Graveyard Shift The Greatest Horror Films of All Time  

Ranker Community
Originally by Ranker Community
852.5k votes 28.7k voters 625k views 923 items

List Rules Vote up the best movies in the Horror genre.

Horror movies, ranked by adrenaline junkies worldwide. Anyone can vote on this CrowdRanked list, and can even add your own favorite chiller to these rankings. Ghosts, zombies, monsters or maybe just the quiet guy down the street who straps on a hockey mask for kicks; these are the movies that scare the pants off you. What are the greatest horror films ever made?

Great horror films have a long and storied history in cinema. From the earliest horror movies like 1922's 'Nosferatu,' to modern classics like the 'Saw' series, scary movies have always had a special place in the collective, twisted hearts of movie goers. Each year, new horror movies come out that are designed to terrify, with evil characters bent on death and destruction. Will they all wind up on a list of the scariest horror movies ever made? Probably not, but not for a lack of trying.

Many of the best horror films are haunted house movies, relying on the setting as a huge, spooky selling factor. Other excellent horror films rely on nausea-inducing tactics, making us recoil in terror, totally disturbed by whatever we're watching on screen. Start with all of the ones on this list, and of course, feel free to add any that might be missing.

Enjoy this list of great horror films, and remember: You can rerank this list in any order you like. Boo!
list ordered by

1
9,401 2,186
The Silence of the Lambs is listed (or ranked) 1 on the list The Greatest Horror Films of All Time
Jodie Foster, Anthony Hopkins, Chris Isaak The Silence of the Lambs is a 1991 American thriller film that blends elements of the crime and horror genres. Directed by Jonathan Demme and starring Jodie Foster, Anthony Hopkins, and Scott ...more

2
11,248 2,919
The Exorcist is listed (or ranked) 2 on the list The Greatest Horror Films of All Time
Max von Sydow, Ellen Burstyn, Linda Blair The Exorcist is a 1973 American supernatural horror film directed by William Friedkin, adapted by William Peter Blatty from his 1971 novel of the same name. The book, inspired by the 1949 ...more

3
5,580 1,493
The Conjuring is listed (or ranked) 3 on the list The Greatest Horror Films of All Time
ChangesDownClub added Vera Farmiga, Patrick Wilson, Joey King The Conjuring is a 2013 American supernatural horror film directed by James Wan and the first installment in the Conjuring series. Ed (Patrick Wilson) and Lorraine Warren (Vera Farmiga) are ...more

4
11,376 4,141
The Shining is listed (or ranked) 4 on the list The Greatest Horror Films of All Time
Jack Nicholson, Shelley Duvall, Scatman Crothers The Shining is a 1980 British-American psychological horror film produced and directed by Stanley Kubrick, co-written with novelist Diane Johnson, and starring Jack Nicholson, Shelley Duvall, ...more

5
6,957 2,597
It is listed (or ranked) 5 on the list The Greatest Horror Films of All Time
Tim Curry, Seth Green, John Ritter It is a 1990 psychological horror/drama miniseries based on Stephen King's novel of the same name. The story revolves around an inter-dimensional predatory life-form, which has the ability to ...more

6
8,478 3,417
A Nightmare on Elm Street is listed (or ranked) 6 on the list The Greatest Horror Films of All Time
Johnny Depp, Robert Englund, Heather Langenkamp A Nightmare on Elm Street is a 1984 American supernatural slasher horror film written and directed by Wes Craven, and the first film of the Nightmare on Elm Street franchise. The film stars ...more

7
7,744 3,124
The Texas Chain Saw Massacre is listed (or ranked) 7 on the list The Greatest Horror Films of All Time
Gunnar Hansen, Marilyn Burns, Edwin Neal This movie is a 1974 American slasher film, directed and produced by Tobe Hooper, who cowrote it with Kim Henkel. It stars Marilyn Burns, Paul A. Partain, Edwin Neal, Jim Siedow and Gunnar ...more

