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The Best '40s Horror Movies

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List RulesVote 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.

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The Wolf Man
Bela Lugosi, Claude Rains
Released: 1941
Directed by: George Waggner
The Wolf Man is a 1941 American drama horror film written by Curt Siodmak and produced and... more on Wikipedia
More The Wolf Man
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Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein
Vincent Price, Bela Lugosi
Released: 1948
Directed by: Charles Barton
Bud Abbott and Lou Costello Meet Frankenstein, or Bud Abbott Lou Costello Meet Frankenstein... more on Wikipedia
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Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde
Ingrid Bergman, Lana Turner
Released: 1941
Directed by: Victor Fleming
Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde is a 1941 horror film starring Spencer Tracy, Ingrid Bergman and Lana... more on Wikipedia
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The Body Snatcher
Boris Karloff, Bela Lugosi
Released: 1945
Directed by: Robert Wise
The Body Snatcher is a 1945 horror film directed by Robert Wise based on the short story The... more on Wikipedia
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Frankenstein Meets the Wolf Man
Bela Lugosi, Lon Chaney
Released: 1943
Directed by: Roy William Neill
Frankenstein Meets the Wolf Man, released in 1943, is an American monster horror film produced... more on Wikipedia
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The Ghost of Frankenstein
Bela Lugosi, Lon Chaney
Released: 1942
Directed by: Erle C. Kenton
The Ghost of Frankenstein, is an American monster horror film released in 1942. The movie is... more on Wikipedia
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I Walked with a Zombie
Boris Karloff, Frances Dee
Released: 1943
Directed by: Jacques Tourneur
I Walked with a Zombie is a 1943 horror film directed by Jacques Tourneur. It was the second... more on Wikipedia

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Cat People
Alan Napier, Simone Simon
Released: 1942
Directed by: Jacques Tourneur
Cat People is a 1942 horror film produced by Val Lewton and directed by Jacques Tourneur.... more on Wikipedia
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34
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The Uninvited
Ray Milland, Gail Russell
Released: 1944
Directed by: Lewis Allen
The Uninvited is a 1944 American supernatural mystery/romance directed by Lewis Allen in his... more on Wikipedia
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Phantom of the Opera
Claude Rains, Hume Cronyn
Released: 1943
Directed by: Arthur Lubin
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David and Jade, a young couple, are consumed by their feelings for each other. With the toll... more on Wikipedia
More Phantom of the Opera
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The Picture of Dorian Gray
Angela Lansbury, Donna Reed
Released: 1945
Directed by: Albert Lewin
The Picture of Dorian Gray is a 1945 American horror-drama film based on Oscar Wilde's 1890... more on Wikipedia
More The Picture of Dorian Gray
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House of Dracula
Lon Chaney, Jr.
Released: 1945
Directed by: Erle C. Kenton
House of Dracula is an American horror film released by Universal Pictures Company in 1945. It... more on Wikipedia
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27
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The Black Cat
Boris Karloff, Bela Lugosi
Released: 1934
Directed by: Edgar G. Ulmer
Not to be confused with the 1941 version also featuring Bela Lugosi. The Black Cat is a 1934... more on Wikipedia
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Dead of Night
Michael Redgrave, Googie Withers
Released: 1945
Directed by: Basil Dearden, Charles Crichton, Alberto Cavalcanti, Robert Hamer
This film is a British portmanteau horror film made by Ealing Studios; the individual stories... more on Wikipedia
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House of Frankenstein
Boris Karloff, Lon Chaney
Released: 1944
Directed by: Erle C. Kenton
House of Frankenstein is an American monster horror film starring Boris Karloff and Lon... more on Wikipedia
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22
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The Lodger
George Sanders, Merle Oberon
Released: 1944
Directed by: John Brahm
The Lodger is a 1944 horror film about Jack the Ripper, based on the novel of the same name by... more on Wikipedia
More The Lodger
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The Mummy's Hand
Boris Karloff, Eduardo Ciannelli
Released: 1940
Directed by: Christy Cabanne
The Mummy's Hand is a 1940 black-and-white horror film, produced by Ben Pivar for Universal... more on Wikipedia
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The Invisible Man Returns
Vincent Price, Cedric Hardwicke
Released: 1940
Directed by: Joe May
The Invisible Man Returns is a 1940 American horror science fiction film from Universal. It... more on Wikipedia
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The Return of the Vampire
Bela Lugosi, Nina Foch
Released: 1944
Directed by: Lew Landers
The Return of the Vampire is a horror film released in 1944 by Columbia Pictures. It is in... more on Wikipedia
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The Mummy's Tomb
Lon Chaney Jr., Elyse Knox
Released: 1942
Directed by: Harold Young
The Mummy's Tomb is the 1942 horror film sequel to The Mummy's Hand. Lon Chaney, Jr. disliked... more on Wikipedia
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The Mummy's Ghost
Lon Chaney Jr., John Carradine
Released: 1944
Directed by: Reginald Le Borg
The Mummy's Ghost is the 1944 Universal Pictures sequel to The Mummy's Tomb. Lon Chaney, Jr.... more on Wikipedia
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Isle of the Dead
Boris Karloff, Alan Napier
Released: 1945
Directed by: Mark Robson
Isle of the Dead is a horror film made for RKO Radio Pictures by producer Val Lewton. The... more on Wikipedia
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Son of Dracula
Lon Chaney, Jr.
Released: 1943
Directed by: Robert Siodmak, Erle C. Kenton
Son of Dracula is a 1943 American horror film directed by Robert Siodmak – his first film for... more on Wikipedia
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The Face Behind the Mask
Peter Lorre, Evelyn Keyes
Released: 1941
Directed by: Wallace MacDonald, Robert Florey
The Face Behind the Mask is a crime-drama film released by Columbia Pictures in 1941. It stars... more on Wikipedia
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Black Friday
Boris Karloff, Bela Lugosi
Released: 1940
Directed by: Arthur Lubin
Black Friday is a 1940 American science fiction film starring Boris Karloff. Béla Lugosi,... more on Wikipedia