With ghosts, to clowns, to mass-murdering cults, the horror genre has been inspiring our nightmares for decades. From Alfred Hitchcock’s Psycho ‘shower scene’, to Stephen King’s “here’s Johnny”, in The Shining, the horror genre has gifted us some of the most iconic scenes in cinema. Here are some fantastic scary stories that you will probably have seen if you’re a horror fanatic, but also some lesser-known films that are still guaranteed to give you a fright!
Midsommar (2019)
Directed by Ari Aster and starring Florence Pugh, Jack Reynor, William Jackson Harper and Will Poulter, Midsommar is not for the fainthearted. Perhaps one of the goriest and chilling horror movies of all time – Midsommar might make you spew your last meal! A group of American friends travel to Sweden to attend a festival, landing them in the midst of a terrifying pagan cult. Midsommar is a film you definitely wouldn’t forget about anytime soon.
The Wicker Man (1973)
The likes of Midsommar probably wouldn’t exist without The Wicker Man paving the way for pagan cults and human sacrifice in cinema. This British folk horror masterfully encapsulates the quaint eeriness of an isolated Hebridean island, immersing an audience into such a strange world, and forcing them to feel as alienated as the main protagonist. Whilst the 2006 Nicholas Cage remake leaves little to be desired, it is the original Robin Hardy flick that has terrified filmgoers for generations.
Get Out (2017)
Directed by Jordan Peele and starring Daniel Kaluuya, Get Out offers a modern spin on the horror genre. Shying away from the typical horror conventions of ghosts, cults and monsters, Get Out is a psychological thriller, guaranteed to shock anyone who watches it. Our main protagonist is Chris Washington, a black man, who is about to meet the family of his white girlfriend, Rose Armitage. Whilst there are some strange occurrences in the Armitage household almost immediately, it becomes clear that there is a horrifying secret about to bubble to the surface.
Suspiria (2018)
This 2018 remake is a supernatural horror film about a coven of witches who run a dance school. Unlike its predecessor, which was an explosion of colour and dramatics, Luca Guadagnino creates a sinister, bleak and harsh atmosphere, a constant winter in Berlin. It features stars such as Dakota Johnson and Chloë Grace Moretz, however the most stellar performance belongs to Tilda Swinton, who plays not one, not two, but three vastly different roles within the film.
Honourable mention: The 1977 Dario Argento version is also a feast for the eyes, with its amazing vibrancy and chilling score.
28 Days Later (2002)
This Danny Boyle flick is perhaps not one to watch if you’re still terrified about COVID-19 in our own world. 28 Days Later is a post-apocalyptic horror about a society descending into chaos after a deadly virus is spreading across the world – we hope that doesn’t sound too familiar! Featuring some fantastic actors, including Cillian Murphy, Naomie Harris and Christopher Eccleston, 28 Days Later rekindled our collective interest in zombie movies, with the genre becoming increasingly popular into the late 2000s.
Mother! (2017)
Darren Aronofsky is known for making harrowing psychological horrors, including Black Swan and Requiem for a Dream, and Mother! is no exception. Starring Jennifer Lawrence, Javier Bardem, Ed Harris and Michelle Pfeiffer, Mother! follows a couple living in their dream home, until both the house and their lives descend into chaos. This is another film that should come with a content warning, as the horror it shows might be a little bit too disturbing for some!
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