There are two kinds of people in the world—one, who loves horror movies and the others, who pretend not to because they’re too scared to actually watch them. If you are a movie buff like us, then you would have noticed the impressive transition this scary genre has witnessed over the years. There was a time when horror flicks were all about ugly cartoons trying to terrify dumb characters, who were pro at making stupid decisions. I mean, if there was a sign saying ‘Do Not Enter’, we were sure that the protagonist would enter the place FOSHO. These films were predictable and ironically, hilarious.
Well, time changed and over the years, we saw the genre evolve tremendously. With better VFX effects, storylines and technical support, we saw some amazing horror movies that scared the bejesus out of us. Also, with several streaming platforms coming into the picture, we’re now able to enjoy content from all over the world. Did you know that several Hollywood movies are, in fact, remakes of Korean and Japanese films? Oh, and the OGs are way scarier than the copies?
If you are someone who’s obsessed with horror movies, we have curated a list of some of the most terrifying movies in the world.
15 Horror Movies To Scare The Hell Out Of You
To say that these horror movies are scary would be an understatement of the century. These are disturbing to the very core and will give you nightmares for days. To make it easier, we have divided them into different categories. Choose your genre wisely, fam. We don’t want you losing your sleep for weeks.
Horror Movies Based On Exorcism
Horror movies based on exorcism are more disturbing than they’re scary. There are no spirits wandering around the haunted mansion and no monsters waiting under the bed. The evil is actually inside a living soul and the ordeal of killing it is so brutal. Here are some films based on exorcism that will make you believe in god and the devil, both.
The Exorcist
The Exorcist released in 1973 and it is considered the scariest movie ever made. Well, we agree. The franchise released six films, but in our opinion, the first and third are the scariest of them all. The script is simple—a mother needs to save her daughter who has been possessed by the evil spirit. But, it is the acting that sends chills down your bones. From the infamous head spin to those haunting demonic noises, everything about The Exorcist will make you scream.
Where to watch: Amazon Prime
The Exorcism Of Emily Rose
The reason why The Exorcism Of Emily Rose is considered so terrifying is that it makes us wonder what if it was all real? Emily Rose is just an ordinary girl, but what happens to her is every human’s darkest nightmare. She gets possessed by the demons and her life, full of opportunities, is suddenly shattered into pieces. The movie forces us to wonder if the world is truly as we see it.
Where to watch: Amazon Prime
The Possession
The Possession is quite graphical with scenes that will creep you out. The protagonist brings home a dybbuk box (an object containing malicious spirit in Jew mythology) and gets possessed by its demons. While exorcism takes place at the end, its disturbing moments will make you want to throw up with fear.
Where to watch: Amazon Prime
Horror Movies Inspired By True Story
Just the mere fact that there are movies based on real-life paranormal incidents, is terrifying AF. What we see in these films, is apparently what happened to people IRL. Here are horror movies based on true stories that will make you shiver.
The Rite
Father Michael travels to Italy to learn all about demonology and exorcism. Initially, he’s shown as someone who neither completely believes in nor denies the existence of the devil. But, his experience as an exorcist, changes the way he perceives the world. The movie is based on the experiences of Father Gary Thomas, who learned exorcism in the Vatican.
Where to watch: Netflix
The Texas Chainsaw Massacre
You know what’s more terrifying than ghosts and spirits sometimes? The demons that live inside us. The Texas Chainsaw Massacre is one such movie that will remind us of the devils that live among us. It is based on one of America’s most dangerous serial killers, Ed Gein. He was caught with nine human skin masks in his possession at the time of his arrest.
Where to watch: Amazon Prime
Child’s Play
The movie is so brutal that it is banned in the UK. It is based on a doll that’s possessed by the spirit of a serial killer. A young kid brings the toy home and causes gruesome killings in the neighbourhood. Sadly, the film wrongly influenced a couple of kids and they ended up recreating these horrific events in reality.
