List Rules Vote up your favorite horror films that were released in the 1940s
The horror films of the 1940s are replete with classic horror characters; terrifying figures that have embedded themselves firmly in the cultural consciousness. In a climate of growing international tension, it’s no surprise that countless horror films were produced in the ‘40s, giving voice to the undefined fears and anxiety gripping the world’s population.
So what are the best 1940s horror movies? Dracula, Frankenstein, and zombies, some of the most famous movie monsters ever, appear in numerous films in the decade. On this list you will find I Walked with a Zombie, starring Boris Karloff, the legendary horror actor. Karloff also stars in The Body Catcher, and he reprises his role as the original silver screen Frankenstein in House of Frankenstein. Another iconic horror actor can also be found on this list of the greatest 1940s horror moves: Bela Lugosi. Lugosi played Dracula in the first movie version of the classic tale, and in the ‘40s he appeared in horror classics such as The Wolf Man.
On this list you’ll find a dash of horror comedy. Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein pit the famous comedy duo against formidable actors Lugosi as well as Lon Chaney, Jr. Vote up the best horror films of the 1940s, and be sure to let us know what you think in the comment section.
list ordered by
1
25 5
Cat PeopleAlan Napier, Simone Simon, Tom Conway Cat People is a 1942 horror film produced by Val Lewton and directed by Jacques Tourneur. DeWitt Bodeen wrote the original screenplay which was based on Val Lewton's short story The Bagheeta ...more
2
25 7
The Wolf ManBela Lugosi, Claude Rains, Lon Chaney The Wolf Man is a 1941 American drama horror film written by Curt Siodmak and produced and directed by George Waggner. The film stars Lon Chaney, Jr. as a werewolf named "The Wolf Man" ...more
3
21 4
The Body SnatcherBoris Karloff, Bela Lugosi, Bill Williams The Body Snatcher is a 1945 horror film directed by Robert Wise based on the short story The Body Snatcher by Robert Louis Stevenson. The film's producer Val Lewton helped adapt the story for ...more
4
20 4
I Walked with a ZombieBoris Karloff, Frances Dee, Tom Conway I Walked with a Zombie is a 1943 horror film directed by Jacques Tourneur. It was the second horror film from producer Val Lewton for RKO Pictures.
5
12 1
The Mummy's HandBoris Karloff, Eduardo Ciannelli, Cecil Kellaway The Mummy's Hand is a 1940 black-and-white horror film, produced by Ben Pivar for Universal Studios. Although it is sometimes claimed by fans as a sequel or follow-up to The Mummy, it does not ...more
6
18 3
The Picture of Dorian GrayAngela Lansbury, Donna Reed, George Sanders The Picture of Dorian Gray is a 1945 American horror-drama film based on Oscar Wilde's 1890 novel of the same name. Released in March 1945 by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, the film is directed by Albert ...more
7
20 5
Abbott and Costello Meet FrankensteinVincent Price, Bela Lugosi, Lou Costello Bud Abbott and Lou Costello Meet Frankenstein, or Bud Abbott Lou Costello Meet Frankenstein —although the film is usually referred to as simply Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein—is a 1948 ...more
8
15 2
Dead of NightMichael Redgrave, Googie Withers, Mervyn Johns Dead of Night is a British portmanteau horror film made by Ealing Studios; the individual stories were directed by Alberto Cavalcanti, Charles Crichton, Basil Dearden and Robert Hamer. The film ...more
9
16 3
The Ghost of FrankensteinBela Lugosi, Lon Chaney, Jr. The Ghost of Frankenstein, is an American monster horror film released in 1942. The movie is the fourth in a series of films produced by Universal Studios based upon characters in Mary Shelley's ...more
10
16 3
The UninvitedRay Milland, Gail Russell, Donald Crisp The Uninvited is a 1944 American supernatural mystery/romance directed by Lewis Allen in his feature film debut. It is based on the Dorothy Macardle novel Uneasy Freehold. The film stars Ray ...more
11
12 2
House of DraculaLon Chaney, Jr., John Carradine House of Dracula is an American horror film released by Universal Pictures Company in 1945. It was a direct sequel to House of Frankenstein and continued the theme of combining Universal's three ...more
12
18 8
Frankenstein Meets the Wolf ManBela Lugosi, Lon Chaney, Jr. Frankenstein Meets the Wolf Man, released in 1943, is an American monster horror film produced by Universal Studios starring Lon Chaney, Jr. as the Wolf Man and Bela Lugosi as Frankenstein's ...more
13
13 4
Dr. Jekyll and Mr. HydeIngrid Bergman, Lana Turner, Spencer Tracy Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde is a 1941 horror film starring Spencer Tracy, Ingrid Bergman and Lana Turner. Rather than being a new film version of the novel, it is a direct remake of the 1931 film of ...more
