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1. The Exorcist
IMDb Rating: 8.1/10
Where to watch: Amazon Prime Video
You might not believe The Exorcist is one of the most hollywood horror movies ever, but it's likely not shocking to find it ranked highest on our list, receiving 19% of all votes. William Friedkin's film based on the novel about a child possessed by a demon was the top-grossing R-rated horror movie and the first to be considered for Best Picture at the Oscars, receiving two awards out of its total of eleven nominations. However, aside from its critical and commercial success, the movie gained fame for sparking mass hysteria nationwide, with protests over its controversial content and numerous reports of audience members feeling nauseous and fainting. The film's slow development and old-fashioned effects might appear charming next to modern horror, but the influence it has on first-time viewers is undeniable.
2. Hereditary
IMDb Rating: 7.3/10
Where to watch: Amazon Prime Video
Ari Aster, both writer and director, gained significant attention with his one of the most hollywood horror movies, which combines themes of grief with elements of supernatural horror. Toni Collette's performance as troubled mother Annie put her in the ranks of remarkable Oscar snubs, but the film's most surprising moment remains a secret for now. It is enough to say that Hereditary resonate so deeply with film audiences that it quickly established Aster as a noteworthy director and rose to the second spot on our list.
3. The Conjuring
IMDb Rating: 7.5/10
Where to watch: Netflix
James Wan is now recognized as one of the contemporary leaders in the hollywood horror movies, having directed movies such as Saw, Dead Silence, Insidious, and this chilling film inspired by the true events faced by Ed and Lorraine Warren, real-life paranormal investigators. Patrick Wilson and Vera Farmiga played the Warrens in The Conjuring 2, based on the Amityville Horror case, effectively balancing jump scares with believable weariness. Collaborating with his co-leads, Wan discovered new fear within typical genre clichés, resulting in a vast cinematic universe that just keeps expanding.
4. The Shining
IMDb Rating: 8.4
Where to watch: Amazon Prime Video
There have been many Stephen King books and stories made into movies, with some, such as Carrie, Misery, and Pet Sematary, now considered classics. This doesn't even include non-horror films like The Shawshank Redemption and Stand By Me. The most notable of them all is unquestionably Stanley Kubrick's version of The Shining.
The Shining is a stunning example of set and production design, providing a fresh and chilling perspective on the classic haunted house tale with unforgettable visuals and Jack Nicholson's iconic acting. The movie may have only a small number of jump scares, but they are still incredibly terrifying. However, its real strength lies in how it seeps into your psyche and lets you witness Jack Torrance's gradual spiral into insanity. It is widely regarded as one of the greatest hollywood horror movies, and it came in fourth place in our survey.
5. The Texas Chainsaw Massacre
IMDb Rating: 4.7/10
Where to watch: Netflix
The top four movies received a combined 42% of the votes on the list, with the next six films each earning around 3% of the total vote. Put simply, the six previous movies were only 60 votes apart. This low-budget slasher film, directed and co-written by Tobe Hooper, is the first of its kind and loosely based on the crimes of Ed Gein. The gritty look of Texas Chainsaw Massacre added a sense of realism, heightening the fear factor, and Gunnar Hansen's portrayal of Leatherface influenced characters like Michael Myers and Jason Voorhees. Numerous efforts have been made to rejuvenate the series, but none have matched the original in its extreme, outlandish, power tool-driven horror.
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6. The Ring
IMDb Rating: 7.1/10
Where to watch: JioCinema
Translating a successful formula from one culture to another is always a challenging task, but Gore Verbinski was able to do so effectively with The Ring. Verbinski's version of Hideo Nakata's celebrated horror film, which centers on a haunted videotape, retained the original movie's powerful visual elements, such as the ghostly image of a young girl in a white dress with long black hair obscuring her face, and proved to be terrifying to viewers of all nationalities. Although not as highly esteemed as its previous installment, the movie showcases a dedicated portrayal by the emerging Naomi Watts at the time, and introduced many to the world of East Asian horror films.
7. Halloween
IMDb Rating: 6.5/10
Where to watch: Zee5
Ranked seventh on our list is the movie that made Jamie Lee Curtis a legendary scream queen and brought John Carpenter to fame. Halloween is often considered one of the first instances of the slasher genre as we recognize it today. While it doesn't have the graphic violence seen in more modern films of its kind, it delivers plenty of suspense and creative excitement in a compact format. The film's reputation is also quite unassailable: Michael Myers' mask has achieved legendary status, and the towering, relentless killer and the "final girl" are now deeply rooted in the horror genre. The franchise has endured for over 40 years for a specific reason.
8. Sinister
IMDb Rating: 6.8/10
Where to watch: Amazon Prime Video
If you missed the mentioned "scientific study" at the beginning, we have now reached the movie it voted as the scariest. Prior to his involvement in the MCU with Doctor Strange in 2016, director Scott Derrickson had directed a few horror films, some of which developed devoted fan bases. One example was a small haunted house/possession tale about a true-crime author (Ethan Hawke) who relocates his family to a home where a family was killed, only to find out that the house may already be inhabited by something evil.
Robert Cargill, the writer, was said to have been motivated to write the script by a nightmare he had following watching The Ring, and the story does have a slight resemblance to that movie, particularly due to the eerie snuff film aspect. However, for a lot of viewers, the shocking revelations and eerie scenes were much more striking than any familiar genre clichés that may have been included. Additionally, there is a report that claims it is one of the most hollywood horror movies ever made, so that must hold some significance.
9. Insidious
IMDb Rating: 6.8/10
Where to watch: Netflix
Prior to collaborating on The Conjuring, James Wan and Patrick Wilson worked together on a supernatural thriller where a young boy enters a coma and starts channeling a malevolent spirit, placing Wan higher on the list. The basic storyline was not revolutionary, but with Leigh Whannell's contribution, it introduced a captivating mythology that led to four additional sequels. Wan also mentioned that Insidious was created to counterbalance the extreme violence in Saw, prompting him to create something more spiritual, and the outcome is one of the great hollywood horror movies known for having one of the greatest jump scares in cinema.
10. IT
IMDb Rating: 7.3/10
Where to watch: Netflix
The phobia of clowns is genuinely widespread, despite the common tendency to downplay it. If you require more proof, look no further than the financial success of IT in 2017, a movie adaptation of a Stephen King novel that surpassed The Exorcist's long-standing record as the top-grossing horror film. Oh, and naturally, it's in 10th position on this ranking. Andy Muschietti's high-cost interpretation leveraged nostalgia to narrate its tale of youths marked by trauma, as Bill Skarsgard's portrayal of Pennywise the malevolent, shape-shifting clown was strange and disturbing in the most appropriate manners. Combine some well-placed jump scares, a few incredible set designs, and high-quality CGI to create a spooky and one of the greatest hollywood horror movies.
Also Read: Top 10 Movies With the Most Shocking Plot Twists: From Identity to the Sixth Sense
