The 35 best horror films of all time

Best horror films: Vogue presents 35 horror films to scare you through the fall—from "The Shining" to "Midsommar" to "The Substance."

Halloween and countless other autumn nights , perfect for scary stories, are just around the corner – and the selection of good horror films is immense. Whether you want to watch a group of teenagers play a fateful party game, are interested in spooky rituals, or want to come face to face with sinister creatures like zombies, vampires, or demons: our following horror film list has something for all your scary needs.

The critics' platform "Rotten Tomatoes" compiles all available online reviews into an overall rating and is therefore considered a benchmark for good films. Below, we present horror films that have received predominantly positive reviews.

The top 10 horror films are:

1. “His House” (100 percent positive reviews)
2. “Host” (99 percent positive reviews)
3. “The Ring” (98 percent positive reviews)
4. “Get Out” (98 percent positive reviews)
5. “Vampyr” (98 percent positive reviews)
6. “ Rosemary’s Baby ” (97 percent positive reviews)
7. “Blood & Sinners” (97 percent positive reviews)
8. “A Girl Walks Home Alone At Night” (96 percent positive reviews)
9. “Castle of Horror” (95 percent positive reviews)
10. “Train to Busan” (94 percent positive reviews)

Here are our 35 must-see horror films in detail.

#1 “Get Out” (2017)

Jordan Peele's "Get Out" is one of those horror films that stays with you for months after watching it. Avoid reading any spoilers beforehand—it's worth it.

#2 “X” (2022)

Ti West's crowd-pleaser is a slasher film that upends our expectations of the genre and is a love letter to the horror heyday of the '70s. It centers on Mia Goth—alongside Jenna Ortega , Brittany Snow, and Kid Cudi—as an aspiring actress who finds herself tortured on the set of her latest film.

#3 “The Substance” (2024)

Demi Moore delivers an Oscar-worthy performance in Coralie Fargeat's stylish and gory body horror film. In "The Substance," she portrays a failed actress who injects herself with a mysterious substance to unleash a flawless, younger version of herself (played by Margaret Qualley ). Moore's eccentric performance is the main reason to see the film, and its sensationally over-the-top '80s aesthetic is another.

#4 “The Witch” (2015)

In 17th-century New England, a young boy disappears into the woods and goes missing. This leads a settler family to accuse their own daughter (played by Anya Taylor-Joy ) of witchcraft. One of the scariest horror films, it's full of supernatural plot twists.

#5 “Midsummer" (2019)

If you're longing for a vacation, Ari Aster's "Midsommar" might convince you that staying home is actually better. Coachella and Oktoberfest fans, in particular, will never look at a flower crown the same way again...

#6 “M3gan” (2022)

Here comes a typical horror film. Directed by Gerard Johnstone and written by Akela Cooper, the film became an instant classic thanks to Amie Donald's uncanny portrayal of the titular robot doll, who is determined to protect its owner (Violet McGraw) at all costs.

#7 “A Girl Walks Home Alone at Night” (2014)

In this sensational vampire film, American-Iranian director Ana Lily Amirpour combines Western and noir elements with feminist symbolism and artful black-and-white. In the fictional ghost town of "Bad City," a lone vampire in a chador roams the streets at night. She kills men who exploit women, thus becoming a dark avenger. At the same time, a tender, almost fairytale-like bond develops between her and the young Arash, who struggles with his drug-addicted father and the shadows of his family.

#8 “His House” (2020)

Critics single out "His House" as the best horror film on Netflix for its chilling take on the horrors of displacement. According to its Rotten Tomatoes rating, "His House" is even among the best films on Netflix overall.

The couple Bol and Rial make a harrowing escape from war-torn South Sudan. However, they struggle to adjust to their new life in an English town and a seemingly safe home, haunted by the ghosts of those they witnessed die on the run.

#9 “Bodies Bodies Bodies” (2022)

In one of the best horror films on Netflix, a group of teenagers plays a game in which one player is secretly assigned the role of murderer and must then "kill" the other players in the dark. However, the game soon becomes reality. With its gripping dialogue, hallucinatory cinematography, and a gigantic cast, the horror comedy has all the ingredients for a future cult classic.

