There’s nothing quite like enjoying a good scare every once in a while. Sometimes, viewers want the thrill of being absolutely terrified by what’s on screen. Of course, there’s nowhere else to find this thrill than in the horror genre. Horror fans over the decades have been in search of that perfect scary movie, and today there are plenty to choose from. Since early cinema, audiences have been fascinated with horror, and for well over a century, they still can’t get enough.
When thinking about absolute terror, fans often think of classics like The Exorcist, The Texas Chainsaw Massacre, and the most recent addition, Sinister. But there’s a whole world of horror out there that can’t just be represented by a few notable examples. There are even some that most audiences would never believe are so scary. These are wickedly scary and much more nightmare-inducing. The following ten films are some of the scariest films that are unimaginably more terrifying than initially thought.
10
‘The Dark and the Wicked’ (2020)
Directed by Bryan Bertino
Bryan Bertino‘s The Dark and the Wicked is an intense supernatural horror drama so dark and dreadful that it’ll have viewers sleeping with the lights on. A mix of slow-burning terror and expertly placed jump scares, it follows two adult siblings returning to their family farm to be by their dying father’s side against their mother’s wishes to never return. But as tragedies and strange events occur all around them, they realize they are being stalked by a terrifying entity that wants to collect their father’s soul.
The Dark and the Wicked stands above the clichéd haunted house flick, delivering an unforgettable experience that’s creepy and atmospheric from start to finish. The farm setting is eerie and isolating, becoming the perfect location for an oppressive story that never lets up on making the audience feel increasingly uncomfortable. The whole film feels like a lingering sense of dread that is unseen and always waiting to strike, and in doing so, it makes for a nail-biting viewing.
9
‘The Haunting’ (1963)
Directed by Robert Wise
An eerie classic that defined ’60s horror, Robert Wise‘s The Haunting is truly one of the most unsettling and foreboding black-and-white horror films ever made. It tells of an ambitious paranormal researcher and his three associates as they investigate the haunted mystery of a secluded mansion. But things take a frightening turn when one researcher is plagued by a series of paranormal encounters, which start chipping away at her mind.
A masterclass in psychological terror, this classic is the best example of why some films never lose their creep factor with age. It’s as mysterious as it is terrifying, featuring a story that’s deeply psychological and makes the audience question what is really going on and if there really are supernatural disturbances or if it’s all in the characters’ minds. The Haunting may be sixty years old, but its chilling suspense and claustrophobic setting make it just as nightmare-inducing as ever.
8
‘Daddy’s Head’ (2024)
Being one of the most uniquely terrifying films to come out of the modern decade, Benjamin Barfoot‘s Daddy’s Head is a whole other level of horror that will surely freak anyone out. It’s a dark tale full of suspense and excellent body horror, following a grieving woman and her stepson as they’re terrorized by a horrifying entity that takes on the facial resemblance of her late husband.
Daddy’s Head is one of the scariest horror movies of 2024, featuring eerie imagery and a fascinating monster that’s unlike anything most audiences have ever seen before. Its plot offers new and unimaginable terror that can scare viewers on a personal level with its premise of a nightmarish creature taking the form of a loved one. Daddy’s Head preys on many people’s fears and has now become an unsettling standout of the modern genre.
7
‘Incantation’ (2022)
Directed by Kevin Ko
Proving that the found-footage horror subgenre is still very active in the 2020s, Kevin Ko‘s Incantation is one of the best and most frightening chillers in recent years. Bringing with it a plethora of epic scares that’ll leave viewers awake at night, it tells of a struggling mother who must protect her daughter after a mistake she made six years ago left her cursed by an ancient supernatural evil.
It’s a found-footage movie that doesn’t rely on cheap jump scares or other usual tropes to give audiences a frightening experience. Incantation delivers an intensely frightening experience that’s nail-bitingly suspenseful and brilliantly psychological. Its shocking moments are enough to leave viewers stunned, well after the end credits are over, but it’s the psychological themes that will truly leave a mark.
6
‘The Wicker Man’ (1973)
Directed by Robin Hardy
Breaking new ground for horror in the 1970s, Robin Hardy‘s classic The Wicker Man is a fine example of slow-building tension and suspense. Featuring iconic imagery and performances, it follows a Puritan police sergeant as he’s sent to an isolated island community off Britain’s coast to investigate the disappearance of a local girl, but soon finds himself fighting for his life as it was a trap set up by the pagan-worshiping inhabitants.
