Horror Movie Bests: Top 7 On the Scare Factor

We’ve all seen a horror film or two, and some may have binge-watched a number of them because, really, who wouldn’t want the excitement and scare factor that comes with watching a horror film, right? Whether it’s the unexpected or the thrill of seeing something horrifying, we get an adrenaline rush. So we’ve compiled a list of the top seven horror films that we believe are the most terrifying of all time.

 

 

THE TEXAS CHAINSAW MASSACRE (1974)

Leatherface will always be associated with the film The Texas Chainsaw Massacre. This is not the same as the 2022 release, as the original was released in 1974. Tobe Hooper, the film’s producer, invested only $140,000. It featured a cast of relatively unknown actors, but this is possibly one of the most gruesome of all. This was marketed as a true story, but it was based on something Ed Gein did back in the day. So it has some degree of truth to it. There have been numerous attempts to remake this film, but despite its low budget, nothing beats the original.

 

HALLOWEEN (1978)

If you know Jamie Lee Curtis, this movie is probably something in your subconscious because it gave birth to a whole new generation of scream queens, beginning with Lee Curtis. This film contains a lot of realistic tension as well as inventive thrills, indicating that the production team put a lot of effort into every aspect of the film. Halloween is frequently cited as one of the first slasher films to make a significant impact. In addition, Michael Myers’ mask is now a cultural artifact. There’s a reason why this franchise, to its credit, is still going strong after 40 years.

 

 

IT (2017)

Did you know there is such a thing as clown phobia? Yes, it is known as coulrophobia. If you have this, your health insurance company may not recognize it as an official illness, but it is very real. It is not recommended that you watch the 2017 film It. The film was a box office success, and Stephen King couldn’t have been happier with how they adapted his book into a film. In terms of earnings, it even broke The Exorcist’s 44-year record.

 

SINISTER (2012)

Scott Derrickson is best known for his credit on Doctor Strange, but before joining the MCU as a director, he directed a number of horror films. This director created a brilliant film about a true-crime writer who encounters horrors in a house that is definitely haunted and hides so many unspeakable evils. There were so many dramatic reveals and creepy set-pieces in Sinister that some websites rank it as one of the scariest movies of all time.

 

THE RING (2002)

Our perceptions of what is frightening can differ from one culture to the next. Clowns, for example, are feared in America but regarded as amusing beings elsewhere. What is frightening in Japan may not be frightening elsewhere, but Gore Verbinski was able to transform Japanese director Hideo Nakata’s The Ring into something that everyone can be afraid of. It featured nearly identical striking visual imagery, and the story of a young girl’s ghost in a white dress and long black hair captivated the rest of the world. People became more aware of their home security system to ensure there are no ghosts anywhere.

 

THE EXORCIST (1973)

Any list would be incomplete without mentioning The Exorcist. This is actually at the top for two reasons. The film adaptation of a demon-possessed girl was a breath of fresh air at the time. At the Academy Awards, it was even nominated for Best Picture. The second earned a lot of money and was a box office success, grossing more than $428 million. One disadvantage of the film was that it caused mass hysteria among the audience, causing everyone to believe that they were being possessed by demons. There is no denying that this film continued to have a degree on those who saw it for the first time.

 

THE CONJURING (2013)

Modern times brought us The Conjuring, which we rank right up there with The Exorcist because James Wan did an excellent job with this true-story-inspired film. All of the jump scares and freak out moments scattered throughout the film deserve credit for keeping everyone on their toes.

 

There are more films available, but these top seven rank high in our horror and scare factor.