Nightmare Fuel: 19 of the Scariest Horror Movies People Have Ever Seen

Halloween is right around the corner. People are busy picking out their costumes, and many folks have already outfitted their homes to be as spooky as can possibly be. With that being said, there’s an ocean of a difference between something being playfully spooky and then downright terrifying. These horror movies are in a scary league of their own. If you love horror movies though, then this list could serve as its own guide for you.

1. The Wicker Man

“For me, it’s the 1970s Wicker Man. Edward Woodward’s character realizes he’s going to die and reacts how a normal person would, with genuine horror. All the while, there are people happily singing and smiling around him. He’s been reduced to a sacrificial animal, he knows it, there is nothing he can do about it and it’s horrible.” – u/yearsofpractice

2. The Descent

“The Descent traumatized me as a kid.” – u/ablehamster3457

3. The Grudge

“When I first saw The Grudge it totally messed me up. Even getting into my car after a late shift at work was terrifying, I refused to look in the rear view mirror in case I saw that creepy thing behind me.” – u/scottiedog

4. Event Horizon

“Event Horizon (when it came out).” – u/afterall90

5. Paranormal Activity

“Perhaps not everyone’s go-to and, objectively not the scariest movie around, but the first Paranormal Activity was so well shot and produced, I thought. To the point where someone uploaded a video to YT at the time of the leads doing an interview proving that it wasn’t real.” – u/rheaturit

6. Hereditary

“It really doesn’t get much scarier than Hereditary. Just horribly uncomfortable horror.” – u/artyforreal

7. Fire in the Sky

“Fire in the Sky. I had nightmares for months when I was a kid after that one.” – u/birdyburnsy

8. Signs

“Not sure if this counts as horror, but Signs with Mel Gibson. Less is more, and the movie is super creepy. However, I’m the type of person that isn’t scared by blood and guts. I’m desensitized. Suspense is what gets to me.” – u/chunkcheeeses

9. It Follows

“It Follows is the only movie that has legitimately scared me as an adult.” – u/noyra11

10. Blair Witch Project

“Blair Witch Project.” – u/villainousunicorn7

11. Requiem For A Dream

“Not really a horror movie, but A Requiem For a Dream. It’s terrifying because of how realistically each character’s world unravels.” – u/achilles720

12. The Evil Dead

“The original The Evil Dead remains the only one that genuinely scared and unnerved me. The banging from the cellar and the recordings especially.” – u/thegoldmane908

13. IT

“Tim Curry in Stephen King’s IT haunted my dreams for a good year after I saw it as a kid. I still struggle when I see him dressed as the clown. Don’t get me wrong, Bill Skarsgard was great, it’s just the impact Curry had on me as a child.” – u/y2steved

14. Midsommar

“Midsommar made me very uncomfortable. Found myself randomly zoning out and thinking about various scenes for a few days after watching.” – u/stanleysteamboat

15. The Shining

“The Shining. Just unnerving from beginning to end.” – u/deleted

16. The Thing

“The Thing is probably the most horrifying movie I’ve ever seen. Crazy that it was all done with practical effects.” – u/akumafjr

17. The Mist

“The Mist. Great movie, watched it several times but to this day I can’t watch the ending. It gets close to the end and I’m like, well what else is on.” – u/papborq

18. The Strangers

“As an adult: The Strangers. It’s the only horror film I haven’t watched a second time.” – u/thehistories981

19. Darkness Falls

“Darkness Falls scared the life out of me when I was 12. I slept with my computer monitor on for 6 months so I wouldn’t be in the dark haha. I love that movie now, though.” – u/zjoee