Attempting to summarize the entire history of the horror genre in 10 movies seems impossible, and any list is going to be met with backlash. The genre is so broad and has such a dense and vast history that it is near impossible to quantify. This collection of movies merely serves to give a flavor of the progression of the genre, showing how it has changed over time – it inherently has to span decades and that means classics of the genre have to be left out.
Horror is ever-changing, as it is a reflection of societal fears of the time and as these anxieties evolve and switch, the genre has to adapt. However, there are horror movies that stand the test of time because the fear they represent still rings true for audiences, and their influence can still be seen in the 21st century. This list spans over 100 years of the genre and evidences how it has changed with attitudes and society.
10
‘Nosferatu: A Symphony of Horror’ (1922)
Directed by F.W. Murnau
The early years of the horror genre showed a big focus on good vs evil, with the evil often taking the form of an unnatural creature. The most notable examples are the Universal monster movies such as Frankenstein, The Wolf Man and The Mummy. However, the essential viewing from the 1920s has to be the original Nosferatu: A Symphony of Horror, an unofficial adaptation of Bram Stoker’s novel Dracula. Through its creation of atmosphere, Nosferatu serves as a blueprint for the horror genre and its influence can be seen throughout the genre.
From its use of real world locations to the use of orchestration to create tension, Nosferatu is a cornerstone for gothic horror and vampire movies alike. However, where it truly earns its place on the horror syllabus is in the creation of its villain, Count Orlok (Max Schreck). His appearance is unnatural, with his long fingers and pale complexion. The movie showed how having an iconic villain at the centre of a horror movie, representing the physical manifestation of evil, is a winning formula. Schreck gives an extremely physical performance that relies on his large stature and unnerving presence, a formula that would be replicated again and again.
9
‘Psycho’ (1960)
Directed by Alfred Hitchcock
The shower scene in Psycho is arguably the most famous kill in the whole horror genre, with even those who haven’t seen the source material able to hum the iconic accompaniment. Although a modern viewer may not find it nearly as scary as cinema-goers in the 1960s, it is essential viewing to understand how horror has grown. Psycho isn’t necessarily a straight-forward slasher; it brings a focus on more human killers and the unexpected nature of someone innocent being capable of violent acts.
There are so many components in Psycho that can still be seen within horror, from the first act’s shock death, which is still a common trope, to showing taboo subjects on screen, allowing the horror genre to become a place to break boundaries. The ending also explores gender and sexuality, making horror a safe space for discussing areas that society hadn’t made mainstream. Horror continues to be an extremely important facet of queer cinema and Psycho is one of the earliest examples of this.
8
‘Jaws’ (1975)
Directed by Steven Spielberg
Over 50 years ago, Jaws redefined the notion of a summer blockbuster, making a whole generation scared of swimming. It remains one of the greatest creature features ever made, and shows the importance of anticipation through its iconic score. The opening sequence helps popularize the cold open, which sets the tone of the whole movie and shows the threat of the titular shark.
Jaws shows the power of utilizing the unknown in the horror genre, with the great open sea making the attacks feel so unpredictable. The nature of the antagonist means it can’t be reasoned with or understood, and there is something so sinister about that lack of control. However, what is truly monumental about Jaws is the way it had people flocking to the cinema to experience it, showing the potential for horror movies to release in the summer.
7
‘Halloween’ (1978)
Directed by John Carpenter
Picking one slasher movie to represent the whole boom of the late 70s and 80s is an extremely tough decision. However, as a representation of the formula and what it is that made them so popular, Halloween feels like the most apt pick and also allows John Carpenter to be featured on this list. Halloween was an independent movie made on a budget of less than $500,000 and proved that a strong antagonist equally matched with a capable final girl is all that a slasher needs for success.
Cementing tropes such as sex equals death, Halloween laid the foundation of one of horror’s most popular subgenres. It didn’t just give the audience Michael Myers, an archetypal silent, strong killer, but it also gave them Laurie Strode, one of the earliest final girls. It doesn’t overcomplicate itself with concepts and rules; it is one killing spree on Halloween night that utilizes light and shadows to create tension.
