THE BEST HORROR MOVIES: THE GOOD, THE BAD, AND THE B
by marceeltaylor | created - 04 Jul 2011 | updated - 06 Jul 2011 | PublicThis is a list of the BEST HORROR MOVIES, the legitimately good horror movies, the bad ones that are so horrible you watch them because you want to see how they end, and b, the make you laugh because they're so cheesy. To all these movies, I salute you!
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1. Braindead (1992)
R | 104 min | Comedy, Fantasy, Horror
A young man's mother is bitten by a Sumatran rat-monkey. She gets sick and dies, at which time she comes back to life, killing and eating dogs, nurses, friends, and neighbors.
Director: Peter Jackson | Stars: Timothy Balme, Diana Peñalver, Elizabeth Moody, Ian Watkin
Votes: 103,356 | Gross: $0.24M
The tage line says it all: "The goriest movie of all time"
believe it.
plus it's Peter Jackson!
2. 2001 Maniacs (2005)
R | 87 min | Comedy, Horror
Eight college students travelling to Florida for Spring Break stumble into a remote town in Georgia, where they are set upon by the residents.
Director: Tim Sullivan | Stars: Robert Englund, Lin Shaye, Giuseppe Andrews, Jay Gillespie
Votes: 13,301
so we got the original Freddy here and this is a true horror gem, great death sequences, naked ladies for the guys, the hot guy from Detroit Rock City,
it's funny, just watch it.
3. Sleepaway Camp (1983)
R | 84 min | Horror
Bunks and showers are a mad stabber's beat at a summer camp strictly for teens.
Director: Robert Hiltzik | Stars: Felissa Rose, Jonathan Tiersten, Karen Fields, Christopher Collet
Votes: 38,095 | Gross: $11.00M
MY FAVORITE HORROR MOVIE OF ALL TIME, *EVER* I cannot stress this enough, this movie will leave you speechless, not to mention out of breath/laughter and have no voice, because all of the 80's stuff in it. The actors, the wardrobe, the lines, and the ending?
AMAZING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Also, this movie is what got me into B movies.
4. Sleepaway Camp II: Unhappy Campers (1988)
R | 80 min | Comedy, Horror
A sex-changed slasher returns as a camp counselor.
Director: Michael A. Simpson | Stars: Pamela Springsteen, Renée Estevez, Tony Higgins, Valerie Hartman
Votes: 13,363
Sequel to the original obviously. Not as good (also obvious) but still fun, more great death sequences brought to you by Angela. She's just out to teach lessons, not hurt people, but oh, wait, she does.
5. Sleepaway Camp III: Teenage Wasteland (1989)
R | 80 min | Comedy, Horror
After murdering a young girl, Angela Baker assumes her identity and travels to Camp New Horizons, built on the grounds of the camp she terrorized the year before, and starts killing again.
Director: Michael A. Simpson | Stars: Pamela Springsteen, Tracy Griffith, Michael J. Pollard, Mark Oliver
Votes: 9,440
All right, third install in the series and this is great too, better characters than the II, in fact more laughter in this one, in my opinion, you get to see a stereotypical flat top rapper from the hood threaten a white girl with a knife, and Angela doing what Angela does best.
6. Return to Sleepaway Camp (2008 Video)
R | 86 min | Comedy, Horror, Mystery
Camp Manabe is where kids torment one another--but people soon start turning up dead.
Director: Robert Hiltzik | Stars: Vincent Pastore, Michael Gibney, Paul DeAngelo, Jonathan Tiersten
Votes: 4,479
So this was straight to DVD but FUNNNNYYY, but ONLY if you've seen the original, actually, no, it'd probably be funny regardless if you're into B movies, the acting is great, and another fun twist.
7. The Texas Chainsaw Massacre: The Beginning (2006)
R | 91 min | Horror
Before being sent to serve in Vietnam, two brothers and their girlfriends take one last road trip, but when they get into an accident, a terrifying experience will take them to a secluded house of horrors, with a chainsaw-wielding killer.
