My Favourite Horror Movies

I count myself a fan of horror movies, although that doesn't go for every sub-genre there is - for example, I'm not generally a fan of films depicting torture or extremely graphic violence. What I'm mostly drawn to are great stories, and exploring the darker side of human (or inhuman) nature can conjure up some pretty fascinating tales.

Listing out all my favourite horror movies would be too much, but I'll try and pick a favourite from each decade from the 1940s onward. Feel free to comment on my choices, and maybe even share your own!

1940s: The Picture of Dorian Gray

Based on the gothic horror novel by Oscar Wilde about a man who sells his soul for eternal youth, this is the first horror movie I ever watched. The final scene is forever burnt into my memory. Because of this, even though the story has been retold in many later adaptations, the original 1945 film will always be my favourite. I find it has also stood the test of time, in no small part thanks to the haunting artwork by Ivan Albright.

1950s: Horror of Dracula

My first vampire movie, starring Sir Christopher Lee as Dracula and Peter Cushing as Van Helsing. Sir Christopher's performance made him the one and only true Dracula for me. In contrast to most modern depictions of vampires as somewhat pitiful creatures struggling to retain their humanity, Sir Christopher's Count Dracula is just pure, unapologetic evil - and I think I like it that way.

1960s: The Birds

This choice feels a bit problematic, in part because of that other Hitchcock film from the same decade (Psycho, in case you haven't guessed) and because of how the film's lead, Tippi Hedren, was treated by the director during filming. Nevertheless, The Birds remains a prime example of just how good Hitchcock was at his craft. I won't object to anyone who says that Psycho is objectively a better movie, but in my opinion The Birds is just more terrifying. I saw this one too as a kid, and it made me steer clear of birds for weeks after.

1970s: The Exorcist

This one shouldn't surprise anyone. The Exorcist may very well be the best horror movie ever made. Linda Blair's performance is absolutely stunning. It also cost her dearly as she suffered a serious spinal injury during filming, with her actual screams of pain being left in the film. As if that wasn't enough she was deeply traumatized by the film's aftermath, which included her being harrassed by religious fanatics.

1980s: The Thing

The '80s were massive when it comes to scary movies. Classics such as An American Werewolf in London (1981), Poltergeist (1982), The Fly (1986) and Pet Sematary (1989) are all among my favourites. However, it's John Carpenter's The Thing (1982) that gets the top spot. The fantastic creature effects by Rob Bottin and his crew remain as effective as ever, the performances are excellent, and the way the film builds its tension is spot on.

Special Honorable Mention: If you liked my previous blog post, check out The Hand (1981) directed by Oliver Stone and starring Michael Caine. It's great.

1990s: The Silence of the Lambs

Sir Anthony Hopkins redefined the word "monster" in his role, but the rest of the cast was superb as well. When the movie came out I went to watch it with Toni, neither of us knowing nothing about the film except that it was supposed to be great. As we walked out of the theater, we both knew we had just watched a classic.

2000s: Pan's Labyrinth

Guillermo del Toro is my favourite director, and Pan's Labyrinth (2006) remains perhaps his best film to date. It's also the most terrifying, with a unique blend of dark fantasy and some of the most unsettling scenes of human cruelty. Captain Vidal (played by the excellent Sergi López) is one of the most loathsome villains ever depicted in a movie.

2010s: The Cabin in the Woods

The Cabin in the Woods (2012) is another movie that took me completely off guard. While it's certainly not among the scariest nor most disturbing horror films of the decade, it's by far the most entertaining. Taking the innocuous premise of its B-movie title and then blowing everything up in a hilariously over-the-top manner makes this one of the most rewatchable titles on my entire list.

2020s: Bring Her Back

This decade has already seen some excellent horror films, such as Weapons (2025) and Guillermo del Toro's Frankenstein (2025) but so far, Bring Her Back (2025) goes unmatched. It's intense, it's horrifying, and it features one of the most harrowing child actor performances you'll ever see (by Jonah Wren Phillips, who was 12 when the film was released).