Fiction, in general, is inspired by things that happened in real life. However, this sentiment does not sit well with us when we think of these horror movies. Feel free to call the crew behind these flicks “disturbed” or “sick,” but we warn you that they might take them as compliments instead. At any rate, the most disgusting, unsettling, violent, and shocking horror films within the past century are truly creative in their own ways. Some of them had budgets in the millions of dollars to work with, although others were cheap passion projects instead. If you want to lie in your bed awake at night, you should try them on for size.
These Horror Films Will Make It Impossible For Anyone To Sleep At Night
Get Out
Jordan Peele is best known as a sketch comedian, but he blew us away with Get Out. His directorial debut has ushered in a new subgenre of the horror genre, one that has been influenced by social commentary. Even so, he still relied on traditional elements such as jump scares, deception, and blood. We are not shocked that the movie earned him the Oscar for Best Original Screenplay.
Get Out
Rosemary’s Baby
This classic horror movie was directed by none other than Roman Polanski. Mia Farrow did an excellent job of playing the lead character as well. Rosemary’s Baby is a terrifying psychological horror flick in which a mother is convinced that her neighbors are part of a Satanic coven and want to use the baby in her womb for their rituals. Upon the birth of the child, the ending had everyone stunned.
Rosemary’s Baby
House
Originally called Hausu, this is a Japanese comedy-horror flick that came out in 1977. The cast members were all amateurs, which makes it all the more impressive. It shows six schoolgirls as they are consumed by the house one after another. It was half animated, half live-action, making the experience even more unforgettable. In fact, you can say that its cinematic style is very unique.
House
Rubber
This might have one of the most humorous plots in the horror genre. Rubber is the story of a killer and, get this, a psychokinetic rubber car tire. Together, they go on a killing spree in the California desert as the tire pursues his crush. If you ask us, the best thing about this is that the producers went as far as to give the object a name. In case you did not know, he goes by Robert.
Rubber
Alien
We are not at all shocked to hear that this flick has been called “one of the greatest films of all time.” After all, it has inspired numerous TV shows and movies ever since it was released in 1979. H. R. Giger inspired its art style that has since become one of its most distinctive aspects. Alien is in a league of its own. On top of that, it served as the breakthrough role of the amazing Sigourney Weaver.
Alien
Eraserhead
The 1977 horror flick follows a man who has to look after his deformed child. There are a lot of weird elements in Eraserhead, and we will let you be the judge of them all. This is a radically unique movie that dumbfounded both the general public and critics alike. Who can blame them?
Eraserhead
Jacob’s Ladder
Tim Robbins stars as Jacob Singer in Jacob’s Ladder. The movie takes all of us on one huge trip. The title character goes through bizarre hallucinations and remembers fragmented recollections from his time as a soldier in the Vietnam War. His task is to discover the truth of his existence. Before you watch it, we want to warn you that you will be thoroughly puzzled and confused by this movie.
Jacob’s Ladder
A Clockwork Orange
You might be familiar with the 1971 movie, but did you know that it was based on a novel of the same title by Anthony Burgess published about a decade prior? A Clockwork Orange follows an antisocial young man called Alex, who loves classical music and violence. Set in Britain, he goes on a crime spree with his group until he is captured. This is when he is rehabilitated with the use of the “Ludovico Technique.” It is heavy on violence, so watch it at your own risk.
A Clockwork Orange
Akira
We have another Japanese classic on our list. This animated cyberpunk action film follows a character who gets telekinetic powers after a dangerous motorcycle accident. Even though it is quite out there, Akira has been dubbed one of the “greatest animated and science action films ever made.” We agree! Its cyberpunk themes and animations truly set it apart from anything we have ever seen.
Akira
Videodrome
Starring James Woods, this movie follows the CEO of a TV station after he comes across a puzzling TV signal that seems to only broadcast violence and torture. Videodrome is infamous for the psychosexual themes in it. As the movie goes on, the main character only gets more and more confused as he tries to figure out what reality really is.
Videodrome
They Live
John Carpenter has made a name for himself as a talented sci-fi writer, director, and producer. In 1988, he released a movie called They Live. It is interesting as the plot follows a drifter who finds himself in LA and finds a weird pair of sunglasses that let him see the real rulers of the nation: aliens.