14
9 2
The LodgerGeorge Sanders, Merle Oberon, Cedric Hardwicke The Lodger is a 1944 horror film about Jack the Ripper, based on the novel of the same name by Marie Belloc Lowndes. It stars Merle Oberon, George Sanders and Laird Cregar, features Sir Cedric ...more
15
10 3
Phantom of the OperaClaude Rains, Hume Cronyn, Nelson Eddy Watch for Free with Amazon Prime Free Trial David and Jade, a young couple, are consumed by their feelings for each other. With the toll its taking on her schoolwork, Jade's father eventually bans David from seeing her. This ...more
16
11 4
The Invisible Man ReturnsVincent Price, Cedric Hardwicke, Nan Grey The Invisible Man Returns is a 1940 American horror science fiction film from Universal. It was written as a sequel to the 1933 film The Invisible Man, which was based on the novel The Invisible ...more
17
11 4
The Mummy's TombLon Chaney, Jr., Elyse Knox The Mummy's Tomb is the 1942 horror film sequel to The Mummy's Hand. Lon Chaney, Jr. disliked the role of Kharis the mummy. Make-up artist Jack Pierce spent up to eight hours to wrap Chaney. A ...more
18
11 4
Isle of the DeadBoris Karloff, Alan Napier, Anna Lee Isle of the Dead is a horror film made for RKO Radio Pictures by producer Val Lewton. The movie had a script inspired by the painting Isle of the Dead by Arnold Böcklin, which appears ...more
19
12 5
The Curse of the Cat PeopleSimone Simon, Jane Randolph, Sarah Selby The Curse of the Cat People is a 1944 film directed by Gunther von Fritsch and Robert Wise, and produced by Val Lewton. This film, which was then-film editor Robert Wise's first directing ...more
20
14 7
House of FrankensteinBoris Karloff, Lon Chaney, Jr. House of Frankenstein is an American monster horror film starring Boris Karloff and Lon Chaney, Jr., directed by Erle C. Kenton, written by Curt Siodmak, and produced in 1944 by Universal ...more
21
7 1
Night MonsterBela Lugosi, Lionel Atwill, Irene Hervey Night Monster is a 1942 American black-and-white horror film featuring Bela Lugosi and produced and distributed by Universal Pictures Company. The movie uses an original story and screenplay by ...more
22
9 3
Son of DraculaLon Chaney, Jr., John Carradine Son of Dracula is a 1943 American horror film directed by Robert Siodmak – his first film for Universal studios – with a screenplay based on an original story by his brother Curt. The film stars ...more
23
9 3
The Black CatBoris Karloff, Bela Lugosi, David Manners Not to be confused with the 1941 version also featuring Bela Lugosi. The Black Cat is a 1934 horror film that became Universal Pictures' biggest box office hit of the year. The picture was the ...more
24
9 4
The Return of the VampireBela Lugosi, Nina Foch, Billy Bevan The Return of the Vampire is a horror film released in 1944 by Columbia Pictures. It is in black and white, and describes an Englishwoman's two encounters with a vampire. The first encounter ...more
25
7 2
The Ghost BreakersBob Hope, Anthony Quinn, Paulette Goddard The Ghost Breakers 1940 is a comedy film directed by George Marshall and starring Bob Hope and Paulette Goddard. The film was adapted by Walter DeLeon from the play The Ghost Breaker by Paul ...more
26
6 2
The Mummy's GhostLon Chaney, Jr., John Carradine The Mummy's Ghost is the 1944 Universal Pictures sequel to The Mummy's Tomb. Lon Chaney, Jr. again takes on the role of Kharis the mummy.
27
6 2
Black FridayBoris Karloff, Bela Lugosi, Stanley Ridges Black Friday is a 1940 American science fiction film starring Boris Karloff. Béla Lugosi, although second-billed, has only a small part in the film and does not appear with Karloff. ...more
28
5 1
You'll Find OutBoris Karloff, Bela Lugosi, Peter Lorre You'll Find Out is a 1940 American comedy film directed by David Butler and starring Kay Kyser. The film was nominated for an Academy Award in 1940 for Best Original Song. In this film, members ...more
29
5 1
The Face Behind the MaskPeter Lorre, Evelyn Keyes, Don Beddoe The Face Behind the Mask is a crime-drama film released by Columbia Pictures in 1941. It stars Peter Lorre and Evelyn Keyes and was directed by Robert Florey. The screenplay was adapted by Paul ...more
30
8 5
Dr. CyclopsAlbert Dekker, Paul Fix, Charles Halton Dr. Cyclops is a 1940 American science fiction horror film directed by Ernest B. Schoedsack, starring Thomas Coley, Victor Kilian, Janice Logan, Charles Halton, Frank Yaconelli, and Albert ...more
31
6 3
Invisible GhostBela Lugosi, Clarence Muse, Betty Compson Watch for Free with Amazon Prime Free Trial Invisible Ghost is a horror film starring Bela Lugosi, shot in black and white, and directed by Joseph H. Lewis.
32
4 1
La Main du diablePierre Fresnay, Georges Chamarat, Antoine Balpêtré La main du diable is a 1943 film directed by Maurice Tourneur.