6
‘Scream’ (1996)
Directed by Wes Craven
Scream didn’t just parody the horror genre, it completely deconstructed it whilst keeping an element of fear. With audiences growing tired of labored slasher tropes, Scream took a more meta-approach by making its characters more self-aware and pointing out the ridiculousness of certain decisions. Through crafting more relatable and likeable characters, Scream was able to implement a who-dunnit style mystery into the center of its narrative. Not only was Ghostface deadly, but they were someone the cast knew and trusted.
Through its blend of comedy and horror, Scream revitalized the horror genre, and its satirical tone can still be seen in movies today. It is one of the most important touchstones for new horror fans, as we are still living in a post-Scream era where self-awareness is increasingly important. Scream showed that horror filmmakers had to give more credit to the audience and reflect that in the way characters acted.
5
‘The Blair Witch Project’ (1999)
Directed by Daniel Myrick and Eduardo Sánchez
The Blair Witch Project not only offers a pitch-perfect example of the found footage subgenre that has only grown in popularity but shows how horror movies can impact the cultural zeitgeist. The movie utilized unknown actors and a unique marketing campaign to make audiences believe that what they were watching was actually real life footage.
It also showcases the power of minimal filmmaking, relying on the reactions of its actors as opposed to using special effects. It stripped back horror to its core fundamentals and re-assessed what actually created fear, and then dialed that up. It proved horror didn’t need a large budget or a big studio to be scary.
4
‘Saw’ (2004)
Directed by James Wan
The 2000s signaled a change in horror, bringing with it a wave of splatter and gore. As censorship laws became more lenient and audiences became more desensitized, horror got nastier and at the center of that was the Saw franchise, released every Halloween from 2004 to 2010. Although the first Saw is less gory than its reputation suggests, it still marks the beginning of one of the most successful horror series of the 21st century.
Saw was low-budget, and used its locked room bathroom setting to create intimacy and claustrophobia. Through the breadcrumbs of information, the movie plays out much like an escape room and influenced this style of horror becoming hugely popular. It also showed the potential of serialization, with its reliable yearly releases, creating a success marketing model for horror. The movie came from the mind of a plucky film student who pulled in his friend to help him make the picture, these two fresh minds became two of the biggest names in modern horror – Leigh Whannell and James Wan.
3
‘Shaun of the Dead’ (2004)
Directed by Edgar Wright
Zombie horror became increasingly popular in the early 2000s, often coinciding with the fear of a global apocalypse. Although the origins of zombies date to much earlier than the turn of the millennium, the 21st century has made the creatures more agile and vicious, and most notably, much, much faster. Shaun of the Dead lovingly parodies the genre, comparing the undead to the lifeless existence of its titular lead, Shaun (Simon Pegg). There is a link between the rise of zombies and the increase in consumerism, the idea that people are becoming less autonomous and Shaun of the Dead hones in on that analogy.
Through Shaun of the Dead, the thematic importance of the zombie sub-genre shines through. However, the movie is also the perfect example of the intersection between horror and comedy, and its success led to a wave of comedy movies with horror elements (in contrast to Scream, which brought a rise of horror movies that had comedy elements).
2
‘Get Out’ (2017)
Directed by Jordan Peele
Jordan Peele is one of the most exciting modern horror filmmakers, showcasing original horror that speaks to the current social climate. His debut feature, Get Out, is the epitome of the era of elevated horror that began in the late 2010s and is still present now. It leans much more psychological in tone, and although there are elements of bloodshed and gore, the true horror is found in human nature.
Modern horror is much more personal and close to the bone, there is no escapism anymore and the viewing experience becomes much more purposefully uncomfortable to force the audience to look inwardly at their own biases. Get Out manages to break into the mainstream, making a star out of Daniel Kaluuya and proving horror has always been political.
1
‘M3GAN’ (2023)
Directed by Gerard Johnstone
It is difficult to find one movie that sums up the diversity of the 2020s, however M3GAN does the best job at summing up the various components that are currently popular. It plays on the current fear of technology and the dangers of AI, it has the self-aware gen-z humor and comes from horror powerhouse Blumhouse.
M3GAN has managed to capture a new generation by using social media and capitalizing on virality. It is a movie that could only ever be made in the 2020s, it plays its self-aware humor in such a dry, sarcastic tone that feels so abrupt and blunt. M3GAN herself is one of the most well-crafted, unique horror characters of the 21st century, and has instantly become a popular piece of iconography.