8
996 242
It is listed (or ranked) 8 on the list The Greatest Horror Films of All Time
Jboogieman added Jaeden Lieberher, Bill Skarsgård, Jeremy Ray Taylor

2017 - Bill Skarsgard, Andy Muschietti

 It (also known as It: Chapter One) is a 2017 American supernatural horror film directed by Andy Muschietti, based on the 1986 novel by Stephen King. In the summer of 1989, a group of bullied ...more

9
6,850 2,896
Poltergeist is listed (or ranked) 9 on the list The Greatest Horror Films of All Time
Craig T. Nelson, JoBeth Williams, Heather O'Rourke Poltergeist is a 1982 American supernatural thriller film, directed by Tobe Hooper and co-written and produced by Steven Spielberg. It is the first and most successful entry in the Poltergeist ...more

10
4,691 1,863
Insidious is listed (or ranked) 10 on the list The Greatest Horror Films of All Time
Rose Byrne, Barbara Hershey, Patrick Wilson Insidious is a 2011 American supernatural horror film directed by James Wan, written by Leigh Whannell, and starring Patrick Wilson, Rose Byrne and Barbara Hershey. It is the first installment ...more

11
9,377 4,407
Halloween is listed (or ranked) 11 on the list The Greatest Horror Films of All Time
Jamie Lee Curtis, Kyle Richards, Donald Pleasence Halloween is a 1978 American independent slasher horror film directed and scored by John Carpenter, co-written with producer Debra Hill, and starring Donald Pleasence and Jamie Lee Curtis in her ...more

12
4,913 2,015
The Amityville Horror is listed (or ranked) 12 on the list The Greatest Horror Films of All Time
James Brolin, Margot Kidder, Rod Steiger The Amityville Horror is a 1979 American supernatural horror film, directed by Stuart Rosenberg, based on Jay Anson's bestselling 1977 novel of the same name. It is the first film in the ...more

13
7,467 3,406
Psycho is listed (or ranked) 13 on the list The Greatest Horror Films of All Time
Alfred Hitchcock, Janet Leigh, Anthony Perkins Psycho is a 1960 American horror film directed by Alfred Hitchcock. The film centers on an encounter between a secretary, Marion Crane, who ends up at a secluded motel after taking money from ...more

14
5,132 2,189
Pet Sematary is listed (or ranked) 14 on the list The Greatest Horror Films of All Time
Stephen King, Fred Gwynne, Denise Crosby Pet Sematary is a 1989 American horror film adaptation of Stephen King's novel of the same name. Directed by Mary Lambert and written by King. Andrew Hubatsek was cast for Zelda's role. Author ...more

15
7,229 3,336
Jaws is listed (or ranked) 15 on the list The Greatest Horror Films of All Time
Steven Spielberg, Richard Dreyfuss, Roy Scheider Jaws is a 1975 American thriller film directed by Steven Spielberg and based on Peter Benchley's novel of the same name. The prototypical summer blockbuster, its release is regarded as a ...more

16
6,077 2,729
Carrie is listed (or ranked) 16 on the list The Greatest Horror Films of All Time
John Travolta, Sissy Spacek, Piper Laurie arrie is a 1976 American supernatural horror film based on Stephen King's first major 1974 novel of the same name. The film was directed by Brian De Palma and written by Lawrence D. Cohen. The ...more

17
5,337 2,507
The Omen is listed (or ranked) 17 on the list The Greatest Horror Films of All Time
Gregory Peck, Lee Remick, David Warner The Omen is a 1976 British/American supernatural horror film directed by Richard Donner. The film stars Gregory Peck, Lee Remick, David Warner, Harvey Spencer Stephens, Billie Whitelaw, Patrick ...more

18
7,748 3,922
Alien is listed (or ranked) 18 on the list The Greatest Horror Films of All Time
Sigourney Weaver, John Hurt, Ian Holm Alien is a 1979 science-fiction horror film directed by Ridley Scott, and starring Tom Skerritt, Sigourney Weaver, Veronica Cartwright, Harry Dean Stanton, John Hurt, Ian Holm and Yaphet Kotto. ...more

