Are you looking to get into horror movies this Halloween season but not really sure where to start? Maybe you like horror movies, but want to brush up on the classics? Luckily for you, I have many years of experience under my belt as a horror aficionado and have created a must-watch list for just this reason. Though I’ll be the first to admit I am biased towards certain subgenres and eras of horror films, I tried my best to give a broad overview of the genre and how it has changed over the years. Without further ado, here are my top 10 must-watch beginner horror movies.
- “Rosemary’s Baby” (1968) — directed by Roman Polanski
I hate the fact that I am recommending a Roman Polanski film, but “Rosemary’s Baby” is just too good to leave out of this list. It plays a good balance between psychological horror and classic satanist tropes.
- “Halloween” (1978) — directed by John Carpenter
Though “Black Christmas” (1974) and “The Texas Chainsaw Massacre” (1974) were made before “Halloween,” the movie has become such a staple in pop culture that many people hail it as the first slasher film. I personally prefer “Texas Chainsaw,” but “Halloween” is so iconic that I believe everyone should watch it at least once.
- “Dawn of the Dead” (1978) — directed by George A. Romero
One of the best zombie movies of all time in my opinion, and it was filmed in Monroeville by Carnegie Mellon alum George A. Romero! (Well, he was technically a drop out, but I don’t think the university likes that phrase as much.) One of the first horror movies that uses blatant social commentary.
- “Alien” (1979) — directed by Ridley Scott
“Alien” is a science fiction movie as much as it is a horror movie, and it is required viewing. It’s one of the most suspenseful films I’ve ever seen.
- “An American Werewolf in London” (1981) — directed by John Landis
A heartfelt and comedic werewolf movie — what’s not to love!? The werewolf transformation effects by Rick Baker in this film were so good that he received the first-ever Oscar for makeup.
- “The Silence of the Lambs” (1991) — directed by Jonathan Demme
Another movie that was filmed partly in Pittsburgh, “The Silence of the Lambs” is a phenomenal example of the overlap between the crime and thriller genres and horror.
- “Evil Dead II” (1987) — directed by Sam Raimi
This movie is one of the all-time greatest horror comedies, in my opinion. If you’ve never heard of horror comedy before or have a hard time imagining the concept, do yourself a favor and just go watch this movie.
- “Scream” (1996) — directed by Wes Craven
“Scream” is a beloved classic for a reason. Though I’m not a big slasher fan, I actually love this one. The characters feel real and the meta commentary, which wasn’t as common within the genre as it is today, is super interesting..
- “Creep” (2014) — directed by Patrick Brice
“The Blair Witch Project” was the first found footage horror film, but I honestly thought it wasn’t that great. That’s why I chose “Creep” for this list, as a weird film that I think makes the most of the limitations of the found footage medium. Plus, the sequel was actually pretty good, too.
- “Get Out” (2017) — directed by Jordan Peele
I knew I wanted to end this list with a movie from the last couple years, and “Get Out” is a perfect blend of horror with moments of comedic levity, suspense, and social commentary. Honestly, any of Jordan Peele’s films could have claimed this spot, so go watch “Nope” and “Us” while you’re at it.