The 10 Best Horror Movies According to IMDB

Cinema history has given us an untold number of truly noteworthy horror films, from ghost stories like Poltergeist and The Conjuring; zombie movies like 28 Days Later and Dawn of the Dead; slashers like Halloween and A Nightmare on Elm Street; and psychological horror flicks like Misery and The Babadook. Despite being critically acclaimed and fan-favorites from the genre, what makes those films so similar to each other? None of them made it onto IMDb User’s Top 250 of all time. Which raises the question, what did? There are weirdly only ten true-blue horror movies on the list, but a few that have horror elements but aren’t typically considered members of the genre weren’t considered including the likes of Rear Window, Aliens, Requiem for a Dream, A Clockwork Orange, Dial M for Murder, and The Terminator. Here are the ten best horror movies according to IMDB’s Top 250.

#10 – The Exorcist (1973)

There have been many attempts to replicate the pure power and success of William Friedkin’s The Exorcist, both within and outside of the IP. None of them have been able to hold a candle to it. IMDb voters may have put it all the way down at number 229, but there’s a more than fair argument that this is truly the greatest straightforward horror film of all time.

What The Exorcist really functions as is a mother’s struggle against an insurmountable force consuming her daughter. The special effects may provide genuinely nauseating scares like the head twist and the projectile vomiting, but what resonates with audiences just as much if not even more so is Ellen Burstyn’s heartbreaking performance.

#9 – Jaws (1975)

Is Jaws as frequently referred to as a member of the “Thriller” genre as it is horror? Sure but, let’s face it, there’s a scene of a bitten off head with an eye missing startling one of the protagonists. That’s pretty horrific. More than a few individuals’ favorite film of all time, Jaws is a masterclass on several fronts. For one, even with a giant beast being the main draw, none of the characters come across as cookie cutter. Two, it expertly functions as more than a thriller and horror film as there are also a few impactful comedic bits and a distinctly human drama at the center, be it Brody and his family during the first half or the conflict between Quint and Hooper in the latter. Jaws sits at #201 on the Top 250.

#8 –The Thing (1982)

Believe it or not, John Carpenter’s The Thing was initially met with a mixed-at-best critical reception and atrocious box office numbers. This goes to show just how much things can change. Now seen as one of the ’80s greatest film, it’s ranked #148 on the Top 250, it is truly Carpenter’s masterpiece, which is no small compliment considering he also directed Halloween and Escape from New York. With some of the best practical effects ever committed to celluloid, impeccable pacing, and an effective air of mystery, The Thing is one of the few films out there that operates like a brand-new clock.

#7 – Pan’s Labyrinth (2006)

A major contender for Best Foreign Language Film of the Year at the 2007 Oscars (though it lost to The Lives of Others), Guillermo del Toro’s Pan’s Labyrinth was and remains one of the most critically lauded and audience adored films of the 2000s. It wouldn’t be for another 11 years that del Toro had such a critical darling, The Shape of Water.

Like The Shape of Water‘s blending of romance with the monster movie, Pan’s Labyrinth is a sublime amalgamation, just with romance swapped out for grim fantasy. It’s an engrossing fairy tale brought to life by note-perfect performances and an impressive mixture of animatronics and well-aged CGI. Interestingly Pan’s Labyrinth sits one spot above The Thing currently, currently ranked #147.

#6 –The Sixth Sense (1999)

When The Sixth Sense came out, M. Night Shyamalan emerged as perhaps the ’90s most exciting director (tied for first with Quentin Tarantino). As we’ve all seen, his filmography is pretty far from consistent, but this classic still pulled off quite a few impressive accomplishments.

For one, its twist ending is the one most closely associated with the very concept of twist endings. But what’s truly remarkable about the film is that you can go into it full well knowing the ending and still feel moved by it and the film as a whole. Furthermore, while Bruce Willis’ career was populated mostly with action films, this ghost story reminded audiences why he was once one of the highest-paid performers in the game. The Sixth Sense is notched just slightly ahead of the previous two, ranked #143 as of this writing.

#5 – The Shining (1980)

Cinema lovers and general audience members alike love Stanley Kubrick’s The Shining. It’s a haunting masterwork with gorgeous visuals, iconic Steadicam cinematography, and a fully game performance by Jack Nicholson, it’s one of cinema history’s most famous horror flicks for good reason. Watching The Shining is like becoming a guest of the Overlook Hotel. You feel yourself becoming absorbed by it. Perhaps not to the extent of Jack Torrance, but pretty close. Stephen King himself may not be a fan of it, but IMDb voters sure are, putting at #67 on the Top 250.

#4 – Alien (1979)

Even with a host of sequels (including one classic) and prequels, there’s really just no beating Ridley Scott’s haunted house in space masterwork that is Alien. From establishing Sigourney Weaver’s Ellen Ripley to making viewers’ collective jaws drop with the chestburster scene, it’s hard to find a flaw in Scott’s film.

[RELATED: Ranking Every Film in the Alien and Predator Franchises]

It’s also brilliantly subtle. Outside the aforementioned impromptu extraterrestrial thoracic surgery, it’s a bloodless film. The atmospherics are allowed to speak for itself, and they speak volumes. Alien has sweet spot in the Top 250, ranked #50.

#3 – Psycho (1960)

Alongside Peeping Tom, Alfred Hitchcock’s Psycho is the father of the slasher film. That said, even those who despise slashers with a burning, fiery passion will almost certainly be glued from the first note of Bernard Herrmann’s score to the closing credits.

With incredible work from every cast member (particularly Anthony Perkins) and an ingenious second-act twist, Psycho is one of the most respected and effective tension builders out there. It says a lot about the film that, of Hitch’s six films on the IMDb Top 250 (including Rebecca, Dial M for Murder, Vertigo, North by Northwest, and Rear Window) Psycho ranks the highest, ranked #35.

#2 –The Silence of the Lambs (1991)

Thomas Harris’ book is great, but Jonathan Demme’s movie is better. The Silence of the Lambs has been scaring people so deeply for nearly 35 years now because it feels like it could happen to just about any of them. And, with the combination of Buffalo Bill and Hannibal Lecter, it’s a film that comes equipped with not one but two flat-out skin-crawling villains.

Naturally, the film’s ace in the hole is in the performance department. Both Jodie Foster and Anthony Hopkins deliver work that is widely regarding as some of the best acting in movie history, but credit must also go to the film’s music, cinematography, tight script, and razor-sharp pacing. The Silence of the Lambs sits high on the Top 250, ranked #23.

#1 – Se7en (1995)

Se7en is another one here that has as strong an argument for it being a thriller as there is one for it being horror. But, like the chomped off head in a boat’s hull in Jaws, Se7en has a chopped off one in a box. And, as far as IMDb voters are concerned, it’s the best horror movie out there. In fact, in their opinion, it’s the 20th greatest film of all time. It’s not the only David Fincher film in the top 20, either, as Fight Club is positioned at number 13. Both are ’90s classics, but Se7en‘s only true competition for best Fincher film is The Social Network.