Director: Jonathan Liebesman | Stars: Jordana Brewster, Matt Bomer, Diora Baird, Taylor Handley
Votes: 77,308 | Gross: $39.52M
I *beep* love this movie, legitimately. It is an amazing horror movie, there are so many sequels to this franchise but this prequel shows you how "Leatherface" came to be, in the most disgusting, goriest ways possible. If this out, but be warned, not for the squeamish.
Great cast too.
8. The Host (2006)
R | 120 min | Drama, Horror, Sci-Fi
A monster emerges from Seoul's Han River and begins attacking people. One victim's loving family does what it can to rescue her from its clutches.
Director: Bong Joon Ho | Stars: Song Kang-ho, Byun Hee-Bong, Park Hae-il, Bae Doona
Votes: 132,829 | Gross: $2.20M
Korean, dubbed, monster movie, VERY GOOD!
Funny, but GOOD good too...check it out!
The fat guy reminds me of an Asian Jack Black.
9. The Evil Dead (1981)
NC-17 | 85 min | Horror
Five friends travel to a cabin in the woods, where they unknowingly release flesh-possessing demons.
Director: Sam Raimi | Stars: Bruce Campbell, Ellen Sandweiss, Richard DeManincor, Betsy Baker
Votes: 232,535 | Gross: $2.40M
classic, don't think anything else needs to be said.
10. Evil Dead II (1987)
R | 84 min | Comedy, Horror
Ash Williams, the lone survivor of an earlier onslaught of flesh-possessing spirits, holes up in a cabin with a group of strangers while the demons continue their attack.
Director: Sam Raimi | Stars: Bruce Campbell, Sarah Berry, Dan Hicks, Kassie Wesley DePaiva
Votes: 182,031 | Gross: $5.92M
See above
11. Cabin Fever (2002)
R | 93 min | Horror
Five college graduates rent a cabin in the woods and begin to fall victim to a horrifying flesh-eating virus, which attracts the unwanted attention of the homicidal locals.
Director: Eli Roth | Stars: Jordan Ladd, Rider Strong, James DeBello, Cerina Vincent
Votes: 83,736 | Gross: $21.16M
12. Dawn of the Dead (2004)
R | 101 min | Action, Horror
A nurse, a policeman, a young married couple, a salesman and other survivors of a worldwide plague that is producing aggressive, flesh-eating zombies, take refuge in a mega Midwestern shopping mall.
Director: Zack Snyder | Stars: Sarah Polley, Ving Rhames, Mekhi Phifer, Jake Weber
Votes: 272,634 | Gross: $59.02M
An AMAZING zombie movie in it's own right, but better and more action packed than the original and I really appreicated that, in addition to a having a great cast. ...minus the blonde girl with the dog
13. The Amityville Horror (2005)
R | 90 min | Horror
Newlyweds are terrorized by demonic forces after moving into a large house that was the site of a grisly mass murder a year before.
Director: Andrew Douglas | Stars: Ryan Reynolds, Melissa George, Jimmy Bennett, Jesse James
Votes: 117,379 | Gross: $65.23M
Another quality remake, in my opinion. Great acting on Ryan Reynolds behalf, nice work.
Gotta love good creepy house movies.
14. The Ring (2002)
PG-13 | 115 min | Horror, Mystery
A journalist must investigate a mysterious videotape which seems to cause the death of anyone one week to the day after they view it.
Director: Gore Verbinski | Stars: Naomi Watts, Martin Henderson, Brian Cox, David Dorfman
Votes: 375,283 | Gross: $129.13M
This movie is so freaky, I know how it ends, but this is a movie I WILL NOT EVER, EVER watch by myself. It's truly terrifying. One of the few legitimately good, quality, true horror movies.
15. Shaun of the Dead (2004)
R | 99 min | Comedy, Horror
The uneventful, aimless lives of a London electronics salesman and his layabout roommate are disrupted by the zombie apocalypse.