#10 “Bram Stoker’s Dracula” (1992)

In the 15th century, Romanian prince Vlad Dracul (Gary Oldman) sells his soul to achieve immortality as a vampire. Centuries later, he travels to London, where he falls in love with the young Mina ( Winona Ryder ), whom he believes to be the reincarnation of his deceased wife. His advances, however, are met with fierce resistance from Professor Van Helsing. Bram Stoker's classic horror novel has been adapted countless times, but this version by "The Godfather" director Francis Ford Coppola is particularly memorable for its visual style.

#11 “Totally Killer” (2023)

One of the best horror films on Amazon Prime combines teen slasher horror with a time-travel comedy: 17-year-old Jamie (Kiernan Shipka) faces a masked serial killer on Halloween night and accidentally travels back to 1987, the year he committed his first murders. Can she stop the madman with the help of her teenage mother (Olivia Holt)?

#12 “Talk to Me” (2022)

In the opening minutes of Danny and Michael Philippou's supernatural, intensely creepy horror film, we see one person searching for another at a crowded house party before stabbing first the other and then themselves. This scene sets the tone for what follows.

#13 “Spring: Love is a Monster” (2014)

This independent film is one of the best horror films on Amazon Prime and shows how frightening it can be to fall in love again – especially when the woman of your heart is thousands of years old and suddenly transforms into a monster before your eyes.

#14 “Carrie – Satan’s Youngest Daughter” (1976)

Actress Sissy Spacek wore Carrie's blood-splattered ball gown for three whole days during filming. And no matter how many times you watch the final scene of this horror film classic, it never loses its shock value. It tells the story of a supernaturally gifted outsider who is bullied first by her fanatically religious mother and then by her cruel schoolmates—until she finally loses her temper.

#15 “Shining” (1980)

"All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy..." – one of the most famous quotes in film history comes from Jack Nicholson, who plays a mad writer in an empty hotel in Stanley Kubrick's adaptation of Stephen King's thriller.

#16 “Bloody Silk” (1964)

This gruesome crime thriller revolves around a serial killer who targets the models of a specific fashion house in Rome. Over the years, the horror film classic has had a profound influence on many renowned directors—from Quentin Tarantino to David Lynch.

#17 “Suspiria – In the Claws of Evil” (1977)

Luca Guadagnino's 2018 remake is good, but Dario Argento's original is better. The 1970s horror film is about an American ballerina who transfers to a prestigious German academy. Gradually, increasingly sinister things begin to happen there.

#18 “What Ever Happened to Baby Jane?” (1962)

In this cult film, Bette Davis and Joan Crawford play sisters Jane and Blanche, who live secluded lives in a Hollywood mansion. While they are both actresses, only one of them is famous—with deadly consequences.

#19 “The Birds” (1963)

Alfred Hitchcock's 1952 adaptation of Daphne du Maurier's story marks Tippi Hedren's screen debut as heiress Melanie Daniels, whose visit to a Sonoma County beach turns deadly when birds attack humans.

#20 “Jennifer's Body – Boys after her own taste” (2009)

"Jennifer's Body," written by Diablo Cody, is like a time capsule of the 2000s. Megan Fox plays the typically good-looking girl who transforms into a succubus and forces her nerdy friend (played by Amanda Seyfried) to stop her from murdering all the boys on campus.

#21 “Castle of Horrors” (1961)

None other than Truman Capote helped bring Henry James' famous ghost story , "The Turn of the Screw," to the screen. Deborah Kerr plays the lead role of a potentially insane governess at a British country estate who believes two children are possessed by ghosts.

#22 “The Body Snatchers Are Coming” (1978)

For those who prefer horror films with a science fiction twist, "The Body Snatchers" is just the ticket. It's about alien beings who replace humans on Earth as identical, yet emotionless doppelgangers.

#23 “Rosemary’s Baby” (1968)

"Rosemary's Baby" is a cult film for countless reasons—for example, Mia Farrow's covetable wardrobe or Ruth Gordon's Oscar-winning performance. Roman Polanski's horror film follows a couple who move into a New York apartment and experience an increasingly strange and sinister pregnancy.

