Best Hollywood horror movies: What is a horror to you? Is it reliving a life and death situation? Or is it watching on as a creature straight out of hell rips out your innards? Is it feeling all alone in this whole wide world?
Feeling no one would understand you? Or is it the crippling voice inside your head whispering to you, “You don’t belong here.”? Does it know that all your loved ones will die and there’s nothing you can do to stop it? Fear is not the same for everybody.
Biologically, fear has helped us as a species to steer clear of beings and situations that might end up being dangerous for us. The predators are dead. The fear remains.
Horror movies are made all over the world. But horror is a genre that had been done to death (pun intended). Hence, most of them end up being bitter disappointments or absolute trash. However, there are a handful of gems to be found outside of Hollywood. If I am being honest, even the scariest horrors from Hollywood dwarfs in front of some of these gems that are mostly unknown outside their niches.
However, for this list, we would be selecting five out of the countless Hollywood horror movies that I have watched and felt the chill. If you believe there are other Hollywood horror movies out there that are way scarier than the ones mentioned on this list or feel like there are other movies that should have been featured in this list, feel free to leave a comment below. I probably haven’t watched it.
List of best Hollywood horror movies
We will have movies from different time periods in this actual list that still holds up today. The list, however is in no particular order. And we have tried to include movies that give a different kind of horror to its audience.
Get Out (2017)
Jordan Peele is a master of horror. I was pleasantly surprised to find out Peele from Key and Peele was the director of this movie. In his directorial debut, Peele gives us a gem of a horror flick that touches on relevant social issues like racism and that feeling of not belonging.
Chris is on his way to meet his girlfriend’s parents. They are a family of “white suburban Americans.” Chris, however is “Black.” Now, racism is deeply rooted in American politics. It has always been. Watch in horror as Chris finds out that this family is not what it seems.
The movie takes you on a one-and-a-half-hour thrill ride as you follow Chris and his unfortunate endeavor. I am not at full liberty to discuss the plot to not spoil the fun. However, I can guarantee that you will not regret watching this movie.
The Lighthouse (2019)
Black and white in movies nowadays are seen as another gimmick. But Robert Eggers didn’t feel that way. And none of them, who had watched “The Lighthouse” certainly wouldn’t. Previously known for his other horror works, such as “The witch,” which came out in 2016, Robert Eggers steps up his horror game with “The Lighthouse.”
Starring Robert Pattinson and Willem Defoe, it tells the story of isolation, boredom, paranoia, of human vulgarity. It plays out like a slow burn, with tension intensifying at a slow but steady rate as the movie goes on.
Ephraim Winslow arrives at the lighthouse. He and Thomas Wake are supposed to be the lighthouse keepers, guiding the ships through the rocky waters. Soon they come face to face with the tragedy of being trapped with no escape (I from 2020 can relate).
The movie is screened with an aspect ratio of 1:1 to get the feeling of being trapped across to the audience (Trust me, they know how it feels). The actors give stellar performances in their roles.
The movie feels like a 19th-century portrait. I remember watching this movie on a train on my way back home from college. A friend had suggested it to me. I remember feeling bored as the movie started. But I had nothing else to watch. My options were either that or stare at the white ceiling. But boy, was I in for a ride.
The Shining (1980)
Is there any list of horror movies without “The shining”? Stanly Kubrick is an absolute Juggernaut of world cinema. I can confidently say that there will be no horror fan who hasn’t watched this movie.
The twins and the hotel and the image of a psychedelic Jack Nicholson peering through the chopped door have been embedded in the memories of movie lovers all over the world. Adapted from the Stephen King novel of the same name, “The shining” grips its audience through a form of horror that trickles down through your heart and slowly rips it apart from the inside.
Jack Torrance is appointed as the caretaker of the Stanley hotel. The hotel takes no guests during winter. He moves to the hotel and his family, including his wife, Wendy, and their son Danny. Jack is also an amateur writer. He hopes to complete his novel during their slow time at the hotel. But fate had other plans. In fact, the hotel was haunted. What follows?
“Here’s Johnny”
The iconic scene is etched into the brains of fans everywhere, even those people who haven’t watched the movie recognize this scene through countless memes and vines. Jack Nicholson becomes the embodiment of horror as he walks down the empty corridors of the infamous “Stanly hotel.”
Stanley Kubrick is a director who brilliantly makes use of silence in his films for effective horror. You can see this in his other films like “2001: A Space Odyssey,” which misses out on our list despite providing the best horror experience by virtue of being a science fiction first and foremost. This silence can be boring and seem uneventful to the audience at times.