Where to watch: Amazon Prime
Fiction That Should Stay Fiction
While movies based on true events are scary, there are some fictional films that we wish to stay a work of fiction always. Take a look:
The Conjuring
It’s difficult to talk about horror movies and not mention The Conjuring. It is the film that revived the dying genre in 2013. The film revolves around a happy family, whose matriarch has been possessed by evil spirits. The house they’re living in is haunted by several demonic forces. Ed and Lorraine Warren, paranormal investigators, help them and rescue them from the darkness. The movie has terrifying exorcisms, has some really frightening scenes, and is inspired by real-life events.
Sinister
The entire movie has a creepy aura that will make you squirm in your seats. Ellison, a crime writer, shifts to a new house with his family. The place has witnessed some brutal murders in the past and he thinks that it will serve as the perfect muse for his next project. Sadly, the house is also home to dangerous spirits that should not have been poked in the first place.
Host
Video conferences and online meetings are something we all have grown familiar with in recent times, thanks to the pandemic. But, what if one of the video calls go horribly wrong? That’s what happens when six friends accidentally invite dark spirits into their lives during an online meeting. What follows next will make you think twice before getting on a video call.
Documentary Style Horror Movies
There’s something really creepy about horror movies made as documentaries. It is extremely realistic and will make you feel as if you’re watching everything in real-time. Here are some horror movies made in documentary styles.
The Last Exorcism
An evangelical minister decides to star in a documentary movie to expose the reality of his ministry. He believes that there are no demonic forces in the world and exorcisms are shams. But, during his last exorcism, he realises how wrong he has been all along.
Paranormal Activity
The Paranormal Activity series consists of eight movies and the latest one released in October last year. The films are generally based on families troubled by unknown forces in their houses. To understand what’s happening with them, they install cameras in their place. Usually, the real chaos begins at the end of every movie, when the families find all the paranormal activities caught in those cameras.
The Blair Witch Project
The movie revolves around the experiences of three student filmmakers. They try to make a documentary about a local legend called the Blair Witch. Sadly, they disappear out of the blue and a year later, their equipment and footage are discovered that reveals what exactly happened to them. The answer? Something that will haunt you for a long time.
International Horror Movies
We bet that these international horror movies will make you jump and scream out of fear.
PS: Don’t watch their dubbed versions.
Shutter (South Korean)
Many people have watched the Hollywood version of the movie, but even then, you need to watch the OG. A couple accidentally runs over a woman with their car and later experiences disturbing events in their house. They later find out that their connection to the unknown woman is deeper than they know.
A Tale Of Two Sisters (South Korean)
Even the posters of this movie are creepy AF! A young girl returns to her house from a mental asylum with her sister and experiences disturbing events in the house. She doubts her stepmom to be behind them all but realises that her dark family history is more disturbing than she can imagine.
Ju On: The Grudge (Japanese)
The movie is based on a demon called Tobi. It haunts, stalks and ultimately kills the family that comes close to it. Yeah, it sounds pretty simple, but go ahead, watch it alone. We dare you!
Best Indian Horror Movies
If you think that Indian movies are not terrifying enough, scroll ahead and binge-watch these films over the weekend. We’re sure that you will sleep with your lights on the next week.
Athiran
This Malayalam movie revolves around a girl stuck in a mental asylum. The weird ongoing in the hospital will scare you, but the ultimate reveal will blow your mind.
U-Turn
This Kannada film is creepy and quite disturbing. All those people who believe that breaking traffic rules are not really ‘against the law’ or crime, will think twice about it once they watch this movie. Sometimes, so-called ‘simple’ things, turn out to be the biggest mistake of your life.
13B: Fear Has a New Address
A family starts experiencing weird incidents in their lives after shifting to a new house. It is later revealed that all the events taking place, are being decided by the plot of a daily soap. Sadly, no such TV show exists in real.
We hope your weekend is spooky AF fam!
Featured Image: YouTube