#24 “The Silence of the Lambs” (1991)

Not for the faint of heart: "The Silence of the Lambs" is one of the few horror films to win anOscar , and is still highly recommended more than 30 years after its release. The thriller tells the story of young detective Clarice Starling (Jodie Foster) trying to track down a serial killer – but only succeeds with the help of another inmate, the cannibalistic psychopath Hannibal Lecter (magnificently portrayed by Anthony Hopkins).

#25 “The Blood Red Dress” (2018)

With touches of Dario Argento, Nicolas Roeg, and David Lynch, Peter Strickland's surreal satire follows a cursed, blood-red dress that destroys the lives of its various owners. Check out the stunning interior design and Fatma Mohamed's brilliant portrayal of a sinister—and convincing—saleswoman.

#26 “Rosso – The Color of Death” (1975)

Dario Argento's classic horror film combines artful tracking shots, surreal colors, and a thrilling soundtrack to create an aesthetically stunning nightmare. In it, a musician witnesses a murder and attempts to uncover the mystery surrounding the perpetrator. His investigation leads him into a labyrinth of false leads, madness, and bloody visions.

#27 “The Wicker Man” (1973)

A police officer travels to a remote Scottish island to investigate the disappearance of a young girl – and encounters a pagan village community whose customs seem increasingly threatening. This horror classic thrives on its ominous atmosphere, the clash between religion and superstition, and a finale that leaves a lasting impression.

#28 “Train to Busan" (2016)

One of the scariest horror films of all time comes from South Korea and takes place on a journey from Seoul to Busan. A businessman (Gong Yoo from "Squid Game" ) and his young daughter are on a high-speed train when a zombie epidemic suddenly breaks out. From then on, the journey becomes a claustrophobic struggle for survival.

#29 “The Ring” (1998)

This psychological thriller from Japan has also earned its place in the Top 10 horror films. Journalist Reiko (Nanako Matsushima) hears rumors about a mysterious video: anyone who watches it will die after seven days. In her search for the VHS tape's origin, she is drawn ever deeper into a disturbing story full of bad omens. Atmospherically dense Japanese horror with iconic imagery that unleashes subtle terror—and resonates to this day through the concept of the cursed medium.

#30 “Vampyr” (1932)

Carl Theodor Dreyer's expressionist vampire film classic follows the young Allan Grey, who arrives at a castle haunted by mysterious deaths and vampire myths. The plot blends reality and dream, often appearing surreal and enigmatic. "Vampyr" creates its horror primarily through light, shadows, camera angles, and eerie sounds. A poetic, atmospheric film that interprets the vampire motif with symbolic imagery, it is still considered a masterpiece of early horror film.

#31 “Blood & Sinners”

"Black Panther" director Ryan Coogler has delivered one of the best horror films of 2025 with this thrilling genre mashup of horror, blues musical , and social allegory. In the 1930s, twin brothers Smoke and Stack (Michael B. Jordan in a dual role) return to Mississippi to counter the racist hell of the South by opening a juke joint for their community. But the revelry comes to an abrupt end when vampires mingle among the guests—and turn the party into a bloodbath.

#32 “Weapons”

This one is also among the best horror films of 2025: When all but one of the children in a school class mysteriously disappear on the same night at exactly the same time, the community wonders who or what is behind it. Soon, the class teacher (played by Julia Garner) becomes the target of the investigation.

Which are the most violent horror films? A scientific study called The Science of Scare addressed this question and identified the following top 3 scariest horror films.

#33 “Sinister” (2012)

In the number one horror film, crime writer Ellison (Ethan Hawke) and his family move into a house where several families have previously been murdered. Only one child was spared. Although Ellison originally only wanted to solve the violent crimes, he and his family suddenly face the same fate, because, like the other children before him, his son Trevor also encounters a sinister figure.

#34 “Host” (2020)

"Host" tells the story of a group of forty-somethings who hold a virtual meeting via Zoom. What starts out as a fun affair ends in death for the meeting participants.