My Top 40 Favorite Horror Films

James / June 3rd, 2015

I just felt like making this list. I was too curious to see how it would turn out. This is one of the hardest lists I’ve ever tried to make. I’m sure I forgot something. It’s always subject to change. It’s even harder when you think about what qualifies as “horror”.  And remember this doesn’t mean BEST horror necessarily, it means my FAVORITES, the ones that have stuck with me, influenced me, and come to my mind the most often. If it’s not on the list, it doesn’t mean I didn’t think of it. It’s just that I was trying to do a Top 40, not a Top 1000.

 

40. Creature from the Black Lagoon (1954)
39. The Thing from Another World (1951)
38. The Blob (1958)
37. Army of Darkness (1993)
36. Nightmare on Elm St 3: Dream Warriors (1987)
35. Friday the 13th Part 4: The Final Chapter (1984)
34. Plan 9 From Outer Space (1959)
33. Evil Dead II: Dead By Dawn (1987)
32. The Old Dark House (1932)
31. Texas Chainsaw Massacre (1974)
30. Day of the Dead (1985)
29. An American Werewolf in London (1981)
28. From Dusk Till Dawn (1996)
27. Return of the Living Dead (1985)
26. Dawn of the Dead (1978)
25. Curse of Frankenstein (1957)
24. Horror of Dracula (1958)
23. The Mummy (1959)
22. Godzilla (1954)
21. TIE: Frankenstein Meets the Wolfman (1943) / House of Frankenstein (1944)
20. Invisible Man (1933)
19. Alien (1979)
18. Halloween (1978)
17. Psycho (1960)
16. Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde (1932)
15. Phantom of the Opera (1925)
14. Frankenstein (1931)
13. Bride of Frankenstein (1935)
12. The Mummy (1932)
11. Son of Frankenstein (1939)
10. Dracula (1931)
9. The Wolf Man (1941)
8. The Terminator (1984) (I like T2 even more, but I think is closer to “horror”)
7. Jurassic Park (1993)
6. Cabinet of Dr. Caligari (1920)
5. Night of the Living Dead (1968)
4. Jaws (1976)
3. Gremlins (1984)
2. Ghostbusters (1984)
1. King Kong (1933)
 

FAVORITE SILENT HORROR
Cabinet of Dr. Caligari (1919)

 

FAVORITE UNIVERSAL HORROR
The Wolf Man (1941)

 

FAVORITE HAMMER HORROR
The Mummy (1959)

 

FAVORITE 60’s HORROR
Night of the Living Dead (1968)

 

FAVORITE 70’s HORROR
Jaws (1976)

 

FAVORITE 80’s HORROR
Gremlins (1984) / Ghostbusters (1984)

 

FAVORITE 90’s HORROR
Jurassic Park (1993)

 

FAVORITE MILLENNIUM HORROR
Trick R’ Treat (2007)

James’ favorites