Being that it takes its time building up the terror, some might find The Wicker Man not as scary as initially thought, but it’s the lead-up to what inevitably happens that’s truly unsettling and unforgettable. It’s one of the most influential folk horror movies in cinema history, and can still leave audiences with an uneasy feeling of impending doom when watching it. The Wicker Man will truly have people constantly on the edge of their seats.
5
‘Lake Mungo’ (2008)
Directed by Joel Anderson
Wildly considered one of the scariest found-footage horror movies of all time, Joel Anderson‘s Lake Mungo is a film truly deserving of that title. It follows a grieving family who, in the wake of their daughter’s tragic drowning, document strange occurrences and soon realize their daughter is contacting them from beyond the grave, guiding them to look into what happened to her before she died.
Lake Mungo is unlike anything else and is truly unforgettable. It’s a decent mystery coupled with some chilling supernatural terror that culminates in a sequence that leaves viewers speechless about what they’re witnessing. There’s an awful lot to be freaked out by in this modern classic, as it delivers an unsettling nightmare experience that’s both tragic and unbelievable.
4
‘Kuroneko’ (1968)
Directed by Kaneto Shindo
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From Japanese cinema comes one of its scariest horror classics, Kuroneko (or A Black Cat in a Bamboo Grove), an eerie folk horror tale from director Kaneto Shindo. A creepy, darkly seductive tale, it tells of a murdered woman and her daughter-in-law who return from the dead to seek vengeance on any wandering Samurai who cross their path.
Kuroneko offers a uniquely terrifying experience that feels dreamlike, almost like a bizarre nightmare that’s unnerving and hard to look away from. The atmosphere is chilling, and there’s a great sense of dread that comes every moment the ghosts appear on screen. Coupled with its brilliant performance and striking visuals, Kuroneko is a scarily good classic that horror lovers really shouldn’t skip.
3
‘Possession’ (1981)
Directed by Andrzej Żuławski
One of the most iconic demon possession films in history, Possession is more than a straightforward supernatural flick and focuses on a deeply unsettling story that mixes psychological elements and drama. Starring Isabelle Adjani and Sam Neill, it follows a struggling couple in Cold War-era West Berlin whose crumbling marriage takes place around the same time that the woman starts exhibiting strange, unnatural behavior.
It’s a deeply layered and magnificent story that’s as fascinating as it is unbelievably terrifying. Possession has become a major horror standout in the years since its release in 1981, and it continues to be praised today, remarked on for how unusually bizarre but also horrifying it gets. It’s a chilling masterpiece that feels unreal and is certainly one that no one will forget after experiencing it.
2
‘When Evil Lurks’ (2023)
Directed by Damián Rugna
Damián Rugna‘s When Evil Lurks has been making all the raves lately as one of the most chilling horror movies in modern times. It’s certainly unique and endlessly shocking, following a pair of farming brothers who unintentionally spread mayhem and death throughout their town when they unsuccessfully try to dispose of a possessed man who is about to birth a demon into the world.
This one is full of shock and terror that it’s almost unthinkable. When Evil Lurks thrives on its blend of supernatural and body horror, proving an uncomfortable experience that can take viewers’ breath away with every violent scene that occurs. When Evil Lurks is a modern masterpiece that deserves a place among the scariest of all time, and its status will only keep increasing as more people discover its terrors.
1
‘The Wailing’ (2016)
Directed by Na Hong-jin
Lastly, when thinking of unimaginable terror, one has to think of The Wailing, a 2016 South Korean supernatural mystery thriller that can scare audiences right to their core. Hailed as an international horror masterpiece, it follows a police officer as he travels to a small village that’s being rocked by grisly murders and an outbreak that started when a mysterious stranger came down from the mountains.
The Wailing has some of the most spine-chilling scares and pulse-pounding tension that’ll have viewers stunned with fear. It has a unique genre-bending premise that knows how to terrify its audience and gives them something they’ll never expect or believe. Overall, The Wailing is quite possibly one of the most frightening films ever brought to celluloid, and the fact that you would never guess it going into the movie makes it all the more effective.