Top 10 Greatest Horror Films of All Time

Alfred Hitchcock shocked audiences by killing his protagonist in the first act, inventing the modern slasher genre. Made for $800,000, Psycho grossed over $50 million in its original run and introduced Bernard Herrmann's iconic shrieking strings score, which remains the most recognizable horror soundtrack in cinema history.

Stanley Kubrick's adaptation of Stephen King's novel transformed Jack Nicholson into one of cinema's most iconic villains. Filmed at Timberline Lodge, Oregon and Elstree Studios with legendary attention to detail, the film's Steadicam corridors, hedge maze, and "All work and no play" typewriter scene have embedded themselves permanently in popular culture.

John Carpenter made this slasher masterpiece for just $300,000 and it grossed $47 million worldwide, launching one of horror cinema's most enduring franchises. The mask worn by Michael Myers was a $1.98 Captain Kirk mask spray-painted white — a budget solution that became one of cinema's most iconic villain visages.

Jonathan Demme's thriller became only the third film in history to sweep the five major Academy Awards — Picture, Director, Actor, Actress, and Screenplay. Anthony Hopkins's 16 minutes of screen time as Hannibal Lecter earned on a $19 million budget against $273 million worldwide gross.

Roman Polanski adapted Ira Levin's novel into a slow-burn masterpiece of paranoia and bodily horror, earning Ruth Gordon an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress. Shot on location at the Dakota building in New York City, it explores themes of gaslighting and reproductive autonomy that feel more resonant with each passing decade.

Jordan Peele's debut feature earned him the Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay and grossed $255 million worldwide against a $4.5 million budget. The film uses horror conventions to dissect liberal racism in America, establishing Peele as the defining voice of prestige horror for a new generation.

Ari Aster's debut film with A24 is widely considered the scariest movie of the 21st century, anchored by Toni Collette's performance controversially overlooked by the Academy Awards. It uses grief and family trauma as the conduit for supernatural horror, making dread feel personal and inescapable.

Ridley Scott's sci-fi horror hybrid introduced the Xenomorph and Sigourney Weaver as Ellen Ripley — one of cinema's first true action heroines. Made for $11 million and grossing $203 million worldwide, the film established H.R. Giger's biomechanical design aesthetic and launched a franchise spanning six sequels and two prequels.

Tobe Hooper's landmark film grossed over $30 million against an $83,000 budget, making it one of the most profitable independent films ever made. Shot in sweltering Texas heat in 1973 with a largely inexperienced cast, its documentary-style grit and Leatherface remain foundational to horror iconography.

Alfred Hitchcock shocked audiences by killing his protagonist in the first act, inventing the modern slasher genre. Made for $800,000, Psycho grossed over $50 million in its original run and introduced Bernard Herrmann's iconic shrieking strings score, which remains the most recognizable horror soundtrack in cinema history.

Stanley Kubrick's adaptation of Stephen King's novel transformed Jack Nicholson into one of cinema's most iconic villains. Filmed at Timberline Lodge, Oregon and Elstree Studios with legendary attention to detail, the film's Steadicam corridors, hedge maze, and "All work and no play" typewriter scene have embedded themselves permanently in popular culture.

John Carpenter made this slasher masterpiece for just $300,000 and it grossed $47 million worldwide, launching one of horror cinema's most enduring franchises. The mask worn by Michael Myers was a $1.98 Captain Kirk mask spray-painted white — a budget solution that became one of cinema's most iconic villain visages.

Jonathan Demme's thriller became only the third film in history to sweep the five major Academy Awards — Picture, Director, Actor, Actress, and Screenplay. Anthony Hopkins's 16 minutes of screen time as Hannibal Lecter earned on a $19 million budget against $273 million worldwide gross.

Roman Polanski adapted Ira Levin's novel into a slow-burn masterpiece of paranoia and bodily horror, earning Ruth Gordon an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress. Shot on location at the Dakota building in New York City, it explores themes of gaslighting and reproductive autonomy that feel more resonant with each passing decade.

Jordan Peele's debut feature earned him the Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay and grossed $255 million worldwide against a $4.5 million budget. The film uses horror conventions to dissect liberal racism in America, establishing Peele as the defining voice of prestige horror for a new generation.

Ari Aster's debut film with A24 is widely considered the scariest movie of the 21st century, anchored by Toni Collette's performance controversially overlooked by the Academy Awards. It uses grief and family trauma as the conduit for supernatural horror, making dread feel personal and inescapable.

Ridley Scott's sci-fi horror hybrid introduced the Xenomorph and Sigourney Weaver as Ellen Ripley — one of cinema's first true action heroines. Made for $11 million and grossing $203 million worldwide, the film established H.R. Giger's biomechanical design aesthetic and launched a franchise spanning six sequels and two prequels.

Tobe Hooper's landmark film grossed over $30 million against an $83,000 budget, making it one of the most profitable independent films ever made. Shot in sweltering Texas heat in 1973 with a largely inexperienced cast, its documentary-style grit and Leatherface remain foundational to horror iconography.