However, one must have the patience to watch through this to recognize its brilliance. This silence gets terrifying soon. It haunts your soul even after you switch off your television.
Psycho (1960)
How can we have a list of horror movies without mentioning the king of western horror? Many consider Alfred Hitchcock to be the greatest horror director. His ability to capture real-life horror into reels is almost uncanny.
It would be an understatement to say he is a 1960 classic, “Psycho” paved the way for the modern genre of psycho-killer movies. It even set the trend for creating villains with a sympathetic back-story. We see the ripple effects caused by Psycho in movies even today.
Marion steals money from her employer and disappears overnight. Her sister, Lila, and her boyfriend, Sam, set out to find her. Their investigations lead them to Bates motel, run by Norman Bates, a timid and soft-spoken person. But they were to find out soon the horrors waiting for them at the Bates motel.
Hitchcock can synchronize his visuals and background scores to scare the audience. They still teach it across film academies throughout the world. He is truly, the “master of suspense.” With Psycho, he sets the benchmark for future horror thrillers.
Honorable Mentions For the Best Hollywood Horror Movies
Saw (2004):
This movie spawned a franchise of horror movies cementing “the jigsaw killer” as a household name. Moreover, it managed to shoot its co-creators Leigh Whannell and James Wan, into instant fame. However, the future movies to come out would go on to disappoint its audience. But the first “saw” film-student movie, was truly one of a kind.
The Blair Witch Project (1999):
This is the movie solely responsible for the countless low-budget-found footage movies of the early 2000s. Truly an innovative approach at its time of release. Even the marketing for the movie made it seem real to the masses. This is a must-watch for any horror movie enthusiasts.
Paranormal Activity (2007):
If it was found footage movies in the early 2000s, it was Paranormal activity fever in the late 2000s and early 2010s. Though the hype seemed to have died down now, it was all the rage during its release. Made on a low-low budget, “Paranormal activity” captures the horror in the most mysterious way possible. Through security camera footage and handy cams, making it seem all the more real.
The Birds (1963):
Another Hitchcock movie on our list. Birds coming after you might seem like a silly idea. But watch the movie, and you’ll think twice before throwing a stone at that crow’s nest.
Us (2019):
Jordan Peele features on this list again as his new movie, “Nope,” is set to hit theatres this fall. Existential horror at its finest, “Us” sets out to explore what it means to be human.
Rosemary’s Baby (1968)
Roman Polanski is one of the greatest filmmakers of all time. He crates masterful horrors with the human condition in claustrophobic environments. Paranoia seems to be the reoccurring theme. This might be due to his experience in war-torn Poland during the second world war.
Future would see him on the run from the law, pleading guilty to raping a 13-year-old. However, the man’s genius was unparalleled.
Rosemary has been having strange dreams ever since she moved to the new house with her husband, Guy. She keeps hearing strange noises all around. Finally, however, she becomes pregnant. But she fears their neighbors are up to no good. Is she right? Or is it all in her head?
Polanski explores the occult with eerie suspense. Yet, he lets the horror seep through with all the subtlety. Ambiguous scenes keep the audience guessing about Rosemary and her baby. The accompanying melancholy tunes of Krzysztof Komeda and the actors’ Mia Farrow and John Cassavetes as Rosemary and Guy putting up a wonderful performance makes the movie an instant thriller classic.
The conclusion
I would never understand why someone would put themselves through experiencing the utmost horror. But I cannot say I don’t enjoy horror flicks once in a while. Films like “Pan’s Labyrinth,” “Martyrs,” and “Come and See” are all excellent horror films from around the world. Horror, just like love and sadness, is a universal feeling; there is no shortage of people trying to scare the living shit out of you.
As someone once said, “The key is not to be not afraid, but having the courage to face it.”
Also read: Alvin and the Chipmunks Movie – 11 best things you need to know about
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the scariest movie of all time?
AN: What keeps you awake at night? Only you can tell. Furthermore, everyone is afraid of something. Even filmmakers. Horror films are their way of coping with it. Besides, if you search hard enough, you will find a filmmaker with the same fears.
Why is “The Exorcist” not on this list?
AN: I wanted to add “The Exorcist” to our list, But I thought it would be too common.
Why isn’t “A nightmare on Elm Street” not on this list?
AN: I haven’t watched the movie yet.
Can you recommend a good horror-comedy?
AN: “Shaun of the dead” and “Hot Fuzz” (to an extend) by Edger Wright are two really good horror comedies one should watch. The Ruben Fleischer “Zombieland” is another Hollywood horror-comedy.
Why is the Conjuring series not on this list of best Hollywood horror movies?
AN: Firstly, I did not find them scary enough. Secondly, I did not like those movies.