Scary movies serve a unique purpose in the realm of entertainment. Unlike relaxing films, they are not intended to soothe or calm the viewer. Instead, people are drawn to scary movies for the thrill of experiencing fear in a controlled environment.
From the moment the opening credits roll to the final scene, scary movies keep audiences on the edge of their seats. The tension and suspense throughout the film serve to engage the viewer’s mind, eliciting a range of emotions from anticipation to dread.
Let’s have a glance at the list of 10 scariest Movies of all time.
1. The Exorcist (1973)
The Exorcist is a 1973 American supernatural horror movie directed by William Friedkin and written for the screen by William Peter Blatty, based on his 1971 novel of the same name. The movie stars Ellen Burstyn, Max von Sydow, Lee J. Cobb, Kitty Winn, Jack MacGowran, Jason Miller and Linda Blair. [Source: www.harpersbazaar.com]
2. Halloween (1978)
Halloween is a 1978 American independent slasher movie directed and scored by John Carpenter and co-written with producer Debra Hill. The film stars Donald Pleasence and Jamie Lee Curtis.
3. Hereditary (2018)
Hereditary is a 2018 American psychological horror movie written and directed by Ari Aster, in his feature film directorial debut. It features Toni Collette, Alex Wolff, Milly Shapiro, and Gabriel Byrne. [Source: www.esquire.com]
4. Psycho (1960)
Psycho is a 1960 American psychological horror thriller movie produced and directed by Alfred Hitchcock. The screenplay, written by Joseph Stefano, was based on the 1959 novel of the same name by Robert Bloch. The movie stars Anthony Perkins, Janet Leigh, Vera Miles, John Gavin and Martin Balsam.
5. The Conjuring (2013)
The Conjuring is a 2013 American supernatural horror movie directed by James Wan and written by Chad Hayes and Carey W. Hayes. It is the inaugural movie in the Conjuring Universe franchise. Patrick Wilson and Vera Farmiga have acted as Ed and Lorraine Warren, paranormal investigators and authors associated with prominent cases of haunting.
6. The Shining (1980)
The Shining is a 1980 psychological horror movie produced and directed by Stanley Kubrick and co-written with novelist Diane Johnson. The movie is based on Stephen King’s 1977 novel of the same name. It features Jack Nicholson, Shelley Duvall, Scatman Crothers, and Danny Lloyd.
7. It (2017)
It is a 2017 American coming-of-age supernatural horror movie based on Stephen King’s 1986 novel of the same name. The film was produced by New Line Cinema, RatPac Entertainment, KatzSmith Productions, Lin Pictures, and Vertigo Entertainment. Directed by Andy Muschietti and written by Chase Palmer, Cary Joji Fukunaga and Gary Dauberman, the movie stars Jaeden Lieberher as Bill Denbrough, with Bill Skarsgård starring as Pennywise the Dancing Clown, respectively.
8. The Texas Chainsaw Massacre (1974)
The Texas Chainsaw Massacre is a 1974 American horror movie produced and directed by Tobe Hooper from a story and screenplay by Hooper and Kim Henkel. The movie stars Marilyn Burns, Paul A. Partain, Edwin Neal, Jim Siedow, and Gunnar Hansen. [Source: www.thrillist.com]
9. Alien (1979)
Alien is a 1979 science fiction horror movie directed by Ridley Scott and written by Dan O’Bannon. Based on a story by O’Bannon and Ronald Shusett, the movie stars Tom Skerritt, Sigourney Weaver, Veronica Cartwright, Harry Dean Stanton, John Hurt, Ian Holm, and Yaphet Kotto. It was produced by Gordon Carroll, David Giler, and Walter Hill through their company Brandywine Productions, and was distributed by 20th Century Fox.
10. The Ring (2002)
The Ring is a 2002 American supernatural horror movie directed by Gore Verbinski from a screenplay by Ehren Kruger. The film stars Naomi Watts, Martin Henderson, David Dorfman, Brian Cox, and Daveigh Chase. It is a remake of Hideo Nakata’s 1998 Japanese horror movie “Ring”, based on Koji Suzuki’s 1991 novel of the same name. [Source: www.editorial.rottentomatoes.com]