Halloween : Scariest Movies of All Time
The Silence of the Lambs
Based on Thomas Harris's novel, this terrifying film by Jonathan Demme really only contains a couple of genuinely shocking moments (one involving an autopsy, the other a prison break). The rest of the film is a splatter-free visual and psychological descent into the hell of madness, redeemed astonishingly by an unlikely connection between a monster and a haunted young woman.
Psycho
Hitchcock's psychological thriller broke new ground in Hollywood and forever changed the genre. The bone-chilling tension still resonates today, despite a culture hardened to big-screen violence and psychological games. The infamous "shower scene" remains one of the most memorable in film history.
The Exorcist
This controversial film took in a whopping $89 million domestically, a certified blockbuster—quite a feat considering the off-putting plot and stomach-turning visuals: a twisting head, spinning bed, and green vomit. (People actually vomited in theaters during the film's original theatrical run.) A tormented priest tries to exorcise the devil from 12-year-old Linda Blair. In the process, he unleashes some of his own demons. Peter Blatty won an Oscar for the riveting screenplay based on his novel.
Aliens
Directed and written by James Cameron, this is one of the most intensely exciting (not to mention intensely frightening) action films ever, with a large ensemble cast that includes Bill Paxton, Lance Henriksen, Paul Reiser, and Michael Biehn. Sigourney Weaver defined the action woman in this film and walked away with an Oscar nomination for her trouble.
The Shining
Who can forget Jack Nicholson's deranged laugh as he terrorized his snowbound family? Stanley Kubrick's most commercial film never really found an audience, but repeated viewings reveal a classic psychological study into family dynamics and the mind of an unhinged man. In characteristic Kubrick style, the author makes the Overlook Hotel itself a character, with as much power and intrigue as the real-life actors. Nicholson, never one for subtlety, delivers one of his most over-the-top performances.
A Nightmare on Elm Street
What would a scary movie list be without one slicer-dicer from the 1980s? After all, director Wes Craven is the indisputable king of horror, who's also responsible for the Scream franchise. Intelligent characters and—believe it or not—a thought-provoking screenplay set this first installment in the Freddie Krueger series apart from other films of the genre.
Night of the Living Dead
The story is simple: Radiation from a fallen satellite has caused the dead to walk, and hunger for human flesh. Once bitten, you become one of them. And the only way to kill one is by a shot or blow to the head. We follow a group holed up in a small farmhouse who are trying to fend off the inevitable onslaught of the dead. The tension between the members of this unstable, makeshift community drives the film. Night of the Living Dead establishes savagery as a necessary condition of life. Marked by fatality and a grim humor, the film gnaws through to the bone, then proceeds on to the marrow.
Carrie
Though much of Brian De Palma's "Carrie" is more sad than scary there are horrifying moments that stick. No matter how sorry we are for Carrie, we're sure as heck not going in the ground with her. And no matter how much we tell ourselves this is only a movie, this is not something we want to think about before retiring for the evening.
Fatal Attraction
Directed by Adrian Lyne, this is not your average thriller, as it garnered six Academy Award nominations. The plot is too obvious, but the dialogue rings true and the intense performances hold the story together. Anne Archer deserves kudos for side-stepping cliché as the strong but frightened wife, and Glenn Close is a scream as she chews up the scenery. The film's original ending, which was reshot after poor preview screenings, has been added to the video release.
Rosemary's Baby
Psychological terrorism and supernatural horror have rarely been dramatized as effectively as in this classic 1968 thriller, masterfully adapted and directed by Roman Polanski from the chilling novel by Ira Levin. One of the few modern horror films that can claim to be genuinely terrifying, Rosemary's Baby is an unforgettable movie experience, guaranteed to send chills up your spine.