Director: Edgar Wright | Stars: Simon Pegg, Nick Frost, Kate Ashfield, Lucy Davis
Votes: 594,364 | Gross: $13.54M
Comedy, horror, call it what you will, but you know what I call it? F'ING AMAZING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! This movie is like LOTR for me, I can watch it a million times and then keep watching it and not get enough.
16. Basket Case (1982)
Not Rated | 91 min | Comedy, Horror
A young man carrying a big basket that contains his extremely deformed, formerly conjoined twin brother seeks vengeance on the doctors who separated them against their will.
Director: Frank Henenlotter | Stars: Kevin VanHentenryck, Terri Susan Smith, Beverly Bonner, Robert Vogel
Votes: 21,724
I'm not recommending you sit through the whole thing, but at least get a feel for it if you like horrible b movies, because it's funny.
17. Head of the Family (1996)
R | 82 min | Comedy, Horror
The "head" of the family is literally that - a giant head on a tiny body, who psychically controls the rest of his even more unusual family.
Director: Charles Band | Stars: Blake Adams, Jacqueline Lovell, Bob Schott, James Jones
Votes: 2,684
A complete joke, or b movie gold.
18. The Toxic Avenger (1984)
R | 82 min | Action, Comedy, Horror
Tromaville has a monstrous new hero. The Toxic Avenger is born when meek mop boy Melvin falls into a vat of toxic waste. Now evildoers will have a lot to lose.
Directors: Michael Herz, Lloyd Kaufman | Stars: Andree Maranda, Mitch Cohen, Jennifer Babtist, Cindy Manion
Votes: 32,197
Lloyd Kaufman, we salute you, and all the movies you created over the years, but this is the best one!
19. Saw (2004)
R | 103 min | Horror, Mystery, Thriller
Two strangers awaken in a room with no recollection of how they got there, and soon discover they're pawns in a deadly game perpetrated by a notorious serial killer.
Director: James Wan | Stars: Cary Elwes, Leigh Whannell, Danny Glover, Ken Leung
Votes: 467,052 | Gross: $56.00M
Before it franchised into ridiculousness this movie was truly terrifying. Yes, it was torture, but was torture for a reason, tests, and that made this movie intriguing and a good cult classic.
20. 28 Weeks Later (2007)
R | 100 min | Horror, Sci-Fi
Six months after the rage virus was inflicted on the population of Great Britain, the US Army helps to secure a small area of London for the survivors to repopulate and start again. But not everything goes according to plan.
Director: Juan Carlos Fresnadillo | Stars: Jeremy Renner, Rose Byrne, Robert Carlyle, Harold Perrineau
Votes: 294,031 | Gross: $28.64M
SO GOOD, zombie action like crazy, and that human connection like you see in the first one, but more action which is why I appreciated it more. But if you want to see a BAD ASS zombie movie, watch this ASAP.
21. Doghouse (2009)
Not Rated | 89 min | Comedy, Horror, Sci-Fi
A group of men, heading to a remote village to help one of their friends get over his divorce, soon discover that all the women have been infected with a virus that makes them man-hating cannibals.
Director: Jake West | Stars: Danny Dyer, Noel Clarke, Emil Marwa, Lee Ingleby
Votes: 22,861
Yes, another zombie movie, but it's mostly comedy. I watched it, bought it, so check it out.
22. Halloween (2007)
R | 109 min | Horror
After being committed for 15 years, Michael Myers, now a grown man and still very dangerous, escapes from the mental institution and immediately returns to Haddonfield to find his baby sister, Laurie.
Director: Rob Zombie | Stars: Scout Taylor-Compton, Malcolm McDowell, Tyler Mane, Brad Dourif
Votes: 130,630 | Gross: $58.27M
One of my favorite horror remakes, another I prefer over the original. Rob Zombie did this movie SO well, the casting, the death scenes, the doctor, everything was just so great, one of my favorite horror movies, period.
