The best horror movies under 90 minutes have an incredibly difficult task ahead of them. The best short horror films need to not only craft a cohesive story in a compact amount of time, but one that will satisfy even the most rambunctious horrors fans' appetites. Time is precious, which means there is no room for lollygagging, and while many films have crumbled under the pressure of creating a terrifying and memorable story in such a small amount of time, these phenomenal horror films, used it to their advantage. That while you find so many great 90 minute horror movies on this list.
These horror films under 90 minutes often had to experiment with the very concept of what a movie is, and this allowed for new ideas and completely new forms of storytelling. Breakneck speed mixed with horrifying visuals often overwhelm and terrify audiences, and make the films all the more memorable. From some of the godfathers of horror like The Bride of Frankenstein and Freaks, to modern horror classics like Rec and Trick r' Treat, these films all used their stout runtime to create some of the best horror movies of all time.
Be sure to vote up the best horror movies under 90-minutes, and you might want to check out the scariest movies of all time!
Not only one of the most memorable figures in all of the horror but one of the most popular, influential, and quintessential horror films of all time, Frankenstein is arguably the most important film in the history of horror. The Mary Shelly adaptation may be a brisk 71 minutes, but what it lacks in runtime, it more than backs up with poignant storytelling, striking visuals, and a story the likes of which has stood the test of time for nearly 100 years.
Actors: Colin Clive, Mae Clarke, John Boles, Boris Karloff, Edward Van Sloan
The first major motion picture from horror savant Sam Rami, The Evil Dead beautifully showcased the fact that creators don't need a massive budget to create an awesome film. Intertwined within a rough, moody, tense environment, the film thrives in its first half with phenomenal world-building, before exploding into the second act of all-out mayhem, chaos, and brutality.
Actors: Bruce Campbell, Ellen Sandweiss, Betsy Baker, Richard DeManincor, Theresa Tilly
Arguably the most quintessential horror film of all time, The Texas Chainsaw Massacre masterfully wraps the irreparable damages of social outrage toward the Vietnam conflict with the last vestiges of youth dashed against the hard stones of real-world expectations of adulthood, all in a horrifying 83-minute story where a man wearing another human face is hunting people down in the guise of family exploitation.
Actors: Marilyn Burns, Gunnar Hansen, Allen Danziger, Paul A. Partain, William Vail
A paranoia-inducing classic science fiction horror film, Invasion of the Body Snatchers brought to life anxiety and dread in this classic genre film. Showcasing revolutionary ideology as well as groundbreaking practical effects, the film was a sight to behold when it was originally released back in 1956, and nearly 70 years later, Invasion of the Body Snatchers remains a classic example of sci-fi horror storytelling.
Actors: Kevin McCarthy, Dana Wynter, Carolyn Jones, Larry Gates, King Donovan
Acclaimed writer and director John Carpenter followed up his masterful first entry to the horror genre, Halloween, with an equally creepy and atmospheric film with The Fog. Carpenter cemented himself as a master of the genre just two films in, with his incredible use of moody, low budget filmmaking that forces the emphasis to be on the story, and building scares and tension in this remarkable 89-minute package.
Actors: Adrienne Barbeau, Hal Holbrook, Janet Leigh, Jamie Lee Curtis, John Houseman
No time is wasted when it comes to Fede Alvarez's Don't Breathe. Before we have a chance to take a breath ourselves, the audience is already following three teen ne'er do wells as they break into the house of a blind veteran (Stephen Lang). Everything spirals out of control from there with too many twists and turns to count. After all is said and done, you'll feel like you've aged a decade from feeling so tense but it's been less than an hour and a half.
Actors: Jane Levy, Dylan Minnette, Daniel Zovatto, Stephen Lang, Emma Bercovici
