Horrorfilms of any era often reflect the collective anxieties of people born in and living during that era. Be it the quality of visual effects, or the inaccessibility of the idea in later years,many horror films feel datedyears down the line. However,the best horror movies from the 1980s, for example, not only reflect the collective anxiety over home invasions and losing autonomy over the body, but they’re so timeless that some of them turned into franchises, while others inspired similar films for years afterward.
While a list ofthe best Korean horror moviescan include entries from the past twenty years,the best Indian horror movieseven include a film each from the ’40s and the ’60s. This demonstrates how vast the range of timelessness can be, depending on the cultural context of a horror film. Some anxieties are universal to the human experience, while some films are made to feel so scary that they terrify every generation of viewers. However,some horror films have dated premises, possibly even reflecting archaic ways of thinking, or use filmmaking tactics that fail to terrify viewers today.
Directed by John Carpenter
Halloween
Halloween is a horror film released in 1978 that centers on the fictional town of Haddonfield, Illinois, as a masked serial killer terrorizes it. Over a decade after the brutal murder of Judith Myers by her brother, Michael, Michael escapes from the local Sanitarium to continue his silent killing spree- with teenage Laurie Strode being his new potential victim.
Michael Myers is one of the most iconic horror movie villains of all time. Carpenter’s firstHalloweenfilm and its villain were so popular, that it birthed the longest-running franchise of horror movies that ended only a couple of years ago in 2022. An iconic theme song, an unforgettable villain, cinematography techniques that would become staples of the genre in the future, and one ofthe best final girls across all horror movies, played by the debuting Jamie Lee Curtis, all have cementedHalloween’s status as a timeless classic in the genre.
The introduction of Michael Myers using the POV of the killer has gone down in history as one of the most terrifying sequences in horror movie history. It perfectly introduces the villain’s source of animosity, the film’s score, which embodies both tension and thrill and the cinematography style of moving through empty rooms of a locked house, which becomes a repeated visual motif throughout the film. Myers' supposed immortality, the disturbing way he shows up out of nowhere and effectively executes his murders, and the terrifying atmosphere of the film ensure it’ll always be scary.
Directed by Fritz Kiersch
Children of the Corn
Children of the Corn is a horror film based on Stephen King’s short story, directed by Fritz Kiersch. It centers around a couple who stumble upon a desolate town in Nebraska, inhabited only by children following a sinister cult that practices ritualistic murders. The film explores themes of religious fanaticism and the loss of innocence and features notable performances from Peter Horton and Linda Hamilton.
The lack of a complex enough story that would fit the whole runtime makesChildren of the Cornfeel unnecessarily dragged out and boring in places.The child performances make for a mixed viewing experience because if there’s one thingChildren of the Corndoes right, it’s atmosphere. The opening sequence particularly, with its gore and its smart use of blocking to create a horrifying backdrop, stands out as a testament to the director’s vision. Even then, while the 2020 remake is significantly worse, the ‘84 film falls in the middle ofa ranked list of Stephen King movies.
Even though Children of the Cornhas possibly lost its fearful charm by now, it is interesting to note that it is a highly influential film that inspired eight sequels and a remake in 2020.
However, overall, the execution simply doesn’t hold up years later. The source material for the film, King’s short story by the same name, was significantly different and, of course, shorter, and the changes made to create a feature film only make things more sentimental, cutting down on the scare factor. It doesn’t help that the children don’t seem to be simply amoral, but villainous. In a feature-length film, the lack of exposition regarding this simply makesChildren of the Cornseem lazily made. Furthermore, the dated visual effects aren’t even that scary.
Directed by Sam Raimi
The Evil Dead
The Evil Deadis a horror movie from 1981 starring Bruce Campbell and directed by Sam Raimi. The film follows Ash Williams, who after visiting a cabin in the woods, is tormented by deadites and must fight for his life after his friends are possessed.The Evil Deadnot only started a long-running horror franchise, but it is also the film responsible for putting both Raimi and Campbell on the map as a director and actor, respectively.
While later installments in the franchise, particularly the reboot, and its sequels, have switched from horror to comedy, theoriginalThe Evil Deadremains one of the scariest zombie films of all time. The production is far from polished, and the plot is paper-thin, but the visuals are so overwhelmingly terrifying that one can’t help but be taken aback by the cinematic achievement ofThe Evil Dead. The barrage of gory visuals that are made further scary by the incessant erratic movement of the camera, ensures viewers get no respite from the grueling violence.
