The Best English Horror Movies

Updated October 25, 2020 1.5k votes 504 voters 24.3k views46 items

This list of the best English horror movies demonstrates the Brit’s longtime affinity for the scariest genre. Made up of mostly classic films, the list includes performances by vintage movie stars Michael Redgrave, Joan Fontaine, Charlton Heston, and Gregory Peck. What lover of the English horror genre could resist the aptly named Horror Hotel starring Christopher Lee? And every horror aficionado should know that before there was Jamie Lee Curtis in Halloween a British babysitter was being terrorized by a psycho just escaped from a mental hospital in Fright.

Also of note on this list of British horror movies is The Omen. One of the best and most influential horror films, it spawned four sequels and a remake. So, which of the films on this English horror movies list gives you the creeps? Join our other users and give the scariest movies on this list a bloody thumbs up.

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The Wicker Man
Christopher Lee, Britt Ekland
Released: 1973
Directed by: Robin Hardy
The Wicker Man is a 1973 British mystery horror film directed by Robin Hardy and written by... more
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28 Days Later
Cillian Murphy, Christopher Eccleston
Released: 2002
Directed by: Danny Boyle
28 Days Later is a 2002 British post-apocalyptic horror film directed by Danny Boyle. The... more
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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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An American Werewolf in London
Jenny Agutter, Frank Oz
Released: 1981
Directed by: John Landis
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An American Werewolf in London is a 1981 horror comedy film written and directed by John... more
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The Asylum
Colin Baker, Ingrid Pitt
Released: 2000
Directed by: John Stewart
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Dracula (1931)
Bela Lugosi, Tod Browning
Released: 1931
Directed by: Tod Browning, Karl Freund
Dracula is a 1931 vampire-horror film directed by Tod Browning and starring Bela Lugosi as... more
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The Awakening
Rebecca Hall, Imelda Staunton
Released: 2011
Directed by: Nick Murphy
The Awakening is a 2011 British horror film directed and co-written by Nick Murphy, starring... more
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Shaun of the Dead
Martin Freeman, Simon Pegg
Released: 2004
Directed by: Edgar Wright
Shaun of the Dead is a 2004 British horror comedy film directed by Edgar Wright. In a small... more
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Cry of the Banshee
Vincent Price, Stephen Rea
Released: 1970
Directed by: Gordon Hessler
Cry of the Banshee is a 1970 horror film directed by Gordon Hessler, starring Vincent Price as... more
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The Witches/The Devil's Own
Joan Fontaine, Leonard Rossiter
Released: 1966
Directed by: Cyril Frankel
The Witches is a 1966 British horror film made by Hammer Films. It was adapted by Nigel Kneale... more
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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
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Creep
Franka Potente, Jeremy Sheffield
Released: 2004
Directed by: Christopher Smith
Creep is a 2004 independent British horror film written and directed by Christopher Smith,... more
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Frankenstein and the Monster From Hell
Peter Cushing, Patrick Troughton
Released: 1974
Directed by: Terence Fisher
Frankenstein and the Monster From Hell is a 1974 British horror film, directed by Terence... more

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Psychomania
George Sanders, Robert Hardy
Released: 1971
Directed by: Don Sharp
Psychomania is a British horror-cult film starring Nicky Henson, Beryl Reid, George Sanders... more
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The Kiss of the Vampire
Dolly Read, Edward de Souza
Released: 1963
Directed by: Don Sharp
The Kiss of the Vampire also known as Kiss of Evil, is a 1963 British vampire film made by the... more
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Frankenstein Must Be Destroyed
Peter Cushing, Veronica Carlson
Released: 1969
Directed by: Terence Fisher
Frankenstein Must Be Destroyed is a British horror film directed by Terence Fisher for Hammer... more
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Eden Lake
Michael Fassbender, Kelly Reilly
Released: 2008
Directed by: James Watkins
Eden Lake is a 2008 British thriller film written and directed by James Watkins and starring... more
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Corruption/Carnage
Peter Cushing, Sue Lloyd
Released: 1968
Directed by: Robert Hartford-Davis
Corruption is a 1968 British film directed by Robert Hartford-Davis, from a screenplay by... more
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The Lost Continent
Hildegard Knef, Nigel Stock
Released: 1968
Directed by: Michael Carreras, Leslie Norman
The Lost Continent is a 1968 fantasy film made by Hammer Films and Seven Arts featuring Eric... more
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Demons of the Mind
Robert Hardy, Michael Hordern
Released: 1972
Directed by: Peter Sykes
Demons of the Mind is a 1972 British horror film, directed by Peter Sykes and produced... more
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Dead Man's Shoes
Paddy Constantine, Toby Kebbell
Released: 2004
Directed by: Shane Meadows
This film is a 2004 British psychological thriller film written and directed by Shane Meadows,... more
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Asylum
Charlotte Rampling, Britt Ekland
Released: 1972
Directed by: Patrick Magee, Roy Ward Baker
Asylum is a 1972 British horror film made by Amicus Productions. The film was directed by Roy... more
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Mum & Dad
Perry Benson, Micaiah Dring
Released: 2008
Directed by: Steven Sheil
Mum & Dad is a 2008 British horror film by director Steven Sheil. Its premiere was on August... more

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(These are)The Damned
Oliver Reed, Shirley Anne Field
Released: 1963
Directed by: Joseph Losey
The Damned is a 1963 British science fiction film starring Macdonald Carey, Shirley Anne Field... more
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Peeping Tom
Anna Massey, Michael Powell
Released: 1960
Directed by: Michael Powell
This film is a 1960 British thriller/horror film directed by Michael Powell and written by the... more
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