They Live
Annihilation
In 2018, the sci-fi community was treated to this amazing movie starring the likes of Natalie Portman, Oscar Isaac, and Tessa Thompson. Annihilation is an eco-horror movie that shows us the consequences of mutating life in an unknown but expanding area known as “The Simmer.” Even though it featured great stars and amazing visuals, the movie tanked at the box office. Too bad.
Annihilation
Saw
In 2003, the first movie in the Saw series came out. It has since spawned several sequels, prequels, and even parodies. The first movie only cost $1.2 million and was shot within 18 days. This is quite shocking to hear since the story, puzzles, and torture devices had us thinking that it would take more than that. At any rate, it did a great job at the box office and earned more than $100 million.
Saw
The Shining
“Hereeeeeeee’s, Johnny!” This is a line that will have anyone shivering. There was no way that we could exclude this movie! The Shining was based on a novel by Stephen King and then received a film adaption by Stanley Kubrick. To this day, we still get the chills when we imagine Jack Nicholson trying to hack through the bathroom door to get to Shelley Duvall. It is the definition of terrifying!
The Shining
The VVitch
Stylized as The VVitch, this historical movie came out in 2015. If you like supernatural period pieces, this might do the trick for you. With a budget of $4 million, it follows a Puritan family from the 1630s as they reckon with spirits on their quiet farm in New England. As a testament to how masterful it is, the film earned more than $40 million at the box office.
The VVitch
The Ring
You might not have known that The Ring is just an American remake of a Japanese horror movie. It was actually based on a novel of the same name by Komi Suzuki. Anyway, it revolves around an evil VHS tape that turns out deadly. People who watch it only have seven more days to live before they suffer a cruel death. On the bright side, it has gotten a smidge less scary now that VHS players are out.
The Ring
The Babadook
If you enjoyed movies such as Antichrist and Pan’s Labyrinth, you might enjoy The Babadook. It has a mature style and tone like the movies that we had just mentioned. It is all about a grieving mother and fatherless son as they try to move on from the death of her husband.
The Babadook
It Follows
Here is another movie that did not have much of a budget to work on but still did great. Shot in Detroit, It Follows only had a budget of $1.3 million but grossed $23.3 million across the globe. It follows a college student who gets a curse after a one-night stand. Trust us, this one is terrifying!
It Follows
Antiviral
You do not see a lot of movies like this one. This movie stars Caleb Landry Jones and shows the sick things that fans will do to feel a connection with their favorite celebrities. To be specific, it involves giving yourself the same illnesses that certain members of the Hollywood elite are suffering from. Doesn’t the sound of that just give you the chills? Yikes.
Antiviral
We Need to Talk About Kevin
Lionel Shriver penned We Need to Talk About Kevin in 2003. Eight years after that, we finally got to see it brought to life. It stars Tilda Swinton in the role of a mother who has to deal with what her detached child did after a mass school shooting. As you can imagine, the story is pretty heavy.
We Need To Talk About Kevin
Excision
What started out as a short movie called Excision grew to a full-length film of the same title. It is not a stretch to call this a bloody affair. We are not joking at all. A reviewer on Rotten Tomatoes said that it “effectively blends body horror and adolescent drama, although its visceral aggression definitely isn’t for all tastes.” You might want to skip this if you get squeamish at the sight of blood.
Excision
The Vanishing
This British psycho-thriller stars the very talented Peter Mullan and Gerard Butler. The movie follows three lighthouse keepers who unexpectedly vanish on an island on the coast of Scotland back in the 1900s. We want to give you a heads up that the ending is quite depressing. Despite this, it is still worth a watch.
The Vanishing
Creep
Patrick Brice wrote and directed this shocking movie. Creep is all about encounters with so-called “personalities” on Craigslist. It stars Mark Duplass, who is best known for his comedic acting experience. Once you watch it, you will see why it has a high approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes.
Creep
Hannibal
Most people think of Anthony Hopkins right away when they hear the name Hannibal Lector. This is actually the sequel to The Silence of the Lambs. In it, Julianne Moore takes over the role of Clarice Starling, who was first portrayed by Jodie Foster, as she looks for the cannibalistic title character.