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It might seem surprising thatThe Evil Deadholds up after so many years, given the low budget and the DIY nature of the practical effects, but the frantic energy explains why it’s a timeless classic. There’s no time spent on fleshing out characters or making the world feel lived in, almostall the attention has been paid to making the horrors affect viewers,by turning up both the extent of violence and the extreme nature of it.
Directed by Oren Peli
Paranormal Activity
After moving to a suburban house, Katie and Micah are increasingly disturbed by a strange demonic presence. So they decide to try to record the phenomenon on video, but neither of them was prepared for the events that follow.
Despite not even being two entire decades old,Paranormal Activityhas gone through phases. Upon its release, it was widely regarded as a genre-defining horror movie that’ll go down in history as one of the greats. Soon after, it started losing its charm, and by now, only a cult following still unironically regards it as one of the scariest horror films. Most claim it is too ridiculous to be terrifying. While exceptions likeGonjiam: Haunted Asylumexist,the found-footage genre of horror feels like it has overstayed its welcome, andParanormal Activityis the perfect demonstration of that.
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The central couple of the film consistently make choices that are detrimental to their well-being, the man is particularly toxic, and both of them lack survival skills. Add to that a dark color palette where horror lurks in every corner, but never truly makes itself visible, and the whole affair seems to be more imagined than real. If within a horror film,the source of horror starts feeling questionableregarding how it is supposed to scare viewers. The many sequels don’t help either, because despite the weak execution,Paranormal Activityhad a somewhat unique premise, which got fatiguingly overused.
Directed by William Friedkin
The Exorcist
The Exorcist is a supernatural horror film based on the novel released in 1971 and was directed by William Friedkin. When a young girl is passed by a powerful demon, two Catholic priests are brought to her home to attempt an exorcism to expunge the demon.
While there exists a raging debate among fans of horror as to whetherThe Exorcistis genuinely scary or not, one can’t deny that its exploration of the themes of Catholicism and its metaphorical use of the concept of sin makes it a timeless classic. Some of the practical effects may not hold up as scary in today’s time, but that doesn’t take away from the real horror - a child losing her bodily autonomy and a couple of men deciding they know what’s best for her. Overall,The Exorciststill holds upover five decades later.
The Exorcistis one of the finest examples of horror filmmaking.
A child floating above her bed while lightning flashes through the sky in the background, illuminating her room, will always be a scary visual. Excessive puking too will always seem disgusting, regardless of whether the action itself looks comical to some viewers. It may not be the scariest movie ever made, a reputation it had built up at one point in time, butThe Exorcistis one of the finest examples of horror filmmaking. It patiently develops the lore, spaces out the terror so the concepts and themes can be explored, and abandons all hold on reality in the climax.
Directed by Alfred Hitchcock
The Birds
The Birds, released in 1963, is a suspenseful thriller directed by Alfred Hitchcock. The film follows a series of unexplained and deadly bird attacks on the residents of a seaside town, as the townspeople struggle to survive in the face of this terrifying avian threat.
Alfred Hitchcock is famous for designing shots and frames which drip with suspense and fear. Any source of terror that could cause a viewer to scream while looking at a screen was found by Hitchcock and employed as a scare tactic. And yet, most of his work is refreshingly horrifying and thrilling, nothing ever feeling like a gimmick. EvenThe Birds, though not always terrifying, has a unique filmmaking technique that’s rarely found in any movie -a complete absence of a background score.
Conceptually,The Birdsis horrifying, especially because there’s no real canonical explanation offered for the sudden attack of the birds, althoughThe Birdsmovie ending can be explained. This not only makes the attack seem too random to survive but also implies it could happen again at any time. However, the horror is undercut by the suspenseful and thrilling journey of Tippi Hedren’s character. The balance between humor, adventure, and horror is well executed, but without a score and with dated practical effects, whileThe Birdsremains a timeless example of masterful filmmaking, it doesn’t necessarily hold up as a horror movie.
The Thing
A team of researchers set out to study an alien spacecraft found in Antarctica, where they also discover an alien body on the site. The alien buried in ice is actually alive and has the ability to imitate human form. The group must find a way to distinguish who the real person is from The Thing and stay alive. John Carpenter’s 1982 film is a remake of 1951’s The Thing from Another World and stars Kurt Russel as the hero RJ MacReady.
