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The Best Indie Horror Movies, Ranked 

Ranker Film
Updated December 6, 2019 2.1k votes 274 voters 9.5k views 41 items

List Rules Vote up your favorite independent horror films.

This list contains information on the best indie horror movies, ranked from best to worst by user votes. The best indie horror films come in many forms. Some indie horror movies are based on classic literature while other good indie horror films feature completely original characters and storylines. A few of the best indie horror films even generated sequels.

What films will you find on this top independent horror movies list? The Blair Witch Project has to be at the top. This 1999 horror film turned its $60,000 budget into over 248 million box office dollars worldwide. Part of this film's unique appeal was its ability to convince movie-goers that it was a real documentary. The original Texas Chainsaw Massacre is another great indie horror film.

The independent Australian horror movie, The Babadook, terrified people all over the world when it was released in 2014. Other good independent horror films include Halloween, Evil Dead, and The House of the Devil.

Do you have a favorite indie horror movie? Give the best films a thumbs up and please add any good features we may have missed.

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1
Halloween is listed (or ranked) 1 on the list The Best Indie Horror Movies, Ranked
Jamie Lee Curtis, Kyle Richards, Donald Pleasence

Released: 1978

Directed by: John Carpenter

Halloween is a 1978 American independent slasher horror film directed and scored by John Carpenter, co-written with producer Debra Hill, and starring Donald Pleasence and Jamie Lee Curtis in her ...more

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2
The Texas Chain Saw Mass... is listed (or ranked) 2 on the list The Best Indie Horror Movies, Ranked
Gunnar Hansen, Marilyn Burns, Edwin Neal

Released: 1974

Directed by: Tobe Hooper

This movie is a 1974 American slasher film, directed and produced by Tobe Hooper, who cowrote it with Kim Henkel. It stars Marilyn Burns, Paul A. Partain, Edwin Neal, Jim Siedow and Gunnar ...more

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3
It Follows is listed (or ranked) 3 on the list The Best Indie Horror Movies, Ranked
Maika Monroe, Keir Gilchrist, Linda Boston

Released: 2014

Directed by: David Robert Mitchell

It Follows is a 2014 supernatural psychological horror film written and directed by David Robert Mitchell. After carefree teenager Jay (Maika Monroe) sleeps with her new boyfriend, Hugh (Jake ...more

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4
Get Out is listed (or ranked) 4 on the list The Best Indie Horror Movies, Ranked
Daniel Kaluuya, Catherine Keener, Allison Williams

Directed by: Jordan Peele

Get Out is a 2017 American horror film directed by Jordan Peele. A young African-American (Daniel Kaluuya) visits his white girlfriend's parents for the weekend, where his simmering uneasiness ...more

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5
Nosferatu is listed (or ranked) 5 on the list The Best Indie Horror Movies, Ranked
Max Schreck, John Gottowt, Alexander Granach

Released: 1922

Directed by: F. W. Murnau

Nosferatu, eine Symphonie des Grauens is a 1922 German Expressionist horror film, directed by F. W. Murnau, starring Max Schreck as the vampire Count Orlok. The film, shot in 1921 and released ...more

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6
Saw is listed (or ranked) 6 on the list The Best Indie Horror Movies, Ranked
Danny Glover, Monica Potter, Shawnee Smith

Released: 2004

Directed by: James Wan

Saw is a 2004 horror film written by Leigh Whannell and directed by James Wan, in Wan's directorial debut. In the film, Adam (Whannell) and Lawrence (Cary Elwes) awaken chained in a large ...more

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7
The Babadook is listed (or ranked) 7 on the list The Best Indie Horror Movies, Ranked
Essie Davis, Daniel Henshall, Adam Morgan

Released: 2014

Directed by: Jennifer Kent

The Babadook is a 2014 Australian psychological horror film, written and directed by Jennifer Kent, in which a woman and her son are tormented by a "boogie-man" type monster. The film ...more

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8
The Blair Witch Project ... is listed (or ranked) 8 on the list The Best Indie Horror Movies, Ranked
Heather Donahue, Joshua Leonard, Michael C. Williams

Released: 1999

Directed by: Daniel Myrick, Eduardo Sánchez

The Blair Witch Project is a 1999 American found footage horror film written, directed and edited by Daniel Myrick and Eduardo Sánchez. The film was produced by the Haxan Films production ...more

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9
Evil Dead is listed (or ranked) 9 on the list The Best Indie Horror Movies, Ranked
Jane Levy, Jessica Lucas, Shiloh Fernandez

Released: 2013

Directed by: Fede Alvarez

This film is a 2013 American supernatural horror film written and directed by Fede Alvarez. It is the fourth installment of the franchise, serving as both a reboot, a remake and as a loose ...more

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10
Insidious is listed (or ranked) 10 on the list The Best Indie Horror Movies, Ranked
Rose Byrne, Barbara Hershey, Patrick Wilson

Released: 2010

Directed by: James Wan

Insidious is a 2011 American supernatural horror film directed by James Wan, written by Leigh Whannell, and starring Patrick Wilson, Rose Byrne and Barbara Hershey. It is the first installment ...more

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11
Tucker & Dale vs. Ev... is listed (or ranked) 11 on the list The Best Indie Horror Movies, Ranked
Alan Tudyk, Chelan Simmons, Katrina Bowden

Released: 2010

Directed by: Eli Craig

Tucker & Dave vs. Evil is a 2010 American comedy horror film directed by Eli Craig. Tucker (Alan Tudyk) and Dale (Tyler Labine), two hillbillies heading to their “fixer-upper” cabin for some ...more

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12
Wrong Turn is listed (or ranked) 12 on the list The Best Indie Horror Movies, Ranked
Eliza Dushku, Emmanuelle Chriqui, Kevin Zegers