19
4,325 1,982
Misery is listed (or ranked) 19 on the list The Greatest Horror Films of All Time
Lauren Bacall, Kathy Bates, James Caan Misery is a 1990 American psychological thriller film based on Stephen King's 1987 novel of the same name and starring James Caan, Kathy Bates, Lauren Bacall, Richard Farnsworth, and Frances ...more

20
6,625 3,355
Friday the 13th is listed (or ranked) 20 on the list The Greatest Horror Films of All Time
Kevin Bacon, Tom Savini, Betsy Palmer Friday the 13th is a 1980 American slasher film directed by Sean S. Cunningham and written by Victor Miller. The film concerns a group of teenagers who are taken out one by one while attempting ...more

21
5,123 2,450
Saw is listed (or ranked) 21 on the list The Greatest Horror Films of All Time
Danny Glover, Monica Potter, Shawnee Smith Saw is a 2004 horror film written by Leigh Whannell and directed by James Wan, in Wan's directorial debut. In the film, Adam (Whannell) and Lawrence (Cary Elwes) awaken chained in a large ...more

22
5,271 2,605
The Evil Dead is listed (or ranked) 22 on the list The Greatest Horror Films of All Time
Bruce Campbell, Sam Raimi, Ted Raimi This film is a 1981 American horror film written and directed by Sam Raimi and executive produced by Raimi and Bruce Campbell, who also stars alongside Ellen Sandweiss and Betsy Baker. This film ...more

23
5,665 2,840
The Ring is listed (or ranked) 23 on the list The Greatest Horror Films of All Time
Naomi Watts, Pauley Perrette, Brian Cox The Ring is a 2002 American psychological horror film directed by Gore Verbinski and starring Naomi Watts. It is a remake of the 1998 Japanese horror film Ring, which was based on the novel Ring ...more

24
4,962 2,491
28 Days Later is listed (or ranked) 24 on the list The Greatest Horror Films of All Time
Cillian Murphy, Christopher Eccleston, Naomie Harris 28 Days Later is a 2002 British post-apocalyptic horror film directed by Danny Boyle. The screenplay was written by Alex Garland. The film stars Cillian Murphy, Naomie Harris, Brendan Gleeson, ...more

25
3,785 1,860
Jeepers Creepers is listed (or ranked) 25 on the list The Greatest Horror Films of All Time
Justin Long, Eileen Brennan, Victor Salva Jeepers Creepers is a 2001 American horror film written and directed by Victor Salva. The film takes its name from the 1938 song "Jeepers Creepers", which is featured in the film.

26
2,933 1,428
The Texas Chainsaw Massacre is listed (or ranked) 26 on the list The Greatest Horror Films of All Time
Jessica Biel, R. Lee Ermey, Mike Vogel This film is a 2003 American horror film, and a remake of the 1974 horror film of the same name. It is a reboot of the franchise, marking its fifth installment, and was directed by Marcus Nispel ...more

27
5,305 2,886
Night of the Living Dead is listed (or ranked) 27 on the list The Greatest Horror Films of All Time
George A. Romero, Duane Jones, Bill Hinzman Night of the Living Dead is a 1968 American independent zombie horror film directed by George A. Romero, starring Duane Jones, Judith O'Dea and Karl Hardman. It premiered on October 1, 1968, and ...more

28
5,002 2,664
The Sixth Sense is listed (or ranked) 28 on the list The Greatest Horror Films of All Time
Bruce Willis, Mischa Barton, Haley Joel Osment The Sixth Sense is a 1999 American supernatural thriller film written and directed by M. Night Shyamalan. The film tells the story of Cole Sear (Haley Joel Osment), a troubled, isolated boy who ...more

