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The Scariest Movies Ever Made

Originally by Ranker Community

Updated October 24, 2020 503.9k votes 27.2k voters 750.1k views488 items

List RulesOnly major releases - no made-for-TV or direct-to-video. May include movies outside the straight horror genre.

These are the all-time scariest movies ever made. Many of these movies have become part of the pop culture lexicon due to their popularity. This list features movies from across the horror spectrum. The definition of "scary" isn't restricted or limited to a specific type of horror movie, for example, The Exorcist, a supernatural horror movie would be on here similarly to serial killer movies like Halloween, The Amityville Horror, and Saw. The same goes for psychological thrillers like Stanley Kubrick's The Shining, which is one of the scariest movies of all time. There are also horror movies from all over the world on this list like 28 Days Later.

Some of these films are considered the best of all time, while others feature some of the greatest actors and best directors of all time.

Vote for the best horror movies you think deserve the highest ranking, vote down any you don't like and be sure to rerank this list any way you like - your reranks will affect the final tally.

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The Exorcist
Max von Sydow, Ellen Burstyn
Released: 1973
Directed by: William Friedkin
The Exorcist is a 1973 American supernatural horror film directed by William Friedkin, adapted... more
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2
6,807
2,199
The Conjuring
Vera Farmiga, Patrick Wilson
Released: 2013
Directed by: James Wan
The Conjuring is a 2013 American supernatural horror film directed by James Wan and the first... more
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3
4,787
2,192
The Texas Chain Saw Massacre
Gunnar Hansen, Marilyn Burns
Released: 1974
Directed by: Tobe Hooper
This movie is a 1974 American slasher film, directed and produced by Tobe Hooper, who cowrote... more
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5,219
3,062
A Nightmare on Elm Street
Johnny Depp, Robert Englund
Released: 1984
Directed by: Wes Craven
A Nightmare on Elm Street is a 1984 American supernatural slasher horror film written and... more
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5
3,530
2,024
The Omen
Gregory Peck, Lee Remick
Released: 1976
Directed by: Richard Donner
The Omen is a 1976 British/American supernatural horror film directed by Richard Donner. The... more
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4,820
2,857
It
Tim Curry, Seth Green
Released: 1990
Directed by: Tommy Lee Wallace
It is a 1990 psychological horror/drama miniseries based on Stephen King's novel of the same... more
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3,503
1,855
The Amityville Horror
James Brolin, Margot Kidder
Released: 1979
Directed by: Stuart Rosenberg
The Amityville Horror is a 1979 American supernatural horror film, directed by Stuart... more
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8
3,466
1,980
Pet Sematary
Stephen King, Fred Gwynne
Released: 1989
Directed by: Mary Lambert
Pet Sematary is a 1989 American horror film adaptation of Stephen King's novel of the same... more
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9
5,286
3,077
The Silence of the Lambs
Jodie Foster, Anthony Hopkins
Released: 1991
Directed by: Jonathan Demme
The Silence of the Lambs is a 1991 American thriller film that blends elements of the crime... more
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10
5,052
2,203
Insidious
Rose Byrne, Barbara Hershey
Released: 2010
Directed by: James Wan
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11
5,448
3,454
Halloween
Jamie Lee Curtis, Kyle Richards
Released: 1978
Directed by: John Carpenter
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12
5,598
3,516
The Ring
Naomi Watts, Pauley Perrette
Released: 2002
Directed by: Gore Verbinski
The Ring is a 2002 American psychological horror film directed by Gore Verbinski and starring... more
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13
6,182
3,992
The Shining
Jack Nicholsan, Shelley Duvall
Released: 1980
Directed by: Stanley Kubrick
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14
4,440
2,865
Poltergeist
Craig T. Nelson, JoBeth Williams
Released: 1982
Directed by: Tobe Hooper
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15
2,771
1,735
The Evil Dead
Bruce Campbell, Sam Raimi
Released: 1981
Directed by: Sam Raimi
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16
4,298
2,833
Alien
Sigourney Weaver, John Hurt
Released: 1979
Directed by: Ridley Scott
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2,792
1,789
The Descent
Shauna Macdonald, Natalie Mendoza
Released: 2005
Directed by: Neil Marshall
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2,470
1,484
Jeepers Creepers
Justin Long, Eileen Brennan
Released: 2001
Directed by: Victor Salva
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19
2,809
1,224
Sinister
Ethan Hawke, Vincent D'Onofrio
Released: 2012
Directed by: Scott Derrickson
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20
3,327
2,177
Saw
Danny Glover, Monica Potter
Released: 2004
Directed by: James Wan
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21
3,520
2,325
The Thing
Kurt Russell, Keith David
Released: 1982
Directed by: John Carpenter
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22
1,594
612
The Conjuring 2
Vera Farmiga, Patrick Wilson
Released: 2016
Directed by: James Wan
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23
3,024
1,978
The Grudge
Sarah Michelle Gellar, KaDee Strickland
Released: 2004
Directed by: Takashi Shimizu
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24
2,474
1,668
Hellraiser
Doug Bradley, Andrew Robinson
Released: 1987
Directed by: Clive Barker
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#253 of 541 The Greatest Guilty Pleasure Movies#21 of 64 The Most Rewatchable Horror Movies
25
2,438
1,581
Seven
Brad Pitt, Gwyneth Paltrow
Released: 1995
Directed by: David Fincher
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