23. My Name Is Bruce (2007)
R | 84 min | Comedy, Fantasy, Horror
Mistaken for his character Ash from the 'Evil Dead' trilogy, Bruce Campbell is forced to fight a real monster in a small Oregon town.
Director: Bruce Campbell | Stars: Bruce Campbell, Grace Thorsen, Taylor Sharpe, Ted Raimi
Votes: 25,146 | Gross: $0.17M
Oh, Bruce ! This is a laughable, typical Bruce Campbell movie, but one you should be able to sit through w/o having to turn it off because it's so horrible, it's entertaining to say the least. If you liked Bubba Ho-Tep watch this one, the villain is just as silly.
24. Bubba Ho-Tep (2002)
R | 92 min | Comedy, Fantasy, Horror
When residents of their nursing home start dying of dubious causes, an aged Elvis and an African-American senior who claims to be President John F. Kennedy discover that the perpetrator is an Egyptian mummy with murderous intentions.
Director: Don Coscarelli | Stars: Bruce Campbell, Ossie Davis, Bob Ivy, Ella Joyce
Votes: 51,515 | Gross: $2.00M
A great movie and anyone who doesn't think so can f off.
25. The Exorcist (1973)
R | 122 min | Horror
When a young girl is possessed by a mysterious entity, her mother seeks the help of two Catholic priests to save her life.
Director: William Friedkin | Stars: Ellen Burstyn, Max von Sydow, Linda Blair, Lee J. Cobb
Votes: 455,313 | Gross: $232.91M
a horror masterpiece.
great quotes, pea soup, what's not to love?
26. The Hills Have Eyes (2006)
R | 107 min | Horror, Thriller
A traveling family falls victim to a group of mutated cannibals in a desert far away from civilization.
Director: Alexandre Aja | Stars: Ted Levine, Kathleen Quinlan, Dan Byrd, Emilie de Ravin
Votes: 183,362 | Gross: $41.78M
This movie can be absolutely disgusting to the fullest extent but at the same time one must appreciate the true horrifying aspect of the film which makes it such a great horror movie. This movie will scare you to the bones, and if it doesn't, there's something wrong with you. The premis is great, and believable, and the actors all do a great job.
Another movie NOT for the weak stomach/eyes
27. Final Destination (2000)
R | 98 min | Horror, Thriller
After getting a premonition about a plane crash on his school trip, Alex, a student saves a few of his classmates. However, their situation gets complicated when death starts chasing them.
Director: James Wong | Stars: Devon Sawa, Ali Larter, Kerr Smith, Kristen Cloke
Votes: 279,726 | Gross: $53.33M
Among the first horror movies I SNUCK into before I was 17, and let me say, this original movie is great! It's another sincere thriller film, nothing silly, or outrageous, just real and jaw dropping at some points.
28. Final Destination 3 (2006)
R | 93 min | Horror, Thriller
Wendy Christensen and a group of teens who escaped a fatal roller-coaster crash face a bloody date with Death.
Director: James Wong | Stars: Mary Elizabeth Winstead, Ryan Merriman, Kris Lemche, Alexz Johnson
Votes: 153,814 | Gross: $54.10M
Sigh. The original is legitmately good, but this movie is UTTERLY HORRIBLE, however, I FREAKING LOVE IT!!!!! In terms of bad horrible cheesy horror movies it's at the VERY TOP OF MY LIST. There are so many priceless things about this movie, and I just love it. A roller coaster? I mean, really?
29. Stay Alive (2006)
PG-13 | 85 min | Fantasy, Horror, Mystery
For a group of teens, the answer to the mysterious death of their old friend lies within the world of an online video game based on the true story of an ancient noblewoman known as the Blood Countess.