29
6,511 3,843
The Thing is listed (or ranked) 29 on the list The Greatest Horror Films of All Time
Kurt Russell, Keith David, John Carpenter The Thing is a 1982 American science fiction horror film directed by John Carpenter, written by Bill Lancaster, and starring Kurt Russell. The film's title refers to its primary antagonist: a ...more

30
2,503 1,309
Sinister is listed (or ranked) 30 on the list The Greatest Horror Films of All Time
Nikki Puiia added Ethan Hawke, Vincent D'Onofrio, Fred Thompson Sinister is a 2012 supernatural horror film directed by Scott Derrickson and written by Derrickson and C. Robert Cargill. It stars Ethan Hawke as fictional true-crime writer Ellison Oswalt who ...more

31
4,712 2,695
Hellraiser is listed (or ranked) 31 on the list The Greatest Horror Films of All Time
Doug Bradley, Andrew Robinson, Ashley Laurence Hellraiser is a 1987 British horror film written and directed by Clive Barker, based upon his own novella The Hellbound Heart. The film spawned a series of sequels.

32
3,455 1,929
The Cabin in the Woods is listed (or ranked) 32 on the list The Greatest Horror Films of All Time
Chris Hemsworth, Sigourney Weaver, Amy Acker The Cabin in the Woods is a 2012 American horror comedy film directed by Drew Goddard in his directorial debut, produced by Joss Whedon, and written by Whedon and Goddard. The film stars Kristen ...more

33
3,227 1,818
Children of the Corn is listed (or ranked) 33 on the list The Greatest Horror Films of All Time
Linda Hamilton, Peter Horton, R. G. Armstrong Children of the Corn is a 1984 supernatural horror film based upon the 1977 short story of the same name by Stephen King. Directed by Fritz Kiersch, the film stars Peter Horton and Linda ...more

34
4,672 2,740
Aliens is listed (or ranked) 34 on the list The Greatest Horror Films of All Time
Sigourney Weaver, Bill Paxton, Michael Biehn Aliens is a 1986 American science-fiction action horror film written and directed by James Cameron, produced by his then-wife Gale Anne Hurd, and starring Sigourney Weaver, Carrie Henn, Michael ...more

35
1,110 533
Ranker Video
Ferry73 added Dee Wallace, Michael Berryman, John Steadman The Hills Have Eyes is a 1977 American exploitation-horror film written and directed by Wes Craven and starring Susan Lanier, Michael Berryman and Dee Wallace. It is about a suburan family on a ...more

36
2,864 1,632
Final Destination is listed (or ranked) 36 on the list The Greatest Horror Films of All Time
Ali Larter, Seann William Scott, Devon Sawa Final Destination is a 2000 American horror film directed by James Wong. It is the first installment of the Final Destination series. The screenplay was written by James Wong, Glen Morgan, and ...more

37
3,848 2,295
The Hills Have Eyes is listed (or ranked) 37 on the list The Greatest Horror Films of All Time
Emilie de Ravin, Vinessa Shaw, Ted Levine The Hills Have Eyes is a 2006 American horror film and remake of Wes Craven's 1977 film The Hills Have Eyes. Written by filmmaking partners Alexandre Aja and Grégory Levasseur of the ...more

38
2,032 1,142
The Amityville Horror is listed (or ranked) 38 on the list The Greatest Horror Films of All Time
Chloë Grace Moretz, Ryan Reynolds, Rachel Nichols The Amityville Horror is a 2005 American horror film directed by Andrew Douglas. It is a remake of the 1979 film of the same name which itself was based on the novel of the same name by Jay ...more

39
3,042 1,843
Halloween II is listed (or ranked) 39 on the list The Greatest Horror Films of All Time
Jamie Lee Curtis, Dana Carvey, Kyle Richards Halloween II is a 1981 slasher horror film directed by Rick Rosenthal, and written and produced by John Carpenter and Debra Hill. It is the second installment in the Halloween series and is a ...more

