Top 10 Horror Hits to Haunt Your Night

Photo: Sony Pictures, A24, Dimension Films

Halloween. One of the best times of the year, awakening traditions from their graves and bringing along new ones to create. Full of iconic horror villains ranging from psychotic serial killers to more mind-numbing creatures of the night, brought to life by costumes and decorations everywhere.

This year I decided to revisit some old and new horror film favorites of mine, and let me tell you: some have not lost their touch. Whether you’re a horror aficionado or just looking for something to pop in for the night, these wicked films will definitely have you embracing the season (or your couch) until the credits roll.

10. Friday the 13th (1980) Directed by Sean S. Cunningham

When a new group of counselors try to prepare for the re-opening of Camp Crystal Lake, freaky occurrences soon make them realize that there was a reason it was shut down in the first place. Sean S. Cunningham gave us many iconic film gifts in this 80s classic. Jason Voorhees and his infamous hockey mask, Camp Crystal Lake, and the look and feel of a new wave of slasher that would serve as a foundation for many more films to come.

9. Scream (1996) Directed by Wes Craven

If we’re talking about famous horror masks, we have to talk about Ghostface. In Wes Craven’s sleepy Woodsboro, a group of teenagers are forced to face the fact that they’re being hunted down by a masked killer and it’s totally freaking them out. A fresh knife in the horror film drawer, Scream blends witty dialogue and a meta approach to the film that had– and still does have– audiences everywhere looking for where Ghostface will strike next.

8. The Shining (1980) Directed by Stanley Kubrick

All work and no play, makes Kubrick go off the rails. Based on one of Stephen King’s most recognizable works– and famously disliked by him– this film adaptation brings to life the story of Jack, Wendy, and Danny Torrance and their fateful winter at the Overlook Hotel. With beautiful cinematography and incredible performances, The Shining remains one of horror’s most iconic and referenced works in history.

7. Candyman (1992) Directed Bernard Rose

Another great horror flick that came from the 90s is Bernard Rose’s Candyman. Set in the housing projects of Chicago, a graduate student studying urban legends becomes obsessed with the legend of Candyman; a spirit with a hook for a hand, coated in bees, and looking for revenge. If his name is uttered five times in front of a mirror, he pays his caller a sweet visit– but not the one you would think.

6. Get Out (2017) Directed by Jordan Peele

Jumping a couple decades later, Jordan Peele seemingly came out of nowhere with one of the best psychological horror movies to come of recent years. Earning Peele the Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay, Get Out follows a trip to visit the in-laws horribly wrong. The film does a remarkable job of intertwining disturbing scares along with sharp social commentary about the state of our country in the past– and present– years.

5. The Texas Chainsaw Massacre (1974) Directed by Tobe Hooper

When a group of friends break down while traveling in rural Texas, they soon find out that they are not alone. Trying to find a way out, they soon find themselves fighting for their lives at the hands of a deranged family of cannibals, and the infamous Leatherface. A landmark in the horror genre, The Texas Chainsaw Massacre proved to audiences everywhere that you don’t need a high budget or crazy theatrics to make a spine-chilling classic.

4. The VVitch (2015) Directed by Robert Eggers

One of A24’s first dives into the horror genre, Robert Egger’s directorial debut is a stunning addition to their lineup. Set in 17th-century New England, the film follows an ex-communicated Puritan family as they try to rebuild their lives at the edge of an eerie forest. When the youngest child mysteriously disappears, the family must confront the supernatural forces around them that threaten to take their home– and their lives.

3. Hereditary (2018) Directed by Ari Aster

Like Peele and Eggers, Ari Aster is one of the newer directors making a name for himself in the horror world. Hereditary follows a grieving family who struggle to deal with the death of their matriarch, and the complicated legacy she left behind. As things slowly start to descend into chaos, the family soon learns many disturbing secrets that threaten to tear them apart.

2. The Thing (1982) Directed by John Carpenter

The first entry for one of the masters of the horror genre, John Carpenter, The Thing would be his most iconic film here, but something else might end up taking that spot. In the isolated tundra landscape of Antarctica, a group of researchers come across a strange creature that can shapeshift into any living being at will. This leads to a very risky game of “Guess Who?” that will have you looking twice at whoever comes in through your door next.

Halloween (1978) Directed by John Carpenter

Perhaps the very epitome of a Halloween film, John Carpenter’s Halloween is widely regarded as the film that founded the modern slasher. It gave us the iconic Michael Myers mask, the Halloween theme, and many, many, (many) sequels and reboots. Fifteen years after murdering his older sister on Halloween night, Michael Myers returns back to Haddonfield to cause a night of mayhem and carnage for the hometown babysitters. With Carpenter’s masterful direction, the film will forever be recognizable, with a lasting legacy in the horror genre.