about any great horror movies these days without mentioning Sir Alfred Hitchcock’sPsycho. Featuring a timeless story and some of themost compelling acting in horror history, it tells the iconic tale of Marion Crane (Janet Leigh), a desk secretary who, after stealing from her boss, runs off into the countryside and stumbles upon the Bate’s Motel, home to the mysterious Norman Bates (Anthony Perkins) and his equally mysterious mother.
Today,Psychois seen as one of theall-time greatest black-and-white horror movies ever created. It’s a flawless masterpiece that’s become a staple of the genre and a must-watch for every horror fan since its debut in 1960. It features career-defining performances from Perkins and Leigh, who’ve become horror legends.Its scares and legacy have only gotten stronger with age, and it’ll continue to be a massive influence on cinema, probably for decades to come.
A Phoenix secretary embezzles $40,000 from her employer’s client, goes on the run and checks into a remote motel run by a young man under the domination of his mother.
Directed by George A. Romero
Finally, at number one, there was no topping George A. Romero’strailblazing zombie horror masterpieceNight of the Living Dead. Starring the late and greatDuane Jones, it follows his character Ben, a desperate survivor forced to become a leader of a group of people at an isolated farmhouse after the dead rise from their graves to attack the living.
Praised for its shocking gore and epic scares,Night of the Livingtruly deserves its place in the annals of horror history.It’s a massive game-changerthat influenced pop culture and inspired many other great zombie films and TV shows.This timeless horror classic only gets better with age, and it can be watched time and time again throughout the years and still be as terrifying as when it first came out.