Hannibal
The Strangers
We do not know about you, but home invasion must be the creepiest horror subgenre. The Strangers did a great job because it grossed $82.4 million after working on a $9 million budget. In it, three criminals enter the home of characters played by Scott Speedman and Liv Tyler. The viewers can’t help but wonder why on earth these masked men are terrorizing the couple. It is a classic suspense thriller that will have you at the edge of your seats. Make sure to lock your doors at night, folks.
The Strangers
Enemy
What on earth could go wrong when you meet a person who is physically identical to you? It is a good thing that these two characters have very different personalities… or is it? Jake Gyllenhaal did a great job of playing both men. In 2014, it was the Film of the Year by the Toronto Film Critics Association.
Enemy
Green Room
In 2017, Green Room was nominated for an Empire Award under the Best Horror category. This thriller follows a rock band as they are violently pursued by a group of Neo-Nazi skinheads after they witness a murder. It has a positive reception. Rotten Tomatoes says, “Green Room delivers unapologetic genre thrills with uncommon intelligence and powerfully acted élan.”
Green Room
The End of Evangelion
Dan Schindel, who has written for Hyperallergic, has a great review for The End of Evangelion on Rotten Tomatoes. He said, “If the show documents the process by which these characters are worn down to nothing, then this is what happens when they’re reduced to exposed nerves… It’s a Lynchian picture of the tormented mind, depression’s figurative end of the world made literal.”
The End Of Evangelion
Perfect Blue
This movie only goes to show just how unsettling animated movies can be. Perfect Blue is a psychological thriller that follows an actress as she tries to navigate reality and fantasy in the modern Japanese world. It has inspired a lot of other filmmakers from other parts of the world as well. Did you know that Requiem for a Dream has drawn inspiration from it as well?
Perfect Blue
The House That Jack Built
The 2018 rendition of The House That Jack Built features A-list stars such as Uma Thurman and Matt Dillon. It shows the life and times of a serial killer called Jack, who terrorized many people in the ‘70s and ‘80s. The movie drew inspiration from Dante’s Inferno and plays footage of his murders across Washington over a period of twelve years.
The House That Jack Built
A Serbian Film
You might not have seen A Serbian Film, but you must already know that it has a pretty bad rep. People like to say that it is one of the most disturbing things they have ever seen. It came out in 2010 and follows a porn star who joins an “art project.” The problem is that it turns out to be snuff full of terrifying content that we would rather not list down. It was so bad that it got banned in six countries upon its release. That should be enough to tell you just how shocking it was.
A Serbian Film
The Silence of the Lambs
We already mentioned this earlier, but The Silence of the Lambs is the prequel of Hannibal. It came out in 1991 and follows Clarice Starling as she tries to hunt down a serial killer called Buffalo Bill. Jodie Foster shines in the role of the FBI agent trainee as she consults Dr. Hannibal Lector, who is locked up behind bars. It is not hard to see why it is one of the most famous psychological horror movies ever made. The movie brought home a lot of awards, but this is not surprising at all.
The Silence Of The Lambs
The Blair Witch Project
Perhaps you do not think much of found-footage horror, but The Blair Witch Project allegedly started the trend. It is pretty amazing to think that it was made by an amateur crew with little budget. The story is about three film students as they go to the Black Hills in Maryland in the hopes of making a documentary about the Blair Witch. The marketing team even convinced people that the main actors of the movie truly went missing. Even though there is a distinct lack of jump scares, we think that it is terrifying enough without them.
The Blair Witch Project
Midsommar
In 2019, the cinematic world could not stop talking about Midsommar. It follows American university students as they go to Sweden to attend a festival that only takes place every 90 years. In the end, they were shocked to discover that they have gotten involved with a pagan cult that sacrifices people. There were little dramas here and there, but the failing relationship between two of the main characters proved to be the cherry on top. It is also fun to see what viewers had to say about the way things turned out since the ending was so polarizing and powerful at the same time! We would love to hear what you think once you watch this Ari Aster masterpiece.
Midsommar
A Nightmare on Elm Street
How can you call yourself a horror fan if you have yet to see A Nightmare on Elm Street? It is about four teens who live on Elm Street in a fictional town called Springwood, Ohio. They get murdered in their dreams and by a disfigured killer by the name of Freddy Krueger in real life. This movie also kick-started the career of Johnny Deep, which might serve as a consolation prize for some viewers!
A Nightmare On Elm Street