Released: 2003

Directed by: Rob Schmidt

Wrong Turn is a 2003 American horror film directed by Rob Schmidt and written by Alan B. McElroy. The film was shot in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada and starred Desmond Harrington, Eliza Dushku, ...more

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13
Creep is listed (or ranked) 13 on the list The Best Indie Horror Movies, Ranked
Creep Mark Duplass, Patrick Kack-Brice

Released: 2014

Directed by: Patrick Kack-Brice

Creep is a 2014 comedy horror film directed by Patrick Brice, based on a script written by Brice and Mark Duplass. The movie, which is Brice's directorial debut, had its world premiere on March ...more

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14
You're Next is listed (or ranked) 14 on the list The Best Indie Horror Movies, Ranked
Sharni Vinson, Barbara Crampton, Amy Seimetz

Released: 2011

Directed by: Adam Wingard

You're Next is a 2011 American independent action-horror slasher film directed by Adam Wingard, written by Simon Barrett, and starring Sharni Vinson, Nicholas Tucci, Wendy Glenn, A. J. Bowen, ...more

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15
Cabin Fever is listed (or ranked) 15 on the list The Best Indie Horror Movies, Ranked
Eli Roth, Cerina Vincent, Jordan Ladd

Released: 2002

Directed by: Eli Roth

Cabin Fever is a 2002 American black comedy horror film directed by Eli Roth and starring Rider Strong, Jordan Ladd, James DeBello and Giuseppe Andrews. It was produced by Lauren Moews & ...more

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16
House of 1000 Corpses is listed (or ranked) 16 on the list The Best Indie Horror Movies, Ranked
Rob Zombie, Chris Hardwick, Karen Black

Released: 2003

Directed by: Rob Zombie

House of 1000 Corpses is a 2003 American exploitation horror film directed by Rob Zombie. Two young couples traveling across the backwoods of Texas searching for urban legends of murder end up ...more

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17
V/H/S is listed (or ranked) 17 on the list The Best Indie Horror Movies, Ranked
Joe Swanberg, Adam Wingard, Drew Sawyer

Released: 2012

Directed by: Joe Swanberg, Adam Wingard, Matt Bettinelli-Olpin, Tyler Gillett, Justin Martinez, + more

V/H/S is a 2012 American anthology horror film. It features a series of found-footage shorts written and directed by Adam Wingard, David Bruckner, Ti West, Glenn McQuaid, Joe Swanberg, and the ...more
18
Re-Animator is listed (or ranked) 18 on the list The Best Indie Horror Movies, Ranked
Barbara Crampton, Jeffrey Combs, David Gale

Released: 1985

Directed by: Stuart Gordon

Re-Animator is a 1985 American science fiction horror comedy film loosely based on the H. P. Lovecraft episodic novella "Herbert West–Reanimator." Directed by Stuart Gordon, it was the ...more

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19
Wolf Creek is listed (or ranked) 19 on the list The Best Indie Horror Movies, Ranked
Teresa Palmer, John Jarratt, Kestie Morassi

Released: 2005

Directed by: Greg McLean

Wolf Creek is a 2005 Australian horror film written, co-produced, and directed by Greg McLean, and starring John Jarratt. The story revolves around three backpackers who find themselves held ...more

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20
The House of the Devil ... is listed (or ranked) 20 on the list The Best Indie Horror Movies, Ranked
The House of the Devil Lena Dunham, Greta Gerwig, Dee Wallace

Released: 2009

Directed by: Ti West

The House of the Devil is a 2009 horror film written, directed, and edited by Ti West, starring Jocelin Donahue, Tom Noonan, and Mary Woronov. It combines elements of both the slasher film and ...more

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21
Paranormal Activity is listed (or ranked) 21 on the list The Best Indie Horror Movies, Ranked
Katie Featherston, Micah Sloat, Randy McDowell

Released: 2007

Directed by: Oren Peli

Paranormal Activity is a 2007 American supernatural horror film written, co-produced, photographed, edited, and directed by Oren Peli. The film centers on a young couple, Katie and Micah, who ...more

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22
The Collector is listed (or ranked) 22 on the list The Best Indie Horror Movies, Ranked
Daniella Alonso, Madeline Zima, Andrea Roth

Released: 2009

Directed by: Marcus Dunstan

The Collector is a 2009 horror film written by Marcus Dunstan and Patrick Melton and directed by Dunstan. Originally titled The Midnight Man, the script was originally intended to be a Saw ...more

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23
Resolution is listed (or ranked) 23 on the list The Best Indie Horror Movies, Ranked
Sarah Oliver, Zahn McClarnon, Bill Oberst Jr.

Released: 2012

Directed by: Aaron Moorhead, Justin Benson

Resolution is a 2012 horror, mystery and thriller film written by Justin Benson and directed by Aaron Moorhead and Justin Benson.
24
Teeth is listed (or ranked) 24 on the list The Best Indie Horror Movies, Ranked
Jess Weixler, Josh Pais, Nathan Parsons

Released: 2007

Directed by: Mitchell Lichtenstein

Teeth is a 2007 American black comedy horror film directed by Mitchell Lichtenstein. Still a stranger to her own body, a high school student (Jess Weixler) discovers she has a physical

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25
The Final Girls is listed (or ranked) 25 on the list The Best Indie Horror Movies, Ranked
Nina Dobrev, Malin Åkerman, Taissa Farmiga

Released: 2015

Directed by: Todd Strauss-Schulson

The Final Girls is a 2015 American slasher comedy film directed by Todd Strauss-Schulson. Max Cartwright (Taissa Farmiga)'s mother was scream queen Nancy (Malin Åkerman), who starred in ...more

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