40
4,676 3,034
Rosemary's Baby is listed (or ranked) 40 on the list The Greatest Horror Films of All Time
Mia Farrow, Tony Curtis, John Cassavetes Rosemary's Baby is a 1968 American psychological horror film written and directed by Roman Polanski, based on the bestselling 1967 novel of the same name by Ira Levin. The cast includes Mia ...more

41
3,390 2,095
Candyman is listed (or ranked) 41 on the list The Greatest Horror Films of All Time
Virginia Madsen, Tony Todd, Vanessa A. Williams Candyman is a 1992 American horror film written and directed by Bernard Rose, based on the short story "The Forbidden" by Clive Barker, though the film's scenario is switched from ...more

42
3,650 2,298
The Lost Boys is listed (or ranked) 42 on the list The Greatest Horror Films of All Time
Kiefer Sutherland, Corey Feldman, Corey Haim The Lost Boys is a 1987 American teen horror film starring Jason Patric, Corey Haim, Kiefer Sutherland, Jami Gertz, Corey Feldman, Dianne Wiest, Edward Herrmann, Alex Winter, Jamison Newlander, ...more

43
1,957 1,185
A Nightmare on Elm Street is listed (or ranked) 43 on the list The Greatest Horror Films of All Time
Rooney Mara, Connie Britton, Katie Cassidy A Nightmare on Elm Street is a 2010 American slasher film directed by Samuel Bayer and written by Wesley Strick and Eric Heisserer as a remake of Wes Craven's 1984 film of the same name, which ...more

44
2,476 1,558
The Descent is listed (or ranked) 44 on the list The Greatest Horror Films of All Time
Shauna Macdonald, Natalie Mendoza, Alex Reid The Descent is a 2005 British adventure horror film directed by Neil Marshall. Six women enter an unmapped cave system, become trapped, and are hunted by flesh-eating subterranean humanoids.

45
2,170 1,352
13 Ghosts is listed (or ranked) 45 on the list The Greatest Horror Films of All Time
Margaret Hamilton, Alexandra Bastedo, Martin Milner 13 Ghosts is a 1960 American horror film directed by William Castle and written by Robb White. The film stars 11-year-old child actor Charles Herbert as "Buck" and co-stars veteran ...more

46
765 388
Halloween is listed (or ranked) 46 on the list The Greatest Horror Films of All Time
Malcolm McDowell, Danny Trejo, Danielle Harris Halloween is a 2007 American slasher film written, directed, and produced by Rob Zombie. The film is a remake/reimagining of the 1978 horror film of the same name; it is a reboot of the ...more

47
1,523 907
The Strangers is listed (or ranked) 47 on the list The Greatest Horror Films of All Time
Liv Tyler, Gemma Ward, Scott Speedman The Strangers is a 2008 American horror film written and directed by Bryan Bertino and starring Liv Tyler and Scott Speedman as a young couple who are terrorized by three masked assailants, who ...more

48
3,037 1,974
Dawn of the Dead is listed (or ranked) 48 on the list The Greatest Horror Films of All Time
Ving Rhames, Ty Burrell, Kevin Zegers This film is a 2004 American horror film directed by Zack Snyder in his feature film directorial debut. A remake of George A. Romero's 1978 film of the same name, it is written by James Gunn and ...more

49
4,509 3,120
Dawn of the Dead is listed (or ranked) 49 on the list The Greatest Horror Films of All Time
Tom Savini, Ken Foree, James A. Baffico This film is a 1978 Italian-American horror drama film written and directed by George A. Romero. It was the second film made in Romero's series, but contains no characters or settings from them, ...more

50
2,669 1,729
The Mist is listed (or ranked) 50 on the list The Greatest Horror Films of All Time
Thomas Jane, Marcia Gay Harden, Laurie Holden The Mist is a 2007 American science fiction horror film based on the 1980 novella of the same name by Stephen King. The film was written and directed by Frank Darabont, who had previously ...more