The Best Classic Horror Movies

Ranker Horror
Updated June 23, 2023 103.3K votes 5.1K voters 122.5K views
Over 5.1K Ranker voters have come together to rank this list of The Best Classic Horror Movies
Voting Rules
Any good old horror films recognized as classics

The best classic horror movies have stood the test of time as not only being the greatest horror films in history but some of the greatest works of cinema the world has ever seen. From generational psychological thrillers like Silence of the Lambs and The Shining to sadistic slashers like Halloween and The Texas Chainsaw Massacre to masochistic monster movies like The Thing and Alien, each and every film on this list simultaneously represents the best and most important films in the history of horror. 

These great classic horror movies are a must-watch for anyone who loves a good scare, and for the film buff, they can learn all the tricks of the trade that have made the horror genre one of the most lucrative and influential genres cinema has to offer. These classic horror masterpieces span nearly 100 years of cinema and chart out in 1997.

Vote up the best classic horror movies of all time, and be sure to check out the scariest movies of all time!

Most divisive: Them!
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  • Halloween
    1

    Halloween

    Horror, Thriller
    2,227 votes
    • Actors: Donald Pleasence, Jamie Lee Curtis, Nancy Kyes, P.J. Soles, Charles Cyphers
    • Released: 1978
    • Directed by: John Carpenter
    In the iconic horror film Halloween, directed by John Carpenter, the tranquil town of Haddonfield, Illinois is thrown into a state of terror. The menace arrives in the form of Michael Myers (Nick Castle), an escaped mental patient with a chilling past. The film's protagonist, Laurie Strode (Jamie Lee Curtis), finds herself in Myers's crosshairs on Halloween night. As she and her friends become targets, Dr. Sam Loomis (Donald Pleasence), Myers's psychiatrist, races against time to stop his murderous rampage. Unpredictable yet relentless, Halloween weaves a tale of suspense that won't soon be forgotten.

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  • The Exorcist
    2

    The Exorcist

    Horror
    2,440 votes
    • Actors: Ellen Burstyn, Linda Blair, Max von Sydow, Lee J. Cobb, Kitty Winn
    • Released: 1973
    • Directed by: William Friedkin
    In the heart-stopping horror classic The Exorcist, Regan MacNeil (Linda Blair), a young girl, becomes inexplicably ill. After all medical explanations are exhausted, her mother Chris (Ellen Burstyn) seeks help from two priests. Father Karras (Jason Miller), a troubled cleric wrestling with his faith, and veteran exorcist Father Merrin (Max von Sydow) step in to confront an evil beyond their understanding. The film, directed by William Friedkin, is recognized for its chilling portrayal of possession and exorcism. It won two Academy Awards and remains one of the most influential horror films to this day.

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  • The Shining
    3

    The Shining

    Horror, Thriller
    2,369 votes
    • Actors: Jack Nicholson, Shelley Duvall, Danny Lloyd, Scatman Crothers, Barry Nelson
    • Released: 1980
    • Directed by: Stanley Kubrick
    In the chilling film The Shining, Jack Torrance (portrayed by Jack Nicholson) takes on a winter caretaker role at Colorado's secluded Overlook Hotel. His aim is to overcome his writer's block, and he brings along his wife Wendy (Shelley Duvall) and son Danny (Danny Lloyd). A unique aspect of this narrative is Danny's psychic abilities, which lead him to experience unnerving premonitions. The movie unfolds as Jack grapples with a stagnant writing process and Danny's visions grow increasingly alarming. The crux of the plot lies in Jack uncovering the hotel's sinister past, an event that triggers a terrifying transformation within him towards violence against his own family.
  • The Silence of the Lambs
    4

    The Silence of the Lambs

    Thriller, Drama
    2,159 votes
    • Actors: Jodie Foster, Anthony Hopkins, Scott Glenn, Ted Levine, Anthony Heald
    • Released: 1991
    • Directed by: Jonathan Demme
    The Silence of the Lambs, a gripping thriller, introduces audiences to FBI trainee Clarice Starling (Jodie Foster). She's assigned an unnerving task: to extract information from the infamous and incarcerated cannibalistic serial killer, Dr. Hannibal Lecter (Anthony Hopkins). The objective? To help apprehend another active serial killer, Buffalo Bill (Ted Levine), before he strikes again. This chilling narrative, directed by Jonathan Demme, won five Academy Awards, including Best Picture. It interweaves suspense, crime solving and psychological manipulation, creating a film that is as thought-provoking as it is horrifying.

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  • Psycho
    5

    Psycho

    Horror, Thriller
    2,353 votes
    • Actors: Anthony Perkins, Janet Leigh, Vera Miles, John Gavin, Martin Balsam
    • Released: 1960
    • Directed by: Alfred Hitchcock
    In the chilling classic Psycho, Marion Crane (Janet Leigh) absconds with stolen cash, seeking solace at the remote Bates Motel. The proprietor, Norman Bates (Anthony Perkins), is a peculiar young man dominated by his puritanical mother. Marion's disappearance triggers an investigation led by her sister, Lila (Vera Miles), and boyfriend, Sam Loomis (John Gavin). Directed masterfully by Alfred Hitchcock, this iconic horror-thriller won several awards, including an Academy Award nomination for Leigh's performance. Psycho's suspense-filled plot twists and haunting score have left an indelible mark on cinematic history.

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  • The Thing
    6

    The Thing

    Horror, Science Fiction
    1,674 votes
    • Actors: Kurt Russell, Wilford Brimley, T.K. Carter, Richard Dysart, Richard Masur
    • Released: 1982
    • Directed by: John Carpenter
    In the frost-bitten isolation of Antarctica, a team of American researchers find themselves under siege. Their adversary? An alien life-form with an unnerving ability to assume the appearance of its victims. The team's helicopter pilot, R.J. MacReady (Kurt Russell), steps up in defense of his comrades, igniting a nerve-wracking battle of paranoia and survival against their shape-shifting foe. This is The Thing, a chilling blend of science fiction and horror directed by John Carpenter. The movie, released in 1982, stands as a testament to practical effects, expertly designed suspense and a hauntingly desolate setting that amplifies the terror within.

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