33
4 1
The Undying MonsterHeather Angel, Halliwell Hobbes, John Brahm The Undying Monster is a 1942 horror and mystery film, also known as The Hammond Mystery, featuring a werewolf as the primary antagonist. The movie was directed by John Brahm and is based on the ...more
34
6 4
The Beast with Five FingersPeter Lorre, Robert Alda, Andrea King The Beast with Five Fingers is a horror film directed by Robert Florey and with a screenplay by Curt Siodmak, based on a short story by W. F. Harvey first published in the New Decameron. The ...more
35
5 3
The Spider WomanBasil Rathbone, Gale Sondergaard, Nigel Bruce The Spider Woman is a 1944 mystery film starring Basil Rathbone as Sherlock Holmes and Nigel Bruce as Dr. Watson, the seventh of fourteen such films the pair were involved in. As with all of the ...more
36
4 2
Dead Man's EyesLon Chaney, Jr., Jean Parker Dead Man's Eyes is a 1944 Inner Sanctum mystery film directed by Reginald Le Borg, and starring Lon Chaney, Jr. and Jean Parker. The film was distributed by Universal Pictures. The "Inner ...more
37
4 2
Bowery at MidnightBela Lugosi, Dave O'Brien, J. Farrell MacDonald Watch for Free with Amazon Prime Free Trial Bowery at Midnight is a horror film starring Bela Lugosi. Lugosi plays a psychology professor by day who, secretly and under an assumed name, runs a Bowery soup kitchen by night called the ...more
38
3 1
Spooks Run WildBela Lugosi, Huntz Hall, Leo Gorcey Watch for Free with Amazon Prime Free Trial Spooks Run Wild is an American comedy horror film and the seventh film in the East Side Kids series, starring Bela Lugosi, Leo Gorcey, Huntz Hall, and Bobby Jordan. Released in 1941, it was ...more
39
3 1
Zombies on BroadwayBela Lugosi, Anne Jeffreys, Sheldon Leonard Zombies on Broadway is an 1945 American horror comedy film directed by Gordon M. Douglas. It stars Alan Carney and Wally Brown as a pair of men who are tasked with finding a real zombie for a ...more
40
6 5
The Mummy's CurseBoris Karloff, Lon Chaney, Jr. The Mummy's Curse is the 1944 horror film follow-up to The Mummy's Ghost. This film marks Lon Chaney, Jr.'s final appearance as Kharis, the Egyptian mummy. The Universal Mummy series boasts of a ...more
41
3 2
The Devil BatBela Lugosi, Suzanne Kaaren, Dave O'Brien Watch for Free with Amazon Prime Free Trial The Devil Bat is a black-and-white comedy-horror movie produced by Producers Releasing Corporation and directed by Jean Yarbrough. The film stars horror actor Bela Lugosi, along with Suzanne ...more
42
3 2
The Woman in GreenBasil Rathbone, Hillary Brooke, Nigel Bruce The Woman in Green is a 1945 American Sherlock Holmes film starring Basil Rathbone as Holmes and Nigel Bruce as Dr. Watson, with Hillary Brooke as the woman of the title and Henry Daniell as ...more
43
2 1
The Pearl of DeathBasil Rathbone, Rondo Hatton, Evelyn Ankers The Pearl of Death is a 1944 Sherlock Holmes film starring Basil Rathbone as Holmes and Nigel Bruce as Dr. Watson, the ninth of fourteen such films the pair made. The story is loosely based on ...more
44
2 1
The Invisible WomanJohn Barrymore, Margaret Hamilton, Cedric Hardwicke The Invisible Woman is an American science fiction comedy film that was released near the end of 1940 by Universal. It is the third 'Invisible' film following The Invisible Man and The Invisible ...more
45
2 2
Revenge of the ZombiesJohn Carradine, Robert Lowery, Gale Storm Revenge of the Zombies is a 1943 horror film directed by Steve Sekely, starring John Carradine and Gale Storm. Dr. Max Heinrich von Altermann, is a mad scientist working to create a race of ...more
46
1 1
Invisible AgentPeter Lorre, Cedric Hardwicke, Keye Luke Invisible Agent is a 1942 American science fiction film from Universal. The film was a wartime propaganda production that was part of a Hollywood effort to boost morale at the home front. It ...more
47
1 1
King of the ZombiesMantan Moreland, Henry Victor, John Archer King of the Zombies is a 1941 American horror comedy film produced by Monogram Pictures.
48
3 4
She-Wolf of LondonJune Lockhart, Lloyd Corrigan, Sara Haden She-Wolf of London is a 1946 horror film produced by Universal Studios, directed by Jean Yarbrough and starring June Lockhart and Don Porter. The title evokes the earlier Werewolf of London, ...more
49
1 2
The Invisible Man's RevengeJohn Carradine, Evelyn Ankers, Jon Hall The Invisible Man's Revenge is a 1944 science fiction- horror film directed by Ford Beebe and written by Bertram Millhauser. The picture stars John Carradine as a mad scientist who tests his ...more
50
1 2
Things Happen at NightGarry Marsh, Gordon Harker, Robertson Hare Things Happen at Night is a 1947 British supernatuarl ghost comedy film directed by Francis Searle and starring Gordon Harker, Alfred Drayton, Robertson Hare and Gwynneth Vaughan. The film is ...more
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List Rules: Vote up your favorite horror films that were released in the 1940s
