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The Best Indie Horror Movies, Ranked

Updated December 6, 2019 2.8k votes 293 voters 10.0k views41 items

List RulesVote 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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Halloween
Jamie Lee Curtis, Kyle Richards
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 film... more
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The Texas Chain Saw Massacre
Gunnar Hansen, Marilyn Burns
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 Hansen,... more
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Nosferatu
Max Schreck, John Gottowt
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 in... more
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Get Out
Daniel Kaluuya, Catherine Keener
Released: 2017
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 about... more
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It Follows
Maika Monroe, Keir Gilchrist
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 Weary),... more
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The Blair Witch Project
Heather Donahue, Joshua Leonard
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 company.... more
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The Babadook
Essie Davis, Daniel Henshall
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 stars Essie... more
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Saw
Danny Glover, Monica Potter
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 dilapidated... more
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Evil Dead
Jane Levy, Jessica Lucas
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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Insidious
Rose Byrne, Barbara Hershey
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 in the... more
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Tucker & Dale vs. Evil
Alan Tudyk, Chelan Simmons
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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You're Next
Sharni Vinson, Barbara Crampton
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, and Joe... more
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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 8,... more
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Wrong Turn
Eliza Dushku, Emmanuelle Chriqui
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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V/H/S
Joe Swanberg, Adam Wingard
Released: 2012
Directed by: Joe Swanberg, Adam Wingard, Matt Bettinelli-Olpin, Tyler Gillett, Justin Martinez
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
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Cabin Fever
Eli Roth, Cerina Vincent
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 & Evan... more
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The House of the Devil
Lena Dunham, Greta Gerwig
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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House of 1000 Corpses
Rob Zombie, Chris Hardwick
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 as... more
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Wolf Creek
Teresa Palmer, John Jarratt
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 captive... more
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Teeth
Jess Weixler, Josh Pais
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 advantage.... more
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Re-Animator
Barbara Crampton, Jeffrey Combs
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 first film in... more
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Dark Skies
Keri Russell, J.K. Simmons
Released: 2013
Directed by: Scott Stewart
Dark Skies is a 2013 American science fiction horror film written and directed by Scott Stewart and produced by Jason Blum starring Keri Russell, Josh Hamilton and Dakota Goyo. The film was released... more
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The Lords of Salem
María Conchita Alonso, Dee Wallace
Released: 2012
Directed by: Rob Zombie
The Lords of Salem is a 2013 independent horror film written, produced and directed by Rob Zombie, and starring Sheri Moon Zombie, Bruce Davison, Judy Geeson, Patricia Quinn, Dee Wallace, María... more
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In Fabric
Marianne Jean-Baptiste, Sidse Babett Knudsen
Released: 2019
Directed by: Peter Strickland
In Fabric is a 2018 British horror comedy film directed by Peter Strickland. A cursed dressed is passed from person to person during a busy winter sales period at a department store, starting with a... more
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Kill List
MyAnna Buring, Ben Crompton
Released: 2011
Directed by: Ben Wheatley
This film is a 2011 British horror film directed by Ben Wheatley, co-written and co-edited with Amy Jump, and starring Neil Maskell, Michael Smiley, and MyAnna Buring. When a British soldier returns... more
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Creep

The House of the Devil