Few filmmakers have shaped the horror genre like John Carpenter has. Apart from being the mastermind behind the highly influentialHalloween, Carpenter also introduced the world to The Thing - a shapeshifting alien who can also take human form, and hide in plain sight. In fact,debate still rages on among fans of the film regarding the endingand if The Thing survived, and if it did, whose form it took at the end of the film. Among other usual genre conventions, some of which Carpenter popularized withThe Thing, what stands out most is the use of paranoia.
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Terrified characters work against each other in what they perceive to be their best interests, based on their inability to trust each other anymore. Add to that, terrifying gory visuals which could scar viewers for life, and an atmosphere of cold, spine-chilling fear and anxiety, and it’s apparent whyThe Thingis one ofthe best monster movies of all time. The fear of the unknown remains one of humankind’s biggest fears, and Carpenter employs it with sharp precision to create a terrifying atmosphere that doesn’t let the viewer relax even after the film is over.
3Not Scary: The Blair Witch Project (1999)
Directed by Daniel Myrick and Eduardo Sánchez
The film that popularized the found-footage genre of horror filmmaking also marks the steady decline in the quality of films within the subgenre. Part of the popularity ofThe Blair Witch Projectwas based on the myth that it was not staged. In the early ages of the explosion of the Internet around the globe, there were hushed discussions on forums regarding the origin of the footage ofThe Blair Witch Project, but once the myth was busted,the film quickly lost its charm. While it still enjoys a cult following today, most viewers agree that it fails to hold up today.
The biggest cultural footprint ofThe Blair Witch Projectis undoubtedly itsbox office record as a found-footage horror film, a record that no successor in the subgenre could ever hope to break. While it doesn’t rely on jumpscares for the horror,The Blair Witch Projectfeels too gimmicky with its erratic and frantic camera movement and editing. Without the added anxiety of believing this is real, the low quality of production simply doesn’t provide enough material to create immersion for viewers on a level that might personally impact them.
Directed by Tobe Hooper
The Texas Chain Saw Massacre
The Texas Chain Saw Massacre is a horror film released in 1974, following five friends who encounter a deranged family in rural Texas. As they strive to survive, they face terrifying ordeals orchestrated by the chainsaw-wielding Leatherface, a central figure in this chilling narrative.
Leatherface is arguably the most iconic horror movie villain of all time. His slow movement, his lack of speech, and his terrifying weapon, all help to create a screen persona that has understandably haunted viewers for years.The Texas Chain Saw Massacreisan onslaught of horror right from the beginning. It dives into the lore through a voiceover that sets up the premise and within half an hour, an unexpectedly high number of murders have been committed. The speed of the initial killings creates the perfect disturbing atmosphere needed to immerse a viewer and horrify them to the core.
As far as B-grade horror filmmaking is concerned,The Texas Chain Saw Massacrenot only provided the blueprint for many of the modern horror B-movies, but it remains to date the best of its kind. It isthe best summer horror movie. The use of colors to subconsciously affect the viewer’s mind into becoming more susceptible to the scares, and the use of a barren backdrop where death feels inevitable, guarantee an uncomfortable viewing experience that any horror aficionado will enjoy. While it’s not a typical slasher film,Texas Chain Saw Massacrealso arguably features the first final girl ever.
Directed by M. Night Shyamalan
The Sixth Sense
Directed by M. Night Shyamalan, The Sixth Sense is a psychological thriller about a young boy who can see and communicate with ghosts. Bruce Willis as Dr. Malcolm Crowe, a child psychologist who tries to help Cole, played by Haley Joel Osment, while grappling with his own personal demons. The movie features a twist ending that has become iconic in pop culture.
Featuring perhapsthe most spoiled movie twist of all time,The Sixth Sensefeels less like a horror movie and more like a mystery thriller. It is arguably Shyalaman’s Magnum Opus, but the horror element barely manages to scare viewers today. Instead, Bruce Willis' brilliant performance, the masterfully composed slow-burn that builds up to the famous twist at the end, and the cinematography that adds suspense to the setting, interest viewers today.
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The film isn’t devoid of horror, of course, as it features a few jumpscares, and the atmosphere is decidedly creepy, but the eeriness mostly ups the suspense instead of the fear.The Sixth Senseisn’t a classic horror movie in the sense that its horror elements don’t necessarily hold up today, but as a suspense thriller, it’s iconic.The Sixth Sensehas scary scenes, though, the film uses the aspects typical of ahorrorfilm to build anticipation in the viewers regarding the mystery that the protagonist has set out to solve.