Director: William Brent Bell | Stars: Jon Foster, Samaire Armstrong, Frankie Muniz, Jimmi Simpson
Votes: 34,051 | Gross: $23.09M
Another one in the top 10 horrible stupid BAD cheesy horror movies, but fun to watch. IT HAS MALCOLM FROM MALCOLM IN THE MIDDLE IN IT!!! And a goth, your typical jack ass, who will come out alive?!?!?
Watch and find out!!
30. The Descent (2005)
R | 99 min | Adventure, Horror, Thriller
A caving expedition goes horribly wrong, as the explorers become trapped and ultimately pursued by a strange breed of predators.
Director: Neil Marshall | Stars: Shauna Macdonald, Natalie Mendoza, Alex Reid, Saskia Mulder
Votes: 247,147 | Gross: $26.02M
I would never watch this movie again because as good as it is as a horror movie it's just icky and creepy and I don't like it, but gotta give it props for making me feel that way.
31. Planet Terror (2007)
R | 105 min | Action, Comedy, Horror
After an experimental bio-weapon is released, turning thousands into zombie-like creatures, it's up to a rag-tag group of survivors to stop the infected and those behind its release.
Director: Robert Rodriguez | Stars: Rose McGowan, Freddy Rodríguez, Josh Brolin, Marley Shelton
Votes: 223,386
Great flick...great characters...great actors...the only film of Grindhouse you should invest time watching.
32. Hood of Horror (2006)
R | 84 min | Comedy, Horror
A hip hop horror anthology of three tales of terror told by the Hound of Hell that revolve around the residents of an inner-city neighborhood whose actions determine where they will go in the afterlife.
Director: Stacy Title | Stars: Snoop Dogg, Daniella Alonso, Anson Mount, Hawthorne James
Votes: 3,164 | Gross: $0.33M
Not very good, but funny. A great conversation piece.
33. The Haunting in Connecticut (2009)
PG-13 | 92 min | Drama, Horror, Mystery
After a family is forced to relocate for their son's health, they begin experiencing supernatural behavior in their new home, and uncover a sinister history.
Director: Peter Cornwell | Stars: Virginia Madsen, Martin Donovan, Elias Koteas, Kyle Gallner
Votes: 65,175 | Gross: $55.39M
This movie is rated PG-13, but damn if this movie isn't freaky as *beep* I think they did a great job making this film, it's believable and frightening. Who knew ectoplasm existed in anything besides Ghostbusters?
34. House of Wax (2005)
R | 113 min | Horror, Thriller
A group of teens are unwittingly stranded near a strange wax museum and soon must fight to survive and keep from becoming the next exhibit.
Director: Jaume Collet-Serra | Stars: Chad Michael Murray, Paris Hilton, Elisha Cuthbert, Brian Van Holt
Votes: 134,077 | Gross: $32.06M
Hot guys, Paris Hilton gets killed? a fun watch.
35. Village of the Damned (1995)
R | 98 min | Horror, Sci-Fi, Thriller
A small town's women give birth to unfriendly alien children posing as humans.
Director: John Carpenter | Stars: Christopher Reeve, Kirstie Alley, Linda Kozlowski, Michael Paré
Votes: 34,262 | Gross: $9.42M
This is one of the first horror movies I saw and loved, probably circa ...well, 1995-97ish. These kids are so crazy! And Kristi Ally is in it, LOL.
36. Joy Ride (2001)
R | 97 min | Action, Mystery, Thriller
Three young people on a road trip from Colorado to New Jersey talk to a trucker on their CB radio, then must escape when he turns out to be a psychopathic killer.
Director: John Dahl | Stars: Steve Zahn, Paul Walker, Leelee Sobieski, Jessica Bowman
Votes: 75,993 | Gross: $21.97M
This is always an entertaining watch for two reasons, it's creepy each time, but also fun too! What's not to love about Steve Zahn?
37. Jeepers Creepers (2001)
R | 90 min | Horror, Mystery
A brother and sister driving home through isolated countryside for spring break encounter a flesh-eating creature which is in the midst of its ritualistic eating spree.
