Let’s say you’ve considered watching a horror movie before but didn’t know where to start. Let’s say the month of October has you horror curious. Let’s say I’ve compiled a list to guide you through several decades of nightmares.
Last week, I published a list of 31 movies for hardcore horror fans. It’s all part of Shocktober, an annual tradition with my wife, wherein we try to watch as many horror films as possible before November rolls around. Since we’ve seen basically everything, we have to dig deeper and deeper each year.
But one of the questions I always hear from folks it: “Hey, how do I get started with horror?” While there are certainly plenty of lists, I feel too many are crushed under the weight of the all-time classics, ignoring how many good movies have been released even in the past few years.
This list tries to present is a broad overview of the genre, from the old to the new, from the humorous to the satirical, from the horrifying to the gory. Only one, Martyrs, has an asterisk next to it, and that’s because Martyrs is a fucked up movie. It’s really good, too — especially the ending — but it’s not for the faint of heart. Everything else, while scary, is stuff you’d expect from a horror movie.
There are some notable films excluded from this list — there were only 31 spots! — which I’m sure people will start tormenting me about in the comments. (Where’s Halloween? Didn’t It Follows just come out?) This isn’t a “best horror movies ever!!” list, but it certainly reflects some of my all-time favourites.
Also! The first episode of my weekly horror podcast, Til Death Do Us Part, launched last week. I’m recording it with my wife. For October, we’ll be discussing a selection of Shocktober 2015’s films every Thursday. You can subscribe iTunes (if you like it, please leave a review!) or stream it over here.
Now, the list, which includes a trailer link for every movie:
3. The Babadook
4. It Follows
5. The Exorcist
6. Scream
11. The Thing
12. You’re Next
13. Hellraiser
14. Alien
15. Evil Dead 2
16. The Conjuring
17. The Fly
18. American Werewolf in London
20. Suspiria
21. Poltergeist
23. The Descent
24. Nightbreed
25. Re-Animator
26. Drag Me to Hell
27. [rec]
28. Them
29. Martyrs (Warning: This movie is hardcore.)
30. The Entity
31. Trick ‘r Treat
Enjoy!
Illustration by Jim Cooke
Comments
32 responses to “31 Movies For Horror Newcomers”
Good list. Lots of classics.
Watched “It Follows” the other day. Very average I thought. Wife gets pretty scared with horror flicks and even she thought it was pretty bad. Not just not scary but not very well done imo.
I think my expectations were too high for this because it did nothing me at all. No suspense, ridiculous premise (even for a horror movie). I don’t get all the fuss.
I thought the same. I wanted to like it and I am forgiving with horror as I love it but this one just felt flat.
I liked It Follows, thought the idea of a unrelenting slow moving monster frightening. It had a couple of plot holes and the ending was a bit meh.
Just a bit?
My girlfriend is a horror fangirl and didn’t enjoy it. Neither did I, but I did like the idea of an STD based horror flick. That was a great idea!
Err, Psycho?
Martyrs is definitely hardcore.
Not a movie I’d recommend to too many people, but I’ll say this for it, it is memorable.
I haven’t seen it. Is it in the same vein as “I spit on your grave”?
Yeah, kinda. It has a great story, definitely watch it.
Without giving too much away it starts off as one genre
home invasionand then switches to anothertorture pornabout a third of the way through the film.It can be hard to watch at times, but I did enjoy the ending. And not something I’ll forget any time soon.
Pretty awesome list. I’d probably omit Martyrs as a recommendation for horror newcomers. Tough choice between Evil Dead 2 and The Evil Dead.
I’d go Evil Dead 2. Not only does it give you the gist of 1 in the first few minutes, the humor adds so much, and really creates the Ash we all know and love!
Evil Dead 2. 1 is fantastic, but it was an experiment. It doesn’t fit with the rest and the tree scene is honestly really out of place. Even Raimi regrets putting it in.
2 is basically a slicker, better looking, more coherent remake that really sets the standard for the universe. Watching 1 is like playing System Shock. It’s a fascinating look at the blueprint for what would eventually become the industry high bar.
I clicked ready to get antsy because you’re right in my sweet spot, but actually, that’s not a bad list. Bravo good sir! Super happy not to see any Saw on here.
And yes, work your way up to Marytrs. Not for the casuals. You’ve been warned multiple times.
My other cautionary note is if you watch The Thing, make sure it’s Carpenter’s, not the most recent version.
Carpenter’s The Thing is a suspense horror masterpiece.
The first Saw movie was excellent. So much done with such a simple premise. The detective side story wasn’t strictly necessary, but it was a really solid movie.
Unfortunately, it spawned some utterly terrible sequels and allowed a whole lot of pointless, shitty torture-porn movies to follow. I’m looking in your direction, Hostel. Goddamn that movie was a fucking piece of shit.
For the most part a very spot on list. No one will ever agree on the best, but this covers most bases. Only ones I really disagree with are It Follows and Cabin In The Woods.
I don’t know about Cabin in the Woods, for newcomers – the references would pretty much be lost on them. For a meta slot more intro-friendly, maybe New Nightmare.
P.S: Candyman.
Despite not being a fan of horror movies in the least… The Thing is possibly one of my favourite films of all time. (The Carpenter one. The original, prequel and comics don’t have the same charm or effort. The game was a pretty good attempt though.)
I couldn’t say why without massively spoiling it… But it’s not a ‘horror horror’ film. It’s about paranoia and a cast of characters that act incredibly pragmatically and intelligently despite being in a horror film, because if they don’t… Something terrible will happen. And the ending is simply a masterpiece.
Oh, and that sound track and title card. Unf.
Yes, yes, and yes.
Carpenter’s The Thing is still one of the best suspense movies ever made. Sure, there are some amazing practical creature effects that still hold up to this day, but that’s just delicious icing on the already delicious cake.
The Shining.
I was wondering where this was, it’s a very good horror film and I don’t even like horror films.
Awesome list, though the first two Child’s Play movies will forever sit at/near the top of my favourites.
Trick ‘r Treat is fantastic! One of this centuries best in my opinion.
Also Martyrs was awesome! Also Inside.
I’m not much of a horror person but my favorites would be The Thing, The Fly and Warlock.
Some good picks. Lack of ‘In the Mouth of Madness’ hurts me 😉
Critters freaked me out as a kid.
I really don’t understand the love for The Babadook, I found it borderline unwatchable.
Would add the reboot Friday the 13th and Nightmare on Elm st’s to the list. Definitely a pair of good reboots
what about Stephen King’s IT
and y no Brain Dead ( ha ha)
Not a horror fan, actually clarify that – not a gore fan. But I’ve actually seen a fair chunk of those films – my faves being The Exorcist (just disturbing in every way and has that 70s golden age vibe) and Scream.
Bit disappointed Halloween didn’t make the list – that film virtually kicked off the the whole unstoppable psychotic genre
Also what about Final Destination? It’s probably been diluted with endless sequels but the first one is high concept done right IMO