You might not feel The Exorcist is the most frightening film, but it's probably not shocking that it leads our list with a huge 19% of the votes. William Friedkin's film based on the novel about a child possessed by a demon became the top-grossing R-rated horror movie, earning a Best Picture nomination and winning two Oscars.
Ari Aster, the writer-director, gained significant attention with his first feature film, blending dark family drama with supernatural horror to explore the concept of grief. Toni Collette made a memorable performance as troubled mother Annie, solidifying her place among the Oscars' greatest snubs. The film's most surprising moment is kept a secret here. It is enough to say that Hereditary resonated so strongly with audiences that it quickly elevated Aster's status as a must-watch director and surged to the second spot on our rankings.
James Wan has established himself as one of the current horror greats, helming movies such as Saw, Dead Silence, Insidious, and this thriller based on the true stories of Ed and Lorraine Warren, real-life paranormal investigators. Patrick Wilson and Vera Farmiga embodied the Warrens, most famous for their involvement in the real-life case that influenced the Amityville Horror films (featured in The Conjuring 2), adding a touch of authenticity to the frightening moments with their convincing portrayal of world-weariness. Collaboratively, Wan and his fellow leaders discovered new fear within well-known genre conventions, leading to an expansive film universe that keeps expanding.
Several of Stephen King's novels and stories have been made into movies, with classics such as Carrie, Misery, and Pet Sematary among them, not to mention non-horror films like The Shawshank Redemption and Stand By Me. However, the most prominent version is Stanley Kubrick's film adaptation of The Shining. The Shining is a captivating reinterpretation of the classic haunted house tale, thanks to its impressive set and production design, as well as Jack Nicholson's unforgettable performance. The movie has only a handful of jump scares, but it is deeply unsettling as it slowly depicts Jack Torrance's descent into madness, getting under your skin. It is widely regarded as one of the best horror films in history, coming in fourth place in our survey.
Although the top four films received 42% of the votes, the six following movies each secured approximately 3% of the total votes. Simply put, the difference in votes between these final six movies was no greater than 60. This low-cost slasher, directed and co-written by Tobe Hooper, is loosely based on the crimes of Ed Gein. The dirty look of Texas Chainsaw added to its authenticity, making it even scarier ("This seems real, you know!"), and Gunnar Hansen's imposing Leatherface set the stage for characters like Michael Myers and Jason Voorhees. Several efforts have been made to revive the franchise, but none have matched the original's intense, over-the-top, power tool-driven terror.