Director: Victor Salva | Stars: Gina Philips, Justin Long, Jonathan Breck, Patricia Belcher
Votes: 142,659 | Gross: $37.90M
Original only.
38. The Ring Two (2005)
PG-13 | 110 min | Horror, Mystery
6 months after the incidents involving the lethal videotape, new clues prove that there is a new evil lurking in the darkness.
Director: Hideo Nakata | Stars: Naomi Watts, David Dorfman, Sissy Spacek, Simon Baker
Votes: 101,024 | Gross: $76.23M
A lot of people don't think this movie was as good as the first but disagree, I believe it is on the same level, equally creepy.
39. Dog Soldiers (2002)
R | 105 min | Action, Horror, Thriller
A routine military exercise turns into a nightmare in the Scottish wilderness.
Director: Neil Marshall | Stars: Sean Pertwee, Kevin McKidd, Emma Cleasby, Liam Cunningham
Votes: 65,672
Thanks Sci-Fi Channel for another original movie, but this one is entertaining, not to mention a generally funny concept.
40. Return of the Living Dead: Rave to the Grave (2005)
R | 86 min | Comedy, Horror, Sci-Fi
A college student creates a drug called "Z" and sells it on campus, inadvertently resurrecting the living dead, who wreak havoc at a Halloween rave.
Director: Ellory Elkayem | Stars: Peter Coyote, Aimee-Lynn Chadwick, Cory Hardrict, John Keefe
Votes: 4,722
Another FAVORITE FAVORITE FAVORITE zombie movies, and another ORIGINAL SCI FI CHANNEL movie. This movie is ALLLLLLLLLLLL laughs for serious, and it's amazing.
41. Shrooms (2007)
Not Rated | 84 min | Comedy, Horror, Mystery
A group of friends are stalked and murdered whilst looking for psilocybin mushrooms in the Irish woods.
Director: Paddy Breathnach | Stars: Lindsey Haun, Jack Huston, Max Kasch, Maya Hazen
Votes: 17,679 | Gross: $0.00M
the name says it all.
42. Street Trash (1987)
Unrated | 91 min | Comedy, Horror
A liquor store owner sells alcoholic beverages to homeless people, unaware of what the bottles actually contain: toxic brew.
Director: J. Michael Muro | Stars: Mike Lackey, Bill Chepil, Vic Noto, Mark Sferrazza
Votes: 11,448
an original 80's b movie, it doesn't get any better than this, folks.
43. Seed of Chucky (2004)
R | 87 min | Comedy, Horror, Thriller
Chucky and Tiffany are resurrected by their innocent gender-confused child, Glen/Glenda, and hit Hollywood, where a movie depicting the killer dolls' murder spree is underway.
Director: Don Mancini | Stars: Jennifer Tilly, Brad Dourif, John Waters, Billy Boyd
Votes: 49,912 | Gross: $17.08M
HILARIOUS, his little flamboyant "seed" steals the show
44. Black Christmas (2006)
R | 95 min | Horror
On Christmas Eve, an escaped maniac returns to his childhood home, which is now a sorority house, and begins to murder the sorority sisters one by one.
Director: Glen Morgan | Stars: Michelle Trachtenberg, Mary Elizabeth Winstead, Lacey Chabert, Katie Cassidy
Votes: 30,650 | Gross: $16.24M
human skin cookies anyone?????
this movie is great for the gore
45. Bad Taste (1987)
Not Rated | 91 min | Comedy, Horror, Sci-Fi
The population of a small town disappears and is replaced by aliens that chase human flesh for their intergalactic fast-food chain.
Director: Peter Jackson | Stars: Terry Potter, Pete O'Herne, Craig Smith, Mike Minett
Votes: 49,136
Ah, Peter Jackson's first movie...and look how far he's come! thank goodness!!!!
This movie isn't very good, but if you appreciate b movies, watch it.
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